I Love My School Because...

People often ask what makes a school special. Is it the buildings? The traditions? The results? The sport? The culture?

For me, the answer is simple: it is the people.

One of the greatest privileges of working in a girls' school is watching our butterflies emerge from their cocoons. It seems only yesterday that our Grade 8 girls arrived, fourteen years old, nervous, uncertain and trying desperately to find their way around campus. Then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, they arrive at their Matric Dance transformed into poised, confident young women, looking every bit ready to take on the world. The journey from Grade 8 to Grade 12 is remarkable to witness, and it is one of the reasons I love this school.

I love the cheerful "Good morning, Mrs Miller!" that greets me as I walk across campus each day. It is a small thing, but small things often say the most about the character of a community.

I love the sound of our choir. Whether at Friends in Concert or when hosting visitors such as the Minnesota Boy Choir, there is something magical about hearing young people sing with such enthusiasm and joy. Of course, when the visitors happen to be a boys' choir, our girls seem to discover an extra gear entirely. Suddenly every note becomes just a little stronger, every performance just a little more determined. Competition, after all, can be a wonderful motivator!

I love the tenacity of our sportswomen. This season I have witnessed tremendous growth in basketball, netball and hockey. The improvement in skill, confidence and competitiveness has been inspiring to watch. We are going places. Watch this space.

I love celebrating achievement. Whether it is our public speakers excelling at the Pretoria Public Speaking Festival, our debaters doing us proud, or the numerous certificates and badges awarded at assembly, our girls continually remind us, what can be accomplished through dedication and perseverance.

I love the confidence and maturity with which our students engage the world around them. I see it in panel discussions, in the intelligent questions they ask at our Day of Discovery, and in the composed manner with which our student leaders present their Task Leader reports to the Governing Body. It is particularly special when many of the guest speakers are alumnae, demonstrating so clearly the lasting impact of a St Mary's education.

I love the contrasts that make our school uniquely itself. I love the formal, disciplined way our girls conduct themselves during assembly. Yet I also love the completely different audience that emerges during Cultural Day, where enthusiastic cheering, loud applause and wholehearted support for housemates fill the hall. The creativity displayed through the dance, drama and music performances, many of them conceived, organised and directed by the girls themselves, is truly commendable.

I love hearing the laughter that echoes across the playground during break. I love the passionate debates that emerge among friendship groups, often over matters that seem, at least to adult observers, entirely insignificant but apparently worthy of extensive discussion and negotiation.

I love the quiet reverence of chapel services and the beautiful praise and worship that fill our chapel every Thursday morning. I love seeing our girls serve others. Whether it is the gentle way they interact with their little sisters on Outreach Day, the warmth with which they engage residents from Irene Homes, or the many fundraising initiatives led by our Debutantes, these moments remind us that character matters as much as achievement.

I love the dedication of our teachers, who continually invest their energy, expertise and hearts into their classrooms. Equally encouraging is the genuine interest displayed by so many students and their determination to give of their best.

Now, to be fair, no celebration of a girls' school would be complete without acknowledging a few realities.

When our girls complain, they do so with remarkable commitment and creativity. When they are tired, they often experience a level of exhaustion previously thought possible only after summiting Mount Everest. When they are anxious, the SAN office can become busier than a hospital emergency ward. And yes, there may be some truth in those age-old observations about the occasional temperament of the female species. But even those moments form part of the rich tapestry of school life.

Because there is truly something special about a well-mannered St Mary's DSG girl, neatly dressed in her uniform, carrying herself with confidence, dignity and pride.

There is something special about our beautiful buildings, our manicured gardens, our traditions and our values. Most of all, there is something special about belonging to a community that seeks not only to educate young women, but to help them become the very best versions of themselves.

What a blessing it is to be part of this institution.

I just love my school.