2020 Annual Review

Head Girls’ Address Thursday 19 November 2020

ARWEN DIAS-JAYASINHA (12G) AND ABBEY GRICE (12E) HEAD GIRLS

In their last formal address as Head Girls 2020, Arwen Dias-Jayasinha and Abbey Grice, addressed the Girls Grammar community at the School’s Annual Speech Day and Distribution of Prizes 2020.

Good afternoon Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ms Julie McKay, esteemed members of the Board of Trustees, Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler, distinguished guests, family and friends of the School, teachers, and girls. Thank you for joining us on this special occasion. Speech Day is a time to celebrate the achievements of Grammar girls and ultimately, share the highlights and accomplishments that have made 2020 a year to remember. When Arwen and I began to consider and reflect upon the year we have had, our initial thoughts were simply how much we have enjoyed ourselves. How much we will cherish the bonds, experiences, and opportunities we’ve been so fortunate to have had. As we commenced our role as Head Girls, we were excited to see what 2020 would bring as it was a new year, a new decade, with new leaders, and new beginnings. While we could have never predicted the experiences 2020 has brought we always knew this would be a year to remember. Through reflection with the Student Council, we found that to make this year as memorable as we were anticipating it to be, we wanted to instill three core values—spirit, love, and teamwork—throughout the School. These values led us to the creation of the 2020 school motto: ‘2020—me and you, be the glue that binds the blue’. As the only cohort to include their year in the motto, we saw 2020 not just as a memento of the year we graduated but as a symbol of the new decade and journey we were all entering. We wanted the year to be me and you, you and me, working together, supporting each other, all uniting under the blue. And, unbeknownst to us, our motto could not have encapsulated the spirit and disposition needed to succeed and thrive in this current climate more perfectly. Although the looming COVID-19 pandemic could have dampened our spirit this year, it instead radiated, as girls were given the chance to develop

their creativity, resilience, and positivity. Our school already had a sisterhood with ties deeper and more profound than any other, but this year we wanted to dare everyone to be more . We wanted more energy, more participation, more passion. Because when we have the support, drive, and spirit, we can do great things. We wanted every girl to embrace their school spirit, and feel included and accepted within the Grammar sisterhood. We encouraged girls to share their diverse range of talents, experiences, and interests with the Girls Grammar community. With Grammar’s extensive Co-curricular Program, and seemingly unlimited ensemble performances, productions and service groups, there is not a moment at BGGS where a girl is not able to strengthen her existing talents or discover a new area of passion. Opportunities to contribute to the School’s culture were available through the many student-led events during the year. These events included Diversity Day, which recognised the different backgrounds and identities that enrich our community; Arts Fest—a week-long celebration of our wildly talented artists, musicians, and actors—and perhaps the greatest culmination of the spirit and diversity—our termly Blue Day celebrations, allowing girls to cheer on their fellow Grammar sportswomen. The change from dancing on Level 3 of the Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre to a socially-distanced picnic on the Pool Lawn did not dampen our spirit as we saw it as an opportunity to make the year fresh and unique. We turned the School into a sea of blue at our first two Blue Days—Under The Sea and Big Blue Barnyard Bash— while our final, more colourful, Blue Day—Love Day—saw an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on who and what we love. This love also extended to the wider community, reaching those affiliated with Rural Aid, our selected School Charity for this year in an effort to address the ongoing effects of the bushfires on our Australian farmers. During remote learning, girls connected with Rural Aid through our Notes of Hope initiative, which involved writing kind notes to farmers, nurses,

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Brisbane Girls Grammar School Annual Review 2020