Haleian July 2014 by Hale School

Volume 26 | No.1 | July 2014

ON THE COVER Year 8 Students at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on tour in 2014. Photo by: Wendy Cormack. For all editorial enquiries or feedback please call (08) 9347 9754. An electronic version of The Haleian can be found on the Hale School website www.hale.wa.edu.au.

CONTENTS

HALEIAN JuLY 2014 voLuME 26 N° 1 1 HEADMASTER 2 CHAPLAIN 3 ANNUAL REPORT 4 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 5 WACE RESULTS 6 DESTINATIONS 2013 7 HERITAGE CENTRE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES Donations 8 ARCHIVES 9 LEADERSHIP Indigenous Scholarship Programme LEAP Youth Leadership Programme 10 11 LEARNING BECOZ Project Hale21 Hale@home 12 x 13 TED Youth@Hale Funds Well Used! 15 P&F 17 DEVELOPMENT

18 SERVICE 19 SERVICE

Big Brothers Saving Lives Vietnam/Cambodia Tour

21 SENIOR 23 MIDDLE 25 JUNIOR 29 SPORT 31 MUSIC 33 DRAMA 35 ART 37 OLD HALEIANS

HEADMASTER

I read recently the motto of The Crescent School in Ontario, Canada - ‘men of character from boys of promise’. It says a great deal about the positive mindset within the school - judging success in terms of the character of the young men who leave the place as well as the feeling that all boys have something to give - their promise of things to come. It is a simple statement with a positive message. But then again simplicity is the key to the motto of the Sri Lankan school attended by the Archbishop of Perth, The Most Reverend Roger Herft - ‘Learn or Depart’ (and I always thought the Hale School motto ‘Duty’ was pretty straightforward). Character education is one of the flavours of the month in education circles at present. Professor James Arthur is Professor of Education and Civic Engagement at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. He visited Australia recently and among other things posed the question: “Is the purpose of schooling simply to prepare young people for a life of tests or should it actually be to prepare them for the tests of life?” He answered his own question by suggesting that through its very existence, every school already models a set of values to its students. It is far better that this process be a conscious one, rationally organised, so that it becomes possible to evaluate what the school is saying and doing and how it says and does it. I believe a boys’ school must not be a school of boys, or a school for boys but a school about boys. Such schools have a unique and vibrant culture. Boys in such schools can take more healthy risks because they have fewer social inhibitions. Such schools allow young men to explore the complexities of what manhood, courage and honour mean to them. Boys can wonder, examine and test what it means to be a Man of Character. Boys in a boys’ school can be their authentic selves, express themselves in occasionally goofy, boyish ways and be challenged to be their best. Boys in a boys’ school know they belong to a unique tribe, and their belonging

gives them a sense of quiet pride and deep security that lasts a lifetime. At Hale, we are aware of the capabilities of boys. They are exuberant, impulsive, unfiltered and physical. We also know that boys have enormous imaginative resources that, when marshalled, can result in magnificent outcomes. But boys need clear challenges, they need space and they need time to explore. They also need appropriate structures and boundaries within which to work. I believe we teach and coach and mentor with these structures in mind.

For our young men, this school is personal. There is nothing generic about it. The photo on the cover of this publication shows boys from the Middle School at the War Memorial in Canberra during a recent trip to the nation’s capital. As part of the preparation for the trip each boy was required to research an Old Haleian who fought in a theatre of war and whose name would be commemorated at the War Memorial. The boys learnt of heroic deeds and selfless duty - examples of extraordinary courage. One wonders if we will ever see acts of this type again. Modern day warfare is different to the hand-to-hand combat of yesteryear. However, the need for courage remains. One of the ‘wars’ we are fighting now is a moral war but many would argue the results are just as graphic. We need to

remain a nation that exhibits not just physical courage but moral courage. This includes the courage to: •

Challenge a friend if they are doing something wrong.

•

Stand up for a victim of racism or bullying.

•

Support colleagues through periods of self-doubt and hardship.

•

Fail and bounce back to take on new challenges.

Nelson Mandela said: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” I hope that Hale produces young men who are resilient, have courage and possess ‘grit’. There is no doubt we are a ‘work in progress’ in this regard; however, the pages which follow provide many examples where boys (and Old Boys) have left their zone of comfort, accepted challenges and had the courage to try something new. From facing new academic challenges to working in orphanages in Vietnam, from competing in sporting contests to performing on music or drama stages, I am confident courage and character are under development as they enjoy their preparation for the ‘tests of life’. Mr Stuart Meade Headmaster

I am often asked as an Anglican School Chaplain what would be the main virtues and/or values that Hale stands for. The Anglican tradition, in its structures, theology, forms of worship and education, is commonly understood as a distinct Christian tradition representing a middle ground. Anglicans understand the Old and New Testaments as “containing all things necessary for living the Christian life” and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith. So it is with this in mind that I wondered, “What are some of the virtues and/or values that shape Chaplaincy at Hale School?” The six I have listed here are by no means exhaustive and are in no ranking of priority: Wisdom is the first and highest value. Through wisdom, we come to value properly those things which we believe through faith. The truths of Christian belief are more important than the things of this world, and wisdom helps us to order our relationship with God and each other. Understanding is the second value, and people sometimes have a hard time understanding how it differs from wisdom. While wisdom is the desire to contemplate the things of God, understanding allows us to grasp the very essence of the truths of belief, faith and Christian Identity. Through understanding, we see the world and our life within it in the larger context of the rule, and ultimate standard of faith. Counsel is the third value and it is through this we are able to judge how best to live. People need not fear to stand up for the truths of the Christian Faith. Counsel allows us to judge rightly what we should do in a particular circumstance. Counsel builds on wisdom, which allows us to judge the things of the world in light of our beliefs and understanding.

Fortitude is both a value and a virtue. It gives us the strength to follow through on the actions suggested by the gift of counsel. While fortitude is sometimes called courage, it goes beyond what we normally think of as courage. Fortitude is the virtue that allows us to overcome fear and to remain steady in our will in the face of obstacles. Prudence and justice are the virtues through which we decide what needs to be done; fortitude gives us the strength to do it.

BAPTISMS 23 November 2013 Flynn Marc Smith son and Keira Natalie Smith daughter of Marc and Lisa Smith. 30 March 2014 Archie George Caldow son of Richard and Claire Caldow.

Knowledge is often confused with both wisdom and understanding. Like wisdom, knowledge is the perfection of faith, but whereas wisdom gives us the desire to judge all things according to the truths of the faith, knowledge is the actual ability to do so.

6 April 2014 Renae Jeanne Kirby Hawke daughter of Nathan and Rebecca Hawke.

Like counsel, it is aimed at our actions. Knowledge allows us to see our lives the way that God sees them. Through this we can determine God’s purpose for our lives and live them accordingly.

WEDDINGS

Knowledge is sometimes called “the science of the saints”, because “it enables those who have the gift to discern easily and effectively between the impulses of temptation and the inspirations of grace”.

17 May 2014 Danny Low and Terese Acacio

8 May 2014 Willie Oii and Anne Williams

Fear of the Lord as a virtue is perhaps the most misunderstood. We think of fear and hope as opposites, but the fear of the Lord confirms the virtue of hope. Our desire not to offend God is more than simply a sense of duty - the fear of the Lord arises out of love. The fear of the Lord is like the respect we have for our parents. We do not wish to offend them, but we also do not live in fear of them, in the sense of being frightened. I hope you have enjoyed my six virtues and I wonder if any of these resonate with you in your walk of faith with God? The Reverend Dougall Ethell Chaplain

ANNuAL REPORT

OPERATING REVENUE 2013

STUDENT NUMBERS Student enrolments as at the August 2013 census date were 1,433. There were 300 in Years 1 to 6 in the Junior School, 369 in the Middle School and 764 in the Senior School for Years 9 to 12. Of those 1,433 students, two were full fee paying overseas students. 188 boarded in the Junior and Senior boarding houses. STAFF NUMBERS In 2013, there were 149 full time equivalent teaching staff and 119 full time equivalent non-teaching staff. Of the 119 non-teaching staff, the main duties of 33 relate to activities in the School’s two boarding houses.

Student Fees (79%) Commonwealth Grant (12%) State Grant (7%) Other (2%)

OPERATING EXPENDITURE 2013

Salaried Employee Expenses (73%) Teaching (4%) Operational (6%) Administration (8%) Capital works and equipment (9%)

FINANCIAL REPORT The School’s auditors, Ernst & Young, have finalised their audit of the School’s 2013 financial statements and issued the Board of Governors with an unqualified audit report. An abridged copy of the financial statements has been posted on the School’s website. Operating Revenue The School’s primary source of income is the receipt of tuition and boarding fees. Fees, net of scholarships, bursaries and discounts represented 78.6% of the year’s recurrent income in 2013. Commonwealth Grants accounted for 10.8% of the balance of recurrent income (plus the $453,000 received as the final tranche of the School’s entitlement to the Digital Education Revolution Grant for Schools), and State Government Grants 7.1%. The remaining income received by the School was from application fees, trading activities and the hiring of equipment and facilities.

Operating Expenditure The primary expenditure item for the School in 2013 at 72.7%, was the School’s salaried employee expenses. Direct teaching costs include resources required by the respective teaching departments, and also sport, the outdoor education programme, staff professional development and boarding. Costs relating to repairs and maintenance, utilities, cleaning, and security are categorised as operational expenditure. General administration costs cover insurance, information technology, publications, development, supplies, bank fees and taxes. Debt The School’s interest bearing debt increased from $15.8 million at the end of 2012 to $18.9 million at the 2013 year end. The average debt per student increased from $11,030 to $13,156 over the year. Borrowing for the new Aquatic Centre construction when fully drawn will increase debt to $20.9 million in 2014. An accelerated debt repayment programme, however, will see the debt returning below $15 million in 2016. Capital Expenditure The School has invested heavily in replacing or refurbishing the infrastructure on its campus. The major construction projects include the Forrest Library in 2008, Middle School in 2009, Junior School Multi-Purpose Hall in 2010, and the Junior School Art Complex and Aquatic Centre last year. The table below summarises the extent of the School’s investment.

New and Refurbished Facilities

Furniture, Plant and Equipment, Vehicles and Computers

Total

$’000

2008

10,750

956

11,706

2009

17,156

1,457

18,613

2010

2,883

1,479

4,362

2011

619

1,362

1,981

2012

1,906

1,639

3,545

2013

14,457

1,121

15,578

Year

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Hale School introduces Mr Jon Birman as the new Chairman of the Board of Governors for 2014. Jon has been a member of the Board of Governors since 2009 and served as Deputy Chairman in 2013. He takes over the role as Chairman from Mr Mark Hemery. Jon is an Old Haleian from the class of 1975.

Mark Hemery retired as Governor and Chairman of the Board at the end of 2013 after 10 years’ service, the last three as Chairman. Hale School has been very fortunate to have had Mark on the Board over such a long period. His legal knowledge, acute mind and passion for the School have made an extremely positive impact. On behalf of the Board of Governors, I would like to acknowledge Mark’s outstanding contribution to the School over those years. Also departing the Board at the end of last year due to his employment taking him interstate, was Mr Richard Ellis. Richard made a very positive contribution over the two years he served as a Governor. I welcome the newly appointed Governors being Mr Mark Foster, Mr Andrew Howe and Mr Grant Robson. All three are Old Haleians with impressive experience in their respective professional fields, and I’m sure will be fine contributors to the Board of Governors. Governors give their time and expertise voluntarily in performing the governance requirements and functions of the Board. During the past year, the Board has made considerable progress on a number of significant issues. I am humbled and honoured to be elected Chairman of the Board, a Board that provides strong and clear oversight of the School. The School has an outstanding campus and facilities, as a result of the foresight,

vision and planning of members of past Boards of Governors, Headmasters and the School Executives. Facilities constructed when or shortly after the School moved to Wembley Downs in the early 1960s are systematically being refurbished or replaced. In the last five years, the School has made significant investment in infrastructure including the: • Forrest Library and New Teaching Precinct; • Middle School; • Junior School Multi-Purpose Hall; • Junior School Art Complex; and • Aquatic Centre.

Hale School has now released its Strategic Intent for the School for 2014 to 2016. The Board is now in the fortunate position to be able to look at the needs of the School well beyond 2016. To strengthen and modernise the School’s governance procedures, the Board instituted a new Board Charter. The Board Charter replaces former By-Laws and clearly defines the Board’s responsibilities relating to the standard of education at the School, accountability for the quality of educational programmes, the safety and welfare of students, and legislative compliance.

“I am humbled and honoured to be elected Chairman of the Board, a Board that provides strong and clear oversight of the School.” The Doug Poake Swimming Pool constructed in 1962, lives in the mind of many Old Haleians for the many successful Inters over the years. Its replacement, the new Aquatic Centre completed at the end of 2013, provides an outstanding facility which will undoubtedly be responsible for further successes in the years to come. The Junior School Art Complex completed in July 2013 provides the younger students with an exceptional facility to explore their creative pursuits. Both projects have been designed to support current programmes and enhance the opportunities already on offer. They were completed on time and on budget.

From the Board’s perspective, the School is in great shape. There are continual risks and challenges facing the School over the coming years, which the Board will address to ensure it meets its commitment to the Hale community. In Stuart Meade, we are extremely fortunate to have a Headmaster whose wise and committed leadership continues to drive the School. Hale School has an exciting future. Mr Jon Birman Chairman Board of Governors

WACE RESuLTS

Images: Evan Quail, Jeffrey Lai, Jack Cooper, Nathan Bandara, Dan Hoang, Alexander Paterson, Varun Kaushik, Nicholas Sokolich and Andy Wang (inset).

We are immensely proud of the academic achievement of the Year 12 students of 2013, 100% of whom achieved the WA Certificate of Education. Of the total of 193 students, 181 achieved an ATAR and 12 achieved VET qualifications. The 181 WACE exam candidates collectively achieved a median ATAR of 91.15, the fourth highest of any school in the state and the highest for a boys’ school. Underpinning our School’s outstanding individual scores and the excellent collective achievement of a very high median ATAR is a positive culture of love of learning which has been ceaselessly renewed at Hale over many years. The School provides opportunities for every boy to excel, as our vision exhorts us to do. A love of learning is apparent in a number of aspects of the School’s culture, including: • the celebration of academic effort and success • our students’ respect for learning and their desire to learn • the pride and determination evident in our students’ approach to learning • our expert, passionate teachers • the high standards and high expectations, shared by students, parents and teachers

By any measure, the standard of academic excellence in the WACE that has characterised Hale School for many years was continued strongly in 2013. Outstanding individual achievements are:

6 General Exhibitions

Awarded to the 40 eligible WACE examination students with the highest SCSA award scores based on their best five scaled scores with at least two from each of the humanities and science/ mathematics lists. Jack Cooper: 2nd (Runner-up to the Beazley Medallist. For the second year in a row, Hale has been runner-up for the Beazley Medal: WACE) Dan Hoang: 8th Varun Kaushik: 12th Nathan Bandara: 26th Alexander Paterson: 35th Nicholas Sokolich: 38th

1 Course Exhibition

Awarded to the top eligible student with the highest combined score in a course. Politics and Law: Evan Quail

1 Special Course Award

For a student who has qualified for a Course Exhibition but is not able to receive the top award because he has not yet, as a Year 11, achieved the WACE. Music: Andy Wang (Year 11)

21 Certificates of Distinction Awarded for being in the top 0.5% of candidates or the top two candidates, whichever is greater, in a course: Ancient History: Varun Kaushik Chemistry: Jack Cooper, Jeffrey Lai,

Nicholas Sokolich English: Anthony Worrall Literature: Jack Cooper, Varun Kaushik Mathematics: Jack Cooper, Dan Hoang, Jeffrey Lai, Nicholas Sokolich Mathematics Specialist: Jack Cooper, Jeffrey Lai Modern History: Evan Quail Philosophy and Ethics: Ben Clapin Physics: Jack Cooper, Jeffrey Lai, Alexander Paterson, Nicholas Sokolich, Jonathan Tapley Politics and Law: Evan Quail

1 Special Certificate of Distinction Music: Andy Wang (Year 11)

19 Certificates of Commendation

Awarded to students who gain at least 20 A-grades in WACE course units: Nathan Bandara Jack Cooper Samuel Hadlow Dan Hoang Varun Kaushik Jeffrey Lai Christopher McAlpine David Lane Benjamin Neil Hamish Newman Alexander Paterson Evan Quail Alexander Robinson Robert Shipway Nicholas Sokolich Theodore Stapleton William Stowell Jonathan Tapley Michael Wikarta

Outstanding ATAR Results The ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) indicates an individual ranking against all others in Australia who finished or would have finished their secondary education in 2013. The maximum possible ATAR score of 99.95 was achieved by four students from Hale School: Jack Cooper, Jeffrey Lai, Dan Hoang and Nicholas Sokolich. In WA as a whole, 16 students attained 99.95. 27 students attained an ATAR of 99 or above, which means that 15% of the Hale cohort are in the top 1% of the nation. 35 students attained an ATAR of 98 or above, thus 19.3% of the Hale cohort are in the top 2% of the nation. 54 students attained an ATAR of 95 or above, thus 29.8% of the Hale cohort are in the top 5% of the nation. 100 students attained an ATAR of 90 or above, thus 55% of the Hale cohort are in the top 10% of the nation. Hale School’s median ATAR for 2013 was 91.15. Another important measure of a school’s academic strength is the number of different courses which are recognised by the Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority as having ‘top performing students’ (based on the number of students with a WACE course score over 75%). Hale had a record number of 17 courses in this category in 2013, the highest number in the School’s history. 15 Stage 3 courses were recognised as top performers: Accounting and Finance; Ancient History; Applied Information Technology; Chemistry; Engineering Studies; French; Literature; Mathematics 3AB; Mathematics 3CD; Mathematics Specialist; Modern History; Philosophy and Ethics; Physics; Politics and Law; Visual Arts. Two Stage 2 courses were recognised as top performers: Mathematics 2CD; Business, Management and Enterprise.

