Delegates to the 2007 International Round Square Conference enjoying the festivities of Garba at Bhopal, India.

MLC Student and Staff delegation at the opening ceremony of the 2006 International Round Square Conference, held at Gordonstoun School, Elgin, Scotland.

MLC School has a long history of helping those less fortunate than ourselves. The school has an established ethos of encouraging girls to develop themselves beyond academic success. MLC School integrates current global issues into curriculum to promote global citizenship and develop a social conscience in all students.

In 2002, MLC School saw an opportunity to join with other likeminded schools and became a regional member of Round Square - an international organization of approximately 65 schools who encourage their students to set ambitious goals beyond the parameters of their school. Students in a Round Square school are encouraged to embrace the six IDEALS – internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership and service.

At MLC School, the IDEALS are reflected in great range of activities, including exchanges to South Africa, England, Canada, USA, Germany, India, Peru, Scotland and New Zealand. As part of the Round Square global community, there is also an opportunity for students to attend both Junior and Senior Australasian conferences, as well as the annual International Conference. In April 2008, MLC School hosted the Junior Australasian Round Square Conference for the first time, with 170 delegates from 19 schools from Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, England and Nepal.

MLC students may also be actively involved in the Student Representative Council or a large number of service action groups supporting environmental or social causes. Students have the opportunity to take ownership of and lead a number of activities throughout the year. One such example is the annual fundraising week celebrating cultural diversity, known as “Rainbow Week”, which is fully student run. A spirit of adventure is also encouraged through the Duke of Edinburgh Program and annual camps for all students.

MLC School and Round Square is committed to personal development and responsibility through participating in community service, work projects, exchange programs and adventure, promoting the understanding that MLC girls can learn anywhere, at anytime, and in any place.

For information on what’s happening in Round Square at MLC, click here to visit the Round Square section of MLC Community website. (password required)

For further information on Round Square, visit www.roundsquare.org or email the Round Square Coordinator, Nick Briffa at nbriffa@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

Images from the Round Square Conference

2008 Junior Round Square Conference

MLC School was delighted to host the 2008 Junior Round Square Conference in April, an international event, with schools from all states of Australia, as well as Singapore, Thailand, Nepal and England represented. A total of 165 students and staff from 20 schools attended. The conference provided not only a chance for students to visit MLC School and Sydney, but also an opportunity for nearly one hundred MLC students to take on roles as Student Leaders to help the conference run smoothly.

Such internationalism came to MLC School as the only Round Square school in Sydney. The Junior Conference invited Years 7 and 8 students from Round Square schools to participate in a six day program that challenged delegates in all the IDEAL S of the Round Square philosophy.

Highlights of the week’s events included an Amazing Race through the streets of Sydney, an adventure program in the Blue Mountains and several service activities.

The experience of a Round Square Conference can be a life changing one. There is opportunity to work within an intensive program developing leadership skills and initiative, and to network with other like-minded students from around the world. It often leads to delegates planning further service projects and cultural exchanges in conjunction with students in other parts of Australia or the world.

MLC’s Christina White, in Year 11, who is one of the Round Square Leaders, spent her summer holidays at school in the Lakes District UK on Round Square Exchange. She commented that conferences like the one MLC hosted are a “chance for students to network - to speak on global issues. They are 13-14 years of age - and the opportunity is rarely there for them in this forum. The relevance of such a conference is the chance to discuss the wider international issues for young people.”

Nicholas Briffa
Conference Co-ordinator

Round Square Conference Delegates

Exchange Opportunities