In Principal: The Value of Enjoyment
March 4, 2026
‘Enjoyment is the energy that fuels engagement, the spark that ignites curiosity, and the kind of glue that binds young and old alike.’ - Dr Leigh Hobart
At Fairholme, values are more than words on a wall – they shape the culture, guide decision-making, and give meaning to daily life. One of our core values, and perhaps one of my favourites, is enjoyment.
At first glance, enjoyment can seem like a soft value. Yet in a high-performing girls’ school such as ours, enjoyment is anything but trivial. It is the energy that fuels engagement, the spark that ignites curiosity, and the kind of glue that binds young and old alike. When young women experience joy in their learning and in their relationships, they flourish.
Our February 2026 edition of At Holme
captures that spirit beautifully. Our recent Swimming Carnivals for the Junior and Secondary Schools were a perfect expression of enjoyment in action. Yes, there was spirited competition in the pool and impressive athletic achievement (congratulations Stephens House!), but what lingered most powerfully was the sound of laughter, songs and dancing echoing across the stands.
The March Past – proudly won this year by Cameron – reminded us that belonging matters. The creativity, choreography, storytelling, and sheer enthusiasm of our girls, particularly our Year 7 students experiencing their first carnival, created something distinctly ours: girl-centric, wholesome, and deeply bonding. In those moments, enjoyment was not peripheral to school life – it was the point.
That same spirit was alive at our Year 7 Camp in Maleny. Outdoor education provides challenge, but challenge wrapped in encouragement and shared experience becomes joy and memory. I had the privilege of the joining students on the giant swing – and I suspect I may have screamed the loudest. Watching our girls encourage one another up the 6-metre and 15-metre abseiling walls, celebrate small victories, and step beyond their comfort zones was a powerful reminder that enjoyment and courage often travel together. When girls feel safe and supported, they will take risks – and often discover strength and friendships they did not know they possessed.
Our Year 9 students embraced a different kind of adventure at Noosa North Shore, building resilience through shared challenge and time away from the familiar rhythms of school. Meanwhile, our Year 10 cohort deepened their understanding of the remarkable environment of Moreton Bay during their camp at Tangalooma on Moreton Island. Learning about the beauty and fragility of this ecosystem is not simply an academic exercise; it is an invitation to wonder and experience awe. Awe and wonder, too, are forms of enjoyment – ones that expand perspective and deepen gratitude.
We also celebrate Mariam Nabizada who was named the 2026 Toowoomba Region Young Citizen of the Year, for her tireless advocacy for girls and young people. Such achievements reflect service, character and contribution. But even here, enjoyment has a place. Young people who find joy in serving others, who experience fulfilment in contributing beyond themselves, are those most like to continue doing so. Enjoyment, in this sense, becomes purposeful and full of meaning.
As a principal with a very healthy interest in learning, I am often asked about academic outcomes, pathways and future readiness. These matter greatly. However, research consistently affirms what we witness daily: students who enjoy their schooling are more engaged, more resilient, and ultimately more successful. Enjoyment enhances learning; it does not detract from it. Positive emotion broadens thinking, strengthens relationships, and builds the psychological resources young people need to navigate complexity.
For girls in particular, environments that celebrate connection and wholehearted participation are transformative. When a girl can dance her heart out for her House, leap from a giant swing, debate passionately in a competition, perform on stage, or dive into the pool with determination – and feel the full support of her peers – she learns that her voice and presence matter.
Enjoyment, then is not about constant fun or the absence of challenge. It is about cultivating a community where effort is energised by joy, where belonging enhances bravery, and where learning is infused with vitality. As you read the stories in these pages – from carnivals to camps, from leadership to service – I hope you glimpse what we see each day: a school alive with laughter, courage and connection. In nurturing enjoyment, we are not lowering expectations; we are creating the conditions in which young women thrive.
And if occasionally that includes a principal screaming her way down from a giant swing, then I consider that a small price to pay for a community built on joy.
Dr Leigh Hobart | Principal
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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?