Major Scholarships Awarded Jackson Smith - Cadetship with PwC, Commerce, UniSyd Hayden Winmar - Chris Lewis Scholarship $8,000, Law/Commerce, Curtin University William Huxtable - Delano Scholarship $5,000pa x three, Arts (Music and Specialist Music), UWA Matthew Milenkovic - Entrance Scholarship St Catherine’s $4,000, Commerce, UWA

Hamish Newman - Fogarty Foundation City Scholarship Undergrad tuition fees and $1,200pa, Science (Neuroscience/ Physiology), UWA Curtis Luck - Golf Scholarship, Arizona State University, USA Alastair Punler - Ice hockey Canada, Science (Engineering), UWA Thomas Cockram - PwC Traineeship 2014-17, Commerce (Accounting/ Psychology), UWA Satoru Yamamoto - PwC Traineeship 2014-17, Commerce (Accounting and Finance), UWA David Lane - Principal’s Recommendation Scholarship $1,000 and Health Science Excellence Scholarship $3,000pa, Science (Molecular Genetics/Biotechnology), Curtin University

POST YEAR 12 DESTINATION SuRvEY YEAR 12 HALE STUDENTS 2013 Attending University

Nº

UWA

112

58.03

Curtin

14.5

Edith Cowan

5.18

Murdoch

1.03

University of Notre Dame Australia

3.62

Overseas Universities

0.51

Other Aust. Universities 13

6.68

Sub-total 173 89.55 TAFE

0.51

Employment

1.55

Henry Brown - RSM Bird Cameron Rural Scholarship $2,000 first four semesters, $500 for books each semester thereafter, Commerce (Business Law/Accounting), UWA

Gap Year

2.6

Private sector training

0.51

Apprenticeship

3.1

Defence Forces

0.51

Abhi Kapoor - Scholarship $6,000, Arts (Music Performance - bassoon), Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Unable to contact

1.55

Nathan Bandara - SCSA General Exhibition Scholarship $3,000, Commerce (Economics), UWA

UNIVERSITY AND TAFE DESTINATIONS BY COURSE TYPE

Jack Cooper - Vice Chancellor’s Award of Excellence, $5,000pa x four, Philosophy (Honours) Award (Biomedical Science), UWA Jeffrey Lai - Chancellor’s Scholar Programme $60,000, Science (Biomedicine), UniMel Varun Kaushik - Melbourne National Scholarship $70,000, Science (Biomedicine), UniMel Dan Hoang - Outstanding Achievement Scholarship $10,000pa, UniSyd. Vice Chancellor’s Award of Distinction, $5,000, Philosophy (Honours) Award (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/Pharmacology), UWA Theodore Stapleton - Vice Chancellor’s Award of Distinction, $5,000, Arts (English and Cultural Studies/Philosophy), UWA Nicholas Sokolich - Vice Chancellor’s Award of Distinction, $5,000, Science (Engineering Science/Chemistry), UWA Alexander Paterson - Philosophy (Honours) Award (Mathematics and Statistics/Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), UWA Evan Quail - Philosophy (Honours) Award (Political Science and International Relations), UWA Jonathan Tapley - Philosophy (Honours) Award (Biomedical Science/Physics), UWA

Total 193

Arts

Arts (Communication, Digital 5 Design, Film and TV, Journalism, Media) Arts (Music, Drama, Performance, Theatre Lighting)

Arts (Political Science, International Relations, History)

Commerce (Finance and Accounting/Business Law/ Economics, Law/Marketing)

Design/Architecture

Law

Philosophy Honours (Politics, International Relations, Law/ Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Medicine)

Science

Science (Physiotherapy, Sports Science, Health and Exercise Science, Occupational Health)

Science (Medicine, Biochemistry, 18 Biomedicine, Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience, Forensic Biology/Toxicology, Physics, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Psychology) Science (Engineering)

Science (Geology, Surveying, Environment Management, Marine Science, Zoology)

Science (Computer Science)

Mechanical Engineering (Technical)

ARCHIvES

HERITAGE CENTRE

EDuCATIONAL PROGRAMMES YEAR 8 ANZAC PROJECT AND CANBERRA TOUR During the first months of the school year, 40 Hale students from Middle School have been researching the lives of 43 Old Haleians who lost their lives during the Great War and are commemorated in the Hale School Memorial Grove. This important research was part of the foundation work in preparation for their tour to Canberra which occurred in April. The purpose was to give the students an understanding of what these men went through and to develop a genuine connection with and empathy for what the students were to experience during their trip, especially at the Australian War Memorial. The 43 Old Haleians are all on the Roll of Honour surrounding the Flame of Eternity at the Australian War Memorial. This was to be a focal point of the impending tour. During the two weeks prior to the trip, the boys busily finalised their research on their chosen Old Haleian, gathering vital information from both the Australian War Memorial website and the resources of the Hale School Heritage Centre. They were able to find out about their soldier’s life prior to enlistment, the details of his embarkation from Australia, his marriage status, enlistment date, service record, which unit he served in, where he fought, when he died and where he was buried. The culmination of the boys’ hard work resulted in 40 research posters with Dr Bill Edgar and current Hale School Museum archivist Harry Weston selecting three winners. The winners each received a comfort parcel similar to those received by soldiers in The Great War. This interesting and creative activity was the perfect preparation for the students’ visit to Canberra. It enhanced their understanding of the importance of the trip and allowed them to reflect and remember each of their Old Haleians and the sacrifice they made. The Canberra tour was very busy and involved but all who went thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

THE TOUR

SYDNEY - SUNDAY/ MONDAY On Easter Sunday, 40 Year 8 boys embarked on a tour to Sydney and Canberra, our nation’s capital for a week of experiences, learning and fun. With bags packed and curiosity blooming we left for Sydney and spent a night at The Rocks. We were all star-struck by the size and beauty of the city and the landmarks that make the city so well known. The next morning, after a quick walk around Sydney, we left on a coach headed for Canberra. On the way we stopped at the Sir Donald Bradman Museum where we learnt about this sporting icon and had a hand at the great sport of cricket. When we finally arrived in Canberra, we realised that this trip was going to be something special and after dinner we all relaxed in our rooms before a good night’s sleep.

TUESDAY After a slow wake up, it was off to our first activity in Canberra which was a visit to the Capital Exhibition Centre followed by the New Parliament House. Unfortunately, we were unable to watch a session of parliament, so instead we toured the historical building and the two houses of parliament. We acted out a meeting as if we were part of the House of Representatives and learnt about the long process it takes to decide on a bill. We then went to the Museum of Australian Democracy for another roleplay argument about conscription during the Vietnam War. This was followed by a visit to the National Electoral Education Centre where we learnt how important our vote is. As the sun set on a busy day, we went to the Botanical Gardens for a delicious dinner and a night walking tour.

fter this energy-packed programme it was indeed a very quiet trip home on the plane. The boys were excellent ambassadors for the school and their family. We received numerous compliments about their good manners and behaviour from guides and the public everywhere we went. They had many stories to tell on their return, and they were very grateful not only to the staff who went on tour, but also to their parents for giving them the opportunity to participate.

SATURDAY The Australian Government recognises the importance of students being able to visit their National Capital as part of their civics and citizenship education. As such, the Australian Government contributed funding of $260.00 per student participating in the tour under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) programme, which was put toward the travel expenses incurred by the group. We would like to thank and acknowledge the Australian Government for their ongoing support of this programme and initiative.

After a soundless sleep we all woke up for the experiences of the coming day. To begin we went to the National Screen and Sound Archive where we were shown some of the earliest known films and advertising. “Aeroplane Jelly” caught on well with the group and after the boys finished their Sapphires dancing routine we went on to ANZAC Parade, a road which is lined with memorials for the many wars and military organisations as well as memorials for the Turkish and Greeks who made their sacrifice for their country. We then went to the National Dinosaur Museum where we were captivated by beasts of the past, taking a detailed tour through the Mesozoic period. We then walked back to where we were staying and fell asleep for the last night in Canberra for this trip.

By Mrs Sarah Wilkinson, Tour Coordinator.

SUNDAY

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On ANZAC day the boys rose at a fresh 3am to attend the ANZAC Dawn Service. The boys, who were rugged up for the freezing cold morning that was apparently warmer than usual, found the service very moving. The service in Canberra is

By Ben Giangiulio, Josh Leaman and Adam Thavaseelan (Year 8).

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FRIDAY

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After a big night and an even bigger day planned for Friday we spent Thursday at the CSIRO, Geoscience and the National Library, where we watched an amazing 3D movie about some of the wonders of the universe. We learnt about different rocks and rock types and had an insightful tour of the biggest library in Australia, where over 10 million items are held. Every publication ever made in Australia has to be put in this library, including newspapers, magazines and books!

John Gibb Maitland (1939-49): donated a number of Cygnet magazines as well as other publications from the 1940s.

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THURSDAY

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held a wreath laying ceremony in The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which represents all soldiers who were not found or identified. That night we went to Questacon, a SciTech-like facility with the boys from Wesley. We were all astounded by the vast display of science, including a fun adrenaline rush we experienced on the free-fall, an exciting end to the day.

Our trip ended with a bang when we went to the Australian Institute of Sport. We started with a tour of the world class facilities, including pools, a stadium, gym, volleyball courts and a museum/ activity area as well as the many other facilities at their disposal. The group then split into two and participated in sock-wrestling, volleyball and dodgeball. We then finished the magical journey with a trip to the National Portrait Gallery, where we learnt about some of the great faces in Australian history. As we went through the airport and said goodbye to our great bus driver Michael, chatter filled the group about what were our favourite places and what mementoes we had purchased. When we arrived back home to our mums and dads everyone ran out, ecstatic to see our families after a tiring, but extraordinarily fun, exciting, educational and interesting trip. Special thanks go to the teachers who came with us and made this tour possible Ms Wilkinson for coordinating such a wonderful experience, Mr Manley, Mr Pearse and Ms Cormack and all of our tour guides.

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DONATIONS

19 25 -27 )

Our first stop was The Australian War Memorial which touched the hearts of the boys, as they each saw the plaques of the 43 Haleians they had researched along with the names and memories of over 102,000 men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. A highlight was seeing the medals of one of Australia’s most recent Victoria Cross winners, Corporal Ben RobertsSmith, a former SAS soldier and Old Haleian. In cooperation with the Year 7 tour group from Wesley College, we

said to be one of the best in the world, second only to the one in Gallipoli. We also witnessed Corporal Ben RobertsSmith give a speech at the service. Special thanks to Ms Wilkinson for somehow organising the Royals to come especially for our trip! The rest of the day was spent riding around and paddling on Lake Burley Griffin before going to the National Australian Mint, where every Australian coin is born. That night we fell asleep before our heads even touched the pillow.

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WEDNESDAY

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Haydon Dixon (1961-65): donated on behalf of his son, Darcy Dixon (19982002), a High School (Hale School) book prize dated 1924 which he found in a Perth bookstall. Guy Ward (1935-39): donated by Sue Denham who bequeathed Guy’s RAAF flight log book and letters and documents pertaining to his war career. Michael Gregg (1946-50): donated three books awarded as prizes to Old Haleian H.W. Grommelin in 1914/1915. John William Gosden (1925-27): The Under 16 1926 Athletics Champion cup donated by his sons Ross (1952-55) and Trevor (1950-52). Richard Mussared (1945-47) and Stuart Mussared (1976-78): donated their father’s blazer.

LEADERSHIP

In 1997 Hale School began providing educational opportunities to Indigenous students from remote areas. The philosophy behind the School’s Indigenous Students’ Education and Scholarship Programme grew from an existing relationship between Hale and the Warmun community in the East Kimberley. Cross-culture trips for Year 11 boys to Warmun were run by Mr David Bean and now retired staff member, Mr Malcolm Jordan. Originally designed to provide opportunities exclusively to members of the Warmun community ,to embody the spirit of mutual educational and cultural exchange that had developed between Hale School and the Warmun Community in 1995-1997, the programme was extended to meet the interest displayed by Aboriginal people from the whole Kimberley region.

Images: The Indigenous Scholarship Programme has been a success for many Hale students, including Dr Ryan Atkinson (right), Meyne Wyatt (bottom) and Hayden Winmar (far right).

INDIGENOuS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME The programme began in 1998, with the enrolment of three students in Years 7 and 8, and is now in its seventeenth year. Since its inception, 81 Indigenous students have been or are being educated at Hale School. To help prepare our Indigenous students to make effective choices for postsecondary education and training, the school collaborates with AISWA’s Future Footprints Programme and with universities and other post-secondary training organisations, and employers. Indigenous students are provided with career guidance throughout secondary school. The main elements of the Programme: • A consistent number of about 20 Indigenous students at Hale School, three to five students in Years 7-12. • Normally three to five scholarships are offered annually, based on a wellestablished selection process. • Provision of excellent support for Indigenous students in boarding, curriculum support and tutoring, and in terms of students’ emotional, social and personal development. • Providing opportunities for Indigenous students to successfully complete a secondary education to a standard that will lead to their successful transition to tertiary education, further vocational training or successful direct entry into the workforce. Graduates of the programme are expected to have an enhanced and extended capacity and readiness to take their place as leaders within their own communities and in the wider community.

• Focussing on the inclusion in the school curriculum of Indigenous perspectives in a wide range of learning areas from Years 1 to 12 and to improve whole school cross-cultural learning.

The short-listed candidates are then ranked and the final recommendations are presented to the Headmaster for confirmation.

• Advancing the cause of reconciliation, by educating the broader Hale School community to improve their understanding of the positive outcomes of the programme, their level of support for our Indigenous students and to build understanding of the issues confronting Indigenous Australians especially in the field of education.

Mr David Bean Deputy Headmaster and Director of Curriculum

Hale School’s Board of Governors is the most substantial supporter of the programme, having provided significant financial support to the boarding and tuition fees of 81 Indigenous students since 1998. Government funding of various kinds has also contributed handsomely to the programme. Selection process The selection process commences with advertising in Kimberley media and direct communication to schools and individuals in the Kimberley region in January of each year. Applications require the completion of a regular school application, provision of school reports and a student statement. Following the creation of a shortlist, Hale School representatives visit and test all short-listed applicants in the Kimberley. At each applicant’s school or another suitable venue, the applicant, one or both parents and a key teacher are interviewed separately. The applicant sits tests in writing, spelling and reading comprehension. A behaviour rating form is also completed by the class teacher.

Hale School success stories: Meyne Wyatt (2002-06) Meyne is a graduate from the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He has appeared in back-to-back productions in Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane, having debuted with the Sydney Theatre Company. He won the Best Newcomer prize at last year’s Sydney Theatre Awards, scored a supporting role in The Sapphires, toured with the Bell Shakespeare Company in The School for Wives, starred in Peter Pan (on stage), was nominated for a Logie (Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer) and has joined the cast of the upcoming feature film Strangerland - starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes and Guy Pearce. DrRyanAtkinson(1998-02)BroomeHospital “The Hale Indigenous Programme has been life changing for me personally. The opportunities which Hale provides to young men is certainly world class and it’s fantastic they have not limited these opportunities to the privileged. By affording this chance to young Indigenous, keen, geographically isolated boys I believe will ultimately spawn the next generation of Indigenous leaders which this country is yearning for.” Hayden Winmar (2009-13) Hayden is the recipient of this year’s Chris Lewis Scholarship at Curtin University, the university’s most prestigious scholarship for Indigenous students. He will study Law/Commerce with the benefit of $8,000 in funding.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME Images: Lachlan Sudlow (left) and Hudson Delves with Mr David Bean, Deputy Headmaster and Director of Curriculum.

LEAP is a non-profit education foundation that annually organises a youth leadership programme held at UCLA. Each year, hundreds of students travel from across the globe to attend LEAP’s week-long programme. LEAP’s goal is to help young people from around the world find professional and personal success by teaching them real-life keys to success such as goal-setting, mentorship, selfmotivation, professionalism and effective communication skills. The first LEAP programme was held in August 2008 and hosted 97 students. The programme has continued to grow each year in both size and in reputation. Lachlan Sudlow (Year 12) was chosen to participate in the programme in 2013. Lachlan travelled to the USA early last year and returned a changed man. “Early last year I received a scholarship to journey half way around the world to the University of California, Los Angeles. As a somewhat shy country kid from a small town, the idea of travelling that far without my parents was daunting. Being the first Hale School student to attend this programme, I really had no idea what I was in for. The LEAP Foundation’s programme is dedicated to giving young people the skills which are required in order to gain success of any kind in their life, such as leadership, time-management and study skills. I travelled with a group of seven other students from different schools across Perth. Travelling with this group of like-minded Year 11 students was somewhat refreshing and it soon led to

us forming a bond which we still continue today. The attendees of the event ranged in ages from 14 to 26 and there were about 250 students from all across the world, with more than 30 from Australia. We were broken up into groups of ten students of the same age. With this group we ate, roomed with each other, had daily meetings and spent most of our time together. The people from my group are now some of my best friends. We heard from many world class speakers on topics such as time-management, mentality, business manners, interviewing, job selection and many more. Celebrity speakers included Kelly Osborne and Nicky Whelan. The best thing about attending LEAP was the pure encouragement and belief which was bestowed upon me by other students, coaches and now, by myself. I have learnt so many systems and methods about how to achieve my goals, which has given me confidence in my own ability to produce good results and furthermore, I am more driven and excited to tackle goals and challenges. I cannot thank Mr Meade and Mr Bean enough for the opportunity. I hope the programme continues to grow at Hale,

and I wish future candidates good luck.” With a testimonial such as Lachlan’s, one can understand the excitement this year’s participant Hudson Delves (Year 11), is feeling. “The opportunity to sign up for such a prestigious and invaluable programme as LEAP was quite an easy decision, and I expressed my interest as soon as I could! The group of boys who were interviewed all seemed very excited about the prospect of being able to take the journey of a lifetime. When I found out I was the successful candidate, it took a while to sink in that I would be going to the other side of the world to meet optimistic young leaders, and to be mentored in the field of leadership. Although the trip is a while away, I am counting down the days, and I honestly can’t wait for this life-changing experience. Nine other WA students will be attending UCLA for the programme, and I think it’s great to see other schools allowing students to show interest in developing their traits as a leader for whatever situation they may be in. I feel greatly honoured to be selected as this year’s candidate for LEAP, and it’s bound to be an experience I will never forget!” Ms Adele Varris Community Relations

At the LEAP programme you will learn to: Determine your optimal career path.

Network efficiently and meet influential contacts.

Improve all relationships with effective communication.

Achieve financial independence.

Study less and get better grades.

Perform impressively in interview situations.

Score your dream job after university.

Maintain motivation to constantly go after your biggest and boldest dreams.

Identify your strengths and accelerate your potential. Establish yourself as a leader. Develop an action plan to achieve your goals.

Establish life long friendships with people all over the country. Create a positive self-image with confident self-talk.

