FACE OFF AT THE BAKE OFF
The ongoing rivalry between Year 12 students and teachers shows no sign of abating.
After the teachers handed out a thrashing in the mixed netball earlier this year, the students responded with a win in the recent Bake-Off.
First place went to student Dash Avery while student Ella Schirmer and teacher Geoff Guymer tied for second. In third place was staff member Ryan Zhang.
And the students are currently on a roll, winning last week’s inaugural spelling bee competition with a come-from-behind victory.
The staff team of Eddie Moles, Chris Hargreaves and Oscar Hedstrom led the students 34 to 20 before the students came storming home to run out easy winners 40-34.
Star students included Elih Durrant, Nicholas Sinis, Aloysia Freeman, Daniel Tappenden, Mia Veljkovic, Saskia Chatfield and Ivy Glenfield!
Their next battle for supremacy and bragging rights will be the Great Debate in September.
• IMPORTANT DATES
MONDAY 25 AUGUST -
THURSDAY 28 AUGUST Junior Snow Camp
MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER
Sustainability Sub-Committee meeting 5pm Danks St campus
MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER –TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER Drama Camp
THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER Parent/Student/Teacher interviews (in person)
MONDAY 8 SEPTEMBER –FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER Year 9 Expeditions
WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER APC Book Club 6pm Danks St library
FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER –FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER Year 12 VCE practice exams
MONDAY 15 SEPTEMBER –
THURSDAY 18 SEPTEMBER Year 10 Camp
THURSDAY 18 SEPTEMBER –FRIDAY 10 OCTOBER Year 10 and Year 11 French Exchange
FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER Final day of Term 3
FELLOWSHIP AWARD FOR STEVE
APC Principal Steve Cook has received a major award from the Victorian branch of the Australian Council of Educational Leaders.
Steve was one of seven educators to receive a Fellowship award at a special ceremony in Melbourne earlier this month.
The award honours those educational leaders who have made a significant contribution to the understanding and practice of educational leadership . Only those who have had an impact in education beyond their own school can be nominated, and candidates can only be nominated by their peers.
Well done, Steve!
SPRING INTO ACADEMY ACTION
Spring is here. Well, technically it may be a few days away, but you can feel it in the air and hear it as duelling lawn mowers rev up throughout the neighbourhoods and across the suburbs.
For those of us who may have hibernated over winter, it’s time to dust off the runners, and start getting active again.
And while we all benefit from regular exercise, there’s no doubt it’s of critical importance to teenagers.
The benefits for young people are well documented. A balanced lifestyle – which includes regular exercise as well as solid sleep and a healthy diet – makes all the difference to how students cope with the demands of study and exams.
It’s not surprising APC’s most successful students have a balanced lifestyle. We see it year after year. And those habits set them on the path to success in their careers.
At a time when mental health issues are raging through the community, being regularly active has never been more important for our kids.
It’s why we value our academies so highly.
In simple terms, our academies allow students to let off some steam and have some fun before or after school. But they also give students the opportunity to get fit, explore their passions, learn new skills from professional coaches, and connect with others with the same interests.
When the college first opened in 2011, we launched with just
one academy – the Andrew Gaze Basketball Academy. It was an instant hit.
After all, who wouldn’t want to be coached by an Australian sporting legend?
Since then, we have added others: our wonderful rowing academy (which under the tutelage of Olympian Virginia Lee has won scores of medals against the best schools in the state), as well as academies for AFL, soccer, netball, volleyball, athletics, triathlon and golf.
More recently we have expanded our academy list to include non-sports. The performing arts academy and our maths academy, which reflect our broader curriculum, are both new but proving popular.
Next year we will add sailing.
APC academies all have to adhere to our core values of teamwork, positivity and respect. And, just like APC, they set high standards.
And it rubs off on the students, who show their passion and commitment by throwing themselves into training before or after school.
As you would expect from high-class academies, there are fees involved – to pay for coaches, equipment and training grounds. But the rewards can be life changing.
If you would like to learn more, email reception@ albertparkcollege.vic.edu.au
Steven Cook Foundation Principal
TEEN SPIRIT IN FULL FLIGHT
Under a wintry sun, the college came out in force for the annual Athletics Day at Lakeside Stadium.
There was a lot of pride at stake as APC’s three Houses battled for points across a range of track and field events.
Throughout the day, House (and other) chants rang out as students encouraged their classmates to sprint, jump and leap into the record books.
The blue ribbon highlight of the day - and the final race of the carnival - was the
traditional staff v Year 12 student racea 4 x 100m relay race.
