Today, Sr Elvera Sesta officially begins her well-deserved retirement after a lifelong commitment to education and to St Rita’s College. Students and staff formed a Guard of Honour into assembly to mark Sr Elvera’s final work day and in her assembly address Principal, Mrs Trims, reflected on the indelible mark Sr Elvera leaves on our College community.

“Sr Elvera Sesta, teacher, pillar of St Rita’s College, mentor and friend, has exemplified courage throughout her remarkable journey spanning nearly seven decades at our College. Despite the typical path that most students choose after finishing Year 12, Sr Elvera displayed extraordinary courage by making the classroom her lifelong home and her faith in God, her comfort and confidence.

Her steadfast commitment to Catholic girls’ education and her unwavering dedication to imparting knowledge and values have not only shaped young minds but have also inspired generations of young people. Despite describing herself as an anomaly, Sr Elvera’s courage to remain at St Rita’s since her early years as a student is testament to her belief in the transformative power of education. Her lifelong devotion to teaching, recognised though numerous awards, reflects her deep love for her vocation. Sr Elvera’s courage and passion will continue to illuminate the path for both students and teachers alike, embodying the essence of a true educational pioneer.

St Rita’s has been Sr Elvera’s home since 1947 when she joined as a Year 4 boarding student. During her school years, she was a House Sports Captain and in 1955 she was awarded Prix d’Honneur and College Dux, the highest awards in our school. Sister Elvera entered the convent of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1960 and at the same time began teaching Science and Mathematics at St Rita’s, where she spent the majority of her adult life teaching. Our Sr Elvera Science Centre is named in her honour. In 1989 she was appointed Principal of our College, and held the position for 20 years, retiring in 2008. After a short time away from the College she returned to the classroom in 2010 as a religion teacher until 2018.

During her time as Principal, Sr Elvera was instrumental in the building of the Eirene Centre, Presentation Building, Acqua Rosa Pool Complex, tennis courts and in the planning stages of the Nagle Building. Sr Elvera also organised the refurbishment of the Kennedy and Sacred Heart Buildings. Perhaps one of her most loved projects was setting up Panayia’s Pantry. We thank Sister for her hard work and vision in building these facilities which we continue to enjoy many years later. I am sure past and present students will agree with me that one of the many significant legacies left by Sr Elvera is a much loved day on the College calendar; House Heroics, Hoots and Hiccups. To this day, this special event remains a wonderful student celebration on St Rita’s Day.

Now, as Sr Elvera steps down from her current role as College Archivist, she will continue as Patron of the Alumnae and remain an active member of the committee and contributor to the alumnae Virtute publication. On behalf of the entire St Rita’s College community, we wish Sr Elvera all the very best in her retirement and look forward to her presence at future events.”