LEARNING

BECOZ PROJECT

Hale21 I can. I do. I am. In Term 1 the boys in Brine House enjoyed an eight week LAD (Leadership and Development) programme. The programme specialised in building self-esteem and personal confidence in young boys. The programme armed boys with the survival tools to make them more physically and emotionally resilient. Topics covered ranged from ‘confident communication’ to ‘stress management’ and ‘how to brand yourself online’. These topics were delivered by Katherine Hazlewood from the BECOZ Project, and they were engaging and relevant with many interactive activities, music and cool videos. We are hoping to continue utilising the BECOZ Project next year but in a slightly altered format. The boys in Brine House were asked for feedback on the programme (listed below) and as you can see it made quite an impression, some boys even claiming the programme life changing!

“Very fun and was great presenter. I learnt a lot of very important skills from this programme.” “This programme was amazing, thanks so much.” “Thank you so much for changing my life.” “Very engaging and kind.” “I loved the BECOZ Project, it changed my life.” “You are funny, friendly and are the absolute best at what you do.” “Very well done, I really enjoyed it and you made my confidence boost up a lot.”

EXPLORING NEW HORIZONS FOR LEARNING Technology has a significant presence in our school; just as it has in so many other walks of life. In 25 years, science fiction has become reality in so many ways. It has been a breathtaking era of transformation indeed; perhaps more so if you are of a certain age. The benefits seem endless although the rate of technological development is at times confronting. The way we use computers and the value of technology in our schools are well documented. However, there is emerging an entirely new dimension to education that is beginning to evolve in more forward thinking schools. It is the virtual classroom. The Hale@home programme established in 2013 is an innovation which has revealed the capacity for technology to bring students and teachers together from anywhere. They interact in a richly interactive, virtual context where conversations, presentations and learning take place. These virtual spaces can be as colourful, noisy and dynamic as a classroom; well almost.

As a direct consequence of what we have learned about online teaching and learning in the Hale@home programme, we are designing another highly innovative technology opportunity for students to work online with Hale School. However, there is a major difference with this programme - called Hale21. The students who enrol in this programme may never attend Hale School. And some will be girls!

I have spent the past three months working on a number of trials with students for the Hale21 programme. My colleague for this programme is a distinguished educator and Cambridge graduate who lives and works in the USA. Sara Stephenson has been a Principal and Head of Middle School at schools across the USA. She and I work together on designing and implementing a programme aimed to inspire and enrich the integrated intelligence that resides in all students. In recent months, this interdisciplinary programme has been offered to students in places as diverse as Texas and Caversham Primary School, with pleasing results. The students, their parents and their teachers have provided fascinating feedback; which has given us the confidence to launch Hale21 here in Perth. We are currently inviting Year 6 and 7 boys and girls to enrol in a six week Hale21 programme and work with Sara and I on a Thursday evening. Hale School’s willingness to explore such initiatives is indicative of the significant move we are all making from the stable, solid infrastructure of the 20th century to the fluid, constantly evolving infrastructure of the 21st century. Few schools anywhere, have taken the decisive action we have in exploring this new domain and developing innovations with such diverse beneficiaries. It is an attitude towards the future that warrants a sense of wonder and earns widespread respect. Mr Michael Valentine Head of Online Learning

Hale@home Realises its vision.

Many conversations have been had and it is clear, strikingly so perhaps, that the transition these boys have experienced to boarding in Term 1 has been different to any other experienced before them. The boys’ parents acclaim the programme because of the confidence and enthusiasm they saw in their sons as they drove home from Hale School that day back in January, leaving their twelve year old behind to begin life as a boarder... There is something wonderful about the Hale@home programme which has completed its first year assisting boys in their transition to boarding life at Hale School. Boarding is a timeless institution in many ways; its long standing values, practices and perhaps even its folklore; seek to offer comfort to the boys and their families new to this life each year. Boarding at Hale School has a proud history which its current custodians revere and they are rightly proud to be a part of boarding at Hale School. However, in this tight community it is also where we are undertaking ground-breaking work with cutting edge use of modern technology. Hale@home conceptually was always a good idea. It just had to be executed. Hale School embraced my plans for an initiative which would assist the transition of country boys to our big city school. Hale@home espoused the merits of using technology to assist the boys who join our school as boarders in Year 8, by working with them online in the year prior to starting at Hale School. For generations their predecessors have come to Hale School from small rural schools scattered across the vast state of Western Australia and beyond. In more recent years the digital divide between country and city schools has been stark as these boys encountered city peers who had used 1:1 technology at the school since the middle years of primary school. Just getting a reliable internet signal remains a significant achievement for many rural schools (and families) in Australia. So in 2013 I commenced Hale@home; working with Heath McCabe to establish a weekly connection between Hale School and 17 boys across WA as well as one lad in New

Zealand. They were looking forward to coming to Hale School in 2014; but were understandably cautious in their initial responses to a programme which seemed to extend the school day, at home, until after 6.00pm one day a week! They joined the 2013 1:1 computer programme and attended an Induction Camp at Hale School where they gained confidence in connecting each week online via Adobe Connect and in using their brand new personal Tablet computer. Things were looking up! They headed home to return to their small country schools but enabled to confidently communicate with their future schoolmates and teachers each week. The 17 boys then completed a year of richly interactive online learning. Hale@home’s vision was to engage the boys so that they saw themselves as a learning community with common goals. Hale@home is not solely an academic programme designed to close any perceived or real gaps between our city and country schools and students. Rather, it is about boys bound for Hale School commencing a collective journey. It is a programme where strong bonds are developed and a sense of optimism is established; so that they are better personally equipped for coping with the challenges that most certainly exist for boys leaving home to attend boarding school in the city. That is indeed a timeless challenge. As 2014 commenced at Hale School these 17 lads were already a part of our school community. Many conversations have been had and it is clear, strikingly so perhaps, that the transition these boys have experienced to boarding in Term 1 has been different to any other

experienced before them. Boarding housemasters and class teachers have spoken forthrightly about how the boys are confident and clearly enjoy close personal bonds with their fellow boarders from the moment they arrived in January. The boys’ parents acclaim the programme because of the confidence and enthusiasm they saw in their sons as they drove home from Hale School that day back in January, leaving their 12 year old behind to begin life as a boarder. Much of rural Western Australia now knows of Hale@home and its reputation is testament to just what can happen when a school takes a risk. Hale@home is a unique initiative attracting attention from teachers around the world. Technology compels us to do things differently. Hale@home is a programme which explores ideas and attempts to convey something more than learning to its participants; it fills me with a sense of wonder each week. Hale@home is efficient, compelling and effective in both form and function; it is wonderful to see this programme embedded in the school. As Heath and I head out to visit 18 families across the lower half of the state from this year’s cohort of 30 Hale@home families we look forward to many conversations about what remarkable things can be dreamed of and achieved in school today. Mr Michael Valentine Head of Online Learning

TED x YOuTH

HALE

Youth@Hale On 7 March 2014, over 50 staff and students attended the first ever TEDx event held at Hale School. Nine talented speakers from across Australia and WA spoke to those in attendance about their passions, how they discovered them and how they live in the essence of that passion. Although hosting the TEDx Youth@Hale event was a step into uncharted territory, for the school and those on the committee involved, it was a success on many levels, and on others it paved the way for future TEDx events. The team must be praised for their dedication, enthusiasim and professionalism, without all the hard work the event would never have come to fruition. But what is TED and the TEDx event? Many of the individuals reading this article will never have heard of the TED name before. TEDx is an independently organised event that is run in the spirit of the TED organisation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; their motto being Ideas Worth Spreading. TED (an abbreviation for Technology, Entertainment and Design) aims to use the power of technology to radically change the way we think by exposing the greater populous to fantastic ideas that

otherwise could be kept isolated. Through the power of mediums like the internet, TED broadcasts talks from all over the world on hundreds of topics to millions of people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; anyone with a device hooked up to the internet in fact. They have Nobel Laureates, professors and some of the most intelligent men and women from across the globe sharing their ideas for the benefit of everyone, all for free. None of these men or women are paid and neither is TED, the organisation is completely not-for-profit. But TED is only a single organisation, and there are millions of ideas and people willing to share them out in the world. There are limits to what a single organisation, no matter how passionate, can do and how many people they can reach. That is why TED created the TEDx programme, to give more people a chance to share their ideas from within their community. Through the TEDx initiative communities have the chance to host their own TEDx events, dramatically increasing the amount of people who can speak and hence the amount of ideas that can be heard. This was our goal at Hale School, to find some of the best minds in our community and give them a chance to speak out.

Images: TEDxYouth@Hale.

However, to do this, a committee was needed; a group of students and staff passionate enough to organise the event and step where no school in WA had stepped before. This event marked the first school-based TEDx event in WA, directly aimed at students and with the purpose of inspiring them. The project was initiated by Mr Clark Wight, the Director of Leadership at Hale School. He assembled a group of interested staff and students to form the base committee. There were few of us in the early days, this project started back in November last year, but as it grew we attracted more and more people. It is always challenging starting something as revolutionary as this for the first time, and similar to finding the starting sentence for a long, important essay it took a while to get the momentum going. But once we had decided on the theme for the event, ‘Discovering and Living Your Passion’; that infectious motto embraced us and we began to march forward at an exponential pace. After six months of planning and preparation, the day finally came. With a

Michael Valentine Michael began teaching in Perth in the early 1980s at Loreto Primary School. It was a fabulous place to start his career which has been driven by a passion for designing memorable curricular that challenges the status quo and encourages students to demonstrate their learning in creative and enduring ways. In 2012 at Hale School Michael was invited to explore the development of his idea to work with remote students online before they entered Hale School as boarders.

myriad of students in attendance, both at the event and watching the live stream through the internet, we launched off. The speakers were fantastic, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Considering what we set out to achieve on unknown ground, the event was a success – but not perfect. Unforeseen issues with the live stream caused some unpleasant experiences for those watching, with some speakers being barely audible. But this problem now provides an opportunity for improvement in later TEDxHale School events, with hopeful growth as the event’s name gains a wider audience and popularity. The speakers who made the day what it was were: Mr Michael Valentine (Head of Online Learning at Hale School), Mr Mike Wood (Chairman of the Bibbulmun Track Foundation), Mrs Maggie Dent (well-known teaching and parenting specialist), Mr Andy Quilty (rising WA artist), Ms AJ Betts (award-winning author), Mr Lockie Cooke (Founder of the Indigenous Communities Education and Awareness programme), Mr Michael Goldschlager (world-class musician), Ms Cath Sutherland (Creative Director and Marketing Manager) and

Maggie Dent Australian author, educator, and parenting and resilience specialist with a particular interest in the early years and adolescence. Maggie has a wide background of experience that informs her work including secondary teaching, ABC Radio, counselling and working in the palliative care and funeral industries. She is the author of five books including: Saving Our Adolescents, Real Kids in an Unreal World, Nurturing Kids’ Hearts and Souls, Saving Our Children from Our Chaotic World and Black Duck Wisdom.

Dr Bruce Robinson (West Australian of the Year 2013). It was these nine talented orators who made the day worthwhile to everyone involved and allowed us to succeed in achieving TED’s goal. Next year the challenge is on to try and top the events of this year’s TEDxHale School. The aim is to have the event keep growing to reach as many people as possible around WA over the coming years and continue to spread the name and tradition of TED. TEDxYouth@Hale ‘Discovering and Living Your Passion’ talks are now available to watch for free on YouTube and the TEDx website. Drew Sweet Year 12

Mike Wood Chairman of the Bibbulmun Track Foundation since its inception in 1996. He feels it’s important to visit as many of world’s long distance trails as possible to bring back knowledge to WA. He first encountered Peregrine Adventures in 1980 as a member of the Australian Himalayan Kayak Expedition the first to descend Sun Khosi river in Nepal. Three years later, Mike set up Peregrine’s new operations to train local guides. Over the six years that he was based in Nepal he trekked, rafted, kayaked and climbed all over the Himalaya.

Andy Quilty WA Visual Artist whose work explores ideas surrounding the social, psychological and physical landscape inhabited by the suburban Australian male. Drawing upon personal experience, Quilty’s practice references his working past as a surfboard artist and labourer in the surfboard manufacture industry. Andy’s work has received several accolades including The Mandjar Art Award, Cossack Art Award (Portraiture Category), City of South Perth Emerging Artist Award, Kalgoorlie Boulder Art Prize and the Bunbury Biennale Acquisition award.

Image: Library Courtyard furniture.

PARENTS AND FRIENDS

P&F

Funds Well Used! Each year, families are invoiced the Parents’ and Friends’ Association Levy through their school fees. The levy has enabled the P&F to not only support parent social functions, such as the Sundowner at the beginning of the year, but also to purchase equipment for the benefit of all boys and the school community. We take a look at the amazing contributions that you, as parents, have made to the school... Story by Dr Liz Quail, Hale School P&F President. Over a number of years the P&F have granted a minimum of $40,000 annually. Funding requests are made to the P&F by staff, for items that will be valuable to students but sometimes fall outside budgeting constraints. All funding nominations are considered and voted on by the full P&F committee. So, where has your money gone? Here is a list of some of the grants from the last three years: 2011: • Lighting for Middle School quad • Shade sails for the Stow Green • DJ Club equipment • Coffee machine for Junior School canteen • Barbecues for the Pavilion • Funding for guest speaker, Helen Frost (Nutritionist) • Furniture for senior boarding house • Ceiling fans for the Chapel of St Mark 2012: • Shade sail for Art Department • Library courtyard furniture • Digital monitor for Brine House • Tennis shelters • 3D Printer for Design and Technology • CS resource materials 2013: • Equipment for Fitness Centre • Marquees for sport • Chairs for the Pavilion

• • • • • • •

Chill Out Zone furniture Digitising Haleian Magazines and Cygnets iPads and digital cameras for Junior School Veggie patch for Junior Primary Aquaponics Unit for Senior Science Film Club equipment Laser Cutter for Design and Technology

So far this year, grants have been approved for spectator stands for the sporting fields, a tracking system for scenery changes in Drama, musical instruments for the Music Department, cameras and equipment for the Cygnet Committee and furniture for the Junior School Creative Space. Keep an eye out for these around the school in the near future. The School, thanks to the generosity of the P&F, has made available digital versions of past Cygnet Magazines. The magazines date as far back as 1905, and can be found on the Hale School Portal. It is envisaged that the collection will be updated annually.

“The School has recently digitised our entire collection of Cygnet Magazines (1905-2012). Prior to this, retrieving data from the magazines was done

manually. This was very time consuming and had a singular audience. Digitising the collection enables multiple users to quickly access the information, with global searching facilities,” said Harry Weston the Archivist at the Hale Museum. The digital Cygnet Magazines can also be accessed on the OHA website and soon on the Hale School website. Once you have opened your chosen edition of the Cygnet Magazine, you can make your search easier by typing “ CTRL F” (on a PC) and “command F” (on a Mac), which allows you to enter specific search criteria such as a name, that will take you to any instances of that name. “The iPads purchased for Curriculum Support, with funding provided by the P&F, have been invaluable in providing repetition and support of learning. The ‘apps’ provide immediate feedback and are extremely motivating for students who are struggling with concepts. They are used on a daily basis. We are so very grateful for the support of teaching and learning they provide our students.” Mrs Tracy Heldt, Head of Junior Primary.

“Using the very generous donation of $5,000 given to us by the Hale School P&F, the Middle School Art Gallery has been transformed into a multipurpose ‘chill zone’. The area provides an excellent space for boys to come and relax, read, play board games or simply escape the rigours of the day. Whilst the room has been furnished with comfortable chairs, lounges, rugs and small tables, it maintains an Art Gallery ‘feel’ with constantly changing works of Middle School art on display. They have shown tremendous leadership in the management of this space which is sure to prove popular well into the future.” Ms Julianne Nissen, Head of Middle School Pastoral Care.

Mr Braydon Butler on the Laser Cutter “The new laser cutter, recently purchased through the P&F, has been a wonderful asset. It has been used to help manufacture the new Year 9 Skills Tester project. The majority of the project is cut out using the laser. It has proven invaluable in the teaching of this venture and the project would not be feasible without it.”

Mr Shaun Lane regarding the 3D Printer “The School’s 3D Printer, provided through P&F funding in 2012, is allowing students to rapidly generate design ideas and access physically printed models that can be incorporated into, or form the basis of, product development in our traditional workshop based subjects. While we are still discovering new ways in which we can apply this technology, the boys are keen to learn and turn their digital thoughts into physical reality. The 3D Printer provides students with a great opportunity to be exposed to not only this new type of technology, but also an insight into how manufacturing in the near future will be far more discrete and personalised, as 3D Printers proliferate into our daily lives, businesses and homes. Thanks to the P&F for providing this opportunity.”

“The DJ Club have a reputation for rocking the party and are now in great demand. Their advantage over professional DJs is that they have their finger on the pulse in terms of what their fellow students want to dance to. The DJ Club would like to thank the P&F for their generous funding which has allowed us to purchase a Traktor S4 DJ controller, some studio monitors, a laptop and a Behringer DDM4000 mixer.” Mr Andrew Dean, Chemistry and DJ Club.

“The P&F funded Veggie Patch has brought a sense of belonging to the Junior Primary classrooms. It has turned a garden bed that looked scraggly and only served to catch rubbish into an area which the boys take pride in and in turn looks beautiful. Watering the veggie patch is a highly sought after role and is used to reward boys who are making positive choices. The staff and parents are also encouraged to pick from what is grown.” Mrs Tracy Heldt, Head of Junior Primary.

On a hot summer evening a parent commented that the fans in the Chapel were a ‘God send’ … we might have prayed for them but the P&F paid for them! Mr Haydn Jackson regarding the Art Department shade sail “Shade sails were installed in the eastern end of the Art department courtyard with funding from the P& F. The sails create a protected outdoor working space for students and provides additional areas where teachers can direct students to work with materials that often cannot be used in the normal class room setting.”

Image: Aquatic Centre, 2014, $4.5million.

DEvELOPMENT

HALE SCHooL

The School’s 150th Foundation appeal saw the construction of the Forrest Library, in which the Foundation contributed $2,000,000.

The Hale School Foundation is the School’s main fundraising body.

In 2012, the Foundation extended its financial support to Outdoor Education with a $510,000 spend on a new basecamp property in Exmouth. This has consolidated and secured the future of the programme in that region.

FOuNDATION In 1987 there was a call to arms to the Hale community from the Foundation. This call was in response to a period of political uncertainty where the ongoing provision of government financial support was in question. In its initial years, the Foundation received over $2,000,000 in donations from over 500 community members. This formed the machinations for the Foundation to support some of the more impressive and bold projects you see around the campus today. The first project the Foundation supported was the building of a Design and Technology Centre. The appeal, which was managed by the Foundation, raised $2,000,000. The Peter Wright Technology Centre opened in 1994. At the time it was a state-of-the-art building, presenting a contemporary shift in the way Hale taught the students. It also represented the start of a campus revitalisation process, with a new era of architectural design which modernised the feel of the campus. It wasn’t long before there was a flow on effect to other parts of the campus. The Foundation was supporting other appeals such as the building of the Administration building ($600,000) which opened in 1996. Next was the new Boarding Facility ($500,000) which opened in 2005, followed closely by the Bob Ihlen Health Centre ($300,000) which opened in 2007.

