UT Prosim 2020

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“ Across the Wenona community, we’ve adapted to a year of profound change with courage, strength, grace and wisdom.”

Dr Briony Scott, Principal

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CONTENTS

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WELCOME FROM THE CHAIR

WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Wenona has endured times of hardship before, says Mr Gary Turner, and COVID-19 has been a catalyst for growth and innovation.

We’ve rediscovered our neighbours, the wisdom of proximity and the joy of connection. A spirit of common decency has guided our year, writes Dr Briony Scott.

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6 A SCHOOL YEAR WITH A DIFFERENCE Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our School community has shown a capacity to evolve, innovate and thrive.

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WELCOME TO THE ATHENAEUM

CELEBRATING OUR ALUMNAE

A COMMUNITY THAT CARES

Named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and courage, The Athenaeum has transformed the way we teach, learn and interact.

Our alumnae lead at all levels of society and provide insight, guidance and inspiration for our current students.

The ongoing support and contribution of our parents and alumnae are invaluable in helping our students to flourish.

24 GIVING BACK Despite the challenges of 2020, our School community has continued to make a difference in communities near and far.

80 HAPPY BIRTHDAY WENONA FOUNDATION The Wenona Foundation is celebrating a big birthday this year and we take a look at its contribution to Wenona over the past 21 years.

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WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRMAN

“ COVID-19 represents the worst public health crisis the world has faced since the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-20. But if history has taught us anything, it is that the School has endured hardship before and that every crisis has an end” writes Chair of the Board, Mr Gary Turner.

For many of us, it’s hard to comprehend that 100 years ago, when Miss Edith Ralston first purchased Wenona from fellow Woodstock ‘old girl’, Miss Dorothy Messiter, the School had already weathered conflict and plague on an epic scale. By 1918, when the First World War finally came to an end, more than 60,000 Australians had been killed in battle, and a further 156,000 had been wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner. For a nation of just 4.9 million people, the loss of a generation of young men was devastating. As if this were not enough, disease would then step in to claim an even greater toll in the form of a deadly influenza pandemic dubbed ‘the Spanish flu’. With no vaccine and no cure, the Spanish flu would ultimately infect around two million Australians and take a further 12,000 to 15,000 lives.

By the time Miss Ralston purchased an old boarding house called Ernieville in 1921, and Wenona moved to the premises it occupies today, loss and restriction were routine in Australia, and disaster was its own season. However, for Miss Ralston and Wenona, the business of ‘educating and empowering young women to serve and shape their world’ was paramount. Indeed, this was pursued with an even greater determination to push at the frontiers of teaching and learning in order to create a strong foundation for the future.

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At the outset of 2020, we envisaged a year of action for Wenona, capping a decade of change in educational provision through our ‘schools’ model, and culminating in the opening of The Athenaeum. Back then, nobody could have predicted the future we are now in, nor the extent of action and change that would come at such scale or such speed! But here we are. COVID-19 has swept across the world like a tsunami. Rising infection and mortality rates continue to heighten anxiety and stir grief. The magnitude of the economic crisis that is unfolding is unprecedented in living memory, outstripping the effects of the 2008 global financial crisis that we thought would be the defining economic event of our lifetimes. We are amid extreme uncertainty and yet, as outlined above, Wenona has remained resolute in the past, and emerged strongly from turbulence and adversity.

I feel confident in saying that while COVID-19 continues to have worrying implications for so many of us, as you will read in the pages of this magazine, it has also shone a light on the strength of our current community. Today, 100 years after the Wenona community first banded together to overcome the fear and uncertainty of a global pandemic, so it has again. Wenona’s collective response to COVID-19 has not been one of panic or blame. Instead, in common with our predecessors of 1920, we have drawn on our shared values of courage, strength, grace and wisdom to look after one another - particularly those most at risk - with calmness, kindness and a unity of purpose.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to recognise and acknowledge the extraordinary leadership of Dr Scott and her Executive Team. The pandemic has had far reaching consequences for most organisations and Wenona is no exception. Dr Scott and her team have handled a rolling crisis for which no playbook exists, and they have done so with courage, commitment, humility and resolve. As always, the School’s priority has been to protect the health and safety of its students and staff – no easy task in a fast-moving pandemic – while delivering on our mission in its truest sense: educating and empowering our young women to thrive. Formulating a response to COVID-19 has required bold thinking, innovation, investment and agility from every member of staff. It has been uncharted territory for everyone, but the School has used this crisis to set the stage for positive change and has achieved in a few weeks, things that we had planned to do over a number of years. For example, digital transformation, individualised learning and collaborative problem-solving have been central tenets of Wenona’s strategy for

several years. The pandemic has challenged Wenona to embrace and accelerate technological change to enhance our teaching and learning outcomes at every level.

I would also like to extend the Board’s sincere gratitude to you, the Wenona community, for your support and understanding. Despite ongoing challenges and unpredictable circumstances, we are proud and heartened by the way you have adapted to new modes of teaching and learning, to physical distancing, to quarantining, to increased hygiene measures and to the cancellation or postponement of cherished events and activities. Our staff, our students, our families and our alumnae have been sorely tested in different ways this year and everyone’s response has been humbling. Without exception, you have shown a remarkable willingness to navigate what has been at times, an overwhelming environment, creating space to stop, share, listen and process what is unfolding in a spirit of solidarity and empathy.

Thank you for your commitment to Wenona and to each other.

Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to my fellow Board members for their seasoned judgement and professional expertise in helping to guide the School through this period of great uncertainty. The nature of our Board meetings may have changed, with Zoom replacing our normal face-to-face interactions in the Boardroom.

What has not changed is our commitment to ensure that Wenona remains financially strong and is able to stand in the vanguard of education, a leading centre of thought, ideas and experiences for young women. In the coming year, as things settle into a ‘new normal’, we will be turning our attention to key lessons from the current crisis and leveraging them to reimagine Wenona’s future potential together with Dr Scott and her team.

While it is difficult to have a clear perspective on when and how we will emerge from the tunnel of COVID-19, a glance back at history shows that the School has withstood crises and disasters before, using them as platforms for positive change. None of us can have all the answers today, but we can be sure that whatever happens, Wenona will continue to be guided by the values and principles that have allowed it to stand the test of time.

I thank you for your ongoing support, and commend this edition of Ut Prosim to you.

Mr Gary Turner

Chair, Board of Governors

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A MATTER OF COMMON DECENCY WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.”

Epicurus

2020 will be forever etched on our memories as the year of the mask, the hand sanitiser, social distancing, lockdown, and Zoom. Amid this still-unfolding crisis, 2020 has also been a year of untold empathy, kindness and solidarity. For Wenona in particular, it’s been a year when engagement has bloomed across our community, relationships have been valued, and the best of human nature has guided us forward, enabling us to navigate the challenges of immense change. Together.

Early in Term 1, Wenona recognised the threat posed by COVID-19. As news of rising global infection rates began to circulate, we prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. As you will read in the pages of this magazine, our dedicated staff worked tirelessly to build and implement a remote teaching and learning platform – named the Athenaeum Learning Pathway – all while maintaining the quality of Wenona’s face-to-face teaching and learning. As a community, we understood there were forces at play, we could neither predict nor control. And so, we banded together, focusing on our students – and their families – ensuring they would receive the best possible educational opportunities, care, and support we could provide.

While there is nothing quite like the buzz of a close-knit School community and the boundless energy of our young people, our community – without exception – responded to lockdown with resilience, resolve, and despite the tough times, with good humour. In doing so, we discovered our capacity to innovate and to flourish, even in times of crisis. From Kindergarten to Year 12, it was heartening to see the thoughtfulness, the ideas, the enthusiasm, and the insight that our students brought to their learning – in partnership with their teachers, their parents and their caregivers – all while learning off-campus.

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COVID-19 upended school calendars across the world. And like every other school, Wenona was forced to cancel much of what we’d planned for 2020. Of course, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’, so as a community, we became more innovative and spontaneous in our approach. In the absence of familiar traditions, we created new ones and reimagined different ways to celebrate special occasions and rites of passage. When they could no longer sing at assembly, our Junior School students learned AUSLAN so they could sign the National Anthem instead. When formal Valedictory celebrations were postponed, our Year 12 students went op-shopping, swapping formal dresses for recycled clothing and holding a fun fashion show that raised money for charity in the process.

There’s been no better antidote to the dark and difficult days of COVID-19 than the joy and laughter we’ve shared as a community. The ability of our young people to bounce back and move forward has been remarkable. We’ve discovered so much about our collective capacity to deal with change and more importantly, we’ve also learned so much about the capacity of our students. They have become more independent, more responsible and more motivated, facing significant challenges with humour, grace, and dignity. And they’ve reminded us that in the long run, friendships remain one of the most precious and lasting memories of Wenona – something that is reinforced by our alumnae in the pages of this magazine.

In his 1947 novel, La Peste (The Plague), Albert Camus wrote about a plague epidemic that ravages the city of Oran in Algeria. When rats emerge from the sewers to die in droves, people quickly become sick. Everyone is ordered to quarantine at home while the local doctor, Dr Rieux works tirelessly to save them. In times of crisis, a

“ As you will read in Ut Prosim, there have been countless acts of kindness and solidarity this year, with ordinary people doing what they can, to serve and look after each other. We’ve rediscovered our neighbours, the wisdom of proximity, and the joy of connection.”

society reveals both its best aspects and its worst. There are those who think only of themselves, and those who are engaged for the greater good. But ultimately, it is the capacity of ordinary people to do extraordinary things that prevails in La Peste. In the words of Dr Rieux, “There’s no question of heroism in all this. It’s a matter of common decency. That’s an idea which may make some people smile, but the only means of fighting a plague is common decency.”

The world might seem broken right now, but the work of being human never stops, even when we’re living in the shadow of a global pandemic. As you will read in Ut Prosim, there have been countless acts of kindness and solidarity this year, with ordinary people doing what they can, to serve and look after each other. We’ve rediscovered our neighbours, the wisdom of proximity, and the joy of connection.

It is this spirit of generosity and common decency that has guided our year and will help to shape our future.

2020 has highlighted to us that Wenona is much more than a place of learning – it is the centre of a very special community. We are so grateful to our students, staff, parents, alumnae and board members – all those who ‘circled the wagons’ to care for our young people, who encouraged them to reach outwards and support others, and who demonstrated firsthand what it means to face adversity with courage, strength, grace, and wisdom. Thank you.

It is with great pleasure that I commend this edition of Ut Prosim to you.

Dr Briony Scott, Principal

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A SCHOOL YEAR WITH A DIFFERENCE The resourcefulness and enthusiasm of our staff, students and parents during lockdown was amazing. Staff found ingenious ways to teach, support and engage our students. And in turn, students - with encouragement and help from their families and caregivers - demonstrated an incredible commitment to challenge and extend their learning.

In Term 1 of 2020, as COVID-19 continued to spread around the world, Wenona began preparations for lockdown and a potential move to an online learning platform. We called this platform the Athenaeum Learning Pathway (the ALP), named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and courage. The name, we decided, reflected the ability of the Wenona community to respond to challenge, to remain resilient in the face of adversity, and to embrace new ways of collaborating, learning and flourishing.

Wenona has long embraced digital technology as a key part of its teaching and learning.

But there was still an enormous amount of work to do, with modules to be built for every subject, course and year level, as well as daily planners and checklists to provide students with a clear structure for their day, as well as guidance for rest breaks, exercise, creativity and connection. And of course, staff had to be trained to use different digital tools and resources - all while continuing to deliver face-to-face teaching.

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With a little creativity, a little patience, and a lot of hard work, the School was able to trial the ALP across the different year groups over several weeks, before launching it officially when the Government mandated the closure of the School at the end of March. It was heartening to see the commitment, resilience and gratitude of our School community in responding to the challenges of the ALP. Our parents recognised the complexity of the situation for everyone, not just for their child or their family. Our teachers worked tirelessly to meet the needs of individual students. And our students discovered new strengths, interests, talents and passions.

Wenona returned to on-campus learning in the middle of Term 2. As a relational School, our community thrives on face-to-face contact with each other. So, while there were significant positives to be taken from the ALP, we came back together with a renewed sense of appreciation and optimism.

Samantha and Jessica in Year 2 shared their passion for Science and Technology by devising their own STEM show from home, which they shared with their peers.

Ms Jalili’s Year 9 Food Tech students made melt-in-your-mouth panna cotta, which means ‘cooked cream’ in Italian. They then served it up to their lucky families during lockdown.

Mr Millar’s Year 9 Spanish students made Spanish tortillas… although Mr Millar made a ‘deconstructed’ version. And the best bit?

Eating them. Buen provecho!

Deputy Principal (Staff and Strategy) Mr Staker rose to the challenge of baking bread during lockdown. To the delight of our Year 12 students, once he got his ‘starter’ started, he started bringing in delicious sourdough for them to sample.

Ms Laumberg and Ms Krigstein whisked Year 3 off to the magical Giant Country by reading Roald Dahl’s The BFG to them. And the novel proved to be just as “dreadly”, “delumptious” and “scrumdiddlyumptious” via Zoom.

And across the Wenona community, other family pets really broadened their knowledge too, with lots of dogs and cats and even guinea pigs popping up on Zoom!

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KINDY ZOOMS AWAY THE GLOOM

“ I was happy that I could spend time with my family and my cat got to go on Zoom.”

Audrey

Navigating the choppy waters of a new educational normality with Kindergarten students isn’t easy. Activities that work well in the classroom, don’t necessarily translate to Zoom - particularly when you’re only five years old. But extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures and Wenona’s Athenaeum Learning Pathway brought golden moments for Kindergarten, as Miss Bouterakos, Kindergarten’s classroom teacher, explains.

Teaching Kindergarten during lockdown highlighted the resilience and capacity of our students.

The main challenges were around students’ level of independence. When lockdown happened and Wenona launched its Athenaeum Learning Pathway (ALP), students were just beginning to become actively involved in routines.

They were beginning to take ownership of their own learning in the classroom and manage themselves at School. Having an entirely new routine which relied on accessing learning online when many students were just familiarising themselves with the routine at School was a challenge.

It was great to have an extremely supportive parent community who made the whole experience work well. For me to know that there was someone on the other side of the screen providing the girls with the encouragement and support that would normally happen in the classroom made the experience less daunting. I was grateful for the way that everyone in Kindergarten embraced the whole situation and made the most of it. The girls still talk about the time we dressed up on Zoom as one of the highlights of the year!

“ I was happy that I could stay with my brother, but it was a little bit hard to stay without my friends for a while.”

Mackenzie

“ I was happy that we were home schooling because on Tuesdays, my dad could home school me and he was a big softy with home schooling.”

Sophia

“ I missed doing Maths at School because it’s my favourite activity.”

Bridie

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“ I liked it because Molly (my dog) could jump up on me during Zoom.”

“ I missed everyone from Wenona.”

Emily

Mia

“ I felt a bit sad, but I still got to see my friends on Zoom. It was a bit tricky when we were doing Art on Zoom because I didn’t have paint, so I used crayons instead.”

“ I was a little bit sad because I couldn’t see all my friends. I liked it because we got to do really fun stuff like when we made puppets and bunny ears.”

Charlotte

Tabitha

“ I liked eating lunch and learning how to use mute and unmute on Zoom.”

“ I was happy because at lunch I got to play in my cubby.”

Abigail

Gabrielle

“ I was happy because I could stay with my family, but I was also sad because I couldn’t play with all of my friends on the Woodstock playground.”

“ I was happy because I could still have a break with my little brother and play.”

Elva

Pietra 9

CLASS OF 2020 “ The Year 12 cohort has embraced the changes that they have encountered in 2020 with warm hearts, cheerful spirits and such positive attitudes. It has not been an easy year, but it is an academic year that has been made easier as we have navigated uncharted terrain with such a cohesive, fun loving and appreciative Year 12.”

Ms Kerry Swain, Head of Senior College

2020 and my Year 12 experience is certainly not what I’d imagined. However, despite the inevitable ups and downs that come with the HSC and a pandemic, I have cherished every moment. A personal highlight was returning to face-to-face school after learning at home because I realised how important my connections at school are.

The sense of care and community at Wenona is something that I will greatly miss. The support we have received throughout the year has made every challenge so much easier. I am grateful for the School’s hard work and dedication to make our final year at Wenona as enjoyable as possible.

Although Year 12 had its respective challenges, I found it to be an enjoyable year, in which we were able to celebrate our final year of school together, whilst also work on our academic subjects. I enjoyed the Carnival and Fun Day celebrations during the last week, as well as spending time with the Class of 2020. This year, I have found my PC group a great way to cope with the lows and challenges of Year 12.

However, the best thing about Wenona this year for me would be returning to school after online learning.

Year 12 has not only brought laughter and cheer, but also challenges and tears as I went through my last year of school during a pandemic. Whether it was PC teachers, class teachers, Ms Swain, Ms Kerr or our Year 12 Coordinator, Ms Langford, they all helped us to cope and push through our final stretch of schooling. Although we couldn’t attend certain events, I see this year as a positive one. Not only did our year group grow closer, but we learnt to appreciate what we have and we learnt that all we need to get through our final year of school is each other.

Milly Hookway

Emma Gill

Lucy Thompson

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Gratitude Morning Tea On the final Monday of Term 3, the Class of 2020 had an opportunity to say thank you to their teachers, with a beautiful morning tea in the West Commons area. It was a chance to celebrate all the care, support and hard work of their teachers in an informal setting, particularly during the Athenaeum Learning Pathway period when teaching and learning had to be done remotely. Their Year 12 teachers were also delighted to receive flowers from the students.

“ When the Year 12 cohort chose ‘Fear-less’ as their prefect initiative, little did they know how prophetic it would be. But in every aspect of School life, this amazing group of young women have shown courage and strength in ‘fearlessly’ supporting each other to overcome the challenges of 2020.

We are so proud of them.”

