The Southport School Band of Brothers Issue 18

ISSUE 18: December 2018

Band of Brothers

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In this issue 18 TSS NEWS 4

Our Boys, Their Future...

Learning to Lead

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My 90 Seconds of Fame

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Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award

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A Change Ahead

TSS ARTS 30

The Complexity of Us

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2018 TSS Prep Art Show

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The Power of Music

T S S F E AT U R E 14

The Business of Inspiration

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Headmaster’s Speech Day Address

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From Shy to Confident

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The Man Who Never Gave Up

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Climate Change - Reality or Hoax?

TSS SPORTS 34

Through Narrow Straits to Victory - House Shield 2018

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Campdrafting 2018

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In The Ruck - TSS Rugby 2018

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Track & Field 2018

TSS IN FOCUS

TSS COMMUNITY

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Making a Birdbath

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Book Launch

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Year 10 Rites of Passage

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Take My Ride

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New Appointment for TSS Indigenous Program

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Ben Farinazzo - TSS Hero

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Round Square International Conference 2018

TSS HISTORY

TSS EVENTS

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The Chelmsford Cup

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R U OK Day

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Year Two History Tour

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Grandparents Day and Book Parade

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IDEALS Week 2018

we few, we happy few, we band of brothers.

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TSS NEWS

...it is also heart-warming to see and hear of our younger boys being so open with their feelings and emotions, and practicing such communication.

Headmaster's Introduction Mr Greg Wain Headmaster

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e hope you enjoy this edition of Band of Brothers covering a vast range of the diverse activities and happenings at The Southport School.

As Christmas, and increased opportunity for family time approach, I thought Mr Symms’ theme for his address at the Prep Year 3 to 6 Celebration of Achievement at the end of the School year was most appropriate - Gratitude.

Mr Symms modelled gratitude by thanking the School Council for delivering our wonderful Prep School Hall where the gathering took place. The beneficial effects on our wellbeing of gratitude is an important research finding from Positive Psychology.

Mr Symms reflected on 2018, and explained it has been a year of focus at Prep on …

“Helping our boys discover that gratitude is a powerful way to enhance their overall well-being…

The research tells us that because being truly grateful is a selfless act - showing appreciation to someone or something 'unconditionally' - it works on our wellbeing because it authentically connects us to other people.

It also generates a return to us - others will be more inclined to demonstrate their gratitude to us… Grateful

people have been shown to be more agreeable, more open, more forgiving, and less neurotic… Furthermore, and importantly, gratitude reduces depression and promotes life satisfaction. It also is a powerful tool for strengthening interpersonal relationships… People who focus on gratitude are shown to be more optimistic and have more self-control. All of which promotes happiness and good mental health.”

As Mr Symms concluded … “who wouldn’t want more of that?”

That is the research. It is compelling, but I am always equally concerned about how we at TSS can implement the theory, what does it look like in terms of actions by boys and staff. Each organisation, each school is different - different contexts and different cultures. We are blessed at TSS to have staff (who are leading) and school leaders who have the emotional intelligence, wisdom and innovation abilities to turn theory into practice.

second example, of many he could have chosen in the Prep program, was our Year 2 boys’ Blessings Books, a weekly journal that chronicles the many things for which they feel grateful.

I thank Mr Symms and the Prep School staff for their great work in this important area. These activities are good for the wellbeing of the boys and staff, but it is also heart-warming to see and hear of our younger boys being so open with their feelings and emotions, and practicing such communication. This is building much needed ‘emotional intelligence’, an area where their sisters are generally ahead of the boys - but we do not accept that status quo at TSS, here we are ‘bushing up’ this part of our boys’ brains, developing a much needed twenty first century skill, and therefore building good men and promoting ‘positive masculinity’.

Best wishes, Greg Wain

Mr Symms went on to describe two practical examples of how we facilitate boys experiencing the expression of gratitude. One was the recent Year 5 workshop involving boys and parents where boys were coached in articulating what they admire about their parents, and their love of time spent with their parents and of shared times and laughter. Mr Symms’ Band of Brothers

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TSS NEWS

OUR BOYS, THEIR FUTURE… LEARNING TO LEAD July 2018 - ‘The World’ Came to TSS Mr Andrew Stark

Coordinator of Professional Development

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TSS NEWS

The Annual Conference saw over 600 delegates from twelve different nations visit TSS from Sunday 8 July to Wednesday 11 July 2018

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uring the July school holiday period, The Southport School played proud host to the 2018 Annual Conference for the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) which followed the theme ‘Our Boys, Their Future: Learning to Lead’.

The conference focussed on four academic streams Leadership, Boys Education, STEM and Futures, and, for the first time, Junior Years. It brought together dedicated educators from across the world who wish to enhance the educational journey of boys by equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in this ever-changing world.

The Annual Conference saw over 600 delegates from twelve different nations visit TSS from Sunday 8 July to Wednesday 11 July 2018. Three days prior, however, the IBSC Action Research program was conducted in the Harley Stumm Senior Library precinct. This

program brought together 100 teacher researchers from international boys’ schools to commence planning individual research projects focusing on an aspect of boys’ learning. Six TSS staff were involved in the Action Research program for 2017/18 and they have all commented very positively on the experience.

Once the official conference began, delegates were presented with an extensive, world-class three-day program of speakers, workshops, panel sessions, networking opportunities and social events. Included in the program were: seven internationally recognised Keynote Speakers, eleven nationally noted Featured Speakers and over 80 separate workshop presentations.

With such an array of presenters, there was an equally important and sizable group of staff and student volunteers assisting throughout the whole event. Many

of these wonderful volunteers had been involved in the planning for more than 12 months and all were delighted to see this come to fruition.

This was a truly international event for The Southport School, and one that will be remembered for many years to come.

Keynote Speakers included: Professor Tim Brailsford, Catherine McGregor AM, Tracy Vaillancourt, Ian Hickie AM, Taj Pabari, Greg Mitchell and Li Cunxin.

The 2019 IBSC Annual Conference will be held at Selwyn House School, Montreal. We wish organisers the very best of luck!

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TSS NEWS

INTERNATIONAL BOYS’ SCHOOLS COALITION RECOGNITION Mr Jeff Symms Deputy Headmaster — Head of Preparatory School

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he annual IBSC conference showcases speakers of the highest calibre who present on varied topics to delegates and educators from a large number of schools across the globe.

Over a two-year period, educators are also engaged in action research projects, based on innovations in boys’ learning. These projects culminate in a report on the data collected at workshop presentations during the conference itself.

For the past two years, two teams from TSS Preparatory School have been engaged in an action research project. Mrs Sandra Gippel and Mr Darren Fellows conducted a project entitled ‘The use of meaningful student involvement in humanities and social sciences to encourage a deeper understanding of content for Year 5 boys.’

Mr Craig Newton and Mr Joshua Beecher’s action research centred on ‘Lighting the Fire! The impact of genius hour on Year 3 boys’ creativity and critical thinking’.

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Both research projects were outstanding and exceptionally well received by the international audience to which they were presented, and excitingly, Mr Newton and Mr Beecher’s work was recently recognised as one of the top 10 research projects of the cycle.

Congratulations to them both on their hard work and outstanding results. Their work was commended as displaying a solid understanding of the research topic which enabled the creation of an effective and meaningful action for boys in their school. Their data collection and methods of data analysis were rigorous and provided a high level of transparency.

Once again, TSS receives external validation that the quality of our teaching staff is world class and that in many ways we are leading in our approach to boys’ learning.

TSS NEWS

WORLD CLASS FACILITY WORLD CLASS LECTURE! Mr Dan Saw Faculty of Science

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laiming more than 34 million lives, a further 36.9 million are living with infection and there are approximately 2 million new infections per year.

This epidemic is HIV/Aids.

Year 9 Science welcomed Dr Scott McCoombe, (Associate Head of School, School of Medicine - Deakin University), a leading HIV/Aids Researcher in Australia to the Broomhead Lecture Theatre (BLT) earlier this year.

Dr McCoombe spoke about the prevalence of HIV/

Aids across the globe and cutting edge research into stopping the transmission of this disease.

This presentation was made possible by the impressive technology integration within the BLT. Dr McCoombe was able the fit us into his schedule by presenting over Skype. The link and presentation quality was first class so our boys were fully engaged throughout.

Dr McCoombe – Skype presentation.

Another example of this progressive format of education was the Virtual tour the boys received of a Class 5 cleanroom at the University of Queensland. The Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology hosted the entire Year 10 cohort in this highly sensitive cleanroom to demonstrate new technological advancements in Science. Polymer and glass substrates that may lead to an unbreakable mobile phone screen and wearable solar panel clothing made from lightweight and flexible graphene were some of exciting projects our boys witnessed first-hand.

Class 5 Cleanroom at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.

Internationally renowned educator and author, Michael Gurian, who wrote “The Purpose of Boys”, is a strong advocate for schools designing curriculum with relevance and purpose as boys are more likely to thrive under these conditions. The Science Department has certainly embraced this philosophy with a range of industry aligned lectures, from Chemical Engineers to IVF specialists.

Congratulations to the TSS boys for immersing themselves in these experiences to enrich their learning and development.

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TSS NEWS

My 90 Seconds of Fame Jay Spowart Year 5 Student

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n Term Three, I was fortunate enough to be given the chance to try my hand at being the weather man on the radio.

As I walked into the ABC studio I was suitably impressed by the wonderful array of buttons, computer screens and flashy lights. I’m only 10 so I’m easily impressed.

I really enjoyed being on the radio and I want to do it again when I’m older.

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The challenge I had accepted was reading the weather forecast live on air. I had to be listening to what the radio person said. I had family listening and people around the Gold Coast.

It was a cool experience to be on the radio with who knows how many people listening, at least 8! The lady was friendly and strangely and surprisingly, I felt confident even though I was actually really nervous.

At the end I felt good because I took a chance and smashed it to get up there and tell the weather forecast live on the ABC radio.

I really enjoyed being on the radio and I want to do it again when I’m older. This opportunity encourages me to practise so that when I get older I know how to do it. You’ve got to believe that you can do it and if you’re shy then you’ve got to work hard, stick with it and do your best.

At the end of the day it was a fun experience that I had never thought of doing before and I guess that’s what it’s all about, stepping out of your comfort zone and having a go at something new when you get the chance.

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Budding Wine Makers Mrs Kate Waring Head of Science

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ear 12 Chemistry students spent a wonderful morning up at Mt. Tamborine learning about wine production and grapes from current parent Jon Heslop at Witches Falls Vineyard.

Jon recounted the story of his own quandary in choosing professions and university courses (and his initial dislike of chemistry studies at university). However, his love of travel eventually brought him home to Australia and Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga where he studied Oenology, the science and study of wine and winemaking.

Witches Falls first began wine production in 2003, and as they say “the rest is history!” The students were amazed by the vines all sprouting new growth, the oak barrels full of wine and the bottling and labelling plant. The highlight was the laboratory area where they were reminded about the importance of acid/base chemistry, which proved to be incredibly vital in producing the perfect wine.

Many thanks to Jed’s (Year 12) parents Kim and Jon for showing us their life’s work and, more importantly, for imparting their passion and knowledge of winemaking in search of the best drop.

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TSS NEWS

Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Mr Ashley Crook Duke of Edinburgh Award Coordinator

TSS is extremely proud of Max’s efforts and achievements attaining the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award

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his year Max has successfully achieved his Gold Award with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program.

The Gold Award has five components: Service, Skills, Physical Recreation, Adventurous Journey and a Residential Project. It is highly coveted and only approximately 100 students achieve this each year in Queensland.

Max actively participated in the TSS Cadet Program in which he attained a Warrant Officer Two Position. For his Skills component, Max committed to a Defensive Driving Course and was involved in the TSS Rowing Program for his Physical Recreation component. Hiking in the Lamington National Park allowed him to complete his Adventurous Journey and an overseas adventure on the Year 10 Great Wall of China Expedition allowed him to complete his Residential Project component.

TSS is extremely proud of Max’s efforts and achievements attaining the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. He is a clear role model for the TSS community.

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TSS & St Hilda’s Join Forces for Australian Business Week Ms Jessica Prouten Head of Department Business and Enterprise

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ustralian Business Week is a program open to schools across Australia where students take on management roles running a virtual business, and preparing a new product for launch.

As well as developing the marketing, operations and finance plans of the business, students make decisions and receive feedback in real time. At The Southport School, Australian Business Week has been offered as part of the activities provided to students by the Business and Enterprise Faculty for around 10 years.

This year we were once again joined by a group of business students from St Hilda’s. During the course of the three days, the students wrote a business plan, prepared a pitch, and developed a trade display. The trade display was presented to the school community on Wednesday at lunch time, with visitors to the Old Gym Café getting a chance to vote on which idea and display they felt was best. This led to plenty of friendly competition, and the Old Gym Café was certainly pumping!

Following the conclusion of the trade displays the awards were presented and it was great to see all groups receive recognition under one of the different categories. Despite this, team “VEPO” and their product H20 Pods were the overall winners.

We would like to thank the mentors who came in over the course of the three days, Mr Scotchmer and Mr Gibson, who shared their wealth of real world knowledge with the groups. It was also great to be able to make use of the wonderful surrounds in the G&T centre, and we thank Mrs Foulds-Cook for hosting us.

Final thanks must go to Mr Browne who coordinates the program each year and throws considerable time and energy into getting things just right. We look forward to another group of enthusiastic entrepreneurs participating again next year.

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TSS NEWS

Financial Snapshot

16m

$

Spent on capital projects

$

6.6m

Operational surplus

Delving into the 2017 Financials A

s a large business on the Gold Coast, The Southport School has a general financial philosophy of keeping our expenditure as local as we can. With this in mind, 2017 was generally regarded as a good year economically on the Gold Coast and for the School we recorded another positive financial performance. Our enrolment numbers continued with the steady growth we have seen over the previous years. Our boarding is approaching capacity with 310 boarders and our overall student numbers averaged 1575 during the year, up from 1534 the previous year. Many of our year groups have waiting lists and we are edging closer to capacity due to strong demand for all that TSS offers.

What this all means for the School though is that we are able to well resource our various Academic, Sporting and Cultural programs. The opportunities for a boy at TSS are many and varied with a broad offering available. TSS boys are busy! This translates to good value for money for our parents and caregivers who are responsible for our tuition fees.

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In addition we are able to re-invest into the School through better and newer facilities. In 2017 this included three major projects which came to completion, the new Prep Hall, Car Park, Drop and Go and exit to Brolga Avenue at the Prep campus and the Library rebuild and new Broomhead Lecture Theatre on the Senior campus. We finished off the year commencing the construction of the new weights gym in the Centenary Centre. Overall, we spent more than $16 million on our capital projects during 2017.

Let’s go through the numbers. From the income side, the School recorded $47.4 million, this included $24.1 million in tuition fees and $5.3 million in boarding fees.

Government grants from both the Federal and State governments totalled $11.5 million. The remainder came from the School’s commercial activities. We also received $1.95 million in Capital grant income from the Government towards our building programs.

Our main item of expenditure is always our salary costs and these totalled $25.5 million over the year. $4.3 million was spent on our direct boarding and

$11.5m Government grants

Mr Ross Cardiff Chief Financial Officer

teaching costs. Central administration costs, which include items such as insurance, electricity, rates, information technology etc. totalled $4.5 million and our maintenance and grounds costs were $2.2 million.

