Nexus Autumn/Winter 2019
GOULBURN VALLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Olivia Bolton:
School Captain Profile
ANZAC Spirit
INSIDE: Meet our new Heads of Learning Class reunions Prestigious music achievement
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From the Principal
Living in a regional community is a wonderful environment for children to grow and develop. At the same time there is ample evidence that students living in regional locations experience significant educational disadvantage. Our vision for the education of our students is to maximise their opportunities and prepare them to thrive in their lives beyond school with all its opportunities and challenges. For these reasons our school has long articulated its commitment to continuous learning improvement to ensure a high quality learning environment for all our students. There is an extensive body of research linking school performance to the presence of evidence based instructional leadership. For regional schools there are many obstacles to this kind of leadership practice. The tyranny of distance creates relative isolation from high quality professional learning networks and leading research and improvement providers. The smaller populations in regional areas results in less diverse school communities from which to learn and share the highest quality instructional practice. We have therefore actively searched for highly effective partners demonstrating evidence of leading and implementing instructional improvement. Over the years we have forged relationships with a range of such organisations. We continue to seek and work with high performing schools who generously share their expertise regarding what has worked in their context. We have also formed relationships with universities including the University of Melbourne and Harvard University.
Nexus Nexus Co-ordination: Amy De Paola Contributing Writers: Liz Mellino (Class of 2012), Clare Winter Irving (Class of 2010) Jodie Fleming (Current parent) Thanks to: Pam Wallace Goulburn Valley Grammar School Verney Road, PO Box 757, Shepparton, Victoria, 3632. Telephone: 03 5833 3300, Email: gvgs@gvgs.vic.edu.au, Web: www.gvgs.vic.edu.au. We welcome submissions to Nexus from staff, students, alumni and anyone connected with the school community. Email: nexus@gvgs.vic.edu.au. Printing: Edgeprint, Mooroopna Printed on 100% recycled paper. COVER PHOTO: Angus Hatty reading “In Flanders Fields” at the dawn service at the Shrine in Melbourne on Anzac Day. Photograph by Susan Gordon-Brown, Courtesy of the Shrine of Remembrance.
In 2019 we sought to substantially deepen our relationship with the University of Melbourne. This relationship includes a number of dimensions. We are now a partner school offering clinical teaching placement for five teacher candidates in the final year of their Masters of Teaching. Each of these candidates teaches two classes for four weeks under the supervision of GVGS teachers. Through this involvement GVGS is offered a range of partner benefits including access to professional learning, resources and support. Our aim is to commit to this programme for the long term. The school was also accepted into the 2019 University of Melbourne Science of Learning partnership which brings together leading education experts and school communities to translate proven learning science research into pedagogical practice. Our staff will be supported by researchers, engaging in an evidence based cycle of inquiry, using student voice to inform school improvement. The programme brings together leading researchers from neuroscience, education and cognitive psychology, working together with the education community to improve education and wellbeing outcomes. The focus for the 2019 Science of Learning Programme is harnessing student agency to improve student outcomes. We have created a student agency project team which meets weekly to monitor and implement our student agency action plan. Some of the activities include the development of a secure survey system for collecting and interpreting student perspectives on the learning environment and instructional practice in our school. Another initiative involves student focus groups exploring their perspectives on a range of school climate issues. This project is already resulting in some exciting initiatives which will ensure the experiences and perspectives of our students are used to inform key decisions and directions in supporting student learning and wellbeing. Over the years this work with our leading partners has already improved the learning experience of our students and resulted in positive life changing impact. Semper Ulterius Mark Torriero, Principal
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From the Chair
Board Update A
t the last official event of the 2018 school year, Board Chair Mr. Andrew Galbraith, delivered a summary of the year’s events, accomplishments and accolades on behalf of the GVGS Board. Mr. Galbraith recognised the importance of the evening as one to celebrate the achievements of the students - from both an academic and personal perspective - as well as sporting and cultural successes throughout the year. Mr. Galbraith acknowledged and praised his predecessor, Mrs. Prue Dobson, noting her as “a great example of commitment and dedication” during her time as Chair of the GVGS Board. He also thanked Mr Ross Nichol and Dr Dan Garrick for their service to the Board, both retiring from their duties at the Annual General Meeting of 2018 and congratulated them for being “important and well respected contributors, bringing different insights into the Board’s deliberations” over the years. Mr. Galbraith highlighted Principal Mark Torriero’s contract renewal, thanking him for his patience during the process and for “his ongoing commitment for further and better learning techniques”. He also thanked all GVGS staff and those who give their time generously, recommending to the wider school community to get involved in that way. More recent building projects were highlighted such as the solar power installation that was completed early in 2018, the new air-conditioning system in the Sports Centre that was completed in October 2018 and the revamp of the front facade carried out at the end of 2018. He thanked the Mothers’ Club and the
Parents & Friends for their work, resulting in financial contributions being made to the new air conditioning system. Looking forward to 2019, Mr. Galbraith said that the Board was taking steps to pursue the growth of the GVGS alumni network , stating that “more work will be done to know more about what our former students are doing and to give them better opportunity to remain engaged with the School”.
Mr Andrew Galbraith has been a member of the Goulburn Valley Grammar School Board since 2007 and was appointed to the role of Chair in 2018. As a director of Shepparton law firm Dawes & Vary Riordan and with more than two decades of experience in the commercial, property and corporate sphere Mr Galbraith brings a wealth of business and legal experience to the position of Chair.
A report commissioned by the Board on the feasibility of a school expansion to offer educational options in Years Prep to 4 – as well as an Early Learning Centre – was noted, with the whole concept said to still be in its infancy and with much more yet to be considered. Mr. Galbraith concluded his speech by wishing good luck to the then-current Year 12 students and giving his best wishes on their forthcoming results. He also congratulated all students from all year levels and urged them to “keep being the considerate individuals that they are”.
Presentation Night 2018 Honour Roll In addition to the academic awards at Presentation Night many students are also acknowledged for their leadership and service to the school. We congratulate the following students for their 2018 awards.
Octavia Thompson Senior All-Rounder Award The Maxwell Brown Memorial Prize
Simon Pell
Principal's Senior Award for Service to the School
Gabrielle Patterson Senior Citizenship Award The Hunter Family Prize
Akhil Gadde
Junior Citizenship Award The Parents & Friends Association Prize
Sarah Roberts
Principal’s Junior Award for Service to the School
Ella Morgan
Year 5/6 All-Rounder, The Glen Edwards Prize
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Focusing on Life Long Learners in and out of the Class Room The skill of teaching is forever evolving to ensure that all students benefit from a wide-ranging curriculum that is as engaging as it is relevant to the world we live in today. Nexus writer Jodie Fleming meets with our new Heads of Learning to see what future learning at GVGS looks like.
