Illuminare Edition #1 2023

Edition #1, 2023

Let us sing out, let it ring out, llluminare Hand in hand now we will stand now

Et Ardere

As our light burning bright turns our courage to flame United our hearts will remain. United our hearts will remain.

Aquinas has joined us as one

Our dreams and our hearts are but young The years stretch before us with promise unsung And we face them together as one.

Let us sing out, let it ring out, llluminare Hand in hand now we will stand now

Et Ardere

As our light burning bright turns our courage to flame United our hearts will remain. United our hearts will remain.

As we grow and we pass through the years And we learn from the joys and the tears From people we've loved and from challenges met Oh, may we never forget.

Let us sing out, let it ring out, llluminare Hand in hand now we will stand now

Et Ardere

As our light burning bright turns our courage to flame United our hearts will remain. United our hearts will remain.

As we follow the Lord's leading way Standing strong as the years fall away The light of His glory will make us all one The new day has only begun.

Let us sing out, let it ring out, llluminare Hand in hand now we will stand now

Et Ardere

As our light burning bright turns our courage to flame United our hearts will remain. United our hearts will remain.

From the PRINCIPAL

Welcome to the first edition of Illuminare for 2023. It has been a very encouraging start to the year and there is a strong sense that the rhythm of the school year, which was sadly lacking in recent times, might be returning. We welcomed our new Year 7s (the graduating class of 2028!). Of these students, 47 are second generation, with one parent, or both, being an Aquinas graduate. A small group of students joined us at other year levels and we know that they will each make our school richer with their contribution. We also have a number of new staff members joining us and each has brought energy and enthusiasm to our community. Term 1 has been overwhelmingly positive, with many small acts of kindness helping others to feel like they belong.

We have recently conducted our Open Day, and while we don’t take an official head count, most feel that the numbers in attendance were greater than previous years. It is pleasing to see such interest in our College, and as we mostly advertise by wordof-mouth, I thank you for spreading the word that this is a good place for young people to learn. Certainly, prospective parents who offered feedback have spoken about the warm welcome that they received and a positive energy in the College. It is always pleasing to receive good feedback, but it is important not to rest on our laurels and I want to take this opportunity to discuss the work that we are undertaking to improve.

As an accredited member of the Council of International Schools (CIS), we count ourselves amongst a select group of over 740 schools seeking to meet or exceed the highest standards in international education. Since we were last accredited, CIS have decided that a more bespoke school improvement program needs to be offered to schools, like Aquinas, who have repeatedly demonstrated excellence against the standard framework. Over the coming months, we will commence our journey down this new path and there is a great sense of optimism that this will be beneficial in helping us to realise our strategic improvement goals.

Our goals, as set out in our School Improvement Plan and Annual Action Plan, come from the feedback that we received from the CIS Accreditation Panel and from consultation with students, parents and staff and we have identified four priority areas:

RESPECT SPIRIT HIGH EXPECTATIONS INCLUSIVITY

These priorities are not lofty ideals. They align closely with our vision and mission and underpin our Annual Action Plan which describes how we, as a community, intend to address each priority, and importantly, how we might be able to measure progress and success. These are our intended outcomes for 2023:

Respect:

Students feel safe and respected at school because they have fully embraced the Respectful Relationships programs. Staff feel confident to act in relation to student behaviour because they are well informed around Restorative Practices. Students wear their uniform with pride.

Spirit:

All students can clearly articulate the Aquinas values. Increased involvement in the community as part of Catholic Outreach.

High Expectations:

As Global Citizens, students are informed in regard to global issues, are sustainability advocates and leaders wanting to act ethically.

As Digital Citizens, students are able to collaborate and create through the ethical use of ICT.

Staff are data aware and evidence based in regards to measuring the success of learning programs.

Inclusivity:

To incorporate intercultural knowledge into our learning and pastoral programs.

To provide facilities and practices that promote equality for all, regardless of gender, sexual identity, physical and psychological needs.

Over the course of the year, small group projects will help build capacity related to these goals and there will also be opportunities to gather feedback from students, staff and parents through data collection surveys such as the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) survey and the MACS School Improvement Survey (MACSSIS) to help measure our progress.

