Connor Rochford
A particular phrase that I will always associate strongly with my memory of Girton is “You get what you deserve”. I can picture myself now, a disheveled, naïve, attentive young man, sitting patiently in one of his first school assemblies, looking up at the commanding Mr Jones, who, without battering an eyelid, issued that phrase with such confident authority I immediately took his word as gospel. Since then, I haven’t looked back.
With every challenge that I have confronted during my high school years, I firmly believe I have drawn inspiration or found a resolution in the words of Mr Jones. In my earlier years, I took the statement on a more practical level; if I work hard at training, I will be rewarded with a game on the weekend. As I matured, the words began to take on a new meaning – a meaning which is dynamic and complex, subject to constant change depending on the situation and circumstance of events. Throughout year 12, those words which I had first heard 6 years ago rang loudly in my ears, motivating me to give my final year of schooling the best possible shot in order to fulfill the goals which I had set for myself.
To be a recipient of The Old Girtonians’ Association Scholarship is an immense honor, and I can’t quite articulate how happy and humbled I was to share this award with Fiona. To have received the Scholarship I feel as if I must embrace some of the ideals which the Girton community has built itself on, and I am a very proud Old Girtonian indeed.
As my life moves beyond year 12, I leave behind the uniform, the buildings and my year 12 results – but what I will always take with me is the memories and friendships.
Fiona Heathcote
My schooling days already seem a distant memory, with Year 12 now both endured and enjoyed, and I find myself hurtling towards the next great adventures of my life. I recognise that this means I have inherited a significant new title, that of being an Old Girtonian. Reaching this point has taken 17 years since I first attended Girton Grammar Junior School assemblies with my older brothers, and joined in on reading time in the Year Four classroom. These fond memories allow me to reflect on the amazing memories of my past at Girton, and also inspire me to cherish the opportunity I now have as the joint holder of the Old Girtonians’ Association Scholarship.
Girton Grammar has provided me with so much more than just a textbook education to prepare me academically for life. At a rough calculation, I have spent more than ninety percent of my years within its hallowed walls, and the invaluable life lessons unconsciously absorbed during this time are a tangible quality recognisable in all past Girtonians. The emphasis on leadership, community development, extra-curricular activities and academic excellence ensures that those passing through the Girton establishment are ready for a rewarding and fulfilling life.
I am enthused by the energy and passion of the Association, which not only supports the maintenance of links between school friends and colleagues, but also contributes to the current running of the school. I would like to thank the Old Girtonians’ Association for the guiding principles its members have followed that have created the inspirational learning and developing environment that Girton Grammar School still has today. But most importantly I would like to thank them for the financial support that this scholarship provides for my university studies in Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne, leading onto post-graduate Doctor of Physiotherapy.