By Tate Papworth
What’s your connection to Brimbank?
Hayden: I’m a former Brimbank resident, although I still live in the west and I’ve worked at Catholic Regional College since 2008.
Laura: I’ve lived in St Albans – I’m a daughter of migrants – and have worked at Catholic Regional College for 19 years.
What do you like best about the area?
Hayden: The people and the multiculturalism. I also love things like council’s plan to plant a million trees by 2020. I think greening the outer west is going to make a huge difference to people’s standard of living.
What could be improved?
Hayden: Transport is a big one. Because Brimbank is so large, it can be challenging, particularly for our students to get around and make it to things like sporting events. Kids will often come to me and tell me they want to play a particular sport … I’ll go find where those clubs are located, but it’s impossible to get them there.
You’ve been working at the school for a long time. Do you have a proudest achievement?
Laura: I feel like there’s so many little things that happen that don’t really come to the surface until a few years later. It’s in those moments you can reflect back and realise that you really did make a difference. Whether it be something you said, or took action on – it can be anything. I’ve bumped into former students now in their 30s and it’s so nice to hear about those moments that have helped in their journey.
How have things evolved during your time at the school?
Hayden: I think technology has been a big one. When I started here, it was still textbooks, paper and pens. Now each student has laptops
and there’s an interactive computer and whiteboard in each class. Technology has really exploded.
What’s your greatest challenge?
Hayden: Working in a school is relentless. You move from one event to the next and work with multiple needs of the kids. But that’s also the most rewarding aspect.
