Eight GP girls represented us at the YRS (Young Round Square) Conference
Girls’ Prep is a member school of the Round Square association of schools and we were invited to send delegates to the inaugural International Young Round Square Conference held at Camp Discovery, north of Pretoria, from the 4-10 May. Eight of our Grade 7 girls, Alicia Kotzee, Georgina Stanley, Jennica Frost, Jennifer Everett, Jessie Olivier, Kamryn Norton, Michela Thorns and Zanele Nzau, were selected to represent the Girls’ Prep. 220 students aged between 12 and 13 years from 55 schools from 20 countries around the world attended. The theme for the conference was Endangered…a guide to survival. The girls participated in Barazza Groups facilitated by local and international senior Round Square students. They completed adventure challenges, went on a cultural tour of Pretoria, learnt about different cultural traditions, developed their leadership skills further through team building exercises, participated in service projects for the benefit of the local community of Hammanskraal, were inspired by interesting guest speakers and have a greater knowledge of the impact that humans are having on the environment globally. These girls were superb ambassadors for our school and country. Below are some of their reflections of the experience.
Round Square has 6 ideals: internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership and finally service. On our conference, I had the chance to get to know other people from different countries, as well as discover new things about myself through activities and presentations based on the 6 ideals. My experience on this conference has created enough memories to last me a lifetime and I encourage all Girls' Prep girls, if given the opportunity, to get more involved with Round Square. (Kamryn Norton)
My Young Round Square experience was one of the best experiences of my life. Along with making some life friends, I learned so much about our environment and the endangered animals. My time at the conference was amazing and I hope that I can take my experiences with me forever and use them to make the world a better place. (Zanele Nzau)
It was a huge privilege for me to be selected to attend the first International Young Round Square conference. It was an eye opening experience; with amazing new opportunities, people, cultures and memories. We did exciting and exhilarating activities with group members from variety of places around the world and got interesting talks from different specialists in their fields, as well as doing many interesting activities which allowed us to learn about the different Ideals of Round Square. I would highly recommend applying for the conference to anyone and everyone, as it definitely provides heaps of fun and learning experiences for those who attend. (Jessie Olivier)
The Young Round Square conference has inspired me to make a difference in the world. I have gained more knowledge about the Round Square IDEALS and they now mean more to me than they did before. I've met the most amazing people and learnt about their cultures, I've learnt about the way other governments run their countries, I've learnt about endangered species all over the world, I've learnt about taking risks! I've learnt how to take charge, and I've learnt how just ONE sandwich could brighten up someone's day. (Michela Thorns)
