Student Stories
We are constantly inspired by our student stories. Over the years we have seen many of our brilliant, beloved and hard-working students achieve Certifications in their chosen studies. Creating a future of new opportuntities and possibilites.
This makes us so happy, and really is what the College is all about.
Below are just some of the many Byron College student stories:
Melinda Simon
Certificate IV in Community Services
Melinda grew up in the Worimi and Biripi nations of the mid north coast of NSW in Taree and Foster Tuncurry. Her Great Aunt is Ella Simon who was a prominent welfare worker and Aboriginal activist. However, school was difficult for Melinda. She was a youth of the street living...
Garry Allen
Certificate IV in Community Services
Before commencing my Community Services Cert IV course at Byron Community College I was a Tradie, working as a Handyman. I had been for my entire career! As I thought about heading into semi-retirement, the idea of going back to study was pretty difficult and daunting at first. I’d not...
Stephanie Nedosyko
Certificate III in Horticulture and Certificate III in Permaculture
Having grown up in Adelaide, at the age of 24 I made the decision to leave, in search of the subtropics, sunshine and a new way of life. I luckily ended up in the Byron Shire. I studied Certificate III in Commercial Cookery back in 2015, and since been working...
Heiki Schimmelpfeng
Certificate IV in Massage Therapy
I learnt from the College that…it’s all about what we can offer to the world. I lost everything in my house during the recent floods. I managed to evacuate with my girls at 6am on the Monday but we couldn’t find my 77-year old neighbour and I was worried. She...
Zachiary Holt
Certificate III & IV in Permaculture
I grew up in Perth and then travelled to the UK for a couple of years, followed by a few in Melbourne and then a year in Africa. This is where I started my studies, completely my Permaculture Design Course. I spent the year travelling and volunteering in South Africa...
Tillie Angel De Wilde
Certificate III in Horticulture and Certificate III in Permaculture
After years of working in an office environment and not feeling like it was the right fit for her, Tillie met someone with permaculture experience who planted a seed that resulted in gardening and permaculture becoming her big passions. Later, upon hearing about the courses at Byron Region Community College,...
Eva Sigley
Certificate III in Individual Support
My interest in caring for started with my family. I have a brother with autism and a sister with brain damage. Seeing my siblings go through primary school, and the way society is not structured for them, has been a massive part of my life. I always wanted to help...
Alice Hoffman-Ross
Certificate III & IV in Permaculture
It’s absolutely amazing that I have ended up finding this passion and studying permaculture. Because up until that time, I had never even really spent any time looking at the ground! But, when an accident put me out of action for 10 months, I had the opportunity to reassess my...
Audrey Harnett
Visual Arts
Growing up in Adelaide, I spent 30 years wanting to come up and live on the east coast. I did finally move here and while there have been some incredibly difficult and unexpected challenges with the passing of my husband and the recent floods, the opportunity I had to study...
Anne Fenwick
Certificate III in Individual Support
After spending most of my working career in retail, including 15 years at Dolphin Office Choice in Mullumbimby and Byron, my husband was badly hurt in a work accident, life came into sharp focus and our priorities quickly changed. As I began to wonder what changes I needed, or could...
