01 Jul 2022
Our 2022 Captains of School, Elena Chiam and Isabel Duggan, share how the Year 12 cohort came to create a theme for the year that encompasses Loreto Toorak's focus on the value of Freedom.
“We are nearly halfway through our roles as Loreto Toorak Captains of School. The opportunity is remarkably enriching and rewarding in all aspects of life; we therefore feel it is important to express our sincere gratitude for this experience. To be trusted in such a significant role is an honour, and one in which we both strive to excel.
At the start of the year, the Year 12 cohort worked together to create a theme for the year that encompassed our focus within the value of Freedom. It is:
Courage to fall,
Trust to fly...
Free to grow
Through the imagery of a bird learning to take flight, it refers to the necessary risks to gain a true freedom, and the process of self-belief and confidence, regardless of external circumstances. We believe this process contributes to a positive growth, as shown in the final line of our theme, free to grow. The key idea here is that growth is not a result, not a final product; freedom is not something we achieve and then hold onto for life. The growth we experience will never be linear and true freedom lies in recognising and accepting this. A sense of surrender is necessary, as we complete the cycle of falling, flying, and growing.
Poster created by Isabella Hickey (Year 12)
We set this theme so that throughout the year, students and teachers could be reminded of the importance of Freedom, and act towards it. Already we have seen it being applied all around the School. From our youngest students to the eldest, a resilience has been exemplified in these changing times. To pick a few favourites, our 2022 PAF where students persisted to create phenomenal results, Harmony Days celebrations explored our students’ hopes, histories and expressions of freedom. International Women’s Day saw us acknowledge the freedom that education has granted women of the past and present, as well as the work women all around the world are doing for freedom of all. Pertinently, our marking of Anzac Day honoured the sacrifice that Australians made for the freedom of our country and led us to reflect on the privilege of freedom that we take for granted. We have revelled in all things Freedom so far this year and are thoroughly looking forward to what the rest of the year has to offer.
It is also important to us that we apply our understanding of Freedom into the future. In the short-term, we look forward to Feast Day celebrations in Term 3, where the School aims to raise funds for Mary Ward International Australia. During this fundraising, we recognise our freedoms as educated and empowered young women, and act on our responsibility to therefore help others achieve their own freedoms. In the long-term future, we continue to advocate for positive change beyond our community, and choose to pursue larger freedoms. We will always support social, political, economic, and environmental freedom for ourselves and others.
Through acknowledging and learning from our own failures, we find the freedom to flourish both internally and externally. This self-assurance then allows us to have a positive impact on the freedoms of others.
It is our aim to continue to lead with Freedom.”
Elena Chiam and Isabel Duggan
Captains of School
This article was published in the June 2022 Mandevillian (Vol. 37, No. 1), available for online reading and download in the Publications section of our website.