Mrs Suzanne Kerr, Dean of Students

“ During this year of immense change and disruption, our Year 12 students have shown enormous strength of character. It has been a joy and a privilege to walk alongside them as they supported each other in navigating the challenges of 2020.”

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“ Our Rainbow Project helped us to stay connected. We shared fun, creative images each week, from wherever we were.

The colour changed each week and after seven weeks, we had every colour of the rainbow.”

Emily Hamilton (Year 10)

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WENONA BOARDERS MAKE RAINBOWS Pictures of rainbows appeared everywhere during lockdown. For our Boarding House, which went into lockdown before the rest of the School due to government health and safety guidelines, making rainbows was a way to help them feel connected in isolation. This was particularly important for international students who were unable to travel home.

My experience of home schooling during the ALP was at times, difficult and frustrating. I absolutely loved being at home and eating afternoon tea with my parents and dog.

However, I missed the interactions with my boarding family, and I was sick of being away from everyone by the end of it. Our Rainbow Project helped us to stay connected. We shared fun, creative images each week, from wherever we were. The colour changed each week and after seven weeks, we had every colour of the rainbow. We shared these images with our boarding family across the world and by the end, we created a beautiful collage of images, which resembled a rainbow when put together. This was such a fun and creative way of getting everyone involved and staying connected with those from far and wide!

Emily Hamilton (Year 10)

During lockdown, I was lucky enough to be able to stay with another boarder at her aunt’s house. However, you don’t feel as ‘free’ as in the Boarding House. It’s trickier as you need to maintain a good relationship with the host family, even when you are feeling down. Despite this, I made some new friends and developed a very good relationship with my boarding ‘sister’. We had a wonderful time together. The little surprise that lockdown generously ‘offered’ me is an improvement in my chess skills. Plus, I mastered other board games including Chinese Xiangqi and Uno. The biggest challenge for me is that I am unable to get home. To be honest, I did have bad times and feel homesick. However, my parents are very supportive, and I can always talk to them when I want. Also, I enjoyed our Rainbow Project. It reminded me that in life, there’s always fun to be had! What I learned from this experience is that it’s always important to stay positive whatever life throws at you. You realise that all the days with tears, are just as good as the days with laughter and happiness.

Lockdown period was hard for boarders to go through, especially for overseas students. We faced quite a few hardships such as living with another family and being separated from our own family. But it was a unique experience that strengthened my resilience and flexibility as we needed to adapt to the situation without much preparation. The Boarding House family gave each other support through the Rainbow Project, as well as regular check-ins, which strengthened our sense of community even though we weren’t physically together.

My interest in Chinese chess and cooking reminded me to stay curious even though the outside world seemed to stop progressing for a while. It also encouraged me to connect with other people around me such as Ivy, who lived with me and my aunt’s family during lockdown.

Karoy Guo (Year 10)

Ivy Wang (Year 9)

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STAYING ACTIVE DURING COVID

The Sport Department led by Director of Sport and Performance, Mr Tom Hill, was pivotal in helping the Wenona community stay fit, healthy and active during the ALP.

Why was regular physical activity so important during the ALP?

Research shows that sport and physical activity improve academic outcomes, cognitive function, self-esteem and social skills. During this period of physical distancing, exercise was the perfect remedy for the impact of lockdown.

What about routine?

With normal routines turned upside down, our students had to schedule time to exercise. Small bursts of daily activity helped to keep them fresh. Whether it was a quick 15-minute circuit, a walk around the block, shooting a few hoops, it didn’t matter as long as they stayed active.

With gyms closed, how did they do weights or resistance style training?

When bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats and lunges weren’t pushing them hard enough, they simply strapped on a backpack full of books and bottled water or used bags of rice and tin tomatoes to mix it up and away they went!

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“ Research shows that sport and physical activity improve academic outcomes, cognitive function, self-esteem and social skills. During this period of physical distancing, exercise was the perfect remedy for the impact of lockdown.”

How did you motivate students?

We created lots of fun challenges - 30 day push up, squat, sit-up and plank challenges, running sessions and the House Isolation Games which was a series of 10 games and activities earning House points towards the Isolation Cup. Everything catered to all age groups and could be done at home. We encouraged the girls to set goals and track their progress and it was amazing to see how far they progressed.

How did teams stay connected?

Creatively! We encouraged everyone to share their at-home workout sessions via the Wenona Sport Instagram page and used our Sport Captains to promote messages of support and workout ideas as we were all in it together!

What about healthy eating?

After a long stint on the computer, it’s tempting to raid the fridge! But we encouraged the girls to still plan their daily meals as if they were coming to School. We also

shared resources on the Sport Portal page about healthy routines and nutrition.

What about breathing and meditation exercises to help with stress and anxiety?

We encouraged them to practise mindfulness through self-regulation and daily reflection activities and by slowing down. Yoga or nightly stretching and mobility exercises helped them to focus on their breathing.

What about sleep?

As always, establishing a good routine, with consistent sleep and wakeup times is critical. We encouraged the girls to avoid screen time before bed and get outside and exercise each day to ensure all the benefits of staying active were maximised and they had the best chance of a good night’s sleep.

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A BAPTISM OF FIRE Starting a new role is always daunting.

But imagine joining Wenona in a leadership position and then having to oversee seismic shifts in teaching and learning before you’ve had time to properly acclimatise. Our new Head of Junior School, Ms Justine Lind, and our new Head of History, Ms Annette Swinfield, have both risen to the challenge in 2020.

MS JUSTINE LIND, Head of Junior School So many people have asked me what it’s been like to join Wenona in such a complex year. My response is that I’d have been “doing COVID-19” wherever I was working, and while I certainly never expected this, it has enabled me to become connected to the team and the wider community in a unique way.

There’s nothing like a critical incident to help you uncover the inner workings of an organisation! I couldn’t be more impressed or proud, of the resilience and optimism shown by the girls, as well as the dedication and talent of the staff.

On a personal level, I was surprised at how protective I felt towards the girls, staff and families in facing the nature of challenge that was presented to us when the global pandemic hit. I had a goal to get to know all the girls in the Junior School by the end of Term 2. While this was admirable, it was probably rather ambitious given we were working remotely at that point. While I’m still working on this one, I’m really enjoying my interaction with the girls as I move about the School and get to know their individual stories. It’s been a privilege and a delight to be part

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of the magical Wenona culture that extends throughout the whole community. It’s not just the genuine and productive partnerships, it’s also our alignment in values in keeping the interests of the girls at the centre of everything we do.

Like so many of us this year, the pandemic has taught me to value things that I used to take for granted. For example, the power of parent engagement in children’s learning. We’re always excited to share the details of the inspiring learning that is happening across the Junior School, as our amazing staff continue to evolve our implementation of the International Baccalaureate’s Primary Years Programme (PYP). While we’ve been able to implement new initiatives such as our Student-Led Conferences over Zoom, there’s no substitute for parental presence on the campus. We are all looking forward to the day when we can reopen the campus to our families. The girls just love to share their learning with their parents and we always value the influence of each girl’s ‘first teachers’ in celebrating their effort and progress.

MS ANNETTE SWINFIELD, Head of History Starting at a new school is never easy, no matter whether you’re a student or a teacher. As the new Head of History, I was just beginning to navigate my way around Wenona, develop a rapport with colleagues and students, lead a new team and learn new processes, when out of left field, COVID-19 emerged. I am full of admiration for the adaptability and flexibility of the Wenona community.

By the end of Term 1, the History Department had pivoted seamlessly from face-to-face teaching to online Zoom classes. The teaching staff developed engaging online lessons, supported by Canvas class pages, and adapted the planned face-to-face excursions to online incursions with ease. Moving to online incursions proved invaluable for our students.

Our Year 10 History students were fortunate to experience two such occasions, including an incursion with Uncle Michael “Widdy’ Welsh, Uncle Roger Jarret and Uncle Richard Campbell, survivors of the Stolen Generations who lived at Kinchela Boys Home.

A second online incursion was with the Sydney Jewish Museum, where students heard personal stories from Holocaust survivors, an experience they will never forget. Students described both Zoom incursions as extremely powerful and were very grateful that despite the pandemic, we’d still been able to provide them with rich opportunities to develop their knowledge, understanding and empathy.

“ The staff have calmly embraced the need to adapt and evolve. Change has provoked new and exciting thinking, innovation and collaboration.”

2020 has been an inspiring year and one in which the History Department has flourished. Staff continue to challenge themselves and engage in professional development opportunities, undertaking webinars and courses online. They continue to support students with academically rigorous courses and engage them through creative pedagogy. I’ve found leading the Department this year extremely rewarding. The staff have calmly embraced the need to adapt and evolve. Change has provoked new and exciting thinking, innovation and collaboration. It has been a pleasure to work alongside this team with a shared vision and a staff committed to delivering an exciting education to young women who will be the leaders of the future.

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A VIEW FROM THE FRONTLINE COVID-19 has profoundly altered the rhythms of everyday life for everyone in our community, but particularly for those working on the frontline.

Dr David Parker Orthopaedic Surgeon

I’m an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in knee surgery.

I work at Royal North Shore, North Shore Private, and the Mater Private hospitals. The pandemic has impacted me significantly, although not as much as other healthcare workers who are more on the frontline and have had to deal with it directly.

When the initial lockdown came into effect in March, we were forced to stop all elective surgery, which is about 90% of my work. During this period, we just operated on emergencies like fractures and dislocations. At Royal North Shore we were also allocated into separate, isolated trauma teams in preparation for the hospital being potentially overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, but fortunately this didn’t eventuate.

We have been back doing full operating schedules for a couple of months now, but had about six weeks with no elective surgery, and another six weeks of a gradually increasing (but still reduced) workload. For me, this meant more time at home, more time spent on research and writing papers, and a lot of time doing Zoom meetings to teach junior doctors and meet with overseas colleagues.

Personally, I had concerns about the impact on my family, including how the kids would cope with minimal social contact and with sporting and other activities cancelled. I also worry about my elderly parents in Brisbane. In the early days, I had contact with medical friends and colleagues around the world, including places like

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Italy, US and the UK, and heard quite sobering stories about the terrible impact COVID-19 was having on their healthcare systems. The thought that this could occur in Australia seemed quite real and worrying. As time has passed, and this major threat has seemingly diminished, the main challenges have been managing the workload that has accumulated during this period, with many patients requiring knee replacement surgery, as well as the escalating number of sporting injuries as people get back into sport with suboptimal preparation. The inability to travel has meant I haven’t seen my parents this year, or other interstate relatives, and all overseas travel for conferences and family holidays has obviously been postponed indefinitely.

I think our two girls have coped remarkably well. They seem to have clearly taken on the resilience espoused by Wenona, and whilst the isolation and home schooling has had its challenges, they have faced them with minimal fuss and a clearly pragmatic nature. It has been great to have a bit more family time together (although their desire for parental contact clearly has limits!), and as we came out of lockdown, it was nice to see them reconnect with friends and gradually get back to sporting and social activities.

My girls are in Years 7 and 11, but I really feel for girls in Year 12 and their parents.

However, we only need to glance around the world to see that, relatively speaking, we have been very fortunate here and hopefully it will remain that way.

“ We only need to glance around the world to see that, relatively speaking, we have been very fortunate here and hopefully it will remain that way.”

The School has managed the pandemic incredibly well. The word ‘unprecedented’ is becoming somewhat trite now, but it is true that there has not been a clear roadmap for this type of crisis. It has required strong leadership, quick decisions, and a fluidity of thinking to recognise unintended errors and constantly redirect strategies to minimise harm, but maximise engagement. I think Dr Scott and her team have done a great job in this regard. In uncertain times, regular, clear communication is vital to build confidence within the community that there is a plan to get through this. I can’t imagine the difficulties in trying to scramble an online teaching program so quickly, and then work out a strategy to safely reintroduce kids to the School grounds, especially in a world in which so many criticise from the sidelines.

The School should be applauded for keeping everyone on track through this crisis, whilst also maintaining the highest level of care for each individual student. Well done!

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Associate Professor Antoinette Anazodo Paediatric and Adolescent Oncologist

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“ The transition to the ALP happened so seamlessly, and as a family, we always felt we had timely information and appreciated the humour that Ms Lind and Dr Scott provided in their communication.”

I am a Paediatric and Adolescent Oncologist and the Director of the Sydney Youth Cancer Service, which is a cancer service for 15 to 25-year-olds across Sydney Children’s Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital. I am also the Lead Clinician for Youth Cancer in NSW and ACT, so I work with colleagues at the Department of Health and Cancer Institute to ensure that we are providing services to meet the needs of this patient group.

Each of my roles has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. My management role and clinical role have had to deliver systems to protect young people with cancer and ensure that we are still meeting the timely diagnosis and treatment needs of patients, while also trying to deal with our initial lack of knowledge about COVID-19 and the rapidly evolving health advice. This has also been complicated by patients’ and parents’ perception of how safe the hospital environment is. Many patients have presented to hospital with symptoms that they’ve had for a longer period of time than usual presentations.

We have been very proactive about having robust systems in place and good communication with our families. We moved to telehealth clinics for follow up patients early in the COVID-19 pandemic reducing the number of patients coming through the clinic, but this has been a challenge for patients with more complex needs. Sadly, the hospital and government restrictions have had a big impact on patients who spend long periods of time in hospital and even though we are fortunate that COVID-19 numbers are low in NSW, we cannot underestimate the psychological distress and isolation that patients and families have experienced due to having cancer treatment in isolation without the face-to-face support that family and friends bring and without being able to plan rites of passages that help us get through difficult times, not to mention the added fear of getting an infection during cancer treatment.

Although initial information from overseas colleagues showed that COVID-19 was milder in children than adults, children and young adults with a compromised immune system are likely to have a higher risk of more severe infection. Given this uncertainty,

it was very important to take extra precautions to protect our patients from contracting the virus. This meant the whole family isolating during the initial phase of COVID restrictions and tighter restrictions on the cancer ward, which had financial, emotional and practical implications on families. Many cancer patients have COVID-like symptoms as a result of cancer treatment and we had to ensure we screened and isolated patients until we received the test results so we could protect them. These changes in care have provided some reassurance to families, but we also understand the additional stress that patients and families experience. We have had to find a way to allow play and music therapy to continue, as well as psychological support for families throughout treatment.

My daughter Amelia is in Year 4 at Wenona. She has been very resilient during COVID and in many ways, thrived with the extra responsibility. She is organised and was able to move between Zoom classes very easily and without much fuss. She enjoyed practising her French online and this has continued because she developed good habits. She was also fortunate that Tennis was never restricted in the early phase of the pandemic. I am sure this helped to keep her sane while everything around her was changing very rapidly.

We’ve always been so grateful to be part of the Wenona community, but did not appreciate quite how lucky we were until COVID. As both Micah and I are frontline health workers, the complexity of keeping patients well, looking after our children, and ensuring we don’t infect teachers and children in the class was challenging. Amelia came to School during the restrictions, which allowed us to work. During that time, our shifts were twice as long, and our leave was cancelled. We took extra precautions to keep everyone well and were grateful for the additional support that Head of Junior School, Ms Lind and Classroom Teacher, Ms Gordon provided during this time. The transition to the ALP happened so seamlessly, and as a family, we always felt we had timely information and appreciated the humour that Ms Lind and Dr Scott provided in their communication.

As a family, we are so grateful that we were able to help the wider community and give back, but we could not have done our jobs without the support we received from the School. We are very appreciative of all the staff at Wenona who made it possible for education to continue.

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Dr Anika Johnston (2006py) Doctor and a paediatric registrar

As a doctor and a paediatric registrar working with some of the most vulnerable groups in our population, alumna Anika Johnston has experienced the spill-on effects of COVID-19 and its impact on children and their families.

As a doctor and a paediatric registrar working with some of the most vulnerable groups in our population, alumna Anika Johnston has experienced the spill-on effects of COVID-19 and its impact on children and their families.

For the past five years, I have worked at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick.

As part of this role, we are often seconded to other hospitals around Sydney, so most recently, I’ve been working at Northern Beaches Hospital.

Early in the pandemic we were eerily quiet. Kids were staying away from daycare, kindy and school, so our usual presentations with common childhood illnesses and injuries fell dramatically. We then started to see some concerning ‘misses’ where kids were presenting late as families were worried about coming to a healthcare setting, so there was then a big push to reassure our families that we were there to offer safe care whenever needed.

A lot of restrictions were imposed on visiting, with only one parent permitted on a ward, which made things tricky for our families. It was difficult for us to navigate at times, as families couldn’t access their usual supports. The biggest concern and challenge for me was supporting kids and families through this, navigating a very different landscape without lots of our usual supports we rely on to keep kids (relatively) happy in hospital there was no Captain Starlight, music therapy or extra visitors! I worked with newborn

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“ I had lots of great teachers during my time at Wenona who pushed and encouraged me to achieve the results I ultimately needed to get into Medicine.” babies for the bulk of the pandemic, so I also worried about the impact of all of this isolation on new mums. Bringing your first baby home without the support of extended family, community, mothers’ groups and friends is tough!

To students considering a medical career, I would say go for it! I love my job and I feel privileged to be able to do what I do. It’s a people job first and foremost, so whilst the science and academia are interesting, make sure you also love hearing people’s stories and building relationships.

I had lots of great teachers during my time at Wenona who pushed and encouraged me to achieve the results I ultimately needed to get into Medicine. More importantly than that though was the culture of accepting and encouraging every student’s individual talents and strengths, so you felt free to pursue whatever it was you wanted to do.

And most valuably, my amazing friends I made at Wenona remain some of my biggest supports and confidantes to this day, through university, work, marriages and babies.

Liz Bradley (Warnock, 2006)

Lydia Aston (2006py)

PDHPE Teacher and new mother

Executive Assistant at UWC Atlantic

Alumna Liz Bradley had just gone on maternity leave from her teaching position in London when lockdown hit. She always knew that a baby would mean a change of pace, but she could never have anticipated that she’d give birth during a global pandemic and then relocate back to Australia as a result.

