EMPOWERING GIRLS TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES

When the Verrocchi family was looking for a school for their eldest daughter 32 years ago, they wanted somewhere ‘that allowed young girls to express themselves and gain confidence in their own abilities as well as prepare them for life’. Ruyton was the perfect fit.

Mario Verrocchi recalls how ‘Ruyton was small enough to give individual attention and big enough to allow all possibilities for our daughter.’ Elisha (2004) started Prep at Ruyton in 1991, beginning her family’s long association with the School. Since then, Victoria (2007), Alannah (2019) and now Mario and Fiona’s granddaughters Grace (2034) and Florence (2037) and niece Mia (2026) have followed in Elisha’s footsteps.

According to Fiona and Mario, ‘Ruyton’s greatest asset is that it empowers young girls to believe that all is possible’ and helps them achieve the attitude expressed by author A.A. Milne when he said, ‘you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’

The Verrocchis also firmly believe that having a place and opportunities at school to participate in the performing arts are essential to a well-rounded education. The redevelopment of Royce Theatre into a purpose-built performing arts centre was therefore a project the family was keen to support. ‘It’s a facility that allows even the shyest person to come out of their shell. Maths, English and traditional school subjects are a must BUT performing allows the students a breather from regimented, structured learning and allows their personality to shine through,’ say Fiona and Mario.

Ruyton is incredibly grateful for the Verrocchi family’s generous philanthropic contribution towards the Dream Now campaign, which together with gifts from other members of the School community, will help to deliver this vital new facility for Ruyton students today and those yet to come. For Fiona and Mario, ‘we think it’s simply giving back to the School. Ruyton has given our daughters and now our grand-daughters all the effort and attention that was necessary and sometimes more to achieve all that they can. We hope that with our help it will mean this will go on into the future for other families.’

In recognition of the Verrocchi family’s generous support, the new state-of-the-art building will bear the Verrocchi name. While thankful for the gesture, Fiona and Mario encourage other Ruyton families to support the Dream Now campaign. Mario explains, ‘my father was a builder – he said when constructing a new building, make the foundation a little deeper, a little wider, and put in a little more steel. That way the building will never fall down and can go higher than you thought. Ruyton is creating the foundations for your daughters’ education, so invest in the foundations, so for our daughters – the sky's the limit!’

Kate Higgins Foundation and Alumnae Relations Manager