Book of Inspiring Women

"Inspirational Women"

by Westbourne House School, Shopwyke, Chichester PO18 8DY, United Kingdom

Copyright 2018

A huge thank you goes out to all the pupils and teachers who contributed so thoughtfully to this book.

The book was compiled by Abi C, Fraser L, Issy A and Laura H, Year 8 pupils at Westbourne House in 2018.

Every effort has been made to use images that are rights-free, and photographers have been credited wherever possible.

Introduction

Westbourne House School was founded as a boys’ school in 1907. For 80 years, the only girl pupils were the daughters of Mr Sharman and Mr Shilcock, previous Headmasters. When the Pre-Prep opened in 1987, the first girls ‘officially’ joined Westbourne House, and girls joined the Prep School five years later in 1992.

In celebration of 30 years of girls at Westbourne House, and to mark International Women’s Day, we decided to create a Book of Inspiring Women, written and illustrated by the Westbourne House community. Inspired by the popular crowd-funded book Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Inspirational Women is filled with stories about women who inspire Westbourne House girls and boys today.

HOLLY COLVIN

English Cricketer
Old Westbournian

When Holly was at Westbourne, she really enjoyed cricket. She played in the 1st XI in years 7 and 8 for Westbourne. She went on to Brighton, continuing to play cricket. She played for the Sussex Cricket Club from May 2005 to July 2008.

Then she was the youngest English test cricketer ever. She played many matches for England, including against India on 14 August 2006 and against South Africa on 2007.

In 2018, Holly was selected in the the women's all-time T20I XI.

By Alex L, Year 4

FRAN KIRBY

Footballer

Fran Kirby plays for Chelsea ladies football club and inspires me to play football. Fran shows me that I can play football even though I am a girl and still be successful, where football is normally played by men. She started at a local team in Reading and worked her way up to be in both the England squad and one of the best league teams – Chelsea - even though she had struggled with depression after her mum died.

Therefore, Fran shows me that even though you are going through tricky times, if you persevere, you will get through it. Fran also inspires me as a team player and to give her best. An example of this is how she helps the team in whatever position she is playing in, as demonstrated in the 2017 European Championships where she played in midfield rather than her preferred striker position.

By Zahra S, Year 5

"That is one thing I relish, the pressure of having to try and beat the best teams in the world."

JULIANE KOEPCKE

Survivor

The 17 year old Juliane fell out of a plane in a storm at 12000 ft and was the sole survivor. She was strapped to her seat when she finally awoke. Koepcke had loads of injuries. Also she was in the Amazon Rainforest! She knew that if there were any civilizations nearby they would be along the river. She very quickly found it and started to swim downstream. Within a day or two she started collecting maggots under her skin! She soon found a small hut and outside there was a small pot of petrol. She decided that she had no choice but to pour the petrol on her skin! She watched 40 or so maggots drop out of her arm! She was soon found and taken immediately up- stream to a hospital. Her sheer will –power to keep going was EXTRAORDANARY!

You’d be surprised at the amount of self- belief it takes to be the only survivor from a plane crash for 10 days in the Amazon Rainforest when you know that your mother is dead.

By Honor P, Year 5

KATHERINE JOHNSON

Mathematician

Katherine Johnson (neé Coleman) showed a talent for maths at an early age and graduated from high school when she was only 14!

In 1952 she heard the NASA was hiring mathematicians and so she applied and got it. At first, she worked with a group of 20 women performing maths calculations. One day, Katherine was temporarily assigned to help an all-male research team. Katherine’s knowledge of analytic geometry helped her make male friends because they respected her. Katherine was assertive, asking to be included in editorial meetings (where no women had ever gone before). She simply told people that she had done her work and that she belonged.

From 1958 to her retirement in 1986, Johnson worked as an aerospace technologist moving, during her career, to Spacecraft Controls Branch. She calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepard, the first American in space.

By Harry C, Year 6

‘Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.’