Commercial activities catered for $1.6 million and interest and depreciation amounted to $3.1 million.

The total expenditure was $40.8 million, which gave an operational surplus of $6.6 million.

These funds were then spent on loan repayments of $2.3 million and our extensive Capital program, which is detailed above. This was funded via the Operational surplus, reserves and borrowings. Overall, our borrowings increased by $6.5 million over the year to help fund the various capital projects. The School undertakes loans over a 10-year period to spread the financial load over a number of years.

The Southport School is in good shape and the finances are one part of the larger puzzle that makes up this great school.

TSS NEWS

A Change Ahead New Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) processes

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or experienced educators who have been involved with schools for a long time and, like many TSS teachers, have worked in other education systems around Australia and across the world, it becomes evident that cycles occur and sometimes, everything old is new again. Many TSS Old Boys and parents will attest to the diversity of schooling systems throughout the world, particularly for the senior phase of learning Years 11 and 12, or indeed in some countries Year 13, as in the United Kingdom.

internationally as catering for student diversity and for being underpinned by a fundamental trust in the professionalism of teachers and schools to deliver work programs guided by syllabus documents, with the flexibility to acknowledge student diversity from Brisbane to Weipa, from Gold Coast to Longreach.

Whilst the retention of students in the senior phase of learning across the globe is motivated by governments and countries’ goals for societal development generally, another universal driver is access to tertiary studies, which in most countries is competitive due to a finite number of university places.

Concurrently with TE/OP changes, alternate pathways to tertiary study evolved, especially with the growth of Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs, designed to directly upskill people of all ages in specific areas of work. VET has expanded at such a rate, and universities have recognized VET training qualifications as legitimate and indeed advantageous avenues for tertiary entrance, that for many students, the OP pathway has not been the best option for university entrance.

Here in Queensland in the ‘70s, the TE (Tertiary Entrance) system was in place, features of which included external exams. The Viviani Report delivered to Government in 1990 drove change that saw the OP (Overall Position) system come into being, these changes largely driven by a perceived lack of equity for all students in accessing university courses - again, the competition for places.

Universities today look very different from the ‘70s & ‘80s when a ‘mature age student’ (anyone older than a school-leaver) stood out as atypical in any university lecture theatre. Alternate pathways and other initiatives including funding models have opened the access to tertiary study, which of course, is a good thing, because open access to education is the pathway to human progress; individually, societally and globally.

With distinctive features including wholly internally assessed subjects with a moderating state-wide test (the QCS Test), the OP system has been admired

Whilst the OP system remains valid as a means of ranking Year 12 students for tertiary study, alternate pathways have ‘muddied’ with the data, hence only

Ms Jo Inglis Deputy Headmaster — Head of Learning and Teaching 50% of 2018 graduates across Queensland will be OP eligible, with the remaining 50% using alternate pathways to access further education or work.

The TSS community is already familiar with aspects of the new changes the class of 2020 will experience in Year 12, one of which is the return to external exams in Queensland, for which TSS is ensuring thorough preparation, both in planning with the academic calendar shift, and in focusing assessment modes from Year 7 onwards to the new syllabus.

Meanwhile, the class of 2018 and 2019 are the last OP cohorts and TSS has ‘mastered the art’ of QCS preparation, with dedicated QCS lessons, completion of past papers externally corrected by QCAA markers, Masterclasses for the Academic 1sts and High Performance coaching sessions by external specialist coaches.

For the classes of 2020 onwards, the new year’s academic programs begin mid-Term Four, and teachers have been preparing for the new QCE and ATAR for over four years.

TSS is ready for the change ahead!

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THE BUSI NE SS OF

Inspiration Ms Jessica Prouten Head of Department Business and Enterprise

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r Ward started teaching at The Southport School in 1987 and was involved over the years in a variety of capacities, from teaching the first Business and Legal Studies classes, to running the Business and Enterprise department, to being Housemaster in Delpratt House.

During this time Phil has maintained a strong connection to the teaching of Business to students across Queensland. At a recent meeting of Business teachers conducted by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Phil was mentioned as a pioneering teacher in the field of Business, writing some of the first syllabuses, and holding the role of State Panel Chair in 2000. One of his colleagues in these panel meetings, Kerryn McCluskey (now with the QCAA) remembered ‘Phil, as a teacher, was inspirational. His sense of humour helped us through many a meeting!

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Above all, Phil’s energy for life is contagious and I blame him totally for working such long hours.’

It isn’t only colleagues who have valued Phil’s teaching. Old Boy Ross Jurisich, now co-founder and Director of Stone and Wood Brewery shared his experiences of Phil as a teacher in the late 1980s.

“Myself and 17 other boys, who were perhaps ‘academically challenged’, were given the opportunity to participate in a relatively new program called the Business Course that was managed and developed

by Mr Ward. We were made aware that we would not receive a TE score at the end of the program, however, if we chose to pursue tertiary education there was an opportunity for us to do so at The University of New England in Armidale.

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“The Business Course was made up of business subjects such as Business Management, Business Studies, English, Maths etc. and it sounded perfect to me.

“Although I loved the TSS school environment, unfortunately I wasn’t very good at the academic side of school, so the Business Course sounded like a great idea.

“As you could appreciate, the 18 boys in the course were seen as the dumbest kids in our year group.

Whether you like it or not, that was the reality, to everyone except Phil. He refused to be bound by the notion that academics are a measure of a boy’s intelligence and set about instilling that in us.

“I remember on a number of occasions being summoned to Mr Cook’s office to receive an ‘Academic Excellence Award’ for work that we had done on assignments or various other pieces of work. Mr Ward was determined that we would receive the same recognition for our effort as those studying main stream subjects. His primary goal was to make sure that we had confidence in ourselves and he was a fierce protector of that.

“He also gave us a lot of personal responsibility, we were given the chance to organise our own excursions.

“As many as we liked, however we had to report on

most respected post graduate business school academics came later in life for me.

“One of my greatest joys is hosting the TSS Year 11 students at our Murwillumbah brewery each year, I re-tell the stories above (and a few others). And if we’re lucky, we get to see Phil on this excursion also.”

During this period it was not only the boys at TSS who benefitted from the expertise of Mr Ward in their classrooms, in 1997 Phil and another Queensland teacher published ‘Business Organisation and Management in Australia’, a text that was used widely throughout the State with the implementation of the new Business Organisation and Management subject.

Despite moving to part time work in 2017, Mr Ward continues to be a crucial part of the Business department, filling in when the need arises, and this time helping out when Mrs Bennett resigned to move to Victoria.

Students in his current classes continue to enjoy the way he engages with the content and with them. Year 11 student Ben Kelly said he engages with students through the use of “real world wisdom and examples.”

“His passion and belief in the boys coupled with his acknowledgement that not everyone takes the same path to success really motivates them to each give their individual best. He has earned the boys’ respect with his consistent attitude and belief that everyone should have the opportunity to shine in their own way.”

Year 12 student Oscar Gallagher calls Mr Ward “one of the greatest teachers to bless the halls of TSS.” “He is kind, understanding, and has the rare ability to be friends with his students, while still getting them to complete their work, which requires a mutual respect that can only be found in the most highly acclaimed of teachers. There are so many things about Mr Ward that I appreciate, but his ability to take each student’s personality into account to tailor his teaching would have to be the aspect of his that I appreciate and respect the most. Being able to put my finger on one specific memory would be impossible, however the feeling I get knowing I have a class with him next will always bring a smile to my face.”

those excursions through a presentation. As myself and a number other boys were adverse to writing, we chose to video our excursions which included visits to the Brisbane Stock Exchange, Brisbane Airport, Shopping Centres (and meetings with Centre Management) or any other business that we could think of. We took the responsibility seriously and never took advantage of it — it was a trust thing.

As we move into a new era of Business education in Queensland, with the implementation of the new QCE system from 2019, it is fantastic to have the support and guidance of giants in the field such as Phil. He continues to take an interest in how the subject has evolved over the 20 years since he began inspiring Business students in Queensland.

“I’m incredibly grateful for Phil’s efforts in supporting us and so many other boys through what is a very delicate time in a boy’s mental development. I credit some of my success in business to his guidance and direction. Today I’m a co-founder of Stone & Wood Brewing Co, Australia’s second largest independent brewery, with annual revenue in excess of $70m. I also hold an MBA from QUT in Brisbane, one of Australia’s

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Headmaster’s Speech Day Address Aspects Of Masculinity - The Rider My address today looks at aspects of masculinity and the challenges we, staff and parents, have in teaching our boys about what it means to be a good man. It is a fraught topic and one that is certainly in the news at the moment. The catalyst for this talk came from watching a movie called The Rider. The Rider is not a mainstream Hollywood movie, it debuted and won awards this year at the Cannes Film Festival.

The movie is about a twenty one year old rodeo rider, Brady Blackburn, who suffers a critical injury. It is set and filmed at the Pine River Indian Reservation in South Dakota, home to members of the Lakota Sioux tribe, and is produced by Chloe Zhao, an emerging Chinese-American filmmaker, a strong feminist with clear views on masculinity.

Brady, as young men do, is working out who he is and where he fits in, within an environment that defines masculinity around physicality, horse riding ability and rodeo skills. After watching the movie, which at the time seemed half way between a movie and a documentary, I was captivated to find that Brady

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Blackburn in the movie is played by real life cowboy Brady Jandreau. His father, Tim, and sister Lilly, also play themselves in the movie, as do most of the other actors.

Brady’s parents are both Lakota Sioux and his bond to horses comes from his Native American heritage and their rural farming lifestyle. As someone who grew up watching cowboy versus Indian movies in black and white on the TV, I was amused with Brady Jandreau describing himself as a ‘cowboy and an Indian’!

Headmaster Mr Greg Wain addressed the School on Speech Day to discuss modern masculinity and what it means to TSS

Jandreau who taught her how to ride a horse. In early 2016 Brady sustained a devastating life changing injury.

As Chloe Zhao watched this young man struggle, with his dreams shattered, and the need to somehow redefine his identity, she found the theme for the movie.

Brady knew the risks of rodeo riding, saying … “You could be heading home with a gold buckle and a pile of money, or you could be going home with a broken leg … I would truly risk my life to keep doing what I love.”

Brady’s pride in his Sioux heritage and his understanding of the traditional role of a man are clear in his post movie interview comments (quote) … “The Lakota Sioux were basically the most dominant tribe in the region, just because of their horsemanship abilities.

They hunted better; they gathered better; they warred better; they raided better; they could travel better…

(Their horsemanship) just made everything better for the Lakota people.”

And Brady did risk his life … “I come off the horse and my foot hung in the stirrup…So it held me there, and I went underneath the horse and he stepped right on the side of my head. Luckily I’d come out of the stirrup, or else another step and I would have been dead…The gash was three-and-a-quarter inches long and an inch and a quarter deep…There was, like, horse manure and sand and stuff all in my brain…They rushed me to a hospital and luckily there was a brain surgeon there.”

Film producer Chloe Zhao moved to South Dakota in 2013 to make her first movie Songs My Brothers Taught Me. She stayed on looking for ideas for a second movie when she met locally famous rodeo rider Brady

As a result of his accident, Brady has a metal plate in his head, mild epilepsy and partial seizures which result in the uncontrolled clenching of his right hand. He is strictly ordered by the doctors not to ride again. In the

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movie, Zhao explores how Brady needs to come to terms with his situation and transform himself… “he understands what it is to be born to do one thing well.

And after that thing is taken, what becomes the substance of a life?”

Zhao also explores the flawed masculinity that many of us learned from our fathers, who, to be fair, knew no better.

There are some classic scenes of male communication, or lack thereof, in the movie. His father, tries to help as best he can by telling Brady …

“You have to play with the card you’re dealt”. His dad is correct, Brady cannot return to the rodeo circuit, but his dad can’t get any deeper into a conversation about how this is having such a massive effect on Brady’s identity and purpose in life.

Zhao says… “There is a recurring phrase throughout The Rider; ‘cowboy up’. Essentially, it means ‘man up’ or ‘tough it out’. We’ve all heard various iterations of these phrases before. His dad, Tim, taught him these values, to hold in your emotions and never show that you’re hurt because it gives the notion of weakness.”

Brady then makes the decision that riding and rodeos define who he is, there is nothing else to do but follow his original dream to keep riding, to compete in a rodeo, knowing it will likely kill him.

All boys have gentle, nurturing aspects to their character. Brady shows this in how he cares for his younger sister, Lilly, who has mild autism. Yet that gentleness is not something he and his male friends are comfortable exhibiting when they are together.

They argue. Brady says … “what about all those things you taught me dad, ‘toughen up, cowboy up’, well that’s what I’m doing”. Their eyes lock for a brief time, and, again, dad doesn’t know what to do, or what to say, so he walks away. He actually misses a critical moment to connect with Brady and probably convince Brady to forget the rodeo… but he has never been able to truly connect, and never had the practice.

We see his gentleness again in the horse breaking scenes. The owner of a particularly wild and difficult animal says the horse is a mix of … “thoroughbred Arabian, leopard and quarter horse … never ridden, and never even been touched by a human”.

When Brady first met this horse, Zhao just let the camera roll for two forty minute takes then cut it into a couple of minutes, which we will look at now, showing the whole process of Brady the ‘horse whisperer’ starting to break in the initially hostile animal.

I see an analogy between Brady’s horse breaking technique in the film clip and the evolution to twenty first century leadership. Less a physical domination, less the alpha male model, less yelling, and more working together as equals and seeking to understand the other, with empathy and cooperation the keys to success.

Later in the movie, Brady’s mental wrestling with his future, his purpose, and where he ‘fits in’ comes into focus with another sad incident. Brady buys an unbroken horse, Apollo, that nobody wants, breaks him in, rides him, against medical advice, and man and horse bond. Sadly, sometime later Apollo becomes tangled in barbed wire and becomes lame and Brady has to make the humane decision to put him down. He has to try to explain to his autistic sister why the horse has to die … “it’s not fair for the horse, he can’t run and play and do the things he wants to do”. This is Brady’s lowest point.

He realises he can no longer do the things he most wants to do. He is really struggling with the meaning and purpose of his life.

He explains to Lilly … “I got hurt like Apollo did, but I’m a person so I got to live … if any animal around here got hurt like I did, they would have to be put down… you know Lilly, I think God gives us all a purpose… for a horse it is to run across the prairie… for a cowboy,… it is to ride”.

This highlights another flawed aspect of masculinity - the chronic lack of communication skills of Brady and the men around him, and a fear of vulnerability in bringing up emotions. They are very good at talking and laughing about the glories and misfortunes of horse riding and rodeos. We see great connection and bonding there, but that’s about the limit of it. As men do, they keep things very superficial and uncomplicated. Brady hasn’t even got the skills to explain to his ‘cowboy up’ mates that his injury is not like a broken bone, it won’t fully fix, he has seizures, and his brain remains highly vulnerable to further injury, or death.

His dad observes all this and his best effort at expressing himself is to come home drunk one night and offer Brady a drunken hug. Brady is also struggling to understand his dad who has his own issues with the recent loss of his wife, Brady’s mother. Neither dad nor Brady can start a meaningful conversation.

His dad sees him heading off to the rodeo and tries to stop him.