There has already been so many highlights during Term 1; Opening Mass, Celebrate Excellence Evening, Year 7 Camps, Harmony Week, Swimming and Athletics Days, and a myriad of other opportunities for students to pursue their passion. Of course, this is all on top of our classroom based programs where the real work of learning needs to happen.

We have also inducted two new members to our Aquinas Honour Roll - Professor Shez Cairney and Mr Paul Desmond. Both are proud old collegians who have made great impact on the lives of others through their work. It was a privilege to be able to acknowledge their achievements in the presence of family and friends on March 24. We want to acknowledge the great works of our Aquinas Alumni and I encourage you to visit our website and either nominate yourself or another for either our Honour Roll, or our Leading Lights.

I trust that this edition of Illuminare will provide you with great insight into a busy Term 1 at Aquinas.

Darren Atkinson Principal

Spirit of AQUINAS

Three Anniversaries of St Thomas Aquinas.

During the next three years, our College’s patron saint, St Thomas Aquinas, has three big anniversaries. July 18 this year marks 700 years since his canonisation. In March 2024, the 750th anniversary of St Thomas Aquinas’ death will be remembered, and the 800th anniversary of his birth will be celebrated in 2025. These are big milestones for the Dominican order and all those who admire the work of Aquinas. As our namesake, it is important that we take the time to remind ourselves of the stories of Aquinas.

Thomas Aquinas was a quiet and determined individual who gave up the opportunity to be a wealthy, powerful bishop to join the Dominican Order. His family, determined to change his standing, kidnapped and held him prisoner in the family’s castle for a year. During this time, they tried various ways to convince him to change his calling, even going to the extremes of trying to tempt him with a prostitute. St Thomas stayed true to his beliefs, and when his mother realised this, she planned his “escape” so that the family could keep face with the community.

As a scholar, he was quiet and reserved, which led many of his fellow students to think he was stupid. The nickname ‘Bull’ was given to him not only because of his size, but also insinuating him as “the dumb ox.” Upon hearing this, one of the professors chastised the students informing them that the man they dubbed the bull would one day outshine them all with his knowledge and understanding of scripture and faith.

St Thomas Aquinas became a great theologian and philosopher and spent many years discussing the great philosophers of the past and its similarity to that of Catholic faith. He has been a strong influence, not only in Church doctrine, but also in secular philosophical thought. He wrote many texts including his most famous, Summa Theologiae, which included a section explaining the five proofs of God’s existence.

Over the coming years, Aquinas College is proud to recognise our namesake patron, St Thomas Aquinas, and we hope to continue to develop his charism within our school.

Tania Grace Assistant Principal - Mission

College CAPTAINS

From the first time I sat in an assembly and saw the College Captains, I’ve had an immense interest and passion for the role and have been inspired by the school’s previous leaders to pursue it. After the first lockdown, I gradually began putting myself out there and applying for various leadership positions. I found that I really enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to the community, especially in ways that I wouldn’t have had the chance to outside of the leadership program.

When I found out my application was successful, my excitement was immeasurable and I was so happy to have the opportunity to continue to develop my leadership skills while also connecting with the broader community. I’m really looking forward to the remainder of the year and implementing some new initiatives to continue to improve our community.

Once I leave Aquinas, I’m hoping to study a course related to medicine or sports science. I’ve been exposed to these fields for most of my life, as my Dad is a MICA paramedic, and naturally I’m eager to progress and shape my career around these areas. Admittedly, I’m not sure whether this looks like a double degree in paramedicine/nursing, physiotherapy/nursing or a graduate medicine course. But I know for sure that I’m interested in anatomy and physiology, which is fuelling my current interest in PE and Biology. Most importantly, I’m hoping that I’m able to help others in whatever I end up doing, and that it’s something I genuinely enjoy.

Chloe North-Coombes

2023 College Captain

I received my first taste of being a school captain in the Sacred Heart Primary School leadership team in 2017. After that experience, I was always interested in leadership roles. I would watch the College Captains at each school assembly and think to myself, that could be me up there one day. When the time came to apply for the position, I won’t lie, I was scared to go for it given I hadn’t had any other leadership roles at Aquinas, but I believed that I was fit to lead not just the Year 12s, but all students.

