THE POST, Thursday, December 19, 2024 - Page 1
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ESTABLISHED 1891 Thursday, December 19, 2024
clittle@midwestmedia.com.au
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Golden vibes for Raechel By CHRISTINE LITTLE “SOMETIMES your true north is way out west.” These are one of Raechel Whitchurch’s favourite lyrics she’s ever written and right now they couldn’t ring more true. Since the country music artist and mother of three moved back to Parkes from Sydney with husband Ben and her young family, she’s been nominated for two Golden Guitars again. Her first dual nomination came in 2021, the year she returned home, for Best New Talent and Traditional Country Album of the Year, for her debut album ‘Finally Clear’. She’s released another album and she has another two Golden Guitar nominations, this time for Contemporary Country Album of the Year and Toyota Album of the Year. It would seem Raechel belongs out west. “Being nominated for a Golden Guitar is basically having all of your industry peers recognise you for the art you’ve created,” she said. “It’s an overwhelming feeling and while most artists don’t create their music purely for accolades and recognition, it’s a really beautiful feeling to be accepted by the industry we’re a part of.” More than 150 people including nominated artists and industry representatives gathered at the Oxford Art Factory in Sydney Miss Rhonda Harpley and Mrs Sue Gersbach have recently celebrated 40 years of teaching at Parkes East Public School. PHOTO: on November 19 for the announcement of 103 nominees, held Supplied by 50 artists across 16 categories. Celebrating recording excellence and showcasing the cream of Australian country music artists, the Golden Guitars at the Tamworth Country Music Festival is the pinnacle awards event for country music. Raechel was invited to perform a song at the nominations. Though no stranger to singing at such prestigious gatherings Miss Harpley then taught in Bass Hill, ally big change,” she said. By PARKES HIGH SCHOOL WORK - having performed at the Golden Guitar Awards before which “The kids are different these days, she described as an incredible privilege - anything to do with near Bankstown, for another three years. EXPERIENCE STUDENT LAURA BURKITT She applied for a transfer to come back they’re more knowing than they used to ■ Continued on page 13. A MAJOR milestone has been to the country, and after initially being be but technology is that big change that achieved, not once, but twice for two denied, they called her and told her she really gets an old teacher.” She also described how the school has had a transfer to Parkes East Public to Parkes East Public School teachers. grown over the years with the addition Both Mrs Sue Gersbach and Miss start the next day. “I’ve just been here ever since,” she of the hall, library, computer room, and Rhonda Harpley have served 40 years at demountable classrooms. the school and have given us a glimpse said. She said she had too many good mem“I thought I would come for five years, into their passion for teaching. ories, but did share one about Mrs DunMiss Harpley originally started teach- and I stayed for 40.” When asked what she enjoyed most ford, the current assistant principal at ing at a small school in a place called Schofields, near Blacktown, where she about teaching, Miss Harpley said; “I just Parkes East. Miss Harpley taught her when she was love the kids, the sense of achievement taught for three years. “It was a little tiny country school (at that you get watching them learn, that’s in kindergarten, and remembers watchthe time) and I grew up in Eugowra so the reason that you keep coming back”. ing Mrs Dunford bring her own daughMiss Harpley detailed the changes ter across the playground when she was when I went to Schofields I thought ‘Oh wow, this is just like Eugowra’,” she said. over the past 40 years, from buildings to starting kindergarten. Raechel Whitchurch was invited to perform a song at the “That sticks in my mind all the time “I went back to Schofields about five technology. Golden Guitar nominations. ■ Continued on page 13. “Technology is the big change, the reyears ago and now it’s huge.” PHOTO: Lisa Williams/Tamworth Country Music Festival
Teachers mark 40 years
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