Girls Supporting Girls

From flying solo around the country to representing Australia at the Winter Olympics, our students have delighted in championing each other as they accomplish some truly extraordinary things.

At the heart of each achievement is something equally remarkable: a community of students who celebrate one another's ambitions, share in each other's successes and inspire one another to dream big. “Championing Women and Inclusion" is one of the key themes of MLC's Strategic Plan, and these stories show what that looks like in practice.

In February, over 150 students and staff arrived at school before dawn, waiting with anticipation to watch Year 10 student, Indra Brown, compete in the Freeski Halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics, held in Milano Cortina, Italy.

Wearing their green and gold, students from across the College wrote messages of encouragement, created posters, and even made pancakes. The atmosphere was electric as students celebrated every ski run, sharing in the excitement and pride of seeing one of their own compete on the world stage.

At just 16 years old, Indra was the youngest member of the Australian squad, which makes her achievement of fifth place in her debut games even more incredible. She joins 19 MLC Old Collegians who have competed across both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

Upon returning to school to a chorus of cheers and hugs, Indra reflected on the support she'd received throughout her Olympic journey:

"It's awesome being able to reconnect with my friends and get into a more regular life. To have my school and my friends cheering me on made the Olympics even better!”

^{Indra returned to school after the Winter Olympics to an incredible show of celebration.}

While Indra's achievement was extraordinary, it also sparked conversations about perseverance, courage and the value of pursuing ambitious goals.

“Indra’s presence at the Olympics is inspiring for the entire school community,” says Melissa Lange, Head of Middle School (Year 9 and 10).

“She shows younger students what perseverance looks like in practice, and reminds us all that big goals are reachable when talent is matched with consistent work and supportive coaching and families that support dreams.”

^{Indra is greeted by friends as she returns to school after the Winter Olympics.}

Achieving on the world stage doesn’t just happen at the Olympics. In Term 2, Year 12 student pilot Rose Donald took to the skies as she attempted to set the Guinness World Record as the youngest female pilot to complete a solo journey around Australia.

Her extraordinary journey raised over $80,000 for Little Wings, a children's charity that provides free, professional and safe flight and ground transportation for sick children and their families living in regional and remote NSW, QLD and the ACT.

^{Year 12 students celebrate Rose’s achievements when she returned from her journey.}

Back in Kew, Year 3 and 4 students followed Rose's journey as part of their Interdisciplinary Studies unit that included learning across Digital Technologies, Geography and Science. Tracking and mapping Rose's journey across Australia, they explored how weather conditions, visibility, and safety considerations impacted her route and decision-making.

“The students absolutely loved following Rose's journey as it unfolded,” says Jean McGann, Junior School Digital Technologies teacher.

“Flying around Australia at such a young age sparked lots of conversations about courage, determination, resilience and pursuing your goals. It transformed the project from a coding activity into an inspiring story that students genuinely cared about.

“Many students spoke about how inspiring it was to see someone from MLC achieving something so extraordinary. It showed them that big dreams are possible and that determination, preparation and perseverance can lead to incredible opportunities.”

 After 41 days in the air, Rose touched back down in Melbourne, greeted by family, school friends and some of her MLC teachers at Essendon Fields Airport. The Year 3 and 4s, guided by dedicated Junior School staff, also made a poster to welcome her home.

Whether gathering before sunrise to support an Olympian, tracking a record-breaking flight across the country or celebrating milestones together in the classroom, our students do more than pursue excellence themselves, they champion it in others. In doing so, they create a culture where individual achievements become shared celebrations and where every student feels encouraged to pursue their own ambitions with confidence.