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Ahead of International Women’s Day on Monday 08 March, this week we are highlighting the women who inspire our students and staff at Kensington Park School.
This week, students are focusing on those working in the field of politics and leadership roles, as well as some women who have made a difference throughout history.
Rose (Year 11) selected Ruth Bader Ginsburg “Because she has a major influence on the progression of women in society as the first female, Jewish supreme court judge.”
Balthazar (Year 11) suggested Angela Merkel as she is the “first female chancellor of Germany and has been in power for the last 15 years. She has provided political and economic stability for the country over this period and has made Germany one of the greatest financial powers in the world.”
Khet (Year 11) mentioned Aung San Suu Kyi as “She fought against the military government and brings democracy to Myanmar.”
Ms Kallan also went for a current political figure “I would like to suggest Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever to be elected to serve in the United States Congress. Even though she was a political novice until quite recently, she has made some big changes in her district: a majorly diverse district with large working-class population. These are some of the issues that she supports: Medicare for all; universal living wages; paid family and sick leave; fully funded public schools; justice system reform; immigration justice; infrastructure overhaul (including a 100% investment in renewable clean energy); housing as a human right, and ending the corrupt influence of corporate finance in public elections. She really caught my attention after the incident with Ted Yoho, where she then delivered a powerful, female empowered speech.
Max (Year 7) and Charlotte (Year 7) suggested Malala, reminding us of the Global Citizenship day last half term. Max nominated her “Because she stood up for children and their rights. Also she got shot in the head and she was really brave about it. She stood up for children all around the globe” and Charlotte emphasised “her childhood activism against the Taliban restrictions on education for girls.”
Sherbano (Year 7) and Lola (Year 7) both nominated Michelle Obama. Sherbano says “As first lady, Obama served as a role model for women and worked as an advocate for poverty awareness, education, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy eating.” Lola echoes her points, “Even though she was the first lady she accomplished many other things like helping improving education, physical activity and heathy eating.”
Looking back to Historical figures, Erol (Year 7) selected Catherine the Great, “she was an Empress of All Russia from 1762 until 1796- the country’s longest-ruling female leader”
Robert (Year 10) went for Rosa Parks who “Supported rights for black people and black women”. Sacha (Year 11) highlighted her role as the “mother of the modern day civil rights movement.”
Miss Agravat suggested Milunka Savic -the real life ‘Mulan‘. “She was a Serbian war heroine who fought in the Balkan Wars and in WWI and is the most decorated female in the history of warfare. In 1912, her brother received call up papers for mobilization for the first Balkan war. She chose to go in his place- cutting her hair and wearing men’s clothes in order to join the Serbian army. She won a medal for her participation in battle and was promoted to corporal. It was only after she sustained wounds in 1913 and physicians attended to them, that she was found to be a woman. Surprisingly, they didn’t want to punish her for her deceit as they recognised, she has been a valuable soldier but were conscious ‘war was no place for a women’. However, after she protested to staying a solider, she was allowed to continue fighting for her country. She went on to fight in WWI where she achieved some incredible feats e.g. she received military decoration from France for her involvement in the war.”
Mrs Emerton highlights Corrie Ten Boom. “Corrie was a woman of great wisdom that came from living through great hardship. As a Dutch Christian family they helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust of WW11. However her home was raided and the whole family imprisoned. She and her sister were sent to a Nazi concentration camp where sadly her sister died. However just a few days later Corrie was released and survived. There are many famous quotes from the books that she wrote about her experiences and how she was able to forgive those who hurt her family. One of these is: ‘Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work he will give us to do.’”
Finally, Ridley (Year 7) mentions Queen Elizabeth II “She is 94 years old and is still Queen of England and is very healthy too.”