Past Teacher:

When I joined the staff at Caloundra Christian College in1993, little did I realise that I was embarking on the most enriching and rewarding time of my entire career in Secondary education. My role as teacher of Home Economics and Hospitality Studies was an opportunity to train students in fundamental life skills in a practical setting. We had a lot of fun together learning how to sew and cooking all the old favourites, like apple crumble and Anzac biscuits, as well as catering for dinners and receptions.

But working at CalCC was more than classroom lessons, playground duty and marking assignments. It was a ministry, an opportunity to engage students with faith and see many pursuing their purpose as ambassadors for Jesus Christ amongst their peers. Today I am blessed to have frequent contact with many former students and it is truly wonderful to see them thriving in their chosen vocations, raising beautiful families and having a positive impact in the world.

When I reflect on my time at the College, I am profoundly grateful for the wonderful people I worked with. We were a team with one purpose, to see every student thrive in our community. In my 13 years at the College, I was also afforded many professional development opportunities, ranging from the challenging (training to become a Queensland Core Skills Test marker) to the seemingly glamorous (live-in hospitality training at posh hotels) to the routine (workshops, seminars and conferences). However, I remember most fondly the many challenging adventures had with students, including tobogganing down sand dunes on Moreton Island, milking cows at Mt Binga, wading through mud pools at Emu Gully and riding horses at Tunnel Ridge Ranch. There are too many to recount!

I pay tribute to the founders of the College, to the faithfulness and generosity of the people of Caloundra CityLife Baptist Church, to Pastor Kenn Kilah who was an amazing support in my early years at the College and to the three principals I served with, David Robson, Peter Victor Gordon and Mark Hodges. Each one was a mentor and leader, calling out our giftings and giving us opportunities and challenging us to grow both professionally and spiritually.

Congratulations, Caloundra Christian College, on 40 fruitful years and thank you for allowing me to share the journey from 1993 to 2006.