The Importance of Inspiring Young Women By Betsy Macdonnell ’18 (reprinted from Just Another People Person) The first time sexism revealed itself in my life, I was six years old. In Kindergarden, it was playground tradition for the boys to play kickball at lunch. From a young age, I was rather confident, and I didn’t think twice about joining the game. I stepped into the line to play when one of my male classmates turned to me and said, “you can’t play kickball, you’re a girl.” At the time I was shocked, and annoyed, but mostly because I just wanted to play with the boys. With the help of my female classmates, I eventually convinced the boys to let me join. Flash forward 11 years. Although feminism was still a strong belief of mine, it had been a while since I had been able to act on that belief. I…
Category: leadership development
Leadership, Community and the Individual
We’ve just completed our first weeks back to school after the March break which signifies the beginning of one of our favourite seasons at The Grove. Outside temperatures are on the rise, the maple trees are tapped, the snow is beginning to melt and soon we will all be caught up in sunshine and a frenzy of outdoor springtime activities and celebrations. It’s what we like to call the beginning of "Camp Lakefield." For many of us, it’s a time for reflection too. Teachers are looking back on their programs and evaluating the year’s successes; students are considering their plans, regaining a rhythm of school work and diving into major projects; and senior students, especially, are focusing on getting the most out of what remains of their time here—while preparing for their year ahead as graduates. Leading the Way in School Life It’s this latter group, the graduating class, who set the tone for community life in a significant way. In their…