On Wednesday 30 September2015 fifteen students from Year 10 went to St Swithun's for the day for a Women in Leadership Conference run by the GSA.
Sophie (10A) reports:
On arrival at St Swithun's we were told that we were going to be split up and join groups with girls from different schools which seemed daunting at first but overall I believe it made the experience much more valuable and enjoyable. It was great to be able to spark ideas from the other girls there. The first talk was very thought-provoking and an excellent way to start off such a diverse and intriguing day.
The activities we then took part in, such as egg smashing (or as not if you were successful!) and hydrology, challenged us at first. Not knowing your fellow team mates but having to work together to achieve the goals was a fun, entertaining and an educational experience.
The other individual talks were all engaging and each gave us some useful tools in life and leadership. I particularly liked the way that all the sessions played to our different strengths. The day finished with an African Drumming session. Drumming is something that none of us were expecting, yet it was an exercise which put all the things we had learned into practice. The drum leader was charismatic and enthusiastic, getting us all involved, even our teachers. Turning to your left and right and seeing people that were no longer strangers playing the drums and laughing is something I found great in itself.
Overall the day gave us an insight into what leadership means and how anyone of us could become a leader. It inspired and elevated everyone in there.