'The Founders'
We, 'The Founders', are the original 1960-1963 Yeronga High students. We have lasting fond memories of our time at Yeronga, and would like to continue our association with the school and later students.
After leaving the school at the end of 1963 we largely went our own ways, apart from a function at Calamvale for the school's 25-year Jubilee. Then in 2003 a few of the ladies tracked us down via the web and we met for a picnic in Yeronga Park. We found that life had been good to all of us, and that we enjoyed one another's company, so there were (irregular) further meetings. As the school's 50-year Jubilee in 2010 approached, we were keen to participate, and a few of our number floated the idea of a Founders' Fund, to give a bit back to the school and encourage some of today's students to have the wonderful formative experience we remembered.
The final proposal to the school in March 2010 and the call to the founding students for donations in April 2010 described it as a “Founders' Annual Award of Achievement which recognises qualities such as fortitude, innovation, persistence, personal improvement, and service to others (rather than narrow measures of academic, artistic or sporting achievement). All Year 11 will be eligible candidates." We specified that the certificate accompanying the awards should include:
“From the very beginning, the YSHS catchment has been home to families most of whom were not wealthy and many were immigrants. The children of those families, the Founding Students of YSHS, received a quality education which they acknowledge has benefited them throughout their lives. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary, the Founding Students wish to encourage all future generations to make the most of their opportunities at YSHS and to strive to improve their lives and their communities. This Award recognizes successful effort to achieve such improvements."
Our aim was and remains to identify students who likely are not receiving awards for academic or other achievement, perhaps due to difficult family circumstances, but who were trying to succeed could benefit from a bit of help. Students 'doing it tough' but deserving of a helping hand. We remembered our own experience at Yeronga - mostly comfortable, stable, middle-class families, the promise of long term jobs after graduation, a peaceful, quiet life - and recognised that today's students faced much greater challenges. We wanted to help a crucial few of them make the very best of their time at Yeronga.
Donations from fifteen of the Founders gave the Fund the critical value to make annual awards from interest earned.
The Fund makes a small number of awards each year to students chosen with staff assistance, paid into the students' school accounts to help with day-to-day costs.
Since the amount was set at a level that is funded by interest on the Fund, it can continue indefinitely!
Recently we have increased the amount to recognise inflation, but the fund will still clearly outlive us.
So we are considering expanding the awards to larger bursary-style awards, to consume more of the Fund within our lifetimes, and give greater benefits to today's students.
We have also considered another call for contributions - and of course any donations from any Yeronga alumni of many years would be welcome.
We will be happy to transition management of the Fund to an ongoing alumni group.
Upcoming events and opportunities:
- 60-year reunion event in December 2023, watch this space for more information
Donations can simply be made to the Fund's transaction account:
BSB 064117 Account 1035 7780
YERONGA SHS P & C FOUNDERS FUND SPECIAL PURPOSE
Fund Progress and Updates:
Regularly updated information on the Fund's progress and the impact of contributions will help keep our community engaged and informed. Profiles of students who receive the award.
The 15 donors were:
Coleen & Findlay Andrews
Joan Corless
Lindsay Flint
John Hynd
Robyn Lane
Phillip Moss
Bette Nason
Helen Parkin
Merv Priestly
George Prineas
Janet Reynolds
Rod Roberts
John Ryan
Paul Spencer
Susan Waddell
