Jayce Golding on life since being Student Club President

Jayce Golding, Student Club President 2017, reflects on his journey since graduation

Plenty has happened in the years since leaving Aquinas in 2017. I continued studying to complete my double degree in Teaching and Arts (English/History) after leaving College. I lived with the legendary Eloise Vaughan on the leafy Farrow Place in Mile End, where we experienced many noise complaints due to the sheer volume of Eloise’s speaking voice. In 2019, I subbed Eloise out for Eliza Boulton and Isabelle Hall, along with my now-wife Sarah. If the neighbours thought Eloise was loud, they were in for a rude awakening with Belle’s cackling laugh now travelling down the street.

After 7 years together, my wife Sarah and I married in 2021, where three members of our bridal party were Aquinians, plus both of our MCs (Zac Borlace, Belle Hall, Georgina Hughes, Stella Cox and Eliza Boulton). We welcomed our little man Jude to the world in 2024, and since then, he’s been surrounded by love and laughter from all of our friends and family. I love doing ‘dad’ things like looking after the lawn so he has somewhere to run around, and lying to him about how good St Kilda are and how he should definitely support them.

Workwise, contrary to my expectations, I wasn’t receiving job offers from schools far and wide immediately after graduating. Feeling somewhat defeated, I received a call from the principal of Adelaide High School in January 2020 saying they needed a full time English teacher to start the next day. Lucky for them I liked the place and decided to stay. I’m still at Adelaide High, currently leading the English faculty after being a middle school year level leader for a couple of years prior. While I’m finding an increasing amount of grey hairs popping up, I love the job and enjoy working alongside passionate educators every day. While there’s plenty to be worried about in today’s climate, I can’t help but feel a sense of optimism while teaching (most of) today’s young people. It is a privilege.

I look forward to seeing my mates every other weekend, many of whom are Aquinians. We’re currently in the midst of 30ths, weddings and baby showers, so there’s plenty of opportunity to reminisce. If I started listing off those I stay in contact with, I’d inevitably forget someone so I’ll avoid that. But they know who they are and I love them all dearly.

I still smile when I hear ‘Holy Grail’ on the radio and love seeing the current generation wearing an Aquinas rugby jumper around the city. I would confidently say that Aquinas is the best thing that ever happened to me (perhaps just behind my wife and child).