Carinity Education Southside, a school which helps young women attain an education they once thought was unlikely, has always been dear to its foundation Principal, Colleen Mitrow.
The special assistance school in Sunnybank in Brisbane has supported thousands of teenagers who faced barriers to learning or struggled in mainstream schooling.
When Colleen helped establish Southside almost 30 years ago, little did she know that a family member would later benefit from the specialised education the school offers – and graduate from Year 12 there.
Colleen said she was “very pleased” when her granddaughter, Charlotte Minty, decided to attend Carinity Education Southside part-way through Year 11. Colleen knew the school could provide the support her granddaughter required to help her thrive.
“Charlotte had been very unhappy at the large impersonal high school she had enrolled in, and her attendance was dropping off,” Colleen recalls.
“Southside had been founded as a new school model that values diversity and where caring and learning go hand in hand. This indeed was the reality of Charlotte’s education experience at Southside.”
Charlotte was engaged in the curriculum and happy with her academic success. She also enjoyed co-curricular activities in the wider community offered by the school.
She believes she likely wouldn’t have finished high school had she not found her place at Carinity Education Southside.
“Before attending Southside I had doubts that I would be able to complete Year 12 due to poor grades and attendance,” Charlotte said.
“Southside provided more one-on-one learning opportunities, and the smaller classes allowed teachers to learn and take into account students’ individual needs in the classroom setting.
“Graduating from Southside gave me the confidence to explore my career options and think about my future in a positive light.”
Charlotte is currently undertaking a Diploma in Social and Psychological Science at Griffith College. She plans to study at Griffith University next year.
Colleen said she was proud to see Charlotte graduate from Year 12 at Carinity Education Southside in 2025. It reinforced to Colleen why she started the school in a little house at Tarragindi in the 1990s.
“I have been reminded of the wide range of students for whom Southside provides a valuable education and a comfortable learning environment,” Colleen said.
“It is a school where a young person’s social, emotional and cultural needs are met. I only wish that there were more schools like this were available to more young people during this important period of their lives.”
