Hopes, Dreams and Stories

Hopes, Dreams & Stories

FOR OUR CLASS OF 2022

MESSAGES FOR THE CLASS OF 2022

Dear Year 12s,

As the current chapter of your life at St Catherine’s draws to a close, we now welcome you as Old Girl ambassadors. I encourage you to do your best to be good and in so doing, you will be great in all you endeavour to achieve in the world outside the Heyington Gates. This year, as a cohort you encouraged each other to ‘emerge’. A guiding thought; a single word to encapsulate the intents and focus for each of you.

For every Year 12 their graduating year is momentous. An occasion once dreamt of in the distant future as you commenced your primary years. Having observed your capacity to embrace change and your independence, resilience and motivation to learn and challenge yourselves, particularly during the past three years of a global pandemic, I have every confidence in your capabilities to march forward into the next phase of your lives with confidence, wisdom and integrity.

At St Catherine’s, we celebrate the achievements and lives of our Old Girls, their stories are inspirational and serve to motivate and encourage our current student body. The messages of community spirit, care and sisterhood found within the pages of this keepsake, I believe, are one of the most treasured gifts St Catherine’s can provide you. I encourage you all to reflect on the words and sentiments provided by your fellow Alumnae, now and into your futures.

As the Values of St Catherine’s shine through you all, so too does the everlasting essence each of you have left within the light blue tapestry of our School’s 126-year history.

On behalf of St Catherine’s School we say thank you for emerging.

WARM REGARDS

MICHELLE CARROLL PRINCIPAL

The Thread that Binds Us

We celebrate our golden past and our future just beginning. Stand and unite, reach for the stars, all our dreams will be fulfilling.

Friends we value, those who last, friends from many nations. Leaders we choose; guidance we follow, the future’s in our hands.

There is one thread that binds us all, a thread of gold and blue. Spun with creed and spirit true of faith, hope and love.

We are not saintly but full of heart, St Catherine’s wheel does us unite.

We stand by truth, and aim not to fail in the challenges of life.

As we pursue our hopes and dreams on the path that lies before us.

Our future’s bright, we’ll reach new heights with St Catherine’s as our guide.

MRS JANET HAWKINS OAM (GUEST ’52)

Dear Year 12 students,

This is a message from a St Catherine’s Old Girl to wish you all the best for your coming exams, and the years to come. I should start by telling you that I am a very ‘old’, Old Girl because I was at St Catherine’s just after the end World War II, and you know how long ago that was! So dear students, I wish you all the very best for the coming weeks and the years to come. I hope that apart from studying you have had the time to think seriously about your dreams for the future, even if it is a little unclear at this time what this will be! The main thing is to hang on to those dreams and at some time in your life, you will achieve them. Believe me I know. But that’s another story…

JANET 1947 – 1953

MRS MARGARET WOODLOCK-MCLEAN OAM OLY (WOODLOCK ’56)

Dear Year 12 students,

I am hopeful that by sharing some thoughts with you it will help over the next few months.

1956 was a busy year for me, combining my duties at school with athletics training out of school. My day started at 7.00am and finished at 10.30pm. Dad could see how tiring this was and said “don’t look back, don’t look forward. Live one day at a time”. It worked!!

Franz Stampfl my athletics coach could also see I was leading a busy life.

He said, “set aside one day per week as a ‘me day’ (for me that was Sunday).” A ‘me day’ is for relaxation – no work, no study. Give your brain a rest – sleep in, soak in a luxurious bath, listen to your favourite music, play with your dog or cat, spend quality time with your family, have coffee with a friend, live life. It is a day for recharging your batteries mentally and emotionally. It worked.

In 1956 when I was selected in the Olympic Team, the publicity and media attention was relentless. Franz took me aside and said “Always keep your family and close friends close – for they are your support group, and will be the only ones there for you when all this is over”. He was absolutely right. Everything will be okay – be patient, stay safe and well.

BEST WISHES, MARG WOODLOCK-MCLEAN OAM OLY

LADY JUDITH THOMSON (OGDEN ’57) Dear Year 12s,

It is with very mixed feelings that I conjure from the deep dark past, my final year at St Catherine’s. At one level it is of course just the usual passage of years (62 years!) but at another it is because my years at School were a major imprint on my life and all that I was to achieve or witness in the next sixty. So as you face this same moment, think back on all those experiences, good and bad, as foundational matter on which you are going to create a whole being, a full story, of your own. Others will colour the edges, but you have the skeleton already in place.

For me one of those ‘bones’ was the quality of the teaching I received at St Catherine’s. Nearly all my teachers had lost a husband or partner in the Second World War. But all showed a devotion to the art and discipline of their field which they imparted to me – Biology, History (especially Ren & Ref), Maths and Music. When I got to Harvard University I found I was well prepared and able to go into many second year subjects, so well had I been taught.

A second ‘bone’ was the friendships I made then, and which have stayed with me throughout my life. I am still in correspondence with the main friends of those years, fretting with them about the social confinement of this virus, hearing about their families, their winter plans… of the 22 girls who were in the class when I entered St Catherine’s, we’ve only had I think two deaths. And when I was in Melbourne a little over three years ago, we all met to reconnect with each other and cement our affection and respect.

A final ‘bone’ was a love of music – aided by school attendance at the concerts in the Melbourne Town Hall, as well as piano lessons at the School. But again, once out in the big world, I found that I had heard and often knew intimately many of the works at concerts in New York, Boston and London. While a junior at the School, we too had a pandemic of sorts – polio. All of us were aware of it, and the day we had to get vaccinated is still clear in my mind. But the fear, the social awareness of danger, all that was with us in those post-war years, and with that image of dedication always clearly in our minds, we did whatever we could to make sure we kept to the rules for health – as I am sure you have with COVID-19.

I wish you all the best. Good luck – and perhaps I will see one of you here in Cambridge Massachusetts or London!

SINCERELY, JUDITH OGDEN THOMSON

Editor’s Note: Letter penned by Lady Thomson in 2020. Lady Thomson passed away peacefully in 2021.