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ver the years, GVGS has invested in the philosophy of not just what is being taught, but how it is taught. Working with a number of partners including the University of Melbourne, Harvard University and Independent Schools Victoria, GVGS has been looking at how students learn best through evidence-based techniques and then working with all the staff to implement those successful classroom practices to get the best out of its students. The school has had a focus in this area since 2010 when the then Director of Learning, Mrs Deborah Moore undertook an enormous amount of work in this space. With Mrs Moore’s retirement last year, it was the perfect opportunity to reassess the role and add in some additional resources. There are now four teachers involved, including Director of Learning – Senior Years Miss Kathryn D’Elia, Director of Learning - Middle Years Mr Tim James and Learning Leaders Mrs Brooke McLeod and Mr James Sach. According to Miss D’Elia, with such a full curriculum the role is beneficial for teachers to have a team focusing on how things are being taught across the year levels
and working on how to continually improve the delivery in the class room. “It may sound silly, but teaching can be a really lonely profession because once you get into the class room you are on your own and you can end up not sharing your experience with others because you move into the next class,” Miss D’Elia said. “So one of the things we are really trying to do is get teams of teachers together and actually say let’s have a look and see what’s happening in each other’s class rooms and genuinely collaborate on ideas.” Tim James adds that it is all about being part of the planning group, setting strategic goals for the entire school and coming up with ideas that assist everyone. “Part of that planning is going to visit other schools that we have identified as being leaders in some areas we are interested in and seeing how they have gone about implementing ideas and then bringing them back to GVGS,” Mr James said. And while finding successful ways to deliver lessons in the classroom to better student outcomes is the main aim of the program, finding those that do not work is equally as important. “It’s great to share the successes, but equally as important to share those things that don’t work,” Miss D’Elia explains. “There is always something to be learnt from what hasn’t worked, so you can then all come together and say you have tried something that didn’t have the outcome you were hoping for. Sometimes it’s then about talking about how you can tweak something that will make it work in the future.” Mr James said the overall aim of the program is to improve the effectiveness of all the teaching staff so every student in the school can benefit.
The new Learning Management Team L-R: Mrs Brooke McLeod, Mr Tim James, Miss Kathryn D’Elia and Mr James Sach. 4 / GOU LBUR N VAL LE Y G RA MMA R S CHOOL
“Every student at GVGS should benefit from what the teachers are bringing into their class rooms in terms of
Learning news
the new ideas and evidence-based practice that we have researched and that we know has a positive impact on the students,” he said.
“Every student at GVGS should benefit
One of the most noticeable outcomes to date is the percentage of growth GVGS students are achieving, which can now be measured.
their class rooms in terms of the new
“We can now see where a student started, where they ended up and really identify the amount of growth someone has achieved over a period of time,” Miss D’elia said.
we have researched and that we know
“It’s that idea that a student should show a year’s worth of learning growth for a year’s worth of input. So for a year they are at school they should show a year’s worth of growth, which sounds so simple, but if you have a student who comes in at quite a high level and shows no growth, previously that could potentially go undetected. “And at the other end of the extreme, a student who comes in at a lower level but is working very hard you might fall into the trap of just thinking that their achievement isn’t very high, but in fact, often they might be making two or three year’s growth in a single year, which is massive. “I think that has been really handy to look at and to help really identify the students who are working extremely hard who may not necessarily be achieving the highest levels, but for them are achieving,” she said. And according to Miss D’Elia, it is this type of information that is most valuable to parents.
from what the teachers are bringing into ideas and evidence-based practice that has a positive impact on the students”. “Most parents would say they are interested in achievement but most importantly, they want to know that their son or daughter is doing their best.” “For most parents, this measurement is much more valuable.” With Mr Sach and Mrs McLeod also part of the learning teachers dynamic, the teachers are finding the program rewarding. “I am finding working in this role really beneficial. “I love that we all meet at least once a week, run ideas past each other and come up with new suggestions. “Each of us has different connections with different schools, whether they are primary, secondary, independent, or state, so we are able to use our experiences and find out what other schools are doing and share that with each other,” Mr James said. “Four heads are definitely better than one!” NEXUS 2 0 1 9 / 5
2018 Dux profile
Ryan finishes on a high note W
ith a smile on his face and a small chuckle, Ryan Bhat said he was pleasantly surprised to receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 99.9. The impressive score made him the Dux at Goulburn Valley Grammar School for 2018 and was the highest scoring ATAR in Greater Shepparton for the year. It also saw him being awarded a Melbourne University Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship, one of the University’s most prestigious awards for school leavers. With a score like his most would expect a career in law, medicine or something of the like, however Ryan said he would follow his true passion: music. “It’s so funny because people say I’ve got the highest ATAR score and I’m doing the course that doesn’t need an ATAR score to get into,” he said. “Over the last four years music has become my main interest so I decided that rather than it just be a hobby I was serious about it, so why not go into that at university instead of doing it on the side.” With his secondary school years behind him, Ryan said he was looking forward to beginning a Bachelor of Music at Melbourne University and seeing where his love for percussion could take him. Ryan is the youngest son of Ravi, a psychiatrist, and Yasmin, a psychologist. Ryan’s older brother Aaron graduated Year 12 four years ago, also becoming the Dux of his year level at Goulburn Valley Grammar. Aaron has since completed a science degree and is now enrolled in a Doctor of Medicine (MD) course at Melbourne University. Ryan said his brother was very happy to hear the news of his result.“Aaron was the Dux of his year level too, he was very pleased when I told him the news,” Ryan said. Ryan studied English, Music Performance, Specialist Maths, Maths Methods, Chemistry and completed Indonesian in Year 11. He said he loved all of his subjects, which 6 / GOU LBUR N VAL LE Y G RA MMA R S CHOOL
made it easier for him to maintain focus and continue his studies throughout the year. While the pressures of Year 12 can become overwhelming at times, Ryan said he never set himself a strict schedule. Rather he prioritised his time around work that was due, and always managed to squeeze in a session or two for music. “I didn’t have that much of a fixed routine I sort of did what I felt like and then I’d go and play the marimba,” he said. “It’s important to find a good balance. It would get pretty boring if you studied the whole time … I certainly did not do that.” It seems Ryan’s laid-back attitude was something he maintained throughout Year 12, with his mum admitting at times she felt more stressed than her son. Mrs Bhat said Ryan ensured he maintained his love of reading and music during the year, spending many hours cooped up in a corner of the Shepparton library engulfed in a new book. “I think Ryan did not stress at all, he did a lot of other things as well like with his music he wasn’t just studying which is what I think kept him relaxed,” she said. “I think the subject balance was really good because he loved all his subjects and I think that made the big difference … he told me I was stressing more than him.” During the year Ryan was recognised for his percussion skills, coming first in his age category at the Australian Marimba Competition in Melbourne.Up against talented secondary and university level students, Ryan said it was very exciting to win and stood as a highlight of his year. A keen member of Goulburn Valley Concert Orchestra, Ryan dedicated every Thursday
night to rehearsals along with regularly traveling to Melbourne to have lessons with a private percussion teacher. For four years Ryan also played in the school’s production orchestra, spending many nights down in the stage pit doing what he loved. Outside of music, he also thoroughly enjoyed debating which he took part in each year with his friends. Starting at Goulburn Valley Grammar in Year 5, Ryan said he made some great friends and met some amazing teachers along the way. Moving from St Lukes in Shepparton he said the transition was made easier by the welcoming nature of everyone at the school. When asked if he had a favourite teacher he admitted he could not single out just one, but thought he was lucky to have had a great selection over the years. “This year in particular all my teachers were great, I’m very happy with that because they were all very helpful, very nice and gave me lots of opportunities,” he said. Looking back on the past eight years, Ryan said he had made some great memories and was sad to see this chapter of his life come to a close. He wished the future Year 12’s good luck with their studies and encouraged them to work hard, stay focused but most importantly enjoy their time at the school. “Do the things you enjoy doing and do your best, if you work hard then you’ll do well,” he said.
