Eliza & Tess Arnold and Marnie Kelly on IWD

Past Students' news

Kate Kennedy (1985) was appointed Managing Director of the Freedom Fund North America in November 2015. Kate was CEO of Hagar Australia, an organisation helping to banish the worldwide slavery of women. She gave a memorable presentation at Star Women Speak in 2013 and returned to speak to Year 12 students in 2015.

Marnie Kelly (2008), keynote speaker at Star on International Women's Day, received the inaugural Love in Action Award for her practical outreach work on the Western Welcome Wagon, a not-forprofit organisation that assists asylum seekers within Melbourne’s western suburbs. This active group of volunteers delivers beds, food, children’s clothes, toys and bikes to families in need: www.westwelcomewagon.org.au

Eliza Arnold (2008) and Tess Arnold (2009) visited Star to describe Eliza’s work on Koh Rong, a remote island of Cambodia that has experienced rapid tourist development. In 2013, Eliza cofounded Friends of Koh Rong (FoKR) with three women. FoKR supports education programs, community development projects and tourist awareness campaigns (eg. travelling with a conscience - reduce, reuse, recycle and save water). FoKR educates the local community in how their people can benefit from the tourist trade: http://friendsofkohrong.org/ In 2015, Eliza and Tess were trekking in Nepal: the earthquake struck at 11:56am on 25 April, 2015 with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale. Walking through a narrow canyon at the time, dislodged boulders came hurtling down the valley within seconds. The ground shook violently and the mountains surrounding us began to crumble. It is inexplicable that we managed to survive the initial quake. The sisters returned safely to Australia where they organised an exhibition of art, photography, story and video. The funds raised were donated to the people of Langtang Valley in Nepal which has helped in rebuilding their lives. Anna Cerreto (2009 & a College Board member) travelled to Kibera in Kenya - Africa’s largest urban slum - and invited some of the residents to record their stories. The result is a beautiful book, I Am Because We Are, which was launched in December 2015 by Tim Costello, Chief Executive of World Vision Australia. One of the contributors to the book, Goddy, also addressed the large gathering and spoke of his journey from Kenya to Australia.

Stephanie Pavlou (2011) won a special design competition in March, jointly run by RMIT and the Grand Prix Corporation, featuring the sharp lines and black-andwhite palette of motor racing's chequered flag. An RMIT student, Stephanie said her own aesthetic, which includes sharp lines and a monochrome scheme, suited the brief perfectly. Her winning entry was a strapless dress with hand-bonded panels of the iconic check to create a 3D effect and included a blackand-white choker. Pavlou won $1000 and the honour of having her dress modelled at the Glamour on the Grid Grand Prix VIP party. Since finishing her studies, Stephanie is keen to start her own label, inspired by some of her favourite fashion names - Alex Perry, Carla Zampatti, Dion Lee, Chanel and Versace.