Invicta Vlogs
On the last day of term, our whole school took part in our first ‘Colour Run’.
On the last day of term, our whole school took part in our first ‘Colour Run’. I was not only amazed at our students’ enthusiasm and energy for such an event, but their leadership and creativity. It was a delight to see so many students really embracing the event’s fund raising cause along with the camaraderie across year groups! As I wished the World Challenge organisers ‘good luck’ for the event, they had huge smiles on their faces and said that they had already learnt so much about organising an event, that even if they did not raise much money, they would have achieved. What a great way to approach their challenge! Then, to see the girls at the end of the challenge, still full of smiles and absolutely ‘buzzing’ from the adrenalin of their success, was just the right way to start our holiday. I really do want to congratulate and thank the girls for such a superb achievement. I have no doubt that they will do extremely well in the summer for their expedition.
I have always believed that an essential part of building self-esteem is to encourage students to look outwards and away from the introspection that can often play too large a part in adolescence. This is why our fund-raising and performance activities are so important to us at Invicta. The World Challenge students ran a wonderfully successful Colour Run and as we embark on a new term, we are now all looking forward to Year 9 completing their sponsored cycle on the 15 April, whilst the whole school embraces music and the performing arts in the POP production of Matilda on the 13 April, along with the 70’s Concert on the 18 April. In the summer, we will celebrate our 75th Birthday with a Race for Life. Involvement in these kinds of activities, raising money for, and awareness of, other less fortunate makes us all feel good.
But benefits to our self-esteem do not just come from giving generously and performances. Recently, the concept of gratitude has been the focus of research studies in psychology and neuroscience. The results are surprising: although expressing gratitude often means thanking someone else, the real benefit of feeling and expressing gratitude is gained by the person expressing gratitude. Even when expressed to no one in particular, expression of gratitude has some real and measurable benefits.
Among the benefits described by academic studies of the subject are increased happiness, better connections with others, and general improvement of one’s relationships. Feeling grateful activates areas of the brain associated with the neuron-transmitter dopamine. An increase in dopamine makes us feel good and want to be more positive with others in order to keep that good feeling going. Thus, we are happier and are kinder when we consistently practise the habit of feeling grateful.
I shall take this opportunity, then, to say to all our outward-looking girls (and their extremely generous parents) how grateful we are for everything you do to support our school’s charity, fund-raising activities and performances throughout the year. I do hope that you will enjoy the forthcoming term’s activities as much as we have valued the last two terms!
