Have you ever considered how difficult it is to be a young person in today’s world? Their access to social media means they are constantly reminded that they are inadequate, they are uninformed and that they are missing out on the fun, the good times and the popularity that comes with having a perfect life. Their platform of choice will use algorithms to recognise the content that interests them, based on their screen habits, and will then fill their screens with images and stories that confirm and reinforce their insecurities, their vulnerabilities and inadequacies. As a young person still developing into an adult, it is hard to recognise the insidious nature of this material and have the resilience to not feel overwhelmed by its influence.

I can still recall my adolescent years and how they were very turbulent and unsettling to navigate. I am sure many of our parents will remember the onset of their growing changes and how troubling it was to witness those changes and feel more like the ugly duckling than the swan that we would all eventually become. Fortunately for us, we were spared the bombardment of images and testimonials of the "beautiful people" whose lives are very different to ourselves. The "beautiful people" of my time were the celebrities and high profile personalities who would have their images photo shopped by professional photographers. We all knew this happened. Today, everyone has access to the applications that enable then to sculpt their own image in the likeness that they desire. There is no need to present in anything less than stunning! How can our young girls defend themselves from this pressure and constant comparison to what is impossible to attain?

Fortunately there is some change occurring that recognises the need to present a more realistic image of women and girls in particular. The new Disney short film called “Reflect” introduces a character called Bianca who is their first plus size protagonist. She represents a little girl who doesn’t fit the dimensions of their previous Disney princesses. She is a more realistic image of what a girl can look like in real life. Similarly, the new performance of “Moulin Rouge” has the lead character played by a “plus size” woman who has stunned audiences with her talent and vitality on stage, not in any way impeded by the fact that she is a larger size than that normally cast.

We need to advocate for our girls to be allowed to be themselves. A strong protective factor at the College is that the absence of boys onsite means girls feel they can be themselves and not have to worry about how they look or what they say in the presence of boys. In a co-educational environment, the pressure can be far more intense for girls and boys for that matter as they manage their way through adolescence. It is important that our mums and dads continue to reassure their girls that they are more than good enough just as they are and that social media platforms are monitored so that appropriate filters are used to stop the advertising coming through that inappropriately influences them. Finally, we need to empower the girls to recognise their beauty in its many forms and have confidence in what is real and call out the fake for what it is.

During the week, I had the pleasure to be present at the finals of the Lions Youth of the Year competition. Four young people were competing. They had each been interviewed over the weekend and then had to present an impromptu speech and a prepared speech on the night. It was wonderful to hear at the end of the night that Amelia P from Year 12 won the competition for this year. Congratulations to her and all the competitors who stepped out of their comfort zone to take on the challenge. Here we have young people thriving in the unscripted.

Year 12 will finish their exams this week. They have been present in our prayers throughout the last three weeks. We wish them well as they can now begin to imagine their life post high school. I will leave you with the final lines of a prayer called Patient Trust by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. In this prayer, we need to trust in the work of God in our lives.

Blessings

Sue Lennox - Principal

Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.

 by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ
excerpted from Hearts on Fire