Girl power: (Back l-r) Jenny Shi, 13, Maulisha Chawla, 13, with English teacher Fatema Souwaid, and (front l-r): Charlotte Oliver, Nantheka Nandakumaran and Abirami Puvanendran. Picture: Gene Ramirez
PARRAMATTA High School students have discovered the meaning of inspired learning through their involvement with girls' artist and writers' group Scheherazade Goes West.
The six young women and the newspaper they produce are named after Scheherazade, the female character in an ancient Persian tale whose storytelling prowess spares her from death at the hands of a vengeful king.
English teacher Fatema Souwaid formed the group in May last year while Supervisor of Girls.
She said the year 8 students meet every Thursday to workshop ideas and produce articles for the newspaper, formed last December.
"These girls are all Scheherazades in their own right, telling stories about issues and experiences that they think are important or relevant to share," she said. "The theme of the newspaper was 'My language, my words, my imagination'. Because we all come from different backgrounds."Nantheka Nandakumaran, 12, wrote about Pakistani teenager Malala Yousufzai, who was shot by Taliban militants for her insistence all girls be given an education.
She said the article made her think differently about her own education and plans to write about more inspirational women.
"Malala gave so much inspiration to the women in her country," she said. "When I write about that it gives me the motivation to continue, too."