Launching Torchbearers

Carolyn Apostolou (1996), Chair of the Carey Heritage Committee and former member of the Centenary Book Committee

What an honour it was to have been asked to join the Centenary Book Committee back in 2019!

At the time I wasn’t entirely sure what the finished product was going to be like; after our first meeting with Helen Penrose, however, we were all excited and in awe of her professionalism, meticulous organisation and commitment to the task.

Over the next three years, the Book Committee members shared countless personal memories with Helen and with each other, edited numerous drafts and saw the book brought to life. We were amazed at the many ways Helen immersed herself in activities at Carey, talked to parents and current students and really came to understand the culture of the School.

Torchbearers: a centenary history of Carey Baptist Grammar School was officially launched on Carey’s 100th birthday, 13 February 2023, by special guest, Dr Liz Rushen AM, esteemed historian, researcher, author and past Carey parent. The book was very well received as an accurate and elegant portrayal of Carey’s first century. It was a real highlight for me to see the hundreds of finished copies of the Torchbearers book and the large attendance at that special event. The enthusiasm for the product was palpable. We are now fortunate in having an exceptional addition to Carey’s history and a powerful expression of its abiding ethos.