As new buildings sprouted up over the campus the realisation of the benefits to the students of Hale was overwhelming. The hard work and generosity that upheld the momentum of the Foundation to maintain Hale’s wonderful facilities was validated. In the boldest and most recent project, the new Aquatic Centre will receive funding from the Foundation of over $4.5 million. The wonderful swimming pools are testament to the ongoing legacy of support for which the Foundation strives.

Peter Wright Technology Centre 1994 $2,000,000

Administration building 1996 $600,000

Such bold projects would not be possible without the ongoing support of the Foundation. From the original founding members, Old Haleians, Life Members and all parents, present and past who have contributed either through the payment of their endowment fee or as a donation; the school sincerely thanks you. We look forward with enthusiasm to aiding the School in building for the future.

Boarding Facility 2005 $500,000

Mr Dave Reed Director of Development

Image: Forrest Library, 2008, $2million.

Bob Ihlen Health Centre 2007 $300,000

Image: © The West Australian.

RoNALD MCDoNALD HouSE After just one term of the Hale School and Ronald McDonald House partnership, the ‘Big Brother’ programme is going National with a Melbourne school signing on with Parkville Ronald McDonald House in Victoria. The outcomes of the Big Brother programme have been amazing with children and parents alike enjoying the Wednesday afternoon visits by Year 11 Service Learning students. The visits to the house involve a range of activities from playing games (indoors and outdoors), helping with homework, even doing house chores like sweeping leaves and disinfecting play equipment. Tim Ryall is one of the Big Brothers and has enjoyed every minute of the experience. “What amazes me is the resilience of these kids. I have met boys who have been at Ronald McDonald House for over a year and to be able to play soccer, do homework and keep smiling, even after a day of treatment is something for all of us to think about when we think we are having a bad day”.

year has been fantastic. Coming to Ronald McDonald House is often a very confronting thing and these boys have shown maturity beyond their years. The programme has provided an outlet for these kids to forget about their illnesses and have an hour of fun with some ‘big kids’. We look forward to continuing this partnership and expanding the programme as we grow and move into our new House at the end of next year”. The programme is not just about house visits. The selected Year 11 students are also participating in a public speaking/ radio interview course conducted by Ross Wallman from 92.9FM. By the end of the year, these big brothers will have made many new friends, helped bring some fun back to the lives of kids with illness and they’ll be able to talk about it with great articulation! Mr Dave Reed Director of Development

Courtney Kennedy from Ronald McDonald House says “The introduction of the Big Brother programme this To watch the Channel 9 Morning Show interview with the ‘Big Brothers’ click on the QR Code and go to the Hale School channel on YouTube.

Images: Courtesy of Telstra and Surf Life Saving Australia.

SERvice

James said that in the immediate aftermath it almost seemed like a dream. “Surf life saving trains you so well that it becomes part of your instinct.”

SAvING LIvES When James Blair (Year 10), realised his mother Ros was frantically signalling from the boat that had taken the family snorkelling in Thailand in December, one word came to mind: shark. James, who was in the water 100m away, swam as fast as he could to the boat. What he saw when he got there will stay with him for ever. It had nothing to do with a shark attack. A man wearing a lifejacket was being hauled aboard after James’ cousin Murray Blair, 14, had swum into him and, realising he was face down and lifeless, towed him to the boat. James, a lifesaver at the Floreat Surf Life Saving Club, had completed his bronze medallion just a week earlier. He said he could remember “as clear as daylight” what his father, John, also on the boat, told him: “James, take a breath, you know what to do.” “That’s when I knew I had to try and resuscitate this man” recounted James. He then rolled the man onto his side where a significant amount of vomit, blood and water came out of the man’s mouth. “There was no pulse, his lips were blue, there was vomit, it was really scary.

The problem was that I had been taught to look, listen and feel for breathing and I could neither look nor listen because of the conditions I was in with the noise of the engine and rocking of the boat, so, I rolled him over and commenced CPR.” James’ father told the captain to signal to a nearby boat, which the man had apparently come from, to follow as they sped to a nearby medical centre. Meanwhile, James swung into action, directing family members to help as he and his father worked to revive the man with breaths and chest compressions. Mrs Blair used bottled water to wash the man’s mouth and provided water to James to wash his own mouth. James’ sister Jenna, 17, counted out the resuscitation cycle and Murray helped keep the man’s body in the right position and clean his airways. “It just kept going and going with a cycle of CPR, vomit, roll, check airways and breathing and it was exactly what I had been taught to do, except there was nothing text book about it. The resuscitation was quite improvised because of the conditions we were in, we were on this slippery floor, we were getting absolutely hammered by waves and at one point in time we were in the air and got slammed against the boat floor.” The boat trip took about 15 minutes but to James “it seemed like forever.”

As they pulled into Phi Phi Island bay, the man’s lips went from pale blue to a richer colour, and then back to normal. “At that point he was groaning, he was responsive, so he was alive and we could feel a pulse,” James said. “He was conscious and breathing by himself. It was the best feeling I have had in my life.” At the beach they carried the victim into the medical centre, and a man from the victim’s boat said he was a doctor and took over. Distraught relatives also arrived and James and his family stepped back and went to find a cool drink and process what had just happened. When they returned the man had been taken to hospital. The next day they tracked the man down and when they called the hospital just before setting out to see him, they were told he had been discharged. Unfortunately for James and his family they never had a chance to meet up with the man, who was later identified as Shu Wang from China. The rescue efforts of James were recognised when he was awarded the SLSWA Rescue of the Month honour for December. Ms Adele Varris Community Relations

VIETNAM/ CAMBODIA TOUR The Hale School Service Learning programmes aim to provide boys with the opportunity to make a beneficial difference to the lives of others. Perhaps the most significant opportunity is the Vietnam/Cambodia trip in April of each year, where 16 Year 12 boys visit a variety of agencies in those countries. This was the ninth time Hale boys had embarked on this journey and the 2014 participants lived up to, and enhanced the excellent reputation established before them. As always the visit to the Hoi An orphanage left an indelible impression on everyone. After three visits the Hale boys formed some special bonds with the young children. It was very difficult to leave their warm smiles and unconditional affection. It was here more than anywhere we realised that even if it was only bringing joy and happiness to a person for a short period of time, it was still making a difference.

and happiness to all the people they encountered. This was balanced by more serious trips to such places as the War Remnant Museum in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields in Cambodia. The cultural exchange, facilitated by Mr Frank Surgener, where 32 young Cambodian and Australian men swap ideas and share common aspirations was an outstanding success and is sure to create a formidable force for the future. Last but not least was our visit to Angkor Wat. This was the first time a Hale group had visited this unbelievable World Heritage site. It was all and more than we could have expected.

For the first time, the Hale boys had learnt to sing a Vietnamese nursery rhyme and this was greatly appreciated wherever we went, along with the more conventional and our much improved version of What Makes You Beautiful originally sung by One Direction.

‘The Bill Edgar Parachute’ When a staff member retires they are given a gift. The funds come from the Common Room Association and their amount is matched by the School. In Bill Edgar’s case, as he has been a staff member for a very long time, this was a substantial amount of money, $600. Bill made the decision that he did not want a gift but wanted to donate the money to the Vietnam/Cambodia trip.

So the group went from place to place working their ‘magic’ by bringing joy

One of the agencies we visit in Vietnam is the Kianh Foundation. The Kianh

Foundation is a grass-roots UK registered charity, founded in 2001, to address the desperate need for improved care and development for children with disability living around the Hoi An area of central Vietnam. Kianh delivers specialist education and health services to children with disabilities at its purpose-designed Day Centre for children in Dien Ban district, 10 minutes from Hoi An City. The Day Centre aims to support at least 100 children with disabilities at any one time, along with their parents and families. I asked founder, Jackie Wrafter, to send me a list of items that could be used at the Day Centre. One of the items was a ‘play parachute’ which I ordered from the eastern states. I thought it might be a nice idea to have Bill’s name embroidered on the parachute cover. Carol Hewett in the Clothing Shop had an even better idea and organised to have a bag made up using the same material as the Hale School blazer. This has been embroidered with the School Crest and Bill Edgar’s name. It was a highlight of the trip to present the parachute to the Day Centre and watch the residents at play. Mr David Alderson Service Learning Coordinator Images: Mr Clark Wight and Leon Tan (Year 12).

SENIOR

CANBERRA TOur On Saturday 15 March, 19 keen Modern History and Politics and Law students departed Perth bound for Canberra for four days’ worth of insight into the depths of Australian politics and the wonders of Australian history. Chaperoned by Mr Will and Mr Ashton, the first stop was the National Museum of Australia, a trove of hidden treasures, including the heart of famous racehorse Phar Lap. Then to the National War Memorial, where students took the afternoon to reflect on past battles and those who have lost their lives for Australia. On Monday students were shown the depths of Government House, where key meetings of the Federal Executive Council took place and where various awards were presented. Following this was one of the highlights of the tour, the new Parliament House. Students were greeted by Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, and Old Boy, Christian Porter, who gave a rare insight into the daily events of being a member of parliament. Students then headed to question time, where they saw an enthusiastic Joe Hockey ripping into the opposition and, to the delight of many students, Clive Palmer struggling to stay awake. The afternoon ended with a visit to the Museum of Australian Democracy (otherwise known as Old Parliament House), where students passionately acted out the 1963 Vietnam military conscription debate, which nearly saw Jake Taylor being removed from the house! Tuesday was the final day and the first stop,the National Portrait Gallery, showed students many famous paintings. They were also given a test of their drawing skills, which most failed miserably. The group then headed to the Australian Institute of Sport, given a tour of all the facilities and spent time in the interactive section. The final stop of the tour was the High Court. This captivated the students’ imaginations, as they were told about different proceedings in lengthy detail. The students were reluctant to leave Canberra, but we eventually arrived back in Perth Tuesday night. Mr Craig Ashton Head of History Department

Asian Physics Olympiad Whilst most 16 year old boys spent their summer holidays as far away from school as possible, one dedicated Hale School student stayed in the classroom and as a result was invited to travel to Singapore to represent Australia at the Asian Physics

Olympiad Competition held from 11 to 18 May. Year 12 student Jonathan Pang accepted an invitation to attend the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School at Victoria’s Monash University. Jonathan had performed extremely well in the Science Olympiad exams in September 2013, to cement his spot at the summer school. He was one of 25 students from around the nation who spent a two week residency enhancing their knowledge and understanding of physics. The workload during the two weeks was heavy and covered the equivalent of the first year of university studies. At the summer school Jonathan’s performance (once again) earned him an invitation to be part of the international team. Jonathan, along with seven others, competed against 27 other international teams at the Asian Physics Olympiad Competition. Before Singapore, he traveled to Melbourne over the Easter break for training with the rest of the national team. Jonathan said it was a real honour to be chosen to represent Australia, and although the team did not win, it was an amazing experience. Four of the Australian team members were granted special awards, one Bronze Medal and three Honourable Mentions. The Chinese team took out first place. Ms Adele Varris Community Relations

NATIONAL YOuTH SCIENCE FORuM In the last two years of school, it is easy to become obsessed with the importance of academic success, to the extent that you can lose focus and perspective of what is truly important. Certainly, perhaps the main focus of your school career is the four-digit ATAR that you will walk away with at the end of Year 12. But there is no reason why you can’t simultaneously improve your grades while still holding on to other aspects of your life that you consider to be important. This was a lesson that I had been told a thousand times before journeying to Canberra to take part in the 2014 National Youth Science Forum, but it had never really left any permanent mark on me until now. From the second you arrive at the forum, you are swept away by the friendly and welcoming nature of everyone there, from the fellow students to the ‘staffies’ who are always there to direct and guide you. Instantly, opportunities begin to present themselves, to meet new people, learn about fascinating new areas of the

scientific world you never knew existed and generally find out more about yourself and what interests you. You visit laboratories in some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, hear speeches from notable scientists worldwide and are taught skills that will last a lifetime. This really is a once in a lifetime experience and does not in any way conform to the stereotypical connotations that accompany, ‘Science Camp’. The experiences and information that are given on the NYSF are also heavily weighted towards information about universities and Year 12, making it immensely informative for your future. Nathan Blockley Year 12

DA vINCI DECATHLON Hale students have excelled in the annual Western Australian da Vinci Decathlon, taking out the title in the two age categories - the first time a school has won both titles in one year! The Western Australian da Vinci Decathlon is an all-day interschool competition. It is named after Leonardo da Vinci, one of the world’s greatest thinkers and scholars and the competition places a particular emphasis on higher order thinking skills, problem solving and creativity. Students work collaboratively, competing in events from a variety of disciplines including Science, Creative Producers, Art and Poetry, Engineering, Mathematics, Philosophy, Cartography, English, General Knowledge and Code breaking. There are two age categories – Year 7/8 and Year 9/10, with over 20 other schools competing for the title. Starting in Term 4 last year, the Hale teams trained once a week in the lead up to the WA da Vinci Decathlon in April. “The teams put in a lot of effort and sacrificed a lot of their spare time to be ready for the WA Decathlon so I am pleased they performed so well on the day. Winning in both categories is a tremendous feat that the boys should be very proud of” said Mr Andrew Dean, Hale School’s Coordinator of Enrichment. Due to their wins at the WA competition, both Hale teams have been invited to attend the National/International da Vinci Decathlon to be held at Knox Grammar School in Sydney from 20 to 24 June, where they will compete against students from all over the world. Mrs Sophie Hirth Community Relations

Image: 1st XI Soccer v Wesley College at Hale School on Thursday 29 May 2014.

EDUCATION EVOLUTION The saying ‘to stand still is to go backwards’ is as relevant in the education sphere as the business world at the moment. Curriculum changes and pedagogy appear to be reinvented every three to five years and the apparent surety of the National Curriculum is in a state of flux. Throw in the influence of information technology and communication to adolescent boys and the breakdown of traditional family structures and supports,

and we have an educational environment where the goal posts are constantly moving. Since I wrote the last Haleian article six months ago, much has changed in the Hale community. The most obvious physical change is the completion, opening and use of the world class Aquatic Centre. This precinct has been a welcome modernisation to the aquatics at Hale as well as to the area surrounding the tennis courts and Senior Boarding House. The relaying of the base and new synthetic turf at the hockey stadium has also been a welcome upgrade for the school, Hale Hockey Club and the wider hockey community. The formalising and increase in the number of opportunities for the vertical mixing of students has shown benefits in the three sub-schools. There have been numerous benefits of authentic leadership opportunities for the older boys, an empathy and understanding between the different year groups as well as a growing understanding of the younger year groups of the ‘Hale way’. Or as I like to say “the way we do things around here”. Hale has always prided itself on building on its long held traditions and sense of ‘duty’. These traditions form the bedrock or foundation for any high achieving comprehensive school. It can also be its greatest Achilles heel if the school is slow to adapt in providing relevant teaching and learning opportunities for the current students. To ensure we have the right blend of traditional versus contemporary philosophy the whole school community must spend time and energy critically reflecting on what we do well and what we can do better. Some examples where this reflection and evaluation are occurring: • Year 1 to 12 teaching and learning survey • Annual Year 5, 7, 9 and 11 student culture survey • Ongoing OLNA testing of students • 360 degree teacher review including feedback from students • Exit interviews with departing staff members • Year 12 exit interviews • Parent focus groups • NAPLAN and annual WACE results These and other informal methods of collecting information provide meaningful and ongoing feedback on what should remain and what modifications should be made. Recently, three Heads of House and I visited eight diverse Sydney schools on a fact finding trip, which provided valuable insights for all of us. These included the confirmation that we do critically reflect at Hale. There are many things that we do very well, but most importantly the trip provided additional ideas on programmes and methodology. Some points of interest that we saw at various schools were semester long outdoor emersion programmes, variations on the Hale peer support programmes and the use of tutor and mentor periods every day. One of the schools, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, is based in two highrise office blocks. It was impressive to see the efficient use of space as well as highlighting how lucky we are with our fantastic grounds here at Hale. Mr Ross Barron Head of Senior School

DID YOU KNOW A series of Hale School historical facts gleaned from the school archives have appeared in the Hale School student diary for the first time this year. Each week of the academic year has a short sentence at the bottom of the page describing a significant event or person. This is set to appear annually, which should go a long way to ensuring our boys stay in touch with their heritage. The interesting fact below appears on page 21 of this year’s diary. John Forrest, the state’s first Premier, was a Hale student.

23 Image: 8C Basketball team on the court at Hale.

MIDDLE

PERSONAL BEST Aristotle wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

not about perfectionism. Personal best is the result of our consistent pursuit of a moving target. Our performance in the same activity looks different over time. As our competence grows, our performance improves. For example, one day you might decide to take up jogging. You may try hard to improve your running technique, you purchase some high quality running shoes and you get some expert coaching but you still struggle to compete against the best athletes in the weekend competitions. You’re giving your personal best but your jogging skill and capabilities cannot be compared to those of a professional athlete. However, you are still extremely happy with the outcome

Building on ground-breaking 2006 research, a new study by the University of Sydney has confirmed the importance of school students setting and pursuing ‘personal bests’ (PBs) in achieving academic success. The study, published in the international journal, Learning and Individual Differences - also offers a new approach for educators to motivate and inspire struggling students and to challenge and engage high achievers. With this in mind, the focus for the Middle School this term has been on introducing the notion of personal best.

As educators, we understand that we play a critical role in motivating our students to want to improve their academic performance and in fostering the belief that they are in charge of their own learning journey.