When I received the news that my application was successful, I was over the moon. At the time, I was at a diving competition in Brisbane and had just finished fourth in three consecutive events, so that definitely helped lift my mood. I was so excited to be in a position where I could help students and be a role model to all, just as past captains had been to me. As well as this, I am so lucky to have Chloe by my side, who is an amazing leader and great role model.

When my time at Aquinas comes to an end, I am hoping to study engineering at university. Currently, I’m not too sure which type of engineering I would like to pursue, but luckily multiple universities offer an insight into different avenues in the first year. I have always been heavily interested in technology, which is what has led me into the VCE subjects Systems Engineering, Data Analytics and Software Development. I am certain this will set me up well for my future studies. It is a dream of mine to one day develop incredible technology, which could help others.

Besides this, I am determined to begin a 3D printing business, where I can make replica props from movies for collectors, as well as affordable prosthetics for people who aren’t fortunate enough to afford what’s on the market. I received a slight taste of this in VCE Units 1 and 2 Applied Computing, where I created a completely 3D printed prosthetic hand. It was a rewarding experience and I can’t imagine how thrilling it would be to do it for someone who needs it.

Matt Azzopardi 2023 College Captain

Aquinas Sports & MULTIFUNCTIONAL PROJECT

The College is excited to announce the impending development of a new covered sporting facility in 2023, located on Great Ryrie Street.

The working name for this initiative during the planning and construction stages will be ‘Aquinas Sports and Multifunctional Project’, which we’ve abbreviated to Aquinas SAM Project. A consultation process will be launched closer to the project’s completion to select an official name for the new multi-functional space.

The Aquinas SAM Project aims to transform the existing tennis courts into an all-weather sporting facility and whole school community gathering point to be enjoyed by all. The fees and contributions of the Aquinas community have enabled the College to pursue this exciting project.

The process of concept development, consultation and design involved engaging a select body of interested students that workshopped design elements with the architects. The results of this process, along with input from other key stakeholders in the Aquinas community, were utilised by the architects to guide the final designs.

With the design now finalised, we have successfully navigated the process of approval with Maroondah Council and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, as well as Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS).

At the time of this publication being released, the College has entered the tender application process.

Once a contractor has been appointed, we will rapidly move towards a start date for the construction as we await the exciting process of seeing the new facility take form.

Regular updates on the progress of the project will be posted in the Lighthouse and on the College website.

If you would like to donate to the Building project or Aquinas Building fund, click the button below and fill out your details.

Class of 2022 HIGH ACHIEVERS

Patrick Ryan Award

Senior VCAL Award

Alexander Robinson for the College Dux

Ethan Todaro for the highest achieving Senior VCAL student

VCE Award of Excellence for ATARS over 90 Lara Baddock Michael Barics Benjamin Beattie Kaelan Boundy Emily Bratton Sydney Callanan Hayley Edgar Angelina Graham

VCAL atEAST Awards Chloe Zouch Mackenzie Phelan

William Elmer

Dave Malia Award

Joshua Jones

Isabelle Kuyken

Danae Lazarus Sam Leonard

Ronin May David Mu

Kayden Nye

Imogen Pawlik

Rebecca Angus Caitlin Waters

Amelie Pote

Luke Redfern

Milla Richardson

Alexander Robinson

Gabriella Steen

James Van der Linden

Grace Walsh

Patrick Ward

Tilly Smith

Ethan Todaro

Kayden Nye for academic achievement and excellence in Humanities

Evelyn Hine Award Amelie Pote for academic achievement and excellence in Drama

Jan Roczniak Award

Mark Campbell Award

VET Awards

Mikaela Tenney for the female Dux of Science

Alejandro Cortes-Gama for excellent commitment to the Performing Arts

Hayley Edgar

Charlotte Oliver

Max Baines

Bradley Sutton

Visual Art Award

Shared Stories Anthology

Music Award

Aquinas Film Fest

Deakin Shield

Intermediate VCAL Award

Spirit of Aquinas Award

Isabella Kight

Harrison Ireland

Sam Knox

Ruby Haberfield

Nicholas Moschetti

Winchester Walsh

Nicola Aloi

Chloe Paxton for a Year 12 student who has excelled in two or more visual art subjects

