When BSSC Year 12 student, Scout Simpson-Purdon, was considering a topic for a VCE English presentation, she chose to ask: Is Australia a racist country?
Scout’s presentation resulted in her being invited to speak at BSSC’s recent Speech Night—where she was named joint winner alongside Kloe Soper.
“I always knew racism would be a heavy topic,” Scout says, “and I didn’t want to condemn individuals.
“However, I believe there is much unwitting racist prejudice because many people think, ‘I’m not racist’ without recognising the inherent racism embedded in some of our society’s systems.
“For example, whilst comprising 3% of the Australian population, First Nations people represent 33% of Australia’s prison population—and First Nations young people aged 10-17 are far more heavily represented in youth detention centres than any other group.”
Scout is deeply concerned about such information. “It’s creating generations of disadvantage and suffering,” she says sadly.
Her Speech Night presentation was an invitation for people to stop and think about how we change systems that disadvantage people—especially First Nations people.
Scout has long admired people—particularly women—who have raised their voices to challenge archaic systems and beliefs disadvantaging them and their peers.
Reflecting on her own social conscience, Scout suspects it began developing quite early in her life.
She recalls watching another kid being badly teased at primary school and remembers her visceral reaction to it.
“I had this deep sense of its injustice—to the core of my soul—and just had to intervene.”
Since then, there have been other times Scout has chosen to speak up, and she’s proud she understands how important it is to call out injustice.
Scout believes she would have also benefitted in those later primary years from being more aware that her authentic self—nurtured by her family and shaped by her experiences—was something worth cherishing and protecting.
“I’d love to go back and remind myself to stick with what I love and believe, and not let anyone even try to snuff it out.”
Five years on, her time is deeply invested in her Year 12 studies.
Living rurally, Scout had heard about BSSC, but was ambivalent about moving colleges—leaving friends and familiar faces behind.
However, she recalled being “elated” when she received the email confirming she was ‘in’.
“Although it felt like a huge leap of faith, BSSC has re-energised my learning. I felt embraced by this college and hit the ground running.
“This college is galvanising—I’ve been enriched by my subjects and met so many interesting people from many different backgrounds.”
“I’m looking forward to my younger sisters coming here too—I tell them how much they’ll love it.”
While Scout has always particularly enjoyed English, and especially literature and writing, she finds all her BSSC subjects are equally intellectually stimulating.
Alongside English these are: Ancient History, Drama, Media and Legal Studies.
Writing, Journalism and Law are all potential career paths—and she suspects a gap year will help clarify her focus.
Despite the Year 12 workload, Scout says she wakes most mornings feeling optimistic for new opportunities and endless learning possibilities—augmented by brilliant teachers.
Alongside Speech Night, she’s embraced some of these extra opportunities.
One was the Rotary Peace Prize that invited students to write a speech responding to the topic of ‘peace’ and to demonstrate their oratory skills.
“I won the competition, received $1000 prize, and feel being able to participate in such a positive public speaking and writing event through BSSC was amazing.”
Scout also attended the ‘CHES day’—an event that brought her a clearer understanding of potential future pathways and further education, and finds the exam revision lectures the college offers a great help.
Despite all the positives, there are still moments when she feels overwhelmed by VCE.
“At those moments I pause and tell myself; ‘You’re doing this because you love it. You’ve got this’.
“I don’t aim for the best score: I aim to make the most of every subject knowing the score will follow.”
Scout’s study habits include writing a to-do list—something she keeps so she can be reminded of just how much she can get through when she needs to.
It’s her practice to sit down with a cup of chai tea, to have some classical music playing on her record player, and to ‘blurt’ (write down everything she can remember about a topic) and then read over topics and take notes.
To destress, she heads outside for a walk or ‘flips the vinyl’ for fresh music.
Scout’s other interests include a raft of creative pursuits: singing, sewing, crocheting, jewellery-making, and sport—she plays soccer for Castlemaine.
And, for Scout, writing well is not just a means to pass English.
“I write virtually every day, including short stories, and if I’m having trouble sleeping, I will write.”
Living in a part of the world where most girls and women can access education, and enjoy the many opportunities she has had, is something Scout is immensely grateful for.
She also knows how fortunate she is to enjoy solid family support and to have been brought up to value practices such as reading.
“I think of my mum as an intelligent grounding force. We share a love of creative pursuits as well as an interest in academics,” Scout says.
“Mum had a career in the performing arts and is now a psychologist.”
Having a strong sense of self and doing her part to make opportunities broader and more accessible for all people will be the undercurrent of whatever career Scout ultimately pursues.
Her Speech Night presentation invited her audience—and all Australians—to work for a better tomorrow:
“I believe everyone matters and deserves respect and dignity. Let us co-design the bright future that can await us if we shed our prejudices and embrace our differences.”
