Light Her Path: The power of community in support of girls’ education
Since 2020, the SCEGGS Trust has led the Light Her Path Campaign to raise $20 million – $12 million for the much-needed redevelopment of Wilkinson House and $8 million for scholarships. The scholarship fund supports the school’s ambition to sustain 10% of students on means-tested scholarships.
This target was ambitious, and we were starting from a very low base. The school had limited capital outside of specific campaigns – the last one being to build the Joan Freeman Science Centre in the 2000s.
An undertaking of the scale of the Light Her Path campaign also faced the gender-related challenge that while boys’ schools benefit from the economic advantage of their alumni who for generations have had the means to generously support their schools, girls’ schools have not enjoyed the same advantage.
Even though many SCEGGS alumni have gone onto have successful careers, the historically reduced economic power of women is evident in the capital reserves of girls’ schools like SCEGGS. Some may argue that SCEGGS fees are high and should support capital investment, but the small size of the school and the investment in the best quality teaching available means that student fees pay for today, and the generosity of past generations has always paid for tomorrow.
The campaign has not been without its challenges. COVID-19 meant that the focus on the health and well-being of our school community, the economic impact of the lockdowns and the shift to home-schooling, was the school’s highest priority until early 2022.
However, we could not be prouder of the achievements of our school community through this period. Over $8.1 million has been raised through an unprecedent level of participation from over 235 parents, Old Girls and supporters. The campaign’s achievements are testament to the power of this community – and the significant ambition of our parents, Old Girls and supporters to invest in and champion the values of SCEGGS.
Light Her Path is partly about raising funds to secure the future of the school and invest in girls’ education. However, mostly it is about recognising the value that SCEGGS plays in developing women with the strength, ambition, resilience and compassion to lead our society with energy, integrity and justice. It is about acknowledging that our small, inner-city campus has many advantages in terms of location and culture – however it also limits our capacity to grow and compels us to make the most of every square metre.
The campaign reflects an extraordinary effort at every level of the school community. Specifically, parents in every year group joined the campaign as ambassadors to champion the cause. Sponsors and volunteers contributed their stories, hosted the Gala Dinner and drove our first ever Giving Day. Families from every year group have donated in a way that is generous for them, demonstrating the values of the school and their commitment to girls’ education. Our incredible Old Girl community has championed the cause and shared deeply personal stories about their attachment to SCEGGS. We have also benefited from the support of past and present teachers, and past parents and supporters of the school.
As we close the year, we are looking forward to a well-earned break and the opportunity to reflect on the campaign and the community’s achievements. In the short-term, we are very excited to see the redevelopment of Wilkinson House in action and to consider the impact of increased scholarships on our school community. In the longer term, we are excited about the potential to reach our $20 million goal through the power of our community in support of the future of girls’ education at SCEGGS.
Christy Boyce
Chair of the Capital Campaign Committee