Academic achievements
VCE Highlights • GVGS exceeded 92% of all schools in the state completing the VCE • GVGS 2nd regional and rural Victoria (the Age – 21.12.18) • Nearly one third of all students placed in the top 10 % of the state (29% ATAR 90+) • Over half of the students placed in the top 20% of the state (51% ATAR 80+) • 93% students received a first round tertiary offer that was either their 1st, 2nd or 3rd preference LEFT: A number of our high achieving VCE students of 2018. L-R: Emma Cox (98.6), Aditya Ryan Bhat (99.9), Stephanie Sorraghan (98.3), Alexander Schmedje (99.0), Lucy Eishold (99.15), Akshat Ragade (98.15), Paige Gullifer (99.7).
Congratulations to the VCE Class of 2018 T
he school community congratulates all students in the Class of 2018. We are proud of our identity as an open entry school that welcomes a diverse range of students. The year group used learning opportunities effectively and demonstrated a genuine commitment to learning. We are particularly proud of those students who persisted in the face of challenges. Our students have been supported by caring and dedicated staff who set high expectations for all students. The Class of 2018 have been community builders. Through their collective leadership they provided generous financial support to a range of charity organisations. They were passionate about building school community connections and created a new tradition of communal picnics or ‘Pelicnics’. They were also incredibly active in the widest range of co-curricular activities. They have been the backbone of music performances, stage productions and sporting teams. The Class of 2018 have left a fine legacy as active learners and community citizens. We feel very confident they will make a positive contribution to our world. The Age newspaper ranked GVGS second among regional schools and exceeding 92% of all schools in the state undertaking the VCE.
VCE ATAR Scores – Class of 2018 80% 72%
60%
State GVGS 2018
40%
29%
20% 0%
51%
5%
19% 95+
10% 90+
30% 20%
80+
70+
Class of 2018 – VCE Information Study Scores over 40………...................................................22% (State Avg. 7%) Median Study Score……….....................................................34 ATAR 99+……………………....................................................4 students ATAR 88+ ................................................................................. 38% (36 students) ATAR 75+ ................................................................................. 62% (59 students) ATAR 70+ ................................................................................. 72% (68 students) Perfect Study Scores 50……...................................................4 Median ATAR score…………...................................................81.15 Students receiving an ATAR.. .................................................95 students
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Student Achievement
Visiting our ANZAC history Angus Hatty and Elly Miechel recently earnt themselves the opportunity to participate in a Spirit of ANZAC study tour to Singapore and Vietnam. Nexus writer Liz Mellino caught up with the pair to chat about their experience.
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ear 11 students Angus Hatty and Elly Miechel experienced the trip of a lifetime in the term one school holidays. The pair were recipients of the Premier’s Spirit of Anzac Prize for 2018, an overseas study tour open to Year 9 and 10 students run by the Victorian Government Department of Premier and Cabinet. Open to students across the state, entrants were encouraged to use their imagination and creativity to submit a piece of writing of their choice related to war history. “There were many ways you could enter – some people did videos, some did artwork, fictional stories, essays, poems, songs – there were lots of different entries,” Elly said.
“So that’s why I chose to do a story of an Australian bomber crew in Britain.” While Elly did not have extensive knowledge of war history, she said a personal story influenced her piece. Growing up her grandmother would speak about the relationship she had with her father who was a veteran from World War 1. She said he was a changed man after returning from war, developing a strong dependency on alcohol. “I was always just intrigued by those stories because they felt so real,” Elly said.
Out of nearly 500 entries from around the state, it was the stories of Elly and Angus that caught the attention of the selection panel.
“So I decided to put that into a story – a fictional story from her prospective – that just explores his downfall and the way that alcohol eventually killed him.”
With a strong interest in military history, Angus said he chose his story subject in the hope it would stand out from other entries.
After a selection day in December last year, Elly and Angus were among the 22 students selected as the recipients of the Premier’s Spirit of Anzac Prize for 2018.
“I wanted to do something that was within my knowledge range but also something that was a little bit obscure – not D-Day, not Gallipoli – I wanted to do something that not everyone knows about,” he said.
As part of their prize the pair ventured off to Vietnam and Singapore during the April school holidays where they experienced a 10-day tour of their military history. Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, formally known as Saigon, the pair spent the first couple of days getting familiar with the country and meeting the other recipients on the trip. While in Ho Chi Minh City they visited the War Remnants Museum which houses more than 20,000 documents, exhibits and films from Vietnam’s experience in war. While the photos were graphic and at times confronting, Elly said the museum gave her a better insight into the true realities of war. “It was really eye opening there were all of these photos which aren’t published in the media on the walls everywhere, showing the human atrocities committed during the wars which was seriously just terrible,” she said.
Elly Miechel at the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam.
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While in Ho Chi Minh City the tour took them to the Cu Chi Tunnels, the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War and the Viet Cong’s base of operations. These small tunnels were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat, as well as community and supply routes.
“It took a lot of mental strength to get through the tunnels … to go in it was one metre tall by one metre wide at some points and complete darkness,” Elly said.
They both agreed the trip was a once in a lifetime opportunity from which they took away a wealth of knowledge about the world’s war history.
“To think they had widened those tunnels for tourism by 50 per cent at some points, they would have been absolutely tiny for the Viet Cong.”
“Something I would take away from the trip is how lucky we are in Australia, I didn’t realise just how much but to see the poverty and how hard working Vietnamese are, it’s quite shocking really,” Elly said.
One of the final stops in Vietnam was a trip to Nui Dat, a former Australian Task Force base now part of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. Elly said this stop was an emotional one for their tour guides who were both former veterans, Dr Robert Webster now president of RSL Victoria and Mr Gary Treeve the president of the Murray Border RSL.
“I felt quite proud to be Australian over there … where we went everyone loved us, so that was good I felt really proud representing the country.”
“The visit to Nui Dat was really emotional, particularly for the veterans who were travelling with us,” she said. “It was really great having them with us on the trip because they made it so authentic for us and gave us a lot of insight … they were always open to questions which was great.” After leaving Vietnam they ventured to Singapore where Angus said they visited a number of emotional World War 2 history sites. One place he said he will never forget was the Singapore War Memorial. “The only time I really got emotional on the trip was at the Singapore War Cemetery,” Angus said. “There were just rows and rows and rows of gravestones, that was pretty emotional I’m always going to remember that.” Elly and Angus encouraged anyone in Years 9 and 10 to consider applying for the Spirit of Anzac Prize in the future.
Each year one student from the group of 22 Spirit of ANZAC participants is invited by the Victorian RSL to read at the dawn service at the Shrine in Melbourne on Anzac Day. This year Angus was selected. Angus delivered a reading of the poem “In Flanders Fields” in front of a crowd of 25,000 people.