The above mentioned study, involved approximately two thousand Australian high school students. Over the course of a year, students were assessed on their academic personal best approach to school and schoolwork. They were also assessed on numerous measures of academic motivation, engagement, and achievement. The results of the study showed that students who pursued academic PBs were significantly more likely to achieve at a higher level, complete homework, participate in class, enjoy school, hold positive educational aspirations, and persist at school tasks longer. Unsurprisingly, the findings suggest that students benefit from positively adjusting their expectations of success based on their previous academic personal best, and motivating themselves by attempting to beat that prior target. However, if we are to utilise this research in our school context it is important that we first understand that personal best is

because you know that personal best is about using the utmost effort possible and striving for a heightened stage of personal excellence. This may or may not translate into being the winner, the hero; in the real world, such status is rare. But all of us can achieve our personal best. This thinking is clearly transferable into a learning environment. However, it is not until we further explore the world of elite athletes that we truly understand the power of personal best. In March this year the English Football team announced that they plan to use the psychiatrist who helped British cyclists win Olympic gold as they continue their preparations for the World Cup in Brazil. Dr Steve Peters has an enviable track record of helping high-performing athletes maintain a positive mindset when competing under pressure at the highest level. Regarded as a ‘mind-mechanic’, Dr Peters was a key factor in Britain’s extraordinary track cycling success at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics, and has also worked with Tour de France winners Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome. Peters warns athletes against setting goals that are beyond their control. His philosophy is this: “You

cannot say I want to be the best cyclist in the world, because you have no influence over your opponents. You can, however, say I want to be the best I can possibly be, and devise a plan to achieve that aim.” As such, apart from other techniques, he focuses an enormous amount of energy on athletes setting personal best targets. As educators, we understand that we play a critical role in motivating our students to want to improve their academic performance and in fostering the belief that they are in charge of their own learning journey. As such, our goal is to show the boys that there is real educational merit in encouraging them

to compete with themselves - more than compete with others. That way we retain the positive elements of competition but eliminate the often counterproductive process of excessive comparisons with others. This shift in thinking about competition holds important implications for educational interventions aimed at improving students’ engagement and achievement. This year we have only just scratched the surface of this topic, but during Term 2 we have continued to explore the idea of PBs with the Middle School boys by encouraging them to develop a set of personal best goals. Goal-setting research and theory provides useful detail on how PB goals may function to motivate and energize educational outcomes. In doing so, we hope that the boys in the Middle School start to realise that PERSONAL BEST IS NOT A FIXED STANDARD... Mr Andrew Manley Head of Middle School

JuNIOR

Five months of sunny skies in Perth and on the day we decide to take our entire Year 6 cohort over to Rottnest Island, we woke to rumbling thunder and lightning crackling over the northern suburbs. With eager eyes glued to several weather sites, an informed call was made to proceed with the Amazing Journey at picturesque Rottnest Island on 21 March 2014. Boys, teachers and parents assembled at Hillarys Marina where brakes and helmets were thoroughly checked and before these bikes were loaded onto the ferry. A short crossing ensued and the weather, as indicated, thankfully cleared up to allow for a magnificent day to unfold on the island where the focus was on teamwork, communication, building relationships and creating lasting Junior School memories. Throughout the day the boys were thrown a variety of challenges and puzzles before being provided with a clue to solve and lead them on to the next challenge. Without giving too much away, highlights of the day were the all in tug of war on the beach, Mr Robertsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surfboard paddling races around the jetty and for those who worry about 78 boys riding in a straight line, the 2014 crash count was a bit of a highlight registering in at zero stacks! Well done boys!

THE AMAZING JOuRNEY 25

A day like this is not possible without the support of parents. A special thanks to all of the parental volunteers for making this day possible and to Kingsley Brown, father of Mackenzie and Harrison Brown for providing the tender. Special thanks also to the Year 6 teaching team, Sally Howe, Jo Tucker (Hale nurse) and Chris Charlton (Outdoor Education) for ensuring a smooth and fun day out for all. Mr Tim Simpson Deputy Head of Junior School

JuNIoR SCHooL WRAP Once again we welcomed 78 new boys to the Junior School via our intake points of Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5. Some of these boys are following in their father’s and/or grandfather’s footsteps, but for most of their families it is the first Hale experience. The feedback I received from families about their first term at Hale is overwhelmingly positive. From the quality of teaching, the facilities, the professionalism and commitment of staff and the overall tone of the school, the experience has been a highlight for families.

As always, a most difficult task is juggling the ‘champions’ of their areas (Specialist teachers) and the class teacher’s desire to offer more and more. What a great challenge to be confronted with. The teachers have so many fantastic ideas and are incredibly motivated to see these come to fruition, however, there is the odd occasion where I remind them that we can only do so much in a day! One teacher who is an endless source of creativity and new ideas is Mr Danny Parker. Danny has been the Director of Drama at Hale for some time. Recently Danny has been enjoying the success of being a published picture book author. In fact, Danny’s most recent book, ‘Parachute’, was short listed by The Children’s Book Council of Australia for the 2014 Book of the Year award. Inspired by some work we saw Danny do with a Year 3 class early last year, whereby he guided the boys through the editing and publication process (not to mention receiving some great ideas from the boys

themselves) we developed an Author in Residence role for 2014. This role has Danny working alongside teachers enriching their class programme. While some of the work is centred around writing, Danny also offers alternative ideas and thinking in bringing units such as the Year 5 History unit of the Goldfields to life. A ‘compare and contrast’ of the literature and publications of the 1800s and 21st Century enhances the students’ understanding of the times they are studying.

The 2014 Enrichment Programme has been extended to include more co-curricular offerings. Thanks to the generous support of many teachers in making themselves available to supervise after school, we now have 89 boys accessing the enrichment programme as opposed to 27 in 2013. These boys are drawn from all grades and are taking part in design and building projects, and preparing for competitions such as Tournament of Minds, da Vinci Decathlon and problem solving.

This has been a very exciting project that capitalises on expertise that is not readily available in most schools. Watching Danny in action with the class teacher and boys is certainly a highlight of my week.

A Term 1 highlight for me was watching an excited group of Years 1, 2 and 3 boys return from the Balcatta Recycling Centre with an interesting and various assortment of materials and objects including an old water ski, car parts, toys and even a crutch! The boys’ brief was to use these materials to build something completely different to that which they were designed for. In developing their ideas the boys used de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, then knuckled down to produce some very interesting creations.

Another stream of alternative thinking about education has led to discussions around a concept we are calling the Learning Hub. As part of a Junior School refurbishment master plan, we explored the idea of the traditional school library becoming a ‘hub’ within the school. In this space the boys not only access books, but enter a place of inspiration, collaboration and higher order thinking. Until the master plan comes to fruition we are planning on using the existing library space. This is going to require creative thinking; therefore, we are now seeking advice from interior designers and planners who specialise in dynamic learning spaces. It is intended that the Learning Hub will be ready to go for the start of the 2015 school year.

As is evident from this brief summary, the Junior School continues to be a place of inspiration and action both from the staff and the boys. We are always thinking of better ways to do things. We are never complacent as we strive to offer the best educational experience for the boys in our care. And, as I am sure any visitor would agree, it certainly is a dynamic place to visit! Mr Alex Cameron Head of Junior School

JuNIOR

Image: Students at the Phil Doncon incursion.

PHIL DONCON'S PAINT STORM On 14 March 2014, all Junior School students enjoyed the opportunity to attend a presentation by artist, Phil Doncon from Paint Storm. Taking two and a half hours to set up, Phil proceeded to wow the audience with his paintings, where images quickly appeared and dissolved as he recounted the story of a young student making his way through challenges in life. Through his gigantic 10 metre by 2.5 metre artwork, choreographed music, dance and the power of story, Phil targeted resiliency and bullying in a unique and engaging way. His stories and artwork touched on some terrific messages which included: • Perseverance – if you fail the first time, have another go. Failing is okay and sometimes it is when we learn the best. • Resilience or bouncing back – you are going to be thrown curve balls in life but it is important to get back up. • The importance of taking ‘chill out time’ rather than exploding which does not solve the problem and can lead to an escalation of trouble. • Finding the middle ground if you are copping a hard time and being assertive with your responses and not acting passively or aggressively. • Being strong and not letting the ‘arrows’ pierce your armour. Be strong and happy in who you are.

2014 is the Chinese Year of the Wooden Horse. In Junior School Art we celebrated this occasion by completing a unit of work based on this theme. A major part of Art is gathering ideas and observing our surroundings. To assist the boys in their investigations we had two horses visit the school to be our life drawing models. Every boy enjoyed the challenging opportunity to sketch the horses using inks, pencils and markers. These sketches were later used to influence the boys’ art making in the studio where they created masks, mosaics, recycled assembled sculptures and paintings. In the last week of term the Arts Council based their assembly on the story of the Chinese zodiac which showcased the completed work produced throughout the term. Several of these pieces will be on display at the Biannual IPSHA Art Exhibition at Santa Maria College in Term 3. Ms Lisa Hakkinen Art Specialist

The boys marvelled at the performance and it is my best hope that they will remember the artwork and dancing as well as the magnificent messages that underpinned the show. Mr Tim Simpson Deputy Head of Junior School

Images: Phil Doncon in action at Hale (above) and Phil’s ‘Resilience Rocket’ (right).

A FRUITFUL START TO THE YEAR The Garden of Hale got off to a flourishing start with the hot temperatures that summer brought with it. Students and teachers were greeted with fresh basil, endless jalapeños, crunchy cucumbers and Italian parsley when they returned from the summer holidays. Mr Simpson was spotted picking jalapeños to take home and pickle. I believe he’s taking orders for the next batch! Infused with macadamia nuts, garlic, red chillies and olive oil, you’re in for a treat. Your taste buds won’t know what hit them. A special thanks goes to Fraser Stuart from the Middle School who was busy over the holiday break hand carving a sign for the garden. His craftsmanship has been admired by all. Although the boys in the Junior School often use the garden as a thoroughfare, they too have been reaping the rewards of fresh herbs and vegetables, often seen picking the parsley and sneaking some lettuce. Let’s hope they don’t mistake the jalapeños for the capsicum! With corn, lettuce and capsicum recently planted, we all can’t wait to see the new produce take shape. Stay tuned for a cooking demonstration later this year. If you would like to become involved or have something to offer the garden, feel free to get in touch with me. Wouldn’t it be great to see the garden extend to other areas of the Junior School and increase our yields? Miss Rebecca Clark Year 3 Teacher rlc@hale.wa.edu.au

HARMONY WEEK “It’s acceptance and respect….” explained Owen. Year 6 students Eric Chen, Noah Francis and Owen Crofts explained what Harmony Week in the Junior School is all about. “At Chapel we paired up with younger students and wrote prayers together” said Noah. “This year we wrote on paper hearts that we’d cut out. We wrote prayers thanking God or saying sorry or asking for something. Then we hung the hearts on the ‘Tree of Hope.’” “A tree is growing – so it’s about our growth,” said Owen. “God has already heard our prayers as we wrote and read them in Chapel. Hanging them on the tree reminds us of our hopes for peace and unity,” added Eric, “We wrapped parts of the tree in coloured wool. The colours are bright and happy and the different colours show us that there are different people in the world. And that’s good!” Harmony Day, a national Government initiative, has been a joint Art/RAVE/ Chaplaincy project in the Junior School for the last few years, with inspiration mainly from our fabulously creative Art and RAVE Specialist, Lisa Hakkinen. This year the two student leadership groups; the Art Council and the Spiritual Council also contributed to make Harmony Week happen. It began with a Chapel service on Monday, and ended with a Friday Assembly focused on Human Rights, which our Year 3 boys have been exploring in RAVE with Ms Hakkinen. Eric commented “The hanging prayer hearts draw you into the Tree of Hope. It’s interesting to read the prayers others have written and it helps you to think of a prayer yourself.” Mrs Sally Howe Assistant Chaplain

SPORT

AQuATIC CENTRE

The Aquatic Centre is now completed and was officially opened on 10 March 2014 by Mr Todd Pearson (Old Boy 1989-94). Also in attendance at the opening were Mr Doug and Mrs Jane Poake, The Most Reverend Roger Herft, Mr Stuart Meade and Mr Simon Young. A host of guests were witness to the opening of this new facility that seems to have the town talking. Excerpt from opening speech. Why two pools? Why not?! Two pools provides enormous flexibility, continuity and access. Contrary to popular opinion, the 50m ten lane pool was not built to cater for our ten houses. The 25m width allows one, two or three cross pool water polo games to be played simultaneously with the show court, as we call it, running lengthways. In time, the 25m pool may well have a learn-to-swim programme operating at the same time as PSA Water Polo, or PE classes. The beauty of this facility is that no one really misses out, there is space for everyone. I will never forget my first class here, when I thought one of the other classes was missing - they weren’t, there is just so much space! We didn’t build this facility to win competitions. We built it to ensure all Hale boys were afforded the opportunity to swim, no matter whether they are a dolphin, stingray or turtle, or in Year 1 or Year 12. All Hale boys will be able to swim confidently even the boarders. We are now the envy of all other schools. I can’t help but regurgitate the words I heard from Tom Hoad. Tom Hoad is an eight time Olympian, four as a player and four as coach. He was once a very successful

coach of the Hale swimming squad and is the current 1st Water Polo Coach at another PSA school - put simply, he knows pools. On his visit here two weeks ago, he described OUR pool as the best school aquatic facility in the country … and the pool where his current team trains in as a horse trough with chlorine in it. Music to my ears. Finally, thanks to PS Structures who have donated the two new swimming honour boards with wood salvaged from the old swimming pool change rooms. I hope with the strength of swimming at Hale, we can frequently add to these for many years to come. Mr Simon Young Director of Sport

GIBB RIVER CHALLENGE Taj Mueller, a Year 8 boarder in Brine House, participated in the Gibb River Challenge held in the remote Kimberley region, from the 16 - 23 May. The Gibb River Challenge is a 700km ride on unsealed roads across the Kimberley and involves 400 riders from all over Australia. The ride raises money for various charities and this year the beneficiary was the Royal Flying Doctor Service, an essential part of living (and staying alive) in that part of the world. Last year $600,000 was raised for charity. Taj was in a team of six riders, made up of three father and son combinations. Last year Taj completed this ride and was the youngest participant. Taj’s parents say they were keen to encourage him to help others, to spend precious time bonding with his father and to allow him to push his boundaries, both physically and mentally. www.thegibbchallenge.com.au Ms Adele Varris Community Relations

SERIOUS ABOUT SWIMMING JOSHUA EDWARDS-SMITH

Joshua first came to our attention breaking several records at the Junior School interhouse Swimming Carnival on 20 February 2014: Freestyle 50m Breaking the 2013 record of 31.59sec with a time of 30.72sec Backstroke 50m Breaking the 1999 record of 38.97sec with a time of 37.37sec Butterfly 50m Breaking the 1999 record of 36.75sec with a time of 36.44sec Freestyle 100m Breaking the 2010 record of 1:12.75min with a time of 1:10.35min After speaking with Joshua’s mum we were not surprised to discover that Joshua was awarded the Ron Grannery trophy in the historic Swim Thru Perth this year. He is the youngest ever competitor to receive the trophy, completing the 4km course in one hour and six minutes. Joshua placed 31st overall in a field of 86. The Swim Thru Perth is Australia’s oldest open water swim having been first held in 1912. Joshua then went on to represent Hale School as member of the Year 6 medley

relay team that broke the only record at the JPSSA Swimming Carnival this year on 6 March 2014. The medley team, including Ben Johnson, Thomas White, Joshua Edwards-Smith and James Harris, smashed the existing record by four seconds in a time of 2:37.39min. On a state level Joshua was named Male Swimmer of the Meet at the recent State Swimming Championships held on 8 April 2014. Joshua broke four state records: Backstroke 50m Breaking the record of 35.22sec with a time of 34.70sec Freestyle 50m Breaking the record of 29.93sec with a time of 29.71sec Backstroke 100m Set a new record time of 1:15.13sec Freeststyle 100m Set a new record time of 1:06.51sec Joshua trains ten hours a week and is a member of the West Coast Swimming Club. Hard to believe this athlete decided just two years ago to get serious about swimming!

HEROES ON THE FIELD Some of our Middle School boys have achieved success at the recent State Championships in March. All of them share a love of athletics and show great dedication to the sport which is instrumental in achieving these kinds of results.

BENEDICT WILSON I started Little Athletics when I was six and I have been competing and participating ever since. I enjoy most events and particularly love the friendships forged and the vibrant atmosphere every Saturday morning. Over the years, I have achieved things that I didn’t think were possible. Some of which were: Breaking a 35 year old open club record for the 400m when I was eleven years old, going to the Australian Junior Championships

in Perth and most of all being selected as part of the WA squad to compete in the Asics Australia Championships where I finished sixth in the 800m. The state Little Athletics Championships were held in March and I was competing in the 800m and the 1500m. It is always a great event and to be able to compete with my friends is even better. On the Saturday I ran the 1500m where I placed fourth and the next day, I ran the 800m and placed second. I was stoked and was glad to have competed in the championships.

MICHAEL CHRISTIE I started Little Athletics in the under 8s. I found out about Little Athletics through my Dad and Aunty Virginia (both state athletic competitors). My favourite events are high jump and discus. My greatest athletics achievement so far is my gold medal for high jump and my bronze for discus at the 2014 State Championships in March. I felt really proud of myself when I won my medals, but now that I think about it, the medals are just a bonus. Having fun at the States and doing what I love is the best part of the whole experience.

ETHAN FOGGIN I’ve done athletics for a large part of my life and have enjoyed it ever since I started. I’d like to think of myself as a runner more than anything else and I will always prefer the longer distance running over any other event. Recently I came third in the 800m at the State Championships. I also made the state cross country team last year and have done well in that field of sport, coming second. I love athletics and it would be a dream to be able to do it forever.

MuSIC

MENTORING IN MuSIC

Everyone is so enthusiastic, they want to learn and improve and it is great being in such a wonderful positive environment.” Sam Holden (Year 12)

In the past nine months, student mentoring has become a significant thread in the fabric of Hale Music. If you walk into a Band, Orchestra or Choir class before school, you are likely to see Senior School musicians working with younger musicians – playing alongside them, coaching them and relating with them. What you will witness is one of the most effective and powerful teaching and learning experiences for both senior musicians and younger musicians.

