Rochester Secondary College alumna Alicia Huddy paints

‘You matter’ mural in our College Counselling Room

Rochester Secondary College alumna and winner of the 2020 Rochester Mural Festival Highly Commended award, Alicia Huddy has painted a mural in the RSC counselling room and office of Mental Health Practitioner, Meg Hill.

Upon invitation by RSC Principal, Melissa Gould, Alicia designed the mural with those using the room in mind.

‘It is really important that the individuals utilising the room have something calming yet inspiring to cast their gaze upon. I have attempted to inject colour and joy into the space without overpowering the visual senses.’ – Alicia Huddy

‘Creating a youth friendly space to me is essential in all mental health settings as it makes people feel safe, eases their mind and can create a talking or focal point if needed. We feel very privileged to have Alicia complete this work as it transforms the room into a safe and open space. I am excited to see how the students respond.’ – Meg Hill, Mental Health Practitioner

The mural painted in soft peaches and greens embellished with Alicia’s signature linear style depicts an androgynous person surrounded by nature and growth. The figure holds a watering can – symbolic of nurturing one’s self - and the message ‘You matter’ extends along the figure’s arm.

‘Alicia has done a fantastic job as the mural has a lot of meaning behind it. Mental health is very holistic, and self-care, such as healthy eating, sleeping well, exercise, mindfulness and social connection to me can be interpreted in the mural. Young people can also be their own worst critics, so to me the words ‘You matter’ are really significant.’ - Meg Hill

‘After working at headspace and tertiary mental health settings in the past it is very exciting to be able to provide early intervention in a school setting and eliminate barriers such as travel, cost and access. I grew up and went to school in a small country town so I’m enjoying the similarities and positive atmosphere of the Rochester school setting. The students are fantastic young people, and it is a real pleasure to be here.’ - Meg Hill

‘The Victorian Government is committed to supporting every school to provide a positive and nurturing environment for children to develop confidence, social skills and healthy life habits. To do this, they have invested significantly in providing additional mental health support in schools including provision of Mental Health Practitioners. We’re thrilled to have Meg Hill join our team in this role.’ - Melissa Gould

‘Our Mental Health Practitioner, Meg Hill, will work with our wellbeing team at Rochester Secondary College to provide a supportive environment for all our students and develop programs to embed into our curriculum. We aim to empower all our students to grow academically, socially and emotionally.’ – Melissa Gould

‘Having the expertise of Meg Hill on our team will truly impact on our students in a very positive way and now we have an incredible space for students to work in, thanks to amazing talents of Alicia Huddy.’ – Melissa Gould

‘Mental health determines how we think feel and act, it is vital that individuals have access to the tools they need to do this at their very best. I hope mental health practitioners can continue to take a leading role in assisting students reach their potential through this wonderful initiative.’ – Alicia Huddy

‘Adolescence can be a challenging time, the brain is continuing to develop and many changes are occurring socially, physically and emotionally, so it is a privilege to be able to guide and support young people through this time.’ – Meg Hill

‘Rochester Secondary College has a very special place in my heart. It is where I went to high school, worked in the office doing admin during my gap year, completed my first teaching rounds and now I have been invited back as a practicing artist to do what I love best, painting large scale artworks. It is a true honour, I am thrilled to be able to share what I love with the staff and students.’ – Alicia Huddy

Student Artists

By Ruby Gordon