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12 March 2018
The day began with an assembly led by the JAGS sixth form based on the main message for the day, “Press For Progress”. The girls highlighted the inequalities still faced by women both in the UK and around the world, including being paid less than their male counterparts and under-represented in politics and industry. Pupils from each year group then gave a talk about some of the women that inspire them most, including Malala Yousafzai, Rosa Parks and Carrie Fisher.
At lunchtime staff and pupils took to the school grounds to bury a time capsule containing messages from today’s girls to the girls of the future. To commemorate 100 years of votes for women, the capsule will be dug up again in the year 2118.
Throughout the day special talks were held in the classrooms; the Year 12 Spanish class held a video conference with their e-twinning school in Madrid to discuss inspirational Hispanic women throughout history and Italian classes also shared their most influential women with pupils in their e-twinning school. Elsewhere, the History department organised a talk by historian Hester Vaizey, who spoke about women in East Germany and the Classics department had a discussion led by Year 12 student Georgina on Ancient Greek poet Sappho. Chemistry, Biology and Physics classes had a focus on pioneering females in their fields to inspire the next generation of female scientists.
Away from the classrooms, the library put up a display of inspirational literature written by female authors, the Art department revealed their favourite female artists and the Religious Studies department exhibited influential Christian, Jewish and Muslim women. In keeping with JAGS’s charity ethos, a cake sale also took place to raise money for the Eve Appeal which funds research into female cancers.
The whole day was a positive experience for all the girls who embraced the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women throughout history whilst highlighting the work that still needs to be done to bring about gender equality in the UK and around the world.