Alexander Robinson

Louise Ramos

James McLeod for passion and focus in classroom music through to Year 12

James Van der Linden

Lance Eugenio

Director’s Cut Award

People’s Choice Award

Jackson Boundy for the highest achieving student in Year 11 VCE

Amelia Chapman for the highest achieving Intermediate VCAL student

Year 12: Georga Carusi

Year 11: Jackson Boundy

Year 10: Michael Clarke

Year 9: Amelia Budd

Year 8: Will Elliott

Year 7: Zoe Fabre

Edmund Rice Award

ADF Long Tan Youth Award

ADF STEM Award

Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholar

Athletes of the Year

in recognition of their contribution within and beyond the Aquinas community and embodying the core values of the College

Bella McDougall for community services

Isobel Mugamu for leadership and teamwork

Sophie Fegan

Ashley Enright

Sophie Stokes

Gabriella Linton

Ella Enright

VCE STATS

7.9 % Students gained study score over 40

24 Students gained an ATAR over 90

98.95

Kaelan Boundy

30 Median study score

Close to

1/4

Of the cohort scored ATARs over 80

TOP 3 ATAR RESULTS

99.75 Alexander Robinson College Dux

98.05 Joshua Jones

While we celebrate the 2022 ATAR results and VCAL achievements at Aquinas College, our measure of success does not rely on a single score. We encourage all of our students to develop an awareness of God in their lives, value the connectedness of human relationships, foster a sense of justice, and a hopeful spirit. This is our measure of success.

Mr Paul Desmond

Paul Desmond dreamed of a future as a teacher and has spent 43 years helping shape and improve Catholic education in Victoria. Paul’s career started as an English and Religious Education teacher at Mount Lilydale Mercy College. After a number of middle leadership roles, he became Deputy Principal at the Academy of Mary Immaculate and Padua College.

In 2005 he became Principal of St Francis Xavier College, remaining at the helm of one of Victoria’s largest schools for a decade. Paul was instrumental in raising awareness of the previously taboo subject of youth suicide after experiencing tragedy in this community. In 2015, Paul reached the pinnacle of his career as Executive Director of Catholic Education Sandhurst. He also represents CECV on the council of VIT.

”Young people will still hear the voices of their educators for the rest of their lives. I constantly remind our teachers of this and implore them to do their utmost to ensure their voice is remembered for all the right reasons.”

Aquinas College 1972-1975

Inducted March 2023

AQUINAS COLLEGE HONOUR ROLL

Professor Shez Cairney

Professor Shez Cairney has turned her passion for people and social equality into an internationally recognised career in Indigenous neuroscience and wellbeing. She currently holds dual roles as Professor of Wellbeing at Charles Darwin University and Founding CEO of The Interplay Project, a social enterprise which empowers different cultural values, knowledge systems and worldviews.

After Aquinas College, Shez pursued a Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical Biophysics and Instrumentation at Swinburne University. She studied Honours in ADHD-neuroscience before relocating to Arnhem Land, where she completed a PhD in addiction neuroscience.

She then led research on: neurocognitive impacts of petrol sniffing; translating knowledge across cultures with language, multimedia and social media; culturally appropriate neuropsychological assessment; and empowering Indigenous values and knowledge in policy, science, employment and healthcare systems. In 2016 Shez delivered a TEDx Talk ‘What Aboriginal Knowledge can teach us about Happiness.’ Over 22 years, she has produced over 70 academic publications, with her resources used in community development, prisons, rehabilitation programs, and national data systems.

Aquinas College 1986-1991

Inducted March 2023

FROM THE

Second GenFAMILIES

FERRY FAMILY

I graduated from Aquinas in 1998 and began a Bachelor of Health Sciences at Deakin University the following year. Following this degree, I went on to ACU where I completed a Diploma of Education (Secondary).

