Life beyond Radford

I'm now married with a beautiful four month old son. My husband is a musician - plays and teaches classical, rock and metal guitar and is a graduate of the Conservatorium of Music. I've travelled the globe and have lived and worked OS. Sydney is home for now. I'm an ICU Registered Nurse and work as a Clinical Nurse Educator for two surgical wards. Life is good, better than perfect , I keep pinching myself!

The plays Mr H and our drama crew would put on each year - he is so talented- Marat sade (Mr H wrote incredible songs for it), the passion play (smearing chocolate down our faces), Radical Theatre Company... Thanks to Mr Hs' talents we cemented unlikely friendships. We also won so many awards at the Wagga festival of Plays. I remember us cheering and stomping our feet (proudly and loudly jubilant) each time we were nominated for an award. We were so oblivious to how obnoxious we were being about it, Mr H had to humbly and modestly collect each award with his head bowed in an embarresed yet proud stance as we roared and stamped our feet! Thank you for giving us that Mr H

The amazing quality of the teachers. They actually cared. One History teacher changed the curriculum for me so that I could study Joan of Arc. Years later I went to Joan of Arcs' village and stood in her house thanks to this teacher who inspired me to learn. My parents bumped into her when I was there in France and told her where I was. I Hope she felt like she'd made an impact. Other teachers to mention; Mr Rose - he introduced me to existentialism and Camus. I'd ask how he was doing and he'd tut 'surviving'. I thought he was so cool. Mr H of course, Mr Foulcher, Mrs Vey, Mr Dodds who inspired me to get an A in science (I was so embarrassed I stopped trying again as it wasn't cool to be smart), the vice principal at the time (what was his name?) who got to know me so well from all my detentions that my parents went to his funeral. Radford was a community and it set me up for life. I am still in touch with friends from there to this day (Bec Lehrer was my maid of honour and godmother to my child).

It was a school with heart. The teachers all cared about their students and were relatable and real. It's a tough time being a teenager, they opened our minds and taught us how to think. I think they were secret rebels themselves- fighting the system. The best thing I ever learnt in RE (religious education) was how to change a tyre. True story! The teacher took us outside and made us all change a tyre, freaking awesome ?