MRS LEIGH RUNDLE (DENHAM ’61)

To all you gorgeous girls, Cherish your few precious weeks together. Nurture the physical renewal of the friendships which have supported you through this year. Reach out to those who are struggling or do not have a close friendship circle. Do not let anyone fall through the cracks. Look out for each other. Be kinder. Laugh a lot. Rejoice in each other.

These girls will be with you all your life – some very close; some on the periphery of your life. For the rest of your life you will be known as, and will belong to, St Catherine’s Year 12 2022 Cohort. It is an exclusive club. No one else can join. Despite the travails of the year, this is what you take into the future. A comfort blanket in which you can always wrap yourself.

GOOD LUCK GORGEOUS GIRLS LEIGH RUNDLE (DENHAM ’61)

MRS JULIA ANDERSON (MCKINLEY-WILSON ’69)

Dear Class of 2022,

Sending you all my very best wishes as you head into your final term at St Catherine’s! Being Year 12s ready to participate and lead – you would have provided so much reassurance and inspiration to the rest of the School and each other!

It’s amazing how you have moved through school at the same stage, and watched one another participate – the person they saw; and that you saw, will develop and grow and create and surprise you over the years… but a special Class of 2022 bond will remain with you.

Wishing you all successful and happy futures, and double the joy when you see each other!!

KIND REGARDS, JULIA ANDERSON

MRS FIONA SMITH (MACDONALD ’73)

Dear Final Year Students,

While it has been a long time since I, or indeed my children, were in their last year of school, you have been very much in my thoughts.

The most important legacy that you take away with you are things that have accumulated during your many years of association with the School, such as an education, enduring friendships and shared experiences.

Some of my closest friends are those I went to school with and occasionally we do share some mirth at the expense of our hapless teachers.

I wish you every success in the future, and trust that this year will have served to show you how resilient you are.

KIND REGARDS

FIONA SMITH (MACDONALD ’73)

MRS CELIA COLE (FEINER ’73)

Dear St Catherine’s Class of 2022,

One’s final year at school is always a memorable one. The friendships that you have made throughout your time at School that will truly endure and nothing can take that away from you.

With the support of these friends, your family and your teachers, as your exams approach you will have had the best foundation in order to rise to the occasion. Rest assured that the entire School community is cheering you on as you enter your final term at St Catherine’s. I wish you all the very best for your exams and for what will no doubt be an exciting future ahead of you all.

WITH VERY WARMEST WISHES, CELIA COLE (FEINER)

SCHOOL CAPTAIN 1973

MS SHELLY COLMAN (’74)

Dear Year 12 students,

The year was 1974 and IT was not invented! There was no internet, and alternative communication outside School was via telephone – not even a mobile one!

While the theme of change and adapting to it has been a constant one over the intervening years, there are some special features of an education at St Catherine’s that have remained the same.

From my School years l developed a profound love of learning, which was nurtured by a band of interesting and dedicated teachers – all female teachers except a lone male Maths teacher from Canada in this final year. A love of learning about people has been a keystone of my continuing journey as a Clinical Psychologist and I’m still taking French classes! The opportunities provided at School to be part of a team, to take leadership roles and to develop friendship skills are experiences that have been valuable throughout my life.

I would encourage you to face the coming final exams with confidence. Believe in yourselves and in the full range of learning and life skills that you have acquired throughout your years at School. The exam results are a starting point. There are so many career options to choose from, and now more so than at any time in the past, there are many different pathways available to help you to find and to achieve your goals.

Thinking of you all and sending warmest good wishes for the exams and for what follows.

SHELLY COLMAN SCHOOL VICE-CAPTAIN CLASS OF 1974

MRS CLARE KEARNEY (SUMMONS ’75)

Dear Year 12s

2022 – what a year it’s been! And it’s not over yet… you’ve the final stages of your Year 12 ahead. Try not to focus on the wider world at the moment – direct your energy into the things that are important to you and that you can influence.

When choosing a career path, study what you enjoy, and things will fall into place as you go along. Remember your family and friendships and support each other.

Stay true to yourself, value integrity and do your best. As the school motto says “nothing is great unless it is good.”

CLARE KEARNEY (SUMMONS) SCHOOL CAPTAIN 1975

MRS AXY DICKINSON (BOYNTON ’76)

To the Year 12 students of 2022,

I wish all of you the best luck in your exams. Do not stress too much about having all the answers about what your future will hold, because it will change along the journey.

I studied Marine Zoology and ended up in stockbroking and now live mostly in the country and have a small coffee shop in our local town!

BEST WISHES, AXY DICKINSON (BOYNTON ’76)

MRS CLARE CANNON (DARLING ’77)

Dear St Catherine’s Year 12s,

Congratulations on coming towards the end of Year 12; always a huge and challenging year, made more so due to COVID uncertainties and protocols.

When we leave St Catherine’s, it does not mean that St Catherine’s leaves us. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to attend the Women in Leadership course at Stanford’s Business School. It was an exciting, and daunting prospect as I was concerned that the women who were attending all worked for corporates, and they were younger and more tech savvy than me. I drew upon the skills I had learnt at School around collegial learning, knowing my sphere of strengths and weaknesses, and the sometimes now lost ‘diplomacy’ skills of bringing disparate groups together to achieve a common purpose. These skills gave me the confidence to get the most out of the week and the cohort from all around the world.

I often remember the words of former Principal, Miss Pizzey, “You can have it all girls, but not all at the same time.” I have thought of this advice often. As a hands-on mother of four, I watched men and women kicking goals in their careers around me while I was knee-deep in nappies (cloth!) and sports runs. As my children grew up, I found increasing time to work with organisations which mattered to me and where I felt I could make a difference. Now I see some of these men and women slowing down in their careers while I still have many plans and projects ahead. Note to self: play the long game and not the short game.

Another former Principal, Dr Sylvia Walton, also gave me some sound advice which I use all the time when I make decisions. The decision I was making at the time was whether to take over the family merino sheep and poll hereford cattle grazing property. Dr Walton’s mantra was: “Don’t do what is easy; do what is right.” When decisions are made through that filter, they become very clear. I took over the property and, even in the most challenging times we have had there with bushfire, drought, and fluctuating commodity markets, I know that the decision was the right one.

