Who are our Education Support staff?

Melinda – if you got stuck in an elevator and were forced to listen to only one song, what song would it be?

It’s a Small World. Not because I like it, but because after five minutes, I’d be so desperate to escape I’d likely discover superhuman strength and pry the elevator doors open with my bare hands. Besides, I’d rather sacrifice a song I already can’t stand than ruin one I love forever.

Fergus – if you joined the circus, what would your act be?

The Juggler. By day I’m juggling the wonderfully unpredictable world of working with kids, and outside the school gates it’s a careful balancing act of catching up with mates, squeezing in a gig or two and finding times to unwind before doing it all again. Turns out I’ve been rehearsing for the circus all along.

Vic – what is your most irrational fear?

Sharks. As a kid I was convinced there was a great white shark living in our backyard pool. He stayed in the deep end and travelled to and from the ocean via a secret underwater portal… otherwise known as the pool filter. It made perfect sense to my seven-year-old brain, and no amount of reasoning could convince me otherwise. My brother wholeheartedly endorsed this theory for years. I’m older and wiser now… but I still tend to keep one eye on the deep end.

Mackenna – if you could only communicate via movie quotes, which movie would you choose?

The Wizard of Oz. It was one of the few films my nan owned on VHS, so I watched it countless times after school. She was a devoted Judy Garland fan, and somewhere between the yellow brick road and the ruby slippers, the film quietly sparked my lifelong guilty pleasure: musicals. Better yet, it has a quote for almost every situation. Whether its “Theres no place like home, Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”, or my personal favorite “some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t you think?” 

Sarah – if you were turned into a vegetable, which one would you be and why?

Obviously, I would be a potato. They are the elite vegetable because they are delicious in all forms; chips, mashed, scalloped, roasted, fried, baked, rosti, hash browns, gratin, twice baked. The list is endless. 

Besides I spend 90% of my life feeling like a microwaved potato…. on the surface I look dense, sturdy and fully formed. But when a little bit of pressure is applied, I deflate and become squishy and unstable. 

Tom – what is a skill you’ve always wanted to learn but haven’t yet?

I’d love to become a better cook so I can impress my girlfriend with my culinary genius. My current signature dish is Thai green curry—which I may have cooked often enough to qualify for frequent flyer points. My goal is to become confident making all kinds of Thai dishes, so one day I can casually whip up a restaurant-quality feast instead of nervously Googling, "How much fish sauce is too much fish sauce?"

Oscar – would you rather travel back in time or into the future? Which era would you choose and why?

I’d definitely travel back in time, and I’d probably choose the 1980’s. I’ve recently become completely obsessed with collecting vinyl records, so I’d love to experience an era where buying an album didn’t require taking out a loan.

And, naturally, as a Hawthorn supporter, it would be the perfect time to witness the club’s glory days firsthand. Watching the Hawks win four premierships with legends like Jason Dunstall and Dermott Brereton would beat reliving history through YouTube highlights and people insisting, "You had to be there."

Eva – if you could have any animal in the world as a pet, what would it be?

A panda. They’re so ridiculously cute you start wondering if evolution was just showing off that day. They’re endangered too, so I’d like to think I’m doing my bit to save the planet… even if it’s only one lazy fella who spends his entire life eating bamboo and avoiding cardio. Then comes the inevitable visit to the vet, where a fully qualified professional walks out dressed as a panda – because, unbelievably, that’s a real job. I’d leave wondering if the panda was the most normal one there.

Kate – if you could have dinner with a famous person (dead or alive) who would it be?

Louis Theroux. He’s endlessly curious, brilliantly funny and the conversation would take me from appetizer to dessert. He’s met some of the world’s most fascinating people and isn’t afraid to ask the questions everyone else is thinking. The only risk is I’d accidentally end up being the subject of his next documentary.

Sharon – what actor would you choose to play the story of your life?

Naomi Watts. She’s an Aussie (despite being born in England), a fellow mum, calm under pressure, quietly resilient and seems like she’d make even my most chaotic moments look graceful. Plus, if someone’s going to play me, I’d like them to look good and add a touch of Hollywood polish while they’re at it!