Polly
For Polly, you could say attending St Margaret’s was destined, with her grandmother, mother and aunt all attending the school.
Now embarking on her final year, Polly reflects on her journey as one peppered with opportunities that have shaped her.
From the sporting fields and swimming pool to the Brisbane River and the stage, Polly has sampled a range of sports from cross country, AFL and touch football to water polo, life saving and rowing, while musically, she plays the flute.
Polly also had the chance to spend a term studying in South Africa as part of the school’s signature Global Exchange Program, which gives Year 10 students the chance to apply to spend a term studying at one of 14 schools in eight countries across the globe.
“Every opportunity has contributed to my growth as a person and has set me up for the rest of my life,” she said.
This year, Polly is proud to be stepping into the role of Joint School Captain, an opportunity the school has been preparing her for since Year 5 through its approach to sequential leadership development.
“In primary school I was band captain, and in secondary, I have been a Form Captain and Year Level Leader. This year I have been lucky enough to be a Year 11 mentor for the Year 7 cohort, allowing me to establish connections with younger students.
“What has stuck with me the most is that, in leadership, respect is earnt by respecting others. Whether it be through getting to know younger girls, or understanding their concerns within the school, the way you approach these conversations and make connections can have a large impact on the success you have in your leadership,” Polly said.
Participating in YLEAD activities and attending events such as the Aspiring Leaders’ Summit or the school’s Aspiring Young Women’s Network have also given Polly the opportunity to understand and learn about a variety of different leadership strategies and styles.
“At an Aspiring Young Women’s Network event, the speaker highlighted that our journey in life does not need to be linear or follow the ‘norm’ to be successful – a great lesson for life and leadership,” Polly said.
Charlotte
Growing up on a property in Moree, Charlotte developed an eye for design. “I first became interested in architecture when I was in Year 6 and my parents did some renovations to our home. I was fascinated with the process of creating spaces which fostered connections and conversations. I loved helping the builder and understanding why certain features of designs were chosen to enable daily life to flow in our family,” she says.
Charlotte has explored this passion at St Margaret’s, and now, thanks to the school’s mentoring program, her dream of one day being an architect is close to reality.
The program pairs senior students with alumni working in industry, offering guidance, networking and real-world insights.
For Charlotte, it’s been inspiring: “My mentor is an interior designer working in an architecture firm. She’s shared her personal journey and valuable, practical advice on how to prepare for university and a career. It was the kind of conversation that stays with you and made me more excited about a future in architecture.”
As Joint School Captain, Charlotte plans to lead with the same vision she hopes to bring to her future career – fostering community and connection. “Just as I hope to create spaces that support connection in my future career, I want to enhance our school culture where connection and community are at the heart of everything we do.”
“St Margaret’s has given me a sense of purpose, confidence and connections,” says Charlotte. “I’ve discovered what I love and who I want to become and have had countless opportunities to prepare for life outside of school. I’ve had opportunities I could only have dreamed of if I stayed in Moree.”