The Significance of Being a Fairholme Girl: Georgia Stafford (Fairholme Old Girl 2008)
March 24, 2025
Georgia Stafford | 2008 | Stephens House | Day Girl
It's not lost on Georgia Stafford (2008) the value of an excellent education. Nor is it lost on her the profound value of a quality, empowering, all-female school experience.
‘It means something special to have worn the Maclaren tartan and to have walked down Palm Drive,’ she says.
‘It is also priceless to have had the values of ‘burning yet flourishing’ instilled in me and to have had the opportunity to grow and thrive in a place that values young women and truly believes that Fairholme girls ‘can’ and ‘they will’.’
She goes on to admit that she doesn’t think she fully appreciated her Fairholme education whilst at school. ‘However, throughout my professional and personal life and in the decade and a half since graduating, my Fairholme education continues to be a treasured gift,’ Georgia says.
Now, as a mother herself with a young daughter and baby son, she says she can truly appreciate the decision her parents made to send her to Fairholme.
‘The realisation that many of my closest friendships and greatest opportunities in life came to me through my time or connection with Fairholme has instilled a strong sense to give back to the College.’
As this year’s President of the Fairholme Old Girls’ Association (FOGA), Georgia is fulfilling her commitment to giving back to the school, and to empowering the next generation of Fairholme Old Girls.
‘Fairholme has always been more than just a school; it is a community where values, excellence, and lifelong bonds are cultivated,’ she says. ‘It means something significant to be a Fairholme Girl. I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of education and the potential to succeed that is in each and every one of our Fairholme Girls irrespective of their background or circumstances.’
Georgia says the story of FOGA is one of connection and celebration, where the past meets the present, and generations of Fairholme women come together to honour their shared history.
‘As the world evolves, FOGA continues to adapt, but its core values remain rooted in the strength of community and the bonds forged during school years,’ Georgia says.
‘It’s about bridging the past and the present, creating a space where both old and new girls can come together,’ she says. For her, FOGA isn’t just an association—it’s a living, breathing part of the Fairholme experience that continues to offer support, networking, and a sense of belonging long after graduation.
‘Recently, I attended a Fairholme Old Girls mentoring luncheon held in the beautiful Homestead. I was able to share with current Senior girls my experiences after graduation, along with FOGA secretary Sarah-Jane MacDonald, who has been my good friend for many years. We were able to reflect and share the story of our different career paths in the legal field and how various opportunities that came along the way have given us both very fulfilling and different paths in our careers - Sarah-Jane as a legal practice Director and myself working in an advocacy role for a peak body and as chairperson of a Queensland Community Grants program.
‘It was heartwarming to share our current career journeys and Fairholme friendship story, whilst answering questions from current Fairholme students who may be considering a legal or advocacy career.’
Georgia says Fairholme Old Girls have always had a deep connectedness to the College, long after graduation, many often returning to the campus to share their stories, their passions, their successes – those which were developed and nurtured during their time at Fairholme. ‘While Fairholme Old Girls have always had a strong bond with the college, the opportunity to support and give back has evolved through the numerous events and special occasions over the years,’ Georgia says.
‘FOGA is growing and transforming to include mentoring sessions with current students, guest speaking opportunities at the College, one-on-one guidance and coaching, and networking events where Fairholme girls - old and new - can get together. As Fairholme Alumni, we have a unique opportunity to reconnect with the College and ensure the gift of a Fairholme education can be passed down to the next generation of Fairholme girls through the generosity of our time, resources and mentorship.’
Georgia says meaningful ways that Fairholme Alumni can contribute to the College community simply starts by being involved. ‘I think current Fairholme girls appreciate and value the opportunity of hearing from Old Girls firsthand about their Fairholme and career journeys, often with a little bit of House rivalry thrown in for good measure! Our Old Girls are forever linked by the unbreakable bond of being ‘Once a Fairholme girl – always a Fairholme girl’.’
