2024 School Magazine

OGA Volunteers

The Old Girls’ Association (OGA) is an organisation comprised of BGGS alumnae and is devoted to reuniting Grammar Women through functions and events across Australia. Year 11 students volunteer as OGA Ambassadors, and when events are held at the School, they have the wonderful opportunity to meet and interact with alumnae. Our experience as 2024 OGA volunteers has truly allowed us to be immersed in our School’s longstanding culture and history. The inspirational women we’ve met have given us invaluable insight towards life beyond the white picket fence. Particularly, it is evident that the deep-rooted foundation of the Girls Grammar education and the connections made throughout schooling, stays with every woman in the OGA, regardless of the life they lead after graduation. Volunteering for the OGA has allowed us to further hone our communication, leadership, and organisational skills, and it has invited us to reflect on how we can impact the world as future Grammar Women. We are so grateful for these experiences and how they have united us under the shared pride of our school. Chloe Teo (11M), Emily Fletcher (11M) and Elodi Hsu (11M) BGGS Ambassadors BGGS Ambassadors is an opportunity for students in Years 7 to 10 to assist at a number of events across the year to welcome current and future families onto our Spring Hill campus. This Service initiative allows students to connect with members of the broader School community while representing BGGS in a formal capacity. This year, we were fortunate to have over 130 registered Ambassadors, revealing a widely-held desire among students to give back and show pride in our School. It has been a very full calendar of events this year. Donning their Girls Grammar hats, BGGS Ambassadors got to work as early as Term 1: assisting the incoming Year 6 students at the Term 4 House afternoon teas; and volunteering Friday afternoons and Saturdays to support incoming Year 7 students during the 2025 Heads of House interviews. Feedback was entirely positive, and Ambassadors received formal commendations for their involvement. It has been our pleasure to welcome these youngest students with open arms and to help them feel more settled about the exciting adventures that await them in the royal blue. We thank Mr David Rawson and Ms Lynne Mungomery for coordinating the program this year. Sofia Shirley (8M) Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)—also known as Doctors Without Borders—is an international and independent humanitarian organisation that provides medical assistance to those affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. At BGGS, our group aims to raise awareness about health issues that are currently of interest to MSF and encourage students to engage in discussions about these issues. We aim to present students with relevant and interesting topics within the fields of medical science and humanities, providing another opportunity to learn about things that aren’t brought up during class. In this year’s meetings, we have covered various topics including: the lack of resources in Gaza; mental health in Ukraine; the Rohingya crisis; measles vaccinations in Afghanistan; malnutrition in Nigeria; and the Oropouche fever. These meetings were successful in giving students insight into situations and communities that differ significantly to Brisbane, as well as prompting thoughtful conversations about what we can do to help create a change. We are grateful for everyone who has contributed to our meetings this year and hope that this Service group continues to receive passionate engagement from students. Lastly, we would also like to express thanks to our incredible coordinators, Mrs Monica Urry and Ms Gerri Bernard, for their wonderful support in fostering our fun learning environment. Claudia Chin (11E) and Ajin Kyoung (11H) Doctors Without Borders

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