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School leaders 2019 Prefects BACK ROW L-R: Principal Mr Mark Torriero, Ryan Cox, Eloise Caruana, Lillieth Ukich,Grady Tyson, Anthony Dohrman, Nathan Lon Ho Kee, Joshua Dillon, Cody Mohamed, Farhan Islam and Year 12 Coordinator Mrs Chelsea Pohlner. FRONT ROW L-R: Russell Mawson, Rachel Thiel, Lucy Asquith, Patrick Bolton, Olivia Bolton, Grace Sandles, Emmersyn Rea and Hugh Farrell.
School Captain profile
Olivia Bolton W
ith one sister carrying out her dream as a professional dancer (Nicola Bolton, Class of 2013) and the other studying agribusiness in NSW (Aimee Bolton, Class of 2015), Olivia Bolton looks up to her older siblings and knows the sky’s the limit. “Having two older sisters has definitely shaped who I am, both with school and generally in life,” she said. “I’ve seen both of them work quite hard for what they’ve got; I watch what they do and learn from their experiences.” Eloquent and vibrant, it’s not hard to understand why Olivia has been chosen to representative GVGS for 2019 as School Captain. She speaks excitedly about her scholastic achievements, her future beyond secondary school and what the year ahead holds. “You just have to stay passionate and positive,” the ardent 17 year old comments when asked how she will handle adversity over the course of her time as school captain. Currently living in Shepparton with her mum, Lisa, and her dad, David, on
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a farmlet, Olivia enjoys being outside and regularly takes part in a wide range of co-curricular activities. Although she is focused on her studies, Olivia knows recreational activities such as competitive horse riding, cattle showing and playing netball for the school help to keep her stress levels low. “I try to ride once or twice a week, at least, which is a good break from Year 12,” she said. In a bizarre coincidence, Olivia has been teamed up with Patrick Bolton (no relation) for the title of GVGS 2019 School Captains. “We always joke that we’re cousins or twins, but no there’s no relation at all,” she laughed. “People ask that question a lot!” Being a member of the school leadership team is a daunting concept for some, but Olivia is confident that she has what it takes to make those around her proud. “I’m finding the role really exciting with all the opportunities,” she said. “It’s fun being involved in school activities on a new level and getting the opportunity to be
House Captains CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Dunlop House Captains Mabel Deveny and Jack Harcoan; Fairley House Captains Isabel Long and Lachlan Maskell; McLennan House Captains Thomas Hamilton and Elena Wall; Ryall House Captains Cameron Humphris and Miya Smith.
a role model is really great.” With a large portion of the year still yet to unfold, Olivia is optimistic about what she can give to the school. “Even though it’s only early in the year, both Pat and I have realized that every year is going to be different. Last year’s school captains were fantastic and we really want to echo what they did for the school, but we know we’ve got to do things our own way,” she said. “If you’re passionate about something and you’re confident about it with your partner then it’s worth it.” The travel bug bit Olivia in 2016, leading her to take part in the month long 2016-2017 World Challenge in Indonesia – completing two community projects: tree planting and building a toilet block – and then heading to St Edwards in Oxford, England for four weeks of exchange at the end of 2017. It’s no surprise that Olivia is looking forward to the possibility of again embracing the nomadic lifestyle and heading to the UK for 2020, undertaking a GAP year program as a sports coach.
“I loved England when I went over for exchange,” she said. “Although, it’s a really big time commitment to go overseas for the whole 12 months, I will have to think about it.” Olivia’s VCE subjects are English, Further Mathematics, Health and Human Development (H&HD), Biology and Psychology. She chose to fast track Geography in 2018 and her favourite subjects are Psychology and H&HD. She only opted to take on H&HD this year after she realised her passion, choosing to drop Legal Studies from her portfolio. “There is a lot of writing and note taking in Legal Studies, and that really isn’t my favourite thing to do,” she laughed. Adopting a more physiology-centric curriculum has helped Olivia focus in on what she ultimately aims to do at university: study Neuropsychology. “I find neuropsychology really interesting and I want to help people. There are a lot of career paths.” Olivia is keen to study neuropsychology at Monash University after her gap year, but her
interest in the science field is relatively new. “I never liked the idea of studying psychology, but then when I started the subject I got really interested in it,” she said. “I’m planning on studying psychology and then further specialising so I can work with stroke patients and patients with brain injuries.” Looking back over her time at GVGS, Olivia is appreciative of the staff and students she has been surrounded by. “Everyone is so supportive, you can talk to anyone in any year level and the teachers are all so great - I enjoy coming to school for that reason. Everyone is so nice and respectful,” she said. With a few solid months of experience now under her belt, Oliva’s advice for future school captains is simple. “Be confident in yourself - you’ve been carefully put in this leadership position and you are capable of doing good things for the school.”
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Academic achievements
Literary Prize winner
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ear 12 student Grace Sandles said it was an honour to be awarded the 2018 Joseph Furphy Commemorative Literary Prize Youth Section winner. A passion for writing and a trip to the Jewish Holocaust Museum in Melbourne inspired the story she entered, one filled with many struggles and the sadness of destruction. “My story is called Red, it’s inspired by the Holocaust … it follows a young Jewish girl as her world kind of falls apart,” Grace said. “I go through the Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, which was a particularly violent episode in the Holocaust.” Grace said her story was inspired by a Year 10 trip to the Jewish Holocaust museum where she met a number of survivors. It was here she heard the story of a lady called Maria, and it was this encounter which inspired her tale. Two-time Furphy Literary prize winner Grace Sandles.
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“We had Maria talk to us and she was really incredible and just lovely,” Grace said. “I wanted to encapsulate her fighting spirit and her bravery which is why it’s a young girl as my protagonist.” The Joseph Furphy Commemorative Literary Prize was inaugurated in 1993 to commemorate 150 years since the birth of Joseph Furphy. The competition recognises authors in two categories, poetry and short story, with cash prizes on offer for the junior, youth and open sections. This was the second time Grace had won the competition, however she said her most recent win was a more special achievement. “This time was obviously a bigger deal because I ended up getting published in the Shepparton News and the Tatura Guardian which was pretty cool,” she said.
“It was really exciting and it’s quite an honour, even though it is a small competition it’s still a really awesome thing to happen.” Grace encouraged anyone with a passion for writing or poetry to consider entering the competition which is run through the Goulburn Valley Libraries. She said the experience had encouraged her to pursue her goal of writing a book and continuing to further her literary skills. “If you’re shortlisted you get to hear about what you’re doing well which is always really important for learning and improving,” Grace said. “But also the process of applying for something and entering a competition it’s a really good experience and there is always the chance that if you do well then you can add that to your credentials.”
Academic achievements L-R: Cliona Ingram, Elly Miechel and Imogen Templeton.
