IN THIS ISSUE - Herschel Girls' School · Herschel. The slogan of “Learning to make a...

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The Heads Focus on: You will read in this Focus the philosophy behind the Herschel leadership programme, some of the current leadership posions, the way we want to grow girl leadership opportunies at Herschel and the powerful, confident voice of some of our current girls. Mrs Bodenstein, our new Deputy of Co-Curricular, is acvely reviewing the leadership opportunies and processes and has worked with staff and pupils this year in formulang a forward-looking leadership framework that will more fully evolve in the next few years. We believe that Herschel, as an all-girls school environment, offers a unique leadership landscape for our girls in which they learn the knowledge, skills and values to develop as confident, capable and competent young women and leaders who are encouraged to use their talents, skills and opportunies to make a difference in their world. An insighul arcle I recently read in the Huffington Post by Chrisne Fruechte, entled Launching Leaders: The Power of All-Girls Schools , resonated with me deeply. In the arcle Fruechte reflects on the opportunity that was afforded her of learning leadership within an all-girls environment. She believes all-girls schools can play a meaningful role in helping to inspire and prepare young women to be the leaders of tomorrow, both at home and at work. Looking back on her schooling days, she recognises that her parents hoped that their shy daughter might flourish in an all-girls schools environment. Fruechte certainly believes her schooling experience was a discernable difference in her life-path. She argues that her experiences at an all-girls school led her to take courageous leaps of faith throughout her career. She says: Whether it was moving halfway around the world to help run an adversing agency in Hawaii, or stepping up to run a company when the previous CEO was abruptly removed, my courage to try new things and believe I could make great things happen was largely influenced not just by my school experience itself, but by the fact that it was an all-girls school.Fruechte has tried to insll the courageous mindset she inherited through her all-girls school experience into the cultures of the organisaons she has led, parcularly in the women she has mentored. She summarises her leadership journey at school in three words: passion, confidence and generosity. She believes these three qualies, inherent in girls schools, can prepare young women for life and leadership beyond school. This is her understanding of these three qualies as experienced by her at her all-girls school: Mid-term Newsletter of Herschel Girls School Term 3 2017 [email protected] IN THIS ISSUE: Heads Focus p 1 - 2 Rhodes Scholar: Emily Van Heerden p 3 - 5 Leadership For Life p 6 - 7 My Reflections p 8 - 9 My Harvard Experience p 10 From the Chaplain p 11 - 12 The Caroline Herschel Award p 13 - 14 Leadership in Sport p 15 - 16

Transcript of IN THIS ISSUE - Herschel Girls' School · Herschel. The slogan of “Learning to make a...

Page 1: IN THIS ISSUE - Herschel Girls' School · Herschel. The slogan of “Learning to make a difference” that Herschel embodies is in line with the mission of the Rhodes Trust to ^identify

The Head’s Focus on:

You will read in this Focus the philosophy behind the Herschel leadership programme, some of the current leadership positions, the way we want to grow girl leadership opportunities at Herschel and the powerful, confident voice of some of our current girls. Mrs Bodenstein, our new Deputy of Co-Curricular, is actively reviewing the leadership opportunities and processes and has worked with staff and pupils this year in formulating a forward-looking leadership framework that will more fully evolve in the next few years.

We believe that Herschel, as an all-girls school environment, offers a unique leadership landscape for our girls in which they learn the knowledge, skills and values to develop as confident, capable and competent young women and leaders who are encouraged to use their talents, skills and opportunities to make a difference in their world.

An insightful article I recently read in the Huffington Post by Christine Fruechte, entitled Launching Leaders: The Power of All-Girls Schools, resonated with me deeply.

In the article Fruechte reflects on the opportunity that was afforded her of learning leadership within an all-girls environment. She believes all-girls schools can play a meaningful role in helping to inspire and prepare young women to be the leaders of tomorrow, both at home and at work. Looking back on her schooling days, she recognises that her parents hoped that their shy daughter might flourish in an all-girls school’s environment. Fruechte certainly believes her schooling experience was a discernable difference in her life-path.