In the year of ‘The Great Resignation,’ (of which I have myself been a part), I believe that it is even more important to do what you really love, and not be tempted by prestigious courses or jobs. The glamour wears off quickly if you are not enjoying what you do, or if you think you are not making a difference. As a farmer, it is wonderful to see the next generation of young women working in agriculture either as farmers, advisors or in the sustainability sector. There is terrific innovation in the agricultural sector in sustainable farming, biodiversity and conservation and carbon emission mitigation and sinks. It is exciting to see girls graduating from St Catherine’s and choosing this sector to work and make change. My final piece of advice is to walk through the doors that open for you even if they are not what you necessarily had in mind. Often our view of ourselves can be too narrow.

I wish you all the best for the exams ahead and for the bold decisions you will make in the future.

WITH ALL GOOD WISHES, CLARE CANNON (DARLING ’77)

MRS LINDA SOLOMON (BRAND ’81)

To the St Catherine’s Class of 2022,

Times of challenge and adversity inevitably lead to heightened states of awareness, more plentiful acts of kindness and a situation where creativity thrives, and connectedness is key. To me, these are meaningful and inspirational fun bits, which I hope you have been experiencing and continue to experience. It is just such fun bits that will likely be remembered fondly when you look back upon your Year 12.

During COVID lockdowns in 2020, I received in the post (I know… old fashioned… but there is something very personal about snail mail and seeing a friend’s handwriting appear in your letterbox) a card from an old schoolfriend. On the front was a photo of a group of us aged about nine at a ‘slumber party’ (now called sleepovers) pointing to our plastic watches, obviously pretty impressed we had made it through to midnight. On the reverse side was a photo of the same group at a girls’ weekend in the country.

This same group of friends had met for a drink over Zoom just the week before. We have been friends since our Prep year at St Catherine’s in 1969… 52 years ago… and we have always kept in regular contact. The gift of School friendships for us is precious and enduring; a gift at least as precious as our education itself. We still talk of teachers and experiences, challenges and mishaps from our school days. We share a collective past and joke that as our memories fade we will be able to collectively fill in the gaps! Yet when we are together we are forever young and our true age seems impossible. Shared experiences and stories become the fun bits of the future and the Class of 2022 will hold these in abundance!

I wish you all the very best. Happy endings do not need to be synonymous with expected endings. May the conclusion of your school life be an incredibly happy ending where you focus upon what you have gained, and are filled with hope and eager anticipation for a world which will open up its endless possibilities.

May the wonder, excitement, laughter and friendship of your school days be with you always… may the girl inside the grown up live close to the surface and may you forever access life’s fun bits, in all their astonishing shapes and disguises.

LINDA SOLOMON (BRAND ’81)

MRS ELIZA BELLMAINE (EDWARDS ’83)

Hello to the Class of 2022!

You’ve shown resilience, creativity, initiative, and kindness and respect towards each other, that’s going to stand you in incredibly good stead for the future.

My name is Eliza, and I was Vice Captain in 1983, with my best friend Minnie, who was Captain. I’m sending you lots and lots of love for your exams, and for the end of the year, and for whatever you choose to do in the future.

Remember, this is just the start of your adventure!

ELIZA BELLMAINE (EDWARDS ’83)

MRS VIRGINYA THOMAS (SUTTON ’85)

Learning to Fly

Look at you now

How much you have grown Taking your next steps Into adventures unknown

It’s your turn now

To start spreading your wings

To work out how And experience great things

With mountains to climb And oceans to swim

This is your time

To compose your own hymn

You’ve got chances to take And more risks to be run But for goodness sake

Please, don’t dare stop having fun

Just as when you climbed a tree And edged out on a branch

Remember how you felt so free When you took that chance

Look at you now

Still learning to play On the court and the field

And that losing’s okay

Because playing the game

In the spirit it is meant Brings with it no shame

It’s good energy well spent

But we all make mistakes

So be sure to be kind It takes very little

Please keep this in mind

It doesn’t much matter

At what speed you go

You can go fast if you want to Or you can go slow

Because it’s all part of living

To sing, dance and cry

To practise forgiving

When you’re learning to fly

VIRGINYA SUTTON VICE-CAPTAIN 1985

MS MELISSA SWEETLAND (’86)

Dear Class of 2022,

Old friends are our most precious. Like family, they provide the times when we can be ourselves, let our guard down and simply enjoy being together. As you go through life, finding time to reconnect will be some of your most precious: make sure you find that time.

Do not forget, you will always be welcome back to St Catherine’s. Almost 36 years after finishing school, walking through those beautiful front gates, I still feel I am coming home; I feel a sense of warmth and remember the nurturing that helped shape me into the person I am today.

I hope that in time, you too can once again walk through those gates and be filled with such memories. Before you head off, I would like to share some thoughts that have helped me along the way:

Do your best today and tomorrow will look after itself.

Find a mentor, in fact, find a few, and ask for help along the way – you don’t need to do this alone. Be kind.

Cognitive diversity takes courage, but reaps large rewards – work and explore possibilities with those who think differently to you and you will create amazing things together.

Never be afraid to make a mistake – there is no better way to learn. I always remind my team if f you don’t make mistakes along the way, you are not trying hard enough.

Trust your judgement – breaking the rules is what sets you apart. One person can make a difference, change the world, and that person can be you. I will be thinking of you all as you embark on your next chapter.

TAKE CARE

MELISSA SWEETLAND

SCHOOL CAPTAIN 1986 SCOGA COMMITTEE

MS LUCINDA LANGDON (’88)

To the Class of 2022,

Just days before my first VCE exam I was involved in an accident to my hand which severed multiple nerves and made writing virtually impossible. I was of course devastated and faced with a dilemma from the specialists. Either operate immediately and repair the damaged nerves to full capacity, however, I would be unable to sit my exams or graduate VCE; or, allow the hand to heal, sit my exams in a reduced capacity, and operate later, potentially leaving me with damage for life. I thought about my options. My final year had been full of the most wonderful moments but also many challenges and hard work. Now, I was faced with another challenge.

