Glenny Alumni Program ('GAP')

Attention all GWSC Graduates & Erstwhile Educators

   

GAP

Glen Waverley Secondary College is developing an alumni program called ‘GAP’ to assist our former students and staff members to keep in touch with one another, whilst also maintaining a strong and meaningful connection with our school community. Our aim is to bridge the ‘GAP’ between all former and current members of our GWSC family….

 

If you are a GWSC graduate or former staff member and would like to become a member of our ‘Glenny Alumni Program’, could you please enter your details into the following online registration form to be part of ‘GAP’ -  https://forms.gle/EGekQEkYwf2uVYw38

 

As part of this program, Glenny graduates and erstwhile educators will have the chance to reminisce about their time at GWSC, network with former classmates and staff members, in addition to supporting the development and growth of our college community into the future.

 

Members of our ‘Glenny Alumni Program’ will be invited to volunteer as mentors who provide advice, support and inspiration to current students at Glen Waverley Secondary College. They will also be able to connect and form networks with fellow past students and staff, particularly those working or studying in areas relevant to them. Support will also be provided to ‘GAP’ members who wish to organise reunions or social events with those who they studied alongside or socialised with at high school.

 

We envisage that members of our ‘Glenny Alumni Program’ will find the proposed events and opportunities, that we are currently developing for ‘GAP’, to be rewarding and fulfilling experiences. 

 

Our ‘Glenny Alumni Program’ will be centred around the following goals:

- Establishing, advertising, growing and connecting our ‘GAP’ member database.

- Celebrating and highlighting outstanding achievements of Glenny graduates - 'GAP' Spotlight Series.

- Inviting former students and staff members back to our college to provide study and career advice to our current students, through mentoring programs or presentations as part of our ‘GAP’ Showcase Seminar Series for senior students.

- Encouraging alumni to offer work experience or internship placements to current GWSC students and former college graduates.

- Assisting ‘GAP’ members to establish and/or contribute to scholarships which support current students within both academic and extracurricular settings.

- Supporting former members of our college community to develop and sponsor philanthropic projects or programs associated with GWSC.

- Creating strengthened connections and ongoing relationships between all former, current and future members of our GWSC community. 

 

 

 

'GAP' Spotlight Series

 

 

Marnie Kerridge

Understanding how to have your voice not only heard, but more importantly listened to, when your world has reduced sound!

 

Marnie Kerridge (nee Francis) began her secondary education at Glen Waverley High School in 1986. She graduated VCE in 1991 from Glen Waverley Secondary College, which formed through the amalgamation of Syndal High School, Lawrence Secondary College (aka. Syndal Technical School) and Glen Waverley High School. It was indeed a tumultuous time in the history of these three local schools, as the ‘District Provision’ program tied funding to enrolment numbers and forced nearby schools to compete with one another to attract and enrol students in order to survive. This resulted in many smaller schools closing with quality teachers moving out of education to pursue careers in other fields. These changes led to a reduction in specialised support for students, particularly those with varying abilities and different learning needs. One could say the writing was on the wall for our education system at this time, particularly for students like Marnie who experienced many hurdles throughout her secondary schooling due to a profound hearing loss.

 

Disability ‘support’, ‘discrimination’, ‘accommodations’ and ‘inclusion’ were not major buzzwords in the education system when Marnie battled through Years 7-10 silently on her own during the late 80’s. Marnie was fortunate to be able to lip-read quite well, but often missed key information or important instructions that were delivered verbally by her teachers. As a result of these experiences, Marnie gradually realised that she had to advocate for herself at high school to ensure that all of her teachers provided her with more accessible learning materials, instructions, support and opportunities to display her understanding.

 

To read more about Marnie's journey, please Click Here...

 

 

Dr Joshua Haron Abasszade

Josh

Plenty of pathways to pursue not only a profession, but also your passion!

