Girls4Girls Day
Girls4Girls Day is an annual celebration at Santa Maria College. We come together in gratitude to recognise the wonderful educational opportunities that we are fortunate to have. The day also supports other girls and women, both locally and internationally, by raising funds to support access to education, employment, and health.
In 2022, the focus charity was a Mercy Works supported project in Cebu, located in the Philippines, called the Good Shepherd Welcome House. This new charity trains women who have left prostitution to become advocates against human trafficking. It also aims to build stronger relationships with local city and province officials to start a dialogue to help women access education, employment, and a range of health services.
Students and staff mark the day firstly by dressing to a designated theme. This year the Student Leadership Council (SLC) asked everyone to follow the theme of monochrome and come dressed in their favourite colour. This led to a wonderful array of colours around the College. Students brought a gold coin to donate or a pack of sanitary items for Share the Dignity, another fantastic local charity supporting women.
At recess, we were spoilt for choice for some amazing cupcakes kindly donated by many parents throughout the College. Lunch saw students lining up for a sausage sizzle and a drink. Both of these offerings raised vital funds for the focus charity of the day.
The final event of the day was the much-anticipated staff vs student netball match. After a loss in last week’s volleyball match, the staff were keen to make amends.
Incorporating the ‘super shot’ zone into the goal circle, worth double points per shot, was an exciting addition and some long shots certainly were attempted! In the end, the staff couldn’t quite convert their shots and the students emerged victorious by four points. It was a great game to watch and the halftime performance from the Year 7 Dance Collective was also spectacular.
We asked some of our Year 12 students, in celebration of their final Girls4Girls Day, what it means to them and why they chose the Good Shephard Welcome House charity to donate to.
To me, Girls4Girls Day is about showing our support for girls around the world who are less fortunate than ourselves. The whole school, both staff and students, come together to raise vital funds to assist Mercy Works in helping underprivileged women. It provides a chance for us to reflect on, and be grateful for, the amazing educational opportunities we are fortunate to have, opportunities that sadly not all girls have. Abby Young
Girls4Girls day is about having a sense of sisterhood with all women, especially those who are less fortunate than us. The Good Shepherd Welcome House in Cebu, is about strengthening women’s self-esteem and confidence, enabling them to discover their voices and speak out against the injustices they faced. This centre also seeks to provide better opportunities for women in education, employment, and health services, so that they are in a position where they can avoid trafficking. This agency is about raising women up and standing with them when they have been isolated and devalued, which is why it is perfect to encapsulate the meaning of Girls4Girls Day. Niamh Smithies
The organisation that Santa Maria is raising donations for on Girls4Girls day works to make a difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or facing other troubling situations. These donations raised include money and period products, which will be distributed to women and girls in need of support. They collect thousands of donations every year to support women and girls in society and make a change. Alice Handcock
All in all, Girls4Girls Day was a fantastic event and the girls have raised a lot of much-needed funds for other girls who need it most.
A massive thank you to everyone who has supported all the initiatives.
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
