Showing their Spirit – the Spirit of MLC School Award

Spirit of MLC School Award

Celebrating the Spirit of MLC School Award

The Spirit of MLC School Award is an award designed to recognise and encourage our students from Year 5 to Year 8 to live by and engage with the Round Square Spirits and Discoveries. This award celebrates the positive contributions made by each recipient to both MLC School and the broader community. Participation in the Spirit of MLC School Award is voluntary and prepares our students to undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Award when they enter Year 9.

The award fosters increased levels of participation within the school community, ensuring every MLC School Girl takes full advantage of their time at the school.

In 2025, we are excited to extend this program to Year 6 students, bringing it to its full capacity of engagement. The program is already running successfully in Year 5, Year 7, and Year 8, and we look forward to seeing our Year 6 students join in this enriching experience.

All year groups have been presented with their respective award levels by Xavier Maling, including the award criteria, how to complete the reflection, and how to upload evidence. All students are automatically enrolled into the Canvas course, and can start uploading evidence and reflections.

In assembly on Friday we celebrated the 23 Year 5 (2024) students who are the inaugural White Award recipients, the 14 Year 7(2024) Cambridge Blue Award recipients and 4 Year 8 (2024) Gold Award recipients.

White Award (attained in Year 5):

• Scarlet Akers
• Isabel Archer
• Macy Bellew
• Tillie Bishop
• Mikayla Brown
• Aashani Chandramohan
• Elana Chrun
• Charlotte Pepper Craparotta
• Eloise Dastyari
• Eshani Dilipumakanth
• Daisy Han
• Maya Haysom-McDowell
• Jesselle Jiao
• Averie Ling
• Caoimhe McAtamney
• Arielle McBrien
• Ariana Paterson
• Remy Pereira
• Clara Southwood
• Mariella Tsolis
• Francesca White
• Catherine Coorey
• Alicia Wang
• Rayna Zhu

Cambridge Blue Award (attained in Year 7):

• Lexie Bellew
• Cailise Campbell
• Janani Kanthathas
• Aditi Knowles
• Bonnie Li
• Ellie Moran
• Ciara Patterson
• Sophia Ronan
• Phoebe Tang
• Hana Lee
• Lucinda Ho

Gold Award (attained in Year 8):

• Chloe Lu
• Melisande Pitman
• Caydence Sumantri
• Mia Waterhouse

We are incredibly proud of our students’ dedication and commitment to these values. Their hard work and positive contributions are truly inspiring. Congratulations to all our award recipients, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact you will make within our school and beyond. You can read some examples of their reflections as part of the award:

Year 7 Examples:

How did you demonstrate this discovery (sense of responsibility) whilst on you Adventurers’ program? 

When I saw we had to put up our tents ourselves, I was nervous. However, my tent group fixed it in no time and I felt good about it. Our responsibility was to make sure our tent didn’t have insects flying around (we decided that as a group), there were really funny and there were scary times. In Camp, I wasn’t at all worried about losing things, I was more worried about unpacking and packing necessary things in my luggage and I saw others having the same issue. My luminary group and I helped each other and slowly but surely we got all packed up and went off.  

How did you demonstrate this discovery (self-awareness) whilst on you Adventurers’ program? 

Throughout the camp, I didn’t know many people even in my luminary until I found a group of friends who were kind enough to lend me a hand and invite me into their group. This person made me feel welcome and appreciated more, through this I had more self-awareness about myself and how I can impact others, by using my own personal traits to make them feel welcome as I had got. 

What could you do in future adventurer’s programs to build on your experiences? 

As I was new I thought that I wouldn’t need to help others and they should help me (since I was new). However, I realised at the end of camp everyone all probably felt the same way about themselves. I believe the next time we go on camp together I could include more people and make others feel the same way I felt after camp.  

In term one of my dance co-curricular, the main strength that I identified is tenacity. This is evident through my ongoing commitment to school rehearsals, which, more often than not, felt daunting and fatiguing to my body. However, my tenacious mindset proved helpful, as, throughout the term, I improved my dance skills. 

1. I demonstrated my tenacity through my discipline and dedication when attending classes. In each lesson, I persisted through obstacles such as not understanding specific dance moves, feeling tired or doubting my skills as a dancer. Due to my tenacity, I was able to overcome this and improve as a dancer. 
2. Through my dance program, I recognised that my inquisitiveness could be improved as I often found myself intimidated to ask a question in front of the whole class, even though I needed clarification in some areas. In the future, I would evolve this skill as it is integral to improving my dancing. 

