12 Apr 2019
Ms Teena Jennings visited our school as a guest speaker for our special ANZAC Day ceremony, held for students and staff to commemorate veterans.
The ceremony was led by our Secondary Captains and Vice-Captain, Kayla Nugent, Alexis Cathie and Andrew McManus, and by our Primary Captains Hannah Moffitt and Penny Cavill-Low. Corey Huckstadt and Harley Tonkin gave the Acknowledgement to Country, followed by the national anthem and a speech from our Principal Murray Borham, who acknowledged the contributions of women in war and military services. “They saved so many lives and provided such great comfort to those in need, and it is great that this year we recognise the brave work they did, and still do.”
Ms Jennings then spoke, introducing herself as a former pupil of our school and telling us that this year marks her 29th anniversary in the Australian Defence Force. “I was fortunate to be posted as the first female soldier into a Calvary REGT which later gave me the opportunity to mentor other young women in these roles. I have served overseas to war zones and on peace keeping missions. I feel very honoured and fortunate that I have had the opportunity to give back to a country that so many men and women sacrificed their lives for.”
She then paid tribute to the work of women in World War I, including those in the war zone and those who remained behind. “The home front women had to deal with the consequences that war brought. Not only did they stress over the family responsibilities, but they also had to manage the ration shortages and endure the painful fears they had for the future and the grief and trauma of losing husbands, fathers or sons. It wasn’t common for women to have jobs before the outbreak of war, however the government called upon women to take an active role in industry such as agriculture and as a labour force in factories.”
The ceremony ended with Ashleigh Pattison and Shannon Stewart delivering The Ode, and The Last Post and Raising of the Flags by Darion Williams and Corey Huckstadt. Ms Jennings then spent time at the school giving talks to students about life in the Defence Force and answered student’s questions.