Ena Rigney reflects on her lifetime passion for teaching

As the head of the home economics department, she led cooking and textiles classes to countless students.

Miss Rigney started her teaching career at Scottsdale High School in 1974 when she was just 19.

Beginning her role at Grammar she said that she was able to create a department that suited her.

"At the time I was doing relief work and was enticed to come work at Grammar by the head of campus as the time, the late Bruce Fairfax, and I was given a full-time position," she said.

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"I was given the challenge of bringing the home economics department back up to scratch and I thought it was a great opportunity.

"I could do my own thing and make it work the way I wanted to, which at first was a bit daunting but then i though I can do this."

For five years, Miss Rigney ran the whole department by herself, including organising, shopping, gathering resources and planning lessons.

"That was hard yakka," she said.

"But then I got an assistant and two part-time colleagues to help things run more smoothly.

"I absolutely loved all my work, every minute of it. That comes down to passion and working hard."

Her first love of textiles was overtaken when she decided to focus on cooking and food lessons at the school, but she jumped into the deep end with creating the costumes for the theatre department.

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"I was a proficient dress maker, but I had no experience in costume making or anything like that so I got thrown in the deep end," she said.

"The first production I was involved in was My Fair Lady and that was exceptional.

"The standard of work is superb and we had some wonderful talent that year. Making the costumes got me very excited about creating and I did the costumes for 15 years at Grammar."

Miss Rigney said the highlight of her years of work was knowing the impact she made on her students.

"Students relished the hands-on experience I provided," she said.

"They love food and the students responded to a classroom that had order and a teacher that was organised.

"I provided clarity, they knew my standards were high and that my lessons would be fun, orderly and on top of that they get to enjoy the food they make or share it with their friends."

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Seeing the success her past students have achived over the years has been a huge highlight.

"I loved watching my students mature and grow into wonderful young people," she said.

"When I see them later on after they have left school, they see me and come and give me a big hug and say how much they miss me and how much they enjoyed the classes.

"Of course with social media, too, I can see what they are up to and they follow my travels as well."

Travel is something that Miss Rigney is also looking forward to now, pending borders opening.

"I'm keen to travel and unwind now.

"I've worked hard for a long time and that will be my way to enjoy this time now."

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