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Issue 51 – October 2014 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
E
ach year the College offers a range
of ICAS examinations as part of
the Learning Enrichment and
Acceleration programme (LEAP). The
examinations are sat by over 2 million
students from throughout Australia, Asia
Pacific, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, South
Africa, the USA and New Zealand.
Along withMarseille’s top score a further
11 High Distinctions and 89 Distinctions
were awarded to Queen Margaret College
students in ICAS Writing, English, Maths,
Science, Computer Skills and Spelling
exams.
Marseille who has attended Queen
In December, Marseille Bowie will be awarded the Gold Medal award
for the top score in Year 8 International Competitions and Assess-
ments of Schools (ICAS) Writing in New Zealand and the Pacific
Region. This is the third year in a row that a student from Queen
Margaret College has achieved top honours for ICAS Writing.
Margaret College since Year 3 appreciates
the opportunity of being able to participate
in the exams. As she explains. “ICAS exams
offer a challenge because they are repeated
every year so I use them to set goals and
strive to achieve higher. They are also good
practice for secondary school exams, The
experience will be valuable when I am older.”
Marseille is a keen student who takes
pleasure from a variety of subjects at school
including PE and French.
However, her understanding of the
importance of writing may have contributed
to her ICAS Writing success this year.
Marseille explains, “Writing is consistently
ICAS Gold Award
Year 13, Eloise Sims, was one of two winners of the inaugu-
ral RANZCOG Senior Secondary Students’ Women’s Health
Award for outstanding achievement in literary writing on an
issue in women’s health.
Internationally Award Winning Essay
I
n Eloise’s submission, titled
Ancient
Practices Clash With Modern Medicine
– Where To From Here?,
she reports on
female genital mutilation.
Eloise writes, “Commonly practised
in countries across central Africa such
as Ethiopia, Somalia and Sierra Leone,
an estimated 153 million women and
girls worldwide currently live with the
consequences of FGM. In Somalia and
Djibouti alone, 99% of native women are
circumcised. And the issue isn’t solely an
African one.
In an increasingly globalised world,
where immigrant communities are growing
rapidly and refugees are given safe haven in
a myriad of countries, this ancient practice is
bewildering and distressing Western health
professionals and in turn, their reactions can
inadvertently shame and isolate the women
they treat.”
Through Eloise’s essay she references an
interview with Nikki Denholm, manager of
the New Zealand Female Genital Mutilation
Education Program, me who helps her to
understand the health issues around the
practice and the cultural importance.
Eloise writes, “In communities where
FGM is commonly practised, people view
it as a beneficial procedure. Not only is it
seen as a safeguard against promiscuity,
and a necessary procedure in order to
allow a girl to become a woman, but it’s
also commonly claimed to be a part of the
Islamic faith. In terms of status, income
and society acceptance, FGM does bestow
certain benefits on women. Put another
way, without FGM, a woman is left socially,
economically and emotionally isolated.”
Eloise takes a deep look into the practice
and how it is affecting health professionals
in the western world, including New
Zealand. But more so, the predicament
which mothers face. Eloise demonstrates
this as she concludes her essay with a quote
from an African midwife working in New
applied in nearly all subjects, so therefore,
it always seems extremely worthwhile to
develop. Writing can always be improved no
matter what age or level you are.”
Marseille is an all-round student who
keeps herself busy with hockey, floorball,
triathlon, swimming, running, playing
trombone and ballet. She has been a Queen
Margaret College girl for six years and is
thrilled to be heading into Year 9 next year.
Marseille explains, “I am looking forward
to the international exchange opportunities
of Singapore and Tahiti in Year 9 and 10. Of
course I am also excited about the marae
camp and the musicals.”
Zealand.
“As a midwife, I know the terrible health
results. As a mother, I know how the child
suffers from being teased, insulted and
excluded by her friends. She will face even
worse problems later when the family of the
man to whom she will be given in marriage
will turn her down as ‘unfit’.
How can we stop these operations as
long as we know that if our girls are not
circumcised they will not find husbands and
they will blame their mother. Their lives will
be ruined, either way.”