After experiencing the Hawaii Water Polo trip during Year 10 at Wenona, it became a goal of mine to combine working and overseas travel. After completing my degrees at UTS in Human Movement and Teaching, and six rewarding years on staff at Wenona and Ravenswood, my husband and I moved to London to develop our careers and travel.

After casual days at schools in various London areas, I was fortunate to secure a permanent teaching position, which led to me taking on the role as Head of the PDHPE Department and then Head of Girls Sport at Hill House International Junior School in Knightsbridge. Having come from Wenona where technology has always been at the forefront, I was able to assist in advancements including online organisation and curriculum development.

Building on my experience of leading Wenona students to Cambodia, Hill House afforded me many opportunities to interact with staff and students including teaching skiing and travelling to the school’s Chalet in Switzerland twice a year. I consider it a privilege to have been a part of such an incredible international school and so engaged with the education of the children in my care.

After three years teaching Health and Physical Education, I left Hill House to start our family. Our baby girl Heidi, a future Wenonian, was born in Chelsea, two weeks into the COVID-19 lockdown. With no family allowed to travel to us and limited health visits, we were pretty much on our own with our newborn for the first four months until we were able to secure Australian citizenship for Heidi and relocate home to Australia. On arrival, we then had to go through a quarantine period, but fortunately it was a well-managed process for us.

Being part of the education system in England, travelling Europe and living overseas have all broadened my outlook and I am eager to build on my experiences when I return to teaching in Australia.

I’m currently working as an Executive Assistant at UWC Atlantic, an International Baccalaureate College in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales.

I’ve only been working here for a year. Before that, I worked as an English teacher in the UK, having qualified about five years ago.

I loved teaching English as the syllabus has some really great texts, but I wanted a change of direction. I’m about to take on a new role in Communications and PR, with an agency that tackles social issues, including digital literacy. I’m excited about it, but I think eventually I might return to teaching as I miss lots of aspects of it. However, I’m grateful not to be teaching currently, as I know how challenging it has been for teachers managing online and blended learning.

UWC Atlantic is based at St Donat’s Castle, a 12th-century castle set in 122 acres of woodland and farmland, with its own valley and seafront. The pandemic has caused some financial uncertainty for the College as it caters for international students. We were unsure how many would be able to return, but things are looking more positive now. I was very lucky in that I was able to work from home. My main concerns have been for my family as I don’t live close to them. Thankfully, I’ve been able to see them recently, but with a second wave of COVID-19 about to hit the UK, we are all anticipating further lockdowns. I feel very lucky to be honest. I haven’t had many significant challenges beyond the ones that we all share about risk of infection and the health and wellbeing of our family and friends.

After finishing my English degree, I did two years of Medicine before deciding it wasn’t for me. I really enjoyed some aspects - making a difference to people’s lives - but working in the NHS in the UK has significant challenges. I think there’s much more scope as a nurse to spend time with patients, so in retrospect, nursing would have suited me better. Of course, there’s never been a more important time to do either of these roles.

Wenona was a great experience for me. I came in Year 11 from a private school in the UK. I was shy, but I made great friends at Wenona and had fantastic teachers who encouraged and supported me. I was nurtured in a way that I hadn’t been at my previous school. I became more resilient and confident at Wenona. It certainly gave me the courage to explore different career opportunities.

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GIVING BACK The joy of connection

Tea Towels for Good When the Year 12 2019/20 Prefect team decided to support the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander community, they came up with the idea of designing and selling their own tea towels, as Greta Hazel-Harrison explains.

We decided to raise funds for The Star Foundation, which supports young Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander women in their transition from high school to tertiary education or work.

We decided that designing and selling tea towels would be a fun way to engage students across the high school.

It turned out to be a logistical challenge, as we had to organise for every single girl from Years 7 to 12 to do a self-portrait. Over a three-month period, we had a production line of girls drawing, labelling and packaging during recess and lunchtime. Faces had to be drawn with a thick black marker in the centre of a white square, which sounds simple in theory, but in practice, we had lots of butchered drawings, lots of laughs and the occasional meltdown! Only two tutor groups did it correctly!

COVID-19 has been particularly hard for older Australians in our community, exacerbating the loneliness and other social ills that hit elderly people hard.

With this in mind, our K to 6 students decided to make and write cards, which Director of Community and Service Learning, Ms Kate Seale distributed to residents of local aged-care facilities. Small acts of kindness like this that can have such a huge impact on other people’s lives. Wenona alumna, Mrs Lucille Seale (de Lepervanche, 1950) who lives at the Bay Tree Retirement community in Greenwich was delighted to receive a card from Leah in Year 6. She wrote, “Thank you so much Leah, for your lovely card. I did enjoy reading it and it made me feel very happy to get it. It was very well-written and you are so thoughtful to include the puzzles. I look forward to doing these. You sound like you are enjoying life with your bunny, your dancing and hockey. Although I have been staying at home, I have had time to read lots of lovely books. It’s wonderful to know you and your friends are thinking of us elderly people having to stay in our homes. Congratulations for being so caring and thoughtful.”

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We raised nearly $6,000 for the Star Foundation. Young Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander women are greatly disadvantaged in Australia, and we felt that it was only right that as young Australian women, we supported them. They deserve for their voices to be heard.

Making the ordinary extraordinary Each year, the student leadership team chooses an initiative that helps to shape and define the School year. The initiative for 2020/2021 is ‘Making the ordinary extraordinary’.

School Captain, Georgia Soghomonian explains why they decided upon this concept. “We’ve discovered the importance of working together to help each other be extraordinary. Teamwork, friendship, and unity are the basis of making the ordinary extraordinary. Through this initiative, we hope to encourage all students at Wenona to think outside the box about what we can do as a School to foster connection. We want to encourage girls to embrace the passions and beliefs of the Wenona community and come together to make this ordinary year extraordinary. We can all be extraordinary individually, but when we come together we can take extraordinary to the next level.”

Write for Rights In Term 3, the amphitheatre became Wenona’s very own version of Speaker’s Corner as Senior School students got up on their soapboxes (okay, it was actually a school bench) and took to the microphone. They gave powerful speeches about climate change; aboriginal deaths in custody; the age of criminalisation in Australia; LGBTQ+ rights and issues; domestic violence; human rights; refugees; and more. Students from the Senior School gathered to listen to the speakers. They showed their appreciation with claps and cheers as different girls found their voice and bravely got up to challenge the status quo and tackle inequality and injustice head on. Students could then add their names to virtual petitions using a QR code - a simple, but powerful way for students to raise awareness about the social issues they care about.

Let there be light After studying the UN’s rights and responsibilities of the child, Year 4 made solar lights for remote villages in PNG. This was part of Australian charity, SolarBuddy’s work to help students in the region study after dark, thus improving their educational outcomes.

Lucinda Vincent also came up with the idea of making and selling slime and smiles to raise money for The Smith Family. Bravo Year 4!

A firefighter with a head for numbers We also do back burns (controlled fires to reduce bushfire risk) and respond to major incidents like fires or storms. I’ve also been to traffic accidents, assisted paramedics and dealt with storm damage and fallen trees, as well as dealing with bushfires.

My worse day was during the summer in Bargo.

We turned into a road to see fire on all sides.

It’s difficult to describe the heat and smoke!

We quickly went to work to try and protect properties and although we saved houses, we lost some too. We then moved to an area where fire was climbing up the valley, approaching the public school. We spent a considerable amount of time trying to protect a house, which had a few outbuildings and several animals. We managed to keep the fire at bay, despite running out of water at one point. I also did an overnight shift a few days later after fire had torn through a village. It’s very difficult to see houses destroyed and people broken.

Our Head of Maths, Mr Justin Newall wears many hats, including as a volunteer firefighter for the Rural Fire Service at Beacon Hill. He’s pictured here, fighting the Lower Mangrove fire during the catastrophic Australian bushfire season of 2019/2020.

I’ve volunteered for the Rural Fire Service (RFS) for the past four years. My three kids are far more excited about me being a firefighter than a teacher!

I joined because I wanted to give something back to the community and learn new skills. There’s quite a bit of training involved. I qualified in Village Firefighting last year, which deals with structure and car fires as opposed to bush fires, and I’m about to do my driver’s test so that I can drive the truck.

We have two trucks at Beacon Hill, plus a 4-wheel drive. We respond to 000 calls that are directed to our station - there’s an app on our phones to alert us - and to fire alarms.

It is exciting at times, but often there are long periods of waiting and then short bursts of intense activity. Even on a back burn, the time spent lighting fire is small compared to the time spent ‘blacking out’ afterwards. There’s not really a bad part, other than the long hours. You can be on the fireground for 12 hours. And that doesn’t include travelling time, so you get pretty tired, but that doesn’t really register when you’re busy.

People are incredibly grateful.

I am struck by how much goodwill there is towards the RFS and we were inundated with donations, including food and drink, by grateful residents over the summer. To anyone thinking of volunteering - do it! It’s incredibly worthwhile and you learn a lot about yourself and other people.

Note: Mr Newall passed his driving test in October 2020.

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Wenona’s Global Diversity Club

Charlie takes flight

As part of this year’s Science Challenge, Years 7 and 8 competed in the Young Scientist STANSW Paper Plane Competition, testing out their creations in the Big Gym. They quickly realised that paper airplanes are subject to the same laws of physics as commercial airlines, requiring the same forces of thrust, lift, drag, and gravity to take to the skies. Bravo to Charlie Davenport in Year 8 who got on the leaderboard, with an airtime of 7.4 seconds.

“I think my model was successful as I made many different prototypes and tested them to see which one was best,” said Charlie. “The model that I ended up using reached the Young Scientist STANSW Paper Plane Competition qualification time of 6 seconds when I first tested it, so I just kept on adjusting it. Your throw is also very important. I would throw it hard and high to get the most out of the plane. Another small but effective tip is to curve up the back edges of the plane. This works very well because it helps the plane to glide and travel high instead of coming straight back down.”

Harmony Day Our Kindergarten students marked Harmony Day this year by drawing beautiful pictures of their families to represent inclusiveness, respect and belonging.

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This year, Languages Teachers, Mr Mikkelsen and Ms Furlong-Alexanderson have held a weekly Global Diversity Club, with students coming together to present on different topics close to their heart. This culminated in a video, in which staff and students were asked a series of questions. They all spoke openly and honestly about issues such as race, culture, identity, difference, acceptance, racism, exclusion and change. Encouraging our students to embrace difference is an important part of educating them as future citizens of the world.

If they are to challenge assumptions and cultivate the empathy and insight they will need to serve and shape their world, our students must develop their individual views in an open and respectful dialogue with people whose viewpoints, experiences, abilities and beliefs are different to their own.

Lest we forget

While in previous years, our Cadets have formed a catafalque in front of the stage at Wenona, before marching to the Cenotaph to lay the wreath. this year Wenona came together as a virtual community, commemorating ANZAC Day via Zoom. It might have been a different way of marking the day, but across the School community, we still paused to acknowledge the sacrifice and bravery of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who served their country in wars past and present, those who died, those who returned and those who endured. With the help of the History Department, Senior School students delivered an abridged history of ANZAC Day, reading well-known war poems and citing different ways that Australians supported the war effort, including the role that women played. Our Junior School leaders, Juliet, Lulu, Holly and Chloe put on an extremely informative and moving Assembly about how the ANZAC Day tradition started, ably assisted by Mr Pomfrett, and concluding with a stirring saxophone rendition of The Last Post. It was a heartfelt and moving reminder that the qualities for which we honour the Anzacs are present in our students today: courage, strength, grace and wisdom, and of course, the friendship, kindness and support they have for each other. Lest we forget.

A pathway forward Helping our young people to explore the range of pathways and options available to them beyond School and supporting them to build on their strengths and interests is something that our Director of Student Opportunity and Career Education, Ms Samantha McFetridge is passionate about. The School was delighted to learn that Ms McFetridge has been appointed as the Convenor for the inaugural AISNSW Careers Network Group.

Young writers excel

Congratulations to Jessica Ellis in Year 7 and Emma Baldwin in Year 8 who both won their age-categories in the Nan Manefield Young Writer Award, an annual writing prize overseen by Stanton Library and North Sydney Council. And congratulations also to Megan Vinalon in Year 7, whose story received a Highly Commended award in the Mosman Youth Awards in Literature, an annual prose and poetry competition that attracts budding poets and authors from primary and secondary schools across the State.

Reaching for the stars at NASA At the beginning of the summer holidays, when it was still possible to travel, Emily Fox-Smith, Emilia Schiller, Amelia Daunt and Grace Baric in Year 10, attended the Actura NASA Space Camp in Houston. It was a hands-on opportunity for the girls to immerse themselves in spacerelated technology and learn more about space exploration and the science behind it. They met with astronauts, learnt about zero gravity through scuba diving, and even met the astrophysicist who designs astronauts’ space suits. The girls also participated in the Challenge X program, where they were tasked to come up with a solution for the growing problem of space junk: the man-made objects, from dead satellites to errant nuts and bolts, that float around our planet putting our working satellites at risk. The NASA judges were so impressed with their presentation that they received an award for design innovation.

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An Architect’s View 1

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“ The Athenaeum began for TZG as a very exciting design competition brief; we were instantly intrigued by the complexity of the site and the building program. The site was urban and largely vertical, with an existing building to connect into, and the program was inspiring and evocative, with the education of young women and girls at its centre. Our aim was to create spaces that would bring joy to the students, using them and to celebrate the unique educational process that we hoped would be housed inside.

We believe the building is well organised, brings as much light as possible into the depths of the site and after some time, we hope the green landscape envelops the void spaces, making them into a tranquil refuge from the city and most of all, a successful environment to learn in.”

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Brett Boardman Photography

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Ms Lisa Bauer has been Head of PDHPE at Wenona since 2009. She was one of many staff and students who played an integral part in the consultation L4.10 TION P process for The Athenaeum.

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Both the PDHPE and Sport Departments wanted a space that would cater to the academic program, enabling us to put theory into practice, and meet the health and fitness needs of Wenona’s Sport program. For the PDHPE Department in particular, the space had L4to .28 accommodate the requirements of the Year 9 and 10 PASS course P F- PRE .11 RF2 and theL4Movement Science aspects of the HSC PDHPE curriculum. Along with the G N MEETI CPT Sport Department, I visited other schools in the local area to see how they were N L4.27 utilising their space, and to gain a better understanding of the technology and LATIO CIRCU equipment they’d incorporated. We also looked at commercial gyms to see what was RAL GENE N E feasible in a school setting.

GARD Initially, our blueprint for The Athenaeum had a 30-metre running track, complete with biomechanical analysis capabilities to optimise performance, as well as a 50-metre

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swimming pool. But of course, as in any building project, the space dictates what is possible. While we couldn’t have our running track, the space was perfect for a Cardio complete with spin bikes, treadmills and resistance-style training equipment, L4.15 EGym, ST. N RS 8 CLEA STAIR CTF and a space for Pilates, fitness classes and yoga. And while we didn’t have space for a 50-metre swimming pool, we were able to develop a state-of-the-art Water 15 Polo facility, as well as a Learn to Swim Pool, so we can share our STAIR facilities with local 3.60 m community groups. We also decided to incorporate the latest swimming technology so we can build up our Swimming program at Wenona.

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FO L4 H DEY I love the look and feel of The Athenaeum. The open spaces and the JUDITclear sight lines PC make it a welcoming space. You can really ‘see’ learning happening here, which is so motivating both as a teacher and as a student. It doesn’t ‘feel’ like a school building either. This alone brings a level of engagement and excitement to the classroom that is L4.23 W/C-F often difficult to achieve, which in turn, fosters a love of teaching and learning. I hope F CT The Athenaeum will inspire everyone at Wenona to value movement, so we all become lifelong participants in physical activity.

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The Olive Tree

If you’ve ever been to Athens and visited the Acropolis, you’ll know that standing next to the western wing of the Erechtheion is an olive tree. According to Greek mythology, Poseidon, God of the Sea, and Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Courage, held a competition here, vying for the hearts and minds of local citizens. Poseidon struck his trident on a rock and a salty spring burst forth symbolising power. Athena offered an olive tree, which the citizens deemed both beautiful and useful as a food source, a shade giver and a fuel provider. And so, they chose Athena as the patron deity of their city and accordingly, their city became known as Athens. Later, Plato founded his school, the Akademia on the outskirts of the city walls of ancient Athens beside a grove of olive trees dedicated to the Goddess Athena. It seemed only fitting therefore, that at the entrance of The Athenaeum, we planted an olive tree, a link back to ancient times and an enduring symbol of wisdom and courage.

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Due to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to organise an official opening for The Athenaeum. But in Week 1 of Term 3, Dr Scott and members of our Executive welcomed two small groups to the building, taking care to socially distance as much as possible. Director of Director of Foundation and Community Engagement, Mrs Sonia Brennan said, “We were delighted to be able to show a small group of WPA and Alumnae Executive through The Athenaeum this week. And we look forward to being able to show more parents through in the coming months. We are so grateful to the Wenona community for your generous support of this fantastic new building, which offers so many wonderful opportunities to our students. It was incredibly rewarding to see the joy and excitement on our students’ faces as they went through the building for the first time, and it has been fantastic to see our Year 12 students settling in and making great use of the space. Thank you all for your patience and support. We really couldn’t have done it without you.”

“ We are so grateful to the Wenona community for your generous support of this fantastic new building, which offers so many wonderful opportunities to our students.”

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Year 2 interview Dr Scott about The Athenaeum Creating a building from scratch is not as easy as it is on Minecraft, as Dr Scott can attest!

Our Year 2 students have been researching The Athenaeum as part of their Unit of Inquiry into ‘How We Organise Ourselves’. They took the opportunity to interview Dr Scott as part of their learning. And they didn’t shy away from asking her the tough questions either!