And it was fair to say that the staff were feeling pretty good about their chances this year.
The good news? No staff was injured in the event (the possibility of torn or strained hamstrings were always on the cards).
The bad news? The staff got smashed (again) and the drought continues.
House Winner: Freeman
Student Champion: Jed Farthing
Year Level Champions
Year 7: Cleo Dau
Year 8: Fiete Diers
Year 9: Annabelle Ebeling
Year 10: Jed Farthing
Year 11: Julia Kwiatkowska
Year 12: Joe Whillans
PHOTOS: JACK DEVEREUX
CLASS
ACTION
As is tradition, our Year 12 students hit the Athletics Day race track in style.
From inflatable sharks and frogs, to light sabres, capes and even juice bottles, the Class of 2025 transformed Lakeside Stadium into a riot of colour.
Dressing up at the athletics carnival is a much-loved tradition for our Year 12s who decided the day was less about competition and more about teen spirit, as they celebrated their final high school aths day in style.
INTERNS DIVE INTO LIBRARY WORLD
A record number of students became APC Library interns last month.
Eight students were accepted into the program, which involved spending a day on the library desk.
During their busy day, students learned about the library’s management system to loan and return books, and brainstormed new library enrichment activities.
They worked behind the desk answering student queries, and helped choose new books from the Rotary Club collection to add to the shelves.
They were also given the opportunity to select a book from the Avenue Bookstore to add to the library collection.
Intern Evelyn Nguyen said she really enjoyed the day.
“My favourite part was conversing with the librarians and hearing about their daily lives in the library,” Evelyn said.
“I also loved being able to choose a book from The Avenue to put on the APC shelves.”
Other students who participated were Lav Smith, Lucy Best, Raniya Hamed Osman, Juliette Pham, Luther Barden, Madhu Chheda and Dekhoda Meyers.
Who knows, this may be the start of a prosperous career in information services, otherwise known as the GLAMR industry (galleries, libraries, archives, museums and records).
DEKHODA MEYERS, JULIETTE PHAM, LAV SMITH, LUTHER BARDEN AND EVELYN NGUYEN. 06
DA VINCI CREATIONS MAKE THEIR POINT
Forget the NGV. For one night, the (APC) art world centred around the Bay St campus as it premiered the environmentally focused art of our Year 9 Creative Endeavour students.
For one evening, the Bay St campus was transformed into a world class art gallery as the students displayed their thought-provoking work to very proud parents.
Thanks to our immensely talented student musicians, who performed throughout the evening, our master chef Matt, who served up his specially designed delicious canapés, and our hardworking Bay St teachers who delivered a very special night.
MUSICAL WAS A FIRST-CLASS RIDE
Proud parents and families turned out in force to welcome STUCK! The Musical when it flew into the National Theatre in St Kilda recently.
Written and performed by APC’s talented students, the show had audiences laughing and applauding as the musical took everyone on a chaotic long haul Christmas flight from Manhattan to Melbourne.
Congratulations to director and performing arts coordinator Tanya Alers, and the entire cast, crew and band, for putting on such fabulous shows.
You made us all so very, very proud.
Marshall White Port Phillip is the principal sponsor of APC’s major performing arts events, which includes the APC Musical. We are grateful to directors Oliver Bruce and Ben Manolitsas for their continuing support.
APC COMMUNITY
WE REMEMBER OUR LEMNOS CONNECTION
APC student leaders and staff were honoured to participate in the Lemnos Gallipoli service earlier this month.
It was the 10th anniversary of the unveiling of the monument in Lemnos Square, close to the Danks St campus, which honours the work of the ANZAC nurses who looked after wounded and resting soldiers on the island of Lemnos during World War I.
It also reminds us of the Lemnians that helped the nurses make the hospital one of the most successful of the Western Front. The strong bond created between these cultures is present in our community today.
College captain James Keating and Winton House captain Alice Reid Rodrigues recited poems while college vice captain Ollie O’Connor placed a book and wreath at the memorial.
Assistant Principal Duncan Box was also in attendance, as well as federal MP Josh Burns and state MP Nina Taylor.
The striking statues depict a nurse standing against the strong wind of the island while shielding a wounded soldier during the 1915 Gallipoli campaign.
President of the Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee, Lee Tarlamis OAM MP, led the service.
YEAR 10 DUO WIN A PLACE AT UNI
Year 10 students Celeste Johnsdorfer and Leo Stepancic (below) have won places in the Monash Scholars program.
The program provides selected high achieving students from Years 10-12 with an exclusive opportunity to engage with Monash University.
