Ever since we were little, we were told that the great change the world. Shakespeare once said, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” But I have always opined that it isn’t the great who change the world, it is merely the salient features of a quotidian person. An act as simple as rising by lifting others or trying to ameliorate someone’s harrowing day might seem inconspicuous to some because change is often not recognised by it’s existence, it is recognised by it’s degree.

No one is a stranger to having a penchant for becoming the best at what we do. That is what we have been wired to believe ever since we became the weavers of life’s tapestry. What we are not told is that every bump in the road cannot be swerved. Every gash might not heal in the nick of time. And the exquisite thing is that it does not need to. Wounds do not distort the visage of an individual, rather they are an indelible mark of our journey through crests and troughs of life.

As a student of St. Agnes’ Loreto Day School, becoming its flag bearer is truly an enriching experience. But with carrying forward the legacy of an institution as profound as St. Agnes’, comes great responsibility. And that is where the school's teachers come in. Their unwavering passion to sharpen our roughest edges deems us worthy to be acknowledged as Agnesians. The multifaceted approach to building a child from the ground-up plays a pivotal role in the holistic development of the students.

While we are on the note of holistic development, I am reminded of an anecdote that changed my perspective about life. Our revered Principal, Miss Bunny, taught us the motto, “Carpé Diem” which means seize the day. And these words continue to reverberate in my mind forevermore. I am indebted to her for her positive and efficacious demeanour which impelled me to traverse through the storms and find myself in this quest of life.

While I might be serving as the Head Girl of the school, I was once just another child on the side-lines being absolutely enamoured by the seniors and the way their presence could light up the darkest corners of the world. In the blink of an eye, I became one of them. So, the ones who might be reading these words which prick at my heart for they are unconditionally true, I want to remind you that no dream is ever to grandiose to be conjured up. But remember, dreams only come true if you have the courage to pursue them. The greatest honour I could receive as the Head Girl of St. Agnes’ Loreto Day School is giving back at least a modest amount to a place that gave me the life every child envisions.

I want to remind you, just because you falter, it does not mean that you have failed. Just because you feel incomplete, it does not mean you are not enough. Fall down. Scrape your knees. Feel the pain and accept it. And when the agonising feeling of the cut starts subsiding, get back up again and buck up because “c’est la vie.”

Anisha Singh
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

"And I'm out with lanterns, looking for myself." -Emily Dickinson

Each child that enters the gates of St. Agnes’ Loreto Day School is unaware of the capability she holds towards making a mark in this world. St. Agnes’ has guided these children with lanterns into the grand abyss of undiscovered potential and has promoted holistic development towards making the child one with her mind, body and spirit.

I feel humbled to have started my journey here as a little girl, for every opportunity I have had to excel, for every encouraging word to help me stand whenever I stumbled and finally for the opportunity to serve as the Head Girl of St. Agnes’ Loreto Day School for the session 2023-24. Gratitude, confidence, self-discipline, compassion for others and the ability to work hard are some of the precious values a St. Agnes’ girl will always cherish.

In a world gyrating in unrest, torn apart by war, disease and discrimination, we carry a legacy, one started more than four centuries ago by our founder, Mary Ward, which has transcended time and differences in its strife towards justice and integrity for all humankind. The 'Just Soul Values’ of Mary Ward, that is Freedom, Justice and Sincerity form the very foundation and a manifesto for life that all of us are inspired to live by. I am certain that these are the values and ethics which have made us what we are today, confident, capable, compassionate and fair minded women of our society.

As the feelings of responsibility, honour and contentment reside in me and so does the memory of the legends this tradition of excellence has created, my only message to each and every Agnesian is that:

"No matter what anyone tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

Drop the armour that protects you, love the parts of you that nobody claps for and venture out with your ideas.

Yashika Sachdeva
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

"A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history." ~Mahatma Gandhi

We humans, are incredibly capable of doing anything we put our minds to. This is the spirit we celebrate here at St. Agnes' Loreto Day School. This is the essence of the education in Loreto institutions which strives to evoke a sense of responsibility in the students to work for justice, peace, and integrity of all creations, which resonates with the vision of our founder Mary Ward.

To bear the flag of St. Agnes' is a matter of utmost pride and I am immensely grateful to the principal of the school, Miss Bunny and the teachers for putting their trust in me. St. Agnes' is not merely a school but a safe haven for all its students, which has always helped its students to blossom into confident individuals. It is said that leadership and learning are indispensable to each other and I feel humbled to have gotten this opportunity to learn whilst leading others.

To my schoolmates, I would like to urge them to have faith in themselves. All of us have a spark, a little child inside of us, who is inquisitive about exploring the world and learning. As we grow, sometimes that spark is dimmed by the cacophony of the world, unwilling to change; to grow. Often intrigued by the magnanimity of the changes, we doubt our capabilities. Have faith in yourself, for even the moon shines even when it's not full. There is no limit to how much we can grow, as a wise man once said, "To define, is to limit." Have the courage to have and voice your opinion and the humility to accept your shortcomings. Life is but a journey of learning, unlearning, and relearning.

Although a few of us wear the badge, but it is the responsibility of each one of us to carry forward the Loreto values of integrity, justice and peace and take the school to a new zenith of excellence; to tread on a path which brings us closer to the Almighty. May we truly embody the noble vision of our founder and keep the Loreto banner soaring high.

Ratika Srivastava
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

To hold the flag of this school, is to hold close to our hearts, the values and ideals of St. Agnes' Loreto Day School. Although only a few amongst us wear a badge, each one of us, the students, the teaching faculty and the domestic staff, bear a sense of integrity and purity which resonates with the dream of our founder, Mary Ward.