I reflected on my friends and the journey I had been on with them for the last 13 years. They were my cohort, my tribe, my support network. For me, the Class of ’88 was the group I started my school journey with and the group I needed to finish with. I chose to delay the operation, do the best I could and live with the consequences. I quickly learned how to write with a pen held between my index and middle finger – and set about final exam preparation with the rest of my class. I tried not to count the days till exams were over, but just to make every day count. Only looking back now, can I fully appreciate how fortunate I was to have been surrounded by the St Catherine’s community during what was an incredibly stressful and difficult time.

I had amazing teachers who were dedicated, supportive and encouraging. I had wonderful friendships that remain as strong today as they were the day I left the Heyington Gates. I feel truly blessed by the education bestowed upon me.

You are the Class of 2022. I wish you all the very best for your final exams and for whatever lies ahead in the next chapter of your lives. As you approach the finish line of your secondary schooling, remember to run through it at full speed and give it everything you have in these final weeks. May all your hard work reap the rewards you deserve.

BEST WISHES.

LUCINDA LANGDON SCHOOL VICE-CAPTAIN 1988

MRS SARAH TERRILL (PITT ’91)

What a wonderful idea this is from your Principal! I hope this letter gives you just a little bit of motivation and inspiration. I absolutely adored my years at St Catherine’s, and feel very honoured to be able to write something to you. It is fair to say however that I didn’t have to contend with half the challenges that you all are this year; COVID-19 threats, lockdowns, having to cancel so many fun School events, learn from home, miss parties… I feel incredibly sad that this has to happen in your year – it is just not fair.

Here’s a bit of my story – I was Vice Captain in 1991 (which means I am now 46 years old), and was heavily involved in music back then. I helped plan the School Dance, I did the School play with Scotch (Sweeney Todd! ), I was in the seconds for Rowing which I LOVED, and we used to go on weekend regattas (and it’s probably not a good idea to tell you about some of those weekends – I was in one of those really naughty years…), but we had so much fun, amongst all the schoolwork.

30-odd years later, I am now an Accredited Practising Dietitian specialising in kidney failure which is a job I absolutely love, I am married with three small, gorgeous (most of the time) children, but I also have terminal cancer, or Stage Four melanoma, which means I probably have about six to 12 months left on Earth as I know it. I was diagnosed at the start of 2020 (on my birthday!), so my entire cancer journey has been clouded with COVID-19 influences and lockdowns. This sounds very dramatic I know. To be honest with you all, most things about this situation absolutely suck. It means that for the majority of 2020, I have been unable to see family and good friends for much needed hugs, and I don’t have enough time to create special memories, except with my beautiful husband and children. I am hoping to God that restrictions will lift enough in time for me to do things like go out, have an enormous party and celebrate Christmas. And don’t even start me on home schooling. My kids loathe it. There is a BIG silver lining though with all this as far as I can see it, and THIS is what I want to impart to you all. One thing about an enforced lockdown and being told you have no choice but to live a more insular existence, is that you start to think about what and who really is important to you. Who is maintaining contact with you? Who are choosing to keep in touch with? Who is sending you funny memes because they can tell just by the tone of

To the amazing, strong, wonderful, dynamic Year 12s,

your voice that you’re feeling sad or down? How gorgeous are those roses in your parents’ garden? How amazing are those herbs… hey, let’s do an online cooking class and learn how to make kick-ass dumplings or gourmet sourdough. You can save the money that you might have spent on a mani/pedi/eyelash extensions/fake tan for the School Dance on a belated schoolies trip somewhere even nicer than Surfers and really, REALLY enjoy it when the time comes. My bucket list destination is New York, but that’s me…

More to the point, you can focus on aspects of yourself that you may previously have overlooked, or not considered because you were busy being busy. Recognise that you might be REALLY good at drawing or writing reflective journals. Or running, or knitting, or meditating. Make a point of saying something lovely to someone each day. Contribute to The Kindness Pandemic. Random Acts of Kindness. Paying it Forward. All those beautiful things. I am waffling, but that is because I am trying to cram as much good stuff into my life for ME, but also for the precious people in my life, and that’s what I want you to do too. See the good in things!

Keep listening to how you’re feeling, what’s going on in your head and your heart, and be mindful that not everyone has the strength to get through such a tough time. You guys do though – you have the resources and the intelligence to smash through this. Eat well (that’s coming from me the dietitian), sleep well (that’s coming from me the mum), be kind to each other and PLEASE be kind to yourselves. Talk to your family, keep in touch with precious friends – look after them and let them look after you, keep up with your studies, and keep perspective. Things WILL get better, and your resilience, your strength and your stoicism will be so much stronger and evident as a result. The Class of 2022 will be a cohort of seriously tough and amazing women. I wish you all so much love and success. You deserve every single bit that comes to you. FROM

SARAH TERRILL (PITT ’91)

Editor’s Note: Sarah penned this letter in 2020. Unfortunately, she lost her battle to cancer in August 2021. The St Catherine’s School community extend their heartfelt condolences to Sarah’s Family. We hope her message to you all encourages and uplifts you to “see the good in things.”

MRS FLEUR CALVERT (MCKAY ’94)

Dear Class of 2022,

Congratulations! You have almost finished Year 12. What a momentous, exciting, fun, exhausting, memorable and extraordinary year.

I loved Year 12, (perhaps not getting banned from the common room for two weeks due to the mess we created); it was a fantastic, rewarding, and challenging year. However, my memories of St Catherine’s extend far beyond my final year of school. My friendships, the teachers, the School community, the funny pranks we played; these were created long before my final year.

Memories like the day a girl locked the gardener in the shed for several hours (he was too shy to call out and ask for help), or the time another girl tied a teacher’s shoelaces together underneath the desk, or when we regularly snuck out of school to watch Top Gun on video (yes, video!) at a friend’s house for the afternoon.