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Samantha, Caitlin and Alana: How did you come up with the design for The Athenaeum?

Well, I visited lots of schools around the world. I must say, I felt a little bit awkward taking sneaky pictures of the spaces I liked! But I also went online and looked at some incredible schools in Europe and Asia that I loved. Schools like The Green School in Bali, which is built in the middle of a tropical rainforest. I looked at theme parks like Disneyland - imagine a school that was like a theme park! And I also looked at beautiful hotels and asked myself why it is when you walk into the foyer, you think ‘this is so nice’? And finally, I asked lots of different people what kind of building they’d like, including students, teachers and parents, to name but a few.

Lyla, Zoe and Harriet: How long did it take to build The Athenaeum?

A long time. It took two years to design and over three years to build.

Ellie: Why did it take so long?

That’s a very good question. Well, as you know with your learning, things don’t always go to plan and you can’t always control things. For example, it rained before we’d got the roof on properly and everything got flooded. Then there were terrible winds so we couldn’t have the crane on site. And of course, we had to make lots of changes to the design. Things went wrong, but each time, we simply picked ourselves up and found a way to solve them, just like you do when you have

problems. I love ice cream so if things got really bad, I’d eat an ice cream and that always made me feel better.

your vision, but to also accept that you are going to have to compromise a lot.

And that’s okay.

Sophia: Did you build The Athenaeum all by yourself?

No, I didn’t. As in life, nearly everything is done by a team, and so it was with The Athenaeum. There were so many people involved in its design and construction. And anyway, I wouldn’t have been very good at building it. Every plant I own dies!

Ellie: How big is The Athenaeum?

It’s spread over six floors. But there’s also a secret floor underneath the swimming pool that only the Maintenance Team can access.

Kiran: How many people did it take to build The Athenaeum?

Well, there was a team of 10 managers. On any given day there were about 250 builders on site. There were project managers and there were a lot of staff from Wenona involved. At a rough guess, I’d say about 600 people.

Jessica: Did the original design change?

Yes, it did. A lot. We had to tweak things as we went along. We had to be openminded and flexible when things didn’t go to plan. I think every building is ultimately a compromise between the intentions of the architects, the capacities of builders and the needs of the people who are going to use the building. The trick is not to lose sight of

Emily, Audrey, Zoe: Why is The Athenaeum so big?

The School is growing so we needed more space to fit in more students.

Samantha, Issy and Caitlin: How did you decide what went on each floor?

Good question. In the end, the swimming pool made the decision. It was too heavy to put on the roof, so it was common sense to put it at the bottom of the building. So, we started with the swimming pool and went up from there.

Shae and Audrey: What’s your favourite part of The Athenaeum and why?

I love all the timber and the plants. We’re getting more plants too. I can’t wait for them to grow and flower. There’s a lot of research into the fact that plants make us

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“ I love all the timber and the plants...

I can’t wait for them to grow and flower. There’s a lot of research into the fact that plants make us feel happier and healthier.”

Dr Briony Scott, Principal

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feel happier and healthier. You know how alive you feel when you walk through the gardens and see all the beautiful flowers and trees, well that’s what I wanted for The Athenaeum. Having plants and greenery everywhere lifts our spirits and helps to bring the energy of the outdoors, indoors.

Kiran, Charlotte and Piper: Why is the West Commons only for Years 11 and 12?

Well you are lucky because you’ve got the Piazza at Woodstock. Years 11 and 12 needed a collaborative space too so they could do their own independent learning - a space to study, socialise, connect, cook and unwind. The West Commons has teaching, study and outdoor courtyard areas. It has breakout spaces and quiet areas.

And it has a kitchen, so if they stay back after School, they can prepare dinner and study. Lots of you will probably go to university one day, so when you get to this stage, you will appreciate why this space is important.

Chase: How is The Athenaeum futuristic?

Well, I’d probably say that it’s futuristic because we’ve incorporated a lot of sustainability principles into the architecture of The Athenaeum. For example, we’ve reduced our energy consumption by having sensors that automatically recognise when you enter a space, so you don’t need to worry about turning lights on and off. There are plants everywhere, which help to keep the building cool, and also improve the air quality by removing pollutants. And of course, we chose not to use chlorine in the pool. Instead, we used ozone bromine, which is more environmentally friendly.

Saffron and Natalie: Who made the decisions?

Well there was a whole team of people involved in The Athenaeum: the architects, the builders, the project manager and members of staff at Wenona. But ultimately, when

we couldn’t agree on something, I had to make the decision because as the Principal, it’s my job to make the final decisions. But even then, I always worked with the Wenona Board, to make the best decisions we could.

Audrey: Who decided to build a gym?

The Sports Team of course! They want us all to be come fitter and healthier, which is good thing, so they needed a new space for us all to use. I hope you are all coming across to use it too.

Piper: Why did you build a Food Tech kitchen?

Well, our students are becoming more interested in learning about health and nutrition and the science behind food. They are keen to learn how to cook healthy nutritious meals, so I’m really excited about this space.

Chase: Why is The Athenaeum so black and white?

Is it? I think you’re right! Some of the spaces are still a bit bare. But as I’ve said, we’re getting more plants. And we’re also going to put up some beautiful artwork in the Science spaces. People don’t always realise the connection between science and art, but I think both disciplines help us to understand and describe the world around us. Both artists and scientists strive to see the world in new ways, and to communicate that vision. So to answer your question, it’s a work in progress and will be more colourful soon.

Samantha and Jeana: What are you going to build next?

What do you think? Maybe a Junior School? I’d love any help you could give me to design it. Use your imagination! If you could have anything – a treehouse, a slippery dip, a vegetable garden, animals - what would you have and why?

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“The design and construction of The Athenaeum Pool caused us a lot of sleepless nights at times, but it was well worth it.”

Dr Briony Scott, Principal

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186,000 750,000 The competition pool is 25 metres long, 15.5 metres wide, and holds 750,000 litres of water

The learn to swim pool is 15.5 metres long, 10 metres wide, and holds 186,000 litres of water

With its stunning roofline and its state-of-the-art facilities - including underwater camera systems, ozone bromine chemicals for disinfection and quantum electronic timing system - the official opening of The Athenaeum Pool was hotly anticipated by both staff and students.

However, Government-mandated health and safety guidelines meant that The Athenaeum Pool could not be opened at the start of Term 3. So it was with great excitement that on Wednesday 26 August at 6:19pm precisely, the pool was officially opened by Principal, Dr Scott, Chair of the Board, Mr Gary Turner, and Chair of the Wenona Foundation, Mrs Marie Soghomonian. As soon as Mrs Soghomonian cut the navy blue ribbon, 19 of Wenona’s top Water Polo players dived into the pool for their first official ‘swim’.

The students then held a Water Polo exhibition match, with the teams captained

by Captain of Water Polo 2019/2020 Poppy (Year 12) and Captain of Water Polo

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5.5km

The Official Opening of the Athenaeum Pool

Senior Competitive squad: Distance session 5.5km+ (220 Laps). Sprint session 3km+ (120 Laps)

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100 Water polo games are held in the pool in the annual competitive season

2020/2021 Mia (Year 11). It was a closely fought contest that had guests on the edge of their seats, with Team Poppy narrowly winning the match 7 goals to 5.

Head Swimming Coach, Mr Michael Creighton then converted the pool into a competition swimming pool, complete with all the technology that has been an integral part of its design. What followed was a fabulous display by some of the School’s strongest swimmers, followed by the Mystery Medley Relay.

Girls were randomly allocated to teams, randomly allocated to strokes and randomly allocated the order in which they would compete. The event proved to be one of the most popular, and certainly the most vocal, of the night.

At the end of the night, everyone declared that The Athenaeum Pool had certainly been worth the wait. The School looks forward to developing it as a world class training and competition venue moving forward, and looks forward to sharing the facilities with local community groups in the future.

“ The celebration for the Athenaeum pool was such an exciting way to open up the pool for Water Polo and Swimming, and the atmosphere was amazing.”

“ It was such a great opportunity and privilege to be a part of the opening night for the new Wenona pool.”

Laura, Year 10

Amelia, Year 10

“ Last night was super fun as all the advanced technology that the pool has, created such an exciting atmosphere to be in.”

“ I loved the atmosphere and I think all the technological equipment worked very smoothly and it felt like SOPAC, but even better.”

Grace, Year 11 Captain of Swimming 2020/2021

Isabel, Year 6

“ I think it’s great that it can be effectively used as a Water Polo competition pool and now to be able to have the ability to be used for competition for Swimming with the timing system and blocks is amazing!”

“ I really enjoyed the opening night pool test event. I will definitely never forget that night. I am so excited to start to train in the new pool.”

Isabel, Year 6

Grace, Year 11 Captain of Swimming 2020/2021

“ The opening night was so exciting, and the new pool equipment was amazing for Water Polo and for the Swimming races. I can’t wait to start training in it.”

Laura, Year 10

“ It was really great to make use of all of the new equipment and technology, and I think it will benefit us a lot during training.”

Amelia, Year 10 41

CELEBRATING OUR ALUMNAE Our alumnae have the confidence and competence to lead at the highest level across all sectors of society, acting as strong and visionary role models for the next generation of students and helping to prepare them for a life of leadership and service in a rapidly changing world. As you will read in the following pages, our alumnae have gone on to conquer mountains, break glass ceilings and pioneer new frontiers, all underpinned by a commitment to Ut Prosim, that I may serve.

It is heartening to hear so many of them express deep appreciation for the lifelong relationships forged at School, often describing their experiences at Wenona as the most transformative of their lives.

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AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH In July 2019, Digital Marketing Manager Meg Draffin became the first Australian with Cystic Fibrosis to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 5,989 metres, is the highest peak in Africa. In the process, Meg raised more than $54,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Clinic at Westmead’s Children’s Hospital.

MEG DRAFFIN (2012PY) Africa has always been on my bucket list. And climbing Mount Kilimanjaro looked like the adventure of a lifetime. Only a handful of people with CF have successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro and none of them were Australian. I was the fittest I’d ever been, so I decided I had as much chance as anyone else of being successful. Also, when I’ve set my sights on something, I won’t give up until I accomplish it. Once my doctors gave me the greenlight, I trained every day for a year.

Living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a lifelong commitment because there’s still no cure.

Often people don’t understand what it means to live with CF because it’s an invisible illness. I spend up to 2.5 hours every day managing it on top of working full time so, as you can imagine, it takes some juggling! Every day, I manage medication, physiotherapy, nebulisers, antibiotics, physical exercise, hospital visits and doctor’s appointments.

However, I lead a healthy and active lifestyle, which allows me to manage my CF and live a relatively ‘normal’ daily life. Unfortunately, not everyone with CF is in the same position. Currently the life expectancy for people with CF is about 40 years old. Many people are in and out of hospital or face the possibility of a lung transplant.

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“ Living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a lifelong commitment because there’s still no cure.

Often people don’t understand what it means to live with CF because it’s an invisible illness.”

I’ve always been active; at Wenona I tried every sport possible. My partner Nathan and I often spend our weekends hiking, but neither of us had any climbing experience. I was already exercising five times a week, but I developed a rigorous training schedule, exercising six to seven times a week with a mixture of personal training, running, Pilates, swimming, long walks, weight training and cardio. A few months before I left for Africa, I also started altitude training at a gym that was able to replicate the oxygen levels on Mount Kilimanjaro. This training helped me prepare my body for acclimatisation as best I could. Due to CF, I have limited lung function, so I had to make sure what I had worked as well as possible.

I was torn about whether to go public with my story and do it as a fundraiser or just complete it privately with Nathan. Since Wenona, I hadn’t really told anyone that I had CF. It was my Dad who convinced me to do it as a fundraiser. He told me what I was doing was extraordinary and would change the lives of so many children with CF. And he was right! I realised that my close friends, family and partner already knew I had CF, so what did it matter if the rest of the world knew too. It doesn’t define me, and I have nothing to be ashamed of. If telling my story could help raise even $1,000 for CF I’d be crazy not to do it. I never imagined I would end up raising over $54,000!

I attended the CF Clinic at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead from when I was diagnosed at 6 weeks old until I was 18, so I have experienced the world class care the team deliver to children with CF first hand. I want young children with CF to have access to the best equipment, medication and treatment available, so they can be as healthy and as self-sufficient as possible when they enter the adult system.

My biggest fear beforehand was of letting everyone down, particularly as the whole world was watching. Literally! We had a Channel 7 camera man and presenter accompanying us as they were featuring our story on their Sunday Night programme. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone if I wasn’t successful. I’m very determined so I knew I wasn’t going to give up, but if you become unwell, injured or are badly affected by the altitude, your guide will send you down the mountain. This was my biggest fear.

Luckily it didn’t happen!

When we touched down in Tanzania, we were greeted by a Masai tribal dance on the airport tarmac. It was so touching and such an amazing welcome to their country.

The few days before we departed for the climb I was lucky enough to experience the markets, meet some of the locals and enjoy the atmosphere which was really amazing.

Our guide and porters were all Tanzanian and were the kindest, most wonderful people.

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It took seven days to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The first five days were spent trekking up the mountain through changing environments. We started in a rainforest and finished in the snow! The further up the mountain we went, the colder and harsher the conditions became. At the top, it was around minus 15 degrees, so we needed Arctic gear!

We were all able to acclimatise and manage the limited oxygen and I think it’s because we were slow and kept a steady pace. As they say, slow and steady wins the race!

My chest and lungs hurt all the time. The best way to describe it was like wearing a corset that just kept getting tighter. Obviously due to my CF, my lungs were struggling to adapt to the lack of oxygen so had to work double time. Often at times, I couldn’t speak as I didn’t have the capacity to walk and talk at the same time, so I used hand signals to communicate to my partner and rest of the group. This was by far the biggest challenge I faced and there was nothing I could do to fix it.

The sixth day was by far the longest and most challenging. We woke up at 11pm to start the trek to the summit, which we didn’t reach until 6.30am. You spend so many days just hiking with no end in sight, so you start to picture what the view will look like when you reach the summit. It didn’t disappoint! I literally felt on top of the world and experienced the most breathtaking sunrise from the top of Africa that I will never forget. When I touched the sign at the top, I was overcome with emotion…we all were.

I was so proud that I didn’t give up and that despite the odds, I’d achieved something not many others have.

We had to climb back down three quarters of the mountain in the same day, so it ended up being a 16-hour day. Luckily, the last day was only a couple of hours of walking in the morning before reaching base and a celebration lunch was waiting! After the climb, we went on safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, which was amazing. We also spent a few days in Zanzibar, which is a tropical paradise.

Preparing for the climb had been a huge part of my life for over a year so when it was all over, I felt a little lost about what to do ‘next’. However, I soon realised I should be excited about the future because I know I can achieve so much more. So instead of feeling ‘low’ I changed my perspective to think of all the amazing things to come and what else I can do to raise awareness for CF and help those less fortunate than me. Whilst I may not be able to travel at the moment, due to COVID-19, I am focusing on my career and challenging myself at work, continuing to raise awareness for CF and advocating for those who can’t.

When the world returns to ‘normal’ or a new normal, I will continue to live a life of adventure. There’s so much I want to see and do. If CF has taught me anything it’s to not take life for granted because one day you might not have the opportunity to do the things you want. I want to live a life I am proud of and create memories to look back on. A few things I want to achieve include the Oxfam walk, Everest basecamp and Machu Picchu.

I’ve always loved adventure – I’ve bungy jumped three times, skydived and I was one of the first in the world to do the catapult bungy swing in New Zealand. You can always count on me to do any adrenaline-based activity, which is why I love working for Red Balloon, a company that sells experiences!

Although 2020 has been challenging, it’s also given the world a taste of what it’s like to live with CF. I’ve always had to be diligent with my hygiene due to the risk of catching infections from others. So, having to social distance or self-isolate hasn’t been as hard for me as it has for others my age. It has been tough not being able to see family and friends regularly. My partner, Nathan works in Hobart, so we’ve had to have a long-distance relationship during this pandemic.

I had such a positive experience at Wenona. I will forever be grateful that I met some of my best friends there. These women are some of the kindest and hard-working people I know.

Wenona taught me to be diligent and organised. My friends and family always say they’ve never met anyone more organised than me. It’s something I perfected at Wenona and will continue to practice for the rest of my life.

If I had any advice for current students at Wenona, it’s that life will always throw speedbumps at you but it’s the way you face adversity that helps you to grow.

My top tips would be: • Remember everyone faces challenges so be compassionate and never judge a book by its cover! Take each day as it comes and focus on the things you can control today.

• Surround yourself with positive people. You are never alone in this world - you are surrounded by your peers, teachers and family who are there to support and guide you as well.

• And keep a positive mindset, believe in your capabilities and never give up.

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A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE EMILY SCOTT (2009PY)

An outstanding sportswoman and student, Emily is a passionate advocate for the LGBTIQ community and works tirelessly to raise awareness about mental health issues.

Not everyone can say their entire school has sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to them, but Emily Scott can! “I remember it was Prize Giving Day on my 18th birthday, and I got such a surprise when everyone started singing!” The joy Emily felt that day characterises her years at Wenona.

“I absolutely loved it. I was involved in everything. I represented Australia at the World Junior Water Polo Championships in Russia during my trials and I was Dux of Year 12. I felt included, I belonged, and it was my favourite place to be.”

Earning a scholarship to study at the University of Sydney, Emily enrolled in dual Law and Science degrees. Whilst at university, signs of her deteriorating mental health emerged.

“I was oblivious to mental illness at School. I saw it as a weakness, a flaw. I was strong and successful, it wouldn’t happen to me.” Struggling with anxiety, depression and an eating disorder, Emily took a break from her studies to focus on her recovery.

During this time, Emily came out to her family and friends. “This was difficult, as I was working on my mental health, but my friends, particularly my Wenona friends, and family were so incredibly supportive and made the whole process easy.”