ICAS Awardees
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hree students were recognised for their efforts in the 2018 ICAS assessments, receiving medals for finishing at the top of the state. Elly Miechel, Cliona Ingram and Imogen Templeton were awarded for their writing with each receiving an ICAS medal for achieving the top score in their subject for their year level. Run each year, the ICAS assessments are designed to encourage students to apply classroom learning in a new context, use higher-order thinking and problem solving skills. Students can choose to sit an ICAS assessment in Maths, English, Writing and Science. The girls were awarded their medals at an awards ceremony in November at the Melbourne Convention Centre alongside the other state winners. Elly Miechel – Year 11 Elly has been taking part in the ICAS assessments since Year 5 and has enjoyed testing her skills each year. Last year she completed the Mathematics, English and Writing ICAS assessments, which she said were a good indicator to see where she sat amongst the state. “ICAS exams are great for exam preparation, they help you manage your time skills and ultimately you can find out where you place in the state, it’s a good indicator for you to see where you’re at,” Elly said. Elly said she went into the assessments just like she would any other, and was excited to find out she had received a medal for her writing. “I went in thinking it was a normal day for me, I saw the prompt and it had something to do with a bicycle and I just wrote and I came out feeling normal,” she said. “A few months later I received a letter in the mail to say I had won a medal and I was seriously surprised, I was elated.” Elly said she would encourage other students to sit the ICAS assessments this
year as a way to test their skills and gather feedback from the results. “I think you can discover your natural talents through ICAS because for me, I know certainly English and Writing are up there and then I have my Maths and Science which are average so it can indicate where you need to improve,” she said. Cliona Ingram – Year 10 Last year was the first time Cliona had completed the ICAS assessments and, after finishing at the top of the state for her writing, there’s no doubt she was glad she took part. While she admits she felt nervous going into the assessment, Cliona said the experience helped her prepare for her future studies. “I was really nervous going into it because I’d never done it before. When I left I felt a bit disappointed in myself because I thought I could have done more but clearly I couldn’t have,” she said. “When I got the letter to say I had received a medal I didn’t think it was real I thought someone has got to be pranking me … but it was real and I was very shocked but very excited.” Given her own experience Cliona encouraged anyone who had never done an ICAS assessment before to give it a go. She said the assessment gave her an idea of what to expect with her Year 11 and 12 exams.
“I would encourage anyone to have a go and experience the conditions because they are quite stressful, in a way they’re kind of like an exam,” Cliona said. “It’s a great experience; you’re walking in blind you don’t really know what to expect.” Imogen Templeton – Year 8 With a passion for reading and a love for writing, Imogen said she has been completing the ICAS assessments since she started at GVGS in 2016. While this was the first time she had received a medal, she said each year she managed to take something away from the experience. “I really like to read and write, since Year 5 I have been doing the ICAS competitions because they push you and you can see where you’re up to and where everyone else is,” Imogen said. Imogen said she left the writing examination feeling pleased with her efforts, and was excited to learn that she had finished at the top of the state. “I was nervous going into it but once I was writing I was in the zone and I really enjoyed it, I came out and I was pretty proud of what I had done,” she said. “I think everyone should give them a go because the worst thing that can happen is that you just get a certificate and the best is that you get a medal.”
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Student writing
The world of reading As part of Year 11 Literature, students were recently asked to write about how books have influenced their lives. Merdi Yamfu Bwanga (pictured right) explains how books helped him learn English.
F
or my whole life it has been just my parents and me. Although having friends and both of my parents constantly by my side helped brighten up my childhood sometimes, being an only child could get very lonely and, during these times, I would turn to books as a source of entertainment, warmth, joy and hope. As a child, I adored the various Mister Men books. Living in a third world country meant that access to these books was often quite difficult. Because of this, I was always excited by the familiar smell of a new book and at the thought of exploring the adventures of wonderful and colourful characters. These characters not only allowed me to bond with my parents during a difficult time but they also assisted me in learning to view each person as an individual and understand that people often come in different shapes and sizes. They also provided me with an understanding of the people around me and their emotions. To this day, I keep a copy of Mr Happy by my bedside as a reminder that I should always strive to look for good and happiness in the world. I moved to Australia when I was seven years old. Prior to coming to Australia, my parents and I lived in Cameroon as refugees. Having to leave my whole life, friendships that I had built, and places that I had grown familiar with was especially difficult, as it was all I had known. At the
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time, I felt as if this was the end of my life and that there was no moving forward. Little did I know I would soon discover a whole new world, a world in which everyone was safe, happy and free to be themselves; it was incomparable to the world I had previously known. From a young age, books allowed me not only to view and understand others’ struggles and dreams but to also create my own dreams, and sometimes escape my own reality. During a time when I barely spoke a word of English, picture books allowed me to view the stories and draw my own meaning from them. Pretty soon I found myself relating these pictures to words and, in turn, speaking those words. Not only did books teach me about others, they helped me gain a better understanding of myself. Children’s picture books such as Possum Magic and Wombat Stew introduced me to Australian culture, a culture which
would soon become a part of me. I vividly remember my favourite part of the school day being story time. Mr Mancini, my teacher at the time, would clap his hands five times and this would signal to the class it was reading time. Along with my fellow students, I would instantly stop what I was doing and rush to sit with legs crossed, on the carpet in front of him to have the best view of the book he was reading. The contrast of the red Australian soil and grey bark and leaves soon became a symbol of the Australian landscape for me. I often find myself gravitating towards books that remind me of happy childhood memories. Now being much older, I have a better understanding of the world around me. Through what I have read and experienced, I am now aware that instead of dreading change which is constantly occurring around me, I should simply go along with life’s unpredictable flow.
Sporting achievement
Free and flying high on the water
B
arefoot and wet, hurtling along behind a speed boat at 70 kilometres per hour is exactly where Ben Sorraghan prefers to be. The Year 10 student recently was crowned the Barefoot Oceania Junior Champion, after winning the title in January this year at Liverpool in Sydney. He is also the current National Junior Jump Champion and Junior Victorian Barefoot Waterski Champion and is currently ranked 4th in the world on overall scores and 2nd in the world in the jump. Barefoot skiing is water skiing behind a motorboat without the use of water skis. Not bad for someone who thought they would “give barefoot skiing a go” after watching his Dad enjoying the sport during their summer holidays spent in Bundalong. “I just always saw Dad barefooting and thought it looked cool because of the big spray it made,” says Ben. “I had actually never skied before, not even on a pair of water skis. “When you barefoot you can just do whatever you want with your body, whereas when you have skis on you have to stand in a particular way. I just love the freedom of barefooting,” adds Ben. Each Barefoot competition consists of three events: trick, slalom and jump. You can win one of the three events, and there is also a prize for the overall winner of all three disciplines.
Ben has only recently started to compete in the jump section, which has become his favourite event. “It’s all about distance. So if you jump the furthest you will win,” explains Ben. He is also handy when it comes to performing tricks, as he starts to pull in the big scores for the riskier stunts. “Each trick you do has a certain score. The harder the trick is, the more points you get because you’ve got more risk of falling. “I have been working on surface turns lately, which I am just starting to get the hang of. I can do a 360 which is worth 500 points.” Renowned 10 times Australian Barefoot Champion Pete O’Neil is Ben’s coach, spending many a summer afternoon putting his prodigy through his paces on the training lake at Mulwala. “In summer we go skiing every weekend and leading up to the bigger tournaments we try to go every night of the week when its good weather because you have to ski when there is no wind otherwise it’s too rough,” explains Ben. “On most weekends we go to Bundalong, during the week I will go to Mulwala to ski with Pete and sometimes we head to Nagambie.” Luckily, all this skiing, while hard on the body, is the ultimate stress relief for the GVGS student. “There is nothing better than coming home from school and going for a ski. “When you are doing it you can’t
think about anything else. It’s like a stress relief. It takes your mind off stuff and it’s just relaxing,” says Ben. And while he doesn’t really get nervous before a competition, he is keen to always beat his last performance. “I just try and beat myself most of the time. A lot of the younger boys are really good. They are better than me so I try and compete against them.” Having a world ranking in the top 10 is an amazing effort in any sport, but always humble, Ben says it isn’t something he focuses on. “It’s a bit weird, I just try not to think about it,” he laughs. While already having the points to take part in next year’s World Barefoot Water Ski Championships in Sydney as an individual competitor, there is one more hurdle he is hoping to jump. “I am aiming to make the Australian team, but, if not, I will get to go as an individual competitor, but I really want to compete with the team.” And while Ben will be mixing it with the best barefooters from countries such as United States, New Zealand, China and some European countries, he says he is very grateful with the support he receives from back home. “Mum and Dad do a lot for me. I couldn’t do it without them.”
