Empowering Positive Rebels and Being a Force for Good
by Kalea Haran, Principal Penrhos College
At Penrhos College, we believe in building a school for the future, one that prepares our students to navigate and shape a world without boundaries. Grounded in a proud history of excellence, we have continuously sought to expand and enhance our strategic direction, setting our sights on a limitless future. With our students at the center of everything we do, our ultimate goal is to nurture them into courageous women—bold, compassionate, and empowered to lead. Among our guiding pillars is one that particularly resonates in today’s world: Blaze – we empower positive rebels to lead the way.
What does it mean to be a positive rebel?
For us, it means instilling in our students the courage to fight for justice, stand up for what is right, and advocate for positive change. We encourage our girls and staff alike to pursue justice, reconciliation, and peace through service and advocacy—both within the Penrhos community and beyond. This ethos is embodied in our commitment to being a force for good, a value that echoes throughout our school’s community service program and our new Sustainability Policy. Together, these initiatives help our students develop life skills, a sense of social responsibility, and the leadership to create a more equitable and sustainable future.
“Be a Force for Good—is more than just words. It's a living, breathing philosophy that informs everything we do. With our students at the centre, we empower them to lead with love, unite communities, and leave a positive impact wherever they go.”
Community Service: Building Compassion and Leadership
Penrhos has always been deeply committed to community service, with a program that is as comprehensive as it is impactful. From Year 7 through Year 12, every Penrhos student engages with and contributes to their local community. Our For Others motto, established at the inception of the College, remains at the heart of this program.
What sets Penrhos' community service program apart is its structure and continuity. Students aren’t simply completing isolated projects; they are immersed in a long-term commitment to service that fosters a genuine understanding of what it means to make a difference. Each year, students log a minimum of 30 hours of service, with some exceeding 100 hours by graduation. These contributions are not only acknowledged in their academic records but celebrated across the College with awards, emblems, and accolades that highlight their dedication.
But what’s most special about our program is that we foster student-led initiatives, offering them the freedom and support to follow their passions. From fundraising for cancer research through the World’s Greatest Shave to designing activity boxes for foster children or making fleece rugs for kids in need—our students choose their own paths to make an impact. This teaches them one of life’s most important lessons: compassionate leadership begins with service.
Purple Bra Day, supporting people facing breast cancer in WA
We are deeply grateful to Ms Renee Poetschka, Service Learning & Community Service Coordinator, and Ms Kristy Banner, Community Service Coordinator for Years 7 and 8, for the dedication, passion, and care they dedicate into our community service projects.
Programs like the Duke of Edinburgh award further enhance this ethos, providing an additional avenue for over 100 Penrhos students to engage in meaningful service. Our College’s approach has drawn attention, with the Australian CEO of the Duke of Edinburgh program visiting us last year to learn how we’ve become a model for other schools due to our exceptional growth at the leadership of Mr Callum Knight, Beyond Curriculum Coordinator.
Sustainability at Penrhos: Empowering Future Leaders for a Better World
While community service is a cornerstone of our College, it is only one part of our broader commitment to empowering our students as agents of positive change. In today’s world, sustainability has emerged as an essential part of shaping a better future. Our new Sustainability Policy reflects this priority and represents the next step in our journey to create not only extraordinary women but also environmentally conscious leaders.
Penrhos College's approach to sustainability is about more than just following trends—it’s about embedding a culture of environmental stewardship into the very fabric of our curriculum and operations. The policy emphasises sustainability across all areas of learning, ensuring that students gain the knowledge and skills needed to critically participate in and creatively shape a more sustainable world.
From science and humanities to the arts and technologies, sustainability is integrated across subjects, fostering an understanding of how social, economic, and environmental systems intersect. This cross-curriculum approach helps our students see the bigger picture, recognising the interconnectedness of their actions and the global consequences of their choices. Our students are encouraged to take ownership of this mission, supported by the staff-student Sustainability Committee that leads our efforts on campus and beyond. I extend my sincere thanks to Chaplain Paul and Ms. Hanna Fay for their invaluable support in these initiatives.
Blaze: Empowering Positive Rebels to Lead the Way
At Penrhos, we don’t just teach sustainability or community service in isolation—we encourage our students to embody the spirit of Blaze, our strategic commitment to empowering positive rebels. We teach them to question, to challenge the status quo, and to actively pursue justice, reconciliation, and peace through service and advocacy.
Our students learn that being a force for good means more than participating in isolated acts of charity; it’s about standing up for what is right, advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves, and creating lasting change.
By cultivating this mindset, we prepare our students to lead—not just within Penrhos but within the wider world. Our graduates leave us with the skills to tackle the most pressing challenges of our time, whether that’s addressing inequality, fighting climate change, or advancing human rights.
The Power of Student Voice
One of the most important lessons we teach at Penrhos is the value of student voice. In both our community service and sustainability efforts, we amplify our students’ voices and give them the tools to lead initiatives that matter to them. We believe that by nurturing their passions and supporting their ideas, we are helping to shape future leaders who will continue to blaze a trail long after they leave our halls.
Our Sustainability Policy is just one way we’re formalising this commitment. It’s designed not only to reduce our environmental footprint but also to provide our students with opportunities to lead the way in creating a more sustainable world. Whether through advocating for renewable energy, designing eco-friendly initiatives on campus, or raising awareness about global environmental issues, our students are empowered to act as stewards of the Earth.
A Future Without Boundaries
At Penrhos College —we’re building a future where our students can make their own adventure, break through ceilings, find the fun in their journey, and most importantly, be a force for good. As we continue to refine and expand our strategic direction, we remain committed to nurturing compassionate, empowered leaders who understand the value of service, the urgency of sustainability, and the power of advocacy.
“Through community service, sustainability initiatives, and our commitment to Blaze, Penrhos College will continue to inspire our students’ girls be courageous women—women who are bold, resourceful, visionary, and who will always stand up for what is right.”
