It has been a year of revitalising traditions and bolstering House spirit under the leadership of 2023 School Captain, Audrey Choi and her Vice Captains. Audrey has been a dedicated advocate for active participation in all that MGGS has to offer throughout her time here, and encourages all Grammarians to have courage and grasp onto every opportunity that comes their way, whether it be auditioning for a School production or volunteering to swim butterfly at House Swimming, as the rewards are truly invaluable.
2023 School Captain, Audrey, and her family knew MGGS was the right place for her because of the ‘inclusive, welcoming environment’ that she believes is characteristic of Melbourne Girls Grammar. In fact, one of Audrey’s most treasured memories of her time at School, was her very first day! Audrey says meeting the Mungo House Captains on Year 7 Orientation Day made her feel ‘instantly at ease’. This ‘MGGS magic’, as Audrey puts it, is something very special and intangible, that she sought to bring back to the School, following the global COVID-19 pandemic. Audrey is proud to have worked alongside her Vice Captains, Charlotte and Zoe, and the 2023 Student Executive Council (SEC), to re-ignite some of the traditions, events and House spirit that had been lost in recent years.
Throughout her time at MGGS, Audrey has been pushed to excel academically but has also been encouraged to develop a range of skills through participation in co-curricular activities. She says the most important lesson she has learned while at MGGS is that ‘you have to get your feet wet if you want to learn to swim’. She said that prior to being at MGGS, she was more outcome-focused, however the culture of active participation that almost seeps from the walls at Merton Hall, opened her eyes to the other rewards that can be gained from giving things a go; most especially building lasting friendships with her peers.
The lesson that will stay with me long after I leave our red brick walls, is that you have to get your feet wet if you want to learn to swim.
She was inspired to run for the School Captaincy after realising the significant impact being separated from her peers, teachers and our shared community had on her during lockdown. It encouraged her to appreciate just how much she loves our community and how putting her hand forward to lead the School during her final year, might mean she could give back ‘even just a little’ of what she felt she has gained over the last six years.
During her time as School Captain this year, Audrey has learnt many lessons. The one she is most grateful for, was the realisation that being a leader and being vulnerable are not mutually exclusive. Audrey explained that she began this year with the impression that she needed to be strong, stable and unflinching in her role. But with the support of her friends and the SEC, she has learnt the value of sharing one’s vulnerabilities and embracing the help and guidance offered by her friends and peers. Luckily, Audrey discovered this early on, and combined with her organisational skills, she has been able to carry out her role, her studies, and maintain her friendships and look after her mental health and well-being during this big year. By being cognisant of her vulnerabilities and taking advantage of the available resources, she has avoided burn out and really made the most of the special moments Year 12 at Melbourne Girls Grammar has to offer.
Her favourite moments of this year, and many of her years at MGGS she admits, have been at House events. As a keen musician, Audrey’s favourite is House Music, for which our virtuoso-Grammarians devotedly prepare for throughout Term 3. The before, during and after school rehearsals, which are often frantic and stressful, bond Grammarians from different year levels together in the planning, practicing and performing of their many musical numbers. Audrey says the ‘big day’, on the last day of Term 3 each year, is always one to remember as the whole of Merton Hall comes together to watch, delight in, cheer and perform with their Houses. Audrey is proud of her participation in House and other co-curricular activities which have seamlessly built her confidence, inter-personal and leadership skills, and become memories that she will cherish forever.
Next year, Audrey hopes to begin an undergraduate degree in Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne. She says she has always wanted to pursue a career that will enable her to help others. While she is still unsure of which branch of medicine she will choose to study, she knows that the lessons and skills she has learned at MGGS will guide her along the way, wherever she goes.
As Audrey hands the reigns over to 2024 School Captain, Emily, we thank her and the outgoing SEC for their leadership and service this year.