Last week, Strive9 was launched to Year 9 students. This Enhanced Learning Program is a social justice project that students work on together in their Homerooms over the next two terms.

As a team, the girls will identify a need in our community and then develop a way to address this need. This project is student led, with guidance from Homeroom teachers. Strive9 provides an opportunity for students to acquire life-long skills and experience social justice issues first-hand, contributing through action to bring about change and understanding. The program provides students with valuable skills in resilience, communication, and organisation, as they work together to develop a project all of them are involved in and agree to.

The launch involved the girls organising a lunch, and planning and completing the painting of a banner to represent their Homeroom and the project. This gave the girls an opportunity to see how their Homeroom would work together and reflect on areas they might need to improve on, in order to ensure the success of their Strive9 project.

Over the coming weeks the girls will be examining their values and what needs they see in our community. I encourage you to discuss this project with your daughters and to engage them in conversations about various issues they see in the media or hear about in the community. Strive9 is such a valuable project and one I know the girls will very much enjoy.

Marsha Pengilly, Dean of Students, Year 9