Our Beth Smallwood Scholarship is a legacy left by another special Strathcona friend. Her gift, left to our school in her Will, ensures talented and worthy hearing-impaired students the support to excel at our School.

This year, we ran our first giving appeal raising over $25,000 through the generosity of our community to purchase technology that will drive down our Carbon emissions. On top of that, the school is completing a massive undertaking to switch all of its lighting to the more environmentally efficient LED globes and we continue to look for ways to ensure our environmental legacy is the greenest possible footprint.

Our students are also actively ensuring the strength of the Strathcona legacy. Back in July, Our Year 10 ‘’Youth in Philanthropy’’ team completed months of in-depth learning about the for-purpose sector by awarding the Australian Youth Climate Committee (AYCC) over $17,000 in grants to support its work on climate and the environment.

Over the years, Strathcona students have created a global legacy via their support of a number of worthy charities through our service program. As a result of their work with The School of St Jude in Tanzania and Baptist World Aid, in particular, countless children have been enabled to learn, grow and lead their families and communities out of poverty.

Strathcona has recently launched a unique new partnership with Women’s Property Initiative (WPI), providing more opportunities for deep and meaningful understanding of giving and the impact this can have on our community. Women’s Property Initiative create new beginnings for women and their children at risk of homelessness by providing permanent and affordable homes, access to support and ongoing advocacy. In 2022, Strathcona will focus a significant portion of its’ service work to support WPI and will create yet another opportunity for enduring legacy, this time here in Australia.

Philanthropic deeds are important because they can impact a community for generations and generations. But we know legacy is not just about giving money. Equally as important must be our daily actions and the mark this leaves on the lives of others. Whether through the giving of our time, our money our skills or our voices, we all have the ability to positively affect the life of another person.

For Strathcona, I think legacy is about what we can do today to make a mark on tomorrow. Producing the type of person who is generous and kind. Young people who use their intellect, skills, voices and capabilities not only to further themselves but also to enable the happiness and welfare of others.  I think enabling a community where these behaviours are the norm allow the greatest opportunity for impact, creating the sort of legacy of which we can all be proud.

Ms Tracy Herft, Deputy Principal