Long standing connection with Joey's

She reflects on how the school has shaped the lives of her family.....

My father began at the school in 1923, my two sons attended Joeys in the 1970s and 1980s and my grandson, Hugh, is the 2019 captain of the rugby First XV.

Then there are the cousins. Seven cousins from my family have been Joeys boys.

In fact, in every decade from World War II until now, there has been a member of my family at the school.

Dad, who came from Angledool near Lightning Ridge, passed on great Joeys stories about Brother Henry, who coached him rugby, mateship and boys who came from all over the state.

He passed on the Joeys attributes of mateship and loyalty and being proud and passionate about what you do.

When my sons Bligh (1978) and Angus (1980), began at Joeys, they had experienced distance education, school of the air and a little village school in Enngonia, 100 kilometres north of Bourke.

It's a good life in the bush but it's limiting.

At Joeys, the boys were able to participate in social, sport and spiritual activities and we saw how that shaped them.

The school was a great experience for Bligh and Angus, they say the best thing that's ever happened to them.

Today, we can see the same attributes in our sons' children that we recognised in them at the same age.

Joeys has always been egalitarian with no school or house captains like many other schools have.

Every Joeys boy is equal and has the chance to step up and make their mark.

There are so many opportunities for the school community to come together.

Our boys and their friends loved cricket so we spent days sitting with the other families at the matches and we got to know each other well.

The fathers of the boys became good friends and formed the Golden Oldies cricket team, playing around the world.

For myself, I wouldn't miss the school's grandparents day for the world.