A round square discovery that I saw as one of my strengths was Teamwork skills. Since badminton is a team sport, we as a team had to work effectively together as well as communicate to successfully win the competition. I demonstrated this discovery by working with my team to win the Grand Finals! 

I actually saw another discovery as one of my strengths, which is appreciation of diversity. We as a team had to support and cover for the weaker players and help them grow stronger. I demonstrated this as well by appreciating that we have our differences and I also tried to help her improve.  

A discovery that I saw as one of my weaknesses was courage. I was always stressing out about whether we would win, and that led to unnecessary tension that I probably can improve in the future. Next time, I will try and be calm and cheer for my team. I also want to try and take the matter of winning and losing less seriously. 

Year 5 Examples:

Identify a Round Square Discovery that you saw as one of your strengths across your co-curricular program. 

Problem-Solving Papri 

• I think clearly and creatively when faced with a problem. 
• I work with other people and on my own to try to solve it in different ways. 
• I ask for help, and look things up when I need to, in order to reach decisions. 

Describe how you demonstrated this discovery across the term 

The co-curricular activity that I have participated in for the past three years is Orchestra in which I play the ‘cello. In orchestra I sit at the first desk and this means that I am a leader and that I am responsible enough to lead the ‘cello section of the orchestra if my first desk partner is away. I believe that Problem solving Papri was my hero that helped me throughout these years. 

As an orchestra,  we work together to create music and we work as a team so that we can make our pieces sound polished and as the composer envisaged. When I am at home by myself I practice my pieces multiple times to make them sound their best and if I need help I can ask my cello teacher or someone in my family and they can explain it to me in a way that makes sense. 

Identify a Round Square Discovery that you saw as an area needing growth. 

Responsible Rami 

• I want to play my part in making the world a safe, fair, happy and kind place to be. 
• I look after other people, helping them to stay safe, to make decisions between right and wrong, and to be good. 
• I own my mistakes and actions and take pride in my efforts and achievements. 

The reason that I chose responsible Rami is because I need to be aware of what I can and can’t do in an orchestra as well as the areas of strength and development for my section of the orchestra.  Where I am not able at first to play with accuracy a piece of music I will apply myself in orchestra and make time at home to work on parts of pieces. I always try and ensure that whilst the conductor is talking to another part of the orchestra, the violins for instance, I use this time productively to go over my part, also showing respect by not distracting others in doing so. If people in my section are having difficulty keeping quiet during orchestra I help them remember it’s important to stay focussed. 

Explain how you have developed this discovery in past co-curricular 

I have developed Responsible Rami in debating because I have taken pride in my efforts and achievements. When I have received a nice comment from my coach or adjudicator I felt proud and happy. When my team achieved a debating win I would congratulate myself and my fellow teammates because we worked together to succeed When my team did not win I always genuinely congratulated the successful team whilst knowing that our team had tried our hardest and I had spent time preparing and this would help in future debates. 

Leadership role: Sports Captain (Mooramoora) 

I think the hero that demonstrates me as a leader is Problem Solving Papri, and Responsible Rami. I sowed problem solving on my day of sport field when thinking of what to do on those days for activities. I also picked responsible rami, I feel I was very responsible in my leadership role by taking action and doing things like sports carnivals Ect and showing pride in being apart of the sports leadership community.  

The hero I think I have developed whilst being a leader is Communication Cara, I have developed my communication skills by sending emails to various teachers, talking in front of big crowds and much more. 

My role model for leadership is my Mum, she shows leadership every day by looking after us, planning everything we do, and most of all being kind and has loved me and my sister from the beginning and will continue for the rest of eternity.

Community Contribution

This year, I am a Music Monitor for Booralee. Teamwork Tama is my Hero of Discovery that best demonstrates me as a leader. This is because I have to organise the Piccolo Stelle Lunchtime Concert every Wednesday in the JS Music Centre (Room Number 1). All of the Music Monitors from every House have to plan and write a joint script. There is a saying that “Teamwork makes the dream works” and I feel that my leadership role in Music Monitor has helped me understand the teamwork skill. 

Music makes people feel cheerful and connected.  I would like to extend the joy to the animals which are left at the shelter. I voluntarily participate in RSPCA reading for the animals this year. When I read to the puppies who were left behind at the shelter, I feel like I make them happy and I can bond with them. Compassionate Carlos is my Hero of Discovery for this activity. This is because the puppies must have felt sad that their owners did not take care of them. By reading some books for them, I could make them feel joyful again. 

