Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2015

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INSPIRE YOUR SISTERS OLD AND NEW, 140 YEARS IN ROYAL BLUE

AUTHORS Jacinta MacGinley (12B) and Natalia Gulbransen-Diaz (12W)

MOTTOS ENCAPSULATE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF AN INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANISATION. They offer direction and construct solidarity or unity of purpose within groups. Therefore, it is no surprise that the tradition of creating a motto, establishing a year-long adage, has become a tradition at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. This year, the Student Council has adopted a maxim expressing the fundamental principles of the School to be recognised and celebrated: Inspire your sisters old and new, 140 years in royal blue . Born from values of passion, sisterhood and tradition, we hope these words will inspire girls to embrace school life with unparallelled enthusiasm and spirit. In terms of passion, Khalil Gibran, Lebanese artist, poet and philosopher, asserted that individuals should ‘rest in reason; move in passion’. Thus, the supportive environment at Girls Grammar means that all girls are encouraged to express and pursue their individual passions. Girls Grammar teaches us to walk through our school with arms outstretched, prepared to grasp every opportunity with both hands. Passion is seen in every aspect of school life, resonating through the campus like a voice. It is contagious, and we hope girls will endeavour to live out their passion and inspire those around them to view the world from a different perspective, be it the Uralla Club, International Women’s Day wish cards, or wearing their heart on their sleeve for Valentine’s Day. Another fundamental value underpinning the motto is the idea of sisterhood. Girls Grammar is not only a

community but also a family, a family of girls who inspire and empower one another. However, this notion of sisterhood extends beyond girls currently at school to include alumni, prospective students and women globally. There is an organic connection between Grammar girls, a common background which draws them together. Thus, sisterhood is not only about supporting friends, but also about embracing the continually evolving Girls Grammar community and, through this, attempting to inspire sisters both old and new. This can be as simple as waving to a Grammar girl outside of school, talking to someone from a different year group, or dancing with your buddy on the ‘d-floor’ on Blue Day. Finally, in honour of the School’s history, our fervent belief in tradition pays homage to the women who have walked in through the white picket fence for 140 years. While the School and its students endorse scholarship as a cornerstone of our intent, we chose to foreground tradition in this special year. While we value the practices already in place, the Grammar girl takes ‘the road less travelled’. At our first assembly for the year, the Seniors committed to an inaugural pledge where each Year 12 girl promised to her sisters that she would strive to be the best Grammar girl she could be. Traditions are not old fashioned; they mark the ever-evolving vision of the School. In 2015, we challenge the girls around us, our sisters, to be motivated, to maintain a sense of family, to respect old traditions, and to create new ones.

AUTUMN ISSUE / 2015