So, while Year 12 was a memorable year, it certainly didn’t define my time at St Catherine’s. I encourage you, when reflecting on your final year, to think about your memories from other years at School, and the friendships with your classmates and teachers that started long before Year 12.

Good luck for your exams and the coming years. As an Old Girl I can confidently say that the best is yet to come!

KIND REGARDS, FLEUR CALVERT (MCKAY ’94)

MRS LIZ WEST (SAHHAR ’96)

To the Class of 2022, I

have one simple message:

The Best is Yet to Come

The moment that you feel the warm rush of air on your face as you walk out of your final school exam, ever.

A long and magical summer (one of the best of your life) where you inhabit a world between school and your next step into adulthood.

The simultaneous freedom and thrill and grind and fun of University and work life. Firsts, career highs, family highs, weddings, baby joys, holidays, becoming the woman you want to be, milestones and more.

Whatever and wherever your life takes you – and that you choose (for the choice is all yours).

And always with the beautiful and enduring friendships of your best St Catherine’s friends, because there is something so wonderful about those forged in Heyington Place.

I wish you every joy and happiness. The best is yet to come.

BEST WISHES, LIZ WEST (SAHHAR ’96)

MS CECILIA RIEBL (’97)

Dear Year 12s,

Congratulations on finishing school! I hope it’s been a rich and rewarding journey. It’s an exciting time ahead of you - the best part being that YOU get to decide what happens next.

So, take what I say with a pinch of salt, but my advice, looking back on 25 years since school, is simple: follow your curiosity, stay fit, learn to be present in your life (it is a skill that needs practice). Only say ‘sorry’ if you’re actually making an apology. Stand up straight. Build loving and trusting relationships, and a better world for women and girls. Take care of our beautiful planet. Don’t take anything for granted.

That’s all. Good luck xx

CECILIA RIEBL (’97)

MS CARLA VALMORBIDA (’99)

To t he brilliant young women of St Catherine’s Year 12 Class of 2022,

Life is really all about ‘your people, your connections’. There’s so many exciting things to enjoy and plan for in life, getting into and through Uni or TAFE, career, buying a car or house, travel, exploring hobbies and chasing new skills, relationships, kids and ultimately hoping for a relaxed retirement where we can sugar up our grandkids and send them home to their parents (no longer our problem!). However, our loved ones and valued friends are all too often pushed to the side while we chase a goal, they are taken for granted or sadly simply left behind as life changes.

Remember that at the core of what you truly need for an enriched and fulfilled life, are those close friends and family members around you – invest in them, nurture them, give yourself generously and offer the best of yourself to them with all your heart and don’t let them be lost in the rush of chasing ‘life’.

Good luck for your future girls – I’m sure you will all find your way and do very well

REGARDS, CARLA VALMORBIDA

1999

MISS ANGELA JOHNSON (’00)

Dear Class of 2022, from the Class of 2000,

Three quick thoughts for you!

Firstly, stay healthy.

Secondly, do yourself proud with your efforts in Year 12, you are nearly there. And thirdly, love your classmates. You are all in this together, and you will share this experience forever.

All the girls from the Class of 2000 wish the very best for your Year 12 exams, and your life beyond School.

BEST OF LUCK LADIES!

ANGELA JOHNSON (’00)

MISS KATE MANN (’01)

Dear Class of 2022,

Resilience is the by far one of the most desired skills in the workplace and more importantly in life. It is this combination of adaptability and strength to bounce back that provides the basis of success against the obstacles that may appear in our way.

Wishing you all the best for your exams and path ahead. I know for me the path from school to work was not as direct as I thought it might be, yet more exciting than I could have imagined. I did not think I would end up changing degrees, moving universities and then doors opened to study abroad in Vancouver and Copenhagen. I moved to Sydney and started work there and now I am back home in Melbourne and so happy to be here and grateful to have the experiences I have had.

My advice would be – give it your best shot and whatever the result you can always choose your own adventure and you can even change the destination. Nothing is set in stone. The path may be direct or more varied than you expect, but it is all about learning, figuring it out and having fun along the way.

The St Catherine’s community is thinking of you and wishing you well.

ALL THE BEST, KATE MANN CLASS OF 2001

MRS NATALIE NUNN (SIMPSON ’02)

To the current Year 12 cohort of St Catherine’s,

When sitting down to write this letter to you, I reflected upon what I remember of my final school year. I remember such emphasis on milestones and life events, yet I cannot recall many of what these were. I can remember the final run around the campus at the final bell of our last day; I remember chocolate chip muffins at the tuckshop; a snippet of a classroom, a fragment of the School Formal. And so as I reflect upon the years that followed, I realise that the most resounding memories are not these, but the lessons I learnt along the way.

So much of what we learn at school is not found in the classroom, but in how we respond to the world around us. We learn to overcome difficult times, to push ourselves past our comfort zones, to regulate and master our subjects. We learn to support each other when times are hard, to buoy our friends on days when they are weaker than us, to let our friends carry us on days when they are stronger. We learn to have difficult conversations, to make decisions that are right irrespective of whether they are easy. We learn to grow into who we are and take those first steps on the path to becoming the adults we will be. These are lessons that you have not been deprived. The lessons you are learning now, those of compassion, patience, perseverance, delayed gratification and grit are lessons that will inform who you are beyond your life at 17 Heyington Place. They are invaluable. And as St Catherine’s girls, with the greatest advantages life can offer at your feet, your determination through these last months will open the door to a future of endless possibilities.

As a community we are all so proud of your persistence throughout this year. I hope that you are also proud of all you have overcome and achieved. Good luck for this final burst of your schooling life. You are making history and we cannot wait to see what wonderful successes are accomplished by the Class of 2022.

WARMEST REGARDS, NATALIE NUNN (NEE SIMPSON)

SCHOOL VICE-CAPTAIN 2002

MISS MARINA CARROLL (’03) Dear Graduating Class of 2022,

Nothing that happens in the next few weeks needs to determine what happens next. One of the many things COVID-19 has taught me is that life is unpredictable. There will be choices, kinks and turns in your path and much of that path won’t be anything like you envisaged. Sometimes things will work out exactly as planned and sometimes things will be very different.