Then the movie cuts to Brady at the rodeo preparing to ride, and being welcomed back enthusiastically by his mates, astoundingly none of whom think to ask him if riding a bucking bronco is a good idea. Luckily, Brady’s dad and sister arrive to watch … and Brady sees them in the distance just seconds before he is about to mount. Like much of the film, little is said but the facial expressions tell the story and you can see as Brady watches them, that he gets they came to support him, he gets that his dad is trying to bring them up well, he senses the unspoken love between them, but knows that his dad needs help, and he sees the vulnerability of his sister Lilly, and is hit by the realisation that she needs him too.

Brady senses a new purpose, as provider and protector.

Chloe Zhao is clearly passionate about changing the lives of boys and men, in particular in terms of the pressure boys and men are under to ‘man up’, ‘act tough’ and not admit to vulnerabilities. She writes… “If I have a boy, I want my boy to not have to feel all that pressure from the media and from society thinking that he can’t be vulnerable”.

In terms of societal pressure, the Jesuit Social Services group have just released The Man Box: A Study on Being a Young Man in Australia. This research on men aged 18 to 30 says … “Boys and men learn to be ‘proper’ men … from a very young age … through parental socialisation, peer groups, schools and universities and other institutions, sports, communities, and media and popular culture…the Act Like A Man Box is the set of beliefs within and across society that place pressure on men to be a certain way”.

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Part of their ‘culture of acceptance’ includes the active encouragement and regular practice of talking about your vulnerabilities and accepting the vulnerabilities of others.

Some of the research areas included the following Man Box rules: ‘A man who talks a lot about his worries, fears, and problems shouldn’t really get respect’. Half the men got that message from society and a quarter agreed with it.

‘A guy who doesn’t fight back when others push him around is weak’. Over a half got that message and a third agreed with it.

‘Guys should act strong even if they feel scared or nervous inside’. This was the most internalised Man Box rule with seventy percent getting this message, and a half of men agreed with it. I think in terms of mental health, this ‘man rule’ is really unhelpful.

‘It is not good for a boy to be taught how to cook, sew, clean the house or take care of younger children’.

Better news here with only thirty eight percent getting that message, but unfortunately a quarter of young men agreeing.

‘If a guy has a girlfriend or wife, he deserves to know where she is all the time’. Nearly half got that message and a third agreed with it. Again, this a worry as this ‘control issue’ is clearly a risk factor for partner violence.

The good news is that the majority of young men had personal views that did not agree with the Man Box rules. The bad news is around a quarter to a third of young men live predominantly within The Man Box. 18

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The other concern is that the progressive two thirds of young men would definitely include some young men who may not believe in the Man Box rules but, in the company of other men, go along with the rules.

The study found the results from Australia were consistent with similar studies in the US, UK and Mexico. Men following the Man Rules fared more poorly on a range of mental health, self harm, risk taking and wellbeing measures. So something about adhering to the traditional male norms of toughness, invulnerability, self-sufficiency and acting strong when they don’t feel it, is clearly harming men; mentally and physically. Those living the Act Like A Man rules had twice the number of thoughts of self harm, and a greater chance of being the victim or perpetrator of violence, including violence against women.

Interestingly the study indicates that men following the man rules have higher life satisfaction scores than progressive men who are going against the Man Rule message society puts out. Probably, following the Man Rules gives a degree of certainty about life, compared to progressive men wrestling with the dilemmas and uncertainties of the changes in society, which are clearly and rightfully occurring.

Tim Winton That is what the research is saying, what about the views of writers and creative thinkers on masculinity? At the Biddle House Supper three weeks ago Mr Stansbie spoke about the views on masculinity of the Australian author Tim Winton who has written Cloud Street, and more recently Breath and The Shepherds Hut. A keen observer of human nature, Winton laments certain flawed aspects of masculinity, saying … “some boys… because of neglect or indulgence…learn to be bad ...I don't think it's necessarily innate. They are sort of enlisted in the army of misogyny (prejudice against women) … had the tenderness squeezed out of them… Boys and young men are so routinely expected to betray their better natures … to renounce the best of themselves and submit to something low and mean.

As if there’s only one way of being a bloke … Especially the stuff they feel entitled or obliged to say about girls and women… there is a script there. It was almost as if they were rehearsing what they thought a real man should be like. That ‘script’, the abiding notion of men as invulnerable, flinty, emotionally distant, is destructive…, a kind of prison where the best parts of boys - the sensitive parts, the nurturing parts - go to die. It's so impoverishing… these kids are... Rehearsing their masculinity. And wordlessly looking for cues the whole time. … but the feedback they get is so damn unhelpful… Because good men don’t always stick their necks out and make an effort… says Tim Winton.

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Biological Elements of Masculinity Tim Winton thinks flawed masculinity is learned.

I think that is partly true but I think it also comes from our evolutionary past. Enter the monkey brain. The excitement, socialising pecking order driven, fight or flight, primitive part of our brain. Harvard biological anthropologist Richard Wrangham argues that men are the product of millions of years of evolutionary selection for aggression, right back to our primate ancestors.

Wrangham describes our close primate relatives, chimpanzees, as quite violent, conducting aggressive border patrols, fighting over territory, forming small raiding parties that go to war with neighbouring gangs, and are concerned about ‘alpha’ male pecking order status. Sounds like some Year 5 to 9 TSS boys if left unsupervised, and it also describes a large number of male politicians. And it probably tells us why peace between nation gangs, in the middle East for example, is difficult.

by physical toughness, self-reliance and emotional stoicism … when you have a problem, you just ‘deal with it’. But this tendency to bottle everything up has contributed to a rise in men’s mental health issues; and lives cut short because we’ve been wrongly taught that ‘real men’ don’t ask for help.”

The Man Up program principles have been reinforced by a Beyond Blue study that found if men open up to a mate, then it is then much easier to move on to talking to a professional.

Tom Harkin and Tom Bell facilitate the Man Up workshops at TSS, ‘reinventing masculinity by challenging stereotypes and strengthening emotional muscle’ by practicing the capacity to talk about difficult issues, talking about matters of weight and depth which

If that is not enough of a primitive predisposition for we males to try to control with our pre frontal cortex, we also have testosterone which Wrangham reminds us is linked to a desire to compete. When we win, males get a dopamine boost (a reward and motivational neurotransmitter) and a surge of testosterone which makes us want to keep on competing.

American NFL Super Bowl Ad on Masculinity

Man Up At TSS So, what are some of the things we are doing about all this? Chapels and assemblies bring these issues to the boys’ attention, and teach them to tap into their ‘ethical, reasoning, higher order cerebral cortex’. As another part of the solution, we have for the past two years enlisted the help of the Australian program Man Up. Man Up was started by radio personality Gus Worland after losing one of his mates and coming to the conclusion that his mate, and many men, choose to take their own life, rather than appear weak by asking for help. Women are much more likely to take action and talk to someone.

Gus Worland and the Man Up website says … “Harden up. Suck it up. Man up. We’ve been telling our men this for years, but it is not healthy… At under eights footy matches all over the country you still regularly hear adults offering boys helpful, 1950’s era advice like: ‘don’t be a sook’, ‘harden up princess’ and ‘boys don’t cry’. (Just like in The Rider) This is what we’ve been teaching our boys for years, so we shouldn’t be surprised when those boys grow up into emotionally repressed men that struggle with their mental health. It’s time we ditched this outdated and unhealthy approach and started encouraging boys that’s it’s ok to show their emotions … for years, our image of masculinity has been defined

The next phase was to align the Man Up program with our Year 10 Outward Bound Camp. Just a few weeks ago, the Year 10 camp teachers had a day with our boys before the camp, modelling what the boys had done during the Man Up workshops back in March.

Teachers, men, telling a story about themselves, talking about their insecurities, what frightens them, their worries, questions and vulnerabilities. This was the lead in to several ‘camp fire’ talks by the boys during the camp. It is about teaching the boys to understand the right time to have such conversations and how to get from surface level conversations about names and where people live, to what they are interested in, their family, down to topics like ‘where in your life do you display your most authentic version of yourself ’.

Boys had to identify someone in the group they knew the least about and get to know them better during the camp. At the end there were plenty of breakthrough moments as boys admitted at the start of the camp things like … “I thought you were just a rugby jock” … with the reply … “well I didn’t even know your name, just that you were from the bush, wherever that was”.

By the end of the camp those two boys, and the others had a much deeper understanding of people in the group, with boys showing empathy and applauding the courage shown as boys opened up about themselves.

often include emotional intensity. The program sets up a supportive environment in the group and asks some provocative questions to get members of the group trusting each other and practicing talking about issues and matters that they are sensitive about. If our boys learn how to do this, and practice it, they are a lot more likely to speak up when going through a tough time.

Tom Harkin says … “one of the biggest issues boys face is mixed messages, with some people telling them to be strong and tough, and others saying they should be in touch with their feelings. The workshops teach boys that’s it’s not an ‘either/or’ proposition … we should not be trying to diminish boys’ masculinity… men can be strong, dependable and tough, but also have times when they are emotionally fragile or feel vulnerable. There is no shame in this and no need to repress these feelings”.

This program sits nicely with our Vision Statement around emotional intelligence, positive psychology, wellbeing and leadership.

Aaron Rochlen, an educational psychology professor at The University of Texas, notes the influence of sporting icons on how boys and girls shape their gender identity. He applauds the 2018 Super Bowl ad by the American football NFL. It is actually about the NFL wanting to ‘fun up’ touchdown celebrations, but it was taken as a positive comment on evolving masculinity. (We will see the clip in a minute, which shows a re-enactment of the Dirty Dancing scene on one dancer launching into the air and being held up there by the other dancer. The joining in of the very large ‘offensive line’ players is particularly amusing ) Two of the toughest guys on the New York Giants team, quarterback Eli Manning and wide-receiver Odell Beckham Jr, having fun in a non-traditional manner. Watch for the masculinity policeman from last century attempting to stop this infraction of how men are supposed to interact.

Aaron Rochlen is sure this ad would not have happened ten years ago. The homophobia jokes and payouts on the players would have overwhelmed the intended message and humour that masculinity is evolving and can include playfulness and creativity, and even dancing.

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What Can We Learn From the All Blacks?

I was amused to hear of where people’s views of masculine behaviour were in New Zealand back in 1960 when television started and they showed English football for the first time. When a goal was scored the players gave each other a hug. The Auckland journalist who was reviewing the program went … “into a conniption and railed, aghast at the moral corruption of television for showing such disgraceful, unmanly behaviour”.

Fast forward to 2018 and we see the New Zealand All Blacks at the cutting edge of progressive masculinity. The All Blacks make establishing ‘a sense of belonging’ everybody’s responsibility. Part of their ‘culture of acceptance’ includes the active encouragement and regular practice of talking about your vulnerabilities and accepting the vulnerabilities of others. Mental health susceptibility is accepted as part of the human condition, and it can affect you regardless of how physically tough you are. The All Blacks are taught that asking for help takes courage and is a sign of strength.

Their mental skills specialist coach Gilbert Enoka also explains (he uses ‘ego’ where I have been using ‘alpha male’ chimpanzee behaviour) … “If you don’t put the team first, you’ll never make it as an All Black. We drive the notion of gratitude. When the ego grows too much, it squashes other things in the environment. In our cornerstone philosophies, the team towers above the individual. You’ll never succeed on your own, but you will be successful as an individual if the team functions well.”

Conclusion and Towards a Definition of Positive Masculinity In conclusion, when I think about all these masculinity issues, problems and ideas, I sometimes wonder whether we should even worry about the male aspects and just concentrate on ‘good personhood’; being a good human, rather than emphasising masculinity?

Concentrating on masculinity may be leading to unnecessary differentiation from women just to promote a male identity. Is this helpful? But then I go back to the brain research and our evolutionary past and remember men and women have brain differences because of the quite different roles we had for over 100,000 years living in tribal groups on the African Savanah.

As most of you know from my parent information talks, my theory is that because of increasing equality between men and women, and male and female roles becoming more and more the same, I believe in another 100,000 years men and women will have close to the same brain. As I tell the boys, spatial relations ability and physical strength, which males tend to have more of, are declining employment skills in the twenty first century.

Interpersonal relationship abilities, social problem solving skills and emotional intelligence are in much greater demand than spear throwing and arm wrestling. We owe it to our boys to help them ‘bush up’ that part of their brain to catch up to their sisters. Sure, we must celebrate the spatial relations skills and physicality of boys, but don’t let them limit themselves to that definition of a male.

women. All this change is causing complexity and uncertainty for many men and boys. Our monkey brains are challenged, and at times a bit confused.

We can help our boys by scaffolding both the reasoning part of their brain and their emerging pre-frontal cortex to understand and control their monkey brain instincts and urges. That is, to watch their ego, to focus on gratitude, remember that other people matter, and to check their competitive spirit is positive for all involved.

But we must also celebrate the positive traditional elements of masculinity and help our boys enhance those elements in the context of the twenty first century.

So, while we wait 100,000 or so years for men and women to have the same brain, we need to teach what it means to be a good person, but also acknowledge that males are different, celebrate the positives, and help boys understand and self-manage the potentially destructive elements of being male.

For example, here is my draft definition of positive masculinity. We want our boys to aspire to be a ‘strong courageous protector of others, seeking his purpose in life, who understands and uses wisely his propensity for moments of exploration, competition, aggression and adrenaline’.

I don’t think we have a crisis with masculinity as some suggest. But masculinity is evolving, and it needs to evolve, driven by many factors including the evolving roles of women in society, the changes in the world economy, and related changing demands for different twenty first century work related skills, and the rightful movement towards equality of men and

This TSS man knows that to protect other people and foster a sense of belonging for all, he needs the emotional strength, the social and emotional courage, to share his vulnerabilities and support his fellow men to communicate effectively, and he needs the courage to stand up for what is right.

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Life-Fit Assessing Wellbeing Health and How We Measure Up

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s a Positive Education School, we believe that the social and emotional wellbeing of our boys is just as important as their academic outcomes.

We already offer a number of school-based programs and learning opportunities from specialist professionals, passionate teaching staff and external agencies designed to enhance personal growth and wellness. However, unlike academics, we lack a means of evaluating how well we are supporting our boys in this area.

The Life-Fit-Learning System For the past couple of years we have been working with researchers at Griffith University on the development of a science-to-service online student wellbeing system called “Life-Fit-Learning”. The system is designed to assist us in understanding more about student wellbeing and evaluating our Wellbeing Health programs. Typically, wellbeing measures focus on psychological constructs such as anxiety and depression but we wanted to extend this to the proactive areas of wellbeing that we discuss with students such as MENS – mindfulness, exercise, nutrition and sleep. We also wanted to understand the influence of environmental factors such as peer relations and school satisfaction on our students’ wellbeing, as well as some of the positive student attributes that we focus on such as grit, optimism, gratitude and resilience. The information

will allow us to better understand the needs of each year level and focus Wellbeing Health programs on collectively identified student needs.

As the Life-Fit-Learning system requires reading and comprehension ability, we are initially using it with Years 4 to 12 only. We are strongly committed to supporting our Preschool to Year 3 students and recognise that these foundation years are critical for early intervention. However, at this stage we only have access to self-report student measures. The Griffith Life-Fit-Learning team are currently developing the parent-report version of the Life-Fit-Learning system and we look forward to offering this in the near future to complete our picture of Wellbeing Health for all our students from Preschool to Year 12.

What is involved?

