Being a Queen’s Girl means an immense amount to me, so being given the opportunity to represent pupils as Head Girl is a great honour. I believe that every girl in school should have pride as a Queen’s Girl, and more importantly, feel a sense of belonging at school. Queen’s has been like my second home for the past 5 years, and my aim is to make every girl have an amazing school experience. Being announced as Head Girl filled me with pride and excitement, yet, at the same time it was incredibly daunting. The thought of people’s expectations and their possible negative opinions terrified me. Yet, the words of Joyce Meyer came to mind “We don’t grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges”, and I certainly have grown. The role has given me an immense number of skills and experiences already, and has taught me many lessons about responsibility and strong leadership, but mostly, the importance of compassion.
Compassion is something Queen’s has instilled in me since I joined in Year 7, and it’s something I wish to inspire every girl in school to have. The simple, yet overwhelming act of being kind is something I aspire to, especially now as Head Girl. Recently, there have been examples of how people have shown kindness and bravery in the face of unspeakable terror. I was deeply saddened to hear about the Manchester attack, especially as many people I know were at the concert. Yet, despite the cowardice of the attacker who chose a path of hate, many members of the public chose kindness, love and empathy. From taxi drivers offering free lifts and residents opening their homes for those stranded, to doctors and nurses coming into work on their days off, Britain united to show compassion. It is at times like this where we see the need of empathy and humanity.
I will always do my best to support the girls at school and work to make Queen’s a more loving, understanding environment.