Toongabbie Christian College

ELLIE VICKERS (née MAGILL) Student 1995-2007 School Captain 2007

I spent 13 years of my life at ‘Toonie’ – Toongabbie Baptist Christian Community School, thank you very much – from the first day of kindergarten in Mrs Frisken’s class, with freshly- shined black shoes and backpack much too large, to the last day of Year 12, pockets overflowing with friendships and experiences to take with me out into the world. Some of my most vivid memories still are from the very start. Even before I began school, we lived next door – a little house on Metella Road that later became one of the uniform shops – and I would stand at the fence and wave at the school kids as they walked past. Then it was my turn; in those first years, the most important skills one needed to master seemed to be: remembering one’s hat, bringing something very interesting to show and tell, and not running on the cobblestones. My favourite teacher in Infants School was Mrs Blouse, my second grade teacher, who was kind and warm in a Miss Honey-esque sort of way (I also recall she had a big glass jar of lollies on her desk). Notable highlights include chipping away at a 30 cent frozen orange juice over the course of lunch time, and the thrill of being chosen with a little squeeze of the thumb in Heads Down Thumbs Up. Primary School was endless games of bull rush, first overnight school camps, debating teams and the Ministry Choir (memories of singing The Pushbike Song in a white pleated skirt and red tartan vest come to mind here). Our school sports houses were Banskia, Bluegum and Wattle. We played marbles and handball on the basketball court and ordered zooper doopers and paper bags of caramel buds from the canteen. Fast forwarding to the present - I have just spent the evening catching up with a close friend who is very dear to me. We first met at school and have been the best of friends ever since. She brought salad sandwiches to school in a tin lunch pail. One day she wore ugg boots to school because all of her other shoes were (inexplicably) rained on overnight. I remember thinking, ‘Wow! This girl is so cool. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her.’ Today we have been friends for 22 years - more than two thirds of my whole life. She was my Maid of Honour at my wedding and is an honorary Aunty to my daughter. We have played in a band together, travelled together, laughed until we cried together, practiced social distancing together. I know we will be friends our whole life. Of all the gifts I was given at Toonie, the friendships I have made and been lucky enough to hold onto, are by far the most precious to me, and for these I am so grateful.

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