In each Golden Quill, we feature one of our wonderful former GHSS students. What are they up to now? What did they love about their time at Golden Hill? Watch this space to find out! This week we meet Violet Anthony.

Violet graduated from Golden Hill as a Class 7 student around 2009, moving on to the Denmark Senior High School for her secondary schooling years. Upon high school graduation, Violet took a gap year, working at the Rivermouth Caravan Park as well as a few wineries around Denmark. Once she had saved up enough money, Violet soon made the break from Denmark, moving to Perth to study primary school teaching at university.

Violet’s class teacher was Rebecca Pampling, who Violet states was hugely influential in her young life. Rebecca happened to be the source of inspiration in Violet becoming a teacher.

After finishing her teaching degree, Violet picked up work as a relief teacher and taught for a few terms at a school near Geraldton. However, Violet soon realised that education within a classroom setting was not for her at that time in her life. Instead, she began to be drawn towards outdoor education.

Violet started volunteering at Outward Bound to get a taste for whether or not outdoor education might be the pathway forward in her teaching career. Sure enough, she loved it and soon picked up casual work for schools and outdoor education companies.

Violet then made the move to the Blue Mountains (east of Sydney) in order to study outdoor leadership. She has been working in the industry ever since, and loving it. Violet guides treks around the Alice Springs and Larapinta trail areas during the winter, and is also working for Outward Bound on an ongoing basis. Although she is currently based at the Outward Bound headquarters just outside of Canberra, Violet’s work takes her all around the country.

“When I got to high school, I remember reflecting on my primary school years at Golden Hill. Lots of people would ask what going to the Steiner school was like. I remember a big difference between Steiner and the high school was feeling seen and valued as an individual. Also the fact that being yourself, figuring out who you are and what your values are, as well as developing independent thinking, were really emphasised at the Steiner school.”