Emily celebrated her recovery and her return to university by swimming 10 kilometres from Bondi to Watsons Bay to raise money for mental health organisation, Batyr. “I then joined Batyr as a public speaker and shared my story of mental illness to dozens of high schools in New South Wales and Queensland to help give a voice to the elephant in the room.”

True to the spirit of Wenona, Emily has a tireless energy for giving back. Over the past couple of years, Emily has balanced her role as a management consultant at Nous Group with being volunteer Chief Executive Officer of not-for-profit mentoring organisation, Out for Australia. “We provide support for aspiring professionals so they can be their authentic self in the workplace.”

Emily is also a talented water polo player and helped the Sydney Stingers - a predominantly gay men’s water polo club – to set up their first women’s team. “In 2018, I travelled to Paris to play at the World Gay Games; it was an incredible experience.” Emily is also Executive Director for the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Association. “I was recently awarded an Australian Financial Review ‘100 Women of Influence’ award for my contribution to the LGBTIQ community and mental health awareness.”

Emily has remained connected to Wenona, coaching water polo after she left, with close friend Hannah Buckling (2009py). Emily travelled to Rio de Janeiro to support Hannah at the 2016 Olympics. She remains close to her Wenona friends and enjoys their Book Club get-togethers.

“I’m also friends with a great network of LGBTIQ Wenonians from different year groups.”

With more than a decade of life experience since leaving Wenona, Emily reflects on the advice she would give her younger self. “I know from my own journey, and that of my peers, that there are 30 different ways to get somewhere in life. Don’t get hung up on the ‘right’ way. Trust that you will end up exactly where you want to be and enjoy the route along the way.”

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IMPROVING YOUNG LIVES ANNA BOWDEN (1984PY)

Anna Bowden’s career has focused on effecting change for children and families in regional and remote communities. As the Head of Philanthropy, Corporate and Community Partnerships for Royal Far West, her work supports children and their families at times when they need it most. Now is clearly one of those times.

Born in India before relocating to Australia at a young age, Anna remembers her initial dream was to be a foreign correspondent. “My father worked in international development and travelled all over the world. I have always had an interest in the world around me.”

The appeal of community engagement was highlighted during Anna’s schooling at Wenona.

“We were always encouraged to fundraise for the Red Cross and participate in the 40 Hour Famine. I remember a former Wenonian speaking to us about the work she was doing in Africa. This made a big impression on me. There was always a sense at Wenona that there were no limitations, no boundaries around what you could and couldn’t do.”

After enrolling in a Commerce degree at UNSW and deciding it wasn’t for her, Anna spent time travelling before returning home to study Marketing at UTS. “My first job was setting up a hospitality network in regional NSW for government-run apprenticeships. This took the cost burden away from restaurants and meant the creation of many jobs.” Anna went on to work with Planet Ark Environmental Foundation, working on impact projects with businesses such as establishing the first paper recycling plant in Australia. “I am genuinely interested in the environment in a behavioural sense. I enjoy partnering and being at the coal face.”

Anna’s passion for creating social change was actioned during her time with the Nangala Project, local programs created with Indigenous communities aimed at shifting disadvantage. Anna’s current role as Head of Philanthropy, Corporate and Community Partnerships with Royal Far West (RFW) involves creating long-term partnerships to fund healthcare programs for rural and remote children. “We have 85 allied health professionals, including psychologists, paediatricians and speech and language experts who support children in their holistic care.”

The current COVID environment is posing challenges for Anna. “It is hard to get people’s attention at the moment, and we may not have felt all of the pain yet. The need at RFW has never been greater. Rural communities have been through so much, and this is having a destabilising effect.”

Anna encourages current Wenonians to embrace opportunities to make a difference.

“Be curious. Listen and learn. Don’t judge. We are not here to save the world, but to work alongside people and support them. Learn about what is happening in the world.

Have opinions. Read widely. You are in a position to effect change and have the power to make real shifts for people in the community.”

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SUPPORTING THE ARMENIAN CHILDREN’S FUND SARINE SOGHOMONIAN (2017PY)

Sarine Soghomonian’s commitment to service started at Wenona, where she was a House Captain, Performing Arts Prefect, Drama Captain and a member of Debating and Sport teams. But her greatest joy was the opportunities she was given at Wenona to make a difference.

Service underpins all facets of life at Wenona and in her role as House Captain of School House, Sarine was responsible for introducing a service initiative. With the blessing of Head of School House, Dr Diane Langan, Sarine was able to support a cause very close to her heart, the Soghomonian family’s foundation: the Armenian Children’s Fund. “Wenona provided me with the opportunity to contribute by being myself. As an Armenian-Australian, I could bring my two worlds together, share my culture and fundraise. In the five years since I graduated in 2017, Wenona has still contributed to the fund each year. I am incredibly grateful for this as I’ve seen the significant impact it has had on impoverished children living in Armenia.”

An energetic, enthusiastic and impassioned young woman, Sarine has lent her talents to many non-government organisations (NGOs) since she left School. Assisting her mother Marie (Seferian, 1992), who is also Chair of the Wenona Foundation, with social media campaigns and trips to Armenia on behalf of the fund, Sarine is committed to supporting the 50,000-strong Armenian community in Australia. “I am currently employed in public affairs for the Armenian National Committee. We are a grassroots organisation, lobbying state and federal governments on community issues

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and raising awareness and education.” Sarine is also an Executive Member of the Armenian Youth Foundation, volunteering her time to undertake political advocacy, home affairs assistance and community support.

Sarine’s passions and interests led her to enrol in a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics: International Relations and Affairs at UNSW. “It is so fantastic; it moulds everything I am interested in together. It is a logical foundation for big ideas.”

When she finishes her degree next year, Sarine hopes to continue her work in the NGO space, with policy work and think tanks for the United Nations, Amnesty International or Freedom House. “Last year I organised a leadership weekend for 150 children for the UN. I set the theme: Putting Gender on the Agenda. My time at Wenona ensured I am an advocate for gender equality and women’s rights.”

When asked about advice she would give to young Wenonians, Sarine says, “Use the opportunities you have when you are at School. Gain knowledge, tools and experience so you know where to apply them when you leave. That way, you can go and change whatever it is you would like to change.”

FROM WENONA TO WASHINGTON HOLLY MCDONALD

(2017PY)

Holly McDonald had no idea that her interests and studies at Wenona would lead her to Capitol Hill in Washington. But looking back, she can see that Wenona opened her eyes to service to issues like service to the community, female empowerment and feminism in a way that she didn’t realise at the time.

When Holly was at Wenona, she followed her passions, joining the Amnesty International and Gender Equity Clubs, the Politics Society and the Environment Group. Her service contributions included knitting for Wrap with Love, preparing meals for a community kitchen and participating in the 40 Hour Famine. “I am very lucky to have gone to Wenona. It encouraged me to be outward-looking and think about where I can do some good.”

With friend and fellow Wenonian, Sarine Soghomonian (2017py), Holly volunteered for UN Youth for two years. “A highlight was the diplomacy and negotiations competition we organised.” Currently completing a dual degree in Arts and Law at the University of Sydney, Holly is due to finish in 2023.

From January to March this year, Holly completed an internship with a Member of Congress in the House of Representatives in Washington DC, USA, and studied at the University of California’s Washington Center. “The program accepts 25 students from the University of Sydney each year. As I am studying politics and international relations, I was placed with a Member of Congress who sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee.”

Preparing briefs and sitting in on hearings, Holly was able to experience politics in action. “My highlight was attending hearings

and writing briefs on policy directions committee members and witnesses recommended. The most interesting was the hearing after the Iranian General was killed earlier this year.”

Holly was fortunate to meet author and historian Dr Deborah Lipstadt at a Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing into Anti-Semitism in Europe. “After she testified, I introduced myself to her, explaining we had learned about her at Wenona. I emailed my History teacher, Ms Poole, straightaway!” Holly was also there during President Trump’s impeachment trial and was lucky to see eminent politicians such Nancy Pelosi and security advisers for former Presidents Bush and Obama.

Now home in Australia, Holly is Prep Supervisor for Wenona’s Middle School and is enjoying being back at School. For the past year, Holly has also worked at a Think Tank, conducting research on domestic politics and policy.

Holly’s advice to young Wenonians is not to be too rigid with their career plans. “When I was at School, I thought I had to know everything and needed a five-year plan. University opened my eyes to the range of fields I can work in – there are jobs I didn’t even know existed. I now find it liberating not to have a plan. Have dreams, a vision and direction, but don’t stress over the detail.”

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A MODERN-DAY CLIMATE ACTIVIST MADDY SATTERTHWAITE (2016PY)

There’s no doubt that young people are driving action on climate change, so it’s been inspiring for our students to learn how collaboration, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking can drive positive change. Maddy Satterthwaite explains how her ‘passion project’ UCarryIt is helping students to take meaningful environmental action.

When I joined Wenona in Year 7, I became part of a community underpinned by the School motto, Ut Prosim, that l may serve. At Wenona, students are encouraged to be of service to others, whether it is fundraising for charity or simply opening a door for someone. As a House Captain and a Prefect, I took my responsibility to Ut Prosim seriously and found it rewarding to make a positive difference.

I chose to study HSC Earth and Environmental Science and was lucky to be taught by the passionate Mr Kirkwood, who engaged our class in captivating conversations about climate change. I soon learnt that Australia has one of the highest carbon footprints in the world and among the worst climate change policies. This kickstarted my determination to help safeguard the future of our planet.

My background (and my passion) is in design. l love to work creatively to produce innovative, customer-led solutions. For most of the week, l work as a UX and Service Designer at the Service Design Consultancy, Proto Partners. I devote the rest of my time to my passion project, UCarryit, where l work as a Lead Designer. UCarryit enables me to be a climate activist, while educating young people about climate change. Both roles enable me to learn and grow continuously, which l love.

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The Algae Bioreactor Kit is one of many tools UCarryit is developing to help young people to become leaders in climate change. It enables students to learn about STEM and emerging sustainable technology in a way that is fun and interesting. I’m proud that it was students at Wenona who first piloted the tool, empowering them to become leaders in sustained climate action. Since then, we’ve also engaged with The Kings School and Sydney Girls, with many more schools eager to get involved.

It’s only natural for young people to look to the future and think about the sort of world we’ll inherit. We’ve experienced the bushfires of 2019/20, which came on the back of a devastating drought. We’ve watched as our corals turn white and more than half of the world’s rainforests are cleared. And that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, which, as we know, is melting. These issues are confronting, so it’s understandable that young people might feel powerless when it comes to climate change. But UCarryit provides tools for students to make meaningful change in a way that is fun, interesting and optimistic. It was heartening to see the enthusiasm of Wenona’s Year 9 Science students when they were given Algae Bioreactor Kits to work with in Term 3. Young people are keen to engage with issues surrounding climate change, but in a way that sparks hope.

“ At Wenona, students are encouraged to be of service to others, whether it is fundraising for charity or simply opening a door for someone. As a House Captain and a Prefect, I took my responsibility to Ut Prosim seriously and found it rewarding to make a positive difference.”

UCarryIt UCarryIt is a start-up that utilises the climate-positive qualities of algae to drive positive change. It has been funded by a grant from the UTS Green Biotech Hub and is named after a type of algae called ‘eukaryote’. UCarryIt run workshops with school-aged students, using games and challenges to educate them about algae’s eco credentials, and show them how and where to discover algae. By providing students with a fun, educational experience, UCarryIt hopes to inspire citizen scientists to contribute to scientific research and the development of sustainable industries.

Why Algae?

• Most of the world’s oxygen comes from algae • It’s a crop with minimal needs and can thrive even in the most inhospitable of environments

As an organisation, we’d love Australians schools to be at the centre of sustained climate action in their communities. We are yet to decide if UCarryit will expand outside Australia - that would be amazing - but right now, we are trying to make it work in our own backyard. UCarryit’s goal is to disrupt complacency and provoke sustained activism and action by empowering young people to contribute to their future.

I see myself as a modern-day climate activist, with UCarryit keeping me fully involved in action. I want young people to understand that they can play an active role in their future and be part of change right now. If students want to lead climate action, they need to be able to engage with their friends, family and communities in a way that is not antagonistic. They must build a healthy culture of engagement around these issues. By joining climate action groups in their schools, communities or online, young people can become more informed. While it’s important for young people to learn about the hard truths, they must also feel optimistic about the possibilities for change.

• It grows on non-productive and non-arable land, so it doesn’t compete with other crops for space • It doesn’t require fresh water, so it can be grown in the ocean, avoiding the need for intensive water usage and wasteful fertiliser run-off • Some strains of algae have remarkable nutrients, so it has enormous potential to solve food security issues • Algae can absorb carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen via photosynthesis so it could be an environmentally friendly way of making clothes • Scientists are exploring using algae as an alternative to commercial sunscreens, which can be poisonous to marine life and coral • By adding algae to the feed of livestock, it can help to prevent gut bacteria, thus reducing methane emissions, which are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions

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A LIFE OF SERVICE VICKI SCHRAMKO (EDWARDS, 1962)

Vicki Schramko has spent much of her life working for the benefit of others, driven by a deep commitment to service that was forged during her schooldays at Wenona.

Vicki Schramko has wonderful memories of her years at Wenona in the mid 1950s and early 1960s, under the auspices of then Headmistress, Miss Ralston. “I had a lovely rapport with Miss Ralston. I adored her and was very close to her. I made sure I walked alongside her each term when we attended St Thomas’ for service. She once asked me if my mother threw her tea leaves in the sink or in the garden!”

Miss Ralston encouraged her students to have an interest in cultures and ethnicities outside their own and to articulate their views and opinions. “We didn’t have computers or opportunities to travel, but Miss Ralston was always interested in cultures from all over the world. We researched in the Mitchell Library and presented our talks at assembly. She trained us well in the art of public speaking, which I still use to this day.”

Vicki was also very close to Maths and English teacher (and later Headmistress) Miss Frances Mills, visiting her right up until she died in 1992, aged 93 years. “I was then Director of Voluntary Services for the Red Cross and I would call in on her on my way home. We would share a glass of sherry and a tiny packet of potato chips! She was a wonderful woman. On Mothers’ Day, I would take her a tray of goodies. She’d say, ‘I am not a mother!’ But I’d say to her that she has been a mother to so many Wenonians.”

Vicki credits Wenona with instilling in her a lifelong dedication to service. “I was a member of the Red Cross Club at Wenona in 1955. There are photos of me in 1959 presenting Princess Alexandra, Royal Patron of Junior Red Cross, with an album made

by Wenona girls.”

Vicki went on to base her career around giving back and providing equality of opportunity, working for the Australian Red Cross Society and later for the Smith Family, where she launched the ‘Learning for Life’ program for disadvantaged kids.

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When her husband became unwell, Vicki realised she needed additional income.

“I went to university at night and completed a four-year course in Community Organisation Management. I graduated as a grandmother!”

Now retired and living on the Central Coast, Vicki continues to give back through her involvement with Specialist Mental Health Services for Older People in their Peer Support Program, which is the first of its kind in Australia. She is also a sought-after funeral celebrant. “I celebrate people’s lives with sensitivity. I like speaking to family and friends to understand their loved one’s stories.”

At the start of the global pandemic, Wenona’s Director of Foundation and Community Engagement, Mrs Sonia Brennan called Vicki on behalf of Dr Scott and the School, to see how she was and if there was anything she needed. Vicki spoke about her work with the older people in the Peer Support Program. Within days, Vicki received eight handmade blankets that had been crafted by the students in the Wenona Knitting Club. “They were beautiful and provided light and warmth to those suffering depression and isolation. I was absolutely thrilled.”

Vicki credits Wenona with instilling in her a lifelong dedication to service. “I was a member of the Red Cross Club at Wenona in 1955. There are photos of me in 1959 presenting Princess Alexandra, Royal Patron of Junior Red Cross, with an album made by Wenona girls.”

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A WOMAN WITH BYTE KATE BURLEIGH (1986)

During her time at Wenona, Kate’s focus was on humanities. “I studied Art and History as electives - I enjoyed being creative,” says Kate. As part of her Duke of Edinburgh service, Kate worked in the School Archives.

“I loved seeing pictures of the old uniforms and the new generations coming through.”

Enrolling in an Arts degree at the University of Sydney, Kate majored in Political Science before launching her career in the not-for-profit sector, working in publicity for the Spastic Centre of NSW and the Red Cross. “They were formative years for me.

When you are young, you want to save the world. I was thrown in at the deep end in a very under-resourced area. I was given amazing opportunities to run fundraising campaigns and become a spokesperson for those organisations.”

Kate’s next career move was her stepping-stone into the world of technology, managing publicity for Dick Smith. Studying her Master of Business and Marketing at UTS concurrently, Kate found herself immersed in the rapidly growing personal computer market. “I ran the Computer Club. Home computers were a new and expensive investment. I converted the ‘tech-speak’ into plain English, so people could get the most out of them. It was a melding of technology and humanities.”

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This passion for technology opened Kate’s eyes to new career possibilities, and led her to multinational technology company, Intel, where she started out in PR. “It was exciting. Computers were becoming thinner, lighter and more powerful. I got in early on the wave.” Kate’s long tenure at Intel saw her talents recognised when she became the first woman to run Intel in Australia.

Kate is now at the forefront of visionary technology as Country Manager for Amazon Alexa. Alexa is a ‘virtual assistant’ who can switch on the lights, turn on the coffee machine, advise the weather forecast, and compile the shopping list just by asking her. “Voice technology makes sense. One of the first things we learn to do is talk. It is the most natural human interface.” Kate is passionate about the consumerisation of IT. “Alexa is ambient computing. Our goal is for Alexa to be there to help you when you need it and fade into the background when you do not.”

