2023 School Magazine

ASTRONOMY CLUB

undertook a university course about the constellation of Orion. An incursion was also held on 15 August, when we attended a webinar with guest speaker Katherine Bennell-Pegg, who will make history as the first Australian woman to be trained as an astronaut by an international space agency. The coordinator preparing all these wonderful and informative activities is Mrs Smith. She is always willing to help and to answer your burning questions about space, she also loves to share her passion for Astronomy with all the club members. Helena Ng (8L) and Yihao Zeng (8R)

Do you enjoy visiting the planetarium, gazing at the stars in the night sky or even just keeping up with space news? Astronomy Club may just be the perfect place for you! New members of the club work towards the Astronomy Club Award, guiding them through a series of tasks. This year the students participated in many activities including identifying constellations and creating their own telescopes. Additionally, there is an Advanced Astronomy Award, for students who have already completed the first few steps into their career in Astronomy. These students were challenged to sketch out the moon using binoculars borrowed from the School and we

ATHENE

yet important conversations with respect, confidence, and empathy. Without COVID restrictions, Athene has thankfully been able to hold more regular meetings this year, with Year 12 papers covering topics ranging from AI, altruism, and separating art from the artist, to capital punishment, trans-athletes in sport, and social media influencers. Overall, Athene has been a success this year, with its members greatly benefitting from meetings through their avid participation in group conversation, and their exposure to the diverse perspectives of their peers. Emma Readdy (12L) Athene Captain

Named after the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athene is an invitation-only society and forum group of senior students from both Brisbane Girls Grammar School and Brisbane Grammar School. Nominated and democratically-selected by Year 10 teachers, Athene members participate in impassioned, insightful, and diverse discussions at Athene meetings throughout Year 11 and 12. In meetings, Year 12 students from both schools present papers on controversial topics of interest, followed by Socratic-style conversation. Facilitated by English teacher, Ms Genders, and BGS teacher, Mr Howes, Athene allows its members to not only thoughtfully engage with a broad range of poignant subjects, but also to practise navigating contentious,

CALLIGRAPHY CLUB

Japanese calligraphy has long been a prominent part of Japanese traditions and culture. Shodo , the Japanese word for calligraphy, is often translated as ‘the way of artistic handwriting’ or ‘beautiful handwriting’. It has a long, rich history, going through many styles and expressions during its 300-plus years of existence. Calligraphy is not only a highly regarded art form in Japan, but also a skill and an aesthetic. First established in 2000, Brisbane Girls Grammar School’s own Calligraphy Club students have created countless artworks, reflecting the artistic side of the School’s identity. Calligraphy is a casual and relaxing form of art that enhances both concentration and patience while emphasising conscientiousness in the works. Throughout the term, Calligraphy Club meets on Thursday afternoons from 3.30 to 4.30 pm. Here, students study under Eighth-Dan calligraphers to create ink paintings (Sumi-e) or write Japanese kanji characters in a stylistic way. Calligraphy Club extends a warm welcome to anyone at any time, so feel free to join us. Yolanda Huang (9O) and Charmaine Wong (9H) Calligraphy Leaders 2023

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