STRENGTHENING ALUMNI TIES

When Mitch Colton walked into his 15-year school reunion, he was expecting to see familiar faces, shared memories and maybe a few laughs over who’d changed the most. Instead, he found himself the only member of his 2008 graduating class in attendance.

“I was kind of stunned,” he laughs. “It was just me. So, I called up my old friend Jack Evans, who graduated in 2014, and invited him down for a beer (the Ex-Students’ Association was running combined reunions at the time).”

That casual catch-up planted the seed for something much bigger. Today, Mitch is President of Kinross Wolaroi School’s Ex-Students’ Association, with Jack serving as Secretary. Together, they’ve helped breathe new life into a growing alumni movement - one that’s reconnecting generations of ex-students in meaningful, lasting ways.

Mitch’s connection to Kinross Wolaroi runs deep. “I started in Pre-Prep two days per week in 1994, then Kindergarten in 1995, Year 7 in 2003 and graduated in 2008,” he recalls. “I’ve had a fair bit to do with the school since leaving, working as a supplier and contractor (Mitch owns and operates Colton Computer Technologies, which provides IT services).” But that reunion - or lack of one - really pushed Mitch to get involved.

When the Ex-Students’ Association approached Mitch about joining, he agreed under one condition: “I said I’d do it if Jack would. That was back in 2023, and now we’re into our second term.”

Under their leadership, the Ex-Students’ Association has been buzzing with activity. “Our Canberra and Sydney Connect events last year were really well received,” Mitch shares. “They brought together alumni from all age groups. We also had a great turnout for the Golden Alumni Lunch (for alumni celebrating 50 years) and all the five, ten, 20, 30 and 40-year reunions.”

One standout was the independently organised 1975–83 reunion. “It was a mix of overlapping years and there was just this incredible energy in the room. The Ex-Students’ Association supported the reunion by putting on food - it was such a fun night.”

Reunions are officially back and only set to grow, with the Ex-Students’ Association focused on rebuilding its contact database. “The biggest challenge is finding the right people - the strategic connectors in each year group - to help get the word out about each reunion.”

The feedback from recent events has been overwhelmingly positive. “The 10 and 20year reunions had such a good vibe,” Mitch says. “There’s something really special about reconnecting in person.”

Recognising the need for a central place to stay connected, the Ex-Students’ Association recently launched the Kinross Wolaroi Online Community (mykws.com.au). “It’s a platform to bring people together, no matter where they are in the world,” says Mitch. “Addresses and contact details change, but this gives us a way to keep everyone in the loop.”

The site offers alumni news, event updates and a chance to reconnect with old friends. “It’s also a place where we can start building real opportunities - mentorships, internships and business connections. That’s the dream.”

Coming up, the Golden Alumni Reunion for the Class of 1975 is set to be a highlight, while the Back to Kinross Wolaroi Day promises to be bigger than ever. “Last year was great, but this year we’re levelling up. We’re taking over the main staff room again, serving drinks and nibbles, and watching a big home game of rugby. We’ve even got ExStudents’ Association rugby jerseys this year, so we can all represent.”

Looking ahead, Mitch envisions a truly interconnected alumni network. “Ideally, the ExStudents’ Association will be running career nights, helping with work experience and internships. We know our ex-students are talented - we want to support them on their journey while also helping business owners and experienced alumni find quality new talent.”

While Mitch doesn’t have one “dream reunion” in mind, he’s got big plans. “There are so many alumni I’d love to catch up with - across year groups and professions. In a few years, I’d love to see us hosting events overseas. London might be a good place to start.”

From being the only one at his reunion to helping lead a thriving alumni movement, Mitch’s story is testament to the power of showing up and maintaining connections.