Meet Our Alumnae Three Unstoppable Women

Service learning

A GROWTH AREA AT STRATHCONA

Founded by a small group of women in 1996 who wanted to tackle the issue of safe and affordable housing for women and their children is Women’s Property Initiatives (WPI).

When the CEO, Jeanette Large took me around their new office in Russell St, I knew that Strathcona and WPI could form a strong partnership to break down the barriers that women confront and educate our youngest generations on the real challenges that women can face because of their gender. Even though in the 21st century we would hope that these issues were managed or better yet non-existent; the stark reality is they do exist and the statistics in Victoria alone are concerning. The point that in Australia, 49,000 women are homeless on any given night means that we all have a responsibility to address this. At Strathcona, it is important to us to provide an enriching and impactful service program for students. We want them to truly grow and thrive in their service experience and practise giving in all its forms. Streamlining the student level service program by partnering with WPI and supporting this one main local cause is encouraging a deeper consideration of service and philanthropy beyond mere engagement in a fundraising event. A carefully-considered, authentic service program opens up opportunities to discuss impact and students begin to understand the link between their collective actions and the resulting effect of this work on a community. Our students must know that within their local community there is inequality and that we can all advocate for change. It is through WPI that we can truly say our girls develop their understanding of this issue.

Late 2021 when our Principal, Marise McConaghy and student leaders gathered to formalise our partnership, there were powerful discussions. Our young women, particularly in the Senior School were questioning, engaging and exploring the complex nature of these issues. We quickly moved beyond the ideas associated with service and giving to a broader exploration of themes such as family violence, access to services and the gender payment gap. In 2022 we have begun embedding service learning and expanding education on these topics through various touch points in the curriculum. In Year 10 Geography the students spent a month on the topic of women. This combined a visit to WPI and a research report on the question “What are the social and economic inequalities women face and what services are available to support them”. The students interviewed and collected data about this topic, people’s opinions and experiences. From the 40 girls who completed this, each came away with a new view on the topic.

Our next goal is to work with the Head of Teaching and Learning and Deputy Head of Junior School to identify more opportunities to weave age appropriate teaching of these themes, as well as the broader themes associated with service and giving into classroom learning.

From this exciting partnership we have already held a range of events, activities and meetings. Our Service Captains have led fantastic fundraising projects and our assemblies have also connected us — the most notable being International Women’s Day when all our students in Years 7 to 12 heard of the exceptional work being achieved by WPI. We are proud of our unique partnership with WPI. We know that this ongoing work will play a crucial part in readying our school leavers to be women sure of their values, with a deep understanding of how they must use their skills and knowledge to advocate for women, creating change for the world as a result.

“Overall, this study of the inequalities that exist for women in Melbourne and how they affect women’s lives found various social and economic inequalities that affect their way of life and their value of life. The hypothesis suggests that there are many social and economic inequalities that women face in Melbourne, but not enough organisations that can help women largely affected by these inequalities.”

– Year 10 student, Isabelle Chequer’s reflection from her WPI visit

HOLLIE FIELDS

Service Coordinator

To learn more about Women’s Property Initiatives, visit their website wpi.org.au

STRATHCONA GIRLS GRAMMAR Unstoppable girls begin with you

THE STRATHCONA CENTENARY SCHOLARSHIP

“I am delighted to announce that, in October this year, we will be launching an appeal to raise funds for our first all-rounder scholarship for a disadvantaged student. Funded through the generosity of the Strathcona community and offered from 2024, our Centenary year, the Strathcona Centenary Scholarship will be a fully means tested scholarship.”

When I ask families why they chose Strathcona, usually they tell me something about the “feel” of the place. This is then often closely followed by a comment about the “warmth” of our community. These two intangibles have long been a huge part of what makes our school so special. We are built on a rich history of generations of generous, intelligent and humble people who share common values. There’s a certain understatedness about the Strathy community, but don’t be fooled — it’s most certainly intentional.

