Girls, Grads & Gratitude
A whatsApp message this morning from my high school group of girl-friends alerted me to an article in the Straits Times about the 165th anniversary of CHIJ — the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in Singapore. My high school years at CHIJ, Victoria Street — fondly called Town Convent at the time — was a formative time.
Those were crucial years where I was learning, growing and discovering who I was, testing who I could be and dreaming of what was to come. Reflecting back on those days, it is clear to me that the “for-girls” school environment created a safe space — where we could speak up, question and debate, hold leadership positions, organize plays, dances and science projects, study with and coach class mates for the grueling Cambridge “0” Level exams — and in that process, lay the groundwork for the future we would create.
I lost touch with Singapore and settled in Silicon Valley and decades later, a determined and resourceful friend tracked me down and reunited me with my high school group on WhatsApp. I was surprised by the warm welcome, by how these old friends from far away opened their hearts, cheered for me, and celebrated my achievements. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of having come home and struck by how quickly we were able to catch-up and laugh and cry over how life had unfolded.
This weekend, my daughter Nina graduated from Notre Dame High School in San Jose (NDSJ). She follows my older daughter Nicole who like Nina, also went to the Girls Middle School (GMS) in Palo Alto and then NDSJ. Nicole entered the Girls Middle School a “wallflower” — quiet and shy — and emerged from GMS and NDSJ as a confident young woman, ready to take on the world.
Each of us is unique and each of my girls will forge their own paths in their own way, but I am so grateful that both of them had the opportunity to learn and grow and blossom with a sisterhood of support that I know will follow them into the future.
As more studies show the benefits of a “for-girls” education in preparing young women and the importance of having critical mass — at least 3 women on boards for example — and as women empower other women and engage men — fathers, brothers, husbands and sons — I know the future will be a little easier for my girls and a better world is possible for all of us.