She argues that her experiences at an all-girls school led her to take courageous leaps of faith throughout her career. She says: “Whether it was moving halfway around the world to help run an advertising agency in Hawaii, or stepping up to run a company when the previous CEO was abruptly removed, my courage to try new things and believe I could make great things happen was largely influenced not just by my school experience itself, but by the fact that it was an all-girls school.”

Fruechte has tried to instill the courageous mindset she inherited through her all-girls school experience into the cultures of the organisations she has led, particularly in the women she has mentored. She summarises her leadership journey at school in three words: passion, confidence and generosity. She believes these three qualities, inherent in girl’s schools, can prepare young women for life and leadership beyond school. This is her understanding of these three qualities as experienced by her at her all-girls school:

Mid-term Newsletter of Herschel Girls School Term 3 2017 [email protected]

IN THIS ISSUE:

Head’s Focus p 1 - 2

Rhodes Scholar: Emily Van Heerden p 3 - 5

Leadership For Life p 6 - 7

My Reflections p 8 - 9

My Harvard Experience p 10

From the Chaplain p 11 - 12

The Caroline Herschel Award p 13 - 14

Leadership in Sport p 15 - 16

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Senior School

Mid-Term Newsletter

Passion: High school is a time of self-discovery. It’s a chance to ask: Who am I? What do I want to become? What am I good at? And, most importantly, what am I most passionate about? My school curriculum exposed me to the arts, sciences, mathematics, technology, government and religion. Because of the all-girls environment, we were encouraged to explore any and all subjects. Girls also held every leadership position and created a community that supported each other. We all learned that, regardless of gender, we can aim high to pursue our passions. There was no reason why I would not pursue my own passions in life or in my career.

Confidence: As one of the few female CEOs leading a large advertising agency, I have faced plenty of criticism. You have to have thick skin and realise bias exists, no matter what you do. Having the confidence to do what’s best for my family, my community, my employees and my clients has always been the guiding principle for every decision I make. My experience at an all-female school helped me to better understand myself, and to have confidence in who I am and in what I believe. I grew from a shy, unconfident young girl into a woman with a strong passion for creativity and a solid point of view. Because I lived in a world without gender limitations in high school, I developed confidence and the courage to step outside my comfort zone.

Generosity: A generous spirit is one of the most important attributes of an effective leader. You have to share your time, talents and insight to mentor future leaders, and to build successful teams and organizations. At an all-female school, I gave my time and talents without any gender concerns. I learned how to support other women and was encouraged to give my time and become a leader. These lessons stayed with me in my professional career, as well as in my nonprofit and board work.

Fruechte attributes her all-girl school environment to having helped to shape her into the person and leader

she is today. She concludes: “[My school] environment taught me to be passionate about what I do and

what I believe in, to be generous and share my gifts, to have the confidence to be who I am, and let my voice

be heard — attributes that I know would benefit all future female leaders.”

This is our wish for each and every Herschel girl, whether they take up one of the myriad of formal

leadership positions at Herschel or channel their passion, confidence and generosity in other ways in which

seeks to make a difference to their community, family and world. Enjoy this term’s Focus!

Stuart West, Head

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Senior School

Mid-Term Newsletter

We were very privileged to have 2010 Head Girl Emily Van Heerden come and address our girls with an

inspiring talk at Assembly as part of our Women’s Week Celebrations:

****

It is a great honour to be here today as the first Herschel “Bishops” Rhodes Scholar, seven years after I

matriculated from this special school at which I spent fourteen very happy years of my life!

The reason I am here today is because I have been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship to further my studies at

Oxford University in England, and in a couple of weeks I will be leaving South Africa to start my Masters in

Law there. Today I am here to speak to you about the opportunity that each one of you, as a Herschel girl,

has waiting on your doorstep, if you are prepared to use the skills, strength and integrity that Herschel has

equipped you with to work hard and become the best South African woman that you can be.

Let me start with some background information about the Scholarship.

The Rhodes Scholarship is a scholarship awarded to roughly one hundred students from over sixty countries

from around the world. From South Africa, normally eight scholarships are given each year – four

South-African-at-Large scholarships and then one from each of the four named-schools and their partner

schools: these are Bishops (along with Herschel, St Cyprians, St George’s Grammar School and LEAP School);

Paul Roos (along with Rhenish and Bloemhof); SACS (along with San Souci and Rustenburg Girls) and St

Andrews along with DSG in Grahamstown.

