ALUMNI UPDATES 

ENGAGEMENTS AND MARRIAGES

Congratulations to Mikala Swift (Class of '17), who married Dan Powell on 26th June 2021.

Congratulations to Amy Carpenter (Class of '08, WCC staff 2013-2017) on her engagement to Matthew Hanscamp on January 30th, 2021. They will be married on 18th September 2021. The bridal party will include Christina Barnes (Robinson) (class of '08). 

Congratulations to Erin Gridley (Class of '16) on her engagement to Christine on 27th October 2020. They are set to be married in April 2022.

BIRTHS

Congratulations to Daniel Woolfe (Class of '08) and his wife, Laura Woolfe (current staff member), on the birth of their daughter, Charlotte Grace Woolfe in March 2020. 

Charlotte is a 'Caronial' - they took her home from hospital on the first day of COVID lockdown 1.0! She is a blessing to their lives and the rest of the Woolfe family. 

ALUMNI APPRECIATION

We asked alumni graduate, Justin Lee (Class of '14), about his journey and experiences since graduating from WCC!

1. What or who motivated you at Waverley Christian College?
   Close friends and teachers formed a large part of my support network during my time at WCC. Anyone who knew me during my schooling would be able to vouch that I was not exactly the greatest student. I was easily distracted and unmotivated. This all changed in Years 11 and 12. Having steady and supportive friendships, and an amazing teacher like Mrs Mason, made all the difference. 
    
2. What were the biggest challenges you’ve faced since leaving School?
   The biggest challenge I’ve faced since leaving school was the massive move from Melbourne to London. This involved leaving all my friends and family and navigating it alone, which has been a big learning and growth experience. I learnt how to be independent, and that it is okay to feel overwhelmed and ask for help when you have reached your limits. 
    
3. What drew you to your area of work or study this year, and what do you love about it?
   Being a paramedic has always been a dream of mine. I enjoy the variety and the nature of the job, alongside the opportunity to be out in the community and provide the best clinical care I can. I currently work on the "fast response car’’ and I predominantly see the most critical patients and try to stabilize them until the ambulance arrives. There is so much to love about my job. From being able to be on the go on a daily basis, seeing and exploring the city, to being able to make a real difference in someone’s life. Often, it’s not only the patient that you impact but also their family.
    
4. What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
   John Koenig’s, “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows”, has an amazing word in it called “Sonder”. Sonder is defined as, “the profound realisation that everyone, including the strangers you pass in the street, has a life as complex as one’s own, which they are constantly living despite one’s personal lack of awareness to it”. In this day and age, there is often a lot of selfishness in the way we live. Sonder is the word that one of my paramedic mentors (in London) reiterated to me each job, and it has deeply stuck with me.
    
5. What excites you most about the future?
   Ultimately, I would love to see the end of Covid-19, as unrealistic as that sounds. I would love to continue with my travels and explore Europe. I used to travel to one country each month and would love to be able to do that again.
    
6. What advice do you have for current students?
   As cliche as it may sounds, enjoy school, work hard, but most importantly, laugh and have fun. Life is too short not to live it to the max; try to find the brighter side of life.
    
7. Any additional comments?
   Óbviously 2020 and 2021 have been extremely difficult for everyone, but it has and continues to be overwhelming for health care services. I had to modify the way I worked and treated patients and families. A drastic change was the inability to bring family members to the hospital when their loved one was extremely unwell – that was horrible. I have had to have difficult conversations with families and suggest that they say their goodbyes before the patient was even taken to hospital. Stay safe out there!

We asked alumni graduate, Monique (Daraio) Annetta (Class of '13), about her journey and experiences since graduating from WCC!

1. What or who motivated you at Waverley Christian College?
   When I was in Year 2, my teacher, Mr Adam Messenger, was one of my all-time favourite teachers. He left this everlasting impression on me which sparked my desire to be a Primary School Teacher. I believe the care and love he displayed toward his students and their families, and his ability to develop positive student-teacher relationships, are what made this particular year so memorable. I always had such caring and dedicated teachers throughout my thirteen years at WCC which I'll be forever grateful for.
    
2. What were the biggest challenges you’ve faced since leaving School?
   I've found it challenging to not take on too much! I've always been a go-getter and want to do as much as I can to get ahead in life; however, I've realised that it's so important to have balance and enjoy being in the moment as life passes by too quickly. 
    
3. What goals did you set yourself when you finished at WCC and have you stuck to that plan?
   My goal after finishing Year 12 was to be a teacher which is wholeheartedly my absolute passion. I love serving in a Christian environment and being a positive influence on future generations. I've travelled the world, got married to my childhood sweetheart and took on further studies, completing a Master in Education at Monash University. 
    
4. What drew you to your area of work or study this year, and what do you love about it?
   I'm so blessed to have been given the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities as Primary Curriculum Coordinator, which has enabled me to gain additional knowledge and skills to better myself as a professional and individual. 
    
5. What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
   Make the most of every opportunity and if you're not sure about something... wait!
    
6. What excites you most about the future?
   I'm excited to have my own family and instil the values and beliefs that I learnt as a child to shape my own.
    
7. What advice do you have for current students?
   Surround yourself with people that will positively influence you, build character and strengthen your walk with God.
    
8. How was your work/study affected in 2020/2021 and how did you respond/cope?
   Education was forced to change drastically due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. I never imagined that I would teach Primary aged children from home but I've learnt so much throughout this entire experience. I strongly believe that everyone should prioritise their mental health and wellbeing by keeping physically active which is exactly what I did during lockdown. In October 2020, I completed my first ever half marathon which was a huge accomplishment and a great distraction. I trained hard, remained committed and saw my body and mind achieve something far more than I'd ever imagined!