For Jack Anderson (OM 2023), the opportunity to attend Melbourne Grammar School came at a time when certainty was hard to come by.
Raised in a Defence Force family, Jack’s life had been defined by movement, change and adaptability across states, countries, and schools.
“Dad’s in the Army, so we’ve always moved around a fair bit… a couple of years overseas, then country Victoria. We’ve called Darwin home, but it was always shifting,” Jack recalls.
Jack was instilled with a strong sense of purpose and work ethic from his parents but had struggled to find the footing he needed. A childhood visit to Melbourne Grammar sparked a quiet ambition that his family had kept alive.
“Jack has always aspired to attend the School, but Jack’s mother and I have never had the means to make it so,” Jack’s father wrote in his letter to Headmaster at the time, Roy Kelley.
In Darwin, while academically motivated, Jack found himself swimming against the tide. “Back at my old school, it was sort of seen as, ‘Why are you trying so hard? Why are you doing this?’ and I’d have to say, ‘I’m just doing my work.’”
Thanks to a scholarship, Jack was able to realise his dream of boarding at Melbourne Grammar School.
“Boarding gave me stability when I needed it most. I knew I could finish my senior years in one place, surrounded by a supportive community.”
He immersed himself in all aspects of School life, from trying rowing for the first time, to becoming Captain of School House. He embraced leadership, service, and the rhythms of boarding life. “The boarding house became a second home,” he says. “It gave me structure and the space to grow.”
Jack credits the School’s culture, and its people, for shaping his values. “The teachers here don’t just teach you, they support you. The community holds you to a higher standard. It taught me discipline, kindness, respect – things that will stay with me forever.”
Now studying Agriculture at the University of Melbourne, Jack is still connected with many of his closest friends from boarding. He’s also working part-time in the industry and planning for a future that will allow him to give back.
“My scholarship changed the course of my life,” he says. “Without it, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It gave me stability, belief, and the freedom to grow into who I wanted to be.”
Jack’s success has also opened the door for his younger brother, Will, who is now in Year 12 at Melbourne Grammar supported by both the RWA Alcorn Scholarship and Richard Hinds Scholarship.
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