The Road Spring 2020_online

A FAMILY TRADITION
ALUMNI STORY
My name is Shaun Leonard and I have been given the opportunity
to write about the experiences my parents, Michelle Leonard (nee
Ryan) and Anthony Leonard, had when they attended Sacred
Heart College (SHC), St Martins in the Pines and St Paul’s Technical
College.
Both mum and dad were born and bred in Ballarat and have strong
family connections to Damascus College. Mum and her three sisters
attended SHC, St Martins in the Pines and Damascus College. Dad is
from a larger family. He has five brothers and one sister, all of whom
were students at St Martins in the Pines, St Paul’s Technical College
and Damascus College.
Our connection to Damascus goes back another generation to
my Nanna, Denice Ryan (nee Thyne), who attended SHC, Class
of 1968. Nanna wanted her four daughters to carry on the family
tradition.
Mum started Year 7 in 1987 at SHC and finished Year 10 in 1990.
She then started at St Martins in the Pines for Year 11 in 1991 and
completed Year 12 in 1992. Dad started at St Paul’s in 1986 and left
at the end of Year 10 to take up a joinery apprenticeship.
Mum started at SHC not knowing many other students, as only a
handful of girls she went to primary school with attended SHC,
whereas dad, from the small country town of Dunnstown, had a
large extended family who attended St Paul’s with many friends and
relatives.
After high school mum attended the School of Mines Ballarat, where
she studied business, which was the start of her career in office
administration and finance. She has now been working in the industry
for over 25 years. Dad completed a building apprenticeship and has
now been working in the building industry for over 30 years with the
passion he gained from his time at St Paul’s doing wood and metal
work.
Shaun Leonard 2020
Mum’s favourite teacher at SHC was Miss O’Mara and she has fond
memories of her on their Year 10 Outward Bound 10-day camp.
Dad’s favourite teacher was Mr Stahl, who taught English, PE and
Religion. Mr Stahl was a great teacher and dad has fond memories
of attending school outings to watch AFL games on a Friday night led
by him.
Mum said she loved her yearly school camps. They went somewhere
different every year, with her highlight being the Year 10 Outward
Bound experience. Dad also loved school camps, with fond
memories of a camp in Lorne and another in the Otways.
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Leonard Family 2019