TWO former locals have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List for their service to the community receiving Orders of Australia.
Former Hamilton Technical School and Baimbridge College teacher, Jeanette Pritchard, now of Monbulk, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division (OAM) for service to youth, and secondary education.
Ms Pritchard initiated the highly successful and award winning Standing Tall in Hamilton Inc. (STiH) mentor program in 2003.
She began the program after noticing in her teaching vocation that for multiple and varied reasons, many students were not able to reach their full schooling potential.
Since its inception, STiH has helped hundreds of students with positive guidance, support, routine and encouragement to help them develop a healthy connection to school and take advantage of opportunities.
Through the generous support of many local community groups business and philanthropists, STiH has now expanded to 14 schools for students from grades 4 to 12 and has also become a registered charity.
Since leaving Hamilton, Ms Pritchard has made an enormous contribution to Big Brothers Big Sisters Australia as project manager, the National School Based Mentoring Program 2013-2014, and chairperson of the steering committee Community Mentoring Program in the Dandenong Ranges, since 2021.
Ms Pritchard has received numerous accolades for her services to children’s education as a recipient of a Handbury Fellowship, RMIT University, 2008; an Excellence Award from the Department of Education and Training Victoria for Community School Engagement in 2011 and a Premier’s Westfield Education Scholarship in 2005; and a Community Recognition Award in Hamilton in 2006.
Prominent franchise lawyer, Stephen Giles was born and raised in Woodhouse and went to primary school in Dunkeld before attending Hamilton High School, where he was joint Dux with Jamie Orton in 1975.
On the weekend the Hawthorn resident was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for service to the small business sector.
Also in 1975, Mr Giles was Lions Club Youth of the Year at the local, district and regional level and a finalist in the state award.
In 1980, Mr Giles graduated with honours from Melbourne University in law, economics and accounting and forged a successful career in the complex arena of franchise law, specialising in trade practices and commercial transactions.
Described by his peers as a leader in his field, Mr Giles’ career has taken him on regular overseas trips as keynote speaker on the subject including to the United States, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, and Malaysia and is also a prolific author.
Inducted into the Australian Franchise Hall of Fame in 2009, he has been officially recognised for his Outstanding Contribution to Franchising three times nationally and twice in Victoria by the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA).
His great love for his former stomping ground at the Caramut Football Club where he was made a Life Member, was evidenced through his regular returns despite his busy legal career, to pull on the boots for the seconds well into his 40s.
Mr Giles is also the son of the late former local identity and volunteer, Pat Giles, who in 2020 spent a week in Cambodia with her son and granddaughter volunteering as English teachers in a small village. She raised $5000 from the Hamilton community to buy schoolbooks and materials for the Cambodian school community.
1192 recipients were announced by the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) across several categories including community service, science and research, industry, sport, and the arts.
