From the Principal
MSCW – Getting involved and giving back to the broader community
Last weekend was a shining example of our students getting involved and giving back to the broader community through the Humpty Dumpty Foundation Balmoral Burn. Our girls certainly put Woolwich on the map among other schools showing ‘determination’, ‘grit’ and ‘courage’ to take the challenge of running up Sydney’s steepest hill. However, more importantly the MSCW girls demonstrated a passionate and generous commitment to get involved and give back to others. As Marist women we have a responsibility and obligation to step out of our ‘privileged’ world and look to ways of giving ‘service’ to those in need.
Supporting the Humpty Dumpty Foundation is just one way that as a College Community we reach out to others. A part of being a Marist girl we ask all students to contribute to Marist Service. As a minimum we ask for 10 hours per year. A small amount of voluntary time and as students find out, when they give, they receive much more in return.
The Humpty Dumpty Foundation is certainly one of the charities that I like to support because supporting children and their families is part of my DNA as an educator and Principal. To support young families and to see the enormous impact of the lifesaving equipment provided by Humpty Dumpty Foundation is immensely satisfying. In fact, it simply amazing! Young families, across Sydney and regional towns are often desperate to see their sick children nursed and cared for with the best equipment. There are now many stories of families who are forever grateful to Humpty Dumpty and the person, family or corporate fundraisers who donated the equipment that saved their daughter’s or son’s life.
A young Dad I spoke to on Sunday told me,
I will forever be a lifelong supporter of Humpty Dumpty. My second daughter was born 3.5 months premature and she spent 5 months in the NICU ward at RNSH. She was born weighing 715grams and was given very little chance of survival. All the equipment used on her life support was donated by Humpty Dumpty. Pleased to say she is now a happy, healthy, thriving 5 year old with no complications. Without Humpty Dumpty we wouldn’t have her with us.
Thank you to the students who ran that Hill last Sunday and to those who sponsored them. It was such a successful day and we contributed by raising almost $4000.00 as a school community for this great cause.
Key Community Skills for the future
More and more I read how society attitudes and expectations are changing especially after the pandemic. Society is looking for higher ethical standards from individuals, leaders and companies. Those who are making real progress on social change as well as looking beyond “going green” and leaning towards building an equitable society for a truly sustainable future. David de Carvalho, Chief Executive of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, recently wrote that: “Schooling, while preparing our children as best it can for the changing world of work, is going to need to focus more on those aspects of humanity that are exclusively human and vitally important for our development as democratic communities. In addition to reading, writing, numeracy and digital literacy, the other four capabilities in the Australian Curriculum – ethical understanding, personal and social capability, intercultural understanding, and critical and creative thinking, are going to be more and more important.
It is these aspects that future employers, TAFE, and universities are starting to look for when employing and enrolling students. Apart from academic capability, they are looking for the personal attributes of a student. It is the contribution and passion for something that is beyond themselves, that students have made to their community, that is also significant in their employment or study pattern for future jobs.
So…how are our girls, your daughters, our leaders and decision makers of the future reaching out and living their Marist Service. The Marist Service Program is active on Student Cloudshare. So, I end where I began…… get involved and give back to the broader community.