FOLLOWING the annual general meeting (AGM) Standing Tall in Hamilton Inc. (STiH) celebrated the remarkable milestone of 20 years last Thursday evening.

Present to give an address and congratulate the STiH team was former Baimbridge College senior schoolteacher, Jeanette Pritchard OAM, who is credited with STiH’s inception two decades ago.

The milestone gave STiH committee members, staff, mentors, mentees and members of the community a chance to celebrate all that has been achieved over the last 20 years and the impact the program has had on the lives of hundreds of school students.

Over that time the program has grown to include fifteen schools and now employs three people, with 70 students signed on for mentorship at any one time.

At the AGM, STiH chair Rob Vecchiet reflected on the year and the expansion of the program and gave praise to the STiH staff, but especially Ms Pritchard on receiving her Order of Australia award for her work with schools in the mentor sphere.

He also gave special mention to Judy and Rowly Paterson and the Hanbury Foundation for their generous financial support of the program.

Ms Pritchard was recognised for her contribution to the program on the night and was presented with a painting of a puzzle made by STiH mentors, students, school contacts, staff and committee.

Program coordinator Mel Fitzpatrick said the jigsaw puzzle (pictured left) represented each of STiH’s school mentoring groups.

“The theme for this artwork is ‘What Standing Tall means to you’,” she said.

“As you can see it means a lot of beautiful, different, colourful things to each and every contributor!

“All working together to create something truly special.

“The artwork is much like the Standing Tall program itself - a giant jigsaw puzzle.

“Every mentor, student, school partner, and community supporter is a vital piece, contributing their unique strengths and perspectives.

“In this artwork, we see the pieces of the puzzle fitting together, creating something strong and beautiful.”

Program manager Dee Barrera said the resounding success of the 20th anniversary celebrations of STiH was marked by enthusiastic participation, overwhelming community support, and a palpable sense of achievement.

Ms Barrera said the celebrations were a chance to highlight two decades of impactful service and unwavering dedication.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the more than 80 individuals from across our community, including invaluable contributions from business partners, dedicated school partners, enthusiastic volunteers, and inspired students, whose collective presence enriched and elevated the celebration of this remarkable milestone for Standing Tall in Hamilton Inc,” she said.