Seeds of Justice: Together in Mercy
Santa Maria College, as a member of Mercy Education Ltd (MEL), has established a chapter of the Social Justice Program, Seeds of Justice, in Western Australia for students in schools that carry the Mercy charism. Seeds of Justice is a student-driven group that seeks students who will show initiative in different ways, through school-based meetings and activities, connecting with students and staff from other Mercy schools and engaging with members of the public.
The first event for the program this year saw ten Mercy schools gather online from across Australia to explore the theme ‘Together in Mercy: Welcoming the Stranger’.
Students were welcomed by Brenda Keenan, MEL’s Head of Mission and Education. They were then addressed by Zahra Ahsani, a Mercy old scholar who graduated from St Aloysius College, Adelaide, in 2014. She is a Hazara woman originally from Afghanistan and is passionate about justice issues, particularly around access to education for girls and women. Zahra is a member of Young Mercy Links South Australia and has been involved in advocacy campaigns for Justice for Refugees South Australia and connecting with the refugee and asylum seeker community across Adelaide.Â
Students then used the online platform known as Padlet to share what they heard, felt and saw and were also asked to pose wonder questions. Students were also provided with an opportunity to join various workshops addressing advocacy and action for individuals, practical ways they could help in their schools and an exploration of social justice in the wider world of mercy.
Our Year 10 students contributed confidently and enthusiastically and are keen to further pursue and advocate for the merciful treatment of those seeking asylum in Australia.
Santa Maria Teams Shine in Term 1 Sports
Santa Maria had a huge number of girls in the IGSSA AFL and Volleyball competition with strong results for a number of teams.
Lee-Elle’s Insights from the ‘Make it 16’ Forum
Lee-Elle Cooper is a passionate Year 12 student who advocates for youth engagement and political participation. She has recently returned from the Make It 16 Forum in Canberra.
With Laurissa Knowles From Valley Depths to Mountain Peaks (1993)
Laurissa Knowles (1993) has had an incredible career journey so far, from Santa Maria College Teacher to Celebrant and Councillor.
- Compassion, Featured, Respect
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.