Representative of the Wenonian service ethos, Kate serves on the Board of Directors for Camp Quality, an organisation providing support programs for children and families impacted by cancer. “This has a personal context for me my parents were always supportive of Camp Quality through their Rotary Club connections.”

“Representative of the Wenonian service ethos, Kate serves on the Board of Directors for Camp Quality, an organisation providing support programs for children and families impacted by cancer.”

Kate has enjoyed reconnecting with Wenona through her daughters. With one daughter graduating in 2017, and another currently in Year 12, Kate reflects on the evolution of career options since she was at School. “We have a shortage of digital graduates in Australia. It is good to see more women coming through. Careers in technology typically call for computer science, but increasingly there is more room for product and design teams to include staff with high levels of proficiency in humanities. Ultimately, good technological invention should seek to make the world a better place.”

Left: Kate Burleigh doing her Duke of Edinburgh Award (Back row, second from right). Right: Kate Burleigh during her time at Wenona (Bottom right)

55

A FINE MIND THE HON. DR ANNABELLE BENNETT AC SC (DARIN, 1967)

Former Judge of the Federal Court, Barrister, Arbitrator and Chancellor of Bond University, The Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC is currently serving as a Commissioner for the Bushfires Royal Commission in Canberra.

With a register of accomplishments that could appropriate a myriad of lifetimes, Annabelle Bennett personifies the Wenonian ethos of Ut Prosim: That I May Serve.

Passionate, astute and insightful, Annabelle has embraced the opportunities presented to her and seized life with both hands.

Commencing her schooling at Wenona at the young age of four, Annabelle has endearing memories of Headmistress Miss Edith Ralston. “She was a wonderful woman, formidable, but kind. She knew every single girl in the School, and she valued being a good citizen.”

English teacher Miss Mills also left an indelible impression on Annabelle. “Miss Mills introduced daily ‘thoughts to remember’ in a moral context - often a bible reading.

She wanted to instil a moral compass in us all.” Annabelle crossed paths with Principal Barbara Jackson for a brief period towards the end of her schooling at Wenona, but was impressed that Miss Jackson remembered her years later at a chance meeting in Double Bay. Miss Donnelly was also an inspirational teacher for Annabelle, believing ‘all women can do Maths!’ Similarly, Mr Parker assumed the girls were all interested in Science.

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With a flair for academia, Annabelle finished first in her class every year, with the exception of third grade when she finished second. Annabelle was awarded Dux of Fifth Form, her final year at Wenona. Annabelle recalls the prize-giving ceremonies at Town Hall. “We wore white dresses and had to line up in height order. I have always been short, so I was always at the very end of the line with the younger children!”

Prior to commencing Sixth Form, Annabelle was encouraged to sit the matriculation exam for early entry to university. In just six short weeks from Christmas in 1967 until the end of January 1968, Annabelle studied the English, History, Mathematics and French syllabi in order to pass the exam. “We had outstanding teachers. I met with Mr Parker for Maths and Miss Brown for English once per week and they got me through. I got a Commonwealth Scholarship and I was in.” After completing just two weeks of Sixth Form, Annabelle was off to university.

Following the completion of degrees in Science and in Law, Annabelle’s remarkable career as a Barrister and Arbitrator encompasses positions including Chair of the ANSTO Board, Director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Panel Member for International Cricket Council Disputes and Arbitrator with the Court of Arbitration

“With a register of accomplishments that could appropriate a myriad of lifetimes, Annabelle Bennett personifies the Wenonian ethos of Ut Prosim: That I May Serve. Passionate, astute and insightful, Annabelle has embraced the opportunities presented to her and seized life with both hands.”

for Sport, Member (and former President) of Chief Executive Women, as well as Chancellor of Bond University, to name but a few. “I tend to say ‘yes’ and take on a lot! I am very lucky. I meet some amazing people.”

Stepping down as a Judge of the Federal Court in 2016 after 13 years, Annabelle is currently serving as a Commissioner for the Bushfires Royal Commission. “I went and saw for myself the extent of the devastation. You just can’t comprehend it until you see it.”

For Annabelle, the family bond runs deep, as she and her husband, their three children and five grandchildren all live in the same street! “I am extremely proud of my children they are wonderful, successful people. They have seen hard work. I wasn’t a ‘milk and cookies’ mother. I was fortunate, I had a very supportive husband and a lot of help.”

Annabelle reflects on her erudite past, offering this prudent advice to current students at Wenona. “Follow your passions. Take it on. You will regret it if you don’t. Keep your mind open. There is true diversity at Wenona. School doesn’t take up that many years of your life, but the impact is profound.”

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A PARTICULAR WOMAN THE HON. ASHLEY DAWSON-DAMER (MANN, 1962)

Ashley Dawson-Damer reflects on her years at Wenona and all that has transpired in her life since leaving the School. From pushing through glass ceilings, saying ‘no’ to Prime Ministers and surmounting the depths of grief and loss, to the joys and paradoxes of motherhood, championing art exhibitions and penning her memoir, Ashley has amassed plenty of life experience.

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“ To break through the glass ceiling, you need to be as tough as the men, and leave personal issues behind.”

Ashley holds much affection for her teachers at Wenona in the late 1950s. “Mr Lambeth taught Geology. I still have my Leaving Certificate practical book! I had a deep love of English and Mrs Newsom was a wonderful teacher. She introduced the home-reading prize. My friends said, ‘You will win that, Ashley!’ I did win - it was a set of Jane Austen novels.”

Marriage to her second husband, English aristocrat, The Hon John Dawson-Damer, finally brought happiness in his historic country home. She credits her husband with setting her on her future career path of fundraising and the Arts. “John encouraged me to do research into the Arts. I did Christie’s and Sotheby’s courses and a Decorative Arts course in Sydney.

I also gave lectures on French history.’

For Ashley, it was Miss Mills who had the greatest impact on her. “She was a slim, elegant woman and she was always interested in me. She used to say, ‘You are Prefect material, Ashley.’ My best friend Robyn and I challenged authority too much for that! Miss Mills had such a heart. I kept in contact with her. I saw her at a School reunion when I was 36 years old, and she said to me, ‘My dear, what has been happening?’ I said to her, ‘I went to Africa and lost a baby. I came back to Australia and lost another baby, but it’s okay, I have adopted two babies. Then, six months ago, my husband left me.’ She said, ‘Oh Ashley, dear!’”

Tragically, her husband John was killed in his Lotus Formula One car at Goodwood in England in 2000.

After leaving Wenona, Ashley became one of very few women to obtain an Economics degree from the University of Sydney. “My mother had an insurance premium of $600 which got me to university, and I had a part-time job at WD & HO Wills doing research. I was good at maths and statistics.”

Ashley spent much of her early married life living abroad, spending time in Canada, the Philippines, Singapore, Nigeria and Argentina. It was during those years she suffered multiple premature births, leaving her heartbroken. After harnessing her determined stoicism and inner fortitude, Ashley found happiness again, through the adoption of her two children, Piers and Adelicia. After the breakdown of her marriage, and as a newly single mother, Ashley began modelling in order to support them. For two years, she appeared in numerous advertisements in print and on television playing a “squeaky clean” mum.

In the 20 years since his death, Ashley has served on numerous boards: Australiana Fund, Museum of Sydney Foundation, National Institute of Dramatic Art, National Gallery of Australia (NGA) Council and NGA Foundation, National Art School, Sydney Festival, and currently Opera Australia Capital Fund, Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW and UTS Foundation Board.

Ashley is undaunted by the resistance towards women being appointed to boards, serving with dignity and dexterity. “To break through the glass ceiling, you need to be as tough as the men, and leave personal issues behind.”

Generous of heart and spirit, Ashley is a regular benefactor to a range of cultural institutions, as well as raising funds herself for charities and art exhibitions. “People feel emptiness without art and culture. We have just finished the judging of the Archibald Prize. I love being involved.”

Ashley’s honest and impassioned memoir, A Particular Woman, was published earlier this year. It tells her very personal story with authenticity and sensitivity. “I had support for writing my book. I believed it would be accepted and would dispel the mystique I had created.

I said to (former Prime Minister) John Howard, ‘You are in my book. Are you okay with that?’

He said to me, ‘Ashley, it can’t be more than 87,000 words. After that, people lose interest!’”

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RIO TINTO GRADUATE PROGRAM KIAH HODGKINSON (2014PY)

Kiah Hodgkinson had no idea what she wanted to do when she left Wenona in 2014. “I was studying 4 Unit Maths, Physics and Chemistry.

Mum suggested Engineering, but, as a teenager, I wanted to do exactly the opposite of what my parents told me!” Fortunately, Kiah followed her mum’s advice and the rest is history.

Whilst studying dual degrees in Engineering and Project Management at the University of Sydney, Kiah worked as a Contracts Administrator for national building and refurbishment firm, Intrec. After completing her degrees last year, Kiah started the application process for the graduate program at global mining giant, Rio Tinto. “I had several rounds of personality and knowledge testing and then I was flown to Perth for an interview. It was really exciting.”

Kiah was selected for the program and relocated to Perth at the beginning of the year. “I was the only civil engineer in the graduate pool this year. Most of the engineers are mining, chemical, mechanical or data science.”

Reflecting on gender equality in her profession, Kiah credits her thesis, Women in Engineering, with offering an insight into the imbalance. “I surveyed students from a number of schools who were all studying 3 Unit Maths, which is a pre-requisite for Engineering. Looking at HSC statistics, there are far fewer females studying 3 and 4 Unit Maths. The difference was significant.”

Kiah also looked at NAPLAN and the results were astounding. “Looking at the mean

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and top performers proportion, it was observed that over the last 11 years, for all age groups (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9), the male mean has been higher than the female mean on all 44 occasions of data collection. In addition, the proportion of males in the top performing band was higher than the proportion of females for all 44 data points.”

(Hodgkinson Thesis, 2019) “It was easy to see why there are so few females choosing engineering.”

Kiah has remained connected with Wenona since she graduated five years ago. “I am very impressed with the STEM program at Wenona now – hopefully, it will encourage more girls to enrol in Engineering.” Kiah coached Sailing at the School for several years after leaving. “I started the Sailing team when I was in Year 12. We had a couple of Year 7s and Year 8s – and me! We introduced a teams racing program and entered the state championships. More girls joined after that!”

Kiah, who attended her five-year reunion last year, feels social media has made it easier to stay in touch with school friends. Since moving to Perth, she has connected with another girl from her year who has also relocated there. Looking back on her time at Wenona, Kiah encourages girls to consider Engineering as a career. “Take advantage of every opportunity. Don’t doubt yourself and give it a go!”

A GAP YEAR WITH A DIFFERENCE NINA MARQUARD-KARP (2018PY)

After graduating from Wenona in 2018, Nina Marquard-Karp, who was School Captain of Wenona in 2017/2018, elected to take a service year. With her fellow classmates, Sophie Andrews and Izzy Roberts, Nina travelled to Europe, before heading to Africa to do volunteer work with children in need.

“Sophie, Izzy and I travelled for four months around Europe before flying to Johannesburg and taking a bus to Eswatini (previously Swaziland) for our volunteering.

We worked in neighbourhood care points (NCPs) in not-for-profit preschools for atrisk children aged between two and six years old, particularly children affected by the HIV/AIDs pandemic. In one of the NCPs, only five out of 40 kids had healthy or living parents.

Mostly, we spent our mornings implementing sports and games programs to help the children develop soft skills for later in life. This was particularly important, as it provided the preschool teachers with some relief. Many of them work for minimal pay or for free, teaching up to 60 children in a small classroom, with no additional help. These children are often victims of domestic violence, malnourished or otherwise neglected.

We also took a group of children to a local pool weekly to teach them how to swim.

We were matched with a child and many of them had no swimming skills at the beginning of the process, so this was especially rewarding. In the afternoons, we worked with primary-aged children who had attended these NCPs when they were younger. We acted as mentors and tutors and helped them further develop their English, Mathematics, Science and social skills so they could pass their high school entrance examination.

While we were there, we went on safari in Kruger National Park and also went snorkelling with whale sharks in Mozambique. We lived with 20 other volunteers from all over the world who were also placed in a variety of NCPs, assisting with English teaching, sports or construction programs. The house sat at the bottom of a mountain and we were often visited by monkeys who would steal our lunch!

Eswatini is a lovely country to volunteer in, as everywhere you go, you make new friends with locals who come up to you on the bus or in the street to say hello.

Overall, the experience was incredibly moving, definitely a highlight of our gap year and something I know I will remember for a very long time.”

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ZOOMING IN ON FUTURE CAREERS Responding to the changes that the COVID-19 crisis has brought to the Careers Education space has required innovative thinking from Ms Samantha McFetridge, Wenona’s Director of Student Opportunity and Career Education.

She has used it as an opportunity to move beyond existing approaches to embrace a radical rethink of how we prepare our students for life beyond Wenona.

It was early morning in Scotland when Registered Nurse, Sophie Sinclair spoke to our Senior College students via Zoom recently. She was exhausted, having spent the week working on the frontline at Edinburgh’s The Royal Infirmary. Her protective mask was causing her to have constant nosebleeds. And dealing with an influx of sick patients at the height of a global pandemic was scary and stressful. Despite this, Sophie, who graduated from Wenona in 2012, told our students what a privilege it was to provide care to people in need, and how grateful she was to do a job she loves.

Our Zoom chat with Sophie was part of our Wenona Alumnae Twilight Sessions.

Our Student/Alumnae face-to-face talks have been an integral part of our Careers Education program, but when COVID-19 hit, we had to rethink how we delivered them.

Shifting them into the virtual space was a necessity, but the ability to connect remotely with alumnae around the world has increased participation - from our students, staff and parents - and facilitated communication, connection and collaboration across our community.

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“ It’s incredibly helpful for our students to hear what our alumnae have done since graduating from Wenona - particularly for Year 12, who are carefully considering their plans for next year.

Our students get so much out of listening to them talk about their careers and the paths they’ve taken to get there. It’s also wonderful for them to interact and ask real questions.”

The virtual platform has prompted us to carefully structure the sessions, asking students to provide questions and points for discussion ahead of time, all of which has helped to ensure a more streamlined flow of communication. Without the travel and planning involved in face-to-face meetings, we’ve made it much easier for alumnae to volunteer their time. It’s also given us the ability to connect with people like Sophie, who live in different time zones. And holding them ‘after hours’ has opened them up to parents and teachers too, all of which is beneficial to our students as they build skills to navigate their future.

The future of work is changing. We know that we need an innovative and entrepreneurial generation of young people, yet automation has disproportionately affected our young people’s capacity to secure the entry-level roles that essentially help them ‘learn to work’. Without any real-world industry experience, it can be difficult for them to develop the transferrable skills and capabilities required to survive in the changing world of employment. One way that Wenona is addressing this is by introducing our students to a range of people of different ages and backgrounds, who are all doing different jobs. It’s a great way of breaking down barriers, broadening horizons and raising aspirations, while also giving our students a wide range of experiences of the world of work. We hope that this exposure to early careers advice can help our young people to set out on the right path to the job that channels their interests and unlocks their potential.

Our alumnae lead at all levels across all sectors of society, so they are an invaluable source of information, insight and guidance for our students, helping them to see what’s possible post-school and exposing them to different perspectives and career

pathways. We’ve had sessions with people from a variety of fields and disciplines, including ophthalmologists, architects, physiotherapists, engineers, digital marketing specialists and interior designers. And we’ve heard from alumnae who’ve switched jobs or transitioned into different careers. It’s a great way of emphasising to our students the need to develop a portfolio of applicable skills and capabilities. And it shows them the importance of resilience and adaptability in a world that’s in a constant state of flux.

As our inaugural Careers Captain, Sophie Watson observes, the Wenona Alumnae Twilight Sessions have really helped to position students for the challenges ahead.

“We’ve gained insight into the importance of networking and communication, which are invaluable skills in the workplace. And it’s helped me think more strategically about my career goals and the skills I need to pursue them.”

Similarly, Lauren Yee, who is also in Year 12 at Wenona, found the Wenona Alumnae Twilight Sessions invaluable during lockdown. “It gave me the opportunity to listen and connect with successful alumnae. And in fact, I contacted Bonnie MacTavish, Head of Experience Strategy at Nightjar, after she spoke with us. I’ve been lucky enough to secure work experience with her at the end of the year, which will enable me to be actively involved in the design/media industry and get a better feel for it.”

Emerging from the turbulence of COVID-19, career pathways have become more complex than ever before, with even fewer entry-level opportunities for young people to learn skills and gain industry insights. The Wenona Alumnae Twilight Sessions are just one way that the School is helping to equip and inspire students for a radically different future of work where they will not only survive, but thrive.

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From Head Prefect to Head of Experience Strategy BONNIE MACTAVISH (2000PY)

When COVID-19 first hit, Bonnie MacTavish, Head of Experience Strategy at Nightjar, was the first of our alumnae to talk with Senior College students at Wenona’s inaugural Twilight Insights session.

As the Head Prefect of Wenona in 1999/2000, Bonnie MacTavish has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Since leaving school, she’s been on a quest to live life to the full, prompted by her love of people, travel and the humanities. While she’s enjoyed an extraordinary career in advertising, working for some of the world’s leading brands, she’s also overcome setback and embraced change. As she explained to our Senior College students via Zoom in Term 2, taking risks and changing direction has allowed her to meet some great people, travel to some fantastic places and discover the kind of work she finds most satisfying.

Put simply, Bonnie’s optimistic view of life has put her firmly in the driver’s seat of her career.

After graduating from Wenona in 2000, Bonnie attended The University of Sydney, where she parlayed her love of humanities into a Bachelor of Arts Languages. Of course, a major drawcard was the opportunity to spend six months in Italy. As Bonnie explained, sometimes life takes you in directions you don’t expect. And while Verona was never top of her Italian wishlist, she instantly fell in love with the city and made lifelong friends there.

