OLD RUYTONIANS’ ASSOCIATION

presiDent's report

2021 proved to be another year of uncertainty and challenge for the girls of Ruyton and our broader community. The resilience of the Ruyton community again shone through. The most pleasing aspect of 2021 for the Old Ruytonians’ Association was undoubtedly the recommencement of the reunion program after numerous cancellations in 2020. The ORA and Ruyton’s Community Relations team were able to deliver reunions during periods of eased restrictions last year and are most looking forward to offering a bumper program of events in 2022. This, allowing all cohorts to celebrate their special graduation milestones. I was fortunate to attend several reunion events last year, which were held both at Ruyton and other local venues. Whatever the year level, the energy and enthusiasm of the Old Girls in attendance was irrepressible. From the Class of 2019, many of whom were in their second year of university, despite having never physically attended their university campus to the Golden Girls who likely suffered the greatest social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, therewas a heartening desire to connect withone another.

In May our Golden Girls and Boarders reunion was held in the Junior School. It was a beautiful morning for reconnecting and sharing special memories of Ruyton. School Archivist Cathy Dodson provided a fascinating history of boarding at the School. The photographs and past student anecdotes she shared offered a unique insight into the lives of (some very young) girls who called Ruyton home from the 1880s to the 1970s. The current Year 2 students also contributed to the morning by performing a delightful rendition of the School Song and spending time chatting to the guests about their school days. The ORA Committee would particularly like to congratulate the graduating Class of 2021 for their hard work and perseverance during their final year of schooling. Like the entire Ruyton community, we are so proud of the poise and resilience of our girls during their second disrupted year of VCE learning. Our online platform RuytonORA.com continues to rapidly grow. The platform provides an opportunity for our Old Girls to mentor, network, advertise employment opportunities and re-connect.

In 2021 we were further reminded of the importance of Ruyton’s Old Girls supporting one another and of maintaining our connections with Ruyton, a place which will always be our home. As always, if there is ever anything the ORA or I can do to help one of our members, we encourage them to get in contact. Members can also follow and engage with our social media accounts. Finally, the 2021 Old Ruytonians’ Association AGM, held in April, saw some new faces join our committee as well as the elevation of Belinda Anderson as our new Vice President. I thank the 2021 Committee for their service and am incredibly honoured to have been re-elected to lead the ORA for a third term. Our organisation’s continued success is the product of a cohesive, united and focused committee, and a great deal of work in the ORA occurs ‘behind-the-scenes’. To that end, in closing, I want to pay particular tribute to our sub-committee chairs as well as our Alumnae Manager Kate Nixon for their dedicated work.

Phoebe Demiris (Tallent, 2003) ORA President