COLLEGIANS SHARE THEIR STORIES

One of the greatest strengths of our Collegian community is the connection between past and present students, with past students generously returning to share their experiences and insights with those following in their footsteps.

Years 10, 11 and 12 students recently attended a financial literacy-focused year level meeting featuring two young Collegians who shared their experiences, lessons and advice about building successful futures.

Olivia Pedder (’25), founder of Bloom Coffee, spoke about the courage it takes to turn a passion into a business. Sharing both the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, she encouraged students to back themselves, embrace opportunities and not be afraid to take calculated risks in pursuit of their goals.

Students also heard from Clair Russell (’23), who shared her experiences with investing and the importance of developing good financial habits from a young age. She highlighted the value of starting early, diversifying investments and recognising that building financial security is achievable for anyone willing to take the first step.

Together, Olivia and Clair demonstrated that whether through entrepreneurship or investing, confidence, curiosity and informed decision-making are key to financial success, empowering students to take ownership of their financial futures.

We thank Olivia and Clair for generously giving back to the community and inspiring our students to think boldly about their futures. The session formed part of an ongoing commitment to financial literacy initiatives led by Joy Russell, helping students develop the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions throughout their lives.

Joy Russell
Teacher