We are thrilled to present our latest edition of the Ravenswood Alumni Newsletter.
Last year, Ravenswood School for Girls marked 120 years of educational excellence and empowering girls and women like you. Our Alumni.
In 2022, we continue to celebrate the excellence of Ravenswood, its students and our alumni. The year ahead is filled with exciting face-to-face events and reunions, as detailed in this Newsletter, together with Alumni news.
2022 Ravenswood Alumni Committee
Class of 1969 Reunion in 2022
Traditionally our Alumni celebrate milestone years since leaving Ravenswood with a reunion. Reunions are generally held for the following years since leaving the School: 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 years. We encourage cohorts who would have celebrated their reunion in 2020 or 2021, but could not due to COVID-19 restrictions, to consider celebrating their milestone with a reunion this year.
If you would like to help organise a reunion, please email Kim Williams at alumni@ravensoowd.nsw.edu.au.
May
June
July
August
The Exhibition of the Finalists is open Thursday to Sunday, Saturday 14 to Sunday 29 May.
Opening Hours: Thursday and Friday: 10.00am–3.00pm and on weekends: 10.00am–4.00pm, closing at 1.00pm on Sunday 29 May.
Please visit the Art Prize website for further information at https://www.ravenswoodartprize.com.au/artprize/home.
Congratulations to Ravenswood Alumni Sally Mayman (1984), who was selected as a finalist in the 2022 Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize for her artwork Sublime Avalon Beach.
All in the Timing
Wednesday 25 – Thursday 26 May June 6.00pm-8.00pm Carolyn Trotter Studio, Ravenswood
The Ravenswood Year 11 HSC Drama class of 2022 has been spending a lot of ‘time’ working hard to entertain you. So everybody put on your overalls, sombrero or petticoats. Make sure to turn off your banana phones, sit back, relax, watch out for axes and enjoy the show.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Thursday 2 - Sunday 5 June Ravenswood's Lorraine Smith Auditorium
Come on a whirlwind musical adventure featuring the endearing Pott family and their magical car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. This production is based on the much-loved MGM motion picture and features all your favourite tunes from Toot Sweets to Truly Scrumptious. Music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman. Adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sans.
Miss-connection: How to Guide Your Teenage Daughter Through A Complex Adolescent World
Wednesday 1 June 6.30pm–8.30pm Assembly Hall, Ravenswood
We are excited to announce Dr Justin Coulson will be delivering a range of inspiring workshops for our girls, staff and Ravenswood community in June. Dr Coulson is the co-host and parenting expert on Channel 9's Parental Guidance, the founder of happyfamilies.com.au, and one of Australia’s most trusted parenting experts.
Have you moved? Changed jobs? Do you have a new email? Please submit an Alumni Details online form to provide us with your latest email and postal address to ensure you receive our Alumni E-Newsletters and our Semper magazine twice a year.
We love to hear from our Alumni and to keep up-to-date! Please share your news with our Community Engagement Alumni team.
Kim Williams + 61 2 9498 9898 or alumni@ravenswood.nsw.edu.au.
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Lucy Keeler (1999)
We took great delight in celebrating International Women’s Day in March, fundraising for the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women's Shelter where a dynamic Assembly featuring special guest Alumni Lucy Keeler (1999), took place. Lucy is the former curator of Vivid Sydney and Chief Executive of Public Art Australia. She captured our girls’ imagination by sharing insights and reflections on her creative and thrilling career trajectory. Above all, having reflected on the benefits of her own schooling, Lucy reminded the students of the exceptional education they are receiving here at Ravenswood and encouraged them to take advantage of the wisdom and knowledge of their teachers. She emphasised just how special an opportunity it is for them to be: ‘surrounded by people who are trying every day to support you and they want for you more than you even know you want for yourself,’ she said.
Many girls reflected afterward that her words had been incredibly motivating and had helped give them a renewed perspective in terms of the importance of making the most of every opportunity here.
