Invicta Vlogs
School Closure and Introductions
I hope this blog finds you, and your families, safe and well. My name is Maria Bragin, and I am very happy to be able to introduce myself as the new Head Girl of Invicta Grammar School.
The first few weeks of my new position have certainly been unexpected; featuring a school closure, online classes, and trying to adapt to our strange, but definitely memorable, life in lockdown! Firstly, I would like to mention how proud I am of all of the students at Invicta, who quickly embraced the unusual circumstances with resilience, determination and, most importantly, optimism! Moreover, I would like to use this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all of our teachers, staff, and parents, who have been so supportive, and positive!
As we find ourselves in such an uncertain time, it is doubly important to look after our physical and mental health. This challenge has been taken head on by many students and teachers, who have participated in a range of activities: #TwoPointSixChallenge, family bake-offs, song writing, dance choreography, and daily PE lessons with Joe Wicks (just to mention a few!). Moreover, Invicta’s first Virtual Quiz Night was a success, with over 100 teams participating – thank you to Mr Eke and Mr Masters for being excellent hosts. Meanwhile, I have been enjoying going on family walks, discovering board games we did not even know we had, and baking (a lot) of banana bread! Just a reminder that everyone is facing their own personal challenges during quarantine; it is so important to keep in touch with friends over the phone, or offer to go food shopping for your elderly neighbours, who are at a higher risk, and may struggle with the task.
Remarkably, the best difference I have noticed throughout this period of lockdown is the increase in community spirit. Appreciation for the NHS, and respect for Key Workers is evident around the country, and local fundraisers, and online challenges are being supported by hundreds, if not thousands, of people in Kent. Interestingly, my legacy as Head Girl is to support community spirit, not only between the students at Invicta, but to involve parents and members of our local community. The Senior Prefect Team have been working hard behind the scenes, and we are in the process of creating a Senior Prefect Team Instagram page; hopefully establishing a great network of students supporting and motivating each other online. We will have the opportunity to introduce ourselves, and create content that benefits and interests our followers, ranging from revision advice for end-of-year exams to day-in-the-life blogs during quarantine. Furthermore, our platform will show the benefits of using social media in a positive way. Look out for an email soon, which will officially launch the page!
In the meantime, keep being active, creative and involving yourself in lots of fun activities. Remember that it is alright to have days when you feel tired and unmotivated. Do not be hard on yourself if you are struggling to remain optimistic... a little progress each day adds up to big results!
My Very Best Wishes
Maria Bragin - Head Girl