“When I was in the Junior School and Middle School Bands, I thought it was the coolest thing when one of the older boys came down to help us out and I believe it is important that all young Haleians get to experience this opportunity.” Tristan Harris (Year 11) “Helping out in Junior Band gives you teaching experience. In a sense, it tests you as a musician, for example listening for tuning, or correct fingerings – by teaching I am forced to examine the basics of my playing.” Peter Havlat (Year 10) “I think the connection that this encourages between the older and younger players is really invaluable. When I was younger, I really looked up to the senior musicians for inspiration and guidance, and I think the mentoring process allows for better interaction between students.” Josh Dunne (Year 12) “I find that mentoring also helps me grow as a musician, giving me more experience and letting me engage with the younger musicians.” Callum Anderson-Brennan (Year 9) “I want to be a part of the reason a boy decides to continue music after it stops being compulsory. Music has been such a massive part of my life, that I hope it will be just as important for them. Reece Clark (Year 12)

While the senior boys were initially encouraged to take an interest in helping the younger ones and getting involved with their music-making, many boys have since taken up the opportunity, voluntarily, as they see the benefits not only for themselves but for younger musicians and for the wider Hale Music community. It has been such a joy to see our experienced musicians taking a great deal of care and genuine interest in working and connecting with Junior and Middle School boys. They are really taking ownership of the quality of music-making across Hale School and have impressed those who look up to them as excellent musicians and young men of good character. Morgan Maruthiah (Year 10, Violin) has been attending Junior Orchestra and helping beginner string players with tuning, fingering, bowing and sharing his general enthusiasm for playing in an orchestra. The younger boys are always happy to see Morgan arrive in the morning and have taken to giving a cheer when they see him! Along with their already busy music schedules, Ryka Lekias (Year 11, Cello), Lynden Law (Year 11, Violin),

Archie Stapleton (Year 12, Viola) and Josh Dunne (Year 12, Double Bass) have been attending Middle School Orchestra on Monday mornings. They are wonderful role models for our Year 7 and Year 8 string players and have found satisfaction and joy in conducting sectionals and playing alongside the boys during these classes. Junior Choir has had the pleasure of working with Reece Clark (Year 12, Voice), as he offers performance advice, conducts vocal warm-ups and coaches sectionals. Sam Holden (Year 12, Saxophone) has built a fantastic rapport with the Middle School Jazz boys; offering advice, improvising with them, inspiring them with his own playing and getting them excited about Jazz. Senior Concert Band musicians Jed Francis (Year 9, Clarinet), Zac Evans (Year 9, Clarinet), Callum Anderson-Brennan (Year 9, Saxophone), Adam Taylor (Year 9, French Horn), Peter Havlat (Year 10, Flute), James O’Brien (Year 10, French Horn) and Tristan Harris (Year 11, Trumpet) have all made an effort to connect with boys in Junior and Middle School Bands. Even Year 7 musicians, Reece Ashley (French Horn) and Blake Geelan (French Horn), have ‘caught the bug’ and been attending Junior Band to help the beginners! I love that these Music mentors have emerged on their own terms and not because they have a badge to signify their role or because they gain points towards a rewards system. The positive impact they have on the younger boys is clearly apparent during every class. They have taken the final element of our Hale Music motto, Listen – Sing – Dance – Play – Read – Pass it on! very seriously. And hearing what our mentors have to say about their experiences, I believe this to be one of the most powerful and exciting developments in the culture of Hale Music this year. Mrs Su-Lyn Chong Director of Music

YEAR 7 MUSIC

with riverdale country school ny In December 2011, the Hale Jazz Orchestra embarked on its first tour of the United States. The group spent 18 days in New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut visiting schools, performing and visiting iconic landmarks and jazz venues in the Big Apple. Whilst in New York, the Hale boys were hosted by families from Riverdale Country School in the Bronx. Riverdale is an independent co-ed school that is located on two campuses in the northwest corner of New York City. After spending a few days at Riverdale the staff, students and parents struck up a relationship and we extended an invitation for them to visit Hale in the near future. In March this year, Riverdale took up the offer and flew members of their Jazz Ensemble to Perth, along with three teachers, including their Head of Music, Mr Jason Curry. The students spent five days seeing the sights of Perth (including the obligatory photos with kangaroos and koalas) and making music with Hale musicians.

YEAR 7 MUSIC As a Music Department we are constantly evaluating what we do, including how engaging and authentic learning is for the boys. One of the main areas where we felt we could improve in 2014 was our Year 7 programme. In Year 7, many boys enter Hale for the first time bringing with them a wide range of musical experience. Some have established themselves as fine musicians before entering Hale and others are discovering music for the first time. Finding a way to cater for all of these boys is a challenge. After some extensive brainstorming the team decided that we needed to increase the amount of class time spent actually making music rather than just learning about it. The result is a radically changed Year 7 Music programme based on three core ensembles: Choir, Orchestra and Band. Boys were asked to nominate which ensemble they preferred and which instrument they wanted to play. We then formed the groups with two bands catering for experienced and beginner boys along with the orchestra and

At the start of a busy weekend, Hale Jazz Orchestra and Riverdale Jazz Ensemble travelled to Carey Baptist College in Harrisdale to workshop and “jam” with their students. “This was one of the highlights of the trip for me, seeing our students improvising and being part of jam sessions led by students from all three schools” said Mr Curry. On Saturday all the students spent the afternoon at Hale preparing a “super big band” that would perform at Hale St Mary’s Music Under the Stars. It was a fitting farewell to our visitors from NYC that they would be part of our Australian themed Music Under The Stars. All three schools performed together, and once again the Hale Riverdale relationship was strengthened. Finally on behalf of Hale Music, I would like to thank the Holden, Clark, Battista, Buckley and Augustson families for hosting the students during their stay. Mr Gavin Kerr Music Teacher choir. Twice a cycle, nearly 200 boys arrive at the Music and Drama Centre for music class armed with their instruments ready to make some music. The sessions are built around our Hale Music motto:

Listen - Sing - Dance Play - Read - Pass It On! Boys spend all of their time actively engaged in these experiences and are learning important core musical concepts in the most hands-on manner possible. Even at this early stage we are seeing boys with improved understanding and skills, and they are clearly enjoying the process. Not surprisingly, many boys are emerging as great musicians, many of whom might not have ever tried to play or sing had it not been for the programme. It has been thrilling to see the boys really connecting with the music that they are performing and discovering how exciting taking part in a musical ensemble can be. Mr Martin Taylor Coordinator of Middle School Music

HALE ST MARY’S CAMERATA ORCHESTRA 20 YEAR REUNION 2014 2014 marks the 20 year anniversary of the Hale St Mary’s Orchestra programme. The orchestra first convened under the direction of Mr Andrew Bushell at Hale School, followed by an impressive array of conductors, including Dr Marina Robinson (nee Phillips) – now the Head of Strings at the Sydney Conservatorium, Mr Kevin Gillam – now the Director of Music at Christ Church Grammar School and Ms Jessica Gethin – now conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra. Camerata is currently directed by Ms Elise Chong and Ms Amelia Peachment, who are Coordinator of Strings at Hale School and St Mary’s respectively. Camerata has toured on a number of occasions, playing in Sydney, Singapore, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. In 2014, Camerata will join with the Hale St Mary’s Cantate choir on a tour to Vienna, Salzburg, Leipzig and Prague. Similar to the Concert Band reunion last year, there are plans to hold a Camerata Orchestra reunion for all members of the orchestra from 1995 right through to the present. A brief reunion concert followed by a Sundowner is planned for Tuesday 26 August. So find your instrument, put on some new strings, start playing and keep this date free! The Old Girls and Old Boys Associations of both schools will be making contact and we are keen to involve as many past students in the reunion as possible. If you would like to play a part in organising the reunion, please contact Marg Tolley via email on mtolley@stmarys.wa.edu.au

DRAMA

Hale School’s Redfoot Youth Theatre once again stuns audiences with several amazing productions. World class set design, costumes, makeup and technical skill combine in production after production to lift the actors’ performances to new heights. With facilities such as Hale’s the actors can transport themselves easily into the world they are recreating. Following the USA tour in 2013, Redfoot took a turn to the dark side exploring texts with sinister and heart-wrenching themes that left audiences uncomfortable and sometimes challenged. We have been fortunate to collaborate with Perth director Will O’Mahony on his show The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs. The play asked the audience to consider whether we are complicit in the horrors of globalization and whether our 21st Century Apple-fanboyism is nothing but a desperate attempt to ward away truth. The senior Redfoot cast were courageous and playful in bringing this story to light and have relished the opportunity to work with Will. 15 Middle School boys found themselves marooned on an island in Lord of the Flies, a dark and sinister story that swept the audience away. The original text was rewritten to accommodate the storytelling style, and allowed for the boys to explore their physicality to bring the “beasts” alive. Our annual pantomime, Silly Cinderella, yet again proved a massive hit with audience members young and old left in stitches. Somehow, Danny Parker still managed to incorporate the beloved Panto Pirates, joined by the familiar fairytale faces to create another round of outrageous panto mayhem. Please do not fear, for we have returned and seen the light - in fact we found God, in our holy rendition of Godspell. 42 talented senior actors and musicians performed over three magnificent evenings spreading the passion and love and igniting joy into their audiences in our first major production for 2014. It has been a remarkable few months filled with wonderful productions. We look forward to watching the Redfooters march on and create more magic in our 2015 production season! Mrs Helen Vantsant Acting Coordinator of Redfoot Youth Theatre

Image: Christopher Corlett’s (2009-13) painting.

ART

After an amazing number of students were chosen to display their works at this year’s Year 12 Perspectives Exhibition, Community Relations decided to dig a little deeper and find out what happened when these students left Hale...

YEAR 12 PERSPECTIvES Image: Jack Membrey’s painting.

Jack Membrey (2008-13) I have enrolled in the University of Melbourne doing a Bachelor of Science and plan to continue further study in Engineering. I am staying at Ormond College where I’m involved in the Visual Arts sub-committee. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback, but no interest in my painting that is on display at the Art Gallery of WA. Jonathan Tapley (2009-13) At the moment I am studying Biomedical Sciences at UWA, but have continued to paint as a hobby. I have painted three artworks recently, they were all of flowers and I am looking to enter them in an exhibition. On the opening night of the Perspectives Exhibition I was interviewed about my work, which was aired on ABC Radio. The ABC asked me questions as to who was the grandmother in the painting and what inspired my work, I also read the poem on the side of the painting to the interviewer. I’m donating the painting to the family of the grandmother (her daughter), after the exhibition. David Lane (2009-13) I am currently at Curtin University studying Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, and am still continuing painting. Santos has chosen my artwork from Perspectives to be displayed within the Santos Notebook, that they distribute to their clients. Another visitor to the gallery expressed interest in buying my artwork, which I declined.

Image: Jonathan Tapley’s (left) and David Lane’s (right) paintings.

Hale FINE Art Committee Scholarship

Liam Strickland . 2014 recipient

Liam Strickland is the current recipient of the scholarship. His Year 11 practical and theory work were of a very high standard and he topped the Year 11 art cohort in both areas. Liam has continued his outstanding work in Year 12. He paints large portraits in an expressionistic style, mixing

abstract and realistic motifs to create a narrative and message that has wider implications than just a representation of an individual. There is usually a generic social comment woven into the fabric of the painting. Liam has chosen to embark upon a self-portrait this year. A large scale painting, it will be part of a folio of works that will need to be completed late in Term 3, ready for the Hale Student Art Exhibition and the WACE assessment. As with most of the Year 12 students, Liam has chosen an ambitious project that will take a strong commitment. The course also involves detailed research

assignments on a chosen artist and several critical evaluation essays. Hale has a proud tradition in Visual Art. Hale student works are regularly chosen for the Perspectives Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, showcasing the best of the Year 12 student work in the state. While most schools would be delighted to have just one work chosen, this year’s exhibition contained four artworks from Hale; more than any other school. Liam is hoping to continue this wonderful tradition and emulate his predecessors.

FINE ARt featuRes 30x30 The Hale School Fine Art Committee are busy preparing for their annual art show this August, with paintings, sculptures, ceramics, glass and jewellery on display and for sale. The Committee’s mission is to support and nurture art at the school, with two objectives; to fundraise and also provide artistic enrichment to the school and wider community. Through funds raised at the show the Committee awards

by Sandra Murray Curator, Fine Art Committee

provided by the Art Committee. Following on from the success of the 20 x 20 initiative in 2012, Curator Sandra Murray is delighted that the following artists have accepted the proposal; Greg Baker, Moira Court, Nellie Crawford, Jo Darbyshire, Tania Ferrier, Rob Forlani, Lyn Franke, Jennifer Hopewell, Heather Jones, Bec Juniper, Kim Maple, Chris McClelland, Leon Pericles, Kevin Robertson and Gay Saunders.

“The small size of these square canvases provides a wonderful opportunity for each artist to showcase their talent whilst also making them affordable to purchase.” an annual Art Scholarship for a Year 12 Visual Arts student; an annual Year 12 Art Prize; contributions to the school’s art collection and annual purchases for both the junior and senior schools’ Art Departments (such as cameras and printers). This year’s exhibition will have a special feature of a select group of 15 artists, invited to paint a 30 x 30cm canvas

“The small size of these square canvases provides a wonderful opportunity for each artist to showcase their talent whilst also making them affordable to purchase,” said Sandra. “We will have a diverse range of subjects and styles, from the evocative WA landscapes of Jennifer Hopewell and Bec Juniper to a beautifully realistic cloudscape by Kevin Robertson and a superb still life by Nellie Crawford.”

Bec Juniper has just held her first solo exhibition in Sydney to both critical acclaim and commercial success. As a young girl, she explored mining ghost towns with her father, Robert Juniper, the acclaimed artist. She depicts the physical beauty of the land in her painting, using fine pigments of zinc or iron oxide. Her work features swirls of colour and shimmering lines inspired from flights over the countryside. Along with her 30 x 30 work Jo Darbyshire will be exhibiting several landscape paintings inspired by a residency in Ireland where she explored the birthplace of her great, great grandmother, an Irish orphan who came to Perth from Cork in 1853. Darbyshire captures the winter skies and seas, mountains and lush green fields. As with Kevin Robertson, she is a highly regarded contemporary WA artist, with work in many prestigious collections, including Artbank, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and Bankwest. Tickets for the Cocktail Preview on Friday 1 August at 6.30pm are $40 and available online through the Hale School website. The exhibition continues over the weekend, 2 and 3 August, from 10am to 5pm (gold coin donation). Funds raised support the Visual Arts programme at Hale.

Image: Jo Darbyshire - Ballinswkelligs Bay, oil on canvas 2013. photo Eva Fenandez

The Hale Art Committee, a group of committed parents, has been a long-time supporter of Art at Hale, both in the Junior and Senior Schools. Apart from giving financial support for art materials, infrastructure and projects, each year the committee offers a part fee art scholarship to a Year 12 student.

by Chris McClelland Art Teacher

OLD HALEIANS

It is pleasing to be able to report a record attendance at Old Boys’ Day this year. The incorporation of the announcement of the 2014 Bishop Hale Medal winner into the assembly was well received. It is without doubt the most appropriate environment in which to recognise and celebrate the achievements of such worthy winners. We extend congratulations to this year’s winner, Mr Lloyd Chrystal (1947-51) and welcome him to his place upon the esteemed list of recipients. I believe the 80s decade took out the title of ‘Best-Represented’ on the day and they have thrown down the challenge to the 70s and 90s for next year! With 215 attendees, the day is growing in popularity and represents a great opportunity to catch up with school mates, share a story or ten and view the updated facilities at the school. Think about organising a group from your year for next year’s Old Boys’ Day and contact Judy if you require assistance in contacting them. Old Boys’ Day went global this year - with functions held in Canberra and New York ... maybe in the future we can look at some video link up opportunities to enable remote Old Boys the chance to ‘attend’. The Raffle amongst parents and grandparents of enrolled boys has again concluded successfully. All funds generated from the raffle are directed to the Old Haleians' Association (Inc.) Scholarship and Bursaries Trust and are used to help parents who, through circumstances beyond their control, find themselves in financial difficulty and needing assistance to keep their boy(s) at Hale. This year the raffle raised $50,000. The draw was conducted at the P&F Sundowner at the beginning of Term 1 and the winner, Old Haleian Duncan Allen (1979-84), was right there in the audience. Duncan said that he has another child

The Old Haleians’ Scholarship Trust can also accept tax deductible donations. It is thanks to Old Boys who have made personal contributions since the inception of the Trust, together with the support of the current parent body that we are in a strong position to provide support into the future. The AGM elections saw some changes to the committee. We welcome Michael Panegyres (1986-90) and Dean Just (1994-98) to the committee and thank Rod Stanimirovic (1988-93) for his past service. The Association and representatives from the Board of Governors have appointed Grant Robson (1981-85) as the Old Haleian representative on the Board to fill the vacancy left by Richard Ellis (1971-79), who has relocated to the eastern states with work. In meeting with some long-term members of the committee, I have realised the lifetime commitment that some Haleians have provided for your Association. John Deykin (1947-48) has been a committee member since 1955 with only a small three year gap when he was transferred to England for work commitments. If we give him that three years to fulfil his overseas duty, that means he has been involved in your Association, at all levels including President, for 59 years straight. Barry Sanders (1947-51) has been a committee member since 1954 with only 12 months off, when he travelled to the USA with his new bride on his honeymoon whilst also completing research for work purposes. I also believe we can give Barry those 12 months off, which means he has had 60 years of service on your Association, again at all levels including President. Barry said that one of his greatest achievements was being involved on the committee which in 24 hours raised the money for the original pool, by hitting the phones.

Whilst we have excused Barry and John from compulsory attendance at every meeting we know we will keep in touch with them on a regular basis and also that they will be a conduit between all that the Association does and their Alumni age groups. The Association has finalised the "Leading the Way" mentoring programme giving Old Boys an opportunity to give back, by agreeing to become a mentor to some of our younger generation. Mentoring does not necessarily always relate to the young and can be taken up by the young at heart who may be facing challenges in their industry or career. The Old Haleians' website gives you details of how to register as a Mentor - and how to match yourself up with a Mentor. One legacy that continues each year is the Old Boys versus 1st XI and 2nd XI hockey sides. We seek the support of the Old Boys’ Hockey community to make this another successful afternoon. The fixtures are planned for Thursday 24 July and to register your interest please contact the OHA office. Mr Paul Carter President OHA

The collective achievements of these two fine Old Haleians are too extensive to list here but the Association is exploring how

oRDER oF AuSTRALIA The Association warmly congratulates the following Old Haleians who were recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours List:

best to further celebrate what has been a lifetime of achievement and duty.

oHA CoMMITTEE 2014

FROM THE PRESIDENT

starting next year and that the win will greatly help the family. We thank the school and the P&F for allowing us to draw the raffle at this function.

PETER WINTERTON (1960-69) Peter was awarded an AM for his significant service to youth through a range of child protection roles, and to medicine. NEIL DONALDSON (1949-53) Neil was awarded an OAM for his service to Australian rules football in Western Australia.

PRESIDENT: Paul Carter (1976-80) VICE PRESIDENT: Lee Panotidis (1989-94) TREASURER: Grant Kidner (1972-76) SECRETARY: Gary Dye (1972-76) IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: John Garland (1972-76) COMMITTEE: Ian Beeson (1963-66) Andrew Hassell (1978-82) Mathew Stinton (1984-89) Bruce Strickland (1956-64) Bruce Williamson (1977-81) Michael Bartley (2001-05) Michael Panegyres (1986-90) Dean Just (1994-98)

BEN ROBERTS-SMITH (1994-95) Ben was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his distinguished performance of duty in warlike operations as a patrol commander with the Special Operations Task Group on Operation SLIPPER.

