FOGA: More news of Old Girls (Part 2 of 2)

Fairholme 2011 Seniors, Emma Lumsden (L.Mus.A) and Matilda Watkins (A.Mus.A) recently attended the The Australian Music Examinations Board Annual Concert and Diploma Awards Presentation Ceremony in Brisbane. Emma was selected as the only pianist from the state to perform as part of the concert presentation. The girls received their diploma certificates from Professor Margaret Barrett, Head of School of Music, University of Queensland, where they are both now enrolled.

Loving University life, Kiranpreet Singh-Khaira (2005-2011) is studying Pharmaceutical Sciences at Griffith Gold Coast. Kiran looks forward to being a fully qualified Pharmacist in 5 years time.

Gabrielle Stanton (2009-2011) was offered a place at QDSE (the Queensland Dance School of Excellence @ Kelvin Grove – feeder school for the Qld Ballet) in 2011. Apart from some injury issues with her feet ( which she says she needs to learn to live with if she wants to dance ) she has had, in her own words, ‘the busiest time of her life’. She is dancing between 3 – 5 hours every day in addition to completing her studies. Gabby says she has never felt so excited about dancing and can’t believe how lucky she is to be ‘following her dream’.

Kathryn Parkinson (1992 - 2000) recently took out first place in her age-group in the gruelling Ironman Cairns (3.8km swim, 180km bike leg, and a 42.2km run). Kathryn was the 8th female across the line, which qualifies her to compete at the famous Kona Ironman in Hawaii later in the year.

Alinna Butler (1996-2000) is currently enjoying assisting in de- mystifying Government vegetation management laws in her role as Agforce Projects Principal Project Officer.

Sarah Coulton (1995) has been enjoying her challenging yet rewarding role as a photographer for Queensland Country Life. Based in Toowoomba, Sarah recently returned to Fairholme College to cover a special Junior School Orientation day.

Self-taught designer, Kelli Morse (Jacobi) (1991), although living in a fairly remote location, is now enjoying webdesigning. Visit www. kellimorse.jimdo.com to view her work.

Congratulations to Samantha Gluer (2001-08) Miss Darling Downs Showgirl 2011(representing Crows Nest) who went on to carry the prestigious title of Queensland Country Life ‘Miss Queensland Showgirl 2011’. Samantha is currently studying for a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at QUT.

Alexandra Dyer (2003-09) is flying the Fairholme flag at the UQ’s Women’s Residential College in St Lucia. Alexandra was elected as President of The Women’s College Student Council. The College provides for the academic, cultural, sporting and social needs of a vibrant community of 202 resident scholars.

Alexis Hindmarsh (2005- 09), was announced as the winner of the 2012 Kleyberg scholarship last week at the National Santa Gertrudis junior show, held at Warwick. Alexis works for her parents at Hazeldean Grazing, Eidsvold, and in her spare time shows for Shaun and Jo McGuigan, Cree Pastoral Co, Thangool.

After graduating from the University of St Lucia with a BA DipEd, Meryl Arnott (1960-62) (Head Daygirl 1962) left Australia to teach in British Columbia, (replacing Lainie Tribbeck who had been her geography teacher at Fairholme). A couple of 2-year contracts in Alberta and London UK led her back to Calgary, Alberta where she was hired by the Calgary Board of Education in 1970 to teach English and history. Meryl had a sabbatical in 1980 to retrain as an ESL teacher and continued in that field until retiring in 2008.

‘Sitting round the pot bellied stove in the Senior classroom at Fairholme, I could not have imagined the rewards and challenges I would have in my teaching career. I didn’t even know I was going to be a teacher but the seeds of a desire to enable young people to achieve their dreams were certainly planted during my years as a student at Fairholme’ Meryl said.

Fairholme was very well represented by current students at the recent Toowoomba Chronicle Junior Art Expo Competition, and the the audience applauded loudly when recent Fairholme Old Girl Georgia Shine’s (2002-2011) exhibit was awared ‘Best Picture’.

Carly Mercer (1999-2000) has enjoyed a career in the Navy since leaving school and she still says the best thing that happened to her was to go to Fairholme College. Carly, pictured below (far left) is currently in Somalia on HMAS Melbourne (pirate patrol) and she is air crew in a helicopter and has her own machine gun! This year, Carly will row together with HMAS Melbourne team members to reach a million meters over a few weeks. Carly will be rowing 24 hours a day to raise money for people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and a charity close to her heart, Legacy.

After completing Senior last year, Paige Karez (2007-2011) took a ‘Gap Year’ and has been working at Charley’s Place in Chinchilla as an apprentice Child Care Educator. She began as an Assistant in the Kindy Room but has since gained a position as Group Leader in the Nursery, which she is very excited about. The experience she has gained will be invaluable for Paige next year when she attends USQ to study a Bachelor of Education, Early Childhood. How rewarding for Paige; this has been her dream since Primary School.

Jade Moffat (2005-06) continues to make amazing headway in the very difficult field of opera.

Recently Jade won first prize at the TS Burstow Opera Gala – receiving a cash prize which will enable her to travel to the UK to pursue her Master’s Degree.

Jade has won a number of prestigious prizes, awards and scholarships in the last few years. In awarding the Gala prize the judges commented that Jade is “clearly ready for a professional career which should see her performing internationally.”

Jade’s biggest fan, of course, is her singing teaching from her time her at Fairholme – Gwenyth Chappell. It was hard to tell who was the most excited when Jade was announced as the winner!

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