Year 9 Pastoral Guardian

Find Your Brave

I am writing this Parent Corner article from Adventure Alternatives Education Centre, Woodford, where I have the pleasure to spend four days away with your daughters.  I not only always value this time as it allows me to be outdoors in the fresh air, but it gives me the opportunity to spend time with the Year 9 cohort away from school.  Over the last few days I have enjoyed observing the girls working collaboratively, facing challenges positively and enthusiastically and, most importantly, having fun. 

All of our Year 9 students have proven that they are 'brave', as they are currently packing their overnight pack with food and essentials for their duo camp out.  

A huge thank you must go to all the staff who attended both Woodford and Kenilworth campsites for the four days and gave up their time to spend this valuable time with your daughters – Annette Butterworth, Courtney Daniec, Georgia Appelhof, Eliza Hampson, James O’Gorman, Ben White, Josh White, Hannah Dean, Sophie Harrison, and Justine Malinowski.  I am looking forward to hearing how each student reflects on this valuable opportunity of being able to participate in outdoor education. 

Following are two contributions about Finding Your Brave written by Emily Faulks and Sofia Poy.

Teena Christofis

Bravery to me is putting your hand up in class, stepping outside your comfort zone, and trying new things.  However, what really defines bravery is standing up for yourself and others.  If you see someone being bullied you walk over and ask if they are okay.  If you are being bullied speak up and say how you feel - such as the girl, Malala.  She is an inspiration to me as her country didn’t allow girls to go to school but she was brave and spoke up.  Sometimes being brave comes with consequences: Malala got shot in the head for speaking up to the government, but she never gave up.  After her surgery and spending time in the hospital Malala never stopped speaking and finally won the right to go to school.  She is now an inspiration to you and me for speaking up for what you believe in.  Bravery comes with a voice, not a corner.

Emily Faulks

Finding your brave can be a bit difficult.  It forces you to be out of your comfort zone, taking risks in your life or in your learning journey, as well as facing new challenges that you may have no experience in dealing with.  However, being brave can open up so many new pathways, and lets you be involved in opportunities that wouldn’t be available to you until you took that risk.  To be brave, here are some tips to help you: 

Firstly, expect plans to go askew.  Not everything works out, so you need to be flexible and adaptable to any situation.  Secondly, take new opportunities.  Whether it is speaking on the school assembly, or joining a new committee, always take up the offer.  This can open your horizon to so many other opportunities that you never even knew before.  Finally, make sure that you have a great support network.  Experiencing new things can be frightening or stressful but, if you have the right people surrounding you, encouraging you, and giving you support, everything will work out just right.  These are my tips for finding your brave. 

Sofia Poy