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St Catherine’s News Autumn 2023
Passion THROUGH
PURSUIT
St Catherine’s girls become bold, independent, resilient, and creative when opportunities to explore their individual pursuits are encouraged. Three of our current students share their stories on pursuing their passions and the impact these choices have made on their lives.
Year 11 student, Rhea Werner has achieved a lot in her 17 years. Arriving in Australia from Germany at the age of eight, Rhea set about teaching herself English and understanding the Australian culture. “This experience has taught me to appreciate the diversified cultures that exist in Australia thereby expanding my horizons throughout my formative years,” Rhea shares. Determined from an early age to continually improve herself, Rhea says in the past
she would view success only when she achieved something, “my greatest mistake was that I viewed personal growth as something that could only occur in moments of achievement. In fact, I now know, real growth is achieved when you do not receive or achieve.” Passionate about public and mental health, Rhea has been an advocate in Youth Parliament, Co-Chair of Body Confidence Collective, Harvard STRIPED
and awarded the City of Boroondara’s Young Citizen of the Year Award. “Stepping into these roles has affirmed my belief that to truly represent and catalyse positive change, understanding and approachability is vital. I have learnt that as much as you may want to walk in another’s shoes, sometimes you cannot simply understand the intricacies of people’s own lived experiences. It is so important to lift others up, and with your own voice, ensure their voices are heard.”