Mrs Rogers' Weekly Words Lent 2

When members of the public compliment me on the quality of the young people in our Sixth Form, I am immensely proud and heartened. Our volunteer swimmers, pictured here in the pool at the Magnet Leisure Centre last Saturday evening, are typical of the generous and proactive students we work with in Years 12 and 13; they are each remarkable young people who demonstrate qualities which often teenagers are said to be devoid of. Every year Mrs Burdett, Sixth Form Head of Maths, enthuses and organises the students, handing out sponsorship forms and encouraging everyone to consider participating. And this year, as always, both year groups were well represented. In fact, Year 13 broke their own record by completing 88 laps (or 4.4k); 10 more than last year's total! Of course, it is the collection of sponsor money which proves the most demanding part of the process and students are gathering the donations from families and friends which will then go to The Lions Club of Maidenhead for distribution to local, needy families.

When students choose to make a difference, the consequences of their actions are positive and life changing for them, as well as those they support. In today's assembly we looked at the consequences of making bad choices, specifically the story of a 16 year old boy called Dan, a Year 12 student with his whole, promising life ahead of him. Dan went to a party with friends and followed their lead, taking what turned out to be a fatal dose of MDMA. Our young people are bombarded daily with all forms of media, and sometimes peer pressure, prompting them to make choices; part of our collective responsibility as a Sixth Form is to educate our students on how to make informed and discerning decisions in all aspects of their lives. Whilst the story of Dan was sobering, it highlighted the vital importance of knowing what the consequences of unwise choices might be and students have spoken with me and within their friendship groups about how to approach significant and potentially life changing decisions in all aspects of life. Taking responsibility for our decisions and recognising the probable consequences of them can help us avoid making unnecessary and ill-judged choices. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Swiss-American psychologist and author, reminds us 'we are solely responsible for our choices and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word and thought throughout our lifetime.' Thinking about the outcomes of our decisions, projecting forward and visualising what the subsequent consequences might be can be an invaluable strategy in avoiding unnecessary difficulties.

I am choosing to relax this weekend, 'kick the leaves' and see friends; I am confident the consequences of this conscious choice to recharge and refresh will lead to the rejuvenation we all seek in our down time. I hope you make similar choices and enjoy your weekend too.