From our Deputy Principal

One of the wonderful things about being a teacher is that you get to be involved in the lives of young people as they grow and develop during their school life and beyond.

We get to be involved not just in their schooling but also in their co-curricular activities and their successes in and out of the classroom and after they have left school. Through our students and their education we also get to be part of community activities where our role as facilitators of education, in all of its forms, enables us to connect with others in education and strengthen community ties.

Over the last month or so I have had the privilege of being involved in a number of events that highlight the above.

At the end of last term I was the Moama Anglican Grammar’s school representative to witness Monash University Engineering department welcoming 90 first year students, their families and representatives from their Secondary schools to the annual Engineering Scholarship Celebration, held at Monash University in Clayton.

Our 2017 Dux, Lachlan Chumbley was among the select group of recipients celebrated on the evening. The Dean of Engineering, Professor Elizabeth Croft presented a gift to each scholarship recipient in recognition of their achievements. Not only was it wonderful to be there to represent our school and support Lachy’s success in gaining the scholarship but it was also a great opportunity to catch up with Lachy and find out how his start with University life has been and personally congratulate him on his achievement.

On the first weekend of the school holidays I attended the 2018 Rostrum Voice of Youth Victorian Final competition at St Kevin’s College in Toorak. That we had two students in the final was fantastic. That they chose to put on their uniforms, travel with their families to Melbourne to represent Moama Anglican Grammar during their holidays was completely impressive! To listen to Arielle Dolan and Mia Oberin speak on their topics of “Random acts of kindness” and “It started with words” respectively made me hope that both of them go into politics and become leaders of our country one day! Their speeches were interesting, inspiring and ingenious. I was so glad to be there to see how proud they did themselves and our school.

The other event I wish to mention was a wonderful community occasion. We were very lucky (or should I say thanks to the pro-activeness of our Communications Officer, Grace Jeffrey) to have Fleur Ferris launch her new book “Found” in our Resource Centre on the first Friday of the school holidays. It was a lovely gathering of community. There were students representing a number of schools in the area, who asked fabulous questions during question time, and family and friends all gathered to celebrate a local woman who has become a very successful writer.

There are not many careers where opportunities for the sort and variety of activities mentioned above do occur. I am very grateful for a career in being involved with young people’s education because they actually inspire me every day.

Kathleen Kemp

Deputy Principal