The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded to:

“Young persons of outstanding intellect, character, leadership and commitment to serve.”

The selection criteria is therefore based on four pillars:

Academic excellence,

Energy to use one’s talents to the full – this is shown through achievement in areas such as sports,

music, debate, dance, theatre and artistic pursuits,

Dedication to your community shown through devotion to duty, unselfishness and fellowship, and

Leadership and moral force of character.

The Rhodes Scholarship pays for students to further their studies at a graduate level at Oxford University so

that these students may obtain the knowledge and skills needed to make a change in their home countries.

Whenever I read the selection criteria for a Rhodes Scholarship, I immediately think of the values of

Herschel. The slogan of “Learning to make a difference” that Herschel embodies is in line with the mission

of the Rhodes Trust to “identify and develop leaders to achieve the public good.”

As Herschel girls - past, present and those to come - we are given a head-start for the future by obtaining a

world-class high-school education. We are taught to think for ourselves, to think out of the box, to question

what is going on around us, and to work as hard as possible to achieve our goals. We are passionate about

giving back to our community and to helping those around us in whatever way we can. From day 1,

Herschel girls are encouraged to use our privileged education to make a change for the better.

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Senior School

Mid-Term Newsletter

I urge you to make the most of your five years in this special school. Be present in each moment that you

have here: try not to switch off in class or go home straight after school at 3pm, actively participate in

everything that you do, engage with your teachers and your friends, challenge each other’s thinking, TRY, TRY

and TRY again at as many things as possible, sign up for that extra outreach activity or sport, and interact with

people from other walks of life.

Our education at Herschel prepares our girls well for the outside world – and I mean education in the

all-rounded sense of the word, because education is so much more than exam results. The transition from

school to university is tough for most but the work ethic and focus that Herschel girls are taught at school

prepares us well for excelling academically at university, whilst still making new friends, playing sport, signing

up for a variety of clubs and societies and having lots of fun. Most importantly, however, when you do head

off to university, never forget the fortunate position you have come from, and the responsibility you have to

continue giving back to your community in whatever way you can.

I believe that every person has a unique contribution to make to society. As young South African women, we

have a responsibility to make the world around us a little bit better each and every day. We live in a country

that is filled with hope and potential with an energetic and passionate youth. As members of that youth, we

have the responsibility to help South Africa reach her greatest heights.

My personal passion is the Constitution and my goal is to make a difference in South Africa through the law

and the Constitutional Court. Our Constitution is ground-breaking and inspiring, but the reality for many

South Africans is that constitutional rights and freedoms have made little change to their daily lives and many

rights exist more in form than in substance. My intention is to become a constitutional lawyer in order to fight

for constitutional rights and freedoms to be enjoyed by all South Africans. This was a dream that I have had

since we visited the Constitutional Court whilst on a Herschel History tour to Johannesburg in my Grade 9

year. Knowing what I wanted, I worked hard at university to learn the law as best I could and to become top

of my class. My passion for my dream and my hard work enabled me to get the Rhodes Scholarship and be

selected to further my studies on comparative constitutional law and human rights in the best law-masters

course in the world at Oxford.

I owe gratitude to Herschel for instilling in me the values of hard work and determination, for encouraging me

to stand up for my beliefs, and to be a leader to my peers. Herschel taught me the importance of social

responsibility and gave me the courage to take on any challenge and overcome any obstacle in my way.

My wish is for all five hundred of you girls sitting here to embrace your passion. To hold on to whatever fire

you have burning inside you and to have the courage and the confidence to reach for your dreams, all the

while remembering the responsibility you have as a Herschel girl to make the world a slightly better place

wherever you go and whatever you do.

