Service
Serving others with grace and gratitude, we encourage our students to make a positive difference through a range of initiatives, including our College charity, Educating Girls Globally.
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Established in 2013 by then Head and Deputy Head Girls Gussie Cohen and Lucy Tothill, EGG aims to increase the standard of, and access to, girls’ education globally.
By uniting a global network of young leaders with a common passion for social justice, EGG has successfully completed infrastructure projects at girls’ schools in Malawi, helping to surmount a number of challenges facing girls in simply going to school, resulting in a significant increase in enrolment. Projects have included the construction of new security walls, bathroom facilities, and a boarding house for more than 60 pupils.
Students in Year 11-13 are invited to join the EGG Committee. The committee has responsibility for fundraising events and initiatives, including a biannual event where our staff bravely take to the stage mentored by our students and supported by our wider SMC community, and for encouraging students throughout our College to advocate for all girls to be given access to education.
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We take seriously the role of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the taiao (environment) by the propagation and regular planting of ngā tipu taketake (native plants), and incorporating sustainable practices into everyday activities.
Many of our students and whānau are committed to Eco-Action Nursery Trust, joining with other schools in the region to plant around 22,000 native plants over four Sunday morning sessions during the winter months of 2025.
In addition, our Enviro Committee, led by our Environment Prefect, potted 4,200 native plants during our lunchtime Eco-Action Nursery Trust service programme, and cared for 7,500 plants in our nursery. The Enviro Committee also helped to develop plans for a new garden space to be launched on our campus, in coordination with the St Margaret’s College Foundation and our 2025 Annual Appeal.
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Our senior students volunteer at the annual Sony Foundation Children’s Camp, serving as companions and caregivers for children with disabilities, in order to give their families respite.
Hosted in partnership with our brother school Christ’s College, this programme enables our students to further develop their empathy and understanding of inclusive care.
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Our students regularly organise community support and fundraising events in order to support those in need, both locally and globally, and our Christmas and Lenten appeals are key points in the calendar for directing this support toward community organisations such as the Christchurch City Mission. Students also donate their time and skills, for example by building playhouses for children with special needs, and organising food bank deliveries.
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Our girls recognise as global citizens they have an obligation to care for their fellow citizens in the wider world. They donate their time to raise awareness of worldwide initiatives which assist those going through crisis or facing hardship as a result of natural disasters or political upheaval, teaming with partners such as Red Cross.