Founders’ Day is a time to reflect on our history, honouring the vision of our founders and the school we are proud to have become. Recently, several OWs generously shared their time and stories with current students, illustrating that the path through life isn't always linear.
Their stories speak to the attributes that we hope our graduates develop during their time at Wesley, from striving for excellence, aiming to be the best version of themselves, taking action, having courage and daring to be wise in the face of adversity. The Founders’ Day assemblies are an opportunity to connect to our traditions and origins, and to be inspired by those who have come before us.
Josh Piterman (OW2003) is familiar to many as a world-renowned performer, singing in the Ten Tenors and recently starring in the Phantom of the Opera in Australia and playing the iconic role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables in London. He shared with St Kilda Road Campus students that life’s highlights reel never reveals the full picture. ‘Twenty-odd years ago, I was sitting in this hall, just like you are now. And just like you, I was working it all out.’ It was at Wesley that he discovered his passion for performing, in his final years of school. ‘I think one of the whackiest, and most wonderfully different, things I ever did at school was audition for a lead role in the musical, not knowing the first thing about it, or to be fair, the first thing about musicals.’
His director was then-teacher Nick Evans (OW1985), who shared with students, in introducing Josh, that he didn’t think much of that early performance, but was later moved to tears seeing Josh perform as a professional and witnessing his growth.
‘My highlights reel shows what I did, but it doesn't show the lessons learnt, the struggles, the rejection, failure and the almosts. Nor the love, growth, resilience and the unwavering passion,’ Josh explains. ‘Throughout your life you are going to be faced with many fears, challenges and plenty of uncomfortable situations. How we respond to moments of discomfort shapes so much of who we are, and who we become. Every time we step into discomfort and come out the other side, we learn something invaluable about ourselves and the world around us and we grow as individuals.’
For years, Kate Dempsey (OW2012) thought of herself as ‘only a sporty girl’ who ‘wouldn’t do well in the VCE’. She played softball, soccer, volleyball, tennis and swam for Wesley, but also made the most of the other opportunities on campus, and participated in the jazz band and musicals even when she thought she wasn’t very good at them. Looking back, she realises that ‘there was always something bigger than me to be part of’ and that helped her thrive as a student and discover what she was most passionate about.
After a turbulent time in Year 11, she recognised she was facing a cross road and that she needed to stop listening to negative thoughts and putting herself ‘in a box’. She committed to becoming the best she could be. She worked harder than she ever had before, and as a result, was thrilled to finish dux. She then enrolled in a law degree, so as not to ‘waste’ a good ATAR, but soon found it was not the right path for her. Psychology however, appealed to who she wanted to be as a person – empathetic. With the encouragement of her parents, Kate pursued her passion and is now a psychologist in mental health.
Since leaving school, Kate has continued to be a 'sporty girl', channelling the natural talent and athleticism which she had demonstrated in the sporting arena at Wesley into a sports career. She was drafted by Richmond Football Club in 2019 into the AFLW, two years after the establishment of the league. Last year she was named third in the Best and Fairest count. Balancing these two careers has been challenging at times, but Kate continues to display the fortitude, dedication and resilience to pursue both passions.
Two OWs addressed students at Elsternwick Campus, both demonstrating that courage was a determining factor in their lives. Retired ballet dancer Chris Rodgers-Wilson (OW2005) performed with premier ballet companies including the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and later the Australian Ballet, and is no stranger to the physical and mental demands of an on-stage career. ‘The Lion, representing courage, is a fantastic school symbol - courage as a personal value has served me well in my life beyond my school years,’ Chris explained. The lessons he learnt during his time at school helped him become the person he is today, giving him the confidence and self-belief to achieve anything he aspires to be.
Courage, persistence and self-belief were messages echoed by Lauren Breadmore (OW2001) at the Middle School Founder’s Day assembly at Elsternwick Campus. During her time at school, Lauren excelled as a sportsperson, in musicals and as a Prefect. Her involvement in many areas of school life and her leadership skills set her in good stead for not only the gruellingly competitive path of professional sport – which saw her ranked number 4 in Australia – but also her later career. Today, she is Head Coach of tennis for Wesley and CEO of one of Victoria’s largest tennis academies, XSOAR Perform.
In Wesley’s 158 years, there have been many students to pass through the gates. As Principal Nick Evans (OW1985) said to students about the great history of our College, ‘We’re just passing through,’ but the impact of our actions will be something that Wesley students reflect on at Founders’ Day for years to come.