After finishing her degree, Bonnie decided to study for a Masters of Media Practice at The University of Sydney. This led to a career in advertising at McCann Ericson, working as a planner on leading brands such as Uncle Tobys, Streets and Bürgen.

After four years, Bonnie took a career break and went on a gap year to South America, Central America and Europe, which exposed her to different people and cultures. She then headed to Paris for a year, hoping to find freelance work in advertising agencies in the City of Light. But the GFC hit, so again, Bonnie switched tack and taught English.

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“ Bonnie reminded the students that the opportunities that arise as a result of being part of such a vibrant and inclusive community as Wenona are immense. “Wenona is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only does it offer you a fantastic education, but you make such great connections here.”

BONNIE MACTAVISH’S

TOP TIPS

FOR STUDENTS 1.

Do not fear the new. Life is unpredictable.

The grass is not always greener.

As she said, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Teaching was not what I’d envisaged, but I ended up loving it.”

2.

Bonnie’s next gig was at Saatchi & Saatchi in Sydney. “I actually had my heart set on another role with another agency and didn’t get it. But this ended up being an even better opportunity.” Here, Bonnie created brand strategies for Toyota, Lexus, Carnival Cruise Lines, RSPCA and OPSM. “You work hard and play hard in advertising. You need to have a very strong work ethic. You work long hours, but there’s always creative magic happening around you, which is fantastic.”

3.

Advice doesn’t cost anything.

Itching to do her own thing, Bonnie decided to set up a boutique, full-service agency called Drifter, which she ran for five years. “After working for big agencies, it was time to roll up my sleeves and be hands on.”

4.

Hold your friends close.

In 2017, recognising the need for brands to have connected digital experiences, Bonnie formed Nightjar with two friends. As the Head of Experience Strategy, Bonnie incorporates user research and testing to solve user problems. Nightjar currently partners with established brands such as THE ICONIC, Destination NSW, Optus, Pernod Ricard, and Sneaker Freaker, as well as boutique brands and tech startups.

The award-winning experience design studio is based in Surry Hills. It comes complete with Graeme the studio dog, who Bonnie says is an integral member of the team.

Bonnie reminded the students that the opportunities that arise as a result of being part of such a vibrant and inclusive community as Wenona are immense. “Wenona is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only does it offer you a fantastic education, but you make such great connections here. I’m still in constant touch with my school friends and we are all looking forward to celebrating our 20 Year Reunion this year.”

5.

You will not end up where you thought, and that’s okay.

You will take so many twists and turns in your career that’s not just normal, it’s also exciting!

In today’s age of social media, it’s hard not to compare our lives to others. Comparing your journey to those around you doesn’t add much value. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and make you feel good about yourself and your choices.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Asking questions and demonstrating a genuine interest in others will always yield you high returns, and almost always uncovers something new and interesting to you.

Support is everything. Regardless of the fact you’ll end up in different fields (even despite studying together), and living totally different lives, your friends will be a constant support to you – to bounce career ideas off, to celebrate all the wins, and to love you when things don’t go to plan (which they inevitably won’t).

And finally, enjoy rewarding yourself.

Balance is key. There is so much talk and pressure and stress on what you will do when you leave school and university, but don’t forget you need downtime too.

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SISTER ACT AUDREY RAYMOND (1952PY) AND DAPHNE RAYMOND (1948PY)

Audrey was six and her sister Daphne was ten when they started at Wenona as boarders. They live in a retirement village in Queensland, surrounded by beautiful gardens and lakes full of wildlife.

Audrey I loved Sunday afternoons. After we’d written our letters home, the boarders would sit on their rugs in the Assembly Hall to listen to Miss Ralston read a novel. My favourite was Green Dolphin Country by Elizabeth Goudge. The food in the Boarding House was terrible in those days. One night, we were given an awful shrivelled-up burnt chop. I was sitting next to Miss Ralston at the dinner table and while trying to cut my dried-up chop, it shot across onto her plate and because she was talking to the girl on her other side, she didn’t notice. So, Miss Ralston innocently devoured my chop and left me starving, much to the stifled giggles of all the girls at the table!

Daphne and I still quote Miss Ralston. Two of our favourites are: “Never trust a goodlooking man!” and “All women lose their pants in public at some time in their life, so be prepared as to what you will do!” Those were the days when we relied on buttons to keep our knickers up!

On a more serious note, Miss Ralston called me to her study one day to say that Daphne needed to see me. It turned out my sister had come to tell me the bad news that my parents had separated, which came as a great blow to me. In our time, divorce and separation were rare and a thing to be embarrassed about. For the next week or so, Miss Ralston never referred to what had happened, nor showed me any sympathy.

Then one night, she told me how proud she was of me and that I had showed great

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courage. It was great psychology. She boosted my morale and helped me over a difficult period.

When I left Wenona, I went to London to study dancing and qualify as a dancing teacher, which I did for about three years. Then I worked for the Australian Defence Department and was seconded to the English Foreign Office, which meant I worked in Singapore and Geneva. I also lived and worked in Senegal, West Africa for 18 months. I returned to London and ran a large secretarial agency before going on to work in Senior Personnel Management in a large advertising agency. I was then involved in the opening of an international hotel in Park Lane. Before returning to Australia in 1986, I went to the United States and studied découpage under the International Guild of Découpeurs.

I returned to Australia, taught classical découpage and published two books on the subject. Finally, I moved to a country town in Queensland, where I created unique feather pictures, which now hang around the world. Most recently, I was the Chair of the Sunshine Coast’s Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society, which organises informative lectures and workshops across a broad spectrum of art forms. I now live with my dog Bertie who can do 36 tricks, including putting away his toys before he goes to bed, saying his prayers and fetching a tissue whenever I sneeze.

I would encourage current students at Wenona to try to think positively about life and about people. Take risks, don’t miss opportunities or have regrets, keep a sense of humour, contribute to society and be thankful for what you have.

Daphne When the Blitz started in London, my father who was away at war, advised my mother to take us back to Australia by ship. We ended up boarding at Wenona as my father was then posted to Burma as Professor of Surgery at Rangoon University and Head of the Rangoon General Hospital.

Miss Ralston was like a mother to us girls whose parents were abroad, but that didn’t prevent her from giving us terrible reports about our behaviour if we deserved it! I was a very naughty child and got terrible reports. I used to dread them as I’d get long lectures from my parents. They got so bad that my parents decided to take me out of Wenona before I was expelled – I’d already had three threats of expulsion from teachers! I was sent to the New England Girls School (NEGS) in Armidale for a year. My father wrote to inform Miss Ralston, imagining she would be vastly relieved. But to his astonishment, he received 10 handwritten pages from Miss Ralston enumerating all the reasons why I should not leave! She liked naughty girls as she thought they had ‘character’! But it was too late. I went to NEGS, but I was so homesick and unhappy away from Wenona that I prevailed on my parents to allow me to return. Miss Ralston welcomed me back with open arms!

One day, Miss Ralston announced that two men had turned up, claiming to be friends of our parents in Burma. Apparently, they wanted to take us out to lunch but, as Miss Ralston announced in ominous tones, “One of them is wearing suede shoes!” She allowed us to go, but with great reluctance. One was a very distinguished judge, the other was an army colonel; both were great friends of our parents! Another time, one of the boarders, who shall remain nameless, had a temper tantrum in the playground.

Miss Ralston unhesitatingly went and got a bucket of cold water and hurled it over the girl, which had the desired effect!

On leaving Wenona in 1948, I was offered a place at university to do speech therapy.

But by then, Burma had become independent and my parents had returned to Sydney, where my father set up as an ophthalmic surgeon. My parent’s marriage was not a happy one, and my mother’s unhappiness was affecting her health, so I took her away from my father. Back then, if a wife deserted her husband, he was not obliged to pay her a penny. Mummy and I lived for five years in a rented room in Kings Cross, which in those days was full of prostitutes and “bodgies and widgies”! Our room had two beds and a wooden chair. We had to share the kitchen, so we often bought Sargent’s Meat Pies and ate them sitting on our beds. Mummy found a job in a charity called the Bush Book Club of NSW sending parcels of books to families in remote areas, which she loved. In the meantime, I bought an old typewriter and taught myself to type. I got a job

as a typist, did a course in shorthand in the evenings and got a secretarial job at Wilcox Mofflin Hides and Sheepskins at Circulay Quay. In 1953, I received a windfall from my grandmother, so I went to London to see the Queen’s Coronation. It took five weeks by boat. Audrey accompanied me with the aim of studying dance in London.

I spent four years temping in London, hitchhiking around Europe and studying French at the Sorbonne. A schoolfriend from Wenona told me that the British Foreign Office were looking for secretaries to go to Japan. It turned out to be working for MI6 – espionage was much more interesting than diplomacy! In 1960, I met and married a man in London, who also worked for MI6. Our first posting was to ex-French Guinea in West Africa, which was hard. We then went to Dakar, Senegal for four years, where our three children were born, followed by Finland and Germany. In 1981, my husband retired from MI6 and joined the European Commission. He was posted to Zaire (which is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) where he oversaw a delegation of European engineers, agronomists and economists in charge of large aid projects. In 1988, he ran off with his three-times-married French secretary, after we’d been married for 28 years! I could no longer afford to live in London, so I bought a little house in Provence, but in 1991, I returned to Sydney, where I lived in a unit in Wollstonecraft.

On a trip back to Provence, I met a charming Frenchman, who persuaded me to return to France. We lived in my dear little house in a medieval village called Aups for 15 years. In 2017, he ran off with another woman! Another shock, especially as he was 89 and I was 86! I decided to leave France, sold my house, and my unit in Sydney, and came to live here on the Sunshine Coast where my sister Audrey was living. It’s my 90th birthday on Anzac Day 2021, but unfortunately, my daughter in Portland, Oregon, my daughter in Brussels, Belgium, and my son in Peone, France, cannot visit me, due to coronavirus.

I’m very happy here and think it was for the best that my dear Andre ran off as I’d rather be here than France where coronavirus is rife. I miss the church bells, the poppies, the sunflowers and the lavender. But as picturesque as my medieval house was, it wasn’t very convenient going down a ladder to the washing machine in the basement or lugging a gas bottle up a cobbled street, which was too narrow for parking! I feel lucky to have had such a rich and varied life, and to have started off with the principles that Miss Ralston, and our darling mother, gave us as a guide!

Wenona girls have a tremendous advantage going to such a wonderful school, with its outstanding Principal and staff… opportunities that most people can only dream of.

Make the most of it, as life will always have its challenges. Wenona offers an education, academically and through sports and the arts, to make its girls independent and strong enough to cope. Remember to always make an effort because you appreciate what you have achieved by your own effort more than what has been handed to you on a plate.

“ I would encourage current students at Wenona to try to think positively about life and about people. Take risks, don’t miss opportunities or have regrets, keep a sense of humour, contribute to society and be thankful for what you have.”

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NO ORDINARY LIFE DR GLEN MACTAGGART (MCPHIE,1950)

Dr Glen MacTaggart is proof that it’s never too late to start on a new path of success. After captaining the Australian dressage team and starting her own clothing label, Glen returned to academia, parlaying her love of racehorses to produce a ground-breaking thesis for her PhD, receiving worldwide acclaim.

Dr Glen MacTaggart left Wenona in 1949, just as the world was recovering from the horrors of World War II. Her affinity with the School has continued throughout the seven decades since. As a boarder, Glen was close to her teachers. “Miss Ralston had a big influence on me, encouraging us to find things out for ourselves, rather than being spoon-fed. Miss Grace was our Geology teacher and Miss Longworth taught Maths. I had the highest regard for her. I spoke to her last year, she is 93.”

Leaving Wenona in fourth year, Glen was determined to enrol at university.

She passed the senior exams and was about to start her degree in Agricultural Science when her plans were thwarted. “I was the only female applicant and was told it would be too expensive to supply a chaperone, and that I would have to do Engineering instead, which I didn’t want to do.” Glen’s disappointment was appeased by being able to ride and train horses every day on her father’s property.

Marrying in 1953, Glen accompanied her husband as he travelled widely for business. At a show jumping competition in London, she was introduced to dressage, which had a huge impact on her life. She went on to judge international competitions and captain the Australian team in 1993. In Malaysia, whilst browsing clothing stores, Glen realised she could sell them for three times the amount in Australia. Her clothing company, Taman Busana, was born. “In the afternoons at Wenona, I took dressmaking classes with Miss Taylor. I was taught to use patterns and was very diligent, thus helping me to make a success of my business.

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I had previously won an Australia-wide dressmaking competition.” In 1988, Glen was named one of Australia’s ‘100 Chic-est Women’ by Harper’s Bazaar.

In 1970, 21 years after leaving School, Glen started the next stage of her life - as a university student. Completing her Arts degree at the University of Queensland, she then commenced her Master of Psychology. “I had to sit a Statistics exam as I was studying Science, and it wasn’t a subject offered at School. I topped the exam with 100%. Miss Longworth was very pleased when I told her!’

Glen completed her doctorate over six years. “My thesis, ‘The Welfare of Thoroughbred Racehorses’ is statistically-based. I turned the behaviours of horses into numbers. I like statistics – they put a floor under the information.

I identified 13 areas in need of improvement by breeders and trainers. We had a marvellous camaraderie in our group, even though I was old enough to be their grandmother.” Glen’s thesis is the first in the world to challenge the welfare of thoroughbred racehorses and has been requested for publication in other countries.

Even though Glen has lived in Queensland for most of her life, she remains connected to Wenona. “I am still friendly with girls from my year. Around 16 to 18 of us get together in Sydney every year. Sadly, due to coronavirus this year, it will be the first luncheon at which we won’t all be together.”

ANYONE FOR TENNIS? BRONWEN MITCHELL (JUDD,1957) AND ANNE SMITH (STEPHENSON,1961)

For any Wenonian that has represented the School at Sport, the biggest reward comes from being part of the team. Sixty three years after they first played tennis together at Wenona, Bronwen Mitchell and Anne Smith are still serving up aces together.

Anne and I first played tennis together in 1957 when we were part of Wenona’s Tildesley Shield team. One of my fondest memories was being a member of the Tildesley team that won the Shield in 1956. I partnered with Roslyn Heilman (Newcombe,1958) to win the doubles title.

Anne’s mother, Kathleen Campbell was a talented tennis player for Wenona around 1928. There is a picture of her on the inside cover of the 2018 edition of Ut Prosim magazine.

I was only 10 years old when I joined Mr Copp’s coaching class at Wenona. From that moment, I was hooked. Before we were permitted to hit a ball, I can remember him saying “right foot, left foot, swing” as we went through the motions. One of the greatest skills one had to acquire was to be the first to get on one of only two very sought-after tennis courts. As soon as the bell rang, the race was on. Next best was just hitting against a big wall in the top playground. Looking back, I think this made us appreciate our time on the courts and we repeatedly defeated much larger schools with their multiple courts.

Anne and I met up again many years ago, playing mid-week ladies competition tennis in Brisbane. We are still blessed to be able to play competition tennis. We have never forgotten the good court manners we were taught at Wenona and of course, one must have clean sneakers! Most importantly, we were reminded often that it was not all about winning, but how you played the game.

We shall never forget our School motto, Ut Prosim, That I May Serve. Anne and I motivate ourselves by adding a couple of hopeful words at the end. ‘An Ace’.

From left to right: Bronwen Mitchell and Anne Smith

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CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY Beyond the School gates there is a strong and vibrant Wenona community made up of parents, alumnae, volunteers, major donors and local community members who generously give of their time, knowledge and support to help our current students thrive. In a typical School year, Wenona’s calendar is jam-packed with events that celebrate the friendliness and solidarity of our tight-knit community: alumnae reunions, career events, leadership mentoring opportunities, morning teas, sporting carnivals, fairs, graduation ceremonies, parent evenings and much, much more. Wenona is a relational School and we value the diversity of our extended community who walk alongside our students, helping them in so many ways to grow and learn. Towards the end of Term 1, COVID-19 restrictions upended life as we know it, but our incredible community has still found ways to demonstrate togetherness and found vital comfort in offering support and solace to each other. We are so grateful to them.

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WENONA PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION (WPA) Meet Trish Lunn, the new President of the Wenona Parents’ Association

Trish Lunn is the mother of Eleanor in Year 12 and Molly in Year 9. She credits her love of volunteering and her wish to continue the inclusiveness of the Wenona Parents Association (WPA) as the impetus for her accepting the role of President in 2020.

What led you to take this role?

I have always loved being involved and have volunteered in various capacities at my children’s schools and charities I have been interested in. My goal as President is to focus on inclusivity, connectedness and making it easier for working parents to attend events. Moving forward, we hope to hold more events at School straight after drop-off, as well as lunches on a Friday at venues close to Wenona.

How has COVID-19 affected your plans for 2020?

I am really impressed with the way that parents have accepted the changes and have come up with creative solutions to connect year groups. Dr Scott is always open to new ideas and ways of working. We hold a WPA General Meeting each term term and attendance has increased due to the use of Zoom and streaming seminars, which make it easy for parents to attend from the comfort of their own homes. We are currently conducting a survey to find out how parents would like the WPA to look in 2021 and beyond. We have ramped up our social media presence on the WPA Facebook page and membership has tripled. We are also currently running a Term 3 online quiz, which parents seem to be enjoying.

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What do you love about the Wenona community?

I love seeing parents happily rally around and support one another. In 2020, we have held a ‘Bake for the Boarders’ drive, as restrictions have made it difficult for them to enjoy some of the normal freedoms they are used to. We also intend to organise a bake drop-off for World Teachers’ Day. Parents at Wenona are very generous with their time and are really happy to volunteer.

What do your daughters enjoy about School life?

My daughters, who are in Year 12 and Year 9, have loved School life at Wenona, particularly embracing the many co-curricular opportunities such as Tennis, Drama and Dance to mention a few. I feel Wenona has given the girls a real ‘can do’ attitude, confidence in their unique abilities and allowed them to voice their opinions. They are empowered, which is very different from my generation.