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Senior School

Mid-Term Newsletter

This week is Women’s Week. It is a week to reflect on the impact and change that so many women

around the world have made and the effect that so much sacrifice, hard work and strength has had on our

society. Each of us has our own female-inspiration: whether she is a historical figure, a teacher, a

politician, sportswoman, actress, your sister, your mother, your best friend or someone in your

community. I encourage you all to give some thought over this week as to why this woman, or these

women, inspire you and have your respect. Then have a look at yourself and who you are today. Admire

yourself for who you are and how far you have come in your own personal struggles and then consider

how you can change to become the woman you wish to be: a woman who has courage and integrity in all

that she does; a woman of moral force of character with a devotion to fellowship, unselfishness and

honour; a woman who is someone else’s heroine.

The opportunity the Rhodes Scholarship offers to students who wish to pursue overseas graduate studies

in order to learn to make a difference is an incredible one, and one that is open to Herschel girls as a

partner-school to the Bishops scholarship.

It doesn’t feel very long ago that I was sitting exactly where you are today and if anyone had told me then

that I could get a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, I likely would have rolled my eyes at them. But I want to

tell you today that it is something that is attainable and that is within your reach.

If you work very hard at university, excel in your field of study, fill your extra time with all types of

extra-murals and give as much of your time and energy to the community and to uplifting those around

you, this scholarship is something that any one of you sitting here can get.

Having said that, however, the values of a Rhodes scholar and the selection criteria do not form part of a

checklist to be ticked off – you need to have a true passion for what you do, a dedication to serving others

and to wanting to make a difference. The Rhodes Scholarship is not an achievement to aspire to. It is an

opportunity to go to the top university in the world and obtain the skills and knowledge that you need to

serve others and to make a difference in your society.

I hope that as you all progress throughout school and university, you keep what I have told you in the back

of your mind and work hard to make opportunities like this one become a reality for you.

Thank you for having me here today, back at this beautiful school, and thank you for listening.

It is always an honour to stand on this stage.

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Senior School

Mid-Term Newsletter

“A leader is best when people barely know [she] exists. When [her] work is done, her aim fulfilled,

they will say: we did it ourselves.” Lao Tzu – ancient Chinese philosopher

Herschel continues to be actively engaging in ways in which we can, not only assist our girls in their

academic, sporting, cultural, spiritual and emotional development, but also prepare them to be

well-equipped leaders, in their own right, in the world beyond school. We do not need any convincing that

what society is lacking in is leaders in the real sense of the word. The word ‘leaders’ in this context is used to

include such things as the ability to stand up in front of a large group and take control, to inspire a group or

an individual, to intervene in a conflict situation, to discipline a group or an individual, to show initiative, to

take calculated risks, to step out of comfort zones, to act with integrity and to develop a work ethic. This list

is certainly not conclusive. So how do we as teachers try to encourage these qualities in our girls?

We believe that the more opportunities for authentic leadership we can provide the girls with the better.

Traditionally the Prefect group has been seen as the place where this ‘occurs’. However, over the years

Herschel has included more leadership opportunities at Grade 12 level, namely the Management Heads.

Added to these, at Grade 12 level we have class representatives as well as club leaders. Grade 12s were also

invited to join committees in any of the portfolios they felt they could make a contribution. For 2018 we are

thrilled to be able to introduce another approximately thirty-six opportunities at Grade 12 level: our new

Matric Leaders. These girls will be leading tutor groups of approximately fifteen girls from Grade 8 - 12. The

Matric Leader will take charge of many aspects of the tutor class and will certainly have the opportunity to

use her initiative as this exciting new role develops.

Something we feel strongly about, however, is that we cannot wait until Grade 12 for girls to be given

opportunities to develop leadership skills. We have, for many years, had class representatives in each tutor

class which include Forum, Service and Management areas. These will remain under the new Vertical tutor

system. Added to these, we would like to expand the committees we have at present in some of our clubs,

societies and leadership portfolios.

Where it is feasible, we will have our senior leaders leading committees of girls from Grades 8 - 12. The

not-so-hidden agenda here is that girls will learn to be part of a committee which will involve using their

initiatives through giving ideas, learning commitment in terms of attending meetings, learning how to write

up an agenda or minutes of a meeting and through this process learning responsibility, accountability but

also, hopefully, the joy of being able to initiate ideas and activities on a committee made up of older and

hopefully wiser girls.