The Life-Fit-Learning system will provide information about each year level as a whole. No identifiable information will be collected or stored on individual students. The ‘Assess’ step of Life-Fit-Learning typically takes students around 30-50 minutes (depending on age) to complete and will be conducted during school time under the supervision of TSS staff. Questions relate to happiness, positive feelings, anxiety, sadness, anger, sleep, nutrition, exercise, friendships, school

Dr Angela Zagoren Director of Counselling & Wellbeing — Health Senior Psychologist

satisfaction, time spent doing inside school and outside school activities, and social media and technology use. Questions also cover concepts such as student optimism, hope, grit, gratitude, self-efficacy, compassion, mindfulness, resilience and meaning in life.

All questions have been used extensively in student wellbeing projects and contain an audio icon so that students can hear as well as read all items. As we are working closely with the Griffith Life-Fit-Learning team to inform both our Wellbeing Health programs as well as ongoing knowledge about student wellbeing, the Life-Fit-Learning team will have access to the deidentified information collected from students to assist in analysing, evaluating and preparing reports for our school and for applied research purposes.

We are really excited to introduce Life-Fit-Learning to TSS Wellbeing Health. If you have any questions regarding the Life-Fit-Learning system or our Wellbeing Health programs, please email Dr Angela Zagoren, Director of Counselling and Wellbeing Health at angela.zagoren@tss.qld.edu.au

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From Shy to Confident How one student overcame his fear of public speaking with the help of the TSS Speech and Variety Club Mr John Wallace Speech and Variety Coordinator

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he 2018 AB Paterson public speaking finals were held in the second week of Term Four.

The TSS boys who made the finals were Chaad Hewitt Year 8, Vishaak Gangasandra Year 10 and Maximilian Murray Year 12. These boys had to place highly in their heats and semi-finals to make the final.

Maximilian Murray who participated in the highly competitive Year 12 Division, with a Bond Scholarship up for grabs, came second to a young lady from AB Patterson College.

Max gave it his all and the School is very proud of his efforts. He is an example of a boy in Year 8 who was not a confident speaker and who knew that a club like TSS Speech and Variety, would provide a platform for improvement in public speaking.

Max improved year by year and is now an accomplished speaker. This year he won Declamations, Senior Impromptu and Prepared Speech competitions. An example of persistence and a ‘never give up’ attitude. He is an excellent role model to the younger boys in the Club.

A group of current Year 12 students who have been involved in the Speech and Variety Club since they started at TSS in Year 7, will hang up their debating gloves this year after they graduate. These boys all highly value what Speech and Variety have done for them in terms of confidence and improving their skills of communication and here two of them share their reflections:

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“Over the past six years of my high school life Speech and Variety has become my second home. Before signing up to the club I had some previous experience with public speaking, however the club allowed me to expand my skills in regards to both prepared speeches and more importantly impromptu. Mr Wallace has allowed me to appreciate my own confidence and the other men in the club. Mr Wallace has created a safe environment for any boy to come and say what they please and express whatever they want to express. Everybody has mutual respect for everybody, from the seniors to the juniors and it really is one of the best, if not the best, club on offer at The Southport School.”

“As a Valedictorian of the Speech and Variety Club, I have come to realise that the two things that set the club apart from anything else at TSS are communication and community. Obviously, the club provides boys with the necessary skills to excel in speaking, but to me, the best part about the club is the sense of community. Mr Wallace does an admirable job in bringing together a diverse range of boys into forming bonds that carry through into everyday school life resulting in Year 12s having chats with fellow Years 7 or 8 club members and that’s what makes the club so special.”

Patrick Anning

Luke McIlwraith

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with Maximilian Murray Mrs Jacqueline Latimer TSS Marketing

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aximilian Murray has gained some great achievements since he commenced at The Southport School in 2013. But as a young reserved boy, Max realised he needed some help with overcoming his shyness, and decided to join the Speech and Variety Club in Year 8, to help build his confidence.

This wasn’t an easy feat, with Mr Wallace admitting Max was initially quite terrified. However, fast forward five years and Max is the perfect example of what dedication, courage and perseverance can do in order to help overcome fears. Here is a Q & A with Max, where he shares his insights and the journey of his involvement with the TSS Speech and Variety Club.

What made you enter the AB Paterson Competition and what was the topic you discussed?

I first competed in Year 4 at my primary school, St. Francis Xavier. I then entered once again in Year 9 after being encouraged by Mr Wallace. Since Year 9, I’ve spoken about quite political discussions ­‑ Year 9 on Fear, Year 10 on Domestic Violence, Year 11 on Drug Reform and Year 12 on Prison Reform.

What year did you join TSS Speech and Variety Club and what made you join?

I started Speech and Variety in 2014. My parents encouraged me to join as I was extremely introverted in Years 7 and 8 and saw it as a pathway to expand my horizons. Because I was very shy in my younger years,

I didn’t speak for nearly three years when I started at TSS, just because I was so afraid. Now, I have become comfortable to address groups of people relatively well, and I do ok with “off the cuff ” speaking.

What were you like with public speaking when you first joined Speech and Variety compared to now?

Looking back from where I started, I’ve come a long way. I was terrified to even speak, but now, I’ve become comfortable addressing crowds of 100-plus.

What do you plan to do when you leave school?

Currently, I am looking at studying project management and development at Bond University.

The end goal is to become a property developer, with a career in politics.

Do you think Speech and Variety has helped set you up for your post school life?

Absolutely, over my time here at TSS, I’ve been involved in almost every single aspect of the School. From music, sports, academics to charity. But by far, the most influential program here at TSS is Speech and Variety. I would not be in the position I am today without it.

Speech and Variety has served as the bedrock for my time here at TSS. It has made me the man I am today.

My advice is this, your parents over the course of the next six years, for many of you, will spend upwards of $120,000 dollars to fund your education, It’s only worth that if you do every single thing on offer here at the School. Sports, clubs, EVERYTHING!!! And that, without a shred of doubt includes Speech and Variety.

The ability to speak publically with confidence will serve you not just in school, or university, but in every single aspect of your life. DO IT! What are some of your other achievements since you joined Speech and Variety?

AB PATERSON * Year 9 - 1st * Year 10 - 4th * Year 11 - 2nd * Year 12 - 2nd SPEECH and VARIETY * Only Senior to win all three awards in one year: Declamations Main Speech Impromptu Speech

What advice do you offer to students who may be thinking about joining Speech and Variety?

Do it. Period.

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The Man Who

Never Gave Up THIS ARTICLE DIVES DEEP TO FIND OUT HOW SOUTH AFRICAN CRICKETER, DENZEL WILSON, ESCAPED APARTHEID TO BECOME A RENOWNED SCHOOL CRICKET COACH 24

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You need to stop playing [cricket], otherwise you might end up in a wheelchair…

Casey Amos Year 8 Student

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magine looking up at a colossal mountain that feels impossible to climb; indeed only few dare to attempt. A colossal piece of topography that is the only thing between you and your goals of victory and success.

Imagine after years of perilously scaling the mountain and finally rising to the top, you trip and plummet back down to Earth. Rough, right? Well, Denzel Wilson is a man who did just that, but against all odds, got back up dusted himself off and proceeded to climb once again.

For as long as he could remember, Wilson was enthralled with cricket. At the ripe young age of eight, his South African father encouraged him to play cricket and he started receiving lessons with his friends.

Over the years, young Denzel set his sights for competitive cricket in his late teens, but to reach state level is a mountain on its own and one that Wilson was willing to climb.

His unbridled determination, coupled with wild desires pushed him to work tirelessly and he eventually received a position in his South African state team.

Scaling the mountain to reach this level of play is difficult but the harsh terrains of the mountain were exacerbated due to the sour political climate of the South African Apartheid, which jeopardised Wilson’s involvement in sport.

Racial discrimination, like a thunderstorm on the mountain top made it difficult just to play a game, and yet, Wilson’s determination and hard work through it all saw him succeed in becoming a valuable player for the team.

Through all the hurdles, Wilson never gave up.

He gave his all and reaped the rewards due to these labours, but things took an unexpected dive in 1987, when, during a fiery game with the West Indies, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee.

Wilson recounts the pain as feeling like the world was tearing apart.

Four knee reconstructions, a broken cartilage, a knee replacement, and $2500 later, Wilson sat in the doctor’s chair preparing to hear the words that would knock him down from the top of the mountain he worked so hard to climb.

“You need to stop playing [cricket], otherwise you might end up in a wheelchair…”

Battered and bruised, there was no way for him to physically scale the mountain the same way he did before. Only after reaching the top and falling back down could Wilson understand the mountain from a new perspective.

He knew that he had received a lot of enjoyment from the game and wanted to give back to it equally, which he could do by training to become a cricket coach. Even though he could no longer play cricket due to his torn ACL, he began his journey up the same mountain for the second time through coaching.

Forty years later, Wilson has mastered the mountain, imbuing players with his cricket wisdom. He has produced many great players, coaching from the under sixteens in South Africa to The Southport School’s First XI. Wilson’s inspiring story shows that no matter how great the mountain, to never give up. And even if the mountain is disorientating, there is always more than one way to scale to its peak. In Mr Wilson’s words: “Everybody has some talent, make the most of your talent and never give up!”

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C L I M AT E C H A N G E

A GEOLOGIST DECLARES THE TRUTH

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The secret is to not destroy things – leave the future generations with a chance to continue.

Justin Bolton Year 8 Student

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apid changes to the concurrent world we live in are abundant. Past generations have lived carelessly in a climate filled with natural air and a colourful sunshine. But that is not the case today.

begun to ameliorate our environmental behaviour, is it sufficient?

A former geologist from the Queensland University of Technology, Bryce Goldburg; is an avid patron of the reality of climate change and relative conservatory contingencies. During his past years specialising as a talented Stratigraphist, Goldburg was an enthusiastic influencer regarding Earth’s finite supply of environmental resources.

Goldburg passionately believes human agency’s current solutions are “short-termed” and require improvement.

Whilst intuitive experts are seeking to inhabit on alternative planets and utilise artificial intelligence to resolve climate change; these developments are seldom apt: effectively meaning for the current moment, we have no solution to our inevitable fate.

Although Goldburg currently works an occupation within the education department, operating at The Southport School as Dean of Studies, he still maintains his insightful reflections.

Despite moving from geology to education, Goldburg continues to express his concerns for the evolving Earth with a love of learning.

While the debate on climate change for either side can be supported to a significant extent, what does a qualified expert in the field have to say?

“Scientifically, climate change is happening and I see the evidence provided by sceptics and scientists. The reality is that geologically speaking, there have been four Ice Ages and Interglacial periods that were very different from the current scenario.” he said.

Although it may seem a foregone conclusion, Goldburg disregards climate change as a dooming factor to the current generations. However, he still pushes the importance of conservatory maintenance as imperative if humans are to survive: “We must treat the Earth like our lives depend on it” he emphasises.

Whilst resolving climate change isn’t as simple as disposing of unwanted waste, the contribution of any single person matters. Each action has a consequence and perhaps with coherent actions in a positive influence, we’ll be able to glisten under that vibrant sunshine once more.

Evidently, climate change is becoming increasingly more apparent. Although we as a human race have

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Year 11 Student James Walden gets a glimpse into a possible future studying at the prestigious US University Mrs Jacqueline Latimer TSS Marketing

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or most, the opportunity to spend time at the prestigious Harvard University in the USA is a dream, but for one student this recently became a reality.

James Walden, who is currently in Year 11, sat the 2018 PSAT test here at The Southport School. This is a practice version of the renowned US College Board (SAT) test which allowed universities across America to make contact.

James then applied and was delighted to be accepted to Harvard Summer School. For seven weeks during June and July, James undertook two courses equal to a full Semester of work, and while he spent the majority of his time studying, he was also given the opportunity to travel. “Initially I had signed up to two 4 credit courses, which were computer science courses called Introduction to Python (a common programming language) and Introduction to Game Development,� he said.

T S S F E AT U R E

“I was also given the opportunity to explore Cambridge, Boston, as well as being offered the opportunity to go on a multitude of trips to the surrounding areas. Some of the more significant trips included both Yale University and MIT. The rest of the time I was able to explore freely and meet others who were in the program.”

Upon reflecting on his experience, James said he found it very beneficial and it gave him an insight into how universities function and how to apply to them, particularly those in the US. He also added that it was great to see what the world is like outside of TSS. “I met a wide range of people from the international community - both young and old - coming from countries such as India, China, Taiwan, Singapore, the UK, and numerous states across America. The two courses - whilst only being seven weeks long - covered more (when it comes to real life applications of the subject) than what I’ve learnt in the five years of computer science I have done here at TSS. It gave me confidence to pursue the area and a fresh look at the subject.”

Another factor that stood out was gaining his independence for the first time, from the moment his parents dropped him off at the airport which he described as “unique”.

“I’ve never lived away from my parents (excluding any small camps etc.) and I’ve never travelled alone so it was all very new to me from navigating the airport and having to deal with luggage, connecting flights, money management, and travel documentation. These were all first-time challenges.

The people I met were all very friendly and welcoming. I was able to meet both current Harvard students, as well as likeminded people who joined the program. Unknown to me, Harvard, like TSS, has a house system which consists of 12 Houses (again, like TSS). I was then assigned to one of these Houses, where each have their own separate living dorms.

The amount of freedom that was available on that trip was also fantastic. One memory that will stick with me was the 4th of July fireworks in Boston on the water.”

James found Harvard to be an amazing but enormous campus that stretched multiple streets and areas – each with their own separate libraries and facilities. He said the combination of old architecture with high-tech facilities was awe-inspiring.

Moving forward, James is focussed on his school studies and has aspirations of attending Harvard following Year 12, but says he will be equally happy to study in Australia.

“I would love to study there, but it’s almost an impossibility to be accepted into such a University.

Regardless of this, I still as of now am planning to at least apply and give it a go. Even if I do not get accepted, I would still love to revisit the US and explore more in my own time after school.

Currently I plan to study Computer Science, but I’m not very sure on where I will study. If I were to get into a good school in the US, I’m very sure I would go, otherwise, universities such as UQ or University of Melbourne are interests of mine.”

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TSS ARTS

I

t is a seemingly impossible task to try to explain The Complexity of Us as human beings. The momentous transition from adolescence to manhood is one fraught with obstacles and challenges, yet often tackled silently. We hear it, we say it, but we don’t talk about it – ‘opening up’ about us.

The Complexity of Us gives voice to just that – ‘us’ – by exploring a raw and voyeuristic view of seven interconnected boys’ deepest secrets, rages, fears and hopes. Drawn from the responses of starkly honest interviews of teenage boys and specific scenes compiled from Australian contemporary playwrights, this brave and emotionally charged play opened the conversation of what it really means to be young in modern society.

With an emphasis on the integration of text and movement, The Complexity of Us peered into the lives of these young men as they grapple with who they are, where they’ve come from and where they’re going.

With their hearts in their hand and through genuine raw pain and emotion, we see everything these young men aspire to be as they bury the hatchet and forge their own path.

A delicate and at times confronting conversation between parent and child and self, the performance ignited conversations, challenged perceptions and remoulded misconceptions of male relationships, identity, gender and physicality, whilst every father, mother,

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brother and grandfather present was able to rediscover, relate and understand through the undeniable sense of past and present experience.

The Complexity of Us achieves an explanation into these younger lives that we never knew we needed.

We owe this group of boys a standing thank you not only for their vulnerability, but also for ours.