 

Joshua Abasszade was a student at Glen Waverley Secondary College from 2005 until he graduated his VCE with flying colours in 2010. When reflecting on his time at the college Josh fondly remembers epic experiments in the Sci Tech laboratories, classic soccer matches on the oval with the Year 12 boys every lunch time, tucking into crispy hot chips smothered in tomato sauce from the senior canteen, in addition to the camaraderie shared between Glenny students who competed together at SSV sports competitions and ‘House’ athletics carnivals. His favourite subjects included Chemistry and English, but Josh was particularly keen on Legal Studies with Ms Michelle Lock and Psychology with Ms Melissa Perera, both of whom (in addition to his parents) Josh credits for inspiring him to follow his passions in life. Their encouragement and care for all students in their classes also demonstrated to Josh how important teachers are in both the learning and personal development of their students. These ‘Locky’ life lessons and memorable ‘MPE’ moments certainly lingered in the limbic lobe and left a lasting legacy that would eventually lead Josh toward the learning he loves and the life he lives today.

 

 

 

To read more about Josh's journey Click Here...

 

 

Danielle Weber

Danielle WeberWhen your art not only tells a story, but also becomes your story!


Danielle Weber attended Glen Waverley Secondary College from 2005 until 2010, graduating as a VCE High Achiever on the VCE Honour Roll. As well as these outstanding results in her studies, Danielle excelled in various sporting arenas and thoroughly enjoyed the social side of life during her time at Glenny.

 

She successfully combined these passions within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) program, studying ‘Community Sport and Recreation’, which convinced Danielle to pursue further ‘hands on’ practical learning opportunities in the future whilst also igniting her love for helping others. Danielle thrived in our GWSC ‘Sports Captain’ program, representing our college with great distinction in a variety of sports, all the time supporting and encouraging her fellow Glenny athletes both at training and during competitions. Apart from her VET studies, Danielle’s favourite subjects at school were Studio Arts and Food Technology.

 

Danielle would often be found alone in the Arts Centre after school, tirelessly working on projects and finetuning her folio, further developing the sublime skills that would stand her in good stead as an acclaimed artist later in life. Unfortunately for Danielle, the same could not be said for her talents in the Food Technology kitchen. Many of her culinary creations were memorable for all the wrong reasons, with Danielle having to resort to purchasing her favourite ‘Hot & Spicy 2-Minute Noodles’ from the senior canteen at lunch, on more than one occasion, to sufficiently satisfy her satiety at school.

 

 

To read more about Danielle Weber's story, please Click Here...

 

Jesse Glover

Jesse GloverSeeing the world through a different lens whilst marching to the beat of your own drum!

 

Jesse Glover was a student at Glen Waverley Secondary College from 2013 until 2017. He was never hard to find around the college, as his infectious laughter could be heard from every corner of our campus. When asked what they remember most about Jesse, staff and former students alike firstly develop a wry grin and then state it was his beaming smile, one that often stretched from ear to ear. Jesse could light up the darkest of rooms by flashing his pearly whites or using his wicked sense of humour. He was known mostly for his cheeky demeanour and never back down attitude, but those in our college community who were fortunate to have shared significant amounts of time with Jesse, either in the classroom or out and about in the school yard, soon came to the realisation that he was fiercely loyal, highly intelligent, immensely creative and loved life to the max!

 

Whilst at school Jesse connected most strongly with subjects that allowed him to express his thoughts, feelings and emotions freely. His creativity was nurtured and refined in the supportive surrounds of the Arts Centre, where he was often found tinkering away on new projects and trialling different techniques with a camera in hand. It was no surprise then that Jesse experienced many moments of being in ‘flow’ whilst immersing himself in Studio Arts and Media classes throughout his VCE. Although his reports suggested that improvements could be made in relation to his punctuality, completion of set work and his ability to meet deadlines for work submission, Jesse was completely absorbed and engrossed in the projects he was tasked to tackle in Media and Studio Arts.

 

To read more about Jesse Glover's story, please Click Here...

 

 

 

If you have any queries regarding our 'Glenny Alumni Program',

please contact Mr Mark Robinson via email - mrb@gwsc.vic.edu.au

 

Mr Mark Robinson.

Glen Waverley Secondary College

‘Glenny Alumni Program’ Coordinator

‘GWSC Leading Teacher – Community Engagement and Partnerships’

mrb@gwsc.vic.edu.au