Dr Imogen Patterson (1994)
Ravenswood’s annual ANZAC Service is a treasured event and in May, we held this important occasion in person. The moving ceremony conducted by our Ravenswood Cadets, School Captain and Vice Captains and music ensembles, honoured the men and women past and present who serve and sacrifice for us all, including the proud contribution made by many Ravenswood Alumni.
We hosted members of the Knox Grammar Cadet Unit and special guest, Alumni Dr Imogen Patterson (1994). Prior to her career as a Urological Surgeon and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Dr Patterson was awarded a scholarship to study at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) following her time at Ravenswood where she graduated from the Royal Military College – Duntroon. She served in signal corps for a period of 12 years. With tremendous authenticity she shared the challenges and sacrifices of her journey to becoming a surgeon and reflected on the leadership skills and values she learnt as part of her own schooling at Ravenswood, which assisted her in paving her successful medical and military career.
Hosted by the Ravenswood Alumni Association, the Recent Leavers Reunion event reunited Alumni on campus, who graduated 12 months prior. Due to COVID-19, this event had been cancelled for the past two years so we were delighted to welcome all three graduating years from 2018–2020 for a combined celebration. The event took place in our brand-new Senior Learning Centre. Alumni enjoyed twilight drinks and canapés whilst rekindling friendships and sharing a few laughs with Principal Mrs Anne Johnstone, Deputy Principal – Boarding, Wellbeing and Development Ms Lucy Cumming, and members of the Ravenswood Alumni Committee.
Ravenswood Careers Networking Night (Tuesday 14 June) is an incredible opportunity for Alumni to share life and career lessons with senior students as they study towards their HSC or IB Diploma and make some big decisions about their next steps after Ravenswood.
Our Careers team needs you! We are particularly seeking alumni in medical and allied health fields, creative/design fields, and the not-for-profit area. If you would like to participate on the night and are able to volunteer your time to share your career experience and expertise with our students, the Ravenswood Careers team would be thrilled to hear from you: careers@ravenswood.nsw.edu.au.
Lucy Pulvers (2007) is a professional artist. Her sister Alice was a previous finalist in the Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize with a portrait of Lucy. Lucy's artworks were on display in a joint exhibition with her sisters, which was aptly called Sisters. The exhibition of 140 artworks was on display at the Aarwun Gallery in Canberra in April and May.
Alumni Jacqueline Cowdery (2020), is an extraordinary embroiderer. At the Sydney Royal Easter Show, Jacqui won First Place in the 14-20-year-old Needlework Class and was awarded the WH Davies Memorial Perpetual Trophy for the Most Meritorious Exhibit in an Under 20s category
In April, the Alumni Committee kindly donated around 40 financial education books to the Library in the Ravenswood Learning Resource Centre to provide students with a range of financial literacy resources to assist them make informed judgments and effective decisions regarding the use and management of money, and to learn about investing. Topics include applying for your first part-time job, saving and investing while at school and financial considerations when moving out of home.
The Committee is passionate about empowering Ravenswood girls’ financial literacy, and committed to growing their understanding of how money and investing work to provide them with the best foundation for being able to provide for their futures. The Committee is exploring how to complement these resources with access to financial experts via forums including presentations and podcasts. Stay tuned.
Open to all members of the Ravenswood community, the Commemorative Paver program is an enduring way to celebrate your connection with the School. Each paver represents the legacy of a tax-deductible donation to the Ravenswood Building Fund of $500.
At the recent AGM, the following Alumni were accepted into Committee roles. Congratulations to the new Committee:
President: Lisa Boyce (Clancy, 1990)
Vice President: Georgia Vanos (2001)
Treasurer: Soriah MacLean (2013)
Secretary: Vivienne Yang (2020)
Anne-Katrine Goulson (Sundell, 1990)
Rachel Fife (Newton, 1997)