Who are your right-hand people?

I would like to thank the WPA Executive Committee for their commitment and unwavering support during 2020, which has been a very different year to what we envisaged. They are as follows: Claire Kennard (VP Senior School), Sylvia Krassas (VP Junior School), Bridget O’Brien (Secretary), Marnie Devereux (Treasurer), Georgie Dixon (Communications) and Justine Keir (Boarder Rep), as well as Michele Baric, Carrie Gray and Karen Stephenson.

“ My goal as President is to focus on inclusivity, connectedness and making it easier for working parents to attend events.”

Mrs Trish Lunn

Wenona Parents’ Association President

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WPA EVENTS A Virtual Mother’s Day Classic

The Wenona Walkers have been loyal supporters of the annual Mother’s Day Classic, with Wenona fielding the biggest team in Australia in 2019, with 325 people registered. This year, Wenona took part in the annual fun run and walk… albeit, a little differently.

The Mother’s Day Classic has been raising funds and awareness for breast cancer research since 1998. This popular event normally brings together people of all ages and abilities to complete a fun run or walk in Sydney’s Domain. And Wenona Walkers are among its most loyal supporters.

This year, due to the health and safety guidelines around COVID-19, the Mother’s Day Classic (MDC) Foundation made the decision to hold all MDC events virtually. The virtual MDC had something for everyone, including fitness and dancing competitions, Pilates and yoga classes. So, the Wenona Parents’ Association called on the Wenona community to rally around the idea. And they did!

Staying fit and healthy at home was a key focus for the Wenona community during lockdown. And the MDC Virtual 2020 program was another opportunity for the community to exercise, while fundraising for a fantastic cause. Wenona Walkers registered to run or walk 4km, anytime, anywhere. They walked in their gardens,

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bedrooms, living rooms and local parks. They did it individually and with their families on Mother’s Day. President of the WPA, Mrs Trish Lunn, mother of Eleanor in Year 12 and Molly in Year 9, spent Mother’s Day completing the virtual MDC with a bushwalk with her family, followed by morning tea with the grandparents and eating birthday cake! Why birthday cake? Well, it was Trish’s birthday on Mother’s Day too!

Ms Bridget O’Brien, WPA Secretary, mother of Sienna in Year 10, did a run with Sienna for the virtual MDC, followed by a bush walk with her goddaughter. Director of Foundation and Community Engagement, Mrs Sonia Brennan did the virtual MDC walk in her neighbourhood with her family. And Mrs Karen Stephens, mother of Sibylla in Year 1, started the day with an early morning horse ride at Centennial Park Stables, followed by a local version of the MDC with a walk in her local park with Sibylla and their dog.

For Dean of Schools, Mrs Suzanne Kerr, it was a brunch at home, followed by a walk with the dogs. And for Deputy Principal (Student Wellbeing), Ms Beth Oakley it was an ocean swim at Cabbage Tree Bay to visit the sea turtle and cuttlefish.

There were so many different ways that the Wenona community took part in the virtual MDC, supporting a great cause while celebrating mothers, grandmothers, aunts, godmothers and great female role models. Well done Wenona Walkers!

Welcome Lunches

Welcome Cocktail Party

Early in Term 1, the WPA held its Welcome Lunches hosted by parent volunteers, enabling each year group to come together informally and share conversation and laughter.

Before COVID-19 changed the landscape for us all, we were lucky enough to come together as a community for the Welcome Cocktail Party in February, hosted by Dr Scott

“ I enjoyed the Wenona Welcome lunch for Year 12 because we have such a lovely year group and as it turns out, it was our only social event this year.”

It was a fantastic opportunity for parents and staff, new and old, to catch up over drinks and delicious canapés. There was a lot of laughter as new friendships were formed and old friends reunited, while jazz music played in the background.

Jenny Clarkson, (Ruby in Year 10 and Mia in Year 12)

“I liked the Wenona Welcome lunch as it enabled connections to be made in a relaxed setting away from our daily rush!”

As the sun went down, the garden lit up with colourful LED balls. And even though it was Valentine’s Day (and World Library Lovers’ Day), some parents were reluctant to head off to relieve the babysitter - hopefully a sign that they had a great time! A great celebration of community at Wenona!

Jane Power (Grace in Year 6 and Claudia in Year 8)

“ I enjoyed the Wenona Welcome lunches to meet the new families and see old friends in a lovely and casual environment. It is always so generous and enjoyable when Wenona families open their homes to welcome their year group.”

Thank you to our wonderful parents for helping us to kick off another great year at Wenona!

Claudia von Hauenschild (Siena in Year 3 and Isabella in Year 5) 75

WENONA ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION Meet the new President of the Wenona Alumnae Association, Luisa Horton (Brown 2005)

What appealed to you about the role?

As an accountant by trade, I was happy as Treasurer of the Association, but decided to step outside my comfort zone and take on the President role. I try to say ‘yes’ to most opportunities, as you never know where they will lead.

What are the highlights from your years at Wenona?

I loved my time at Wenona. My English teacher, Mr Scott, was inspirational, I loved his classes. Mr White and Mrs Siebels gave me a passion for Business and Economics. The Careers Advisor, Mrs Cribb, handed me the KPMG cadetship application form. I owe her a great deal for that. One of my favourite memories was the History Tour to Greece in Year 10 with Ms Ginswick. It was my first trip outside Australia.

Life after School

I studied Business at UTS. My first job was a cadetship with KPMG straight after Year 12, then I moved onto PwC. After completing my Chartered Accountancy, I studied a Master of International Taxation at the University of Sydney. I am currently Head of Tax for Asia Pacific, at a global real estate services firm, Cushman & Wakefield, where, incidentally, two other Alumnae Association members also work!

I never want to stop learning, so I am currently studying Spanish. I am determined to become fluent.

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How important is service and the desire to ‘give back’ to you?

It is extremely important to me and it is instilled in you at Wenona. I loved being involved in community and charity work whilst at School. Afterwards, I was your typically broke university student, so while I had no money to contribute to charity, I had time, so I gave it. I started volunteering at the Sydney Children’s Hospital whilst at university and 12 years later, I’m still there.

How challenging has 2020 been?

It has been difficult as activities and events had to be cancelled. Having everything online doesn’t always suit all members, so for some alumnae we have been picking up the phone to check in on them. For others, we have posted to the Facebook page, LinkedIn and sent emails to stay connected via digital platforms.

Why should Wenonians join the Association?

The Wenona Alumnae is full of incredible women both in Australia and worldwide, who are all at different stages in their lives and careers. Keeping in touch and staying connected via LinkedIn or Facebook provides a space to give and receive advice, assistance, inspiration, and motivation. People will always need help and advice.

Sometimes you might be in need of help and at other times, you might be in a position to provide it. Staying connected enables the Ut Prosim spirit to continue to thrive amongst our amazing Wenona women.

“ The Wenona Alumnae is full of incredible women both in Australia and worldwide, who are all at different stages in their lives and careers.

Keeping in touch and staying connected provides a space to give and receive advice, assistance, inspiration, and motivation.”

Ms Luisa Horton

Wenona Alumnae Association President

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WENONA ALUMNAE SCHOLARSHIPS BARBARA JACKSON SCHOLARSHIP WINNER Kiana Dettmann, Year 11 Kiana Dettmann feels honoured to receive the Barbara Jackson Scholarship. “It means so much to me to make my family and friends proud. I will be able to push myself extensively academically, due to the help of the scholarship.”

With a passion for sport and health, Kiana enjoys rowing, surf lifesaving, swimming, surfing and water polo, which she has played since Year 6.

Kiana is leaning towards a career in medicine and health after School. “Due to my interest in surf lifesaving and my Dad suffering a chronic illness, I hope to pursue something in this area. I am so proud to be a representative of the incredible legacy of Miss Barbara Jackson.”

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ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP RUNNER UP

Darci Rieveley, Year 11

Lina Zhang, Year 11

Winner of the Alumnae Association Scholarship, Darci Rieveley, believes her win is about giving back. “I’m so grateful for the award. It means I can contribute to my family. It’s a way of saying thank you.”

For Lina Zhang, this award recognises key qualities such as leadership, active contribution, academic achievement and service.

Darci volunteers each week for Habitat for Humanity, after being introduced to the community shelter charity by one of the Service Leaders at Wenona. She handles social media campaigns and student recruitment there, and very much enjoys being part of the team.

Actively involved in school life, Darci plays Netball and loves Debating. Looking to the future, Darci is considering a career in law. “I have many options though. Wenona has given me that.”

“I try to participate in all areas of School life, regardless of my abilities, and I am always trying to improve and learn new things. I am extremely grateful, as this award has encouraged me to continue my best efforts.”

Lina’s passion lies in STEM. At University, she is hoping to pursue Mathematics and Science. In her leisure time, Lina enjoys tennis, chess and reading.

“The scholarship has allowed me to explore my interests further, providing extra resources to assist with learning in subjects I enjoy, such as Physics and Mathematics.”

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HAPPY 21ST WENONA FOUNDATION The Wenona Foundation has officially come of age this year, and although we weren’t able to celebrate our milestone 21st birthday in quite the way we’d hoped, we still have so much to be grateful for.

Director of Foundation and Community Engagement, Mrs Sonia Brennan.

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Established in 1999, the Foundation administers the School’s development programs and helps to foster the rich culture of philanthropy that exists within the Wenona community. This culture extends back to Miss Edith Ralston and her family, whose initial gift of the School in 1958 ensured its future. Over the years, this act of generosity has been followed by many other gifts, all of which have significantly assisted the School’s continued growth.

assisted Wenona with significant building projects, including the Miller Street Wing, opened in 2004, the purchase of The Independent Theatre in 2013, and most recently, the construction of The Athenaeum, which opened in July 2020. All these facilities have enriched the teaching and learning spaces at Wenona. In addition to building projects, more than 2.5 million dollars has funded scholarship opportunities for deserving young women and assisted families who are suffering financial hardship.

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of parents, past parents and alumnae. Previous Board Chairs have included Mr Phil Clark, Mr Geoff Brunsdon AM, Mr Pieter Oomens, Mr Peter Curry, and Mr Brett Goodin. Mrs Marie Soghomonian (Seferian,1992) is the current Board Chair, and together with the other Board Directors, volunteers her time to steer the direction of the Foundation.

The Judith Dey Gallery and the Pat Bernard Multimedia Studio were also made possible by generous gifts left to the School in the wills of Wenona alumnae Dr Judith Dey AO (1940py) and Mrs Patricia Bernard MBE (Vider,1939). Legacy gifts, like these, help to build and preserve our educational facilities, as well as make scholarship opportunities available to a wider diversity of girls.

During the past 21 years, the Foundation has raised over 15 million dollars from gifts generously donated by the Wenona community, including both the Wenona Parents’ Association and the Wenona Alumnae Association. The majority of these funds has

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Foundation over the past 21 years by giving of your time, talents and treasures. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a lasting impact on the lives of Wenonians today and tomorrow.

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A. Members of the 2015/2016 Capital Appeal Committee, B. Mrs Sonia Brennan, Director of the Wenona Foundation and Community Engagement, C. Mrs Marie Soghomonian, Chair Wenona Foundation Board and Mr Gary Turner, Chair Board of Governors

It takes a village…

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In my three years as Chair, it has been both an honour and a privilege to contribute towards the growth of the Foundation, which is testament, of course, to the extraordinary generosity of the Wenona community.

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The Foundation works hard to ensure that today’s generation benefit from the foresight of past generations.

This occurs through scholarships to enable more girls to experience the advantages of a Wenona education, and through the funding of capital projects to build innovative new teaching and learning spaces like The Athenaeum, which opened in Term 3.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our donors, including the Wenona Parents’ Association and the Wenona Alumnae Association, for their contribution in helping the School to meet future teaching and learning needs.

Philanthropy like this helps us to transform existing facilities and create new ones for the benefit of our students today and tomorrow. Thank you also to all the volunteers who so generously give of their time and expertise to support Wenona in so many ways, as well as the individuals who support the School with gifts in kind.

Finally, I would like to thank Dr Scott for her strength and compassion in leading the School through these challenging times. Thank you also to Mrs Sonia Brennan, Director of Foundation and Community Engagement, for her commitment and inspiring stewardship, and to the Board of Governors and the Executive team, for their ongoing support of the Foundation’s work.

Mrs Marie Soghomonian (Seferian, 1992) Chair, Wenona Foundation Board L

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D. Woodstock opening with NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner and Ms Dianna Crebbin in 2011, E. Opening of the Library in 2003 by Ms Jan Bowen, F. Opening of the Miller Street campus in 2004 with Her Excellency Marie Bashir, G. Mr Vic and Mrs Marie Soghomonian with Mrs Wallis Graham and Mr Charles Graham, H. and I. DalCorp Scholars’ Dinner, J. Foundation tour of the Atheneaum, K. DalCorp Scholars’ Dinner, L. and M. Foundation tour of the Atheneaum, N. Opening of the Atheneaum in 2020

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THANK YOU

REV SIMON MANCHESTER

As the Senior Minister of St Thomas’ Anglican Church in North Sydney for 30 years before his retirement in 2019, Rev Simon Manchester has played a unique role in Wenona’s history.

Who was your favourite Principal and why?

I met Miss Barbara Jackson in 1989 and was coached not to say anything stupid to her! She had just returned from Fiji and I asked her if she’d done any water-skiing. We had a lovely relationship, and she knew her mind. Ms Margaret Hadley was kind and helpful in making services more accessible.

I only met Dr Kerrie Wilde a few times as younger ministers were also involved with Wenona services. Dr Briony Scott has been a friend and is a fine leader of the School. Others had brief times as Principals and were gracious and patient.

What is Wenona’s history with St Thomas’?

It’s been a neighbourly friendship going back to Wenona’s early days in the tiny schoolhouse on St Thomas’ property. In the decades since, the School has seen the church as a place for special services such as Prefects’ Induction, Valedictory and Carols. The involvement between the School

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“ It’s been a neighbourly friendship going back to Wenona’s early days in the tiny schoolhouse on St Thomas’ property.”

and church has been greater in the past (boarders attended Sunday services), but the relationship is warm and happy.

What is the minister’s role at services?

CS Lewis said, “If you say something ‘eternal’, you will say something relevant.” The minister is not there to pull something out of his head but should take something from God’s Word. The bible is ‘God speaking’ and the greatest responsibility the minister has is to pass on His message. I hope every minister would take a passage and show the goodness and greatness of Jesus Christ. If people grasp His plans, they really have light on their path.

What special moments do you remember?

I found services for prefects and Year 12 very moving. Taking on leadership and farewelling school are real milestones. The Carol services were done professionally with beautiful items. I would have gladly imported items into our own St Thomas’ Carol services. I also took many Wenona weddings.

teaches – we have no human answer to life and death. There is no one, but Jesus Christ who can welcome the outcast, forgive the humble, shepherd the follower and lead them through this life and through the grave. He will always be the only One who died to give “life to the full.” (John 10:10)

What do you hope for Wenona and its continuing links to St Thomas’?

I hope for the same fine staff, education and happy visits to church to hear the good news.

How is retirement?

I love spending time with my family and friends. I speak at various places, work part-time to help students at Moore College with their preaching and I go through North Sydney every now and again with great memories and gratitude.

School and society have many beliefs. Is Christianity relevant?

Even in my early years, it was obvious that many who gathered in St Thomas’, did not want to hear the news of ‘forgiveness for sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ’. It would have been more popular to say something about human potential and the great future the girls would achieve for themselves. But time only proves what scripture

Rev Simon Manchester

Senior Minister of St Thomas’ Anglican Church

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NEWS AND EVENTS Births Congratulations to Catherine (Lobb, 2007) and Andrew Tout on the birth of their daughter Juliet, who was born on 31 May, 2020 in Geneva. The Wenonian heritage is strong with Juliet. On the Lobb side of the family, her aunts, Eleanor (2011py) and Amelia (Year 11) are Wenonians. On the Tout side, Georgie (2008py) and Fiona (2011py) were also Wenonians. And of course, her grandfather, Mr Campbell Lobb is a member of the Wenona Foundation Board.

Vale Mrs Margot Biddulph (Joule, 1955)

25 February 2020

Mrs Jennifer Dakin (Gifford, 1950)

28 March 2020

Miss Grace Spencer (2012py)

15 June 2020

Miss Norma McMorran (1942py)

11 August 2020

Mrs Janette Martyr (Fowler, 1955)

1 September 2020

Mrs Mabel Brush (Raffan, 1936) (pictured below)

Early 2020

Congratulations also to: Dr Anika Johnston (2006py) and her husband Matt on the birth of their son Otto, born on 13 July 2020.

Mrs Liz Bradley (Warnock, 2006) and her husband Nicholas, on the birth of their daughter Heidi, born on on 28 March 2020.

Julia Warnock (2006py) and her husband Benjamin Carroll on the birth of their daughter Aurora on 4 June 2020.

Gabriella Barclay (2006) and her husband Congratulations to Tim Shiraev on the birth of James Barclay Ms Camilla Guest Shiraev born on 10 August 2020, and to (2007py) on the birth of Anna Sandford (2006) and her husband Patrick (Paddy) Clyde Ben Warnes on the birth of Charlie William Knight on 13 August 2020. Warnes born on the 11 April 2020.

Congratulations to…

Ms Christine Dunstan (1967py) who received an Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for service to the performing arts as a producer and mentor.

Mrs Claudia Hyles (Wheeler, 1964) who received an Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for service to the community of the Australian Capital Territory.

UT PROSIM 2020 I Editor: Lisa Broad I Writers: Lisa Broad, Jude Morahan I Photography: Mike Bell - Raw Life Studios, Brett Boardman, Rowena Clarke Photography, Anthony Khoury Photography, Wenona staff and students I Designer: Janine Stieger

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86 UT PROSIM 2020

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