During his school years, Brian excelled in maths and physics, showcasing strengths in both sports and singing. His active participation extended beyond academics, as he engaged in tennis, football, choir, and stage performances, particularly in Gilbert and Sullivan productions.

Brian’s school years were marked by achievements such as serving as School Prefect, and he was known for being sociable, friendly, and diligent in his studies. Fond memories of his time at Woodville include appearing in the school’s production of “The Mikado” and participating in a memorable night football match against Unley High, which served as a curtain raiser to a State Match. Brian’s favourite school lunch consisted of pies, pasties, and cream buns, while his most influential teachers were Gerry Phillips, Max Hocking, and Dan Riedel.

After completing his studies, Brian pursued a teaching career, training at Adelaide Teachers College and Adelaide University. He returned to his alma mater, Woodville High, as a teacher after completing his tertiary studies. Brian’s career in education flourished as he was promoted to Senior Master at Riverton High School, where he taught from 1966 to 1968, before returning to Woodville as the Senior in Physical Education in 1969. His contributions to the school were significant, particularly in expanding the physical education curriculum. In 1974, he was promoted to Deputy Principal, a position he held until his retirement in 1993.

Post-retirement, Brian dedicated himself to volunteer work, particularly in the sport of lawn bowls. He served as President of the State association and later as President of Bowls Australia from 2006 to 2010. His services to the sport were recognised with Life Membership in both the State and National Bowls Associations and an OAM in 2002. Beyond bowls, Brian has volunteered in various capacities, including cruise hosting, assisting at Meals on Wheels, and supporting the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Friends and the Tour Down Under.

Brian has been deeply involved with the Woodville High School Alumni Association, serving as President from 1995 until 2020. He was married to Judy for 53 years until her passing in 2015 and is the proud father of two daughters, Anne and Bernadette, and grandfather to four grandchildren. Brian continues to enjoy travel, a passion he has pursued extensively for many years.

He still remembers the nicknames he and his classmates coined for their teachers. His favourite moments included attending the annual music productions and Saturday nights at the pictures.

After leaving school, Frank joined the family business, Schirripa and Sons Market Gardens in Fulham, where he became his own boss at the young age of 17. Over the years, he managed 60 glasshouses, growing an impressive variety of produce, including tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, gladiolas, parsnips, and citrus trees. 

At 20, Frank opened a fruit shop in Fulham, which he ran for 18 years. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish a mushroom farm in Tasmania, which became one of the largest in South Australia, winning several awards.

A dedicated community member, Frank joined the Rotary Club of Henley Beach in 1979 and served as President in 2000. He has been recognised for his contributions with a Paul Harris Fellow in 1997. In 2014, Frank and his wife Jan purchased the Semaphore Carousel, donating it to the Rotary Club of Henley Beach to raise funds for various causes. They also donated 200 square metres of land to the Rotary Club of Largs Bay for their wheelchair refurbishment project.

Frank, an American car enthusiast, owns a 1957 Thunderbird, a 1966 Mustang, and a 1935 Diamond T truck. In 2022, his contributions to the community and horticulture were honoured with the naming of the Food Technology + Horticulture Centre at Woodville High School in his name. He has been an active member of the Old Scholars Committee since 1992. Frank and Jan have four children, and his life has been marked by a deep love for ballroom dancing, dinner dances, and attending balls.

McAvaney’s journey into broadcasting began in 1976 when a chance meeting with Adelaide race caller Kevin Hillier led to a role at radio station 5DN, where he started calling horse races and hosting sports shows. His transition to television occurred in 1978 with Adelaide’s ADS-7, where he read sports news and produced the weekly program “Racetrack.” His big break came during the 1980 Moscow Olympics when he hosted the Adelaide segment of the telecast, setting the stage for a distinguished television career.

In 1983, McAvaney moved to Melbourne to join Network Ten, where he covered the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, marking the beginning of his association with the Games. He co-hosted Ten’s coverage of the 1988 Seoul Olympics before returning to the Seven Network in 1989, ensuring his continued involvement in Olympic broadcasting. From the 1984 Los Angeles Games to the 2024 Paris Olympics, McAvaney has covered every Summer Olympics, with the exception of the 2012 London Games, solidifying his reputation as a stalwart of Olympic commentary.

I’ve been honoured and humbled that during my time as Head Coach of the Australian Opals World Championship and Olympic medals were always achieved. These successes led me to become involved in the AFL, work with other sporting codes and later become a Director of High Performance.

My learnings in leadership and collaboration have always been based on retaining authentic care for others no matter what gender, ethnic background, social or religious status. I continue to share what I know makes a difference in various organisational settings and as we all strive to be the best we can be.

Life is simple be the best version of yourself, always.

Tim made his SANFL debut as a 17-year-old rover in 1983. He was arguably one of the most important SANFL footballers of the 1980s and 1990s, which he perceives is as much attributable to mental capabilities as to physical capabilities. He was tough, intense, courageous and dynamic; he was the heartbeat of a Port Adelaide side that won no fewer than seven SANFL premierships between 1988 and 1996.

For the flags of 1994-1995-1996 Ginever led from the front as captain, and the longer his 314-game league career went on, the better he played. In 1994 he was appointed captain of Port Adelaide, and captained his club from 1994 to 1997, after which he retired.

Since playing AFL, he has been a coach, he has been a big part of the reunification of the Port Adelaide Football Club and the Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club and he is now working for Adelaide radio station 5AA and Nova. 