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Former student news
Prestigious music achievement F
or the first time in the school’s history two students from the Class of 2018 were selected to perform at Top Class at the Melbourne Recital Centre in Southbank. Presented by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, these concerts held in March are part of the VCE Season of Excellence and feature incredible young students who received high grades for their VCE performance examinations. Both Ryan Bhat and Paige Gullifer were selected to perform at the concert, with each performing a piece from their VCE examination repertoire. In addition to this achievement Paige was invited to participate in the Grand Finale Top Acts Concert on Friday, 10 May. Head of Music Mrs Genevieve Bihun said to have one student selected to perform was an amazing achievement, let alone two.
“It’s very prestigious, this is the first time to have two students selected which is unbelievable … I was crossing my fingers for one and then to find out we had two was superb,” she said.
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Ryan and Paige were selected by a panel of judges who listened to the examination performance recordings of students who received a high A+ in their VCE examinations. Held on March 19, Ryan played a solo piece on Marimba by J S Bach, Cello Suite No. 3 Allemande while Paige played the 1st movement of the Bernhard Heiden Sonata for Alto Saxophone and was accompanied by Mrs Bihun. With both students showing a true passion for music, Mrs Bihun said the pair were well recognised for their talents in the school community. “Everybody looked up to them when they played at assembly, you could see that the audience was so excited that it was their time to perform,” she said. While Ryan is now following his musical dreams at the University of Melbourne and Paige at the University of Sydney, Mrs Bihun said their achievements while at GVGS were something other students could look up to.
With close to 200 music lessons being run through the school’s Music Department this year, Mrs Bihun said it was exciting to see the department grow alongside the amazing facilities. “The facility has really encouraged a lot of students; it’s superb. Both Ryan and Paige have been a huge asset; we are very sad to see them go but of course they were ready to move on,” she said. “They are such worldly thinkers and just so mature, they knew that music was to be their future.” Ryan Bhat, (top left) and Paige Gullifer (top right) are pictured performing at GVGS concerts in 2018 and above with Mrs Genevieve Bihun at Melbourne’s Recitial Centre in Southbank.
Former student news
Volunteering overseas A
fter spending four days volunteering at the Foundation of Goodness in Sri Lanka, 2015 alumni Jemma Coulthard (pitured right) said the experience ignited a passion in her to help those in need.
Established in 1999, the Foundation aims to give underprivileged villagers access to skills that will enable them to gain employment, establish a career and live a successful life.
Jemma and her university friend Claire Keyworth travelled to Sri Lanka at the end of last year, spending three weeks exploring the country’s many quaint towns and picturesque countryside.
During their stay in Seenigama the girls experienced everything the Foundation had to offer, including a range of educational courses such as IT, children’s development, women’s empowerment and life skills.
During their trip the girls spent four days at the Foundation of Goodness in Seenigama, a voluntary organisation that strives to empower disadvantaged communities to give them a better chance at life.
“We also did a bit of sport stuff, we took swimming classes for 6 and 7 year olds … at least 30 little kids were in the pool so we each would get split off with a few of the kids,” she said.
“I was really excited to go because it was my first holiday without parents,” Jemma said.
“We did some netball practice, took the little girls netball team which was really fun.
“It was good planning it all ourselves and trying to get a little bit of volunteering in as well.”
“We helped out in the health care centre as well with filing and organisational stuff.”
The girls spent four days completing different activities with the local adults and their children at the Foundation. Jemma said a lot of their time was spent taking English lessons, something which the locals strived to achieve. “Most days we did English conversation classes, each session they would sit us down and we got different staff members and children to talk to,” she said. “They all want to keep up their English so we would have conversations with them.”
English classes and computer skills classes to make the locals more employable so they don’t have to go to a major city to get further education.” Jemma said she experienced her first taste of overseas volunteer work while she was at GVGS, heading to Borneo in 2012 while in Year 9 for the World Challenge. Here she volunteered at a school for children with disabilities, helping to paint and repair the school for its students.
Jemma said the experience taught her a lot about the Sri Lankan community and how underprivileged many of the villagers were.
After this experience and her recent trip to Sri Lanka, Jemma said she cannot wait to do more traveling and hoped to work in many other disadvantaged communities around the world.
She said it was evident the Foundation was making a change in the community, and encouraged anyone who had the chance to consider volunteering with them in the future.
“You don’t realise how privileged we are, holidaying around and being in a different country you don’t realise how much you actually have here,” she said.
“It’s a massive organisation, the idea is to support and empower communities,” Jemma said. “They run a lot of classes, they do a lot of
“I would tell anyone to volunteer, I think it’s worth it it’s a great experience to do something different you wouldn’t normally do, more people should volunteer.”
Vale - Brett Cooper, Class of 1996 The school community was recently sadden by the news of Brett Cooper, Class of 1996. Brett was suffering from an illness for some months and died in Vienna where he was seeking treatment. Brett was married to Natalie Pennell, Class of 1996 and they have three children. Brett is son-in-law to Laurie Pennell treasurer of the School Board.
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Where are they now?
