Eloise Grace (nee Gentle)

"The spirit of the School helped me gain a lot more confidence. There was always a positive vibe and by the time I left I found it easy to talk to anyone."

Eloise Grace credits her time at Yarra with helping develop the confidence that has seen her build a career as a TV reporter.

Eloise joined Yarra in Year 11 and was struck immediately by the friendliness of the students and teachers and by the air of optimism that flowed throughout the School.

“Yarra was very inclusive and the friends I made here are my friends today. The School had a very positive influence on me and my future” recalls Eloise.

Eloise enjoyed photography and spent many happy hours in the School’s dark room. After graduating, she chose an Arts-Commerce degree before switching to Arts-Law. After studies she worked as a TV reporter for a number of years.

“I like to put myself out of my comfort zone. I begged for work experience and ended up in different newsrooms around the country - my first story was about power lines in Townsville,” she says.

Moving back to Sydney, she worked at SKY News before then going back to the legal side of things. She spent a few years working as a commercial and employment lawyer, which saw her representing clients in the employment courts nationwide.

Eloise has been to school reunions and has revisited Yarra – an experience she always finds ‘uplifting’.

“I smiled throughout the entire night of our last reunion. When my former classmates and I get together it feels like no time has passed,” she says.

Eloise is now co-owner of the Andy Grace Media (AGM) software platform. She reports for AGM and Ticker TV and is on the Advisory Committee for The Centre For Optimism; All whilst juggling being Mum to her three children – one of whom has autism.

“He needs constant care so we are discovering a whole new world but we don’t let what has happened dictate our lives. You still have to say ‘yes’ to everything and put one foot in front of the other,” she says.
Her advice to others is to “take the best outlook every day and do your best. Things won’t always go right, but keep trying.”