A LIFTING LIBRARIAN'S LOVE OF LEARNING

Born into a family of teachers, Krystal's love for learning began at an early age, nurtured by her parents. At age six, her parents introduced her to the magical world of Harry Potter. This ignited a passion for reading, setting her on a path of academic and personal achievement.

Krystal's educational journey began in 2005 when her family relocated to Brisbane, and she began Year 9 at St Peters. In 2007, she became one of the pioneering students to embrace the newly introduced International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme.

Krystal credits the IB programme for preparing her for university and beyond.

"The self-directed learning demanded by the IB instilled in me invaluable organisational and time management skills that have carried me throughout my career."

Music also played a significant role in Krystal's life at St Peters. She played the flute and participated in musical ensembles such as orchestra, chorale and Symphonic Winds, touring internationally. Through these experiences, she developed and learned the importance of balancing commitments and cultivating enduring friendships. Additionally, Krystal played Touch Football and Netball, and later coached Touch Football alongside her mother, Jenni Gagen, a Business Studies teacher at St Peters.

Krystal acknowledges the influential role of several teachers at St Peters. Lath Stewart (English), Tim Stoll (Music) and Grant Mason (former Director of Chorale, retired) all played instrumental roles in guiding and supporting her along her journey.

Following graduation from St Peters, Krystal secured one of the limited places at the Queensland Conservatorium. There, she pursued studies in classical singing and completed a Bachelor of Music Studies. However, as much as she loved music, Krystal also wanted to teach. She embarked on additional studies, equipping herself with the necessary qualifications.

Despite her credentials, Krystal encountered challenges in finding full-time work. In 2013, she began her career as a music teacher in Gympie, Queensland, working across four primary schools of varying sizes. She enjoyed the community feel of the smaller schools and relished the experience of organising four concerts at the end of the year.

A year later, Krystal returned to St Peters, accepting a six-week contract as a Year 6 teacher. This opportunity led to a full-time position, teaching Year 5.

In addition to teaching, Krystal found herself immersed in an unexpected side gig and hobby – co-owning a gym specialising in strength training for Strongman competitions. Together with her husband, a personal trainer, she established the business in 2017. Krystal even competed herself, representing her sport in places like Las Vegas at the Global Powerlifting Championships in 2015.

Having completed a Master of Education in Teacher Librarianship at QUT in 2015, Krystal landed the job she had been striving for in 2016, Teacher Librarian at Mt Alvernia College, where she combined her passion for teaching with her love for literacy. She firmly believes that libraries and teacher librarians play a crucial role in education, particularly in the digital wave. During her time at Mt Alvernia College, Krystal pursued a second Master of Education in Educational Research at Charles Sturt University (CSU) to contribute more academic evidence of the importance of teacher librarians. She said, "Now more than ever, I believe they are vital, as schools with dedicated teacher librarians tend to achieve better results in general."

Undeterred by hard work, she has now set her sights on completing a PhD focussing on ‘reading for pleasure’. Alongside her doctoral studies, Krystal lectures at CSU, a position she has held since 2021.

To her surprise, Krystal's academic journey has recently taken an unexpected turn into the area of library and information studies research. She now conducts additional research in AI, information literacy in schools and other areas.

As a result of her hard work, in July this year Krystal will attend the International Association of School Libraries Conference in Rome to present her PhD preliminary results. She looks forward to the opportunity to share her findings with like-minded people and “contribute to the global discourse on education and teacher librarianship”.

When asked about her future, Krystal says she’ll continue working on her PhD, which she aims to complete by 2026, while continuing to work at CSU and progressing to the position of senior lecturer.

“I know I have one heck of a trip planned to celebrate becoming a doctor!”

Krystal’s story shows the transformative power of a nurturing environment. She is grateful for the opportunities and support she received at St Peters, which played a pivotal role in shaping her skills, mindset and success in her career and personal life.

As Krystal continues to make her mark in the field of education, she remains a shining example of the limitless possibilities within the realm of lifelong learning.