As you sit down to your exams yes, you owe it to yourself to work hard and do your best, but know that the results won’t be a measure of you. Exams are two dimensional. They will test your memory and your understanding of a particular theory, but not who you are. They show you what you are capable of during a couple of hours on one particular day in one particular subject. It might be a subject that illuminates your ability, or it might not. There is no exam, folio or interview that will ever come close to showing what you are capable of, or the exciting life that’s waiting for you.

It won’t measure some of the most powerful things your time at St Catherine’s has given you – your unique voice and presence, the way you finish the Netball game when you’re 10 points down, the way you raise moral when you miss out on a podium finish at Head of the River, the way you regularly race from orchestra rehearsal to late night Debating and importantly, the way you have been there for each other.

I hope your time at St Catherine’s has shown you that setbacks are temporary, disappointment doesn’t last forever, and enough mettle can lift you out of any situation. It has given you opportunities to flourish, explore and fail.

It’s important to work hard and give it everything you’ve got, but know that there are so many more things about you that will determine the amazing life ahead of you. You may not have found what it is that ignites you yet. For you, that might be yet to come. Know that in you is everything you need to have an exciting, enriching and trailblazing life. Most of the things (if not all of the things!) that will make you successful and happy will not be measured by the exams you’re about to take.

So give it a good hard crack but they can’t test the person you are. They can’t test your response to adversity, your creativity, your courage, your good humour or your friendship.

Your path will be disrupted, unexpected and beautiful. Don’t let any of the bends or detours change your belief in your own potential, or the wonderful depth and richness of you.

And also know that the whole St Catherine’s community, past, present and future is behind you. I’m so excited for what your future holds!

MISS MARINA CARROLL (’03)

MISS MELISSA MYER (’03) Dear Class of 2022,

Congratulations on getting through your final year of school! I wish you all the best in your final exams and beyond.

KIND REGARDS, MISSY MYER SCHOOL VICE CAPTAIN 2003

MISS LAURA RIORDAN (’05)

To the Class of 2022,

It’s often been considered that Year 12 is the year to prepare you for life as you are forced to juggle a busier social life, School commitments, extra-curricular activities and VCE. All of you have learnt a lesson that I wish I had learnt sooner. It’s a lesson that we all come to understand in our life at some point. You can’t plan life; it won’t always turn out the way you had expected, but that’s the beauty of it!

You may miss out on your first Uni preference – but you form friendships in your alternate institution that you can’t imagine your life without. You might plan to marry someone – then the relationship breaks down, and as a result you make a life changing decision that enriches your life. You find yourself devastated about missing a job offer, but that takes you on a path which gets you to your career goal earlier.

LAURA RIORDAN CLASS OF 2005

MISS PHILIPPA SUTHERLAND (’12) Dear Year 12s,

As all Year 12s before you, you will have endured the highs and lows of your final year together, spurring each other on through sport, performance and study, and relishing in your well-deserved ‘year of lasts’. You will have motivated yourselves through relentless assessments and events, had your resolve tested, lead the younger cohorts, and above all, supported your incredible friends around you. You may have felt overwhelmed or uncertain. You may feel apprehensive about the next chapter or unsure which direction you would like to take in future. But do not discount the strength you will have gained from persevering through the challenges of Year 12. You will have formed a profound bond with the girls in your Year because you have shared in this challenge together.

While you may not quite realise it yet, there is always more than one way of achieving your goals, and the path is never as you expect it to be. For now, focus on the task at hand, which is no mean feat amidst the noise of the final term and the excitement around you, and trust in your own unique strength and the power of your resilience. It will allow you to handle anything that the next few months, and life, may throw at you.

Congratulations on everything you have achieved to date. It is remarkable. I encourage you to reflect on what your years at St Catherine’s have taught you, and harness that as you go forward.

St Catherine’s is more than just a school, and it is more than your final year. It is the years spent forming friendships and memories, learning together, competing for your House and School, and figuring out who you are and what you believe in. The strength of this cumulative experience will not only stand you in good stead to tackle your final exams, it will last a lifetime.

In the words of Calvin Coolidge that were introduced to me in my Year 12 by my Principal, Dr Sylvia Walton AO: Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

As you embark on the final stretch, lean on each other, have faith in the hard work you have put in and trust in the thread that binds you all.

WITH VERY BEST WISHES, PHILIPPA SUTHERLAND SCHOOL VICE-CAPTAIN CLASS OF 2012

MISS NAKITA

(’13) To the Class of 2022,

WILSON

May I start off by congratulating you all on reaching October of Year 12! That alone is an enormous feat and one that you should all be really proud of. I am confident that there are so many moments so far that have warranted celebration. Celebrate those wins individually and with your friends. Although some may seem like small wins, they are far from. They are the big moments that will power you through this year, and opportunities to stop and reflect upon your hard work.

Your cohort is such an important part of this journey. With each other’s support and encouragement there is nothing you can’t achieve this year. Share in each other’s successes, celebrate your huge achievements together, and most importantly – take time to pause and appreciate this milestone year.

As you start Term 4, just know that the finish line is in sight. Year 12 will be over soon so keep up the good work and appreciate the people around you who are helping you along the way.

You should be proud of your achievements!

All the best for the rest of Year 12 and beyond.

NAKITA WILSON

MISS TESS PRICE (’14)

Dear wonderful Year 12 girls,

VCE is an absolute slog. The guilt of needing to continuously study; not knowing what you want to do; the fear you won’t get the score you need? Year 12 is such a mind-boggling and confusing year – and that is at the best of times!

I admire you all for persisting and doing your best.

All I can say is that it gets better and it’s worth it! If you don’t know what you want to do or are confused? I’ve been there! It’s normal! YOU WILL BE FINE. Not just fine, you WILL achieve amazing things!