As the Head Girl of this school, I aim to work as a team and strive to achieve perfection in all our undertakings. Justice, Peace and Integrity of all creations, is what we aspire for.

"LET US MAKE OUR FUTURE NOW AND MAKE OUR DREAMS TOMORROW’S REALITY.” As a message to all my schoolmates I would like to state that develop the most of you and work in a way that you change your dreams into plans and unlock the hidden treasure of your talents and abilities. There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking. Accept the challenges, overcoming them will make your life meaningful.

Hold high the torch and keep it burning. Have a great year ahead!

With Best Wishes!

Bhavini Mishra
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

Believe in the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your school, your community, an industry or a global movement, you need to have core belief that what you contribute can fundamentally change the paradigm or way of thinking about the problems. A wiseman once said, ”Belief in oneself and knowing who you are is the foundation for everything great.” But that is not enough. We require not just belief in ourself but also a strong faith in the cause that leads to greatness. Belief in the institution that makes you what you are, will take you where you want to be. Only when we can think and act as one big family can we take our school to even greater heights. Our aim must not be just individual achievements, but rather progress and development of the school, as one big unit. St. Agnes’ Loreto Day School is our identity and it is our foremost duty to take pride in that identity and lead it forward.

With Best Wishes!

Prarthana Gupta
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

Maya Angelou said, "Love life, engage in it. Give it all you’ve got. Love it with passion because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it."

St. Agnes’ Loreto Day School has given me alot, it has moulded me into what I am today, in thoughts, words and actions. As the Head Girl of this prestigious institution, I promise to give back what I have received all these years. I promise to bear the spirit of Loreto in my heart and strive to bring laurels to the school.

On behalf of the student council I would like to thank our Principal, teachers and students who have always believed in us and our abilities to lead the school.

The achievement of my goals cannot be pursued alone. It is only possible with support and cooperation of the students and the office bearers that we can reach the apex. Let us push self aside and come together in a cohesive manner, binding everyone in unity.

The message I want to leave with you is – believe in yourself and never give up. We must constantly endeavour to live in the light of our Foundress Mary Ward, and take charge of our own story.

With Best Wishes!

Lavleen Pahwa
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

Little would Mary Ward, our founder know of me, but she knew of us girls and young women centuries ago. She knew that we needed to be made strong and empowered to take up the challenges in the real world.

The sisters and teachers in our Loreto schools, particularly here, endeavor to empower us with knowledge, the skills of mind and body to solve problems big and small. This self-confidence gives us faith in ourselves and in others and above all a deep sense of values and commitment that bind us to God, to each other and to humanity.

I am here before you, humbled by the faith reposed by you all in me as the School Head Girl. Ma'am Manuel, teachers and my dear friends, you have given me this mantle of responsibility and my faith in you all makes me confident that God will take us to greater paths of glory for our dear school.

Come with me girls as, the Student Council to make our school a better place to study and grow, into young and confident women who are not afraid to take our rightful place in the world and walk the earth with pride and dignity, proud to be the products of our Alma Mater.

I promise to uphold the values of our school and to fulfill your expectations with sincerity and passion as your Head Girl. Thank you all and God above for giving me this opportunity to take on the responsibility and lead the student body in the service of our school and the greater glory of God.

Bhavya Mishra
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

There is something about St. Agnes' Loreto Day School. It's not just a school, it's a life enriching journey that students embark upon once they enter these hallowed portals. So make the best of your time here. There is a little animal in all of us and maybe that's something to celebrate. We may feel caged, we may feel trapped, but still, as humans we can find our own little ways to feel free. We are each other's keepers. We are the keepers of our own humanity and even though there's a beast inside all of us, what sets us apart from the animals is that we can think, feel, dream and love. And against all odds, against all instinct, we evolve.

Suddenly, people will expect you to be responsible, serious... a grown up. Get taller, Get older, but don't really grow up. Just evolve. Remember, when we were little and we would accidentally push a kid on the playground. Our teachers would tell us to go and, 'Say you're sorry,' and we would say it, but we wouldn't mean it because we think the stupid kid we pushed, totally deserved it. But as we get older, you can't just say it, you have to mean it. But this doesn't mean the playground days are over. Reading Newton's Law is one thing but falling off the swing to get the real feel of gravity is an entirely different one. Learn some ,teach some. We're only given a spark of madness and we mustn't really lose it.

Don't cling to expectations. The unexpected is what changes our lives. So chin up. Put your shoulders back, walk proud, strut a little. Don't lick your wounds. Celebrate them. The scars you bear are the signs of a fighter. You're in a lion fight. Now just because you didn't win doesn't mean you don't know how to roar.

We don't get unlimited chances . If there's something you really want, try and fight for it, try to not give up no matter how hopeless it seems. No. Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.

Bhavika Mehta
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.

We all have moments when we feel we are not good enough or strong enough or brave enough. We doubt not only our ability, but also our willingness. But if we belittle ourselves, how can we possibly expect others to believe in us?

The world is a ridiculous place where equality is a myth and justice and fairplay, merely a myth. You have to fight for yourself. You cannot let anyone, not even yourself, tell you that you cannot realize your dreams. Dream on, dream on, and dream on till your dreams come true.

But even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over unless you start moving forward. A year from now, you will wish that you had started today. Agnesians, let us pledge ourselves to action. Let us pledge to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Always remember that everybody dies, but not everybody lives. We are all just stories in the end. Just make it a good one.

Advika Singh
Head Girl,
St. Agnes' Loreto Day School.