Harriet Gall joined GVGS in Year 7 and was followed shortly after by her younger sister Amelia (Year 10).
“I came from Grahamvale Primary School, which is quite small, so it was a big change for me coming to a much larger high school,” she says.
“I’m naturally an outgoing person, so I got involved very quickly. I do tend to put myself out there and I really embraced all the opportunities that came my way.”
Harriet’s sporting skills have been evident throughout the years.
She set the Year 7 Athletics High Jump Record in 2019, Year 9 ICCES High Jump Record in 2021 and Year 10 Athletics High Jump Record in 2022, amongst many other sporting accomplishments.
“I’ve enjoyed participating in all the sports the School has to offer and also getting involved in events like Eisteddfod. Even though you’re at school to study, these things are a good break and also a great way to connect with the other students and make new friends,” she says.
“I enjoy playing netball the most and the ICCES competitions are always a highlight. We’ve had basically the same group of girls play each year and we all look forward to getting together to represent the School,” she says.
“This year I’m studying PE and I love it – it’s not just the physical activities we get to do, but the theory behind it all and learning how the body works that’s really interesting to me.”
Entering VCE didn’t slow Harriett down either – she played in the Schools Netball Championships Senior Team and was both House Athletics and House Country Year Level Champion last year, as well as being House Captain and Netball Captain this year.
“Leading the netball team this year has been great – it’s a new experience for me. I usually let other people take the lead and so this opportunity has been a challenge and given me a chance to explore a leadership role in something I’m passionate about,” she says.
“Being House Captain and Netball Captain have both helped me develop my public speaking and organisational skills too.”
Harriet says the end of high school has come around a lot quicker than she expected.
“Sometimes it feels like you’ve been in high school forever and then all of a sudden it’s almost over,” she says.
“I’m not sure what I’ll do next year yet, but I think I’ll take a gap year. I do want to go to uni eventually, but I just want to make sure I make the right decision before I commit to anything. I’ll think about it all over the summer – I’m excited for the future and what’s to come next.”
