The Hallowian 2020 - Flipbook - Page 32
Kayla Coombs
Gains Worldwide Attention
Valerie Dawson
Awarded OAM
Past Pupil Updates
Congratulations to Valerie Dawson (née Tuson, AHS 1948—1949) who has been
awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for service to the
performing arts as a singer and songwriter.
Valerie’s works document some of Australia’s most significant social, historical and
sporting moments. After receiving her OAM, Valerie wrote to us expressing her lifelong
gratitude for the Legacy scholarship which enabled her to attend All Hallows and said ‘I
would like to say that I owe my Award in part to the excellent education and interest in
music, singing, poetry and writing nurtured in me by the wonderful and caring Sisters
of Mercy….at All Hallows’.
“I would like to say that I owe
my Award in part to the excellent
education [...] at All Hallows’”
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The Hallowian | 2019
Dux of All Hallows 2011 and Melbourne-based scientistturned-illustrator Kayla Coombs created an animated
wedding proposal which garnered worldwide attention
when it received tens of millions of online hits in
just a few days. Kayla took six months to rework the
characters of Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming into
real-life sweethearts Lee Loechler and Sthuthi David. At
a theatre screening of the movie packed with friends
and relatives, the real Prince came to life when Lee got
down on one knee and proposed to a very surprised
Sthuthi—who immediately said ‘Yes’!
Following this amazing project, Kayla was even flown to
Los Angeles for an interview on the Kelly Clarkson Show
- view it here.