My Junior School Captains are my role model. This is because they show how me brave and determined they are to represent our whole Junior School.  For example, they have to do public speaking every Monday morning in front of the whole school when they told us which house has the most points to win the school cup at the end of the year. 

Year 8 Examples:

I have gained the skills of Communication with people who are not like me, through our dreams not our currant state. The people working at Kids Giving Back were really kind and shared their stories. I worked on my ability to be inquisitive, i wanted to know more, to understand and to help those who are homeless or in venerable housing. The diversity of the people we were working with and who we were working for really lit up my appreciation of the great diversity we have. I felt responsible working to help others and I was doing most of it without guidance of a superior. One part of the experience was watching some confronting videos of those who are not a fortunate and their life styles and I was unsure whether i would make it to the end of the day and I used my tenacity and passion to continue despite how confronting it was. Hearing about how many people just in NSW had no roof over their head made me reflect on my own situation, I thought about what it would be like if I could not get home and I had nowhere safe to go and no food to eat. It has increased my self awareness and I have a greater perspective for how fortunate i am. In a group of 7 we worked together in teamwork to create 200+ dishes. Around the end we were called to make packs for children going to school without school supplies. We made finder-words and packed pencil cases, this built my compassion.

In term 1 I participated in competitive tennis (IGSA) and representative  swimming (IGSA). While participating in the physical activities, I have came across my strength by pushing my limits and having compassion in my work. My strength in physical activity is teamwork skills and breaking my goals. Throughout  the term, I worked hard to keep going above and beyond to achieve my goal of competing at the IGSA swimming carnival and for IGSA tennis, my teamwork skills shined as it was an essential skill to win games. Overall, I didn’t place in the IGSA swimming carnival, but my team came first in the IGSA tennis. A round square discovery that needs growth is coping with my results. When I saw my score at IGSA swimming carnival, I was disappointed and upset. That day, I didn’t place, but I learned a valuable  lesson that you have to accept your results and work even harder next time. I have recently worked on the skills and trying to get better at it.

Identify a Round Square Discovery that you saw as one of your strengths across your co-curricular program.

Describe how you demonstrated this discovery across the term

During Theatre Sports I showed the discovery of coourage, as it can be scary to get up in front of people without any idea of what you are going to say or do and act out a scene. Yet I got up there and did it any way, even though I was nervous.  

Identify a Round Square Discovery that you saw as an area needing growth.

Communication

Explain how you have developed this discovery in past co-curricular.

In Theatre Sports, I need to improve on my communication skills, as a big part of Theatre Sports is listening to other peoples opinions and ideas. I have developed this in the past by asking my group if they had any ideas that they wanted to share, and making sure everyone had a turn at speaking. 

Award Criteria – White Award (Year 5):

The White Award level is assigned to Year 5, and named after the Light, as referenced in the School Motto: Ut filie lucis ambulate Walk as daughters of the light.

To be eligible to receive the White Award, each student must complete the requirements of the four specified award areas. Students will be required to submit evidence of their participation and complete a structured reflection to demonstrate their growth against the 12-character attributes of the Round Square Discovery Framework.

Award Areas and Requirements

Award Criteria – Oxford Blue Award (Year 6)  

The Oxford Award, level assigned to Year 6 is this named after the dark blue colour in the school uniform.  

To be eligible to receive the Oxford Award each student must complete the requirements of the four specified award areas. To demonstrate that they have met the requirements students will be required to submit evidence of their participation plus complete a structured reflection to demonstrate their growth against the 12-character attributes of the Round Square Discovery Framework.   

Award Criteria – Cambridge Blue Award (Year 7)  

The Cambridge Blue Award, level assigned to Year 7 is this named after the light blue colour in the school uniform.  

To be eligible to receive the Cambridge Blue Award each student must complete the requirements of the four specified award areas. To demonstrate that they have met the requirements students will be required to submit evidence of their participation plus complete a structured reflection to demonstrate their growth against the 12-character attributes of the Round Square Discovery Framework.   

Award Criteria – Gold Award (Year 8)  

The Gold Award, level assigned to Year 8 is this named after the gold in the school crest.

To be eligible to receive the Gold Award each student must complete the requirements of the four specified award areas. To demonstrate that they have met the requirements students will be required to submit evidence of their participation plus complete a structured reflection to demonstrate their growth against the 12-character attributes of the Round Square Discovery Framework.   

– Xavier Maling
Round Square Coordinator