Images L to R: The day it all began, Paul Royle (in the trench coat) arrives in London in 1939 with the 13 other Australians selected by the RAF for special training (main image), unsuccessful tunnel at Stalag Luft 1, a group of prisoners (Stalag Luft 1) under guard at Barth near Straslund and Paul Royle celebrates his 100th birthday.

Paul Royle (1923-27) celebrated his 100th birthday in mid-January.

hatched an audacious plan to prove their guards wrong.

Paul was eventually flown back to England on 8 May 1945.

Having read of his exploits as a young man during World War II, it is quite apparent that there must have been many times during those war years when Paul doubted he would ever see the other side of 30!

The prisoners began digging three separate tunnels codenamed ‘Tom’, ‘Dick’ and ‘Harry’. ‘Tom’ was discovered, but undeterred, the prisoners continued their excavation of the other two. Paul’s job was to help dispose of the more than 100,000kg of dirt removed from the tunnels. This was done, without arousing suspicion by filling trouser bags made from long johns, with the soil which was then shaken out discreetly during ‘nonchalant’ walks around the camp! The unusual gait earned these men the nickname of “the penguins”.

How does one continue an ‘ordinary life’ after having endured such things?

Paul was one of 76 Allied airmen who broke out of the infamous German prisoner-of-war camp Stalag Luft III; the very same, real life breakout which inspired the 1960s movie The Great Escape, starring a host of Hollywood legends such as Steve McQueen, James Garner and Charles Bronson. After leaving school, Paul tried many things before being selected to join the Royal Air Force. He travelled to England and began training as a pilot of Tiger Moths, progressing to Avro Ansons and finally Bristol Blenheims. He was posted to Northern France and on 18 May 1940 his plane was shot down near Cambrai, whilst on a low-level reconnaissance flight over the advancing German army. Miraculously he and his crew survived the crash only to be captured soon after. Paul was interrogated at Dulag Luft and then taken to Stalag Luft 1 where he spent almost a year. He was caught digging an escape tunnel and transferred to the much larger, and supposedly escapeproof, Stalag Luft III. Under the leadership of Squadron Leader, Roger Bushell (aka Big X), played by Richard Attenborough in The Great Escape, 200 prisoners including Mr Royle

Escape day arrived – 24 March 1944. The 200 escapees were listed in the order in which they would escape. Paul drew number 54 and his friend Edgar ‘Hunk’ Humphreys, number 55. ‘Harry’ was to be the escape route. Even though the tunnel came up outside the barbed wire fence, it fell some metres short of the expected cover of trees, so progress for the escapees was slower than anticipated. By the time the tunnel was discovered only 76 men had made it out. Paul and Hunk made it to the forest and laid low for the first day before heading south for Switzerland under the cover of darkness and in heavy snow. Freedom was short-lived! They were soon recaptured and after more interrogation, intimidation and threats of execution Paul was eventually returned to Stalag Luft III where he spent the next three weeks in solitary confinement. It wasn’t until re-joining his comrades that he learned of the execution of 50 of the 76 escapees, including his friend Humphreys and five fellow Australians.

Following his release, Paul attended the Royal School of Mines in London before returning to Australia in 1947. He resumed mining and part-time study in Kalgoorlie and in the 1950s took a job as a surveyor with the Hydro-Electric Commission in Tasmania. He returned to the UK after being engaged by consulting engineers Freeman Fox and Partners, working as a resident engineer in many different countries. He spent four years in Hong Kong where he supervised the construction of part of the first stage of the Mass Transit Railway. Paul retired in 1979 and returned to Australia. After ten years of making furniture and playing bowls he enrolled at the Claremont School of Art and graduated in 1999 with a Diploma of Fine Arts. On 17 January 2014, Paul was still not able to enjoy just an ordinary life. After all, it’s not every day you turn 100! Paul does not enjoy being in the spotlight and all the fuss that goes with it. We were told he was going to sleep through his 100th birthday but when we saw him mid-morning he had already had a 7.00am start with a ‘special attention’ breakfast; had just returned from a morning tea party and was resting in his room with wife Pamela before the main event - a celebratory afternoon tea. Mrs Judy Greaney Manager OHA

OLD HALEIANS

CurTIS LuCK

SCOTT KIRKBRIDE Scott Kirkbride (1989-94) would have celebrated his 20 year reunion with classmates in 2014, but instead this year marks the 10th anniversary of his passing. Many Hale community members will remember his brave battle with Melanoma. He was pro-active with his decisions to try to beat the disease, but alas the ‘system’ perhaps was his greatest failing. He was a promising young golfer who had a tendency to beat most of his competitors; he played off a scratch handicap and played throughout his treatment. In 2004 he went on to represent Cottesloe Golf Club in pennants and had an emotional win on the 18th hole in front of many loyal supporters. Sadly, his golf career ended shortly after this win due to spinal surgery. Scott passed away on 2 December 2004. But, his legacy continues. Driven by his mother Yvonne (or Vonnie as she is affectionately known) the Scott Kirkbride Melanoma Research Centre was born. Later in 2014, the Scott Kirkbride Melanoma Treatment Centre will be officially opened. This state of the art facility will be a one-stop-shop where the delivery of treatment and support are streamlined and allow for a more seamless experience for patients. Later this year this goal will start to take shape, with the appointment of the first UWA Winthrop Professor in Melanoma Research based at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. Without research there can be no cure. For more information about the centre, please visit www.skmrc.org.au and help Scott’s legacy continue. Mr Dave Reed Director of Development

Curtis Luck (2009-13) first joined Cottesloe Golf Club at the ripe old age of 10. He was down to single figures by the time he was 13, made his senior pennant debut at number one in the top team aged 14, first reached a scratch handicap just after turning 15 and has been on a plus handicap since 2011. Things most golfers will only ever dream about.

Since finishing his Year 12 exams in 2013, Curtis has had a very busy time. He earned a place in the Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship at Lion Lake Country Club in China, after qualifying second in the Australian leg of the Championship which was held in Melbourne. From here, he got a taste of the touring player’s life; leaving China on the Monday and arriving back in Melbourne in the early hours of Tuesday morning before participating in the Dunes Tournament - an Australian Ranking event. The Dunes was closely followed by the Victorian Amateur and then the Victorian Junior Masters, which he won by seven strokes. From Melbourne, Curtis flew to Adelaide for the Australian Amateur Open (a competition open to amateurs of all ages) where he had to battle temperatures of 45, 43 and 42 on successive days as well as some serious golfing opponents. By the end of this gruelling tournament, Curtis was heard to say that he was ‘the happiest runnerup in history and over the moon’. No rest for the wicked, Curtis was back on the plane to NSW for the Lake Macquarie Amateur Championship when fatigue and an attack of the putting horrors kicked in, but no time to dwell on what might have been as the NSW Medal and NSW Amateur Championship were just around the corner. Curtis shot rounds of 67, 69, 69 and a closing 65 for

a stunning five shot victory; 21 birdies and an eagle in a 16-under par total which really stamped his arrival on the national stage. Since then, Curtis has won the WA Amateur Medal (breaking the course record at Royal Perth by two with a nine under par 63 in one of his rounds), the WA Amateur Championship and been named in the Australian squad. He is currently on his way to America and the Thunderbird International Junior at Scottsdale, Arizona. Rankings are vital on the national scene, affecting tournament invites and the possibility of national selection in squads and teams. Curtis is currently ranked Number 1 in Australia (boys), Number 3 in mens and is now ranked 83 in the R&A world rankings. He is hopeful of soon making the top 50, which would mean automatic entry to the US Amateur in August. Mrs Judy Greaney Manager OHA

Image: Michael Farmer and students at a school football clinic.

KIMBERLEY FooTBALLers makE their mark Whilst at school, Michael Farmer (1995-03) shared the position of captain of Haynes House and received Colours and Symbols for both football and cricket. After leaving school, he coached a number of school cricket teams, but always wanted to become more involved with football. He worked at Claremont Football Club for some time as a Football Development Officer and moved to Broome in 2010 to take up a similar role. Working in football in the Kimberley region affords Michael the chance to experience football in its rawest state. “The job allows me to work with kids of all ages from remote communities and towns in NAB AFL Auskick, talent and senior programmes.” A typical week for Michael could involve driving up to 600km to get to a remote community to run school clinics, after school NAB AFL Auskick programmes and then training and educating senior sides!

“Football in the remote Kimberley region is still very new and the education and development of these players are paramount to taking it further. On talent alone, the players have the freakish ability to do things most players can not. The Kimberley Football Association, who I work for, is providing many opportunities for the region’s players, coaches and umpires to progress further in the system. I don’t think I ever envisaged myself working in Broome after I left school, but with the opportunities and rewards I get from working in this ‘football-mad’ part of the country, I could not see myself doing anything else. The Kimberley is a fast-developing region in football with exciting things to come. I want to be here when that happens,” says Michael. Mrs Judy Greaney Manager OHA Images courtesy of Andrea Rowe.

PRoDuCING RuGBY LEGENDS With Hale School’s dominance in PSA rugby over recent years, it will come as no surprise that many of those players have gone on to bigger and better things. Steve McFarland, coach of the School 1st XV keeps a close eye on just who is doing what - and is proud to see so many of these boys doing so well in different areas of the game. Australia U20 ________ Ross Haylett-Petty (2007-11) and Luke Burton (2007-11) (pictured above) have been selected to represent Australia in the IRB World Championships in New Zealand in June. Luke played for Australia U20 in 2013, and was vice captain in one of their warm up games against Samoa. He is part of the Western Force and plays his club rugby for UWA, while Ross, brother of Dane (2000-07), plays for Cottesloe. Western Force ________ Four Old Haleians recently toured to South Africa with the Western Force for two matches against the Cheetahs and the Stormers. Dane Haylett-Petty (2000-07), Justin Turner (2005-07), Ryan Hodson (1999-06) and Luke Burton (2007-11). Perth Premier Grade ________ In a recent Premier-Grade game played between Associates and UWA before Easter, there were no fewer than 13 Old Haleians involved! For UWA: Nevin Mills (1998-05), Tim Carslaw (2000-05), Oscar Backhouse (2008-12), Luke Burton and Craig Law (2005-12).

CRICKET

COLLEGE CUP

Alex Malcolm (1997-02), with an unbeaten 112 from 133 balls and Ash Blake (2007-11) with 3-38, combined well to help steer Subi/Floreat to a win in the One-Day League Grand Final against Willetton. This is the club’s first piece of silverware in three seasons.

Even John Longley (1953-63) could not help Hale’s quest for success at this year’s College Cup. Despite a stunning win skippered by Robin Hammond (1965-70) all the Old Haleian sailors could lay claim to this time around was the “Mug’s” award.

For Associates: Rob Ingram (2008-12), George Salter (200007), Kylan Yoxall (2009-12), Lachlan Valentine (2003-09), Michael Pollastri (2005-08), Mark Kidson (2004-07), Alex Rovira (1996-07) and Wouter van der Merwe (2010-12). In addition, brothers Ross (2007-11) and Dane Haylett-Petty (1999-07) represented Cottesloe in their game against Nedlands, while former Captain of School, Alex Ninkov (1998-09) is a Premier Grade referee. Mr Steve McFarland Coach 1st XV Rugby

OLD HALEIANS by Mrs Judy Greaney, Manager OHA.

CuLTIvATING THE FuTuRE

Image: Kim Morison on a corn crop in southern Queensland.

TO CULTIVATE: to nurture

and help grow: to make better. The title, ‘Cultivating the Future,’ focusing on the agricultural industry, was given to the first Careers Investigation Session for 2014. Without agriculture, there will be no future. As such, it was important to us to illustrate to current students how finance, research, science, innovation and many other things are all intrinsically linked to agriculture: that it is much more than, ‘just farming’. Past students working and/or studying within the agricultural industry were invited in to the School to speak with Year 10, 11 and 12 students and their parents. Having access to such a broad spectrum of students and professionals, equates to an equally broad range of thoughts and opinions. However, despite differences in age, experience and areas of involvement within the agricultural industry, the overarching theme was that it is more important than ever for tertiary students to investigate how they can become involved in Australia’s primary industry sector. In essence, to consider how they can help cultivate an Australia for their future. The following synopses are just a few, taken from the many Old Haleians involved in the agricultural industry today.

Image: Kim Morison with Michael Eyres (1980-84) at a cotton field in northern New South Wales.

THE PROFESSIONAL KIM MORISON (1980-84) “I’d be delighted to share my experiences and encourage/mentor Hale students in the field of agribusiness.” Kim lives in Queensland but just happened to be in Perth at the time of this CIS session. He extended his stay so that he could participate, agreed to be part of the panel presentation and was inundated with questions from boys and parents alike during the break-out session. Kim was a Faulkner House boy, having grown up on a farm near Doodlakine. He graduated from UWA with a Commerce degree in 1990 and then a graduate diploma in Agricultural Economics in 1991 from UNE Armidale. He spent 16 years in the cotton industry as a commodity trader with Colly Cotton and later Macquarie Bank, trading and exporting cotton from Australia, Brazil and USA to Asian textile mills. In 2007, he joined CSR Sugar as the General Manager (Marketing) to reorganise the sugar marketing system in Queensland, post-deregulation in 2006. In 2010 he joined a virtual start-up company, Blue Sky Alternative Investments Ltd, and now manages investments in agriculture, infrastructure and water rights across the Murray Darling Basin.

“It was great to contribute some insights on agribusiness career choices for current students at the School. Alongside the mining industry, Australia’s agribusiness sector has a real, global, competitive advantage. There is a wealth of opportunity available for students of all abilities across a range of disciplines in the industry; science, management, finance, logistics, sales and marketing. Partly as a consequence of an unfolding “mining boom” from Asia, there are over five job vacancies available for every graduate in this sector today.”

Image: RABO Bank State Manager, Crawford Taylor (1980-84) and Kim Morison talk with Hale students at the CIS evening.

THE CHALLENGE HENDY COWAN (1954-59) Following his retirement from politics, Hendy Cowan was again able to pursue his interest in farming. He is passionate about rural Australia and agriculture and regrets not being able to attend the Careers Night.

Image: Peter and Jim Cowan work their father, Bill Cowan’s, farm.

THE ADVOCATE Liam Vandenberghe

THE STUDENT LIAM VANDENBERGHE (2008-12) As one of the only tertiary students available on the night, Liam readily agreed to be part of the panel and gave parents and boys a good overview of his agribusiness course at Curtin University. He acknowledged that his Year 12 Maths and Chemistry were really helpful and that Accounting allowed him to ‘relax to some degree’ in the early stages of some of the business units. He did also concede that Year 12 Biology would have been useful. He thinks there has been a big push by the University to pursue Honours and he agrees that more research needs to be done in all areas of agriculture in order to mitigate the effects of an increasingly variable climate. He also thinks that ‘consultancy’ is going to be far more important to farmers. “It is becoming more and more difficult for farmers to make well informed decisions without some kind of assistance. Especially as growing-season rainfall becomes more unpredictable and risk involved in making those decisions increases. Farmers will need help to make important business decisions and to form plans and long term business strategies. The careers night provided an excellent opportunity to meet people, to establish connections and to discuss our industry. I think it also showed the boys that there are far more people in agriculture than just farmers and it was good to show that there are a variety of ways to enter the industry.”

JOHN HASSELL (1977-81) John completed a year of farm practice, effectively a gap year, and then went to Muresk to complete a Bachelor of Business degree. He worked in the wool testing labs and a gold mine before engaging in farming as a career. The post farm-gate issues, which were impacting on profitability and ability to farm without too much regulation, led to his pursuit of advocating for farmers through the Farmers’ Federation and ultimately to the board of CBH, which is now Australia’s largest cooperative.

“Unless we can persuade more school leavers to take on agriculture and agribusiness as a rewarding career path, then the industry is in jeopardy of not progressing at the pace it needs to if Australia is to maintain its leading international position in dryland agriculture. There is little doubt that agriculture needs more qualified undergraduates to join the ranks of those already working in the industry. If agriculture continues to experience a shortage of well qualified personnel right across all facets of the industry, then the country is in big trouble. The challenge, as I see it, is to ensure agriculture does indeed become one of the fastest growing areas of tertiary study. Your Careers Investigation Series may very well be the catalyst to get more school leavers to choose agriculture as a career path and to help meet the challenge.”

John agrees that agribusiness is not just farming. People who did the Muresk course, got a well-rounded degree which enabled them to go into many areas relating to farming - if not farming itself. He received a report from Deloitte only recently reinforcing the notion that agribusiness is one of the few shining lights over the next five years with real opportunities. Agribusiness has a long term future. It will not run out. It has already been shown, with the huge amount of foreign interest in Australia’s agribusiness, that there is worldwide demand, and with that comes opportunity. “I think farming and agribusiness has a very exciting future. All three of my kids are interested in the sector with two of them already doing Agribusiness or Rural Science degrees.”

Without agriculture, there will be no future.

Hendy Cowan

John Hassell

OLD HALEIANS

SoCHi 2014

Images: Lucas Mata with the other members of the Australian bobsled team at the Sochi Olympics and (bottom left) Will Davis.

OLYMPIC DREAM BECOMES REALITY

Lucas Mata (2001-05) may have realised a dream at Sochi this year, but you do not have to be an athlete to be part of a Winter Olympic Games. Will Davies (1998-04) was also in Sochi, covering ice hockey for the Olympic News Service and alpine skiing for the Paralympic News Service. He was lucky enough to witness Lucas in action in the first run of the four-man bobsled team and he agrees the top of a track is a special place.

Full story written by Mr Will Davis (1998-04), edited and abridged by Mrs Judy Greaney, Manager, OHA.

vALETE

“Following a family holiday to watch the Sydney 2000 Games, I knew I wanted to be involved in some way with the Olympics,” Will explains. “At school I started playing as many different sports as I could and after turning my back on a fledgling firsts badminton career in Year 10 (sorry Mr Parish) and an even more short-lived campaign in the firsts for volleyball in Year 12 (apologies to Mr Ashby), I realised the media was where I wanted to be.” Will credits the experiences and lessons learnt at Hale School for directing his path toward London and then the Winter Olympics. He considers it is a sentiment held by many in the Hale School community and one that certainly applies to the impressively developing career of fellow past student, Lucas Mata. Lucas’ dream, when he finished school at Wembley Downs was to compete at an Olympic Games. After six years of enjoying the highs and lows of being a track sprinter, with Olympic representation looking less and less likely, a call came from Australian bobsleigh pilot Heath Spence in May 2011, to see if he was interested in a change of direction.

sliding track just prior to the fourman bobsled was unlike anything I’ve experienced,” said Lucas. “It’s electric having the crowd shouting and pumping you up and then having your teammates firing each other up. It’s pretty amazing and even talking about it now - I get goose bumps thinking back to that first run and the nerves running through me and my heart pumping and making sure everything is going to go right. Fourman is one of those events where so much can go wrong.”