And let’s not lie – you can have FUN! You’re all in this together! You need to do things that make you happy to make study seem like less of a burden! I would love to hear about or see what you’re doing if you wanted to share! Continue to do the blue ribbon proud, just know how proud we are of you all!

WARM REGARDS, TESS PRICE

NICOLA SITCH (’15) Class of 2022,

I may have been watching too much David Attenborough of late, but I think I’ve stumbled across a new phenomenon. This phenomenon occurs in every first-year undergraduate. I call it the ‘how did I do THAT’ episode. Here’s the routine: you’ll be lying in bed at 12.30pm on a Tuesday. Your university tutorial starts at 12.45pm, it is the only thing on your agenda. You are willing yourself to wake up, wading through light sleep and wondering how the university could expect this level of commitment. Then it will strike you: this time last year your day involved seven hours of schooling bookended by 7.30am Sport and evening Debating. How did I do THAT.

I am still bewildered by the effectiveness, diligence, work ethic and passion one develops in their final year of school. Year 12 at St Cath’s is such a singular, unique experience. You have dealt with the usual pressures and pleasures that the final year brings in a world that is shifting beneath us. Hard moments are an inevitability of life. In these moments, we reference and exercise the values and emotional scaffolding that St Catherine’s has gifted us: self-reliance, kindness, persistence, a sense of self-worth. We know we have the resources within ourselves to overcome trying times.

A word of advice from the other side: there is so much to look forward to. The world you are stepping into might seem a little fractious and frightening at the moment. Know this: you are about to access research, perspectives, discussions and minds that have the capacity to change the trajectory we are on. Savour every moment of it. If you decide to go to university, speak up in tutorials and visit lecturers in their office hours. Join clubs and play sport. Go out on weeknights. Do the assigned readings and take a breadth of subjects that challenge you. Get coffees with people whose work you admire. If travel or employment are on the cards, ask questions of those with expertise and be curious about other lives and ways of living. The luxury of these next few years is the time you can dedicate to expanding your perspectives. Keep expecting more of yourself. I spent the time following school making some all-time mistakes. Accept that this will happen and be strict about self-reflection. Bring passion and interest to everything you do – these are increasingly rare qualities. Breathe deeply, study hard, be kind to yourself and connect with your classmates.

We are so proud of you.

NIKKI SITCH SCHOOL CAPTAIN 2015

MISS

GEORGIE SITCH (’17)

To the Class of 2022,

I remember, in my final days of Year 12, moving around the School in a daze. I understood that the next week marked the end of my years as a school student, but I felt I needed more time. I remember saying goodbye in sobbing hugs to friends with whom I had spent the last nine years of school and to teachers who had profoundly shaped my life. I could not understand that a routine could exist outside of the place and people I had grown to love over my time at School.

In a way, the ‘rites of passage’ of Year 12, the Formal, Valedictory, final assembly and Gala Night, provide this much needed time for reflection. In the moments standing beside friends in the final assembly, I felt that sense of togetherness that made the goodbye easier. However, in those moments I also understood that the rituals of Year 12 stood firmly on the sum of 13 years of schooling. Thirteen years of friendships, mishaps and academic challenges and successes that represented my School experience. I hope that you take the time to reflect on those moments that represent your time at School: the delirious lunches spent on catch up in the art room, that time in class when you spoke up with a new-found conviction and the dance module in Year 10 PE.

I realise that most of you now have a blinkered focus on the upcoming exams. I am sending every ounce of love and support to you over the coming weeks. We are all thinking of you and are here beside you. I hope that you do not conflate self-worth with your VCE score, but that you nonetheless work hard to create possibilities for yourselves post-school.

Congratulations Class of 2022! Keep at it and we’ll catch you on the other side.

GEORGIE SITCH

SCHOOL VICE-CAPTAIN CLASS OF 2017

MISS MACKENZIE LEYDEN (’17) Dear Class of 2022,

You should be so proud of making it through this year. Taking on the responsibilities of being leaders in the St Catherine’s community while also working towards your exams is not an easy feat. Wishing you all the best of luck for your VCE exams and whatever path you choose for next year.

MACKENZIE LEYDEN CLASS OF 2017

MISS

STEPHANIE FERRALI

(’18) To the Class of 2022

I can’t quite believe four years have passed since I was in your position –filled with both trepidation and anticipation about what lay ahead. I believe that each Year 12 cohort weaves a little bit of magic into the extraordinary and enduring tapestry that is the St Catherine’s family and I do hope that you recognise your own contribution. The strength and determination you have displayed throughout this difficult year will surely inspire those who follow you. But of course, we shouldn’t be afraid to take our inspiration from wherever we find it – no matter how unlikely the source!! It was no secret in 2018 that I loved the movie, Zootopia and my reference to its characters and dialogue were many and frequent!! The heroine, Judy Hopps, a carrot-farmer rabbit turned police-officer, seems an unlikely role-model but she kept me motivated and enthusiastic throughout my final year. In fact, I often had the movie playing quietly in the background when I prepared for SACs. Quite apart from the fact that I consider it the best movie of all time, ‘hands down’, I truly believe the film’s underlying messages are so pertinent to our world and experiences.

We all have strengths and particular interests. Some may feel passionate about trying to achieve world peace whilst others are creative. Some are naturally agile and strong whereas others are clever and calculating. But we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be forced into these roles; they should instead, provide a window of opportunity for us to choose who we want to be and how we want to live our lives. Judy is a perfect example of this. Feisty and enthusiastic, she refuses to be pigeon-holed and to fit the stereotype. Told repeatedly that she cannot and should not be a police officer despite her strong intellect and many other attributes, she is subordinated, undermined, criticised, discouraged, and threatened to the point where she almost feels she has no choice but to submit to her circumstances. Of course, there are times we too feel our circumstances are insurmountable, however, Judy shows us we have a reservoir of inner courage to help us become who we want to be.

We also should not be afraid to fail. As you may recall, the word chosen by the 2018 cohort was ‘fearless’ – a notion that served us well. I encourage you also to be fearless by embracing what seems difficult and by reflecting positively on every experience.

