For Ryan Harrison, returning to St Stephen’s School feels less like coming back and more like continuing a journey that began years ago as a student at the Duncraig Campus.
Ryan joined St Stephen’s School (Duncraig) in Year 5 and quickly immersed himself in every opportunity the school had to offer. While sport was always close to his heart, representing the school in cricket, basketball, volleyball, touch rugby, athletics and cross country, he also embraced a wide range of activities beyond the sporting field. Debating, Tournament of the Minds, Service Learning and leadership roles, including serving as Carana School Captain. Looking back, Ryan says it is often these moments that stand out most when reminiscing with friends.
Throughout his time at St Stephen’s School, Ryan was shaped by the many teachers and mentors who supported him along the way. “The staff were often my biggest cheerleaders, but also my truth tellers,” he reflects. Their encouragement, combined with the perspective gained from travel and meeting people from around the world, helped shape both his personal outlook and professional ambitions.
Ryan’s path into teaching began during Year 12, when he started coaching through a local community group and discovered a genuine passion for helping others learn and grow. Inspired by mentors at school and influenced by watching his sister study education, Ryan realised that teaching Physical Education was a pathway where he could combine his love of sport with a desire to guide and support young people.
After completing his final teaching practicum at our Carramar campus last year, Ryan has now returned as a full-time member of the Carramar HPE Department. For him, stepping into the role of teacher hasn’t felt strange. “One of the school’s greatest strengths is its sense of community,” he says. “It’s something I’ve always felt connected to.” That connection has also extended beyond the classroom, with Ryan playing a key role in the concept design of Carramar’s new strength and conditioning facility, a space that will help students develop physical skills, confidence and wellbeing for years to come.
Reflecting on what it means to come full circle, Ryan believes his time as a student helps him better understand the perspective of the young people he now teaches.
Returning in this way has shown me that the School’s values (faith, learning, service, care, and community) are not just words, but lived qualities when we embrace the opportunities placed before us.
His advice to students following in his footsteps is simple: “Give things a go, even if it starts with a few nerves. Work hard, treat others with kindness, and more often than not, things will fall your way.”