Meet Addison, Our Head Boarder for 2025

At Santa Maria College, our boarders are a close-knit family of resilient, compassionate young women. We are thrilled to introduce our Head Boarder for 2025, Addison Opalinski. This remarkable student from Carnamah is ready to lead, inspire, and support her ‘boarding sisters’ in the year ahead. Join us in learning more about her journey, her vision, and what boarding life means to her.

From Wildflower Country to Santa Maria: A Unique Journey

Addison hails from the small town of Carnamah, about 300km north of Perth. Nestled in the heart of wildflower country, Carnamah may be small, but it’s brimming with character. Life on her family’s farm, where they raise sheep and grow crops like wheat, barley, and canola, taught her the importance of hard work and resilience from a young age. Recently, Carnamah gained a unique attraction – the world’s largest tractor, a giant orange Chamberlain 40k, which has even brought a bit of tourism to the town!

Embodying Leadership and Compassion as Head Boarder

To Addison, her new role is more than just a title – it is an opportunity to embody values of responsibility, compassion, and community. “Being Head Boarder means a lot to me; it means I can hopefully inspire and be a role model for the younger years. I want to be someone they feel comfortable talking to about anything,” she shares. Her genuine desire to connect with each student reflects the spirit of sisterhood and support that makes Santa Maria’s boarding community so special.

Building Strong Connections and Lifelong Friendships

When asked what she is looking forward to most in her new role, Addison talks about the joy of building connections. Over her years in boarding, she’s cherished the friendships formed with girls from all backgrounds who share one significant thing in common – living away from home. Now, as Head Boarder, she’s eager to deepen those connections and be a source of guidance, support, and comfort for all boarding students. She is also excited to work with her leadership team, including Clancy, Marni, Bella, and Gabby, and to further develop her leadership skills under the mentorship of Santa Maria’s dedicated staff.

Shaping Independence and Growth Through Boarding Life

Boarding life at Santa Maria has profoundly shaped Addison’s experience, fostering independence, resilience, and compassion. “Living away from home has taught me how to manage my time, balance my commitments, and rely on myself for daily tasks,” Addison explains. These are lifelong skills she has gained, along with deep friendships – connections that have been made possible through the unique boarding environment at Santa Maria. The sense of community, shared challenges, and support system have created bonds that Addison is confident will last a lifetime.

Fostering Belonging Among Her ‘Boarding Sisters’

Creating a strong sense of belonging is a top priority for Addison. She plans to expand Santa Maria’s ‘Big Sister’ program, ensuring Year 7 students have the support and guidance they need to feel at home. “It’s so important that new girls create strong connections and have their own support systems,” she emphasises. She also believes in the value of friendships across year groups, as older girls can be incredible mentors for younger students. Addison is passionate about enhancing the College’s health and wellbeing programs, helping to foster a supportive environment where every boarder feels valued and included.

Favourite Moments and New Opportunities

For Addison, the best part of boarding school life is the unwavering support system, from Housemothers to friends who are always there to share a laugh or lend an ear. Adjusting to life away from home was challenging, but having a network of caring people around made all the difference. She also appreciates the new opportunities boarding in Perth offers, which wouldn’t have been possible in her small hometown of Carnamah. And, of course, there is one other perk of boarding life she can’t forget to mention – the food, especially the butter chicken!

Addison’s journey from Carnamah to Santa Maria College is a testament to her strength, warmth, and dedication. As she steps into her leadership role, she brings with her a deep love for the boarding community and a commitment to nurturing friendships and a sense of belonging among all boarders. Santa Maria is not just a school for her; it’s a second home, a place of growth, and a lifelong community. We are incredibly proud of her, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact Addison will make as Head Boarder in 2025!