If we want a more serious source of inspiration, Winston Churchill once said: “success is the ability to go from failure, to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” In a similar vein, Martin Luther King Jr said that “if you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward”. What powerful sentiments!

For me, the clear message from both an inspirational animated character and important historical figures is that we have the capacity to choose, to adapt and to rise above challenging times. Our circumstances do not define us; it is the way in which we respond that is important. The world will keep throwing curve balls at us, but it is how strongly we can throw them back that will shape and define us.

Every experience – good or bad – is a stepping stone; they are additions to the tapestry of our lives.

We are told that ‘Rome was not built in a day’. Well I have definitely found that to be true! Often, success isn’t instantaneous but small and consistent efforts cumulate and we are able to reap an ultimate reward. With each deliberate action you have taken this year and with every ounce of effort that you have put in, you have gained valuable inches on your journey. You have also shown enormous courage. I am not sure who wrote these words but I love the sentiments they express: “Courage counts. It is all we need to begin. When we have courage to accept failings and to contend with present threats, we become the stewards of prosperity. Those with the courage to face the horrors of the world without turning from their principles are the bearers of truth. Courage is just as unpleasant as fear, and it’s only useful when it’s least desirable. Your greatest necessities will often be your greatest difficulties. The trouble isn’t finding courage, but grasping it and holding on.”

As Judy says, “life is a little bit messy, we all make mistakes, but no matter what type of animal you are (in other words, no matter your strengths and weaknesses), change always starts with you. We have a choice, always, no matter how strongly the forces of the external world tell us that we do not”. We all have power but it is up to us whether we use it, or whether we give it away. Faith is most necessary and apparent when it is being challenged, and determination is most useful when it is overwhelmed and inundated. Strength is a seed planted deep within all of us and is something nourished by our circumstances and experience. Often, we can’t see this mystery at work, because growth is slow, steady and silent, however, although our circumstances pass like clouds, our strength becomes greater.

I have every confidence that you will channel your inner strength. As you approach your final days at St Catherine’s and prepare for exams, remember that 2022 has provided you with great training to deal with the many obstacles you will encounter when you leave the supportive grounds of St Catherine’s. You have had to compromise, do what is hard and take charge of your own learning. The skills and strengths that you have had to cultivate will hold you in good stead in the years to come.

Instead of falling prey to the divisions within Zootopia, Judy becomes a uniting force and comes to believe that we are stronger when we come together as one. You have shared unusual experiences and provided each other with much support. This has become part of who you are.

I wish you the very best of luck with all your assessments and look forward to a time when we can see each other in person.

PS Please watch Zootopia for some inspiration. FROM STEPH

FERRALI

MISS SOPHIE BOYCE (’20) To the Class of 2022,

As you straighten your blazer, tie your last blue ribbon, and walk out of the gates of Heyington Place for the final time, you can be reminded of the memories and lessons you have learnt over your time at St Catherine’s. This School remained a constant in motivating and inspiring you to become the person you are today. A graduate. It is not the institution which formulated these things, rather the individual students and teachers who walked beside you each and every day.

So, as your time at St Catherine’s comes to an end, I remind you to look back at the journey you have been on this year and all those before, the good, the bad and maybe even the ugly. Remember your courage, bravery, and resilience, but also remember to carry that on in your future endeavours. Whilst your time in high school has presented many challenges, there are many more to come, so as you climb those steps to the top of each obstacle, you are now more equipped than ever before.

During my final year at St Catherine’s, my Cohort was challenged to the fullest extent. However, it was not till my graduation day speech, where I had to remind myself of the most important lesson. It is a final message I wish to share with you.

“They say that you are a collective of your past experiences. This means the decisions you have made for the past 13 years of school collectively make you who you are today, and just because you are placing your final full stop at the end of this chapter today, does not mean those memories suddenly fade away.”

Congratulations, may you walk into the world stronger and more resilient than anyone before. More importantly, remember to celebrate your biggest achievement to date, graduating!

MISS SOPHIE BOYCE (’20)

Jessica Anderson

Haneen Ashmeel

Charlotte Aston

Lucy Bainbridge

Summer Balla-Kellett

Isabella (Bella) Bez

Olivia (Rosie) Bogdan

Abbie Bond

Zara Bongiorno

Claudia Bryant

Katie Cacopardo

Megan Chang

Catherine Chen

Paula Chen

Amy Cooper

Claudia Crossing

Bronte Cullen

Olivia Cunningham

Scarlett Davis

Maggie Dryden

Megan Duong

Lara Elbilly

Madeleine (Maddie) Farrer

Sophie Filgate

Mia Foreman

Olivia Fortey

CLASS OF 2022

Emma Froomes

Jasmine Glass

Penelope (Poppy) Glenning

Annabelle Green

Arabella (Bella) Hall

Grace Hayne

Lilli Holmes

Clarence (Clara) Houle-O’Connor

Zeyu (Edith) Huang

Ella Jakobovits

Yasmin Jayasekera

Ciara Jenkins

Mary Kellis

Holly Landrigan

Wing Man (Cecilia) Lau

Mikayla Lee

Ruiyi (Rose) Li

Cassandra (Cassy) Lie

Arabella Llewelyn

India Marner

Sarah Marriott

Lily McNeill

Adelaide (Addie) Mitchell

Charlotte Myer

Olivia Nigido-Scott

Ika O’Halloran

Rosie Osborn

Jasmine Pierides

Val Plastow

Madeline (Maddie) Powell

Sarah Pratt

Audrey (Scarlett) Rose

Eloise Rudge

Emilia Searby

Pippa (Pippi) Shergold

Sophie Simons

Georgia Stoupas

Lara Thorn

Ruby Wake

Xiaoshan (Anny) Wang

Hailu (Lucy) Wang

Eliza White

Yui Hay (Hazel) Wong

Hao (Bella) Yang

Zhi Qing (Emma) Yang

Wing (Mavis) Yau

Lan-Tian Yen-West

Angela Yu

Pia Zayontz

Zihan (Jessica) Zhou

Wishing you all the very best