Thomas Richard BAKER 1928-1934 Allan (Bill) McBride BROUN 1938-1939 Brian Wilson BROWNING 1943-1944 Robert Walter BUNTINE 1936-1945 Raymond Robert DEAN 1948 Leopold Edward Rudolf CAMERER 1934-1935 Matthew Guy GRIMSLEY 1989-1992 John Louis HARVEY 1938-1939 Athol Donald JAMIESON 1964-1968 George Theo KAILIS 1961-1969 Taizo KOBAYASHI 2008-2010 James Ross MACKENZIE 1917-1925 Gordon Anthony MATTHEWS 1957-1959 Jonathan Patrick O’BRIEN 1985-1990 Coulston (Tony) Scott SAMSON 1931-1935 Charles (Tony) Anthony STAWELL 1951-1954

Fortunately for Lucas and the Australian team, things did not go wrong in Sochi, completing three successful runs of a very technical track to finish 22nd. Just two places shy of Australia’s best finish in the four-man at an Olympic Games; 20th at Lillehammer 1994 when former Faulkner House staff member, Scott ‘Tex’ Walker, was among the crew. A Physical Education teacher away from sliding, Lucas used his profession to help finance his sport and to make up a shortfall in official funding and sponsorship.

Lucas did some testing in the October and November of that year and before he knew it he was accepted into the team and competing in his first race.

“Relief teaching has been amazing and there have been a couple of schools that have helped me out, Hale, especially at the Junior School, I did a term there,” he said.

“I’d never seen a bobsled; never seen a track before in my life and I had to push off the top of the hill and jump in behind a rookie pilot! Since then I’ve pretty much been training for Sochi and the dream came true.”

“Even on the fan wall of the Australian Olympic Committee, a lot of the Hale Junior School kids were sending congratulations to ‘Mr Mata’ and it was amazing to read.”

Lucas said there were plenty of people who considered him crazy at first and he said his parents thought, ‘Lucas is going through one of his phases again’. But once he started training and competing, he knew bobsleigh was for him: the support naturally followed from family and the wider Perth community, both before and during the Sochi Games.

With Lucas having made his Games debut in Sochi at the back of the sled as brakeman, he now has his sights set on the front. He has subsequently moved to Canada to pursue qualification for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games and to take on the even bigger challenge of piloting the sled and with any luck, Will Davies will be right there to record all the action.

“The atmosphere at the top of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

See the full story on the OHA website.

JIM MacKENZIE (1909-2014) Hale School sadly lost one of its favourite sons recently. Jim MacKenzie’s funeral service was held in the Hale School chapel in January bringing to an end a remarkable life. To the boys of Hale School he was the oldest Old Boy who received his annual bottle of whisky at Old Boys’ Day Assembly to thunderous applause when they heard that he was over a hundred years old. Jim, a student at Havelock Street from 1917 to 1925, who used to ride his pony to school, was a member of the 1920 Inters athletics team. He retained an interest in his old school in his latter years, returning often for Old Boy’s Day. To the Year 11 students, who walked the Kokoda Trail in 2009 to pay tribute to the former Hale pupils who fought and died on the trail while stopping the Japanese advance during World War II, he was the digger who told them about comradeship. A quiet and gentle-mannered person, Jim MacKenzie personified so many of the attributes that Hale School espouses; friendship, loyalty, resilience and a sense of humour. He will be sorely missed.

OLD HALEIANS

LEADING THE WAY Mentoring is an intentional relationship, a dynamic oneto-one interaction which encourages, inspires and enables. The OHA’s ‘Leading the Way’ mentoring programme is a structured careermentoring programme intending to provide opportunities enabling such encouragement and inspiration to take place. It aims to partner experienced Old Haleians with younger past students who are studying at tertiary level, in a traineeship or apprenticeship, or just starting out in their careers. It is structured to ensure that young and experienced Old Haleians alike can enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship. To date we have mentors registered on the OHA website in all of the following areas: Accounting Agriculture Architecture Banking Computing Defence Education

Film and TV Finance Health Legal Services Mining Property Real Estate

If you are seeking advice on the most appropriate ways to achieve your professional and/or personal goals there may well be someone already registered who is able to help build the confidence required for you to perform proficiently and with passion. For more information, please contact the OHA office on 9347 0169 or oldhale@hale.wa.edu.au Mrs Judy Greaney Manager OHA

Image top L to R: Wally Groom, Ron Wilson, Anthony Cockburn, Kim Sweeting, Julian Stawell, Tim Stawell, Kim Nathan, Ian McDonagh, Rich Hoile, John Trinder and Barry Hardie.

STAWELL GIFT 70 YEARS YOUNG

It isn’t often I am invited to a 70th, but when Julian Stawell (1956-62) asked me to attend his Melbourne based birthday event, how could I say no? The birthday event was aptly named ‘Stawelly’s Gift’ which comprised of three days of events. Held over the Easter long weekend, Julian Stawell kicked things off by holding his birthday dinner at the top of the Eureka Tower. With over 100 guests and a dozen Old Haleians, the party was still going at 2am as the guests enjoyed the view from 89 stories above Melbourne. The following day, some slightly weary but brave sorts attended a Yarra Valley wine tour which visited iconic wineries such as Chandon and Rochford. Then the big event came on Monday as the group jumped on buses at daybreak to travel the 240km to Stawell to watch the famous Stawell Gift. Julian is the

great grandson of the race’s namesake and we were treated to a Corporate Tent located at the start line. Watching the 136 year old race was a treat and the revellers from Julian’s entourage even managed to raid the track after the event for a finish line photo. The bus trip back to Melbourne was not the anti-climax as to be expected with many of Julian’s friends and mates paying him tribute through the bus PA system. What is said on the bus, stays on the bus! So from all of us who were lucky enough to enjoy the experience and revel in Julian’s generosity, I say a big thank you and happy 70th Sir! Mr Dave Reed Director of Development

BooK LAuNCH THE FLYING BUSHMAN by Greg Keynes (1966-73)

Greg has been hard at work writing a book of short stories based on his experiences in the bush. Purchase online for $5.49 at www.amazon.com

CALENDAR OHA v The School Hockey Thursday 24 July

Class of 94 20 Year Reunion Saturday 16 August

Class of 64 50 Year Reunion

Saturday 30 August

Class of 79 35 Year Reunion

Saturday 30 August

Vic Chapter

Friday 5 September

Class of 74 40 Year Reunion

TBC

PSA Golf Day

Friday 3 October

Class of 54 60 Year Reunion

10 YEAR REunion london The 10 Year Reunion, held as part of Old Boys’ Day, included a tour of the School conducted by Mr Alderson, a BBQ at the Pavilion and a visit to Michael Cowley’s, Canton Bar and Lounge in the city.

The Old Bank of England in Fleet Street was the venue for the London Reunion. A great networking event with the swapping of many business cards and a promise to do it all again before the end of the year.

Wednesday 15 October

Class of 89 25 Year Reunion

Saturday 18 October

Class of 65 50 Year Reunion

Friday 13 March, 2015

OLD HALEIANS

This is a wonderful initiative, thank you. The collective Allens are very excited and the “large” cheque has pride of place in the house at the moment. - Duncan Allen Image: OHA Raffle winners Duncan and Cathy Allen with Paul Carter, President OHA.

Winners are Grinners

SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES RAFFLE As I am sure you can imagine, it was hard to wipe the smile from Duncan Allen’s face, as his name was the one drawn from the barrel at the P&F Sundowner in February this year. Duncan and Cathy have a son Lachlan (Year 10) and another due to start next year - so the win for them was timely. It was deemed fitting and particularly satisfying for President, Paul Carter, to be able to award the prize this year to a fellow Old Haleian and to do it in front of such a huge crowd of parents at the Sundowner was an absolute bonus. The Headmaster had warned that the announcement would not be heard above the chatter of the more than a thousand parents - but at the designated time, you could have heard a pin drop. Duncan’s reaction was infectious. People he didn’t even know were quick to congratulate him. And Duncan - well he is still pinching himself. He can’t remember ever having won anything before - not even a chook raffle!

OLD HALEIANS’ ASSOCIATION (INC.) SCHOLARSHIP TRUST The Old Haleians’ Association plays an important role in contributing to the aims and welfare of Hale School and its students. For many years, this support has included the Association funding a bursary scheme. These bursaries are dedicated to providing funding for boys who would enrich Hale School and our community by attending the school, but whose families, due to circumstances beyond their control, are not able to meet all associated costs. These bursaries will continue to be granted. However, in 2013, assisted by funds contributed from the proceeds of the Old Haleians’ Association raffle and together with donations made by members of the Hale community,

the Association was able to formalise the introduction of The Old Haleians’ Association (Inc.) Scholarship Trust, which has enabled an expansion of its bursary programme. The bursaries, scholarships or prizes provided by the Trust are available for boys attending or wishing to attend Hale School. The generous support of the Old Haleians’ Association raffle by current parents has meant that the Association has been able to make meaningful contributions to the Scholarship Trust. The Association looks forward to the ongoing support of parents purchasing tickets in their annual raffle. The prize for the raffle is a credit to the parent’s fee account of the then current amount of the Year 12 tuition fee. Old Boys of all ages have also made donations in excess of $50,000 to the

Trust’s funds understanding that the purpose of the Trust is to support boys joining or continuing their education at Hale School. If you would like to consider a tax deductible donation to the Trust please contact the OHA Manager, Judy Greaney on +61 8 9347 0169 or by email: oldhale@hale.wa.edu.au Should you wish to make application for support from the Trust please contact the Old Haleians’ Office for further information. All applications for, and the giving of, support are made on a confidential basis to the Headmaster and the Trustees of The Old Haleians’ Association (Inc.) Scholarship Trust. Mrs Judy Greaney Manager OHA

SIMON LEKIAS World renowned photographer Simon Lekias (1977-86) is a unique creative talent whose career has been forged over two decades of international success. Considered by his peers to be one of the most important photographers of his generation, Simon is globally respected for his fashion editorials, advertising campaigns and his celebrity portraiture.

become a third generation hospitality worker, which he knew was not for him. What he wanted was to travel and to see the world. Photography enabled him to do that.

Simon may well have celebrated 20 years in the high fashion industry, but it was at Hale School that his photography talents were first recognised.

At age 23, Simon left WA and headed for Sydney to follow his dream. His first big break came when, despite being one of the junior staff at Australian Style magazine, he was asked to photograph Icelandic singer Bjork who was in Australia for The Big Day Out.

“I had my first picture (left) published in the Cygnet in 1981, when I was just 10 years old,” he said. Now at age 44, he is still shooting, albeit in the world of Hollywood and high fashion - and after two decades as a globetrotting celebrity photographer, it is almost a case of ‘who hasn't Simon Lekias photographed?’ Simon says that the secret to his success has been, “being in the right place at the right time” - but there is obviously more to it than that. His love of photography was fuelled by his parents; his father’s slide shows covering 14 years of overseas travel and his mother’s vivid stories from her Greek homeland. "One of the most exciting things was seeing Dad pull out the projector, I was flooded with beautiful imagery” Simon recalls. In contrast to the exciting world his parents had introduced him to, at age 14 Simon found himself washing dishes in the family restaurant, destined to

Simon was given much encouragement along the way by friends and professionals alike and was lucky enough to be introduced to celebrated Perth photographer, Tony Harrison with whom he struck up an immediate connection. So began an unofficial apprenticeship; a period of trial and error with experts always available to guide his hand.

Sydney soon gave way to New York City where Simon spent seven years shooting fashion spreads for American Vogue, CosmoGirl and Elle, among others. It was not until returning home after witnessing 9/11 that Simon began to get regular access to celebrities through his connection to Harper’s Bazaar. One thing led to another and before long Simon Lekias was in high demand around the world, which he admits has made his life manic, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Simon is a long way from slowing down, and as well as regular photo shoots, has a number of important projects on the go. His biggest priority at present; however, is his four year old daughter, Luella, who is no doubt already absorbing his creative genius. Mrs Judy Greaney Manager OHA

OLD HALEIANS

OLD BOYS' DAY GOES The ‘tyranny of distance’ is often quoted as a reason why Old Haleians dotted around the country, and the world, are unable to attend reunions and events. So with Old Boys’ Day going global this year it offered many more Old Haleians the opportunity to get together and celebrate.

Old Boys’ Day in recent years has become more and more about dads and grandads celebrating together with sons and/or grandsons – and this year, with a record attendance, was no exception. Helping to put a global spin on things, Neal Davis (1955-62) in Canberra and Aaron Cook (1997-98) in New York were quick to put up their hands to organise events in their parts of the world when the idea of a Global Old Boys’ Day was first floated.

GLOBAL Neal gathered a group together for drinks at the historic Hyatt Hotel followed by dinner at the nearby Southern Cross Yacht Club. His offer of hosting an event in Canberra, also afforded an opportunity for John Kleinig (1955-59) to get involved with Old Boys’ Day. John, usually domiciled in the United States, was visiting Canberra at the time of Old Boys’ Day and was happy to catch up with fellow classmate Selwyn Cornish (1952-59). Neal was particularly pleased to welcome firsttime Canberra attendees, Anand Menon (1985-96), Trent Grgich (2003-07) and Ram Parameswaran (2004-08).

Aaron reported a really good and relaxed night starting at 8.00pm and kicking on, in true NYC style, til the wee hours of the morning! While most of the attendees were NY residents, Board member Phil O’Meehan (1973-78) took up the opportunity of dropping in to Aaron’s newest Bluestone Café in New York City during his visit to the US. Events planned in Singapore and Melbourne did not quite come to fruition due to time constraints, but we’re hoping for an even bigger, better and more widespread Old Boys’ Day next year.

BISHOP HALE MEDAL This year’s recipient, Mr Lloyd Chrystal AM (1947-51) was presented with his medal at Old Boys’ Day, in front of many of his peers as well as the boys in the Senior School. Lloyd is an outstanding role model of the term “selfless devotion to duty”. Among a long list of involvement spanning his life, Lloyd spent 13 years as a volunteer with APEX and 14 years with Rotary; served on the Board of HBF for 15 years, as chairman for six and served on the Board of Silver Chain for over 20 years; and served on two fundraising campaign committees at Hale School. His influence in many areas of community life has been significant and long-lasting.

OLD HALEIANS

KEEPING IN TOuCH DAVID IRVINE (1956-64) David will step down from his position as head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation in September this year; a position he has held since March 2009. Before taking over ASIO, David had been Director-General of Australia’s overseas spy agency, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, and before that Ambassador to Beijing.

GEOFF HODSDON (1962-66) Geoff was lucky enough to be in Dallas, Texas to witness the birth of his very first grandson Matthew: 7lbs 8oz and 20in long.

JASHER FRY (1995-98) Jasher works with Marin Software, a US search marketing company based in London, as their Senior Manager. He has been there for just under five years now and still doesn’t mind the long cold winters.

ADAM MARJORAM (2003-10) While studying a double degree of Economics and Commerce and racing all over Australia, this year is set to be a challenging and exciting one for Adam. He has been signed as part of V8 Supercar’s Erebus Motorsport Academy and the Erebus Motorsport V8 Ute team. “This means I will be able to test their V8 Supercars later this year, providing valuable seat time before I get there myself.”

well in the past, but the sport is increasing in popularity and Cam is hoping for something shinier than the bronze medal that was brought home by the WA-University team last year. And Google? At the end of Cam’s fourth year at university, he applied online for an internship with Google’s Sydney office. He got the job and was fortunate enough to be invited back again last year where he spent the summer working as a Software Engineering Intern. He then applied to become a full time employee and has since been offered a job (starting in April next year) as a software engineer at Google’s head office in Mountain View, California. “Notwithstanding the impending doom of finishing my engineering honours thesis, life,” he says, “is pretty good!”

JAMES PEARSE (1990-95) James now lives in Rhode Island and was Vice Captain of Boats in his final year at Hale, which is why he was quite excited at the prospect of being able to watch this year’s Head of the River, streamed live online.

ANDREW LAWRENSON (2004-12) Andrew is reading law (Jurisprudence) at Brasenose College, Oxford.

CONNOR DELVES (2008-13) Connor has been accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and will move to the US later in the year. His ultimate dream however is acting in London’s West End – and we have no doubt he’ll get there. CAM FITZGERALD (2004-08) Cam’s recent bio entry on the OHA website sparked interest; training for state team selection and job offer from Google! On further investigation, it transpires that Cam is involved in European Handball. He is currently training for the state championships, (team yet to be selected) as well as with UWA for the Australian University Games, both of which are held in October. Traditionally, the WA team has not done particularly

Right Place Right Time Ben Mills (2004-08) moved to New York on a working visa last year after finishing his Commerce (Finance and Accounting) degree at UWA. From there it was a case of ‘who you know, not what you know!’ He was introduced through a mutual friend to a photographer, invited on set during a photo campaign and with little experience, was offered a job. Since then he has been involved in photo shoots for Vogue, Maidenform, Helmet Lang, Balenciaga and Givenchy in New York City, and Harpers Bazaar in Paris. He has had to pinch himself, more than once! Through the photographer, Ben was introduced to Peter Gay, director of Upper Studio (a photographic post production company based in London) specialising in retouching for photographers, brands and advertising agencies worldwide. Peter was in the process of expanding from London into the US and together they established Upper Studio Inc. in New York.

MATT ROBERTS (1979-84) Matt is in Gabon, West Africa. He is doing consulting work as a drilling supervisor for Ophir, a UK based oil company with acreage in West and East Africa. Ophir drill ultra-deepwater wells in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania. “It's very interesting (water depths to 3000m and hole depths to 5000m),” he says “but getting in and out of here can be a little unsavoury.” Matt should be there, ‘on rotation’ for about eight more months.

Image: Ben Mills (right).

RICHARD BRAZIER (1980-84) Richard is currently living in Anchorage Alaska, working on the North Slope above the arctic circle with ConocoPhillips. Being on the opposite side of the world meant he was unable to attend the 30-Year reunion of his class group recently. PETER VISKA (1959-63) Animation Director, Peter Viska, and the team at Viskatoons, returned to the small screen in May. Their production Jar Dwellers SOS screened Saturdays on Channel 11, did your kids tune in? If they missed it, the episode can still be seen on TENPLAY.

“How on earth have I stumbled into all of this?” Ben said.