Cast Taj Merrion, Sam Neal, Brock McMahon, Oliver Martin, Matias McDonald, Ben Stuart and Sam Stevens

Mr Will Horan Head of Drama

TSS ARTS

Photo Credit: Dylan Evans

TSS ARTS

OW H S T R A P TSS PRE

LECTION

COLLECTION

COLLECTION

COLLECTION

Archie Wallace (Year 6) and his father Mr Mike Wallace at the TSS Prep Art show

Mr Jeff Symms Deputy Headmaster ­— Head of Preparatory School

P

arents and families were invited to the annual TSS Prep Art Show in October where they viewed beautiful artworks including paintings, sculptures, prints, collages and drawings from Reception to Year 6.

The Preparatory School Visual Art Department organised a wonderful exhibition of student works, which proved so popular it had to be extended.

The tremendously talented teaching team of Mrs Kerrie Anderson, Mrs Shelagh Rogers and Mrs Amanda Mutch skilfully guided the boys into producing works of an exceptional standard.

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TSS ARTS

The

Power of Music Mr Rob Cooke TSS Director of Music

M

usic has always been a special part of human ritual, ceremony and celebration. It has the power to bond people of all cultures, gender, age and it engages emotions and a deeper sense of communication that is very difficult to comprehend.

With this in mind, the TSS music department set out to create a communal music event that would bring together all parts of our school community. The end result was the formation of a massed choir of over 160 members that included Year 2 to Year 12 students, staff members, parents, and grandparents, siblings of TSS boys and staff and students from other schools. The choir was also supported by an orchestra of 35 musicians comprising TSS students and music staff.

A piece of music on a grand scale was needed for this special ensemble and so it was fitting that we chose George Fredrick Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’ which is a glorious anthem performed at every British Royal Coronation since 1727. After a busy night time rehearsal schedule the group were ready to perform at a concert that featured many of the school ensembles from the Prep and Senior School.

Zadok the Priest was a marvellous finale to this concert and exceeded the expectations of all concerned. One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was that many members of the choir had never sung in a large group before and were really getting out of their comfort zone! I would like to thank and congratulate all concerned for their efforts and the performance they created.

The music was indeed spectacular, but just as spectacular was the special bond an extended TSS family made in such a relatively short time –the power of music!

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TSS SPORTS

Through Narrow Straits to Victory Mrs Karen Ellis TSS Marketing

O

ne of the first photos I took upon starting at TSS was of the Delpratt boys huddled in a cluster on the Clocktower lawn, screaming out their war cry before heading to Cross Country.

I soon learnt from witnessing this first House event for the year that the House Shield competition was not something to take lightly. In fact, this prize was the most coveted of all awards. I know of no other school which schedules inter-house clusters outside of school hours – and the students not only turn up, but in droves!

In many of the events, Houses were neck and neck with some clusters being won by only half a point.

Stemming back to 1909 the inaugural House Shield Competition included the three boarding Houses, Thorold, McKinley and Delpratt. It was first awarded to McKinley, and in the second year Thorold took out the Shield, fuelling the deep competition which still exists today between these two boarding houses.

All twelve Houses now vie for the Shield in swimming, touch football, cross country, diligence, tugo-war, track and field, drama, soccer, declamations and chess to name a few. Each event is highly anticipated and the spirit, enthusiasm and commitment shown is second to none.

This year’s competition was no different. In fact, due to the rescheduling of House events owing to the dreaded Norovirus during Term One, spirit among

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the boys reached new heights. In many of the events, Houses were neck and neck with some clusters being won by only half a point.

Delpratt House looked strong contenders for retaining the title of House Shield champions, streaks ahead in points after the cross country and the first cluster of tennis and tug o’ war. Declamations and volleyball turned the tables and left Maughan, Delpratt, Turnock and Biddle as front runners for the Shield in Term Two. It was a close run race between Walker, Kaiser, McKinley, Maughan, Biddle and Atkinson, with only a few points separating the six Houses leaving House swimming the final event.

Maughan secured the pool deck but it’s not true that lions can’t swim. By sheer brute force McKinley took out the House Shield for 2018.

The passion shown by all boys towards their House during these events is always astounding. The spinetingling yells of each war cry, the finish line surrounded by all boys cheering on those yet to cross, the colours of each warrior striped in war paint ready for battle. It’s amazing how House spirit, perfectly invisible, becomes quite tangible in those moments.

TSS SPORTS

Excerpt from The Southportonian, 1935‌

House Shield Points to Date 2018 Swimming

Tennis / Tug ‘o War

Cross Country

Drama

Soccer/Dec/ Volleyball

Athletics

Touch Basketball Chess

Total Points

Current Ranking

Atkinson

5

6.5

4

4

3

10

8

40.5

9th

Biddle

1

6.5

6.5

10

10

9

9

52

3rd

Delpratt

10

1.5

13

9

9

8

2

52.5

2nd

Kaiser

11

10.5

5

1

2

4

10

43.5

8th

Maughan

13

1.5

8.5

6.5

13

2

7

51.5

4th

McKinley

9

8.5

11

8

4

13

13

66.5

1st

Melbourne

2

5

1.5

13

7.5

5

4

38

10th

Radcliffe

6

10.5

6.5

6.5

7.5

6

3

46

7th

Surman

7

3

5

5

1

7

1

34

11th

Thorold

3

13

2

2

6

11

5.5

49

5th

Turnock

8

8.5

11

11

11

3

5.5

48.5

6th

Walker

4

4

3

3

5

1

11

31

12th

1st - 13 points | 2nd - 11 points | 3rd - 10 points | 4th - 9 points | 5th - 8 points | 6th - 7 points | 7th - 6 points | 8th - 5 points | 9th - 4 points | 10th - 3 points | 11th - 2 points | 12th - 1 point

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35

HOUSE

SHIELD

WINNERS

1909 - 2018

1909 McKinley

1945 McKinley

1983 Thorold

1910 Thorold

1946 Delpratt

1984 Walker

1911 Delpratt

1947 Delpratt

1985 Walker

1912 Thorold

1948 Delpratt

1986 Walker

1913 Thorold

1949 McKinley

1987 Walker

1914 Thorold

1950 McKinley

1988 Walker

1915 Thorold

1951 Delpratt

1989 Delpratt

1916 Delpratt

1952 Thorold

1990 Thorold

1917 McKinley

1953 McKinley

1991 Thorold

1918 McKinley

1954 McKinley

1992 Thorold

1919 McKinley

1955 McKinley

1993 Melbourne

1920 Delpratt

1956 McKinley

1994 Delpratt

1921 Thorold

1957 McKinley

1995 McKinley

1922 Thorold

1958 McKinley

1996 Thorold

1923 Thorold

1959 McKinley

1997 McKinley

1924 Thorold

1960 Thorold

1998 Biddle

1925 Thorold

1961 Thorold

1999 McKinley

1926 Thorold

1962 Thorold

2000 Biddle

1927 Delpratt

1963 Delpratt

2001 McKinley

1928 McKinley

1964 Thorold

2002 McKinley

1929 McKinley

1965 Thorold

2003 McKinley

1930 McKinley

1966 Thorold

2004 Atkinson

1931 McKinley

1967 Thorold

2005 Radcliffe

1932 Thorold

1968 Thorold

2006 Walker

1933 Thorold

1969 Thorold

2007 McKinley

1934 Delpratt

1970 Thorold

2008 Walker

1935 Delpratt

1971 Thorold

2009 Walker

1936 Delpratt

1972 McKinley

2010 Thorold

1937 Delpratt

1973 Thorold

2011 Kaiser

1937 Thorold

1974 McKinley

2012 Maughan

1938 Thorold

1975 Thorold

2013 Maughan

1939 Thorold

1976 Delpratt

2014 Thorold

1940 McKinley

1977 McKinley

2015 McKinley

1941 McKinley

1978 Walker

2016 Thorold

1942 Delpratt

1979 McKinley

2017 Delpratt

1943 Thorold

1980 Delpratt

2018 McKinley

1944 Thorold

1981 Delpratt

1944 McKinley

1982 Thorold

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TSS SPORTS

CAMPDRAFTING 2018

A

fter winning the inaugural Inter-school Campdrafting Percentile Cup in 2017, a 13 strong contingent of TSS boys competed at the 2018 event in an attempt to retain the Dowling Family Trophy.

From November 9-11, 26 schools turned up all with the same aim in mind and the standard of competition was second to none. With pride on the line the boys set about the task, falling only a fraction short of their goal and achieved third place overall.

Three boys made the top 30 and had a shot in the final; first up was Howie Bassingthwaighte and he had not missed a score in his previous four runs - the only one to achieve this. The Santa Gertrudis steers straight from Lemon Tree feedlot would be his specialty, and he ran an 87.

Tom Cannington, the 2017 Individual Champion, was next. He tried to add to two 88s but the judge Terry Hall dropped the whip on him and he rode off contemplating what might have been. Next was Jack

Dowling with a power of horse under him; he came out into the arena with two heads instead of one.

Mr Bruce Rutherford Agriculture Science Teacher

TSS Campdraft Team 2018

The judge and some boys rode hard to cut one off so he could get a good go at the course, but he was unsuccessful. The judge then decided he should be allowed another go. From the pen he cut another and with fierce determination he directed and drove it around the course and through the gate for an 84 and when added to his previous scores of 89 and 90 he won the Individual Championship.

Jack Dowling

Congratulations to all the boys for an entertaining couple of days. They all tried their hardest and that is all anyone can ever ask. Thanks to the Parents and Friends who travelled huge distances, in some cases, with their trucks loaded with valuable and talented horses to enable the boys to compete. Thanks to the McNamee and Curr families for the cattle. I can’t wait for next year.

Sam Pearson

Rory Sheppard Tom Watts Howie Bassingthwaighte Tom Cannington Jack Atthow Charlie Rasheed Dan Atthow Hugh Chandler Tom Bassingthwaighte Drew Bassingthwaighte Will Johnson

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TSS SPORTS

In a year of strong sportsmanship, TSS rugby was at its best with a number of victories and the First XV delivering a nail-biting finish

Mr Adrian Blundell Director of Rugby

F

ollowing on from winning the Premiership in 2017, along with All Schools 7s and an undefeated tour of South America, tours again played a major role in the development of many teams this preseason. The Prep School toured the North Island of New Zealand, and all the A teams joined our First XV squad and travelled to Sunshine Coast at the end of the Term Two break. Another tour is already confirmed for TSS to tour Japan for Rugby World Cup 2019.

2018 has certainly been a terrific season. In particular I would like to thank those parents involved with the Rugby Support Group and our major sponsors Audi Centre Gold Coast, Gold Coast Private Hospital & Bank of Queensland.

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TSS RUGBY 2018

Round 1

Round 2

Round 1 saw the inclusion of a record number of players and teams vs Churchie. The lower U13 teams recorded victories in their first ever GPS Rugby match. Whilst on the Village Green, the seniors remained undefeated in their strongly contested game with the First XV final score of TSS 40 – ACGS 5.

Round 2 saw TSS travel away to play BSHS and also TGS in a number of supplementary games. BSHS provided a physically larger opposition in the junior grades and the results reflected this.

With early season injuries, a number of boys debuted for the First XV and the strength of our squad was tested. The final score was TSS 37 – BSHS 5.

Coach Points Honourable mention to Spencer Jeans and points went to Boyd Radel 1, Tom van der Schyff 2 and Campbell Parata 3.

Coach Points Honourable mentions to Campbell Parata and Hamish Roberts, points went to Hugh Robinson 1, Luc Lyndon 2 and Wilson Blyth 3.

Round 3 Round 3 saw TSS back at home vs Toowoomba Grammar School.

Tom van der Schyff returned from injury to lead the team and Lachie McInnes made his run on debut as Spencer Jeans was injured. The halftime score was 17-12. Unfortunately for TGS, the second half saw them dominated by excellent play by TSS and a final score of 67 – 12.

Coach Points Honourable mentions to Tom van der Schyff, Hugh Robinson and Zach Palmer. Points went to Dion Samuela 1, Campbell Parata 2 and Luc Lyndon 3.

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TSS RUGBY 2018

Round 4 Round 4 TSS travelled to BGS playing fields at Northgate. Jock Thompson made his run on debut and was met by a switched on and determined BGS. TSS started with a reasonably strong NE wind behind them but did not use it well enough in the first half.

However the forwards excelled here and in a number of scrums, and won the BGS tighthead. A rather nervous eight minutes followed until a crucial steal at the BGS lineout by replacement Marlon Jones frustrated BGS, who then gave away three consecutive penalties before the fulltime score of TSS 25 - BGS 20.

Coach Points Points went to Tom van der Schyff 1, Hugh Robinson 2 and Spencer Jeans 3.

In a quite remarkable statistic, EVERY TSS team that played on the Village Green, remained undefeated for the entire 2018 season.

Round 5 Round 5 saw TSS back at the Shark Tank for our Domestic & Family Violence Awareness round vs BBC. Jesse Grey and Thom Gibson made their run-on debuts and welcomed back was Reno Gerrard, after missing a few weeks with a hamstring injury. Campbell Parata converted the first penalty with ease and he continued to have a great game with his kicking, with four conversions, three penalties, and organisational direction in the backs. Spencer Jeans and Luc Lyndon both scored tries but BBC scored just before the break from a high kick and phase play and the halftime score was 20-5. The TSS forwards dominated the second half to run out an eventual 54 – 15 win against a previously undefeated team!

Coach Points Honourable mentions to Tom van der Schyff, Wilson Blyth and Spencer Jeans. Points went to Tyrell Kopua 1, Zane Nonggorr 2 and Campbell Parata 3.

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TSS RUGBY 2018

Round 6 Round 6 was our annual Old Boys celebration weekend which drew a massive crowd for the main game against Gregory Terrace. As this was the final home game, the Year 12s felt an even greater emotional commitment than usual. Campbell Parata had another strong game scoring two, kicking six conversions and just missing two more after the ball hit the upright and he landed one penalty kick.

Hamish Roberts made a fine forty metre break, Dion Samuela a great 50 metre kick and soon after the ball got to Reno Gerrard for him to score. A kick to the GT fullback allowed their players to run the ball some sixty metres and score. Boyd Radel made a good break and a quick recycle got the ball to Campbell who scored. A wellexecuted backline move saw Ronan Kapi slice through and avoid four defenders in his thirty metre run to score and at halftime it was 31-17. A near similar situation not long after, saw Zane show his ball handling skills with a nice short pass to put Boyd Radel through a gap and he had a short run to score.

Reno and Zane scored again and GT made two big breaks down the sideline to score the last two tries which took the gloss off the final score, which was TSS 60 - GT 45.

Coach Points Honourable mentions went to Spencer Jeans, Tom van der Schyff and Wilson Blyth. Points went to Zane Nonggorr 1, Campbell Parata 2, and Ronan Kapi 3.

Round 7 Round 7 TSS kicked off in a blustery cross field wind. IGS players quickly showed they were a very determined team scoring twice in the first six minutes, leading 0-14. The strong TSS forward pack won a tighthead scrum and this was followed by a good 35 metre run by Hamish Roberts. A little later Ronan Kapi seized his chance, dummied and stepped to score and Campbell Parata converted this and another four from a further seven tries. Dion Samuela made a crucial try saving tackle, however IGS soon scored again and ran it from their own 15 to score and TSS were down at halftime 19-26.