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Senior School

Mid-Term Newsletter

Ideally by the time girls get to Grade 12, the idea of being in charge of a club, a tutor class, a Management or

even a Prefect portfolio will not be nearly so daunting.

As evident from the above, we want to move away from ego-based leadership positions where one is driven

to become involved for the status or prestige of the position as this never results in long term enthusiasm

and commitment. We continue to encourage, rather, the notion of servant leadership which has always been

explicitly expressed in all our leaders’ induction ceremonies in the past. We also do believe that it is through

looking beyond ourselves and serving or leading others, that we enrich and fulfil ourselves.

***

HOT OFF THE PRESS: Our new Leaders for 2018, announced this week.

Alison Bodenstein, Deputy Head

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Offered by Rustic Pathways, Peace, Wonder and Understanding Islam is a recently introduced critical issues program open to student applications from all over the world which aims to address

misconceptions surrounding Islam and its culture. Josephine Rey, Grade 12, was one of ten students out of over four hundred applicants offered the opportunity, and a full scholarship, to

attend this program in June. Below, she shares some of her reflections on the experience. Morocco is a physical manifestation of vibrancy-striking colour, resonant sounds, and a state of consciously and unashamedly being full of energy, life, and a zest for living. During the month of Ramadan, the unified spirituality of this nation only amplifies. In arriving during this special time, the scene for an extraordinary experience was immediately set. From our first steps out of Casablanca’s International Airport, we were quick to embrace each interaction, whether through visits to spice shops, heat-enveloped walks through the bustling ‘souks’, maze-like marketplaces found in each major city, or simple conversations. We explored the perspectives of renowned academics, religious and political leaders, as well as those of the Moroccan people themselves, on topics such as feminism, art, prejudice, and spirituality. Viewing different issues through academic, cultural, and emotional lenses was enlightening and unforgettable. Trying to isolate a single message from all these interactions proves quite challenging, as all held so much meaning. Yet in spite of this, extracted from each moment of poignancy, an idea does remain central: Understanding. • Understanding not only Islam as a religion, but as the very fabric of the rich culture it complements

in both Moroccan and many other communities.

• Understanding that Islamist terrorism is to Islam's essence as the Klu Klutz Klan is to the central

message of Christianity - one speaking of love and compassion. In fact, after analysis and careful

study, it is clear this extremist ideology evolved in order to ultimately further political, rather than

religious, agendas.

• Developing new knowledge surrounding the concepts of Sharia law, a flexible system only

applicable at the careful discretion of leaders in the community, and ‘jihad’- a term which, for many,

evokes images of bearded men with rifles, yet is actually the Arabic verb ‘to struggle’. This premise

refers to a struggle either against an oppressive system (called lesser jihad), or the trappings of one’s

ego (greater jihad).

• Acknowledging that wearing the hijab is a choice. It is not a sign of 'oppression', but a physical

manifestation of spirituality. To quote a Moroccan woman I met in Fez: "When you see me in hijab,

you already know a lot about me. You know I am Muslim, yes, and through that, you know I am a

deeply spiritual person - that I do not lie or cheat, drink, or intentionally harm others. This is what my

hijab means to me."

• Making the personal realisation, through this, that wearing the hijab is not a challenge, or defiance,

of any institution, but a symbol of great personal significance for the women who choose to wear it,

and that removing a young woman’s choice in this regard only perpetuates attitudes of negativity

surrounding Islam, rather than encouraging the celebration of diversity.

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We need to take accountability for our own ignorance, and work towards its removal. Many environmental, economic and social issues face our entire society, which can only be overcome when we unite, rather than ostracise. The trip was an immensely transformative, and deeply meaningful experience for which I am extremely grateful. I will cherish its insights, and hopefully use them to promote the empathy and understanding needed to achieve this unification- something we can only accomplish together. It is difficult. It is necessary. But, if my time in Morocco taught me anything, it is possible.