Students in the program gain the opportunity to build vital social networks, to sustain them through their final years of school and into university.
Places are limited for the hugely popular program, so well done to both.
STUDENTS AND DIGNITARIES AT THE LEMNOS SERVICE
WEATHER GODS SMILE ON THE CLASS OF 2025
It may have been a brisk 7 degrees but there was no wind and the sun was shining as the Class of 2025 completed another of their Year 12 rituals – the Jump In The Bay.
The annual event is designed to mark the approaching business end of the year – the VCE and IB exams - and the plunge was followed by students receiving their special Class of 2025 tops.
Pictures: Marcus Crisafi
HOME WITH A SUITCASE FULL OF MEMORIES
STUDENTS TRAVEL ABROAD
Our two Inspire groups have come back from their European adventure with some great memories … and some great pictures, too.
The groups, each made up of about 20 students and supporting staff, spent almost three weeks travelling through Italy, Germany, Belgium and France, diving deep into each country’s history and culture.
There were plenty of highlights – taking a guided tour of ancient Rome, rolling up their sleeves at a pasta workshop in Florence, climbing a watch tower at the Berlin Wall, seeing the Bastille Day fireworks over the Eiffel Tower.
In each city there were wonderful museums to explore, and amazing sights to see first-hand.
But the most poignant, however, was the visit by students and staff to the battlefields of World War I in Belgium.
They toured Tyne Cote Cemetery, Pheasant Wood Cemetery, the Museum of the Battlefields at
Fromelles and Flanders Fields Museum, paying their respects to the fallen, before laying a wreath at Menin Gate in Ypes.
For our students to see 2000 years of history and art first hand is incredibly rewarding, and made the long hours, physical effort and time away from loved ones really worth it.
POIGNANT REMINDER OF THE HORRORS OF WAR
For some students and teachers on the tour, the visit to the battlefields of World War I was of extra significance.
A number of students were able to track down the names of relatives who died in the fighting.
These included (left) Year 11 student Elian Clarkson, who found the resting place of his relative Lionel Stott, who was buried at Tyne Co, and Year 11 student Qistina Badrulisam,
who found the name of her relative Edward Jenkins on the Australian War Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux (no known grave).
Assistant Principal Duncan Box was able to locate the name of his great great uncle Reginal Poulter, who went to school in Albert Park.
His name was on the Australian War Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux (no known grave).
THE POWER OF STORIES BRINGS US TOGETHER
Book Week was a whirlwind of events celebrating APC’s shared love of stories.
Each day offered a unique event, capped off with our annual LitFest over the Friday/Saturday period.
Midweek, our students faced off
in a literary trivia challenge, where they put their knowledge of literary fiction to the test. The competition was fierce, but every student gave it their all
Later in the week, the spotlight turned to the Book Parade. Students, staff and pets alike hit
the library runway dressed as their favourite characters. In the biggest surprise of the day, a huge portion of staff members dressed as Wally, sparking perhaps the easiest round of Where’s Wally? in history.
Special congratulations to our costume parade winner, Maisie
Selwyn as Effie, and runners-up Gabrielle Scully as Elizabeth Bennet and AJ Barton as Ame.
It was a busy week packed with challenges, creativity and fun. A reminder of the power stories have to bring us all together.
SNOW DUMP
SETS UP A PERFECT WEEK
The Senior snow camp at Falls Creek was an absolute hit.
More than 70 excited students from years 10-12 revelled in fantastic conditions for their week-long camp early in the term.
Just before they arrived, the resort
received a 45cm dump, so skiers and snowboards had a base of more than 1m to try out a new skill or explore new parts of the mountain
Better yet, there were perfect blue skies on the final day, which left everyone wanting more.
CREPE
WAY TO ENCOURAGE FRENCH Mangeons des crêpes! Mangeons des crêpes!
APC’s student language leaders, Felix Hessel and Texa Blanchy, used the power of food to get the college speaking French recently.
The two organised two crêpe days to celebrate the French National Day, le 14 juillet.
Everyone who wanted a crepe - staff and students - were invited to head to the Crêpe Van and ask for their order in French.
What a great idea! Tres intelligent!
YEAR 10 HAVE APPETITE FOR KNOWLEDGE
Three Year 10 food classes had a special tour of the Queen Victoria Market recently and wowed their tour guide with their knowledge.
During their Market Discovery tour, they learned about the history of the market, spoke to vendors and explored interesting food products.
The students also tasted interesting meats, enjoyed a charcuterie board and finished off with a famous Vic Market donut!
Their tour guide later emailed the teachers to commend the students for their behaviour and knowledge.