In 2003, I was fortunate enough to return to Aquinas in a fulltime teaching position, being a Year 8 Homeroom teacher, as well as teaching Psychology, English and Religious Education. During this time, I was fortunate enough to travel overseas, visiting and experiencing many wonderful countries and cultures around the world. After five years teaching at Aquinas, I made the decision to move to St Francis Xavier College in Beaconsfield, teaching Years 10, 11 and 12 Psychology.

In 2009, I married Matthew Ferry and we now have three beautiful children together, Ruby, Harrison and Grace. After briefly returning to teaching at Aquinas in various forms of relief work, I made the move to Luther College where I am currently employed.

I have been extremely fortunate in my life. I have been raised by a loving and supportive family, I have been educated at excellent schools, I have travelled, I work in a profession that I love and I am lucky enough to be a wife and mum to three amazing children. My eldest daughter Ruby started Year 7 at Aquinas this year. I have such positive memories of Aquinas, both as a student and as a staff member, and I am so excited for my children to experience the same.

Laura Ferry CUSKELLY FAMILY

TRAN FAMILY

I’m the youngest of four siblings from the Tran family to have received an education at Aquinas College and I have always looked back on my Aquinas years with such fondness after graduating in 1997. Friends I have made since then have never quite understood the tight-knit community we are and how the school still gives us chills to this day!

I left Aquinas with a strong love of biology and physiology and knew I wanted to work in the health field. Some years after graduating, I went on to study a Bachelor of Health Science in Chinese Medicine and have been practicing as an Acupuncturist for the last 17 years.

I’m thrilled that my son, Ben, will now be attending Aquinas. The College has grown so much since my time there over 20 years ago, and I’m so excited for all of the opportunities that lie ahead for him!

Belinda Tran

Our family has a long history within the Aquinas College community. My father, Barry, was the founding president of the Aquinas Old Boys and in later years worked as the College’s groundsman. I graduated from the College in 1994 and am the youngest of five to attend the school, some were College and Sport Captains.

2023 has seen my son, Patrick, enter Year 7. He is the first grandchild to enrol at the College and we’re looking forward to the following years, with confidence that our children will enjoy all that Aquinas has to offer.

Katrina Cuskelly-McCrohan

Seeing WorldTHROUGH LENS

Music is pumping through the speakers, lights are flashing as the crowd is swept up in the beat, and Vincent Cogliandro is documenting it all through the lens of his camera.

That is the former Aquinas student’s office.

“I picked up a camera in my early teens and the passion was always hard to deny. I knew one way or another I’d do something in the creative realm,” Vincent said.

“I developed many foundational skills in Media and Visual Communication classes.

“After graduating in 2015, I threw myself in the deep end with photography and film-making, taking every opportunity that arose and learning as much as I could.

“I did a short photo-imaging course at RMIT, however, this didn’t lead me down an avenue that felt fulfilling to me, it was more of a fashion and commercial route.

“I knew I was absolutely on the right path when I found myself photographing concerts and gigs within Melbourne’s live music scene.”

After freelancing and working with various independent artists, his role for the past few years has been as a tour manager and content curator for Australian DJ and Musician, Will Sparks.

While this role gives him the opportunity to use his creative flair, it also involves logistical planning.

“Capturing music will always be the best part of my job, not only making a moment tangible, but giving anyone who attended the chance to relive it in future is a pretty outstanding feeling,” he said.

Travel is another key element, allowing him to see the world whilst working.

“It’s exhausting, but I wouldn’t change it for a minute,” he said.

“I’ve seen places I never even knew existed and have been on way too many planes.

“We spend about six to seven months of the year on the road, and to say it’s been a rollercoaster thus far would be an understatement.”

And it’s still only the beginning.

“We have a full schedule for the year ahead, but personally I’m looking at building a creative agency in the future,” he said.

“There’s always an artist looking for a photographer or a creative looking for work, so to bridge that gap and help build working relationships would be amazing.”

Pictures: Vincent Cogliandro

Morgan's Road to MANINGRIDA

The course Morgan Delaney’s life has taken can be traced back to two defining leaps of faith.

