蘑菇视频

Where are they now: Fran听Misfud听(Monk)听鈥� Class of听1989听

I started at 蘑菇视频 in 1984, along with my two older, and then later, my younger sister. We lived in Winchelsea and caught two buses every day until moving to Geelong in 1986. Not long after, my mum, Anne Monk, joined the 蘑菇视频 staff and ended up teaching my Year 10 sex education class. I still remember pleading my case to Principal Mr Shannon because I was mortified 鈥� and losing. I survived by sitting at the back of the room鈥� embarrassing then, hilarious now!听

I absolutely loved my time at school. My passion for books led me to spend years as a library monitor. While I wasn鈥檛 particularly sporty, I was a proud member of Xavier House and, in Year 12, I became Sports Vice Captain鈥攎ostly, I think, because I was 鈥渂ossy鈥� and had a knack for including everyone (because I certainly was not, and still am not, sporty!). I never stuck to just one group of friends; instead, I floated between all the different groups, learning early on how to connect with people and make others feel included. That ability was my superpower then and continues to be now.听

Music gave me confidence, I played clarinet, was in choir, and took part in musicals.鈥� These鈥痗reative subjects helped me push through my nerves and find my voice. Funny story, I recently bumped into Mr Cox at the school, and he told me that I was his very first Clarinet student back in 1984!听

I was always the quiet one, I would turn bright red if anyone spoke to me, or when I had to perform music solos in front of the school. I am nothing like this now, but back in those early years, I would fight through my shyness.鈥� I look back now and know I had to experience the awkwardness.鈥� It is just part of it all.鈥� But just know it goes away as you grow and start to work it all out.听

After finishing Year 12 in 1989, I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do. I tried secretarial studies, worked in Sydney restaurants, travelled through Europe, and eventually worked in London at places like the听BBC,鈥� the听National Gallery and a pub in听Nottighill听Gate. I then worked many jobs in Melbourne, in admin, for big companies like Holden, Bupa, engineering firms, recruitment firms, publicity in musicals and theatres, and FIFO. My career path was never a straight line, but in every job, I drew on the 鈥渟oft skills鈥� I developed at 蘑菇视频: resilience, kindness, organisation, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.听

Eventually, I moved back to Geelong with my husband and our daughter, Stella, who has been incredibly excited to join the school that holds so much family tradition for us. She started Year 7 this year and is proudly part of our 蘑菇视频 story as well.听

I now run a business @frankly.raw with my husband, making a two-ingredient Australian peanut butter. It took so many turns to get here.鈥� And this was听definitely something听that I never thought would be my life, especially as I was going through school.鈥� But we are here, and I love it.鈥� It鈥檚 busy, chaotic, and wonderful. And I credit so much of who I am 鈥� the resilience, the kindness, the love of people, the inclusiveness, the confidence to try and fail and try again 鈥� to my years at 蘑菇视频 and the teachers who pushed and supported me. I still remember my English teacher Kerri McLeod, failing a piece she said was my best work yet, because I wrote 2,000 words instead of the required 1,000. It stung at the time, but the lesson of listening, adapting, and refining has carried me through life (even if I听still听write too much!).听

To current students:听Your journey is unique鈥攅mbrace it. Be kind, stay curious, and work hard. Learn from every experience, even the awkward ones, and seek support from teachers. You don’t have to be sporty to be a sports captain, you just听have to听be kind.鈥� Pay attention in History听and Geography; you’ll appreciate it later (when I travelled, I wished I had listened more!). Keep an open mind and try new things; unexpected opportunities will follow.听