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Fairholme College is delighted to welcome Mr Mitch Koina as our new Coordinator of High Performance Coaching. Bringing more than a decade of experience across diverse educational settings, Mitch joins the community with a strong commitment to student wellbeing, participation, and performance. ‘This is my 12th year of teaching,’ Mitch shares. ‘I’ve done a range of different contexts now, I did two years down at Lockyer District High School, I then spent six years at St Mary’s College before moving to St Josephs, where I’ve been for the last three years. Now obviously I’ve made my way over to Fairholme which I’m really excited about.’ It was both the College’s reputation and the scope of the role that drew Mitch to Fairholme. ‘Fairholme is a very prestigious college, it’s got a great name and reputation,’ he said. ‘The role itself is really exciting for me. I’ve got a passion for fitness and particularly looking after the wellbeing of young girls, whether that be on the sporting field or with their social aspect, academics, just all round developing good girls on and off the court.’ A strong advocate for pastoral care, Mitch brings valuable leadership experience to the position. ‘I did a Head of House role at St Mary’s for three and a half years, so pastoral care has always been my calling so it’s great to tie in the sporting aspect as well as wellbeing,’ he explained. His philosophy centres on the connection between student wellbeing and performance. ‘It’s all dependant on each other. If we’ve got girls who are happy and their wellbeing is flourishing, then they are doing well on the sporting field and vice versa too.’ Looking ahead, Mitch is focused on building both excellence and enjoyment within the program. ‘I would love to get participation rates very high. We have a lot of elite athletes here that I want to achieve and do really well, but I also want to work on girls enjoying their training, coming in and having a nice vibe around the sporting field and the training.’ Importantly, Mitch emphasises that success looks different for every student. ‘We’re not all Australian representatives, but if girls are working really hard and achieving to the best of their potential, whatever level that may be in the sporting arena, I think that’s a program we can be very proud of.’ As he begins his journey at Fairholme, Mitch is eager to connect with the community. ‘I’m really excited to be a part of Fairholme, it is a great opportunity. The staff and the students have been fantastic to me so far, but as the weeks go on, I’m really looking forward to getting to know the girls and building some relationships from there.’ We warmly welcome Mitch to Fairholme and look forward to the energy, care, and expertise he will bring to our High Performance Sports program.
What inspired you to apply for the Prefect for Sport position? I was inspired to go for this position as I have seen the passion that Fairholme as a community has for sport, and the true love and respect the staff have for athletes at the college. I wanted to work closely with the girls and staff to help progressing sport at Fairholme. Do you have a favourite sport? My favourite sport is touch football. It has given me so very much and I am forever grateful. What has been your proudest sporting moment so far? My proudest sporting moment so far was being fortunate enough to represent my country in the sport I love most. Who has been your biggest influence or role model in sport? My biggest role model in sport has to my parents. They never fail to push me towards things that might seem out of my comfort zone or scary. They constantly support me through everything and influence me to be the best version of myself on and off the field. What are you hoping to achieve this year as Prefect for Sport? I aim to inspire everyone to just have a go. By the end of my final year at Fairholme I hope I can inspire people to just get o ut of their comfort zones and try something new. What advice would you give your Year 7 self? I would tell my Year 7 self that in the big picture no one is going to judge you for trying your hardest and giving things ago! And not to put too much pressure on yourself! Do you hope to pursue sport after school? I wish to continue to play sport at a high level after school. whether that is through touch or rugby. Sport is a very important part of my life that will hopefully continue well after I leave school.
How long have you been involved in The Arts at Fairholme? Since I began here in Year 7, but before then I started playing piano and violin in Year 5. I have participated in a number of ensembles within the school and greatly enjoyed each of these. What does being the Prefect for The Arts mean to you? Personally, I think that being the Prefect for The Arts is primarily a role in which I can help to support other girls. I’m a designated person that girls can come to if they have any questions or concerns with anything regarding extracurricular artistic involvement, and I do a little to help with running some of the artistic aspects around the school, such as finding girls to volunteer for busking at events. But mostly, I think it is about being a positive promoter for the arts, and encouraging other girls to expand their world view to include creativity. Which art form do you enjoy most (e.g. music, drama, visual art, dance etc)? My main art form that I participate in is instrumental music, through my involvement in a few ensembles within the school on violin and piano. However, other art forms, like dancing during March Pasts or singing Shine Jesus Shine are pretty fun too. Do you have a most memorable Arts experience? I think that one of the most memorable Arts experiences that I have had has been at events where I have accompanied my grade, like when all the Year 11’s last year sung at the Valedictorian dinner and I played piano along with other instrumentalists in my grade, Tilly Anderson and Emma Salter. However, I think the most enjoyable Arts experience that I have had is playing Jingle Bell Rock at the boarding Christmas dinner last year, when the rest of my cohort stood around the piano singing. I felt that this was one of those excellent examples of how music can bring people together. What advice would you give to students who might be nervous about joining an arts activity? I would say that it is always worth giving something new a go. You’re much more likely to regret the chances you never took than the ones you do. I’m a strong believer that being involved in any form of extra-curricular activity is so beneficial for everyone; it expands your world view, you meet new people, and get outside your comfort zone. Each individual has something they are good at, and how are you going to find out what that is if you don’t try? Do you hope to continue with The Arts after school? Definitely. It has become such a big part of my life, and I honestly get so much enjoyment out of it. The great thing about the arts is that they are things that you can do at any time of your life. You’re never too old, that’s a skill you have for life. Other people can also get so much enjoyment out of the artistic abilities of others. Who doesn’t love to have someone who can sit around the camp-fire and play guitar, or create a beautiful piece of artwork?