The first of these leaps was taken by the 2016 graduate during her time at Aquinas.

“After going on the 2015 Borneo trip at the end of Year 11, I knew I had a huge passion for helping young people,” Morgan said.

“I was adamant that I was going to be a vet, yet as soon as I worked side by side with those young children, something significant stood out to me and I truly felt I was destined to work with primary school children.

“Six months after Borneo I began working as a swimming teacher at a local swim school and I just knew in my heart that I made the right decision.”

Morgan completed her Bachelor of Education (Primary) at Australian Catholic University in 2020, while also travelling overseas in 2018 and 2019 to undertake volunteer work in South Africa and Ecuador.

In her third year of studies, she applied for a New Colombo Plan scholarship to complete a unit of work in the Solomon Islands, where she taught in a primary school for four weeks.

“The Solomon Islands gave me the exact confidence I needed to work with low socioeconomic status students, as significant changes need to be made for students to access the curriculum,” she said.

“Covid-19 challenged me greatly as I only got to spend four weeks on campus at university that year.

“I decided that I was ready for the next big challenge and took a huge leap of faith in contacting a few remote schools in the Northern Territory to express my interest.

“I heard back from Maningrida College that day, and three weeks later I got the job.”

Her life now looks vastly different to the way it did when she was an Aquinas student, but she’s had the support of her family throughout her move up north.

“Maningrida has changed my life for the better in every aspect,” she said.

“I never would have believed at the beginning of 2020 that 12 months later I would be starting a new life in a remote

Aboriginal community 500 kilometres east of Darwin.

“Maningrida is tough, it’s overwhelming, and often feels like the actual teaching is the smallest part of my job when there are so many external factors that challenge these students to come to school every day.

“However, the growth I have made as a person and as an educator is second to none.

“Outside of school hours, I often go out bush with the local Bininj people to learn on Country, collect Pandanus leaves for weaving, look for bush tucker in the wet season, and of course, go out fishing. It truly is the best fishing in the country!”

She admits there has been no shortage of rewarding highlights in her career to date, and she is “constantly looking for glimmers everywhere.”

“When I began teaching here in 2021, many of my Grade 1 and 2 students used to call me mum, which was pretty funny,” she said.

“In 2022, and again this year, I am in Grade 5/6 and I constantly reiterate how much of a safe space our classroom is, whether that is to confide in me or ask me questions that they are too nervous to ask anyone else.

“Last year, one of my students told me that she loved me as her teacher and that she wanted to stay in my class forever. She is in Year 7 this year and comes by my room every day to tell me she misses me.

“Another memory that will stand out to me forever was when some of the Sydney Swans players visited last year to run a football clinic with the students for three days before playing a community football game.”

Still in the early stages of her career as an educator, Morgan is excited by the opportunities she has to make a difference.

“Everyday I am working towards building bigger and stronger relationships with my class,” she said.

“Trust is so important here and these students need consistency, which I am so fortunate to be able to give.

“I have only just commenced my third year of teaching, so while I still have plenty to learn, one day I hope to be able to apply for a senior teaching position at my school, where I can lead Mathematics, as well as teach in the classroom for 0.5 each week.”

Lyndal's NextCHAPTER

In 2020, Lyndal Hennell (nee Morrison) made a promise to herself.

Three years on, the former Aquinas College student and published author’s novel ‘Flying Close to the Sun’ is proof that her promise has been fulfilled.

“It was something I had wanted to do for years,” she said.

“I’d write things down, but then time and life would take over.

“In late 2018, we quit our jobs and went travelling for a year and I said that when we got back, I would give myself time to write a book. I knew if I didn’t do it then, I might never do it, so I set myself a time frame of a year.”

After graduating from Aquinas College in 1979, Lyndal went on to study psychology at the University of Queensland.

After experiencing varied roles as a psychologist, she currently works at the University of the Sunshine Coast in student services.

While story ideas have come and gone over the years, there was one idea that stuck.

With the Covid-19 pandemic playing out around her, paired with her extensive understanding of psychology, her plot was formed.

