Heralding from towns like Moree, Goondiwindi, Mungindi and Boomi, to name just a few, families have long chosen Glennie as a place of education and boarding for their daughters.
With a large number of girls from the border region currently boarding at Glennie, there is one thing that all of the students have in common, and that is they are part of a warm close-knit community.
2021 Boarding Vice-captain, Penelope Lawson from Mungindi has thoroughly enjoyed being amongst so many other girls from back home.
‘It is very cool because I can talk about home and the places I have in common with girls even if we have only just met; it is a great connection to have’.
‘Boarding has been really rewarding as I have made lots of lifelong friendships that get me through every day. It’s great having so many girls here at Glennie from back home’
RUBY TIGHE (PALLAMALLAWA, NSW)
This hometown connection rings true for Year 12 boarder, Ruby Tighe from Pallamallawa, ‘Boarding has been really rewarding as I have made lots of lifelong friendships that get me through every day. It’s great having so many girls here at Glennie from back home; I get to go home and talk about all of the local girls at school with me. Additionally, I have the opportunity to talk to those girls at school about things that are taking place at home, which allows us to relate to each other on another level’.
The comfort of having so many girls from home learning and living amongst one another is particularly important for the younger girls. Year 7 student, Annabelle Dunlop from Moree mentioned ‘I feel like I have stronger connections with the girls because even your next door neighbour at home is a Glennie girl, which is great’.
With so much choice available to parents when it comes to boarding, it isn’t just the creature comforts that come from the girls’ private roomettes, or single bedrooms in Year 12, nor the countless social activities. Even the sheer number of girls who learn, live, grow and laugh together isn’t the defining factor for families.
Families and more importantly the girls themselves, choose Glennie for the extensive learning, co-curricular, extracurricular and sporting opportunities available to them. Ensuring that all girls are immersed in activities that they are passionate about, and more importantly, enjoy.
‘It is very cool because I can talk about home and the places I have in common with girls even if we have only just met; it is a great connection to have’.
Penelope Lawson (Mungindi, NSW)
For Year 9 student Bonnie Ladner from Goondiwindi, the French Immersion Program which runs from Years 7 to 9 has allowed her to step outside of her comfort zone, challenge herself, and combine her interests and future endeavours with her learning. ‘I am currently doing the Immersion with 17 other girls. I had never studied French before, but I am enjoying interacting with so many new friends and the challenge that the program presents. Hopefully, I will use my skills in a future job or if I travel overseas’.
For Ruby, her passion for the Arts at Glennie is something she holds dear. ‘The Arts have taught me that I am really resilient and I have learnt that I have to try really hard to conquer my fears to get up to perform in front of other people. It can be a very challenging environment but it is extremely rewarding because in the end I get to perform’.
Annabelle’s passion for equestrian commenced when she was just three years old, and it continues at Glennie. ‘I love the people involved in equestrian at Glennie, and the fact that I get to spend time with my horse during the competition season, which is great. Everyone is always encouraging and helping me, and they all seem like really nice people, there is always someone there for me’.
No matter what the learning, sport, arts or social interactions of the girls, there is one thing that they all list as their favourite thing about school, and that is the lifelong friendships that they have formed at Glennie.