Every year, class reunions are held at GVGS. Attendees from the Class of 2013 have been asked to pen an update on their lives, which is published here in Nexus for the interest of classmates and the wider school community. JAYDEN ANDREW: Studied at Latrobe University. Graduated with Bachelor of Health Sciences. Majored in Anatomy and Physiology. Worked as Research Assistant, University of Melbourne in Shepparton. In 2017 moved to Vancouver, BC in Canada with girlfriend. Lived and worked there until August 2018. Worked as a Personal Trainer at Equinox, a global high end Fitness Company. KELLY BANFIELD: Completed the One Year Role Program with the Australian Army and was posted to Darwin. Decided to take up a deferred position studying Nursing and Midwifery at Latrobe University, Melbourne. Continued with service in the Army, however now as a Reservist at a local unit in Melbourne. During my training in the Army, met a lovely man and have now been together for over 4 years. Have recently secured employment for next year working as a Nurse/Midwife at Mercy Hospital in Heidelberg. NICOLA BOLTON: I was fortunate to have been granted a scholarship to study Dance Theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York USA. Completed this course and have been working full time as a professional dancer. I first danced in ‘Christmas Wonderland’, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, then I moved to Japan on a 16 month contract
dancing at Disneyland in Tokyo. I have since been dancing for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, currently on my second contract, cruising Europe and the Caribbean and loving it. KIEREN BONANNO: Completing Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance. Co-founded a DJ/ Events collective called President Press. Recently began booking International Artists and curating an event for Melbourne Music Week. Travelled part of Europe. East Melbourne Futsal league championship winner for KFC, 2017. LUKE BONGIORNO: Lived on campus at St Hilda’s while studying a Degree in Commerce Finance Marketing at Melbourne University. Obtained a Real Estate Agents Licence. Started work in March 2018 at a Wealth Management Firm call UGC. Travelled Europe for 3 months with friends from university. JAKE BROOKS: Completed Bachelor of Property Development & Real Estate at Deakin University. Received a full time position at Citinova as a Development Manager. ANDREW CAMPBELL: Gap year to America, lived in Denver, Colorado. Commenced studies in Geospatial Science at RMIT, Melbourne. Working at a spatial technology & systems firm, Spatial Vision, Melbourne. GABRIELLA CIRILLO: Diploma of Arts at Latrobe, Shepparton Campus 2014-2015. Bachelor of Arts at Latrobe, Shepparton Campus 2015-2018. Masters of Secondary Teaching, Latrobe, Bundoora Campus 2018-2020. Volunteered at Primary and Secondary Schools in Shepparton while studying. RACHEL COGHLAN:Completed an undergraduate Degree in Nursing and Midwifery. Completing a graduate year at Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton.
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ELIAS COLGAN-ZITO: Studying at Deakin University. Travelled overseas in gap year, playing basketball.
active in choirs and vocal performances and still interested in the local communities. Have also travelled though some of Europe. MIKAELA COWAN: Completed AIDAN FOOTT: Studying at Bachelor of Business in Event Latrobe University for Bachelor Management. Graduated from of Commerce/Bachelor of Law Latrobe University. Completed an Degrees. Currently Interning at Internship at the Carlton Football EY in Corporate Finance. Recent Club. Worked in the Events Team Internship at Telstra in Investments. at the Melbourne Football Club Was President of the Latrobe 2018. Currently working at Bicycle University Law Students Association Network, Melbourne. Travelled in 2017/2018. overseas to Europe for 2 months. MORGAN GIBSON: Bachelor of MARGOT CRAIG: Studied a Pharmacy (Honours) at Latrobe Bachelor of Teaching (Outreach and University in Bendigo. Completed Community Education) at Latrobe Internship at Northeast Health, University, Bundoora. During this Wangaratta Hospital in 2018 whilst time I did a placement at GVGS. doing a Graduate Certificate in Was offered a full-time position at Pharmacy Practice through Monash Nathalia Primary School this year University in Parkville. Looking and have now been offered ongoing forward to 2019, first year out as a work there in 2019. Currently living fully qualified Pharmacist. Have and teaching in Nathalia. This year travelled to Nepal and Cambodia. have captained a netball team at the ALEXANDER GOODWIN: Studied local Picola Netball Club, received Bachelor of Health Science and Runner Up and Best and Fairest. Masters of Podiatric Practice at SHAUN CROSS: Graduated from Latrobe University. Currently University in 2018. Completed 2 working at Lakeside Podiatry in Internships, one in Malaysia at a Shepparton. Consulting Company and one at GEORGIA GOULOPOULOS: Pitcher Partners in Melbourne. Since Recently finished studying Medicine graduating worked in a restaurant at Monash University and have in Richmond. Recently secured a secured a job as a doctor at full time job with Linfox as part of a Peninsula Health, where I intend to Business Readiness Project rollout continue my medical training and team. Gap year in 2014, spent 6 pursue a career in Anaesthetics. months doing volunteer work in Between the long hours of full the UK. Participated in Southern time Hospital placements, I have and Australian University games maintained a busy social life representing Latrobe in Hockey amongst friends, social futsal and 2015 and 2016.Travelled the US with tennis competitions and university Jayden Doyle and Jack Hicks in clubs and activities. 2017. CAITLYN GRIFFITHS: Completed RYAN DAVEY: Completing 3rd year Bachelor of Science at the University of Applied Science and Masters in of Melbourne 2014-2018. Currently Podiatry. employed at Bega. Travelled around Europe for 3½ months in 2018. HARRISON DEAN: Completing a PETA HARDIMENT: Commenced Bachelor of Science. Internship at Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and RACV. Travelled the world. Bachelor of Veterinary Science at GEORGINA EVANS: Studied at the Charles Sturt University in 2014. Will University of Melbourne and lived graduate in July 2019. Completed on campus (University College) for 2 placement in Fiji with University years. Then moved out with friends and New Colombo Plan.Conducted and graduated from University in desexing clinic on Naviti Island and 2016. Got a job in sales (Media and Suva. Partnerships) at the AFL. AMANDA HEARD: Completed a STEELE FAIRLESS: Completed Bachelor of Physical and Health Bachelor of Medical Science at Education at Latrobe University Monash University. Was accepted in Bendigo. Now living back into the Monash Doctor of Medicine in Shepparton and working at Program and about to move into Shepparton East Primary School the clinical placement years. Have as the PE Coordinator. Competed worked in hospitality and factory at state and national competitions jobs as well as working as a tutor. for athletics representing Latrobe In 2017 was fortunate to spend 6 University, while being accepted months as a lecturer of 2nd year in their Elite Athlete Program and Biomed students at Federation being Sports Ambassador for University in Immunology and the Bendigo Campus.I also enjoy Pathophysiology.Have remained completing fun runs around Victoria.
Former student news
GEORGIA HICKS: Studied Midwifery/Nursing at Geelong Deakin Waterfront University. Completed my Degree this year and have secured a graduate position as a Nurse and Midwife at the Royal Women’s Hospital for 2019. Played Netball at Moddawarrie. JACK HICKS: Studying Bachelor of Property and Real Estate and a Bachelor of Public Relations at Deakin in Burwood. Currently working full-time at Kevin Hicks Real Estate. Part-time Caulfield Racecourse (MRC). Freelance in Drone Photography. Have subagents licence in Real Estate and nearing the end of my studies. Premiers with the Purple Cobras in Futsal and reached multiple finals for a few football club. Involved in Charity Events like the biggest blokes breakfast, raising funds for prostate cancer and men’s health. ANNA KIRTON: Completed Bachelor of Education P-10 at Federation University, Ballarat. Currently working at Deakin University, Burwood as a Student Adviser. Spent the 2018 snow season working at Falls Creek in a Lodge. Travelled to Bali, Hawaii, Thailand and Japan. Planning on more travel to Europe and America. TESS LAWLESS: After a gap year, worked on family farm and full time at SPC. Then moved to Melbourne and studied a Bachelor of Health Tilly Dalton and James Worsfold. Science at Deakin University, Burwood for 3 years. Secured a job as a Health and Wellbeing Coach/ Accounts Manager at a company called R+R Corporate Health. Last year I also became a volunteer fire fighter. MATTHEW McCLELLAND: Studying Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) at Deakin, Burwood. Two times Futsal Champion,
including a famous penalty win with the Purple Cobras in the Universal Futsal Championships and with KFC in the East Melbourne Futsal Championships. SIMON McDONALD: 6 months at International Golf Academy in South Carolina, USA. Currently studying International Business at RMIT.12 months in Gold Coast studying Golf Management and Coaching. Currently in China (Shanghai) at RMIT Campus for the Semester. SAM MERRYLEES: Gap year with Hayes Catering, Shepparton and travelled overseas 2014. Studied Double Degree in Law/Commerce at Deakin University Burwood will graduate at the end of 2019. Currently working at Aitkin Partners as a Paralegal and will continue work there as a Trainee Lawyer in 2020. Travelled to Tokyo for an Internship with Mitsui & Co for two weeks in 2017, as part of the New Colombo Plan. Took a semester of in 2018 and travelled Europe for 3½ months. LAUREN MINICOZZI: Completed Bachelor Degree in Fashion (Merchandise Management). Working for Cotton Group in the marketing team as the PR and Social Media Coordinator. JEDDA NOLEN: Have completed a Bachelor of Clinical Science in Osteopathy at Victoria University and currently have 12 months of study remaining as I complete my Masters of Osteopathy. CATHERINE SERRA: Graduated with a Bachelor of Creative Arts majoring in Graphic Design. Currently working as a Freelance Graphic Designer. JACOB SHELLEY: Employment: Entering final year of a Bachelor of Agricultural Science Degree.