“The idea behind the story is that the world gets really violent and the main character is a young girl who’s an empath,” Lyndal said.

“She goes through a stage of who am I? And it’s falling on her shoulders to try and make the world a safer place.

“As a psychologist, I’ve worked a lot with young people and I hear a lot about violence. It sometimes feels like the world is getting angrier and there’s more crime, but I know that there is also a lot of good people and good things in the world.

“That’s kind of where the idea came from, the world is getting angrier and someone has to save it.”

Despite her parents relocating to the Sunshine Coast while she was in Year 12, Lyndal stayed in

Melbourne to complete her final year of school at Aquinas. She now calls the Sunshine Coast home, and since her children, Jordan and Brodie, have grown up and left home, Lyndal and her husband Graeme have travelled to every continent, including Antarctica.

However, she admits her upbringing in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs helped inspire the characters in her book, which is set in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria.

“At High School, people used to call our group of friends the ‘Young Doctors’, because we were so dramatic,” she laughed.

While she has now had the title of published author for a year, she admitted it’s still surreal seeing her book on shelves.

But it may not be her last.

“I’ve just finished the draft of the second book,” she said.

“I found it really hard to end the first book and I knew that I had to write a second.

“Hopefully by the end of this year I’ll have that all edited and ready to go.

“I just love getting lost in fictitious worlds.”

The night had an electric atmosphere and the room was filled with laughter and excitement as alumni began to arrive. I personally, with many others, began the night feeling nervous. The nerves quickly disappeared though as familiar faces started to arrive, and the room buzzed with conversation. Everyone was swapping stories that had taken place since graduation, sharing the ups and downs we have faced over the last 10 years.

There were tables which were dedicated to each high school year. We gathered around and walked through each year level, giving us an opportunity to reminisce on classes, teachers, camps, overseas trips, cooking, science activities, music and drama, the yummy canteen food (pinwheels and chicken wraps), reading in the ARC, sporting events, our debutante balls, formal and so much more. We even had a few laughs with each other about the questionable haircuts. When we weren’t reminiscing, we were dancing and taking fun photos in the photo booth.

We reflected on our beautiful memories with our late friend James Winchester. Most remembered James by his nickname of ‘Winch’ or ‘Mouse’. We spoke about him and his bright smile, sense of humour and kindness to others.

Conversations were sparked by how far everyone has come since graduation. People shared insights into their careers, families, and personal achievements, and it was wonderful to hear about each other’s triumphs and show support while hearing about any challenges.

The night had a sense of nostalgia, and the event was an amazing opportunity to reconnect with old friends. We cherished the memories we had at Aquinas, which ultimately helped shape our lives.

Stephanie Porcellana Class of 2012

Belonging Perserverance

Spirituality Compassion

Aquinas LOVE STORY

We were thrilled to hear of the recent marriage of former students Sarah-Kate O'Byrne and Gus Lugo, who were both in the 2013 Aquinas peer year.

The wedding party and guest list consisted of a number of former Aquinas students, and what is a wedding filled with former students without a rousing rendition of the Aquinas school song!

to Sarah-Kate and Gus and thank you for sharing photos of your special day with us.

Thank you & FAREWELL

Rob Smith | 10 years of service

Ping Drew | 12 years of service

Julia Buczkowsky | 24 years of service

Sharon Harte | 34 years of service

Term 1 PHOTOS

Reunion NOTICE

The Aquinas Boys’ class of 1973 will celebrate their 50 year reunion on Saturday, October 21, 2023. The afternoon event will be held at a venue in Ringwood, with the dress code set as neat casual. Anyone interested in attending can contact Wayne Materazzo via:

Email: waynematerazzo1@gmail.com

Mobile: 0450742294

Phone: 98930698

SHARE YOUR NEWS!

We would love to hear from our Aquinas College Alumni. Share your news about births, engagements, marriages, in memoriam or outstanding achievements to feature in upcoming editions of Illuminare. If you have any historical information for our archives, email your news, photos and information with your contact details to: illuminare@aquinas.vic.edu.au

Receive future editions of Illuminare straight to your inbox. Update or register your details at www.aquinas.vic.edu.au/alumni