10 CONNECTIONS
Passing on the torch
“ We’re sharing tradition and continuing the sisterhood that was established when they were at school. Having these ongoing traditions that are now happening year after year establishes a strong school community and a sense of pride in being a St Cath’s girl.
When our alumni reflect on their time at St Cath’s, it is often our special St Cath’s traditions that stand out.
However, our alumni haven’t had many opportunities to be actively involved in passing these traditions on to the next generation. This changed in early June when we were
honoured to welcome back Ava Saunders and Taya Cohen from the Class of 2024, who returned to help share a special new tradition with our current Year 12 students. In 2024, we introduced 100 Days of Year 12, a celebration marking the final stretch of our students’ time with us before their graduation in September. Although the tradition is still in its early days, we are excited to see it continue and become a much-loved event in the St Cath’s calendar. As part of this event, the Class of 2024 wrote a chant, which they performed at recess, led by Ava and Taya. This year, it felt only natural to invite Ava and Taya back to help teach the chant to our current Year 12 girls. “We were the start of the newest St Cath’s
Molly A (Year 12)
tradition last year, which was really special as traditions are so important to this school,” Ava explained, “It was really special to be invited back to teach the chant to the girls. I was so sad to leave St Cath’s but it’s nice knowing that we’re always connected, we can always come back and be a part of things.” From the moment Ava and Taya stepped onto campus, it was clear the day would be something special. Students ran across the playground to greet them, and by the time the full year group had gathered in a circle on the Cloisters Lawn, there was a clear buzz of excitement in the air. Ava and Taya quickly took charge, first taking time to explain the significance of what they were about to share, before leading the group through the chant. It was wonderful to see our alumni working with our current students to bring this
tradition to life for another year. “Having this tradition passed down to us by the older girls meant a lot,” Molly A (Year 12) said, “Together, we’re sharing tradition and continuing the sisterhood that was established when they were at school. Having these ongoing traditions that are now happening year after year establishes a strong school community and a sense of pride in being a St Cath’s girl. It’s also nice to know that even after you leave, you’re still part of the school, you’re always welcome. You might not be attending it and you might not be working for it, but you are still part of the family and the culture that is created.”
SCAN TO SEE MORE Want to see more images of this wonderful event? Scan to view the gallery.
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