2016 School Magazine

QUT FUTURE LEADERS Last year I was offered a place in the QUT Future Leaders program. The program is run by the Queensland University of Technology and brings together students from schools across Brisbane. Over the course of Year 11 and 12 there are a variety of events from Trivia Nights to special individual sessions with QUT career counsellors. I have participated in three events so far: the welcome evening, a study skills workshop and the Start QUT Trivia night. The Study Skills event was very helpful as it provided me with many techniques on how to improve my study throughout Years 11 and 12. Additionally, this day included a seminar about memory, which taught us many activities and techniques we can implement to improve our recollection for exams. So far I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience I have been given and I am honoured to be a BGGS representative. I hope to share my experiences with my classmates throughout Year 12.

GRACE MITCHELL (11R)

BGGS AMBASSADORS It has been an honour to give back to my School and share all that is special about Brisbane Girls Grammar School to our many visitors. In the inaugural year of this Service group I have met visiting dignitaries, prospective parents, and welcomed future Grammar girls to our School. BGGS Ambassadors are the face of the School, walking visitors or families to the venue of a function, assisting with registration to events and sharing my experiences at this School and answering any question posed. Over time it has become a great way for people to learn about the School through a firsthand point of view. It has afforded me the opportunity to make lots of new friends, meet amazing people and practice my communication skills with people I have never met before. As a BGGS Ambassador I have been able to meet fascinating people from other schools, states and all around the world. They have shared their experiences and given me an insight into the world that I will be soon walking into.

EMILY ZHANG (10E)

QUEENSLAND YOUTH PARLIAMENT To be perfectly honest, the notion of going away for a week with ninety political enthusiasts, most of whom were wiser, older and more open-minded than me, was terrifying. The idea of speaking in front of these people, where I would voice my personal values and ideas in Queensland Parliament House, only amplified my terror. For this reason, I knew that I had to apply for Queensland Youth Parliament.

However, the indispensable lessons I learned and the skills I cultivated far surpassed any initial trepidation I had. I learnt how to talk to a diverse group of people, from starkly contrasting backgrounds to mine. I learnt about pressing social issues affecting the youth of Australia. Most importantly, however, I learnt how to be courageous – how to think outside the box, put my hand up and speak my opinion. I am particularly passionate about Indigenous affairs, maintaining that education is the most powerful tool we can use to ameliorate xenophobia and socioeconomic inequality. Participating in this programme allowed me to discuss solutions for such issues with prominent Indigenous figureheads while gaining a wide range of perspectives. From here, my ambition to be a human rights lawyer, specifically representing Indigenous communities across the world, was only augmented. For girls wishing to gain a sense of perspective, develop an acute understanding of global affairs, improve their public speaking skills and expand their friendship circle, I highly recommend applying for Queensland Youth Parliament in 2017.

It turns out that my fears were well founded – during the course of six days, I had to foster the courage to openly express my ideologies in front of people, network with youth from all across Queensland, and debate for a bill that I had helped formulate for legislation.

IVY LAWRENCE (12E)

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