Josephine Rey, Grade 12

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- Passport: Check

- Travel itinerary: Check

- Folder full of various documents (ranging from your great-grandmother’s proof of address to your

cat’s latest vaccinations… which they don’t actually check at passport control but you take anyway

because you are afraid they will not let you into the country if you don’t): Check

It was a long journey. Twenty-three hours to be exact. Nineteen hours in the air, four hours in airport

layovers. We flew from Johannesburg to Amsterdam, and finally to Boston. Our arrival in Logan

International Airport was smoother than I thought it would be (I had imagined a ‘Maximum Security’

airport like the ones you see in National Geographic documentaries, with sniffer dogs and

everything). A few curt questions, a swift stamp and a heavily accented “You’re all good” was all that

ushered my newly-met companions and me into the United States of America.

After various awkward ice-breaker games and confusing tours facilitated by our Proctors (the adults

that looked after us during our two-week stay), approximately seven hundred students from all over

the world were left to settle into our various dorms on Harvard campus. My “roomies” were three

lovely girls from Vietnam, Sweden and America. Upon exploring, I found that Harvard took up most of

the Cambridge area. It was a university town, with Harvard as the heart, and a few restaurants,

laundromats, cafés and any other shops that cater to a university-student’s needs. And of course

Starbucks, which is absolutely essential to an “early bird” student’s academic survival.

My course, Engineering Science and Energy Technology, was an early class. Lectures began promptly

at 8:30. These were given by Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences graduate student,

Andrew Wong: “Using the lens of modern engineering and energy challenges, this course balanced

design-methodology with engineering science principles… Topics discussed in class include engines,

turbines, photovoltaics and fuel cells… Students who have completed this course come away with a

knowledge of engineering fundamentals applied particularly to energy technologies.” The homework

was challenging, but the lectures were engaging and interesting. To say I was excited about the

course material would be an understatement - it was truly inspiring. It has further fueled my desire to

pursue engineering next year.

As memorable as this entire experience was, there are some

moments in my New York experience that particularly stand out.

The feeling of independence and freedom I felt as I took the train

and navigated the Boston city streets (it took many turns and

retracing, but I made it eventually) until I found MIT all by myself is

one I won’t soon forget. Speaking of independence, the 4th of July

was absolutely spectacular. My American friends were thoroughly

entertained by my awestruck face as fireworks filled the sky on a

scale I had never imagined was even possible. Having hot chocolate

on tap all day, every day in the Annenburg dining hall was a huge

plus, too. But most of all, I will miss the friendly faces that I have

come to cherish over those two short, incredible and enriching

weeks.

Kaylyn Fabing, Grade 12

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Nelson Mandela, one of this nation’s greatest leaders, made a powerful statement when he was released

after twenty seven years in prison:

He made a firm stand for the central place of forgiveness in the way in which he would not only live his own

life, but the way in which he would lead the emerging New South Africa.

Almost twenty seven years later, this call to forgiveness is often drowned by the call for justice, but I believe

that in our very quest for what is good and right, we cannot ignore the real question: can there even be a

future without forgiveness?

As we in the Senior School continue to seek “stabilitas”, that quality of life that brings strength and peace,

that enables us to face the stresses of this busy life, we remember the four habits of gratitude, affirmation,

forgiveness and celebration. When we practice these four attitudes we find strength to overcome that which

seeks to pull us apart. This term we are focusing on forgiveness – and as our Grade 11s prepare to step into

leadership roles, it is the ability and desire to be one who readily forgives that will distinguish a girl as a truly

effective, dignified and transformative leader.

But what is forgiveness? It is so often misunderstood, but we need to be sure that forgiveness is NOT

condoning the injustice and pain and wrongness of what has been done, saying it was ‘okay’; forgiveness is

NOT giving permission to perpetrators to continue to hurt us, nor putting ourselves in a position where they

can hurt us again; forgiveness is NOT denying the pain that has been caused by the injustice leveled against

us.

Forgiveness is too easily seen as a weak option, but the truth is that “holding a grudge doesn’t make you

strong, it makes you bitter. Forgiving doesn’t make you weak, it sets you free” (Dave Willis).

