When fleeing the Greek Civil War back in 1950 at the age of three, now 73-year-old Saki George Ganella could not imagine his bright future in Australia, let alone being recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Born in Kozani, Greece in 1947, Mr Ganella OAM lost his father who was a bank manager in Greece in the middle of the war and his mother, seeking a better life for her and her children, migrated to Melbourne to love with her aunt.
His family lived with her until 1958, when his mother met her second husband Peter Pesnikas, who became a father figure.
Mr Ganella OAM recalls sitting in his stepfather’s Chapel Street fish shop as a young boy, watching Melbourne High School students go by. Impressed by their smart uniforms and confidence he decided to enrol in 1961.
As a student he was drawn to mathematics and his love for the subject was so strong that he ended up becoming a mathematics teacher himself, joining the staff at Melbourne High School.
“The boys in uniform with caps looked strange to this Greek boy at the fish shop,” Mr Ganella OAM who became the first in his family to complete a university degree told the Victorian State Education Department.
“But because my mother brought me up to be very motivated and aspirational, I tried my hardest and was accepted into Melbourne High School for my senior year. Once there, I studied the highest level mathematics subjects I could.”
Long story short, Mr Ganella OAM has been teaching and giving back to the community for 50 years inspiring the love for maths in many students.
“I love the students. In my 50 years at Melbourne High School, the demographics have changed. When I was there as a student, there were a lot of Greeks and Jewish boys and now they’re eastern, Asian boys and no matter how the demographic changes, the commitment and passion is wonderful,” he said.
“Very quickly they become Melbourne High School boys and that’s what has kept me going all these years.”
Mr Ganella OAM also became an airforce cadet while at Melbourne High. His performance saw him serve as an officer in the citizen’s air force after Melbourne University Squadron. Returning to the school he remained the Squadron’s commanding officer for a decade.
Mr Ganella OAM is planning to retire from teaching at 75, but before he does, he shares a valuable word of
But not without giving one final word of advice to the students who have held such a special place in his heart over the years.
“Follow your passion. If you’re really passionate about something, the chances are that you will do well at it… But if you don’t follow your passion and you do something for monetary gains and you don’t like it, to my mind, that’s a terrible life.”
Source: neoskosmos.com