To me, the Olympics and Paralympics represent more than just sport - in so many ways they are celebrations of human spirit and determination. The Olympic Games highlight the value of diversity, inclusion, and respect, and it is incredibly inspiring to see athletes putting their years of hard work and dedication on the line under the highest levels of pressure and scrutiny.

There have been many opportunities for us to link learning at school to the Olympics over the last couple of weeks. We have been able to think about the importance of setting goals, working hard, and never giving up, no matter the challenges. We have seen a range of role models at the Olympics, not just those winning medals, but also those who face public losses. Witnessing athletes handle both victory and defeat with grace and resilience, or even with tears and frustration, teaches invaluable life lessons.

We have all seen that success isn't just about winning. It's also about how one deals with challenges, setbacks, and public expectations. We want our students to know that they too are capable of handling adversity and that their worth isn't defined by a single moment or outcome. This empowers them to be resilient, confident, and unafraid to pursue their dreams, knowing that setbacks are just a part of the journey.

It was a joy to see one of our former students, Margo Joseph-Kuo (Class of 2022) competing in the Artistic Swimming last week. The Australian team finished 9th after three incredible performances. You may know that Margo started her Artistic Swimming journey here at Ivanhoe Girls’, but you may not know about some of the more intangible things she learnt at school. Her profile on the Australian Olympic Team website includes the following:

“When I was in Year 7 my school’s prefects introduced a motto to give the whole school a vibe for the year,” said Margo, who relocated to Western Australia to pursue her dream and is studying engineering with aspirations to specialise in mechatronics (robotics).

'Brave not perfect’ resonated with me because it was my first year of high school; the year I knew I was going to try a whole bunch of new things. I think there’s always a tendency to feel as though you need to live up to the standard of perfection; try and always meet the expectations of someone else.

But the downside to living like that is it comes with lots of risk because the fear of making mistakes can force you to limit yourself in not only the things you can achieve, but the new things you’ll try.

I’ve always thought mistakes are an important part of life because without mistakes you don’t learn; don’t grow. If you try to never make mistakes, you’ll never do anything. So, for me, ‘brave not perfect’ encapsulates a good way to live life.”

As educators we always hope that the time and effort we put into developing character in our students will have an impact. I say ‘hope’ because it’s not as easy to measure as academic outcomes, or sporting results.

It’s fantastic to see Margo using the whole range of skills she learnt at school as she performs at the highest level on the world stage!

Ms Narelle Umbers
Principal