I wasn’t the student who got academic awards at Celebration Night, I didn’t get a high ATAR and at times, my self-esteem was tested due to my Dyslexia. As a result of my common learning disability, my Primary School teachers informed my parents that they held concerns for my future prospects based on my academic performance.

However, I was lucky enough to attend Ivanhoe Girls’ from Years 7 - 12 and with the support of my parents and teachers through the School's Individual Differences Program, I was able to learn skills to navigate the curriculum that was designed for conventional learning.

Ivanhoe Girls’ gave me opportunities to explore other talents and skills in a range of co-curricular areas; I started to enjoy school and developed a love for lifelong learning.

Like many, I was uncertain about my future and career options. I had a love for storytelling and photography/cinematography but didn’t know where that fitted into the working world. Following Year 12, I completed a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and after briefly working in the industry, I craved a more creative career. After returning home from backpacking through Southeast Asia and Europe, I enrolled in Certificate IV in Photography and later completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Communications.

Eventually, I landed a job in TV Advertising and relocated to Canberra where I worked as a Regional TV Commercial Producer for an Australian Broadcaster. As a Producer I came up with advertising concepts, pitched to clients, wrote scripts for voice-over artists, casted talent, directed shoots and made creative edit decisions through the postproduction process. Although I enjoyed working in Advertising, I had a desire to move into TV. Despite many rejections and applications, I was lucky enough to be chosen for a Production Traineeship with a major international production company, where I was routinely flown to London to complete training.

Now based in Sydney, I’m currently working as a Production Coordinator and absolutely love my job and the diversity of work in the industry. This year I have worked on a range of shows from documentaries to reality TV including Inside Sydney Airport (SBS), My Kitchen Rules (Seven) and Love Island Australia (Nine).

I hope current and future students embrace all Ivanhoe Girls’ has to offer. Try new things, subjects and seek out experiences. Your ATAR isn’t a reflection or limitation on who you can be and what you can achieve – you are truly capable of being whoever you want to be.