IGS almost regained the lead late in the second half, however a crucial turn-over by Boyd Radel saw Reno Gerrard get the ball, brush off a couple of defenders, and then run 40 metres to score on fulltime, much to the relief of the TSS supporters with a final score of TSS 48 – IGS 38.

Coach Points Honourable mention, Reno Gerrard. Points went to Wilson Blyth and Zane Nonggorr 1 each, Ronan Kapi 2, and Boyd Radel 3.

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TSS RUGBY 2018

Round 8 Round 8 It was great to see the TSS Second XV run out on to the main Downlands College oval and out through the long tunnel of TSS supporters. This was always going to be a tough match for TSS as they matched up against the Downlands First XV. Man of the match Dougal Coleman had a cracking game and dominated so many aspects of the forward contest. Tyler Wright kicked well and converted the TSS tries in challenging wet and slippery conditions.

Gus Morris was strong in midfield and had some powerful runs in attack but it was the way he linked with Lachlan Bruce that set up so many good TSS attacks. The heavy rain at halftime made handling difficult and there was a period of play where both backlines struggled to keep possession. Wilson Statham tidied up at fullback and linked well in attack but it took a no nonsense moment from Jock Thompson to score a great breakaway try. TSS scored their final try in the last play of the game to lead Downlands by 36-0 at full time. This was a resounding victory and a good platform for the big game verses Nudgee in Round 9.

Round 9 Round 9 was the ultimate final round for GPS Rugby 2018.

Incredibly every Open team from TSS were playing for undefeated seasons. In the 100th year of GPS sport it was fitting the Rugby premiership came down to the last game between two undefeated teams and there was a huge crowd around Ross oval.

Nudgee dominated possession and field position for most of the first half. They scored first and a couple of long breaks resulted in two more tries, so the halftime score was 0-24. From the first lineout Tom van der Schyff stole the Nudgee ball which got passed out to Ronan Kapi to make a 20 metre break, draw the defence and passed to Dion Samuela for him to run another 40 and score in the TSS crowd corner. Zane Nonggorr made a blockbusting run which finally resulted in a TSS scrum. With a wide blindside, the ball was sent to Dion to step and force his way over for his second try.

Representative Selections As a reward for their hard efforts during the pre-season training and GPS fixtures, a large number of TSS students and Old Boys have been selected in various Representative teams.

U15 Junior Gold Cup

Queensland Schoolboys

U19 URC

Cooper McGeary

Reno Gerrard

Ben Paxton-Hall (RAD 16)

Flynn Atkins

Ronan Kapi

Reno Gerrard

Harry Wells

Max Dowd (MAU 17)

Louis Chabert

Jack Butler (BID 16)

Sam Morris

Egan Siggs (MAU 17)

U16 QLD REDS

Australian Schoolboys

Junior Wallabies

JoJo Fifita

Tom van der Schyff

Angus Blyth (BID 16)

Harry Vousty

Zane Nonggorr

Hayden Sargeant (MAU 15)

Michael van der Schyff

Tyrell Kopua

Kaleb Ngamanu

Spencer Jeans

Syris Schmidt

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Reno was then deemed to be held up near the posts, however soon after he was lurking out wide and received the ball to barge over in the corner and Campbell read the wind well and converted this try. With about six minutes to go the score was 29-29, then Nudgee missed a penalty shot. Soon after they kicked through in the backline which was deflected in an attempted charge down and the ball bounced straight back to them and then with a grubber kick their winger just scored in the corner. Tom managed to get the ball back from the kick-off, however this was then turned over and Nudgee retained the ball until the whistle and won the Premiership TSS 29 – NC 34.

TSS SPORTS

Red, White and Blue

at the Tri-Nations

Mr Dan Trollope TSS Sport

T

his year, four students represented The Southport School in the Tri-Nations Rugby Carnival played between Australian, New Zealand and Tongan schools.

Tom van der Schyff, Spencer Jeans and Tyrell Kopua were selected in the Australian Schools team and Zane Nonggorr was selected in the Australian Schools Barbarians Team. Zane scored tries against both the New Zealand and Tongan schools. Spencer and Tom were standouts in both tests and Tyrell, returning from a head knock, picked up in the final game against Nudgee Collage and was immense against New Zealand.

Photo credit: Debbie van der Schyff

Ultimately New Zealand schools were successful in winning the Tri-Nations tournament beating Australian schools 24-12 at Ballymore in Brisbane.

Following on from the Test Series an Australian U18 team was selected to tour the UK and Ireland in November and December.

Tom, Spencer and Tyrell as well as Reno Gerrard, who represented Qld Country at the U19 NRC Championships in Canberra, were successful in being selected for this tour.

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TRACK TSS SPORTS

+FIELD 44

Band of Brothers

TSS SPORTS

Mr Damian Mednis Director of Track and Field

T

he House Track and Field carnival was conducted at TSS on the last day of Term Two. This formed the basis of the TSS Track and Field Training Squad.

During Term Three training for all disciplines was held on Monday and Wednesday afternoons under the watchful eye of our highly regarded coaching team of Peter and Sharon Hannan, Jackson Elliott, John Lane, Brett Green, Josh Connolly and Sonia Weatherley. John Lane is a former Old Boy of TSS and competed for England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The District and Regional Track and Field Trials were held in Term Three and it was pleasing to see 14 TSS boys qualify for the State Championships in Brisbane from October 25-28. The following boys, which include the Preparatory School, all qualified for the State Championships: Hayden Atkinson, Charlie Blok, Harry Blok, Diesel Donnelley, JoJo Fifita, Jed Heslop, Angus James, Dougal Jones, Leo Llewellyn, Brayden Mercer, Sam Neal, Tom Ramsay, Jack Stapleton, Harry Ward and Oscar Yared.

The Senior GPS Track and Field Championships were held on Saturday 3 November at QSAC in Brisbane. The Junior GPS Track and Field Championships were on Wednesday 24 October also at QSAC. In the lead up, the squad has competed at the GPS invitational meets in readiness for the “big dance�.

TSS assembled a rather strong squad. Preparation along with consistent training was our primary focus leading into the GPS championships and our mantra was to compete hard and compete with a smile.

Whilst we did finish in 9th place, there were not many points between the last five schools. There were some stand out performances on the day by James Smith (high jump of 1.96cm breaking a school record), Charlie Blok and JoJo Fifita.

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TSS SPORTS

Mr Brendan Le Gassick Director of Basketball

D

uring the 2018 GPS season strong levels of competition were displayed across all age groups with some outstanding basketball being played.

The Prep School again proved to be a force in GPS basketball under the guidance of Mrs Marisa Schroder. Well done to the 6A’s team who again claimed the prized basketball award of the “Most Successful Team” going through the season undefeated – an outstanding result.

The Open First team experienced a changing of the guard from last year with nine out of the 12 players graduating in 2017. Due to the challenge of player availability and injuries, our younger players were given the opportunity to step up and compete at the highest GPS level. It was exciting to watch our younger players hold their own against older and more experienced players.

We commenced the season with two close losses, one to Churchie on our home court as the boys fought back hard coming from a deficit to hit the lead in the last quarter. The following week we travelled to Brisbane State High School, losing in overtime in front of a vocal BSHS student body.

The boys then closed the season strongly, winning four out of their last six games to finish 5th on the GPS ladder.

Less than a week after the final GPS round game, our Open First team competed against 16 of the best basketball schools throughout the State at the Championship Basketball Schools Queensland tournament in Logan. We started the tournament strongly, winning our first game against Mountain Creek High School by 11 points and falling short to Brisbane State High School by 10. However, in our first game we lost our star player, Oliver Hill, to injury, which impacted our leadership and scoring ability for the remainder of the tournament.

Cody Meuleman was a standout during the entire championships, posting multiple 30+ scoring games and double-digit rebounding, finishing second leading scorer for the tournament. First year TSS player Harry Blair stepped up and showed his ability to play against the best in the State, easily one of the most impressive 15 year old’s in the competition. Brock McMahon stood tall in the tournament, showing his determination and scoring ability, finishing the tournament with an average of 15 points.

With a disappointing crossover game, TSS fell into the bottom eight with a surprising matchup against GPS premiers Ipswich Grammar School, competing for 11th spot. TSS had the lead by 10 at the half time break, however ran out of energy and finished 12th in Championship Division.

Our basketball program continues to experience growth with close to 300 boys playing, providing a platform of enjoyment for all levels of participation.

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TSS IN FOCUS

Making a Birdbath

Learning and creativity the perfect combination Ms Kerrie Lesko Preschool Teacher

I

n Term 3 we read a book called “Dogs Never Climb Trees” by Lynley Dodd. There was an interesting part of the story that drew the attention of the boys when the dog in the story knocked over a ‘bird bath’.

This sparked interest amongst the group as many of the boys did not know what a birdbath was. This lead to a discussion on what it is and what birds use them for prompting one student to suggest they make one for the birds at Preschool. This was met with great enthusiasm from the rest of the boys who immediately began thinking up ideas of how to make it.

It was suggested that concrete could be used to create the bath and this was followed up by a trip to Bunnings.

The boys loved mixing the cement and then decorating it with jewels, beads, sticks and wires.

After letting the concrete sit for two weeks, the boys were able to peel off the plastic to reveal the bird bath.

This was a very exciting moment and there was much conversation as we cleaned and filled the birdbath.

After these jobs were completed, we placed the finished product into the Preschool garden and watched and waited for the birds to come.

What are the children learning: QKLG Active Learning

4.1

Building positive dispositions and approaches toward learning

4.1.1

Enthusiasm for learning and curiosity

4.1.2

Problem solving and investigating

4.1.3

Applying and reflecting on learning

4.2

Increasing confidence and involvement in learning

4.2.1

Confidence, interest and involvement in learning

4.2.2

Making choices and organising resources for learning

4.2.3

Ways to contribute to learning conversations

4.3.

Engaging in ways to be imaginative and creative

4.3.1

A sense of wonder, imagination and creativity

4.3.2

Ways to creatively represent ideas, feelings and experiences

To potentially help speed up the process the boys decided to make ‘welcome’ signs and then placed them strategically around the bird bath in hope a bird or two would come to visit. The waiting took a long time and there were lots of discussions as to why the birds had not come. Some of the boys put food out to entice the birds, but still no birds came. We placed rocks and sand in the bottom of the bird bath to make it shallower for the birds, but still no birds came. The boys remained positive the whole time, waiting and trusting that one day the birds would come.

Then on October 19 during Week 2 of Term Four 11 weeks after the bird bath idea began – the first visitor finally arrived. The boys were eating their lunches, ever so quietly, when a magpie came up and took a drink.

The boys continued to sit quietly as they watched the bird drink and then fly away afterwards. It provided the perfect lesson in patience belief.

Teacher reflections By participating in meaningful activities that have holistic links to their ideas and opinions, the boys are learning that their thoughts and processes are important and valued as part of their learning environment. They are discovering that they can be actively involved in their own learning experiences.

When discussing how to get the birds to come to the bird bath, the students were learning to problem solve and to think critically. I was impressed by the boys’ dedication to their idea and belief in it. They stood strong in the idea that if they made a bird bath, the birds would come. It was beautiful to observe their intrinsic belief in their idea and their commitment to it. The narrative between the boys and the bird bath continues daily and has become a catalyst for conversations between the community and its’ learners.

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TSS IN FOCUS

Year 10 Rites of Passage Outward Bound Camp & ‘Man up’ Masculinity Workshops

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TSS IN FOCUS

Explore how we can look after ourselves, our mates and families better while carving out our own version of the Aussie man.

Mr Karel Bos Dean of Students Years 7-12

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einventing Masculinity with The Southport School and Tomorrow’s Architects our Year 10 boys participated in critical workshops with TSS staff and ‘Tomorrow Architect’ facilitators. These groups continue to work closely with their assigned staff members and met on a regular basis during this year.

The School continues to promote an environment whereby our young men feel safe and comfortable to talk about their problems with someone who is on their team at school. The workshops have tied in the “Who is on your team” concept and are reminded that being vulnerable and honest about their feelings is accepted, natural and applauded.

These sessions culminated in a Outward Bound Camp expedition with boys and staff in October.

‘Building emotional muscle - To begin we practice the capacity to talk with gravity, talking about things of weight and depth and often emotional intensity. We believe if more men learn this skill, the stats will change for the better.

What does it mean to be a bloke today? And what do we want it to look like tomorrow? The tide is changing for men, young and old, and the outdated stereotype is leaving some of our mates, dads, sons, uncles, teammates, workmates and brothers stranded without the tools for a healthy life. It’s time we got in a room to have a no holds barred conversation about the state of man; face the stats and create room to break the stereotype. Explore how we can look after ourselves, our mates and families better while carving out our own version of the Aussie man.’

Tom Harkin – Tomorrow Architects

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TSS IN FOCUS

Take My Ride Raising awareness for spinal cord injuries Ms Caitlin Anderson Wellbeing Health Promotion Officer

Dr Angela Zagoren Director of Counselling and Wellbeing

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ake My Ride was introduced as a unique experiential learning activity where students were encouraged to perform their regular daily activities whilst sitting in a wheelchair. The activity was designed to strengthen social-emotional learning around concepts such as empathy, risk-taking and resilience. Additionally, the boys were encouraged to explore their character strengths relating to gratitude, bravery, self-regulation and compassion.

The initiative was created in response to the recent spinal cord injuries (SCI) that occurred during this year’s GPS Rugby season. This provided an opportunity to highlight the incredible work of TSS Old Boy Perry Cross, and to begin a conversation around risk-taking behaviour.

According to Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, land transport crashes and falls are the most common causes of SCIs, with sport-related injuries only contributing to a small percentage. Sadly, however, young males are overrepresented in these statistics with approximately 80% of all new SCI cases resulting from a traumatic event involving a male between the ages of 15-24 years.

Adolescence also involves an acceleration in risk taking behaviour. Impulsive sensation seeking and acting without thinking are prevalent among young people and can contribute to engagement in gambling, dangerous driving, substance use, violence and

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unprotected sex. A rise in risk taking is thought to be due to multiple factors relating to emotional, social, cognitive and psychobiological development. Research has demonstrated that experiential “hands-on” learning can be an effective intervention by developing ‘risk appreciation’ in young males, which can aid future decision making.

Before embarking on their journey, a small group of Senior School students and staff were briefed by one of our respected staff and former TSS student Mr Daniel Trollope, who encountered a T6 SCI following a diving accident 17 years ago: “Boys, you will typically take the shortest route to class. For this activity, you will need to find a wheelchair friendly route; including consideration of gradients, navigating around rocks, available lifts, access into and space within each classroom, and of course the use of a disabled toilet.” He went on to say, “I would like you to know that it’s okay to ask for help and for the boys around you, show bravery and confidence in offering assistance when required.”

Here are a few reflections from some of our students:

TSS IN FOCUS

Being wheelchair-bound as part of ‘Take My Ride’ was a very insightful experience.

For me, the added layers of complexity added to nearly every single action throughout the day was eye opening. Additionally, reflecting with the boys and hearing from Mr Trollope afterwards was great. The boys’ growing appreciation and empathy for those with spinal injuries was evident in the way they respectfully questioned Mr Trollope about his adversities. I believe the boys gained a lot from this experience and I hope to see this initiative carried forward into 2019!

Mr Khalid Almaktoum, Year 7 Teacher.

