Heads of Secondary
Dianne Cameron & Hugh Howey
It has been a joy to welcome back most of our students and we look forward to having more back soon. The noises of excited reunions and friendly conversations has been a pleasant change from the pre-existing silence.
It is fitting to reflect on our School values in these times and there are some great examples of these being displayed locally and in in the wider world.
Lost in the headlines of everything COVID19-related, was a tribute to the life of Dr Catherine Hamlin who passed away in March this year. Dr Hamlin has a close connection to our area and school, through the Nicholson family, and it is appropriate to recognise her life as someone who exercised great service to the global community.
Dr Hamlin was an obstetrician and gynaecologist who established a fistula hospital in Ethiopia. After growing up with a self-confessed privileged childhood Dr Hamlin continued her education in medicine and with her husband Reg co-founded a hospital which has treated over 50,000 women for fistulas. Fistulas are injuries related to birthing and are debilitating both physically with regards to women’s health but also socially as they are cut off from their communities in countries like Ethiopia.
Some people had the fortune of meeting Dr Hamlin in Tamworth when she came to visit the area in 2011. From what I know of her and what I have researched, I have often thought that Dr Hamlin was one of Australia’s unsung heroes who never sought the limelight but achieved so much for the betterment of those less fortunate with compassion and dignity. She personified our School values of Selflessness, integrity, resilience and inclusiveness which is grounded in her Christian Faith, having lived much of her life in Ethiopia. It was clear that Dr Hamlin valued education not just for herself but for others whom she trained up. Her legacy continues to live on through the foundation in her name including training up of nurses, not just in Ethiopia but also across the world to help deal with this condition. Dr Hamlin can be an inspiration to our School community so please see the links below for more information about her life, work and foundation.
Keeping with the idea of service, what a wonderful surprise it was to see two of our recently departed alumni featured in a story on Prime 7 news this week!
In a story about National Volunteers Week, Hannah Barton and Stella Byrnes (Graduated in 2019) were featured as two of the two hundred volunteers who help to make Meals on Wheels in Tamworth run smoothly. With University study going online and losing their jobs in hospitality these girls decided to use some of their time to help others.
We were filled with pride to see that these girls are living examples of the selflessness, integrity, resilience and inclusiveness that we so often speak of to our students.
Use this link to watch the story: https://www.facebook.com/Prime7NewsNorthWest/videos/569411597346833
Also, a big congratulations to Emily Madirazza in Year 12 who has been named the 2020 Youth Volunteer of the Year by Tamworth Regional Council. Emily received the honour for her work with the Tamworth Regional Youth Council and the Festival Community Volunteer Ambassador Program. A special mention should also go to Bella Riolo (Class of 2019) and Calrossy Staff Alumni, Brenda Newman who were also nominated for Volunteer Awards.
Despite the reality that a return to normal activities remains a while away, we are excited at the prospect of a closer renewal of routine in the near future.
We continue to be grateful for the resilience, persistence and courage shown by our parents, staff and students.
Many thanks,
Hugh Howey and Dianne Cameron
Heads of Secondary