History Club – Sharing Heritage and Legacy

Connecting with Santa Sabina College Alumni is a real world learning experience for students of History to better understand legacy. Heritage is foundational as it is inherited and shared by past generations with future generations. Year 7 History students have explored the heritage of Santa Sabina College as part of the History Curriculum to better understand the work of archaeologists, historians and the importance of using sources of evidence to reconstruct the past. Historical empathy is a powerful learning strategy which helps students engage with the past while understanding our contemporary world. To enrich intergenerational connections Year 7 History students wrote a card to an alumna about their experiences as a Santa Sabina student in 2024. Senior members of the Santa Sabina History Club from Years 10 and 11 were invited to attend the Alumni Lunch to authentically experience oral history as stories from the past were shared between generations.

Brigida Zagora
Head of HSIE (Humanities and Social Sciences)

Examples from Year 7 Cards:

Student Reflections

I was very honoured to be able to take part in the Golden Girls and Boys Reunion as part of the History Club. We talked to the alumni and learned about the history from the College and their personal experiences as students. It was amazing to see the school’s development over time and the withstanding traditions built amongst the community. I met some extremely lovely people and these discussions helped to broaden my knowledge of the past.
Lily Vincent
Year 11

As part of the History Club, being able to visit the Golden Girls and Boys Reunion and have conversations with ex-students was a fantastic experience. We had the opportunity of learning about the evolution of our school, its rich heritage, and how learning has changed over time. We learned about being taught by the Sisters, the experience of borders, and the strong bonds formed between students. Some ex-students are also still close friends today! This experience has reminded me about how precious school life is and how wonderful our school community is.
Calliope Stewart
Year 10

It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to speak to some of the alumni at the Golden Girls and Boys Reunion lunch. They were all very intrigued by our school life, and had many funny and interesting stories about theirs to share with us!
Emily Wong
Year 10

On Friday we had the privilege of participating in rich and valuable conversations with ex-Santa Sabina students at the Golden Girls and Boys Reunion. It was amazing to hear about their experiences at Santa and see the strong friendships that still remained after leaving High School. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to them about the new opportunities we have at school now, such as the lamination labs and further subject choices like Philosophy and World Studies. It was wonderful to engage in historical discussions and learn a great deal about school history.
Eve Ardagna
Year 10

130 Years Forward – History Club

Last Friday, the History Ambassadors, alongside senior members of the History Club, had the privilege to attend the Golden Boys and Girls Alumni Lunch. This event was filled with so many wise and educated Santa women and men who we were able to connect with through discussions of memories, service and faith. The youngest Dominican Sister, Sr Diana Santleben OP, called her experience at Santa Sabina College ‘a wonderful gift’, and shared with us information from her current work at the Refugee Women and Children’s Centre in Newcastle. We had the wonderful opportunity to talk to Sr Phillipa Fennell OP who graduated in 1951. She passionately shared her fondest memories of our College and we shared laughs over boarding school student scandals! These women were incredibly inspirational and a testament to the incredible and long-lasting relationships formed between past and present Santa girls. The passion and achievements of these amazing women are truly reflective of the values instilled into Santa Sabina women to this day. The History Club believes that to understand Santa Sabina’s history is to become part of it, and having the pleasure of talking to these kind, strong, smart, and passionate women truly allowed us to feel a part of this community that transcends time.
Remi Apostolopoulos and Anna-Maria Sulukojian
History Ambassadors