MORGAN TALBOT: Graduated from Brown University, Magna Cum Laude in Neuroscience 2018, winning the prize for best Thesis and best Research Student. Working the year at the National Veterans Affairs Centre for Neuroscience and Prosthetics (similar) while applying to MDPhD Programs. Currently living in USA. Plays tenor saxophone in the Brown jazz band. JAMES THOMAS: Graduated from University of Melbourne with Bachelor of Environments. Secured graduate position with Environmental Consultancy firm in Kew. Was working as a Bar Manager in Richmond while studying. Travelled with friends to the Netherlands, Belgium and China. Played football with University Blacks, Old Carey Grammar Football Club. ALBERT TORRIERO: Studied Bachelor of Commerce and Diploma of Languages in Indonesian at the University of Melbourne. Started work in a graduate position at Cbus, an industry superannuation fund Currently tutor Indonesian at St Hilda’s College.Have travelled to Indonesia a number of times, including several months as a participant on the AustraliaIndonesia Youth Exchange program. DAVID TOM: Studying Law/Science Degree at Monash University. EMILY TRIMBOLI (KALAFATIS): Completed Diploma of Events at Swinburne University of Technology. Working at WIN Television for the past 4 years as an Advertising Account Executive. Working for Imagine If: Creative Solutions as an Event Assistant for RACV, MYER and NRI Trade Show. Created own fundraiser for the
White Ribbon Foundation called Fashion Frenzy Fundraiser in 2014. Recently got married in April this year to Nicholas Trimboli. NICOLE WELLER: Completed Double Degree of Commerce and Science at Monash. Look forward to starting full time work next year. EMMA WIDDICOMBE: Recently completed Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at Monash University and starting my first job as a Doctor at Ballarat Health in 2019. Moved around quite a lot with placements for University, spending quite some time in Bendigo and Castlemaine. This year had the chance to spend 6 weeks in Vanuatu to work in the Hospital there which was an amazing medical experience, but was also fantastic to meet the local communities as well. JANE WINTER-IRVING: Took a gap year and worked. Completed Bachelor of Arts at Melbourne University with major in Media Communications and Linguistics 2015-2017. Lived at University College. Currently employed at Nufarm as a commercial graduate. Went overseas in 2016. Share a house in Fitzroy with friends. GRACE WITTINGSLOW: Completed Bachelor of Science Degree at the University of Melbourne. Majored in Human Structure and Function. Began a course in Chiropractics in 2017. Have also worked as a Swim Teacher, a Life Guard and Tennis Coach. PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Jake Brooks, Aiden Foott, Shaun Collins, Morgan Gibson, James Thomas; Steele Fairless, Kelly Banfield and Margot Craig; Laura Pogue, Amanda Heard, Catherine Serra and Georgina Goulopoulos. NE XUS 2 0 1 9 / 1 9
Around the school
Building Development
P
roperty Manager Mr Chris Atkins thinks back to the turn of the century with a great sense of achievement. “It was the first project I ever managed,” he remarks when asked about two-stage construction of the GVGS sports centre. The first stage – the gymnasium area – was built in 2002 and the second stage – the classrooms, PE staff offices and change rooms – was built in 2004. More than a decade later, he once again found himself as project manager for the highly anticipated installation of air-conditioning to the gymnasium. “This was something we wanted to do for a long time,” Chris said. “Everyone is really happy with it – especially the students and PE staff.” In early 2017 when the project first came to life, the biggest potential issue that was raised was noise. With that in mind, Chris got in contact with a local heating and cooling specialist that has been servicing GVGS for over 20 years who informed him of the latest technology. “It took us three months just to get a price because they still hadn’t finished developing it yet,” Chris said. A quote was eventually provided and Chris knew it was the right fit for the job. “It’s so energy efficient, works really well and it’s the latest thing on the market,” Chris said. “They’re just massive, powerful split systems – the same thing you would have at home, but on a larger scale.” As hoped, the new air-conditioning that was installed is hardly noticeable. “Some systems can really roar when they get going,” Principal Mark Torriero said. “With what we’ve installed, if you’re sitting in here doing an exam you wouldn’t even notice it.” “They all saw this as a really important project and all the students were going to benefit from this
upgrade at some point,” Mr. Torriero commented when asked about the contributions from the P&F and Mother’s Club that made this project possible. “They knew there was a need for it and were very supportive.” The P&F and Mother’s Club worked hard raising funds to support the installation of the air-conditioning, collectively raising $90,000. “Naturally, we’re fundraising all the time and banking up money for something worthy,” President of the GVGS Mothers Club Mrs Sue Jackson said. “When we were approached about this project we knew what an important upgrade it was.” The money came from events such as the Mother’s Club lunch and the P&F raffle at the Presentation Ball. “We can see that this was a worthwhile project because of how the students openly appreciate it,” P&F President Mrs Louise Brown said. “Many have them have commented and that’s what we’re here for – to improve the school.”
ABOVE: Mothers Club President - Mrs Sue Jackson, Sports Coordinator - Mr Greg Reynoldson, Health and Physical Education Coordinator - Mrs Meagan Harrison and P&F President - Mrs Louise Brown.
The project was completed in mid-2018 and has been warmly received by staff and students. “It certainly allows for more flexibility in our PE programme,” Health and Physical Education Coordinator Mrs Meagan Harrison said. “Now that we have heating and cooling available, we don’t have to outsource to other air conditioned venues.”
Dates for your Diary, visit www.gvgs.vic.edu.au for more information Mothers Club Luncheon Friday, 13 September, 2019 10-30 Year Reunions Saturday, October 19, 2019
Class of 1989 – 30 Year Reunion, Class of 1994 – 25 Year Reunion, Class of 1999 – 20 Year Reunion, Class of 2004 – 15 Year Reunion, Class of 2009 – 10 Year Reunion
Year 5 Reunion Saturday, November 23, 2019 Class of 2014 – 5 Year Reunion
Grandparents Day Thursday November 28, 2019