The ‘Take my Ride’ experience was unique in its own way. The most difficult part was easily maneuvering uphill with all of the required books and utensils for each class as well as actually getting into classrooms and finding a suitable spot to work. Some sympathy and remorse was also built up from the experience as I have now been given the opportunity to understand how difficult it truly is to be paraplegic both inside and outside of school.

Jordan Loechel, Year 11 It was a big eye opener for myself and I’m sure a lot of the boys, this experience showed us the level of preparation and sacrifice needed to function independently. Although the wheelchair gives these people exactly that independence.

Hugo Burdon, Year 11

The ‘Take My Ride’ experience was a great initiative in raising awareness on spinal cord injuries around the School. An important lesson I have learnt from this experience is to be grateful for the ability to walk, play sports, and do things that many paraplegics would have trouble with in day to day life.

James Smith, Year 11

We were grateful to have the support from Dion Reweti at Wicked Wheelchairs who kindly donated the wheelchairs, and from the Perry Cross Foundation for providing us with paper straws to assist in our fundraising efforts to find a cure for paralysis.

Overall, the activity was well-received and a powerful reminder of just how quickly our lives can change, and the strength and determination required for someone living with a spinal cord injury.

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TSS IN FOCUS

From left - Tim Hayward, Leo Grove and Jordan Larkan

TSS Junior Resident Masters Semester Two 2018

Mrs Helen McCleary Junior Resident Master Coordinator

These young gentlemen on a gap year from university have keenly embraced TSS life...

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his semester, TSS very warmly welcomed three new Junior Resident Masters (JRMs) - Leo, Tim and Jordan. All boys hail from South Africa and readily became familiar with their wide-ranging roles across both campuses and boarding houses.

Upon their arrival, our JRMs quickly settled into their rooms in Biddle House and each made a concerted effort to get to know their way around both the Senior and Preparatory campuses and likewise with getting to know students and their fellow staff. These young gentlemen on a gap year from university have keenly embraced TSS life, formidably assuming their integral positions within the busy school community. We commend Leo, Tim & Jordan on their continued commitment to the JRM Program, evidenced daily by the value and leadership they bring to their positions.

OLD BOYS’ WEEKEND 16-17 August 2019

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TSS COMMUNITY

Book Launch

A Winning Formula for TSS Old Boy

O

ld Boy Sean Jacobs (Turnock 2000-03) recently published a book: ‘Winners Don’t Cheat: advice for young Australians from a young Australian’ and TSS were proud hosts of the official launch on November 6.

Sean was a member of Turnock House and graduated in 2003. He enjoyed his time at school but is the first to admit he wasn’t an ‘A’ grade student. Through hard work, determination and lots of reading over several years, Sean made his way into university.

His book offers advice in a time when young people are reaching out for purpose and self-responsibility. Winners Don’t Cheat offers young Australians ideas and strategies required to confront adversity, achieve meaning and lay the foundations for success in the early years out of high school and into a professional career.

As a ‘slow starter’ himself, Jacobs brings together personal experience with some unlikely examples and advice from a range of Australian and international leaders.

Talking positively about Australia, Winners Don’t Cheat covers topics of skill building, education versus employability, and developing character, while offering a timely message to avoid victimhood and identity politics.

TSS was delighted to welcome Sean back to his school and we are hopeful he will return in the future to work closely with our boys, helping to instil his knowledge, wisdom and advice to those who need it.

Mr Andrew Stark — Head of Libraries

Mentoring Has a Positive Impact

T

he OSA works with the School to assist our students and younger Old Boys by bringing them together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support and encouragement within the framework of a trusting relationship. It encourages engagement in learning, assists them build self-confidence, to set goals, and improve understanding of post-school and university options.

Since the program was formed, over 100 mentors have committed to this program, and many have already assisted current students and Young Old Boys by offering advice and guidance on various career paths, by being the facilitator of introductions and organising both work experience and job placements.

As has often been the case, the mentors have varied pathways to get where they are today and it is always interesting to hear their real life journeys. In a way too, these stories are comforting as they reinforce for the boys that they are not meant to know exactly where they are to go and what career they will end up in as soon as they leave school.

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Mentoring is now recognised as a powerfully efficient method for the transference of professional, technical and management skills. Experience shows us that it benefits all concerned -the morale and culture of the School itself, the students and Young Old Boys and the mentors - by increasing skills, self-confidence, flexibility, care and knowledge.

With a positive mentor experience in their lives, a young person is more likely to develop external and internal assets – structures, relationships, values, skills and beliefs that promote healthy development and lead to future success.

In order to have a successful mentoring program we need to help foster a culture where the sharing of experiences, wisdom and networks, knowledge and know-how is the ‘norm’. Becoming a mentor is a great way to keep in touch with your TSS community while having an impact on the next generation. As a mentor, you will be able to engage in discussions about your line of work and also use the opportunity to assess your own strengths and career development.

We encourage all Old Boys and TSS Parents to share their experiences and insights with younger Old Boys who are about to embark on professional careers and with current students who are currently choosing their subjects for their preferred career path. All information is confidential and will not be shared without your permission. When you are contacted (via private email request), you are encouraged to negotiate your own arrangements with your mentee.

Thank you for supporting the Mentor Network Program.

This program will succeed and grow if those who can contribute to it choose to help and provide feedback.

For more information, contact Ms Amy McDougall in the OSA Office on 55 319 803 or amy.mcdougall@tss.qld.edu.au.

TSS COMMUNITY

The Chapel of St Alban Organ Appeal Ms Olivia Dean TSS Foundation

Generations Cocktail Reception 2018

The Southport School Foundation embarked on a very special project in 2018, calling on all Old Boys, parents, students and the wider TSS community to contribute to the restoration of the Chapel organ, preserving the heritage and history of this sacred instrument.

Within the Chapel’s sacred walls, the imposing and magnificent organ is housed. Sitting high above the congregation, the organ represents the heart of St Albans, helping to raise the voices and prayers of the TSS community for almost 100 years.

With thanks to some very special individuals and families, the campaign has raised over $85,000 to date but much more is needed to commence this major project. The total estimated cost for the restoration will be over $600,000 and will take two years to complete.

With the centenary of St Alban’s Chapel in 2021, we will continue our work to ensure the organ will be enjoyed and remembered for future generations. If you would like to contribute to this historic campaign or view the history of the Chapel organ, please visit the TSS Foundation page on the School website. For further information, please contact olivia.dean@tss.edu.qld.au

The stage was set at The Old Gym CafĂŠ on Thursday 23 August, ready to host our annual Generations thank you event. This year, a cocktail reception format ensured the room and its surrounds were transformed to an elegant evening space to celebrate the rich history of our generational families.

In 2018, The Southport School is proud to support some 196 students with a family history of attending TSS, some dating back to fourth and fifth generations. This ongoing commitment demonstrates the strong connection our Old Boys have developed over the years to the education and opportunities available here at TSS for our boys.

Current graduating student Hugh Robinson (MCK 2018) shared stories of his time at the School and reflected upon his final year before becoming an Old Southportonian by giving the Vote of Thanks. Chris Robinson (MCK 1976) responded on behalf of the Old Boys, entertaining guests with memories and recollections of the very special time he has spent within the TSS community.

The organ is the grandest, the most daring, the most magnificent of all instruments and we must preserve this piece of school history.

Father Jonathan Whereat, School Chaplain

In 2018, The Southport School is proud to support some 196 students with a family history of attending TSS, some dating back to fourth and fifth generations.

Nowhere is the strong sense of family and community more evident than at this very special annual event, which celebrates students past and present of The Southport School. The TSS Foundation looks forward to welcoming back all the generational families in 2019 and wishes those graduating students the very best for the future that lies ahead.

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TSS COMMUNITY

New Appointment for

TSS Indigenous Program I

t is a great pleasure to announce Mr Cameron Lestro has been appointed as Coordinator of the TSS Indigenous Program.

Cameron worked for the Department of Youth and Justice in Townsville dealing with youth support and justice programs. Our indigenous boys could not be more fortunate in having Cameron manage the program and mentor the boys, so that they may all reach their full potential and help deliver the best possible outcomes for each boy.

Cameron’s life has been enhanced by a number of other employment experiences. He was appointed Chaplain to a large state school in Townsville, was the Bible College Principal and Site Manager for the Calvary Christian Church on the Sunshine Coast and was involved with the Red Frogs Chaplaincy Support Network for 10 years as a Zone Leader. More recently he was their Hotel Liaison. Christian volunteers,

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Mr Greg Cornelsen TSS Philanthropy

Red Frogs offer support for university students and school leavers. They are an absolute godsend for those attending Schoolies weeks around Australia and offer safety and support, as well as peace of mind for parents.

One of Cameron’s priorities is to ensure that families of all the indigenous boys have a strong connection with the School. To ensure this strong connection Cameron will be visiting parents and families of current students and assisting the indigenous students in their transition to a boarding school routine.

Cameron will do everything possible to help encourage each boy to complete Year 12 and will assist as best he can with academic and other professional opportunities/options post school. TSS offers an array of extra-curricular activities and Cameron is committed to ensure that each indigenous boy has access to and takes full advantage of all that is offered.

Left to right: Mr Cameron Lestro, Jay Campbell and Luke Tennant

The recent appointment as a Resident Master in Thorold House will ensure Cameron is well placed to assist the boys.

Deputy Headmaster - Head of Senior School, Mr Andrew Hawkins, believes that, with Cameron’s professional assistance, TSS will be able to offer indigenous boys the best possible schooling opportunities in Australia.

If anyone would like to assist the Indigenous Program financially or in any other way please contact Ms Olivia Dean from the TSS Foundation olivia.dean@tss.qld.edu.au or email myself greg.cornelsen@tss.qld.edu.au or phone 0410 061 311.

TSS COMMUNITY

Paying it Forward

Supporting our Indigenous Education Program Ms Olivia Dean TSS Foundation

I

n addition to funds raised at the TSS Foundation Business Breakfast series of events throughout the year, the Indigenous Education Program at TSS is also funded through the generosity of a handful of very special donors, committed to the advancement of our indigenous students.

These annual donations and pledges support the TSS Foundation’s Indigenous Education Scholarship Program, which funds the education of indigenous students who may not otherwise have the opportunity or means to attend TSS. In 2018 the TSS Foundation and The Southport School are supporting 24 indigenous students by way of funding all tuition and boarding costs throughout the year.

‘The students of TSS must have the highest level of education to never forget who they are whilst taking their minds and talents to the highest level’.

2018 Indigenous Donor Whilst the Foundation works to support these students in every capacity possible, the contribution from these donors provides an unparalleled opportunity for these students, whom we have proudly seen in the past go on to graduate from many of Australia’s top universities.

Supporting the Indigenous Program at TSS is life changing for many and displays a critical commitment to the education of these incredible students. If you share our vision to create tangible, measurable and enduring social change through evidence-based investment in Indigenous Education, you can support our work by making a donation online or via private arrangement. To activate your support or for more information contact Ms Olivia Dean of the TSS Foundation office or head to the Foundation page on the TSS website. Olivia.dean@tss.qld.edu.au

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TSS COMMUNITY

St Alban's Chapel Organ Appeal To donate visit TheSouthportSchool.com/Foundation

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FOUNDATION

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TSS COMMUNITY

SNAP SHOT

TSS Families for Farmers Fundraiser Mr Karel Bos Dean of Students Years 7 -12

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he Southport School community rallied together to support Australia’s drought affected communities. With a number of the School’s boarding families hailing from the land and with so many farmers currently drought-stricken, TSS wanted to assist by raising funds for drought relief.

On Friday 7 September, TSS hosted an event at Southport’s Salt Café Bar at the Brickworks Centre where a number of prizes generously donated by the local community were raffled. TSS Headmaster Mr Greg Wain, who is very passionate about the cause, also generously donated a Semester of tuition fees to the raffle with an estimated value of $13,000.

This cause united both our Preparatory and Senior campus and with little over two weeks to promote the event, the fundraising efforts helped raise $18,000 for each charity – CWA and Buy a Bale. This fundraiser really highlighted the generosity of the TSS community and the School’s strong country connection was evident.

On the night, TSS boarders and day boys banded together to raise awareness and funds. Student musicians performed numerous stellar sets and boarding students, Tom Watts and Harry Blok, spoke from the heart about the financial and emotional hardship drought brings our farmers. One of our country mums, Kylie Douglas from Mitchell, Queensland, also spoke on the night. Mrs Douglas spoke of the strain of drought and the good work of the CWA. There were so many positives about the fundraiser but perhaps the generosity of our School families donating to the cause was the true highlight. We feel that our cause has brought awareness to members of our community who are doing it tough at the moment.

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TSS COMMUNITY

BEN FARINAZZO

TSS HERO Mrs Jacqueline Latimer TSS Marketing

F

ormer Old Boy Ben Farinazzo (Tho 86-90) represented Australia at the 2018 Invictus Games, winning Gold in the men’s indoor rowing and a personal best in the powerlifting.

This international sporting event for veterans and active defence personnel, saw Ben compete as part of a 72-person Australian contingent. His success is certainly a testament to his incredible life that has seen a number of ups and downs.

After completing his Australian Defence Force training in Duntroon, Ben served as a Parachute Infantry Officer and was selected to be a part of the United Nations Peace Enforcement mission in East Timor, during one of the most violent chapters in the country’s history following a vote for independence. As a result, Ben suffered from PTSD and mental illness. He also fractured his neck and back in several places after a mountain bike accident.

But this did not deter Ben from fighting hard during his recovery, which he says not only helped him physically but also mentally.

Thorold Housemaster Jaye Beutel spoke with Mr and Mrs Hastie (former Housemaster 1987-2000) who both said Ben was renowned for his grit and determination, along with an incredible pain threshold particularly when rowing.

During his time in Thorold, Ben was awarded the Humphrey Bere Memorial Trophy for Scholarship, Sport, Service and Leadership in both Year 11 and 12. Only a handful of Thoroldians have achieved this honour in the long history of the award.

He was also a School Prefect, Vice House Captain and was on the Soccer team, First VIII Rowing team, Sailing team, Track and Field Open team and the Cross Country Open Team. He was named as a Cadet Under officer, Captain of Drama and a W.P. George Memorial Prize Winner.

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TSS COMMUNITY

But this did not deter Ben from fighting hard during his recovery, which he says not only helped him physically but also mentally.

Ben Farinazzo profile and photos courtesy of Invictus Games and the Department of Defence.

ADF Service: I joined the Australian Army in 1991 and was discharged in 2002. I graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and Royal Military College (RMC) Duntroon and was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR).

In 1999, I deployed on active service as part of the International Force in Timor Leste (INTERFET).

Age: 44 Hometown: Brisbane, Queensland

What is the nature of your injury or illness?

Why did you apply for the Invictus Games 2018?

In recent years, my family and I have faced several challenges. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of my military service. I also had a mountain bike accident and fractured my neck and spine in several places.

I reached a point in my rehabilitation and recovery where I felt confident and capable of embracing the challenge of competitive sport. I specifically applied for Invictus Games 2018 as it offered an opportunity to reconnect with the veteran community within a supportive environment.

What role has sport played in your rehabilitation?

Sport has played a critical and ongoing role in helping me to balance my mind, body and connection to the world. There was a period in my life where I was walking through the valley of the shadow of death.

Current town: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Sport and exercise formed one of the pillars upon which I rebuilt a meaningful and purposeful life.

Competing in: Powerlifting and rowing

What is your greatest achievement to date?

What will “winning” look like for you at these Games?

