Sacred Heart Girls' College HERstory

Happy Sacred Heart Day to our beautiful Sacred Heart community across New Zealand and Australia.

This morning we came together for Mass with our Mission Sisters to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus - a feast that places Christ's love, compassion, and mercy for humanity at the centre of everything.

June is the month of the Sacred Heart - and today, we pause to remember why this devotion has shaped our school, our values, and our community for generations.

Ngā mihi maioha ki a koutou katoa - warm wishes to you all on this special day. ❤

Some things never change...

Last Friday, our Student Leaders took on the boys from St John's in a friendly netball match — and it got us thinking.

We know we're not the only ones with memories of going up against our brothers down the road.

Whether it was on the netball court, on the sports field, on stage, or somewhere in between, Sacred Heart girls have always had a very special kind of competitive friendship with St John's.

So we want to know - what do YOU remember? 👇

Did your team win? (Of course you did.) Did the boys think they won? (Classic.) Was there a disputed result that still needs to be settled?

Drop your memories below - we have a feeling there are some very good stories in this community.

Sisterhood is forever. The rivalry never gets old. 💫

She used to hide from PE in the music room. Now she performs at the Sydney Opera House. 🎶

Meet Katherine Wiles — Sacred Heart alumna, permanent soprano with Opera Australia, and one of those living proof moments that passion has a way of finding its own path. Her story is one you won't want to miss.

Katherine Wiles – From the music room to the Sydney Opera House If you’d wandered past the music room at Sacred Heart Girls’ College sometime in the late 1980s, you might have heard a familiar voice… and wondered why she wasn’t in PE class.

She grew up on a dairy farm in the Waikato. She went to school right here at Sacred Heart. And she's just written a book about covering wars she never planned to cover.

Meet our alumna Lisette Reymer - journalist, Newshub Europe correspondent, accidental war correspondent, and now author of 𝙉𝙤, 𝙄 𝘿𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮.

We're so proud of this Sacred Heart girl. ❤

https://shgcham.school.nz/herstory-profile/lisette-reymer

It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our beloved Ms Kathleen Wilson, Leader of Learning - English and devoted servant of Sacred Heart Girls' College, after a brief illness.

Kathleen was an ex-student of our kura who went on to give more than 25 years of her life to teaching and learning here. She was a highly regarded educator, a trusted colleague, and a cherished companion to so many staff and students over the years, humbly offering her knowledge and heart for the betterment of all.

She truly epitomises what we hold dear:
"I am Sacred Heart. You are Sacred Heart. We are Sacred Heart."

🕊️ A service for Kathleen will be held at:
Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 494 Grey Street, Hamilton East
Wednesday, 29 April 2026 1:30pm

All are welcome to come and celebrate a life so beautifully lived. 🙏

From Auckland to New York!

We are SO proud of our 2018 Head Girl, Lushomo Thebe, who is representing Aotearoa New Zealand at the United Nations 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) as the YWCA National Delegate and part of the World YWCA NGO Delegation.

As if that wasn't enough, she'll also be taking the stage as a panellist at the 20th Helvi Sipilä Seminar to discuss the advancement of women's leadership. 👏

Lushomo is a Zambian-Kiwi lawyer, governance trailblazer, and passionate advocate for women's rights, migrant rights, and youth leadership. Exactly the kind of wāhine we love to celebrate.

This is what it looks like when a Sacred Heart wāhine steps into her purpose. Lushomo, you make us incredibly proud! ❤

From Head Girl to the professional stage — we couldn't be prouder! 🎭

Alisha Jacob (Head Girl, 2020) has made her professional acting debut in Balloon Dog, the latest production from the renowned Indian Ink Theatre Company, performing at Clarence Street Theatre this May.

Following her graduation from Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School, Alisha is already making her mark in the NZ theatre scene — and what a debut it is!

We're so proud of you, Alisha. Tū maia, tū kaha! ✨

Jude Trumm has asked us to share the sad news of the passing of her cousin and fellow alumna, Janine Sturgeon (née Schnuriger), class of '92.

Janine was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer before Christmas 2024 and given only months to live. Her grit and determination for life saw her fight until now.

A celebration of her life will be held at 11am this Saturday, 7th March, at the Ohaupo Rugby Club. A notice will appear in Friday's Waikato Times.❤️

INTRODUCING HERstory - OUR NEW ALUMNAE WEBSITE! ❤️

Once apart from Sacred Heart, always a part of Sacred Heart.
We're thrilled to launch HERstory – a dedicated online home for our Sacred Heart Girls' College alumnae community!

This is Stage 1, and we're just getting started! Right now, this is YOUR space to:
❤️ Stay connected with your Sacred Heart whānau
❤️ Celebrate alumnae achievements and spotlights
❤️ Browse our beautiful gallery of memories
❤️ Keep up with school news and events
❤️ Share your own profiles and stories
❤️ Discover ways to support SHGC

Coming soon: Old archives, school magazines, historical photos, and so much more! We're building something special, and we can't wait to share it all with you.

Whether you left us last year or decades ago, HERstory is here to keep our bonds strong and our community thriving.

Visit HERstory today: shgcham.school.nz/herstory