Edited from a submission by Geraldine Robert
Six candles were lit at Marymount Convent School in Singapore, each one a prayer for a different girl: the strong girl, the quiet girl, the spirited girl, the girl who is struggling, the girl learning from mistakes, and the girl still finding her way.
The prayer was part of the school’s celebration of the Día Internacional de la Niña (IDG), held alongside Children’s Day, celebrated on the first Friday of October in Singapore. With the theme “The Girl I Am: I have a voice. I have a purpose. I can make a difference,” the school brought together students from Primary 1 to Primary 6.
Children’s Day celebrates childhood; IDG reminds us that not every girl in the world is free to simply be a child. Bringing the two occasions together invited every girl at Marymount to celebrate her own gifts while remembering girls still waiting for the same freedom. As a Good Shepherd school, Marymount is shaped by the mission of empowering lives, restoring rights, and upholding dignity.
Discovering Their Voice
The day began with a whole-school assembly, where students gathered to reflect on the question “Who am I becoming?” As they lit each candle, the school community acknowledged that every girl is beloved and worthy of care.
The assembly closed with “We Are the World,” expressing solidarity with girls everywhere. All teachers stood and sang together, their phone lights on. These lights echoed the school motto, “God Is Our Light,” and the call to be a light for one another.
Following the assembly, every class took part in activities designed to help each girl discover and articulate who she is.
For Primary 1 and 2, the theme was “I have strengths. I have dreams. I can become the girl I want to be.” Students dressed as their future selves, including doctors, artists, scientists, dancers, and innovators, and struck poses that matched their dreams. They then drew their future selves and reflected on a personal strength that could help them get there: courage, kindness, patience, or creativity.
Primary 3 and 4 students explored the theme “I have a voice. I have a purpose. And I can make a difference.” Through a “Heart and Plan” activity, they considered something they wished they could change, such as lonely children at recess, hurt animals, or litter in the park. Each student wrote three wishes for others, animals, or the planet, then considered one small action she could take that day toward a wish.
Primary 5 and 6 students imagined they had gone viral, with 10 million followers watching live. What would they say? Students crafted messages on issues they cared about, including online safety, mental health, plastic waste, inclusion, and food waste. They were then asked: “What is one real choice you can make today that matches your big broadcast?»
Supporting One Another
Marymount’s Student Peer Supporter (SPS) program offers an ongoing way for students to put this care into practice. The program mirrors the spirit of Good Shepherd Asia Pacific’s Safe Squad initiative. Trained in peer bonding, peer helping, and peer influencing, Student Peer Supporters look out for their schoolmates and model positive behavior.
They spread encouragement through Cheer Cards, facilitate peer bonding through board games, and lead an Appreciation Week each term, when students write notes of gratitude to one another.
Reaching out to a classmate sitting alone at recess or choosing a kind response in a group chat gives students ways to use their voices for others in everyday school life.
Prayer Across the Region
The October 1 celebration began an 11-day period of Prayer and Reflection leading up to the Día Internacional de la Niña on October 11. Marymount joined Good Shepherd schools across Asia Pacific in this observance.
Each day of prayer carried a focused intention, recalling the six candle prayers and the themes students had explored in their classrooms. The school continued to pray for the strong girl, the quiet girl, and the girl still finding her way, extending its solidarity to girls across the region and the world.
