International Women's Day 2026

Women in Rotary IWD Breakfast  

On Wednesday 4 March, we were fortunate to have a table sponsored by the Rotary Club of Box Hill at the Women in Rotary International Women’s Day Breakfast. This sponsorship allowed us to take Year 12 Prefects - Sophie, Milly, Shi Jing, Sarah, Amelie and Genevieve, as well as Vocational Major students Paige and Jorja to the Box Hill Town Hall to celebrate this important day. 

We heard from a panel of inspirational women speaking to the theme, “Balancing the Scales”, including Dr Helen Keleher (Adjunct Professor at Monash University), Natalie Foeng (Managing Director of Yarra Valley Water) and Ashley Belteky (Non-Executive Director of Tradeswomen Australia and Heavy Diesel Mechanic). They highlighted the importance of structural opportunities that helped accelerate their careers and success in their respective fields. 

Box Hill High School IWD Breakfast 

On Friday 6 March, we hosted our BHHS International Women’s Day Breakfast with staff, students, parents, carers and members of the community. We welcomed Ellen Welsh as our keynote speaker and held a panel discussion featuring several of our wonderful student leaders alongside our school principal, Kellie Ind. 

Marian Wright Edelman, an American civil rights and children’s rights activist, famously said, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” She believed that children are less likely to be inspired about their futures if they do not have visible role models. This quote was particularly fitting for our International Women’s Day event as we continue to challenge gender stereotypes and promote the idea that women can, and should, pursue careers in any industry that interests them. Traditions and perceptions of male-dominated fields should never be a barrier. 

Ellen spoke about her career journey and her current work promoting healthcare through technology. Her passion for improving access to mental health services through the implementation and evaluation of contemporary, fit-for-purpose digital tools shone through her speech. We are fortunate to have had her inspire some of our younger students to use their passions for science, technology, mathematics and engineering to make a positive impact on the world. 

Thank you to our student leaders who shared their insights and reflections on life as young women and on promoting gender equality during our panel discussion. These students were: Ivy (Vice Captain), Genevieve (Community Prefect), Amelie (STEM Prefect) and Sameeha (Year 7 Class Captain).