Last weekend, the world lost one of the most incredible female leaders of the last century with the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch, who reigned for 70 years, provided an incredible example of service, grace, humility and dedication to others.

Service to others through Responsible Citizenship is a key value that underpins Wilderness School. While academic results are important to provide girls with options, what is just as important is what the girls do beyond the gates of Wilderness. I am interested in what girls give back to their community, whether that be at a local, state or national level. Engaging in community service provides girls with the opportunity to become active members of their community and has a lasting, positive impact on society at large.

Over the past fortnight, it has been pleasing to witness a number of examples of service in action. Each Tuesday afternoon, I love seeing the ‘Fun in the Wilderness Foster Care program’ occurring where Year 11 girls are actively involved in providing a range of activities for foster children with Anglicare.

The Year 11 girls selected to be involved in the SONY Camp in the Term 3 holidays met recently at St Peter’s College to undertake training for this program. The camp will provide respite care for 15 students with special needs for three days, to give their families a break from the rigours of 24-hour care. Experiences like the SONY Camp are life changing for all students and staff involved. Students involved heard from a parent of a previous camper about the impact that the camp had on their son and his family. It is these messages that reinforce the importance of service and a willingness to help those less fortunate.

The newly elected SRC spent Monday with Mrs Belinda Arnfield, myself and their staff mentors planning for 2023. The day focused on their personal leadership journey and the planning of key events for the year ahead. The opportunity to spend time with the outgoing SRC is an important part of this program to ensure that the girls are ready to take over the reins at the start of Term 4. What was stressed to the girls is the importance of service and taking others with them on the journey to make a difference and leave the Wilderness community better because of their actions and endeavours.

In the afternoon, the incoming and outgoing SRC Executive attended an Alliance of Girls’ Schools presentation titled ‘Women and Politics: Why Women Need to Step Up and Speak Out’. This session provided the girls with the opportunity to hear from South Australian women involved in politics – including the Hon. Heidi Girolamo MLC, Cr Hannah Evans, Olivia Savvas MP, Andrea Michaels MP and Amy Ralfs – about their journeys and the importance of women in politics and serving their constituents.

Australian Brain Bee Challenge

The Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) is a competition for Year 10 students to learn about the brain and its functions, the current research in neuroscience, careers in neuroscience and to dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses.

Congratulations to Thisagi Jayasekara, Victoria Phan, Alaya Aquino and Livia Podreka who proudly represented Wilderness School this year and came second in the team challenge.

The Brain Bee is not just a competition where you study 24/7 and hope for the best. It is more than that. Throughout the past few months, I have learned a lot of things that I feel I would never have learned anywhere else. I have been extended to this whole other world of neuroscience, and I do not regret one bit of it.

Not only does this competition teach you about the elements of the brain, but it also provides you with skills that I think are critical in the real world. I have learned the importance of commitment; not procrastinating and leaving your study until the last minute. I have also learned about teamwork; placing trust in your teammates and maintaining communication between each other, and I have learned that neuroscience is not as boring as one may think. The brain is fascinating and I am so happy I was able to be a part of this experience. Perhaps a highlight of it all was being able to visit Flinders University and see first-hand equipment like VR and EEGs. The entire experience was amazing! Sure, it was stressful at times, but if you, like me, are in love with this topic, it is all worth it in the end!

Thank you to Ms Emily Lewis and Mrs Bess Smith for their support. - Thisagi Jayasekara