Having trained and worked as an academic, she now enjoys the challenge of sitting at interface between science and the rest of society, helping to turn ideas into impact through relationships, partnership and deals with industry, end-users, and key stakeholders.

A key part of her role is to remove and break down barriers which would otherwise prevent turning new knowledge into action. She believes in the power of storytelling, and that creating clear and consistent narrative, engaging broadly with consumers, and embracing authenticity, integrity and humour are the keys to effective communication, and relationship building. Over a number of years, Hannah has consulted on a range of projects in the communications, research/business strategy and diversity, equity and inclusion fields and is currently a Board Director for Women in STEMM Australia.

Born to refugee Palestinian parents, Sam migrated to Australia in 1984 at the age of 16.

Spent a year at Woodville High School before gaining entry to the University of Adelaide’s medical school. He studied medicine and completed his medical training, but he eventually joined his family’s expanding business operations.

After stints in full time, and later part time medical practice, Sam returned to University and an MBA and Accounting degree later, entered the world of business and enterprise.

Over the years, the family’s business interests have diversified, notably through the OTR (On The Run) chain of convenience stores, which has become a prominent brand in South Australia and beyond. Under Dr. Shahin’s leadership, Peregrine Corporation has grown to be an influential player in fuel and convenience retailing.

In addition to his business pursuits, Dr. Shahin is passionate about motorsport and played a significant role in the development of The Bend Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend, South Australia, one of the largest motorsport complexes in the Southern Hemisphere. His vision for the park has positioned it as a world-class destination for motorsport enthusiasts and brought considerable tourism to the region.

In 2018, Dr Shahin founded The Bend, Australia’s largest motorsport park and one of the top 3 motorsport facilities in the world. In 2019, The Bend won International Motorsport Facility of the Year beating competing bids from the UK, Canada and Germany.

Peregrine Corporation is South Australia’s largest private company and largest private employer with over 6000 employees. Peregrine owns The Bend Motorsport Park at Tailem Bend and the Mallala Motor Sport Park.

In April 2023, the Peregrine Group sold the OTR service station and convenience store operations to Viva Energy. The family’s ownership of the Peregrine Property, Construction & Development (PCI) and Motorsport (The Bend and Mallala) remains unchanged. Sam is currently the Managing Director of The Bend Motorsport Park and Peregrine Property.

Dr. Shahin is also recognised for his philanthropic efforts, contributing to various charities and initiatives, particularly in the areas of health, education, and community development, reflecting his dedication to giving back to the community that supported his family’s success. Dr. Sam Shahin sponsors our Year 12 Dux Award and has done so for many years.

She became a pupil-teacher in 1899 and in 1903/4 attended the University Training College. Her first teaching appointment was to Le Fevre Peninsula School. In 1915 she began teaching at Woodville High School and also studied part time to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1916 she became the first female vice-president of the South Australian Public School Teachers’ Union.

Adelaide was appointed as an inspector of schools in 1924. She was tasked with inspecting high schools and organising and overseeing the domestic and secretarial training in 4 schools which later became the girls’ junior technical schools.

In 1941 she retired but continued to serve within the community in many capacities including with the Girl Guides Assoc., National Council of Women, Women’ War Service Council, Schools Patriotic Fund of SA and the state branch of the (Royal) Flying Doctor Service.

Her involvement lead her to establish a branch of the Flying Doctor Service that was to become the world’s first School of the Air which began operating from Alice Springs in 1950.

In 1942 she was founding president of the Woodville District Child Welfare Association which established four pre-schools one being our own, Adelaide Miethke Kindergarten which opened 1953.

After a short illness Addie died at her Woodville home in which she’d lived for 70 years. She was buried at the Cheltenham Cemetery.

Peter was a career academic with appointments at the Universities of Cape Town, Utah and Adelaide. He published over 70 peer reviewed research papers and was a consultant to major companies in Australia where he was acknowledged as a pioneer in resource modelling. He was made a Fellow of the Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand in 2002.

In 1995, Peter was awarded the highest university teaching award, The Stephen Cole The Elder Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Peter is a patron of STEM at the school and donates a STEM award to the student who achieves the highest grades in Mathematics and Science subjects in Year 12, in order to encourage the recipient to pursue a career in STEM. He will present the award.

Irabinna is an esteemed Professor of Education and Co-Chair of the Pedagogies for Justice Research group in the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion, based in the Education Futures, Academic Unit at the University of South Australia.

Irabinna has a long and distinguished record of researching with public schools for systemic, policy and pedagogical reform toward equality, social justice and democratic inclusion. As a researcher of school leadership and epistemology he is best known for theory of Australian Culturally Responsive Pedagogies and Indigenous Epistemologies. He was inducted as Fellow of Australian Academy of Humanities in 2023.

Irabinna is a Distinguished Fellow at Deakin University and previous Distinguished Fellow at Kings College, London. In 2021 Professor Rigney was appointed member in the General Division (AM) for significant service to Indigenous Education and to social inclusion research. He is a member of the Centro Loris Malaguzzi Scientific Committee, for the Foundation Reggio Emilia Children. One of Australia’s most respected Aboriginal educationalists, he is well published and has led several research teams funded by the Australian Research Council and other competitive grants including: Indigenist Research Epistemologies; Addressing the Gap between Policy and Implementation: Strategies for Improving Educational Outcomes of Indigenous Students; and Towards an Australian culturally responsive pedagogy.

Many teachers have been inspired by Rigney’s writings that promotes the idea that culturally responsive schooling is built from the experiences and abilities students bring to class. Professor Rigney has worked across the Pacific on Indigenous Education from New Zealand, Taiwan, Canada.