The opportunity to deliver a powerful individual performance as part of an inspirational Australian team at a successfully conducted Invictus Games event.

The person I most admire is…

My wife, for her strength, tenacity, compassion and support to me, our family and others.

The deep sense of satisfaction that I get from seeing my three children grow as humble, strong and compassionate individuals, ready for the world.

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TSS COMMUNITY

Round Square

International Conference 2018 62

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Bring Your Difference

TSS COMMUNITY

Ms Julie Watts Round Square Representative

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his year, it was the Americas’ turn to host the Round Square International Conference and they had a lot to live up to, after last year’s incredible conference in Cape Town.

With more than 200 schools now members of Round Square, the time of one school hosting the event is all but over unless it is India’s turn to host. This year, three conferences were held over three consecutive weeks in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.

TSS was allocated Appleby College, in Oakville, Ontario. The picturesque school is a co-educational college set on the banks of Lake Ontario. The theme of the conference was, ‘Bring Your Difference’ and encouraged students to celebrate the many cultural, social, emotional and physical differences we have.

Prior to the conference, the TSS team joined a preconference tour with students from Romania, India and South Africa. Over a period of a week, we travelled to Montreal and explored the beautiful mix of old and new architecture. The Notre Dame church left us breathless!

From there, we travelled to Ottawa to see Canada’s Parliament House, and then on to Niagara Falls and Toronto. A particularly memorable night was spent at ‘The Sugar Shack’, in the middle of a maple forest, where we slept in beautiful timber cottages and bunkhouses. We were privileged to have the motivational speaker, Vincent Kuziomko, who shared his story about an injury he received when trying out for professional football. After eight operations to save his leg, he was still left bedridden. He wanted to end his life but forced himself up, learnt to walk again and then started to make himself get out and see the incredible beauty and magic in nature.

As we sat around the fire, he asked each group to share something from their country. Two boys from Africa sang a Zulu song in perfect harmony. It was a goose bump, teary moment. Inspiring. Peaceful. Magical.

Round Square International Conferences aim to bring schools from all around the world together to address global issues that are particularly relevant to the younger generation. By providing experts and guest

speakers, delegates are given opportunities to consider and reflect on ways to address issues and create solutions. From the opening flag ceremony, to the discussions in ‘Barazza Groups’, it is hard not to see the conference as a youths’ version of the United Nations.

Several days were spent at beautiful Muskoka Woods, an outdoor education site, where over 400 students came together to enjoy challenging but fun activities. New friendships were formed and differences recognised and celebrated.

Staff from Round Square schools were also busy during the conference. The AGM was held at this time and workshops were run by teachers showcasing how the spirit of the Round Square IDEALS is being embraced by schools.

This conference ensured we all focused and reflected on making the best of the cards we are dealt in life and appreciating others, particularly those who are very different from ourselves.

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TSS COMMUNITY

SNAP SHOT

Emergency Services ‘Wow’ at TSS Sony Camp

TSS ran its 10th annual Sony Foundation Camp during IDEALS Week at the end of Term Three, where students give back to the Gold Coast community.

This year TSS welcomed 18 Sony Campers who were accompanied by 18 student companions and 17 part-time assistants who offered plenty of exciting and engaging activities, including a special visit from Gold Coast Fire and Emergency Services.

A particular highlight was when the Westpac Rescue Helicopter paid a visit, which was then followed up

by POLAIR, various police boats and vehicles, plus firetrucks, convening on the TSS river ovals. The Campers and students were able to interact with police and emergency personell as well as experience what it’s like to sit in one of these amazing vehicles.

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TSS HISTORY

The Chelmsford Cup (originally called The Governor’s Cup) was presented to the school by Lady Chelmsford at the opening of the new dining hall in 1907. he Chelmsford Cup (originally called The Governor’s Cup) was

presented to the School by Lady Chelmsford at the opening of Lord Chelmsford was the Governor of Queensland at the time (1905 to 1909) the new dining hall in 1907. and was away on business, so Lady Chelmsford agreed to attend the ceremony.

The Governor’s son, Hon. Frederick Thesiger was in attendance at TSS during Lord Chelmsford was the Governor of Queensland at the time this time and the family were always very supportive of the school.

(1905 to 1909) and was away on business, so Lady Chelmsford Sadly Frederick went on to give his life for King and Country during World War1. agreed to attend the ceremony. The Governor’s son, Hon. Frederick

Thesiger was in attendance at TSS during this time and the family The cup was to be awarded annually, based on the Rhodes Scholarship were always very supportive of the School. Sadly Frederick went principles, rewarding the most outstanding student of the school in honour of on to give his life for King and Country during World War 1. the Governor of Queensland. The student’s name was to be engraved on the cup.

The cup was to be awarded annually, based on the Rhodes

Scholarship principles, rewarding the most outstanding student The selected student each year was to be of the School in honour of the Governor of Queensland. The

student’s name was to be engraved on the cup.

‘Considered to stand out as a leader amongst his fellows and whose record

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from the point of steady work, prowess in sport, and nobility in character The selected student each year was to be: would place him head and shoulders above the others’.

‘Considered to stand out as a leader amongst his fellows and

whose record from the point of steady work, prowess in sport, The first Chelmsford cup recipient was Harold Osborne (1904 to 1907) who was and nobility in character would place him head and shoulders also the editor of the first Tell Tale school magazine in 1906. above the others’.

P. Paull, Chelmsford Cup winner in 1935, Lord Chelmsford in1905 and Harold Osborn in 1907

The first Chelmsford Cup recipient was Harold Osborn (1904 to 1907) who was also the editor of the first Tell Tale school magazine in 1906.

Viscount Frederic Chelmsford and Lady Chelmsford 1905

P.M. Paull, Winner of the Chelmsford Cup and the Edgar Walker Memorial Prize

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MR. WALLACE

TSS HISTORY

Walking behind the Annand Theatre, we could then appreciate how fortunate the boys of TSS are that Mr Dixo found this site and started our T school, having only two pupils when the school opened. Many people are surprised to learn that one of our boarding house Biddle House is the oldest Mr Wallace is amazed each year at how many of the boys’ dads are past pupils that he remembers or taught.

Mrs Sharon Joss Year 2 Teacher

his tradition began years ago when Mr Wallace was invited to share his passion and love for TSS with the Year 2 boys. He agreed and many ‘big boys’ look back on this day as a special day in their lives when they first explored the Senior School. Having learnt about landmarks, monuments and statues earlier in the year, the boys were keen to see these on our campus. We started with the Rats of Tobruk, and why we honour those soldiers at TSS. We admired the statue of the boy and the dove, which is a symbol of peace.

This year we were lucky to bump into Mr Wain on campus. We appreciated him taking the time to share the story of the monument of ‘the Lost Sheep’, Fraser reflected on how it is protected by the thorns and that if anyone feels lonely they can sit there and somebody will join them for a chat. Mr Wallace is amazed each year at how many of the boys’ dads are past pupils that he remembers or taught. But what is more amazing is, when the Year Two student tells him his dad’s name, Mr Wallace responds with ‘he was Swimming Captain, or House Captain’ and the year, he then goes on to tell the boy his uncle’s name and what he did. The surprised look on the boys’ faces is priceless and it sure makes Mr Wallace smile as well, thinking how wonderful it is that the ‘Old Boys’ are choosing to send their sons to TSS.

In HASS, the boys explore the past and looking back at the history of our school is an exciting time for them. This was made a lot easier by the staff in the Archives Department who have, over the years, shared interesting stories and memorable photos of the days gone before us. Mrs Stevens’ class presented a slide show of some of these old photos in Assembly at the beginning of the term and the boys shared some interesting stories with us. One being, that the creek that flowed through TSS was nicknamed ‘Pong Creek’ by the boys as the Housemaster Arthur Thorold used to bathe in there and made the creek smell ‘pongie’. The boys also learnt that the ‘tokio’ that the senior boys sing, was written by four boys back in1917. One was a boy from Fiji and that is perhaps why we have some Fijian words in the war cry.

The boys looked up in amazement at Mr Wallace as he stood in front of the true landmark of TSS, the Clock Tower. The massive size and centrality dominates the TSS landscape. Mr Wallace passionately told us the Tower was built just after WW1, accommodating all of the boarders. He told us about the boarders who lived there and how it has housed so many boys over the years. The building was used as a hospital during the war, which all found very interesting. They learnt about

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the unique architecture of the tower, learning about the gargoyles, the north-west turret that was struck by lightning during a storm in 1951 and the ivy on the buildings.

We then moved into the St Alban’s Chapel, which was built on the highest point of the School after WW1. It was built to commemorate the service and sacrifice of TSS boys and staff who served in the Great War. The boys respected those gone before us by not walking on the plaque in memory of those who died in The Great War. Kai was impressed that the Chapel has the flags of the 16 Houses hanging from the ceiling, especially the Prep School Houses.

The stain glassed windows and the huge organ are certainly interesting for the boys to admire and learn more about.

Walking down the path towards the Annand Theatre was exciting, as they knew that there was a special pair of gates ahead of them. Some boys knew the name of the founder of our school and Mr Wallace certainly reminded them that Mrs Florence Marie Dixon was one amazing lady to have done all that she did, back when Horace Henry Dixon started our school… and deserved the honour of having the gates named after her.

Walking behind the Annand Theatre, we could then appreciate how fortunate the boys of TSS are that Mr Dixon found this site and started our School, having only two pupils when the School opened. Many people are surprised to learn that one of our boarding houses, Biddle House, is the oldest building. This was the Governor’s Residence and it was built in the 1870’s. It is a heritage site and was where TSS first began 117 years ago.

Mr Wallace says that the history of the school is a pleasure to be a part of. He thoroughly enjoy the tour of the Year 2 boys as in his first 17 years of teaching he was a Prep School teacher.

The exciting part at the end of the tour was sitting in the Dining Hall, where by looking at the writing on the tables, many a story could be told. The boys were amazed at how much the inside of the Dining Hall resembles Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies. The inside of the hall has a vast array of memorabilia and some names were pointed out to the boys as relations of theirs. A question was asked as to who the men in paintings were around the Dining Hall. These were the leaders of our school before Mr Wain. The morning was completed with a morning tea courtesy of Mr Wallace.

The Year 2 boys now form part of the history of our School and knowing this is exciting. Having just had Grandparents Day, some boys interviewed their grandparents about what school was like in their day. In class, we learnt how the advancement in technology has changed so much in the classroom, many grandparents having used a slate board and chalk to write.

Mr Wallace says that the history of the School is a pleasure to be a part of. He thoroughly enjoyed the tour of Year 2 boys as in his first 17 years of teaching he was a Prep School teacher. He finds that the Year 2 boys are interested and have a thirst for knowledge of the historic sites of the School. He loves their enthusiasm and fascination for the new things they have learnt. ‘We few, we happy few, we band of brothers’ the words displayed in the Dining Hall, and already at this stage, the young boys of TSS are a fine example of this.

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TSS EVENTS

R U OK Day 2018

In recognition of R U OK Day, we held a special Assembly for the boys highlighting the importance of this day and what it represents. They were reminded of our collective responsibility as the ‘Band of Brothers’, and how to ask a mate or someone you love the question ‘Are you ok?’. They learnt how to seek help using the School’s action plan from the Teen Mental Health First Aid training that all Year 7 and 10 students have completed.

Staff were also treated to free coffee and cake – sometimes all you need is cake to get the conversation started! Our staff also dressed in yellow to support this cause and we held a special ‘Best Dressed’ competition with Mr Mark Wilkins and Mr Greg Wain serving as judges who awarded French Teacher Mademoiselle Sophie Boissery as best dressed.

This was followed by a five-minute presentation by Lucas Dell (Year 7) who spoke about the topic and its importance.

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TSS EVENTS

SNAP SHOT

Grandparents Day and Book Parade Celebration 2018 “It takes a village to raise a child” and thus we know the importance of grandparents in our boys’ lives.

To honour these very important people, TSS Prep held our now annual Grandparents Day on 24 August this year.

As this date was also the culmination of Book Week, we chose to combine both of these celebrations; making it quite a special day.

Over 350 grandparents travelled from near and far to be a part of this event. We were delighted to host some Old Boys as well as recognise some of our more elderly guests – the eldest of which being 93 years of age - born in 1925. How schools and the world must have changed since then!

Our day commenced with our guests visiting the classrooms of their grandchildren. During this time many different activities took place. Games were played, interviews undertaken and portraits were drawn. This time was also an opportunity for the boys to escort their 70

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guests to see our amazing Art Room displays, the Prep Library and the G&T room. It was a busy but engaging start to our day.

Following this, our Prep Hall slowly filled with our visitors and students – around 1,000 people in this beautiful venue. Here the boys, from Preschool through to Year 6, paraded around in their fantastic book character costumes, much to the delight of our excited onlookers. There were many Harry Potters, and Dr Who characters, costumes from the book ‘Wonder’ as well as animals from fairy tales and classic stories. Many Year 6 boys wore their ‘Night of the Notables’ costumes, connecting these to stories and biographies of significant Australians. Every teacher wore a costume too, from puppies to pirates – it was a sight to behold for all.

The parade being over, Mr Symms read one of the winning picture books of 2018 – Rodney Loses It. A wonderful story with a great message. It was quite amazing how the room fell silent for this great reading.

Mrs Kerrie Aquilina Year 3/4 Honours Teacher

Whilst the boys returned to class, our visitors were entertained with a performance from Cremona Strings and the winners of the Year 6 Poetry Recitation and Writing Competitions. Following this, a lovely morning tea was provided along with a chance for them to mingle with other guests, donate a book to our school library through our ‘Legacy of Literature’ display and of course, enjoy the sunshine on the day.

The day concluded with the opportunity for grandparents to picnic on the grass with their grandchildren and enjoy some special moments in the beautiful Prep grounds.

Overall it was a wonderful day and we thank all those who journeyed to our campus to share in this special occasion with our boys.

SNAP SHOT

2018 THRASS Celebration Day

In honour of the great work the boys and teachers have done in their orthographical studies this year, we decided to join in the Australian wide movement of a THRASS CHART dress up day!

Both students and teachers joined in with great spirit and this helped the boys focus on the ongoing importance of correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.

The boys engaged in a variety of class based THRASS activities and we all assembled in the Prep Hall for a mass school photo. We then got boys from each year level to make a full, combined human THRASS chart.

TSS EVENTS

SNAP SHOT

IDEALS Week 2018 Mr Andrew Hawkins Deputy Headmaster — Head of Senior School

Round Square offers a clear philosophy of education which includes six pillars or IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service) — the foundation of the development of creative, responsible, caring global citizens. The Pillars of Round Square facilitate experiences that are pursued for the sake of knowledge and building character.

IDEALS Week is based purely on the philosophy of Round Square where our entire TSS community gives back in Term Three. From raising money for Guide Dogs Qld, Surf Life Saving to Sony Camp and Cadet Camp. These activities and many others take an enormous amount of planning but the value it gives to our students in experiencing ways to give back to the community is incredibly rewarding.

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Founded in 1901, TSS is an Anglican day and boarding school for boys from Preschool to Year 12, with boarding available from Year 7.

Winchester St Southport Queensland Australia 4215 Telephone: Facsimile: Email: Visit:

+617 5531 9911 +617 5531 9977 reception@tss.qld.edu.au www.tss.qld.edu.au

The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane trading as The Southport School CRICOS Provider No. 00523F

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