I will always hold a special place in my heart for Brigidine, and for all the people at this school who have made my high school journey so special.
I joined Brigidine at the end of Year 7, having returned to Australia after living overseas. At that time, we were still in lockdown, and school was still online. I didn’t know anyone at the time, and I had no idea what to expect.
When we finally returned to school, I remember feeling overwhelmed as I scuttled around the College in my buttoned-up blazer and dress hanging below my knees, trying to distinguish the MC rooms from the MM rooms. I remember feeling extremely nervous as I was surrounded by 111 unfamiliar faces, most of whom I’d only met through a grainy zoom call.
But somehow, that feeling of being an outsider didn’t last very long. Through small acts of kindness, such as girls in my core class offering to walk me to my next class, waving at me from across the quad, helping me when I got back-locked by the Year 8s for the very first time, or simply letting me sit and eat lunch with them – I soon began to feel like I belonged.
Looking back, those small moments taught me something I have never forgotten: belonging doesn’t always come from finding your people straight away. Sometimes, it comes from someone choosing to make you feel welcome and accepting you for who you are.
And I am so incredibly grateful for the girls sitting in front of me, and the teachers beside me, who chose to accept me and welcome me for who I am, even during a time when I was still learning to accept myself. Each one of you has played a part in turning this place I once found unfamiliar into a place I now call home.
So, what have I learnt from my time here?
Firstly, I have learnt to embrace opportunities and say “yes”.
As a newcomer at the end of Year 7, I found some of my first connections at Brigidine by joining String Orchestra, Debating and Sports Aerobics. From there came Senior Choir, Duke of Edinburgh, Dance, College musicals, and countless social justice initiatives.
I said yes to things that sometimes scared me. And those experiences gave me far more than memories. They gave me confidence, courage and the willingness to step outside my comfort zone. They gave me a sense of belonging and introduced me to people I might never otherwise have met and gave me friendships across different year groups that I will always hold near and dear to my heart.
Secondly, I learnt to be authentically myself.
Brigidine is a place with room for every personality, passion and perspective. One of the greatest gifts of this school has been the freedom to try new things, make mistakes and become unapologetically myself. I have been able to discover who I am without pressure to fit in a mold.
It has taught me that you don’t have to change who you are to belong. In fact, it is only when you stop trying to fit in that you discover where you truly belong. And I think our theme, 2026 Sisterhood Sticks, captures this perfectly. It represents a group of girls who are not afraid to be themselves – and who make space for everyone else to do the same.
And finally, I have learnt what it means to be strong and gentle.
Our motto, Fortiter et Suaviter, has taught us to meet challenges with courage and determination, while acting with kindness and empathy. But these values were never simply words we learnt. They were values we saw lived every day by the people who guided us.
Mr Loughland’s warmth and passion for leadership have taught us to find our own purpose and our own reasons to make a difference.
Ms Wacher’s selflessness showed us what it means to live out our Kildare Ministry values of wonder, courage, hope, hospitality, compassion and justice. She has taught us to serve, rather than to be served.
We’ve become grounded in gratitude, empathy, mindfulness and grit through Mrs Dunsmore’s kindness, learning what it means to care for ourselves and for others.
And through Mrs Quinane’s leadership, we have seen what it means to lead with integrity, strength and service.
To every teacher who has encouraged us, challenged us, supported us and believed in us, even when we didn’t believe in ourselves – thank you. You have given us more than knowledge. You have helped shape the people we are becoming.
I couldn’t leave here today without talking about the girls who have shared this journey with me.
To the Class of 2026, thank you for the laughter, the love, the fun and all the moments in between. We have left our legacy at this College as a lively, energetic and unified cohort. What I love about my cohort is that we have never been afraid to get involved and make our voices heard, while sticking together and supporting each other through the ups and downs.
I hope each of you knows how special you are, and I am so, so grateful for each one of you. I know you will all go on to do wonderful things.
I am truly honoured to have served as College Captain this year. You have all given me more than I could ever give back.
How blessed am I to have been a part such a special group of girls, a group that has made saying good bye feel almost impossible.
So, to all the girls here today: Be crazy. Be messy. Make mistakes. Say yes. Lead with your heart and stay true to yourself. And no matter where our individual paths take us from here, I hope you always remember that there is an unbreakable, invisible string of sisterhood that connects us all. An everlasting string that I believe will stretch us across time, distance and circumstance, and will always, somehow, pull us back to one another.
I really don’t want to say good bye to all of you. So instead, I’ll say: see you later. See you when our paths cross again.
See you when we’re older and reminiscing about our days here. See you when the familiar song, Oceans comes on, or when someone mentions a memory that takes us straight back to the corridors of this College.
Brigidine is not simply a chapter in my life that is coming to an end. It is a community that has shaped who I am, and a sense of belonging that I will forever carry with me.
Because that is what Brigidine will always be for me. It will always be home.
To the Class of 2026, congratulations. We did it!
Emily Sing
College Captain 2026
