Without wanting to freely admit it, maybe elements of John Gardner’s quote really do ring true, as (to demonstrate our extensive knowledge of quotations), Aristotle famously said "No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness".  There were most definitely times when we all exhibited clear signs of madness, especially when deadlines approached and passed by completely ignored, or still more frustratingly, we were confronted by the failings of technology at the most crucial moments. 

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Putting the JAGS magazine together is such an indescribably huge task, there may even have been an element of madness in taking it on! As to incompetence, there were plenty of times when we felt it. The endless lists of trips, events, societies and activities is too extensive to sum up in the space of one magazine; all JAGS girls do so much that it would have been impossible to mention everything, and we hope that we have managed to do justice to everything that goes on here. Despite all the difficulties that we encountered, we do now have a brilliant collection of articles and photographs compiled over the last year which we feel sum up the vibrancy of life at JAGS.

Several comments highlighted the popularity of last year’s new ‘technicolour’ magazine, and therefore we have built on this design, making a few adjustments here and there to make it our own. However, the magazine could not have been produced without the help and encouragement of others. Apart from the fantastic contributions and guiding hands of Mrs. Parkinson and Mrs. Venn, we owe many thanks to the Year 12 pupils on the magazine committee who helped organise and coordinate the different subject areas within the magazine. Without them, our incompetence would have been much more obvious, and there might even have been no magazine!

We perhaps underestimated the amount of work needed to edit and put together the magazine, but for both the budding journalists amongst us and those who simply relished the challenge and the responsibility, we have all thoroughly enjoyed being part of a team and the whole process, and we hope that you are as inspired as we were when reading about all that goes on here at JAGS.

Zofia Bakowska, Edwina Wolstenhome, Sophie Hatcher and Caitlin Burtonshaw

Head Girl's Report

Filled with the excitement of taking the post of Head Girl last year, I failed to realise the enormous task that I had ahead. Thankfully, I had two brilliant deputies in Mawuse Doe and Kamilah Vidale-Ellis whose support and help this year has helped to make the task so much easier and enjoyable.

One of the first duties we had to undertake was organising our first school council and we learnt a lesson early on that school councils are undoubtedly one of the hardest things to organise at JAGS. A constant battle against sports practices and orchestras, we soon realised it was practically impossible to get a good number of representatives from each year all together at one time, and so decided to make things easier we would split the council into two, having a Junior Council for Years 7 to 9 and a Senior one for the rest of the school – a system we continued with for the rest of the year.

This idea not only proved to be far more practical but also enabled far more issues to be raised. Through the new system it enabled the school to make a number of very helpful amendments – not least in terms of the queueing system at rec. The Interschools’ Talent Show was undoubtedly the most stressful, but also the most enjoyable experience of being Head Girl. Working alongside the other Foundation Schools, we managed to have a memorable night, not least because we raised a considerable amount for the British Heart Foundation. Probably the most poignant moment of my time as Head Girl was the Remembrance Day service which was held on a cold day in November.

Surrounded by the CCF of both Alleyns and Dulwich College, as well as a host of other people, I felt a deep sense of reflection as I stood waiting to lay the school’s wreath. The mixture of both the new recruits of the army plus the war veterans who had joined the service made me feel a deep sense of honour at laying the wreath on the school’s behalf.

One of my final duties, and perhaps one of the most enjoyable ones, was attending the Old Girls’ lunch. Over 180 alumnae attended, the eldest being 91 and the two furthest travelled coming from California and Australia. The great effort that so many had put in just to attend the lunch really showed the effect that JAGS has on its pupils whether they left in 1935 or like me in 2008.

Being Head Girl was an honour that I will always treasure. Occasional difficult moments were definitely outshone by brilliant moments, because that is what JAGS is made up of: brilliant moments created by brilliant students. Finally, I want to wish the new Head Girls, Laetitia, Phoebe and Caitlin, the best of luck for next year, and I hope they enjoy the role as much as I did.

Charlotte Winter

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