Kayley Harris
Class of 1979
win a trivia competition for knowing that the Battle of Hastings was in 1066! At lunchtimes in summer my friends and I would sit on the grass and sunbake our legs and talk about boys and our favourite songs. We believed in each other, defended each other and we belonged to each other. I left school in Year 10 as my parents and I felt like I would be better off in the workforce than continuing my education. I regret leaving to this day and would love to go back and finish my HSC. I began working in an office as an administrative assistant but it wasn’t for me. I have a rather outgoing personality so I enrolled in a three month radio announcers course because I loved music and couldn’t believe it was possible to earn a living just by talking and playing records...something I did daily!
M
y name is Kayley and I am 57 years old. That must sound very old to someone in high school but believe me, I don’t feel it...ok well some days I do!
When I was in Year 6 in 1975 at Epping West Primary School, we were all asked what high school we would be attending. Most of the class were going to Carlingford High School but my parents had decided to send me to Tara which was then called Tara Church of England Girls School. I was upset because no one in my year was going there and my friends all thought it sounded very snobby. I asked my parents why I had to go to Tara and they said it was a good school and I would have better job prospects. Being the 70’s, my parents also hoped I would learn to become a young ‘lady’, whatever that meant. On my first day of school I met another girl, her name was Fiona. We stayed best friends through school and remain friends to this day. My most cherished memories of Tara are all based on my friendships. High school can be very difficult as we navigate puberty, boys, friendships and school work. I wasn’t overly academic and I didn’t think I paid particular attention to the teachers but I must have absorbed more than I thought. There are still times today when I recall things from school…..I was actually able to
Following the course I secured a job as a junior traffic reporter at 2UW (now KIISFM) and my career took off from there. I worked hard and eventually secured a job co-hosting the breakfast show on WSFM. I was there for 12 years, starting each day at 3am. In 2004 I left and had a couple of years off to be with my three children and in 2007 I was offered a job at Radio 2GB as an Assistant Producer. I still work for Radio 2GB as a casual Executive Producer which means I’m responsible for producing radio shows. I have also worked as a Publicist for The Wiggles and hosted many programs for 2GB, 2UE and 2CH. Being a Tara girl certainly helped me in the early days. When applying for jobs I was always asked which school I had attended and Tara’s reputation never failed to impress. I then understood why mum and dad sent me there. I think one of the most important things Tara taught me was to not always think about myself, to consider other people and to be the best version of myself. As I said, I was not really academic but I like to think I was kind and compassionate and I learnt this at Tara. My advice to my younger self would be to be your own best friend. No one knows you better than you. If you’re in high school right now, here’s my advice - making hamburgers isn’t beneath you, your grandparents called it opportunity.
Lead the way and give your daughter a promising future - she belongs at Tara
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