Making the most of the summer holidays

I remember the sense of liberation I used to feel, waking up those first few mornings after the summer term had ended, knowing that I had a whole eight weeks or so of freedom ahead of me.

The girls and staff have worked very hard throughout the academic year, so the holidays will be a welcome chance to unwind and spend time with friends and family. Pope Francis stresses the importance of this: "Together with a culture of work, there must be a culture of leisure as gratification. To put it another way: people who work must take the time to relax, to be with their families, to enjoy themselves, read, listen to music, play a sport". However, as well as being a chance to relax, the summer can also present opportunities to help others, to learn new skills, and to learn more about oneself in the process.

I was delighted to hear that various students will be doing just that during their summer holidays by giving their time to volunteer for charities around the world and, in the final whole school assembly of the year, I invited a couple of students to share their plans for the summer.

Sophie W., who will be moving into the Lower Sixth in September, will be going on a Girl Guides expedition to India this summer. The trip has several aims including teaching English to local children, caring for the elderly, and helping with environmental initiatives. As yet Sophie doesn’t know which area she will be working on; however, I know that whichever activity Sophie undertakes, she will build upon the valuable skills we teach at St Mary’s, such as compassion for others and teamwork. I am sure she will also enjoy learning more about the local culture.

Niamh H., who will be moving into the Upper Sixth in September, will be undertaking charity work this summer, spending part of her holidays volunteering with MENCAP. She will help people with disabilities live independently by cooking and shopping for them, as well as devising healthy menus.

Gigi D., who will also be moving into the Upper Sixth in September, hopes to go to drama school once she departs St Mary’s at the end of next year. She is delighted to have been accepted onto drama courses that will take place throughout the summer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and the National Youth Theatre. Not only will these opportunities help her to investigate routes to her chosen career, but also they will give her a taster of life at drama school. She hopes to use the experience to improve her networking and communication skills and to build on the skills she has gained through volunteering at Babylon ARTS, a charity that develops and delivers arts events and activities to engage communities, particularly young people and those with disabilities. Last year she was involved in music therapy at the charity; this year she will be volunteering with them during their Isle of Ely Arts Festival, filming some events as their official photographer. Gigi says that the courses and volunteering experiences will teach her 'many important things: confidence, teamwork and leadership', as well as giving her the opportunity to gain transferable skills which she hopes will give her a "head-start" in her career.

I am sure that these will be very valuable experiences for the girls to learn new skills and grow as individuals, and will also serve to inspire your daughters not only to enjoy the holidays, but also to find a way to make the most of their own summer breaks.