I had every intention of shelving this blog during the summer months, trying instead to deal with the large pile of ‘stuff’ that managed to accumulate during the academic term, waiting to be addressed until the summer when most of our students are away and the pace allows for some deeper reflection.
That was my intention; however, some opportunities simply cannot be missed! Many of you will know that Brescia has been running a girls’ summer leadership camp, Girls LEAD, here in London for several years (www.girlslead.ca). This incredible program was the brainchild of one of our students, Kate Bryant, an amazing leader whom I had the pleasure of watching graduate this past June.
About one year ago, we decided it was time to start thinking of expanding this camp internationally with a view to sharing with other girls and young women the wisdom and experience that we have developed over the years. This past year has included a flurry of activity as we considered various locations and logistics. It didn’t take us long to settle on Barbados as the first location for Girls LEAD International. Brescia has a longstanding relationship with Barbados, as with other countries in that region, and we had no trouble in finding local sponsors there who were willing to get in on the ‘ground floor’ of what they saw to be a great opportunity.
So, for the first two weeks of July, Brescia’s International Program Co-ordinator travelled to Barbados with three of our students who had been selected to serve as our Camp Co-ordinator and Counsellors, and Girls LEAD International was born! We had the pleasure of welcoming four Junior Counsellors and 22 campers to our camp that was held at Ursuline Convent Schools in Bridgetown. The results of bringing this group of girls and young women together were simply amazing to behold! The cultural interchange was among the highlights for sure.
Some days, my job is even more fulfilling than most days and last Friday, July 16 was a day I will not soon forget. I was able to attend the closing showcase (called “Open Day”) of Girls LEAD in Barbados and to meet an entire gaggle of 10 – 12 year-old campers, each of whom was raving about her experience over the previous two weeks! The Barbados media was out in full force to watch these campers put on skits, sing songs and recite poetry about leadership, healthy nutrition and positive friendships. Our amazing sponsors (Barbados National Bank, Summit Bank and Trident Insurance) were on hand to receive our gratitude and it was a wonderful, warm afternoon.
The sunburn has not yet faded from the tip of my nose and already we are very focused on next steps with this camp…I’m not sure where Girls LEAD International will go from here, but I do know that it will continue to nurture and model leadership not only for the future leaders of London but far beyond our city limits!
Brescia Bold: Choose to Lead!
2 Responses
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Kate Says:
Thanks for the shout-out, Dr. Hanycz! I am glad to hear that Barbados went so well & I’m excited to hear the details soon.
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Sr. Brenda Ferreira osu Says:
As a past pupil / teacher of Ursuline School, Barbados, and now Provincial of the Caribbean, I am DELIGHTED to read of this venture and hope that you will make it an annual event. CONGRATULATIONS !!!
From Guyana,
Sr. Brenda osu.