Alumni

Kicking

Goals

Samuel Webb (2017)

Samuel Webb has been playing football for over 17 years. This year his dedication, talent and commitment to his sport have been recognised with his selection into the Australian Indigenous Football Team. How long have you been playing football?

I have been playing football since the age of five. I started playing at Tea Gardens Soccer Club and now play for Maitland Football Club in the National Premier League. Tell us about your selection into the Australian Indigenous Football Team. I was selected to be a part of the Australian Indigenous Football Team after competing at the National Indigenous Football Championships last year. The team consists of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander footballers from all different parts of the country. I’m incredibly proud and excited to represent my people, the Worimi people, by playing highquality football in front of a big crowd. What’s next for you?

Over the next year I will be focusing on finishing my degree at the University of Newcastle. I’m studying a Bachelor of Secondary Education, majoring in Health & Physical Education and minoring in Aboriginal Studies. You coach HVGS footballers. What is involved?

I first started out coaching the Junior and Senior School football teams in 2018. I am currently involved in the Junior School football program, which includes coaching a range of players with varying skill levels from under 6’s to under 13’s. It is enriching to share my knowledge with emerging HVGS players who hold a similar passion for football as I do.

Read the full interview on our website

STEAMing Ahead Will to learn

Kylie Burrett (1993)

William Berry (2015)

Kylie Burrett considers herself a teacherpreneur. As an award-winning designer, STEAM educator and creator of The Splat 3D Design Tool, Kylie is blazing a path in STEAM education.

You have an interesting career path. Tell us more.

My career trajectory was not linear. My first career was working for ABC TV in Sydney. It was fast-paced and fun but not very intellectually stimulating. I left there to work for Westpac on the 2000 Olympics project. At this point, I decided to return to university to complete an education degree and specialise in children’s media and educational products. How did you become interested in design? My love for design came into focus when consulting for some amazing creators in children’s educational/entertainment programming around 2007. My favourites were Keith Chapman (Paw Patrol and Bob the Builder) and husband and wife duo Richard Taylor and Tania Rodgers (Weta Workshop NZ). It was the first time in my life that I really felt passionate about my work. What led to you developing The Splat?

When the economic downturn happened around 2010, I became a stay-at-home mum and decided in my spare time (!) to complete a master’s degree. I laugh because my husband and I have five children. There is no spare time. It was while studying and having my children that I came up with the idea.

What is next for you? I have a new project coming out later in the year with another teacherpreneur. It’s still in development but involves education, creativity and entrepreneurship. Witnessing our past students return to the School as promising young educators is inspirational.

This year Will Berry has returned to HVGS as a casual teacher in Mathematics and sharing his love of learning with our Senior School students.

What inspired you to pursue a career in teaching? All of my teachers at school shared a passion for what it was that they were doing, as well as a love for helping others. When I began university and found myself not enjoying the Engineering course that I was enrolled in, I looked to what parts of my life I was enjoying so that I could figure out what I wanted to do. I was tutoring high school Mathematics, and found that I enjoyed Mathematics, and I really liked helping my students. Was there a teacher who inspired you at school? I had many teachers contribute to the person that I am today, but none inspired me more than my mentor teacher Andrew Roberts. He was also my teacher for Physics through my senior studies, so I was able to see him more than any other teacher. He shared his passions with us, and one fond memory that I have is our Physics class being out late one night at the School rowing shed, watching stars. If you were not teaching, what would you be doing? I would likely go down a pathway of academia. I love learning and continuing to learn for the rest of my life sounds like a pretty good deal to me! What’s your big dream in life? I enjoy refereeing and assisting in the development of other football referees in our region. One highlight of my (young) career, was being invited (twice) to coach youth referees at the AIS for the international tournament: Kanga Cup.

42 Norfolk Street Ashtonfield NSW 2323 PO Box 458 East Maitland NSW 2323 P: 02 4934 2444 E: communityrelations@hvgs.nsw.edu.au www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au