Student Representative Council – expecting and attempting great things
One of the great privileges of being the Middle School Chaplain at Carey is supporting the Middle School Student Representative Council. Students across Years 7 to 9 gather fortnightly to meet with the Middle School Captains, Fletcher C and Amelia W, Head of Middle School Meredith Plaisted, Deputy Head Harry Dendle, Student Guidance Co-ordinator Penny Rickard, and Year Level Co-ordinators Sarah Cassidy (Year 7), Rhys Adams (Year 8) and Mat Shill (Year 9). SRC reps represent their Heads of House and Mentors, as well as student peers and the wider school and general community.
Here are just a few of the many highlights from this week:
Many SRC reps (and family members) spent Monday evening cooking pancakes. This continues a tradition of sharing with others that started centuries earlier in England on what is now known as Shrove Tuesday. Students and staff were greeted with pancakes of all shapes and sizes and a variety of toppings when they arrived at School on Tuesday morning. A note of thanks to 2025 Community Service leaders, Year 9s Kabeer M, Ed P, Sam R, Ella Z and Larry X, for co-ordinating this and so many other SRC events.
Then on the following day, Ash Wednesday (the first of the 40 days before Easter), some SRC reps, together with Carey staff – Community Support and Events Co-ordinator Erin Boyd, and Alumni and Community Manager Kaushini Fernando – spent their time and energy raising funds for Emerge, an organisation in Melbourne that has, for over 40 years, worked to support women and children who have experienced family violence, empowering them to rebuild their lives by providing them with a safe refuge and practical programs. They advocate for increased funding for short, medium and long-term crisis and affordable housing, and continue to make an impact on behalf of the community they work with and for. Many of the women and children Emerge support are highly disadvantaged, and come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Middle School SRC reps have supported the School’s focus on the 2025 International Women’s Day theme of ‘Accelerate Action’, emphasising the importance of taking decisive steps worldwide to achieve gender equality, and addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face in their personal and professional lives. Reps have sold biscuits and drinks to support the work of Emerge.
This week, under the guidance of Michelle Kafer, Director of Finance and Operations, Middle School SRC reps, together with other students, met for the first of four meetings with Carey canteen staff to review and provide feedback on the Carey canteen menu.
Reps continue the Carey tradition of expecting and attempting great things that promote hope, care and respect.
May the following prayer spoken at this week’s Middle School chapel help shape our decision making this important week in the Carey calendar.
Let us pray
Almighty God, you created all people, and we rejoice in their goodness and their calling to glorify you and to work for the flourishing of others in this world. We give thanks for all those who put their trust in you, whose lives and decision making are an example for us all, and for those who are working to eliminate gender inequality, violence and oppression in this world. Help us to remember that each person is made in your image and is precious to you.
We pray for those who make bad choices that target others, who seek to hurt and harm. Help them to change their ways and to be accountable for their actions.
May our lives know your love, kindness and grace each and every day. Amen.
Rev. Scott Bramley
Middle School Chaplain