So what is forgiveness? It was Archbishop Desmond Tutu who said that “Forgiveness does not mean

condoning what has been done. Forgiving means abandoning your right to pay back the perpetrator in his

own coin…”

From the Chaplain

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In other words, forgiveness involves choosing to change the paradigm of anger and hatred that leads to “an

eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, only causing fresh grudges to emerge. If we allow this to set the

agenda for our lives we are giving the perpetrator power over us. Forgiveness is choosing to say I will no

longer get my own back, nor will I expect them to make it better; it is choosing to take responsibility for our

own state of heart instead of having bitterness gnaw away at us. Forgiveness is opening our hearts to receive

grace, and having the courage to bring grace into situations of conflict or impasse.

We recently had the enormous privilege of being addressed by Justice Albie Sachs, a remarkable leader, who

exemplified, particularly in his response to questions from the floor, one whose life is deeply shaped by grace

rather than anger or bitterness. It is a truly great leader, in school or country, who has the courage to be

generous-spirited and allow the fruit of forgiveness to shape her leadership.

From the Chaplain

Rev Sue Taylor

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The Caroline Herschel Award will be instigated this year, in the run up to the School’s centenary year, 2022,

to celebrate the extraordinary impact that Old Herschelians have made in South Africa and the world beyond.

It seeks to recognise and celebrate the valued, lasting contributions of alumni in making a significant difference

in a community, arena of life or field of study.

The Caroline Herschel Award will take into account the following criteria:

• The candidate must be a living Old Herschelian, nominated by a fellow Old Herschelian for the award.

The candidate must have contributed extraordinarily to her community, industry, field of study or other

arena in life in such a way as to leave a lasting impact.

Details:

The Caroline Herschel Award may only be awarded to an Old Herschelian once in her lifetime.

An Old Herschelian may be nominated more than once and in different years, provided that she has not

already been awarded the Caroline Herschel Award.

Nominations will be requested between June and November of each year, with selection of the recipient

being made in December of that same year.

The Caroline Herschel Award Committee will consist of the Old Herschelian Association Committee and the

current school Head. If so required, the committee may request additional information where required

from the nominated Old Herschelian and/or call on outside expertise to assist in the evaluation of

prospective recipients.

The Committee will select the recipient of the Caroline Herschel Award each year based on the criteria:

“The candidate must have contributed extraordinarily to her community, industry, field of study or other

arena in life in such a way as to leave a lasting impact.”

The recipient will be informed of their selection as soon as the committee has made its selection in early

December, to allow the recipient time to make travel arrangements (if required) to receive their award at

the following Founder’s Day.

The recipient of the award will be required to:

Make herself available to receive the award at Founder’s Day (February) in the year after she is named

recipient of the award. The school will cover all travel costs for the recipient to receive the award.

Make herself available to present an acceptance address to the school and Founder’s Day Old Herschelian

luncheon.

Nominations to the OHA Secretary—Lucy Bailey on [email protected] before 30 November 2017.

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CAROLINE HERSCHEL

Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848) was the first woman to receive full recognition in the field of

astronomy. Born in Hanover, Germany, Caroline Herschel was the eighth child of a rural German family.

When she was 10 years old she fell ill with typhus, which stunted her growth and left her scarred. She never

grew taller than four feet three inches.

She moved to England to join her brother, William Herschel, in Bath when she was 22. She began to train as a

singer, and sang as a soprano in many performances. In 1781 William discovered the planet Uranus.

Following this major discovery, he was knighted and appointed to the position of King's Astronomer for

George III. In her early thirties, Caroline joined William as a scientific assistant, helping him with his

observations and to grind and polish the mirrors for his telescopes. Whole nights through, she and William

observed the heavens, noting the positions of the stars from the giant telescope which they had built.

Inspired by her brother’s success, Caroline began her own astronomical research, specialising in the search

for comets. Between 1786 and 1797 she discovered eight new comets. She evaluated the nocturnal notations

and recalculated them, wrote treatises for Philosophical Transactions, discovered fourteen nebulae,

calculated hundreds more, and began a catalogue for star clusters and nebular patches. In addition, she

compiled a supplemental catalogue to Flamsteeds Atlas which included 561 stars, as well as a comprehensive

index to it. The moon crater, C. Herschel, was named after her, as was the asteroid 281 Lucretia - her second

given name.

