Sir Alexander Fleming is best known for his discovery of penicillin in 1928, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945. His discovery heralded the dawn of the antibiotic age, forever changing the face of modern medicine. The Alexander Fleming House chose the otter as our House Mascot, and green as our official colour, in the hopes of embodying the virtues of this incredible role model.

The otter is curious, resourceful and adaptable. They have been known to live in a variety of habitats, and are well-known for using tools such as rocks to open shellfish. These are qualities surely seen in the story behind penicillin. While others may have very easily discarded the mouldy petri dishes, Fleming instead took it and discovered something great. In the same way, we as a house hope to emulate this sense of discovery that Fleming had.

The otter is shy and humble. By one biographer’s account, Fleming was given 25 honorary degrees, 26 medals, 18 prizes, 13 decorations, the freedom of 15 cities and boroughs, and honorary membership in 89 academies and societies. Yet in the midst of his fame and honours Fleming remained modest, and chose not to patent penicillin, hoping that this would help to develop the product as a cheap and effective drug.

Lastly, the otter is also associated with joy and playfulness, and are social creatures that live in large communities. Above all, we chose the otter as these values represent our vision for the house. As a house, we aspire to create an environment of support away from the academic rigours of school, where above all we are able to unwind and enjoy our lives as students.

The colour green has always been associated with balance, health and life. More importantly, it is the colour of spring, nature, and represents growth and newness. We believe that this aptly symbolizes the incredible achievement of Sir Alexander Fleming in the discovery of penicillin, and how his discovery has grown and opened the world to the new field of antibiotics.