“I was impressed with their knowledge and enthusiasm about food and their great questions,” the tour guide wrote.
Thanks to teachers Caro Flood, Holly O’Riordan and Roisín Byrne for organising the event.
APC COMMUNITY GETS THUMBS UP FROM ROTARY
It’s official! APC has now been chartered as an official Rotary Interact Club.
It means that APC has joined a community of young people across the world looking to become global citizens.
Calling all families and friends of the college.
APC is participating in Connor’s Run on Sunday 14 September and we need your help.
The fun run raises awareness and donations for young people with brain cancer.
There are three distance options: the classic 9.6km route, the longer 18.8km route or even the 3km loop! The run begins at Hampton Beach and ends in the city near the Yarra boat sheds.
It’s not too late to support our team by donating to this worthy cause. For details click the link below.
APC students, staff and Rotarians met in the Danks St library recently to receive the official certification from Rotary International. CONNOR’S RUN
SCHOOL “ SHAPED MY WORLD ”
ISOBEL GROUNDS WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST APC GRADUATES, AND SHE STILL REMEMBERS THE SPECIAL MEMORIES SHE SHARED WITH HER SCHOOL FRIENDS
What year did you do VCE?
I finished in 2016.
What did you study?
For VCE, I took literature, further maths, psychology, legal studies, politics and economics.
That being said, the subject that I have the best memories of from high school is food tech.
I grew up as a pretty picky eater, so learning to cook food in a bunch of different ways really taught me to love food.
What was the best part of your school years?
The best bits were the special memories I shared with my friends.
Finding a quiet room at lunchtime to watch Rocky Horror Picture Show, playing cards and huddling
around a heater gossiping on a cold day.
I’m so much happier now than I was during VCE, but it’s those bits that I really miss, and that I wish I’d taken more time to enjoy.
What have you been doing since VCE?
I took a gap year after high school to live and work in the UK and take a bit of time to figure out what I wanted to do.
I ended up doing an Arts degree at the University of Melbourne and then going on to complete the Juris Doctor.
I’m now working at VCAT in the residential tenancies list.
Where do you hope to be working in 10 years?
I’m hoping to have completed my
legal training and be working as a lawyer. I’m really enjoying tenancy law and I’d love to keep working in it in some capacity.
Do you stay in touch with APC in any way?
I’m still close friends with several people that I met in high school.
Even the friends I’m not in touch with any more introduced me to many that I have today.
APC definitely shaped my world.
Looking back on 2016, what advice would you give this year’s VCE class?
VCE is pretty rough. I got an 83 ATAR I think, although at this point I can barely remember. I just remember spending the whole year stressed out of my mind.
Compared to a lot of my friends, my
ATAR wasn’t great. But university is a fresh start, and I started getting top marks.
If you’re finding high school isn’t working for you, don’t rule out uni. You can still thrive at university.
Also I’d definitely recommend a gap year. The older you get, the harder it is to find the time to travel.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you to my parents, who through everything, have supported me unconditionally.
While VCE was tough, everything was easier with your support and faith in me.
MATHS STUDENTS ARE WORLD CLASS
APC students continue to shine internationally in the world of mathematics.
More than 270,000 students from 3500 schools in 35 countries took part in the recent International Maths Challenge.
The online test was made up of 34 questions, which students had to complete within 60 minutes.
The questions were not the typical mathematical problems students faced in school. Instead, they required a mix of strong concepts and aptitude.
In the challenge, students scoring above the 95th percentile were recognised as Champions, while those scoring between the 80th and 95th percentiles were acknowledged as High Performers and awarded the title of Elitist.
It was the first time APC students took part and congratulations to Year 8 student Stanley Chia (top left) who was named a Champion, and Year 8 student Ethan Jenkinson (top right), Year 9 student Arian Sadri (bottom left) and Year 10 student Sofija Vučkova (bottom right), who were all named Elitist.
Stunning stuff!
YEAR 9 GET STUCK INTO GOOD DEEDS
A special sticker initiative in Term 3 to reward Year 9 students for their good deeds has proved a hit.
The initiative - using a specially designed sticker named Albert The Coin - is being given out to Year 9 students who are kind, helpful or for being consistently awesome.
For example, stickers have been handed out for:
• Picking up rubbish during break times
• Helping a teacher carry equipment or pack up a classroom
• Showing great sportsmanship during games
• Volunteering for a task without being asked
• Always displaying a positive attitude and setting a great example for others
The kids are loving it; we’ve seen stickers proudly displayed on devices, books and even blazers.
At the end of Term 3, the class with the most golden deeds will win a special class reward.
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