My job at Strathcona is to seek support for the types of transformational projects that can catalyse the impact the Strathcona woman has on our world. And what a time to be doing it! In the last months there has been a noticeable increase in the momentum of discourse related to issues of women’s equality. We have celebrated wins including the record number of women entering Australian parliament, but also witnessed disturbing setbacks, such as changes in the constitutional rights of women in some countries. If the events of late have reinforced anything it’s that now more than ever, we must invest in women and demonstrate our collective belief in the transformative power of an allgirls education.

This will be our chance to give a deserving girl (normally without opportunity) access to the Strathcona experience. A chance to set her in motion and truly change the course of her future. Our short term goal for this fund is to support a student or students beginning in 2024, however, our bold, long-term goal is to build a multi-million dollar endowment to enable this, and other diverse scholarships to be offered to eligible students including rural, indigenous and needs-based students — forever.

Chances are, if you are reading this then you already understand the value of a Strathcona education. Our exceptional quality of teaching, purposeful pastoral care and visionary leadership ensures that a Strathy girl is given the agency that encourages her to use her education, professional capacity, influence, and philanthropic sensibility to initiate and drive change.

Strathcona will always be the best kept secret of Canterbury, but I believe it’s time for us to stand up and broadcast what makes this amazing school so unique and so transformative for young women. To celebrate 100 years of Strathcona, the Strathcona Centenary Scholarship will give girls who don’t have the means to attend our school a way to do so and realise their full potential. Our goal is a community funded scholarship for deserving girls exemplifying the Strathcona spirit. And we need your help to get it moving.

It will be a means tested, full access scholarship, awarded annually from 2024 to a girl or girls with an unstoppable spirit who show promise across a range of interests and areas.

It will be funded by the generosity of the Strathcona community, and contributions are now being welcomed. So whether you’re a current or past parent, staff, alumna, or special friend, you have the power to make transformational change in young girls’ lives, and help shape them into truly unstoppable women.

GIVE NOW TO THE STRATHCONA CENTENARY SCHOLARSHIP

To contribute ahead of the appeal, scan the code or for more information, contact our team on 03 8779 7500. Elena’s Story

After escaping a conflict torn Sarejevo with her family in 1992, Elena Mujkic thrived on an academic scholarship at Strathcona. Since graduating in 2008, Elena continues to exemplify the Strathcona spirit.

A coke bottle of fuel and a bag of nappies was all we had when escaping Sarajevo, Bosnia in 1992. It was a deeply complicated journey as refugees to Melbourne on skilled migrant visas. The fact that my parents’ education essentially saved our lives by facilitating our access to Australia meant that I have grown up understanding that education literally changes lives.

The leafy suburbs of Melbourne were a world away from the life we knew in Bosnia. In 2003, my world changed again forever, starting in Year 7 at Strathcona as a recipient of an academic scholarship. At Strathcona, having a love of learning and a willingness to contribute positively to the world is celebrated. With the support of a village of teachers who genuinely take an interest in the whole young person, I was able to achieve a House Captain position, as well as Dux of 2008. Armed with a freedom unimaginable to my parents 20 years prior, I was able to select any university course of my choosing.

I opted for a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Languages in line with my love of languages and linguistics that began at Strathy. I completed my honours studying “Murrinh-Patha” recording this unique language spoken in a remote area in the west of the Northern Territory. Later, during my Master of Teaching in Bordeaux, France, my thesis findings discovered that young people want one thing from their teachers: positive relationships with people who are kind, funny and who listen. From there on, I developed a zest to be that teacher for my students. I moved to Katherine in the Northern Territory to teach for three years, upskilling along the way with a Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma. I found I was really passionate about engaging young people who were feeling excluded from the educational system.

Since becoming a secondary school educator, I have worked across schools in country Victoria, the Northern Territory, and in Melbourne, and currently specialise in working with young people disengaged from mainstream education. I have taught teenagers to read from scratch, helped young people to make their first friend, and been part of making everyday attendees out of young people who have missed years of school. The small wins are career highlights when working with young people.

Elena’s mother, Edita Mujkic, released a widely available, acclaimed memoir this year, Between Before and After, documenting their family’s escape from the war and journey to Australia.