Keshi Ruska started at GVGS in Year 5 and has an array of fond memories from across the past eight years.

“My teachers, classmates and friends have all made my time at school so much fun,” she says. “I really enjoyed Year 10 camp, that was a highlight for me. We were separated from the world for five days, camping and hiking in the Bogong High Plains and it gave my group of girls a chance to connect with each other in a really special way. We had to go outside our comfort zones and explore how that made us feel.”

Keshi has been House Captain for McLennan in 2017 and 2023, as well as taking on leadership responsibilities as Middle Years Leader, Year 9 Buddies Programme Leader and Year 11 Peer Support Leader.

“I’ve always jumped at leadership opportunities whenever they’ve come up,” she says. “It’s fun connecting with a wide range of people, hearing different views and ideas. I like seeing how other people approach challenges so we can work together to create the best environment for each and every student.”

Keshi’s positive attitude, as well as the support of her teachers and friends, has helped her overcome a number of personal challenges throughout her teenage years.

“I missed two terms of school in Year 10 and also some classes in Year 12 because of health issues I’ve had,” she says. “In Year 10, the one thing I wanted to be able to do was walk into my end of year exams and complete them. With the support of my teachers, who always checked in with me and made sure I wasn’t falling behind while I was away, I was able to do that. Even though I wasn’t physically at school, I still felt so connected during those two terms, they really went above and beyond to make sure I could achieve my goal. Overall, the support from the School has been incredible.”

In 2024, Keshi has international travel plans before moving to Melbourne for university.

“I’m going to Canada next May for three months to do Camp Canada and then I plan on going travelling for the rest of the year,” she says. “Both my parents, as well as one of my aunties and cousin, have done Camp America in the past and they say it’s a great opportunity. I think the best way to learn and grow is to travel, meet new people and have new experiences.”