In recognition of her work as William's assistant, King George III started paying Caroline an annual salary. This

made her the first woman to be paid for her contribution to science. In 1828, at the age of 75, the Royal

Astronomical Society awarded Caroline Herschel a gold medal for her monumental works in science. The next

woman to win the Gold Medal Award was Vera Rubin in 1996. Ten years later, she was made an honorary

member of the Royal Astronomical Society. She received a similar honor from the Royal Irish Academy. On

her 96th birthday, Herschel was awarded the gold medal of science by the King of Prussia.

Caroline remained modest throughout her remarkable career. She loved literature and art and had eight

unpublished novels. She once remarked: “As much as we need a prosperous economy, we also need a

prosperity of kindness and decency.”

What a truly remarkable woman.

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“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else can. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.”

These powerful words, as spoken by our late president Nelson Mandela at the Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony in 2000, will forever ring true for generations to come. It not only bears testament to the unifying and transformative nature of sport, but also hints at sport as a leadership instrument.

From primary school to professional arenas, sports nowadays are played in a very competitive environment. Coaches and players feel the pressure to succeed, and the degree of success is always measured in terms of winning or losing. That is why the value of leadership should be accentuated as a critical element in any sport. Successful teams have strong leaders and the performance of a leader is very clear during training and matches. The leader’s contribution to the success of a team is significant.

Qualities of a Captain (Leadership)

In team sports, a captain is an honorary title given to a member of the team.

The coach is the primarily responsible for the strategy and teamwork applied. The captain of a team is therefore

one who works within that structure (as set by the coach) and assists in the commanding, leading and guiding of

others within the offensive, defensive and communication systems of the coach’s program.

The team captain has the responsibility prior to the start of any game in assisting the coach to coordinate and

focus the team. She may also on occasion interact with game officials regarding application and interpretation of

the rules although this is generally done by the coach, where necessary.

Although a member of the team can achieve the title of Captain and another of Vice Captain, that does not

preclude each and every member of the team thinking about and applying their own leadership skills. This is

mainly because at times within practices and EVERY MEMBER OF THE TEAM WILL NEED TO STEP UP AND BE

LEADERS.

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It can be very difficult to totally define just what makes a good leader, but there are some common traits:

Self-awareness: Knowledge of your own values, passions, skills, strengths and weaknesses, an ability to

admit and learn from mistakes and a readiness to seek information to fill knowledge gaps. (Use your coach).

• Integrity: A strong sense of "what is right" and a demonstration of ethical practices that sets the tone for

others. A commitment to leading by example. (Never cheat yourself on a drill).

• Courage: The strength to act in accordance with your values and the greater good despite pressures pushing

you in other directions. The ability to put the cause before the desire to be popular.

• Confidence: A belief in your ability to meet most challenges that come your way.

• Enthusiasm: A lively interest in the people, issues and events around you, a feeling of excitement about the

possibilities, and the energy to guide them towards fruition. (Don’t drag yourself into practice – come through

the door on time with energy).

• Strong inter-personal skills: An ability to interact and work harmoniously with others, while being prepared

to take on individual responsibilities. (Show your commitment to our communication system).

• Effective communication: A willingness and ability to listen to and understand the thoughts, ideas and

concerns of others and to clearly communicate your own. A vision is nothing if it can't be sold to others.

• Belief in others: The desire to build the capabilities of others, praise them where appropriate, go into bat for

them when proper and motivate them to do their best.

• Peer respect: An ability to inspire respect, maintain discipline and encourage the efforts of others. (Respect

does not equal popularity).

• Sense of humour: The ability to have a laugh and relieve tension or stressful.

At Herschel our girls have the opportunities to take on the role as leaders, be it in the classroom, in clubs and

societies or in the sporting arena.

The great head coach of the Green Bay Packers American football team, Vince Lombardi once said "Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile."

It is not easy to be an effective leader, it takes hard work to gain the confidence of your team and understand the motivational dynamics of each person. Having the mere capacity to lead is simply not enough; you need to work hard, earn the respect of your team mates and always lead by example.

I encourage our Herschel girls to be bold and brave and challenge themselves to take on leadership roles in our protective environment where they can be mentored, take risks and grow as individuals in preparation for life after Herschel.

Helen Botha, Director of Sport