Fierce marble competitions that would put Olympians to shame

Rachel had a knack for creating memories that would make even the most serious teacher crack a smile.

Rachel reminisces about her school days with a mischievous glint in her eye, “Wow, there are so many favourite memories to include, but I have to say, lunch and recess were my jam. We used to have these fierce marble competitions that would put the Olympics to shame. I remember marble tracks zigzagging down the hill towards the big oval and holes mysteriously appearing in the gardens of the rear asphalt carpark. It was a battlefield of marbles, and I was a warrior!”

But it wasn’t just marbles that captured Rachel’s heart. Skipping and Jump Rope for Heart brought out her inner athlete. And let’s not forget the footy cards and tazos that had the kids trading like Wall Street brokers, or the intense handball matches that turned the courtyard into a battleground of epic proportions.

When asked about her favourite teacher, Rachel’s face lights up with nostalgia, “Ah, Miss Ferguson from 5F, she was a legend. Fun, kind, and caring – the trifecta of an awesome teacher. We had such a blast. I’ll never forget the time we put on a play based on ‘Hating Alison Ashley.’ It was so funny that I think even Shakespeare would’ve been impressed!”

As the years flew by, Rachel embarked on her own journey. She traded marbles for textbooks and went on to study at the University of Newcastle, earning herself a Bachelor of Environmental Science. She worked in an environmental laboratory in Newcastle, proving that her love for digging holes had evolved into a love for science.

But the story doesn’t end there. In 2011, she ventured to Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane and earned a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Health. Rachel found her calling as an Environmental Health Officer with Tamworth Regional Council in 2011, eventually climbing the ladder to become the Senior Environmental Health Officer in 2019.

Rachel’s achievements shine as brightly as the noonday sun. She proudly boasts of completing not one but two university degrees. She even dared to study abroad, taking on the academic challenge at Clemson in South Carolina. She globe-trotted her way through exciting countries, collecting memories like stamps in a passport.

Yet, perhaps her most cherished accomplishment is watching her two sons grow into capable, confident young boys. They now attend St. Edward’s, walking the same halls she once did, creating their own memories that will last a lifetime.

In Rachel Mann’s story, the moral is clear: you’re never too old to chase your dreams, and every memory, no matter how trivial, can be a stepping stone to a bright future. Who knows, maybe one day she’ll be teaching the next generation of marbles champions or inspiring them to follow their own unique paths, just like she did.