It was all smiles this week, as BSSC team members Donna Hamilton and Simone Baker got together to reminisce on their time in Year 12鈥攁ll sparked by a windcheater from the 80s.
Still in excellent condition, the windcheater features the names of graduates from 1988 and was brought in by Donna to show colleagues鈥攊ncluding Simone鈥攚ho was in the same cohort.
The memories came flooding back to the pair as they scanned through the familiar names and shared stories from their time at what was then 榴莲视频18 High School.
鈥淚 remember the 鈥楥ommon Room鈥�, where students would meet up and study,鈥� Simone reflects. 鈥淭his was where the current Business classrooms are now. It was a bit of a hub.
鈥淚鈥檝e got memories of exams in James King Hall. When I go in there now, I feel like I鈥檓 right back there!鈥�
For Donna, there is a reason she has held onto the jumper for all these years; it sparks nostalgia for the great times she had at BSSC during Years 11 and 12.
鈥淔un with friends, hanging out, carefree laughs鈥攖hat鈥檚 what I think of when I look at it,鈥� she says.
Their journey came full circle, with Donna taking on the role of BSSC Student Wellbeing Advisor in 2010 and Simone joining the Careers and Pathways team in 2020.
鈥淚鈥檝e found it really interesting and positive to have experienced being both a student and a staff member here.鈥澛燚onna explains.
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud to be a part of such a connected, supportive and passionate community where students and staff are all respected.聽I witness how staff are so dedicated to ensure students have every opportunity to succeed and make their time at BSSC enjoyable and memorable.鈥�
For Simone, the feeling of being back at the college and in a position to help young people makes her incredibly proud.
鈥淎fter Year 12 I went to work at a bank 鈥榝or one year鈥�, but ended up staying for 15!鈥� she says. 鈥淭hen I started to get into Education, Training and Employment. Walking into BSSC, I was so overwhelmed by everybody鈥檚 commitment to helping students. It鈥檚 amazing being part of their journeys 鈥� it鈥檚 a dream job.鈥�
As members of the Wellbeing and Careers teams respectively, Donna and Simone help students to navigate their way through life at school and, of course, beyond Year 12. Their advice to students is similar 鈥� it鈥檚 okay if you don鈥檛 have everything figured out just yet.
鈥淎long the way, I鈥檝e learnt the value of not feeling like you need to have it all figured out straight away鈥� that a variety of experience and change is what nourishes and adds to our lives.鈥� Donna says.
Simone echoes the sentiment.
鈥淭here are so many pathways out there,鈥� she says. 鈥淒on鈥檛 give up on a dream. It鈥檚 never too late.鈥�
