The Chronicle | Issue 8 | Summer 2019-20

The

CHRONICLE ISSUE 8

SUMMER 2019

KINROSS WOLAROI SCHOOL

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Meet the Kinross Wolaroi boarding community

A COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

Acknowledging the need to adapt in response to climate change

TH E C H R ONI C L E

FROM THE EDITOR In our Summer 2019 edition we focus on the importance of boarding in the life of the school. Boarding goes to the heart of who we are at Kinross Wolaroi. Our commitment to co-educational boarding, development of the whole person and family-like environment provides a modern boarding experience where young people develop a strong sense of self and a mature outlook on life. In this edition our students and ex-students reflect on the experience of boarding; we introduce you to many of the outstanding staff who care for our boarders; and our leadership team reflect on the value and future of boarding.

As we finalise this edition, the Class of 2019 have received their final HSC marks and ATARs and will now be making exciting plans for life beyond school. As a result of their hard work and success,

Kinross Wolaroi has topped the rankings for schools in the Central West and is among the top 20% of schools in the State for 2019.

As a proudly non-selective and coeducational school that immerses students in a diverse and expansive academic and co-curricular program, this result is all the more impressive.

Our 2019 Dux, who also achieved the top ATAR, reflects on his time at school in this edition.

I hope you will continue to send us your feedback, story ideas and contributions so that the Chronicle can reflect every aspect of our inclusive and thriving community.

If you do not already receive a copy of the magazine by post or email and would like one, please let us know.

Our contact details are listed at right.

Jennifer Divall Engagement Manager

Credits Publisher Kinross Wolaroi School 59-67 Bathurst Road Orange NSW 2800 +612 6392 0300 reception@kws.nsw.edu.au kws.nsw.edu.au Editor Jennifer Divall Engagement Manager Coordinator Caroline Rich Publications & Design Officer Alumni Relations Luke Corinth +612 6392 0300 exstudents@kws.nsw.edu.au Journalism Skye Manson Caroline Rich Luke Corinth Photography Graham Schumann Melise Coleman Brenton Cox Design Graziela Machado Printing GK Craig Printing Contributions Reader contributions are welcomed.

Please forward to crich@kws.nsw.edu.au

Kinross Wolaroi School is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia Front cover: The people and places that make up the Kinross Wolaroi boarding community

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IN THIS ISSUE From the Principal Boarding Schools are Special Places

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Chair of Council A Privilege and an Opportunity

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Features Home Away from Home A Graduates’ View UNICEF NSW Drought Summit Through the Eyes of the Director of Boarding

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Programs and Innovation The Positivity Project Not Just a Farm Student Exchange Program STEM Academy Project Kakadu Cultural Immersion Central West Philosophon Pitch Festival KWS Sustainability Coalition World Class Sustainability Award

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Event Coverage Ski Trip Oliver!

Visual Arts & Textiles Year 12 Exhibit Industrial Technology Exhibition Futures Past Farewell to Year 12 Year 12 Dux graduation Speech Leadership Induction Ceremony Grandparents’ Day Year 6 Farewell Spring Soiree Prep Celebration Assembly 133rd Annual Speech Day

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Charity Fundraisers Nick Tooth Foundation The Art of Simple The Confident Girls Foundation R U OK? Day Bags For Better Sponcert

Student Achievements Julia Williams Olivia Mirrington William Smith & Digby Cooper Lucy Jenkins & Lara Hawker Bonnie McPhee, Krishan Kandeepan & Bianca Wong Cody Kelso Annabella Triggs Doug Philipson Gianrico Wynn Toby Gough Daniel Lord Lachlan de Vries & Phoebe Paynter Jemma Luelf, Isabella Scammell, Millie McKinnon & Georgia Miller Ava Buesnel, Isaac de Bruyn, Joshua de Bruyn, Kajan Kandeepan, Krishan Kandeepan, Bonnie McPhee & Keeley O’Toole

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Staff Meet the Laundry Team Meet our Boarding Heads of House Meet our Boarding House Mothers Sally Rattray-Wood

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Alumni Profiles Mitchell Colton Amy Stevens Doug Beddie David Sunton Hilary Longhurst

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Alumni News Blast from the past – Paveena’s 50th Birthday in Thailand Alexandra Wallace

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Announcements

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From the Archives

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THE CH R ONI C L E F R O M T H E P R IN C I PAL

BOARDING SCHOOLS ARE SPECIAL PLACES At their essence, they are about community and – whether you are a boarding or a day family – the presence of boarding brings something extra and quite special to the school experience. As part of the Kinross Wolaroi community, our boarding students and their families are contributing to a thriving community with a common belief in the great value of a quality education.

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Harry climbed the spiral stairs with no thought in his head except for how glad he was to be back. They reached their familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds and Harry, looking around, felt he was home at last.”

J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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urrently there are around 24,000 children boarding in Australia, and independent schools like ours are by far the largest provider, with some 148 schools providing boarding for over 15,800 students.1 Boarding in Australia, unlike some countries, is less about prestige and more about opportunity. Decisions about boarding are often unavoidable for families who live too far from the nearest school, or for whom local schools cannot offer the type of educational opportunities they seek.

Today’s social profile of boarding school students may provide a surprise for some people. Boarders in independent schools represent a diverse group of students from a wide range of backgrounds, from home and abroad.

For example, boarding school plays an important role in the education of many Indigenous students, with over 2,240 Indigenous boarders attending 125 independent schools across Australia.

Proudly, Kinross Wolaroi is currently home to over 20 Indigenous students from all over NSW. Boarding is a decision that some parents worry over for years, yet there are distinct benefits to boarding, despite the fact that families are separated.

Intuitively, you might think that boarders separated from their parents would be at a disadvantage, but research has found that boarders do as well as day students academically and they may even leave school better equipped for life, study and work.2 Studies have shown that boarding students recognise that their ‘second home’ in boarding offers benefits like ready access to tutoring, more activities and the chance to develop closer friendships and better self-care skills than if they had been a day student.

Their parents often comment that their children have developed confidence, independence, social skills and self-motivation.

Our boarders are well represented in academic and extra-curricular achievement; they often take up leadership roles and, by the later years of senior school, they certainly tend to have a very positive and mature outlook on life.

According to clinical psychologist, Jane Carmignani, “(boarders) become more cooperative learners, have more developed self-discipline and are generally better prepared for post-school study.” 3 The boarding environment has also been shown to give boarders an extra sense of belonging, which can be protective against mental health issues, improves learning and produces happier, more adaptable people.

At Kinross Wolaroi our focus is to help our boarders to feel connected, listened to, valued and supported. When our families are facing adversity, be it drought, fires, illness or any of the other problems that happen in life, our job as a school is to provide every student with a place that is safe and supportive.

For boarders, this can be more complex.

Research by UNICEF 4 uncovered that in response to the demands of the drought, our young people have often been forced to grow up prematurely. For some boarders, school provides a welcome release from the worries of home, while others may fret that they are not there to help their family. Boarding staff are alert and receptive to these worries and a strong, three way relationship between school, parents and the child is nurtured to manage these concerns.

To care for someone’s child for a night is a significant responsibility; however, to be entrusted with the care of someone’s child during their formative years is both an enormous responsibility, and a wonderful privilege. Sharing in the growth and development of the young people in my care over the years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career • Dr Andrew Parry Principal – KWS

1. https://isca.edu.au/about-independent-schools/about-independent-schools/boarding-schools/, 2019 2. Martin, A.J., Papworth, B., Ginns, P., & Liem, G.A.D. (2014). Boarding school, academic motivation and engagement, and psychological well-being: A large-scale investigation. American Educational Research Journal, 51(5), 1107-1049.

3. https://lindastade.com/benefits-of-boarding/, ‘What are the benefits of boarding school? Ask a psychologist’ (Interview with Jane Carmignani, Clinical Psychologist), 2017 4. In their own words: the hidden impact of prolonged drought on children and young people, UNICEF, 2019 3

SUMMER 2019

THE CH R ONI C L E C H A I R O F C O UN C IL

A PRIVILEGE AND AN OPPORTUNITY Governance bodies are often solely focussed on the tangible aspects of a school – budgets, financial results, buildings, resourcing, appointment of the Principal and the Business Manager, measurement of academic results, mitigation of risk. Of course these things are all vitally important, but I’m convinced that it’s the intangible aspects of an organisation which will determine “success”.

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t’s our school’s culture that will drive our bottom line, now and in the long term. It builds our brand, it attracts and retains talent (staff and students), it provides a shared vision, it makes advocates out of all who connect with the school. Most importantly it underpins the overall wellbeing of our community.

With a total of 1,100 students, 40% of our Senior School are boarders. So it’s obvious that our boarders are key to shaping who we are, and influencing the school’s culture.

We’ve consciously strived for, and achieved, a 50/50 gender balance in our boarding cohort and we’re proud of our nationally recognised Indigenous program supporting at least 20 Indigenous students each year.

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It’s an absolute privilege and an opportunity to be entrusted with the care of our boarding students. These students and the families they bring with them underpin who we are as a community.”

Mrs Christine McIntosh, Chair of KWS School Council

Left to right: Mr Trevor Delbridge, Mr Warrie Holman, Dr Kristine Battye, Ms Anne Empson, Dr Andrew Parry, Mr Andrew Kermode, Mrs Christine McIntosh, Mr Daniel Blyde, Rev Andrew Cunningham, Mrs Sarah Barrett, Dr Paul Bloomfield and Mrs Joanna Hoskins. Absent: Ms Caroline Myers

While the vast majority of our boarders have traditionally come from west of Orange, they now travel from all corners of NSW – from Bourke to Hay, Adaminaby to Yamba, Sydney to Canberra. An attribute common to all who encounter our boarders is their openness and authenticity – they’re ‘down to earth’ and they seamlessly interact with our day students. This profile allows us to tap into a diversity of a type not offered elsewhere.

The strength of our boarding is grounded in our co-educational offering.

Co-education is not only a reflection of real life but it keeps families together.

It also provides us with the opportunity to connect and build enduring relationships with the whole family.

This is particularly so when we’re entrusted with children who board.

We recognise that being away from family can be hard but our programes and staffing models have been structured to provide a supportive environment within which our boarders can overcome that challenge and grow in a regional setting. Through boarding, students are given the opportunity to build confidence, independence and resilience. These attributes are core to academic excellence and developing adaptable learners. So our boarders have the potential to lead the way and influence how all students learn and interact across the school.

We’re progressively upgrading our boarding and educational facilities and we saw the opportunity to purchase the Windermere farm last year as a way to ensure all students can learn through practical applications in a rural setting

whilst providing a unique venue for weekend programmes for our boarders.

In fact, every decision we make as a governance body in supporting our management team is focussed on the specific needs of KWS students and how we guide them to develop to embrace and serve our diverse society consistent with Christian principles. The boarding environment provides a 24/7 opportunity for our staff to understand each of our boarding students and to continually tailor programmes for their needs.

So while it can be challenging at times, it’s an absolute privilege and an opportunity to be entrusted with the care of our boarding students. These students and the families they bring with them underpin who we are as a community • Mrs Christine McIntosh Chair – KWS School Council 5

SUMMER 2019

THE CH R ONI C L E F E ATUR E S

HOME AWAY FROM HOME Will Byrnes & Lucy Aveyard tell us what they love most about boarding.

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oarding at Kinross Wolaroi School is designed to be a contemporary experience focused on genuine relationships with the individual to enable a true ‘home away from home’ experience. Director of Boarding, Matt Curran and all boarding staff including Heads of Houses, Residential Assistants and House Mothers aim to create an authentically warm and welcoming place for boarders which genuinely feels like a home. Above all, staff are motivated to get to know individuals in a very authentic manner so they can provide an environment that mirrors the expectations and care that a child would receive in their own home.

Boy and Girl Head Boarding Prefects Will Byrnes and Lucy Aveyard are a good reflection of what it feels like to be a boarder at Kinross Wolaroi School.

Will Byrnes hails from Parkes, about an hour west of Orange, and has been boarding in Weymouth House at Kinross Wolaroi for two years. He arrived in Year 10 as a boarder with plenty of enthusiasm as he’d seen his older brothers (Tom, 2015 and Jack, 2017) live and love the school for years before. “I knew what I was getting myself into and I would say the first night is the hardest but from there you don’t really look back,” Will says. He says boarding has definitely given him the ability to empathise more with staff who he often sees doing ‘normal’ tasks after hours.

“I was a day student at my old school and you just looked at a teacher as a teacher and nothing else, you’d think they came

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to school and then leave and they don’t have a life, but now I’ve come to realise there’s a bit more to it. You watch teachers marking on the weekend and you get a bit of sympathy for them!”

Of course there is lots of fun to be had in the boarding house. “You know one of the boys brings a speaker out while you are brushing your teeth and we all have a dance party, or we have this game with a hockey stick called ‘Weymouth Games’ – where we place a stick in boy’s rooms without them knowing to see how long it takes them to notice it’s there.” It’s these shared moments that lead to deeper friendships with fellow boarders. “It turns into more than a friendship it’s more like a brotherhood, it’s like having siblings,” says Will. “In saying that, like siblings, you do have disagreements, but you get through it and it makes for a stronger connection in the end.”

There are times when boys are brought back down to earth as well. “Our House Mothers will bring you back on track or pull you into line if you need it. That’s what makes it feel so good and like a community, and that you are a part of something bigger than yourself – that’s what makes it feel like a home.”

Lucy Aveyard started as a boarder in Miller House in Year 9 and says that her first night is one of her favourite boarding memories. “That was a really special night because everyone was so welcoming and there were so many people talking about what boarding life would be like, it was really fun,” says Lucy. Lucy has become so comfortable with her surrounds that she often refers to her boarding house as ‘home’

now. “When I go back to the boarding house I usually say, ‘I’m going home’.

During term I treat the boarding house as my home and the girls in my boarding house are basically my sisters, I treat them as family.” As someone who loves to socialise, Lucy says doing homework as a boarder is surprisingly easier in her communal environment. “I really like to hang out with my friends and it’s made doing work a lot easier because my friends do the same subjects as

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me so we are able to work through it together,” says Lucy. Over the years, Lucy has drawn on the housing staff for support many times to make her feel safe. “Now I am able to share my feelings and emotions about things that I am going through. You are able to talk about everything at the Boarding House; about your day, how you are going at school, if you are sad or upset, you are always able to talk with someone, you are never alone,” says Lucy •

It’s more like a brotherhood, it’s like having siblings. In saying that, like siblings, you do have disagreements, but you get through it and it makes for a stronger connection in the end.”

Our Boy Head Boarding Prefect Will Byrnes describes his ‘home away from home’ and KWS friendships

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TH E C H R ONI C L E F E ATUR E S

A GRADUATES’ VIEW Looking back on boarding Boarding at Kinross Wolaroi School is an experience that builds values of independence, resilience, leadership and inclusivity.

01 C lass of 2013 Graduate, Jack Yeomans 02 C lass of 1987 Graduate, Kelly Dowling with her son Ned who currently attends KWS

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urposefully the School is focused on developing individuals’ strengths, a sense of self and pride in their abilities in response, the benefits of KWS’ nurturing boarding environment extend far beyond the school gate into communities and workplaces all over the world and into new generations of families.

Here are the personal stories of two past boarding students, Jack Yeomans from north of Walgett from the Class of 2013 and Gunning farmer, Kelly Dowling from the Class of 1987.

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Walgett boy Jack Yeomans describes the co-educational boarding experience at Kinross Wolaroi School as ‘the full package’ where sport, friendship and leadership converge. As one of five children (his sister Bridget will finish KWS in 2020) Jack and his family have a long association with boarding and KWS. Jack recalls leaving the confines of life on the farm in 2008 to start school as a Year 7 boarder as a strange feeling. “I always knew I was going to boarding school and it was exciting but also scary as well,” says Jack. “I battled a little at first because I am the eldest of five children and home was always good fun so I missed being with mum and dad and my brothers and sisters.” But as is usually the case, it didn’t take Jack long to form friendships that ended up lasting a lifetime with the other boys in Trathen House.

Despite the initial adjustment, Jack saw boarding school as a huge opportunity that he is thankful to his parents for and he made the most of every opportunity.

He loved sport – swimming, water polo, rugby (particularly the Wolaroi vs Weymouth matches) and cricket and then other extra-curricular pursuits such as cadets, musical productions and equestrian.

“Being away at school meant we were in the right spot for any opportunity we wanted to pursue, be it guitar lessons or sport or music,” says Jack. “I learnt to fly! Every week in Year 9 on Wednesdays I had flying lessons. Going to boarding school just opened up so many doors that I never would have had in Walgett.”

In Wolaroi House Jack gleaned leadership skills from boys he looked up to.

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Kinross Wolaroi has been such a good building block for things later on in life. Learning to be independent, learning self-awareness and your strengths and weaknesses and all those things get tied up in boarding.”

Mrs Kelly Dowling, KWS Class of 1987

“The culture at Wolaroi was the best thing about that House. Everyone just looked after each other, I always had a lot of support from the older boys there and that was passed down to me and I always took care of younger blokes as well,” says Jack. As he climbed the ranks in cadets he learned how to look after teams of people, a trait that he put into practice after school in stock camps on a cattle station in Cloncurry in Queensland and now at home on his family’s farm and concreting businesses. “When you get into those higher roles in cadets you are out in the bush with forty-odd kids and you’re the boss and you’ve got to make sure they are all safe and you get to where you’re supposed to go. Being a CUO certainly taught me a lot about leadership and responsibility,” says Jack.

Boarding life has resulted in a solid appreciation for family. “While I was at KWS I really learnt that family comes first,” says Jack. “Kinross Wolaroi is a very family orientated school, it’s like one big family and I did spend a lot of time with both of my brothers. Now that I am working with my family and with my Dad, I realise just how important family is and I think that comes from my time as a boarder.”

Jack’s siblings, Ned (2014), Joe (2016), Maggie (2018) and Bridget (2020) all attended or are in attendance at Kinross Wolaroi as boarding students.

When Kelly Dowling came to Kinross Wolaroi from Gunning in southern New South Wales as a Year 7 boarder in 1987 she’d see her parents once a term.

“I absolutely loved boarding 95% of the time. The first year was pretty tough as a 12-year-old and I was the eldest of our family so I was the first one to head off but as for the rest of it, it was absolutely fantastic,” says Kelly.

“I suppose Mum and Dad always put into our heads that it was an opportunity and a privilege to go to boarding school and it wasn’t a negative thing so that is how we took on KWS; as a huge opportunity for the next stage of our lives.”

Kelly was involved in anything and everything at Kinross Wolaroi and among her long list of achievements was becoming a Prefect, Captain of Stuart Douglas House and recipient of the Wellwood Shield for Sportsmanship, Leadership and School Spirit. “I still get a buzz when I see it handed out because it meant a lot to me. I loved my leadership roles,” says Kelly. Kelly and her brothers, Rob (1994) and Luke (2001) attended

Kinross Wolaroi as boarders from Year 7 to Year 12 and now Kelly’s son, Ned is boarding at KWS. “It was a no-brainer to send Ned to Kinross Wolaroi,” she says.

“When I look back, I recognise that Kinross Wolaroi has been such a good building block for things later on in life.

Learning to be independent, learning self-awareness and your strengths and weaknesses. All those things get tied up in boarding because you are very aware of yourself and responsible for your actions and you don’t have your parents there on your back all the time,” says Kelly.

After school, Kelly found herself drawn to the male dominated industries of defence and farming. She became the first female district wool manager with Elders based in Mudgee and says she really thrived in this environment, something she attributes to co-education.

“The co-educational aspect of Kinross Wolaroi was really positive for me.

I think it made my life easier when I went to the Australian Defence Academy (ADFA). In those growing up years it’s really nice to be able to communicate and associate with boys.

It really sets you up for some good relationships with men professionally and personally later on in life,” says Kelly.

As a young person in farming, Kelly says she often felt as though she was the only young person and the only female in her field, but it didn’t worry her, in fact she always saw it as an opportunity. “I’ve never lacked any personal confidence in who I am and what I can achieve. I would put some of that down to my personality but I’d put a lot of it down to boarding and KWS as a school,” says Kelly. “It fosters a really amazing way for individuals to make the most of who they are, which is why I picked KWS for Ned – I think the School is very good at fostering the individual strengths of students in a very balanced way.”

The nature of the boarding staff at Kinross Wolaroi cannot be overlooked says Kelly. “I think they do an outstanding job in selecting House Masters and House Mothers because at the end of the day they are the people who are caring for your child, when they are crying, happy or naughty.”

If Kelly had to describe Kinross Wolaroi in a sentence it would be, ‘a well-balanced school’.

“I find Kinross Wolaroi sticks to the basic principal of developing good, considerate and respectful kids that can actually communicate with an adult.

Kinross Wolaroi builds confident people within themselves and I am happy to be an example of that.” • 9

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THE CH R ONI C L E F E AT UR E S

We collated our ideas and on the final day of the Summit we presented our ideas in the form of a Call to Action to Government leaders.�

Chelsea White, Year 11

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The ongoing drought and its challenges remain in the forefront of the minds of the Kinross Wolaroi School community, not least in the minds of students – particularly boarders.

GIVING STUDENTS THE CHANCE TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE UNICEF NSW Youth Drought Summit

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his year an opportunity arose for some Kinross Wolaroi students to take action and voice their concerns at the inaugural UNICEF Youth Drought Summit held in October at Lake Macquarie. UNICEF Australia, with the help of the NSW Government, created the event with an aim of giving children and young people a chance to meet with decision makers to discuss challenges and formulate solutions to the drought.

The Summit focused on developing ways children, families and communities could be best supported through the drought by building resilience. It also gave children the chance to engage and reflect with others living through similar circumstances.

Five KWS students were selected to attend the Summit, including Lachlan Donnelly (Year 11), Stephanie Kennett (Year 12), Tom Kiss (Year 10), Lara O’Brien (Year 10) and Chelsea White (Year 11). Chelsea heard about the forum through her local Agricultural Society at Narromine and with the help of Director of The Regional Engagement Enterprise,

Tom Riley and Heidi Anthony, Director of Co-Curricular, her application was accepted.

“Living on a sheep and cropping farm south of Narromine, the drought has had a significant impact on my family and I have seen first-hand the toll it is taking on my parents and my local community. I was interested to meet other young people undergoing similar experiences and also to learn how I could support others,” said Chelsea.

Those who attended said the best thing about the forum was meeting like-minded people and the feeling of empowerment that came from the discussions.

“We collated our ideas and on the final day of the Summit, we presented our ideas in the form of a Call to Action to Government leaders,” said Chelsea.

“Together our ideas revolved around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders social and emotional wellbeing, youth participation in drought decisionmaking, mental health in rural communities, financial stress in families and education.”

The chance to meet and talk with Government ministers was a new and exciting prospect for the students.

“It is also about raising awareness that even though we feel we are not being heard by the higher powers, we are,” says Stephanie Kennett who also attended the forum. “Not only did we learn of different ways to handle the pressures of drought but we learnt how to help our communities as well.”

Following the Drought Summit, students were also invited to be in the studio audience of the ABC’s Q&A Drought Special •

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THE CH R ONI C L E F E AT UR E S

In February 2018, the first month of my new role as Director of Boarding, I was invited to attend the Golden Alumni Luncheon in the DPA to mingle with some of our more mature ex-students.

THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DIRECTOR OF BOARDING Mr Matt Curran’s vision for boarding at KWS

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sat down to next a spritely 93-year-old gentleman from Cootamundra who went on to recall his time in Wolaroi as a boarder as if it was yesterday.

He spoke fondly of the time in 1943 when it snowed on Mount Canobolas; and he would know best – he was sleeping on the verandah at the time with only a canvas awning to block out the icy wind!

What an experience it must have been that he clearly remembers the feeling he had 76 years on.

How times have changed! Boarding at Kinross Wolaroi has changed immeasurably since those wintery days of 1943. Not simply in terms of facilities and building but most importantly, with regard to the attitudes of parents and boarders themselves.

Gone are the days when children were dropped off outside the front of the boarding house. Boarding parents are far more engaged with the boarding experience – their relationship with the Head of House and House Mother is of the utmost importance; parents are encouraged to be communicative, open and transparent. There is an old adage which states that, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. Nowhere is this more important than in a boarding house and amongst our boarding community where the relationship between parents and boarding staff is paramount to the success of the boarding experience.

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Technology has also changed the boarding landscape immeasurably.

Boarding staff are readily more accessible, parents are at the end of the phone. Apps such as Boardingware, TeamApp and Instagram mean that parents can access and view boarding news and information in real time without having to lift a finger. Regardless of whether you are sitting in a header, in your car, behind a desk or even while feeding livestock, parents are able to have ready insight into their child’s boarding experience.

The quality of pastoral care in boarding has improved dramatically in recent times. In days gone by, in many Australian boarding schools, boarding was seen as a necessity for those students with limited access to education. Nowadays, the mindset is very different – boarding is seen as an opportunity to educate the whole person, to refine one’s character, to build community, and create a sense of belonging.

Boarding has also changed in the sense that no longer is it acceptable for boarding schools to expect students to conform. All our boarders are cared for and supported as individuals with their own unique strengths, weaknesses and needs. Our aim is to create an experience where our boys and girls can be themselves, explore and discover who they are and can be celebrated for their own individual achievements.

As we look forward to 2020 and beyond, boarding at KWS must continue to evolve and as a community, we must strive to be our best. In working to achieve this, and as part of our strategic plan, we will: — continue to improve the quality of pastoral care — create a truly regional, co-educational boarding experience — promote a culture of learning and aspiration — develop an outward-looking, evolving community.

We look forward to sharing our achievements with you in 2020 as we continue to demonstrate our commitment to a strong and successful boarding program at KWS •

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As the old saying goes, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. Nowhere is this more important than in a boarding community where the partnership between parents and boarding staff is key to the success of the boarding experience.”

Mr Matt Curran, Director of Boarding

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THE C H R O NI CL E P R O G R A M S A N D IN N OVAT ION

THE POSITIVITY PROJECT Bringing principles of positive psychology and positive education to KWS.

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wellness and communication pilot program for Year 8 and 9 boy boarders at Kinross Wolaroi has been a resounding success and will be extended to include a program for girl boarders in 2020.

In Term 3 2019, at the beginning and then the end of term, James Cummins, founder of The Positivity Project travelled from the Central Coast to Kinross Wolaroi’s Windermere Farm to lead boys through his communication and wellbeing initiative.

The Positivity Project is all about positive education. It’s designed to teach students of all ages about wellbeing and optimal functioning through physical, experimental and play based activities as well as self-reflection. Its desired outcomes are aligned with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Health Promoting Schools Model and are linked with The Wellbeing Framework for Schools (NSW Department of Education and Communities) and The Australian National Safe Schools Framework.

At Kinross Wolaroi, James, who was once a boarding student himself, created

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an environment where boys felt safe enough to share their feelings with each other.

Kinross Wolaroi Director of Boarding Matt Curran organised and coordinated the program with a belief it could address a need boys of this age tend to have.

“These boys go through the day and there are a lot of emotions happening for our Year 8 and 9 boys, but they don’t ever talk about those emotions,” says Matt. “One of the activities is the beating of the drums.

It’s quite therapeutic and the kids love it.

There’s a fire in the middle and it really created an atmosphere where the boys felt free to share around the campfire.”

As the boys learned about the struggles and uncertainties of their peers, they developed a deeper understanding of each other and the result is a much stronger bond and a willingness to support each other because they can now recognise when things aren’t quite right.

“At a time in their life when boys may find communication difficult, this project is all about making it acceptable and getting them comfortable talking about their own feelings and things they

are struggling with at school – it may be relationships, academics or a sense of self-worth,” says Matt.

The Project has been really helpful for the younger boy boarders at Kinross Wolaroi who are also worried about things like drought. “For our boy boarders there is a sense that Mum and Dad are making a huge sacrifice for them to be here, but they are also struggling at the same time financially and with the climate. A lot of our boys are very kinaesthetic. They’ve been driving since they were 10 years old, they can spot weld, they can build a trailer or a bull-bar and they love being outside and working with their hands. It’s a generalisation but it’s what a lot of our boys are like and they feel as though they should be at home helping Dad and making a contribution.” The Positivity Project has helped address some of these stressors by giving boys the tools to share their worries and feel better about it in the process.

Matt is so impressed with the outcomes of the project that he would like to arrange a session for Year 8 and 9 girl boarders within the coming year •

At a time in their life when boys may find communication difficult, this project is all about making it acceptable and getting them comfortable talking about their own feelings and things they are struggling with at school.”

Mr Matt Curran, KWS Director of Boarding

The Positivity Project encourages our students to be open and honest, sharing their feelings in a communal setting

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01 The wide open spaces of Windermere allow students to explore the outdoors whilst expanding their educational pursuits

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02 Art students visited the farm for a workshop with local landscape artist Steve Lopes 03 Sophia Nelson draws inspiration from her surrounds at Windermere Farm

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Rather than Windermere being just a farm, we want staff to see it as a blank canvas onto which we can paint our idea of what regional education looks like.”

Mr Tom Riley, Director of The Regional Engagement Enterprise

NOT JUST A FARM Windermere boosts learning and engagement across the curriculum.

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lassroom and boarding activities at Kinross Wolaroi School’s new outdoor parcel of land are showing staff and students that Windermere is far more than just a farm.

Kinross Wolaroi’s Director of Boarding, Matt Curran and Director of The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE), Tom Riley are encouraging staff, students, parents and the Orange community to view the site and its uses in broader context and will be taking steps towards encouraging all sorts of new activities there in the coming year.

“I’d like to see it as a multidisciplinary third campus for Kinross Wolaroi School,” says Tom. “With that in mind we’ve tried to embed boarding, cadets, cross curricular camps and regular visitations by all years and faculties.”

Throughout the last semester, Windermere has been utilised weekly for a range of activities and subjects to highlight opportunities for holistic learning, not to mention a great escape for our KWS boarders. For example; Art students worked with local landscape artist Steve Lopes; ecology studies took place for Biology students; the geology of the site has been studied by Earth and Environmental Science students; Geography classes have observed water cycles and water management; PreKinder hold Bush Kindy at Windermere each fortnight; Year 8 History held a very successful Viking Day at the end of Term 3 and the much loved Living Skills Project for Year 10 together with Year 9’s KWS Survivor were hosted there at the end of Term 4.

“It’s not only a farm to run cattle.

While it serves that purpose, we want it to be multidisciplinary and multifunctional,” says Tom. “Ultimately the goal is to have some sort of centre so that it can be used by any different faculty and it will also serve a purpose for our boarders.”

For KWS boarders, Director of Boarding Matt Curran is forming a partnership between students and staff to work out a schedule of boarding activities for 2020.

This will be driven by students with coordination assistance from staff.

“I think the key to the success of Windermere is to get the boarding kids to sit down and have a think about what they would like to do out there and get them to drive the initiatives,” says Matt. “It’s a great opportunity for our House Captains and it provides good opportunities for leadership as well.”

Already, students and staff have drawn inspiration from the pilot events of 2019. Year 12 boys from Wolaroi House created a relaxed and social night when they hosted a dinner, cooking steaks, making salad and playing music and the Year 11 girls from New House bought a Paella dish and cooked over the fire pit for their successful event in Term 4.

“The focus is going to be on how we use it for integration in those first few weeks of boarding,” says Matt. “We’ve bought 25 mountain bikes so we will be riding them on the farm and generally getting out there and using it to build a sense of house identity and bringing each of the houses together.”

Other ideas for the future include social events at the woolshed, development of temporary accommodation and refurbishment of a building that can be used as a classroom.

Ultimately both Matt and Tom would like the scope of activities at Windermere to become wider than just farming activities and both are looking forward to the fresh ideas coming from the Kinross Wolaroi community.

“Rather than Windermere being just a farm, it’s a blank canvas onto which we can paint our ideas of what regional education looks like,” says Tom Riley •

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STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM

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Students return home with eyes wide open.

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he Kinross Wolaroi School Student Exchange Program continues to go from strength to strength under the guidance of Catherine Litchfield and Holly Young.

Across Terms 2, 3 and 4 this year, 44 students were exchanged between Kinross Wolaroi and schools all over the world.

This year heralded the introduction of three new schools in India, France and Japan to the International Exchange Program and by all accounts the experiences of the students have been a resounding success.

Kinross Wolaroi Coordinator of the International Student Exchange Program, Catherine Litchfield is thrilled.

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“It’s been hard to build the program from scratch but it’s all going really really well and I am thrilled. To exchange 44 students successfully is something for which Holly and I are really proud.” says Catherine.

The first ever exchange of two Kinross Wolaroi boys to Doon School in India in Term 3 started with treks in the Himalayas and gauging by the reports home from the boys, they were very impressed with the School and the cultural experiences they received.

The experience in Japan at the Tosajuku High School in Kochi was so positive there were tears when our students Lily Wilson and Zac Lewis said goodbye. Kinross Wolaroi was thanked for sending such beautiful students to the School and the Japanese families all took

time off work to farewell Lily and Zac at the airport, an exceptional occurrence.

Lily Wilson felt extremely lucky to be immersed in such a different culture.

“There were many cultural differences that took a bit of getting used to,” says Lily. “At school and home we would take off our shoes and even wore ‘inside sneakers’ in the school gym. School days went until five o’clock some days, and we had a half-day of classes on Saturday!

There were lots of rules around everyday life that were very new to us.”

Japanese teachers involved in the exchange accompanied their students to Australia and then accompanied our students back to Japan. This gave the teachers an opportunity to see Kinross Wolaroi and meet members of staff here too.

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The students themselves are a key to the success.

While it hasn’t all been easy for them, they have taken the opportunity for what it is and learned wonderful things.”

Mrs Catherine Litchfield, International Student Exchange Coordinator

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In Term 4, four Kinross Wolaroi students, two boys and two girls, travelled to South Africa to spend time at Michaelhouse boys school and Saint Anne’s Diocesan College schools respectively. This was another new successful arrangement between the schools.

In an email to Catherine, students in South Africa told her they were treated to some amazing activities like caged shark diving with black tip oceanic sharks, seeing lions, elephants and rhinos in the pouring rain (and getting bogged) on Safari in the Nambiti game reserve and seeing the Drakensberg boys’ choir.

Similar reports came from the south of France. From Nimes, Darcy Shaw said he had an impressive introduction to French life. “The first weekend we went to the beach and watched cattle drafting with Catie (Crisp) and her family along the shorelines (we saw more horses in one spot than anywhere in the world) and enjoyed a lovely homemade lunch afterwards,” said Darcy. Catie Crisp who was also on exchange at the same school said she was similarly blown away by the experience even though it was taking some getting used to. “It’s been three weeks and we are still adjusting to things here but having a great time doing it,” said Catie.

Also in France, Emily L’Estrange reported that it’s the unknowns that were the best part of her exchange.

“You are quite literally flying into the unknown and that is both exhilarating and terrifying and a feeling I have come to love. My family exceeded any expectations I had, they are kind, funny, understanding and 100% supportive of me blundering through a new language.

There is nothing quite like ordering storm clouds instead of nuggets and fries on the first day in the canteen lunch line!” said Emily.

All students learn a great deal about adversity and life when on exchange says Catherine and it’s really obvious how they have grown when they return to Kinross Wolaroi.

“The students themselves are a key to the success, they have really taken to their new experiences and thoroughly embraced those opportunities and made the most of them. While it hasn’t all been easy for them, they have taken the opportunity for what it is and learned wonderful things,” says Catherine.

In other International Exchanges students came and went to Strathallan School in Scotland, Saint Dominique and Ecole d’Alzon in France and Timaru Boys High School and Christchurch Girls School in New Zealand •

01 Lily Wilson on exchange at the Tosajuku High School in Kochi, Japan 02 Fraser Molloy on a trek in the Himalayas whilst on exchange at The Doon School in India

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STEM ACADEMY PROJECT Thinking outside of the box and learning real life skills.

Our aim for the project was to raise the profile of STEM across the whole primary school and to educate children as well as staff.”

Muriel Fatai, Team Leader – KWS STEM Academy Project

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rimary students in Year 2 and 3 at Kinross Wolaroi School took part in the University of Sydney’s STEM Academy this year which saw them creating prototypes for water saving devices and a mobile STEM lab to be used as a classroom resource.

The University of Sydney says the STEM Academy is an innovative year-long professional learning program focused on developing teachers’ capacity to collaboratively design integrated STEM curriculum for school students.

Kinross Wolaroi was one of about 15 schools in the Central West taking part this year, led by Team Leader for the STEM Academy Project and Year 4 Teacher Muriel Fatai. “Our aim for the project was to raise the profile of STEM across the whole primary school and to educate children as well as staff,” says Muriel.

It allowed Kinross Wolaroi to integrate digital technologies into its science curriculum while educating children about the whole range of considerations included with STEM instruction and it doubled as a valuable upskilling exercise for staff.

Above and overpage: Pre-Prep and Kindergarten students making use of the mobile STEM lab created by Year 2 students

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“Quite often teachers will baulk at STEM, so we had professional learning for the teachers to upskill them in STEM education as well as give them extra support to create the programs,” says Muriel.

Within the project Kinross Wolaroi took on two assignments; a Year 2 class designed a mobile STEM Lab to be utilised in Pre-Prep to Year 2 classrooms; and students in Year 3 carried out a Level 3 STEM investigation to create a prototype for a device to assist in water saving.

“There was a lot of field work for Year 3 students who spent time at the Mandagery Creek Venison farm and Swinging Bridge Winery as well as Windermere farm,” says Muriel. “The culminating activity was creating the prototypes, some of the ideas included; an app for farmers to collect donated food; an interactive tree linked to town water (the home owners tree wilted or flourished depending on how efficiently they were using water); another student created a book about saving water; some kids designed fog catchers to catch fog and put into tanks and other ideas to use water storage and pipelines to harvest water and send to remote locations.”

The brief for the Year 2 class’ Mobile STEM Lab was to create a ‘taster trolley’ with drawers of Level 1 STEM activities for students in Pre-Prep – Year 2 to take part in. Activities could be run in small groups allowing for differentiated, independent learning through play and problem-solving.

The projects integrated the different STEM subjects while still working towards the same goal and a big part of the assignment was a focus on the design process – so to ideate, create, test and present. This culminated in a launch day to familiarise teachers and students with the Mobile Lab so that all involved could learn how to use the trolley. The Year 3 ideas for a water saving device were presented to a visitor from the Association of Independent Schools and the Mayor of Orange.

Overall, the experience has achieved what it set out to. Muriel says it’s the ‘real-life’ tangible problem solving skills that are of the most benefit to students.

“Any problem solving task is good for students,” says Muriel. “You need this in any problem solving situation, whether it’s in STEM education, in Maths or outside of school in the workplace, working through the problem solving process is something everyone has to do in daily life.” •

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KAKADU CULTURAL IMMERSION This year for the first time, Kinross Wolaroi School was given the opportunity to take part in a pilot program with the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) Kakadu, Jabiru Area School and the Outdoor Education Group (OEG) for an 8-day Cultural Immersion Tour of the private Mirarr Land on the Brockman Plateau in the World Heritage Listed Kakadu National Park.

When you are out on the Brockman Plateau you can’t really explain the spiritual feeling. We were all laying down on the rocks seeing more that 20 shooting stars each night.”

Mr Anthony Begg, Kakadu Cultural Immersion Tour Leader

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uring the Term 2 holidays, eight students from Years 10, 11 and 12 travelled with three Kinross Wolaroi Staff to the area and spent three days and four nights oncountry in Mirarr land.

KWS Tour Leader Anthony Begg says the School felt privileged to be able to offer staff and students such a unique opportunity to experience Indigenous culture on private Mirarr land. “We want to provide opportunities to the School to allow our students to experience Indigenous culture in areas that are still very culturally intact,” says Anthony.

For two days leading up to being oncountry the group spent time preparing themselves. Year 11 student, Will Byrnes recalls, “this was so important as we gained a better understanding of what we were doing and why we were there. We learnt the significance the land has to the traditional owners, the Mirarr people, and also the history and knowledge that the land holds. It was also important that we received some cultural protocol knowledge in order to get the most from the experience.”

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The group was lead and accompanied into Mirarr country by two Indigenous guides, Jude and Cusack and at times other knowledge holders were flown to the group to explain the cultural significance of particular spots within the World Heritage Listed Kakadu National Park including the vibrant wetlands of the Jabiluka billabong country and the sandstone escarpment of Djidbidjidbi (Mount Brockman).

“The experience that I had out oncountry is one that I struggle to fully describe in words. Experiences that the group did not plan for were some of the most special. An example of this was when we all sat around in complete silence for fifteen minutes taking in our surroundings, it was not until then that I fully appreciated where I was and grasped how lucky we all were to have this experience. It was clear how much the land and their culture meant to our guides as you could see their eyes light up when they began telling us stories of their traditions and culture,” says Will.

Anthony echoed the value of this truly immersive experience. “When you are out on the Brockman Plateau you can’t really explain the spiritual feeling.

At night we were all laying down on the rocks seeing more that 20 shooting stars

each night and hearing stories from guides. We stood feet away from art galleries that have existed for thousands of years,” he said. “We all say it’s pretty special to be granted access to a place like that. It’s not like going to a museum and seeing an artefact in a glass cabinet.

I was walking through the countryside in the middle of nowhere and at one stage and I looked down and picked up a spear head that had most likely been there for thousands of years.”

The tour was an unforgettable experience for those lucky enough to attend but it wasn’t just about being in the incredible environment.

The long term aim is to develop mutually beneficial relationships between the two schools, where skills and experiences can be shared and life-long friendships developed.

In the past, the Jabiru Area School has hosted many Schools touring Kakadu National Park, but the arrangement with Kinross Wolaroi is less of a ‘fish bowl’ exercise, in that, rather than observing from the outside, KWS students participate in a more engaged way that results in deeper connections.

“They are looking to partner with four to six schools to develop more sustainable partnerships and they see

our cadet program in particular as one way to have an immediate connection as well as with our STEM and The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE) programs,” says Anthony.

Although the relationship is in its early stages, Anthony says the aim of the collaboration directly aligns with the Kinross Wolaroi School’s strategic intent for increased community engagement.

“The purpose is also to form relationships with or engage with community up there and also the Jabiru Area School,” says Anthony. “The plan is to have teachers and students come to KWS for ‘exchanges’ and likewise we will have students and teachers going up on a trip and also teachers would spend time up there for professional learning experiences as well. They have a program up there that I would consider very ‘TREE’ like – it’s the ‘Kakadu Curriculum’ that runs side by side the school and prepares their students for the tourism industry. Also, they run cadets and some of the students and staff will come to KWS to attend and learn from our cadets.”

Plans are underway for the 2020 tour and will include more activities with the Jabiru Area School and Djidbidjidbi Residential College • 23

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CENTRAL WEST PHILOSOPHON A bold idea to promote higher order thinking

Some of life’s big questions were pondered and discussed at Kinross Wolaroi School’s inaugural Central West Philosophon competition in August 2019.

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acilitator and KWS Learning Enhancement Coordinator Yooie Choi says the idea came to him while researching opportunities to extend students of high academic ability. “I see philosophy to have a lot of relevance to skills that are sometimes not enhanced within the curriculum, things like communication, the ability to make a point and appreciate others views,” said Yooie.

“Philosophy enables students to think deeply especially with consideration to building on other people’s ideas.”

Before hosting the event Yooie completed a Level 1 training in philosophy through the NSW Philosophy in Schools Association and attended Philosophon events in other Australian locations as a judge and an observer.

Excited by what he saw, he wanted to bring the competition to Orange and so, in August the inaugural Central West Philosophon was held at Kinross Wolaroi and attended by students in Years 8 to 11 from four schools – St John’s College Dubbo (two teams) Orange Anglican Grammar School (one team), James Sheahan Catholic High School (one team) and Kinross Wolaroi School (two teams).

The concept for the Philosophon competition started at Hale School in Perth, Western Australia in 2007 from ‘a bold idea to promote higher order thinking in secondary school students’.

It has since been picked up and promoted by the Federation of Australasian Philosophy Schools Association and ‘Philosophons’ are now run all over Australia. The first Australasian Philosophon was hosted at Cranbrook School in Sydney in July 2011.

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I see philosophy to have a lot of relevance to skills that are sometimes not enhanced within the curriculum, things like communication, the ability to make a point and appreciate others views.”

Mr Yooie Choi, Central West Philosophon Facilitator and KWS Learning Enhancement Coordinator

For the Central West Philosophon event, students were put into teams or ‘communities of inquiry’ and given a topic or a question to explore philosophically and ethically with the aim of collectively reaching a conclusion at the end of the given time for discussion.

Students are encouraged to take on a ‘Socratic’ approach with an emphasis on deeper discussion and questioning.

“People delve deeply into why did you say this or that, or they say ‘oh I didn’t think of that’, it can go for hours and we have to put a time limit on it,” says Yooie.

During the community of inquiry, students are scored out of a possible 30 points on their creative, critical and collaborative thinking. The individual winners are awarded the ‘most promising philosopher’ medal.

There are also prizes for the winning school and winners of the ‘spontaneous ethical dilemma challenge’ where students create a skit or presentation – usually humorous – at the end of the day.

Yooie says he loves the freedom of thought this competition can give students. “I really love the fact that students can take time out from their busy days and reflect and think deeply on some of the big questions in life,” says Yooie. “It allows kids to think about moral responsibilities or ethical reasoning and to sharpen their understanding on critical thinking.

I think it’s fantastic. The kids really enjoy talking and discussing it and driving it because it’s very student orientated.

The facilitators sit back and really let the students drive the conversation – it’s not like having a teacher who can sometimes butt in on your line of thinking.”

Based on the success and feedback of the inaugural event, Yooie hopes to bring the Philosophon back to Orange and he’s thinking about starting an Ethics Olympiad too.

“Everyone came away with a really positive feeling,” says Yooie. “We even had the Principal drop in a number of times and he was just abuzz and really positive about the event. It was great feedback and that buoys us to look at pursuing it again. Next year I would like to add on an Ethics Olympiad too.” •

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PITCH FESTIVAL Young entrepreneurs embrace innovative projects

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Year 10 Agriculture students at Kinross Wolaroi School have had an education in entrepreneurship this year under the startup.business program sponsored by AgriFutures Australia.

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he startup.business organisation prides itself on pioneering entrepreneurial education in the curriculum to help students and teachers competing in an age of rapid innovation.

This year, Kinross Wolaroi’s The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE) successfully applied to the program with the Year 10 agriculture class.

“I wanted Year 10 to take part because we have a big class full of diversity and I wanted the students to be in a situation where they would achieve success and build confidence in their abilities. I also wanted them to think about agriculture and the changing face of where they could take their ideas,” says Jody Haydon, Head of Agriculture and TREE Project Officer.

Over the course of two terms, students spent one lesson a week on the project. In the first term students studied what an entrepreneur does, their skill sets and mind growth.

The second term was more handson, brainstorming an idea and then planning, researching, budgeting and scheduling their product or project.

“They weren’t overly impressed at the growth mindset worksheets at the beginning of the program!” says Jody. “It was all this new vocab that they were frustrated with but once we started looking at examples of young entrepreneurs that have actually worked in this space, it made sense to them and they started to realise what they were doing was actually really important and I really wish we’d been able to take it to the next level and build prototypes because they need to know that this is the next level of innovation.”

Some of the ideas to come from the work include: — An app to close gates and prevent stock theft; — An iScanner app to prevent fatigue; — A quick release pin for truck trailers; — A hydraulic sheep lifter; — A universal riding vest with a vital call for life installed; — A trough supplement with algae preventer; and — An internal safety step for silos.

I wanted students to think about agriculture and the changing face of where they could take their ideas.”

Mrs Jody Haydon, KWS Head of Agriculture

In hindsight, Jody says Agriculture students were well suited to this project.

“The one thing that really struck me was that we are always telling our students they are going to have the jobs that don’t exist yet and then we stop the conversation. I think this is the sort of program, along with our TREE program, where we continue the conversation and tell students that they could be an entrepreneur and could create the next generation of agricultural innovation.

It gave the students a targeted space and time to explore innovation and next level engagement in a place where they already had some confidence,” says Jody.

A ‘Pitch Fest’ held at the NSW Department of Primary Industries Global Ag-Tech Ecosystem (GATE) facility in Orange was the end product of the two terms of work. Students’ ideas and innovations were put before a panel of industry judges and KWS teachers in the professional environment of the GATE facility.

The winning idea, the iScanner app created by Millie Coddington (Dubbo) and Milly Mitchell (Peak Hill) was presented to a panel of judges in Sydney at the end of Term 4. Before they went, they received additional mentoring from SparkLabs’ JJ Quigley and Jock Whittle, CEO of Paraway Pastoral Co, both based in Orange.

The whole project and its outcomes has been well received by the School.

“One of our senior management staff members came away from the Pitch Fest in disbelief about some of the students, who had actually stood up in front of their peers and professional judges and presented an amazing idea so beautifully and so well thought-out and constructed,” says Jody.

The School is looking at taking on the project again and considering the possibility of a regional ‘Pitch Fest’ which Jody believes would work better for KWS students.

“I am hugely biased but most of our students have a mix of backgrounds (both on-farm and off-farm) and it is wonderful to see innovation that involves agriculture that is connected with both the traditional farming perspective as well as the changing face of agriculture. They created the most amazing innovative ideas and I think if that’s what we are building then we have a pretty safe future ahead of us,” says Jody •

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KWS SUSTAINABILITY COALITION A proactive approach to climate change

Staff at Kinross Wolaroi School are increasingly aware that in order to meet the needs of the School’s diverse community, more needs to be done about sustainability.

As a result of this thinking, KWS has formed its first Sustainability Coalition which includes staff, students and hopefully parents too.

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WS wants the Coalition, led by Kinross Wolaroi School’s The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE), to build a community and framework to improve the School’s overall sustainability.

Tom Riley, Director of the Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE), says the group’s inception happened organically through conversations in the staff room.

“Interested members of staff could join and we had in excess of 30 people wanting to be a part of that,” he says.

The next step was to give students a voice and so the Student Sustainability Coalition was quickly spurred into existence. It meets twice a term and students held a special event where school was dissolved for the afternoon for a showing of ABC iView’s ‘Climate Change; The Facts’ by David Attenborough followed by a Q&A session with staff speaking about sustainability and how the school could take positive steps forward. Leaders of the KWS Student Coalition, Madeleine Hook, Lara O’Brien and Ella Andrews also organised and led demonstrations as part of the Global Climate Strike that took place on 20 September 2019 in Cook Park, Orange.

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Tom says as the Coalition grows it will be important to build relationships and utilise expertise so everyone can have a say and feel like they are being listened to. He hopes this brings about long term change to day-to-day practices, usage and even infrastructure.

“We want to utilise industry expertise through our Parents’ Sustainability Coalition,” he says. “We’re using students to advocate for social causes they’re passionate about and using them to help change culture. We are utilising staff to make sure these things actually happen, so it’s not just lip service, we actually need to start actioning objectives.”

At this stage the Coalition is being careful not to rush any proposed changes as it recognises goals need to be realistic in a time and financial sense. It’s hoped that some more solid objectives will be drawn up in 2020 taking into consideration capturing efficiencies in areas such as waste energy, production, single use plastics, water, transportation and building materials.

KWS believes the time is right for this kind of action. “We recognise the ongoing battle with climate change and it’s an opportune moment with the challenges our boarding parents are going through that we as a school could do better and that is echoed by the Uniting Church as well,” says Tom •

We recognise the ongoing battle with climate change and it’s an opportune moment with the challenges our boarding parents are going through that we as a School could do better.”

Mr Tom Riley, Director of the Regional Engagement Enterprise

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WORLD CLASS SUSTAINABILITY AWARD KWS recognised for sustainability initiatives on the world stage

In November, Kinross Wolaroi School and Orange City Council were recognised on the world stage for their collaborative efforts in ensuring the sustainability of the local Spring Creek Dam.

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he dam is part of Orange’s water storage and is currently used by KWS under strict conditions to protect two endangered duck species. With many non-native pine and willow species overrunning the banks of the dam, KWS worked with Orange City Council to clear these non-native trees and replant the area with natives in an effort to rebuild the ecosystem that is home to a variety of animal life.

Approximately 600 native young plants, shrubs and grasses were planted and mulched by students.

International governing federation for rowing, World Rowing, recently signed on to the Sports for Climate Action Framework to enable them to advocate for rowing organisations to take a greater responsibility for their impact on the environment. The World Rowing Sustainability Award was set up to recognise an organisation that has implemented an innovative project or initiative delivering a clear and positive sustainability impact.

The collaborative project between KWS and the local council was up against four finalists who had all undertaken unique sustainability initiatives across the globe. KWS Rowing Master in Charge, Tobias Wehr-Candler travelled to London to attend the World Rowing Award Ceremony and was thrilled to learn he would be bringing home the inaugural World Rowing Sustainability Award.

Photo courtesy of Benedict Tufnell

There are plans to continue this project well into the future to regenerate the land around Spring Creek and improve the ecosystem and water quality, all while educating the rowers and students of KWS on environmental sustainability and ecosystem regeneration •

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SKI TRIP The Kinross Wolaroi annual Snow Sports Trip to Thredbo was a great success. Powder snow and bluebird days made for perfect skiing and snowboarding conditions.

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any enthusiastic novice and experienced skiers departed Orange in the early hours of a very chilly July morning. Several boarders were also collected on the way to the Snowy Mountains. Excitement continued to mount as everyone was fitted with skis, boards and boots at Jindabyne. On arrival at the River Inn, our party of 70 gathered on the bridge for a group photo, before hitting Friday Flats for a quick ski or frolic in the snow.

Mrs Trin Graham was one of the staff members responsible for coordinating the trip and was thrilled with the excellent snow conditions they received for the week, saying “On our first morning at Thredbo, we woke to enjoy the thick blanket of fresh snow that had appeared overnight – this set us up for the week!”

All students spent their mornings in graded lessons, which allowed them to build on their skills and discover new trails. Afternoons were spent free skiing in groups of four or more.

“Our students were on the slopes from the first lift each morning, to the very last lift each day. They made the most of their time at the snow and skied to their ability level and experience. It was also wonderful to see the camaraderie that was shared by all members of the group,” says Trin.

“The staff skied and boarded with students at all ability levels and a great rapport developed over the course of the week. A big thank you to Catherine Litchfield, Anthony Begg and Walter Prowse for their amazing support of our students on the ski fields. Bec Begg and Amy Naidoo were also terrific support back at the Lodge.”

“Our skiers and snowboarders were a credit to KWS at all times, and the staff were so proud to observe the magnificent way that they approached all activities and experiences throughout the week,” Trin said • 31

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OLIVER! ‘Oliver’ is a much-loved story.

With around 80 students involved in the cast, crew and orchestra pit, this was a show with lots of opportunities and fantastic roles for our young students to sink their teeth into.

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LEAD ROLES Oliver Edward Southwell

Bet Scarlett Gee

Fagin Jonty King

Mr Bumble William Rawson

Nancy Phoebe Litchfield

Widow Corney Bella Triggs

Bill Sykes Lachlan Roberts

Mrs Sowerberry Catie Crisp

Artful Dodger Ethan Kairaitis

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he original story of Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens, was first published in the 1830s. One of the striking things to realise is how the story translates, and is experienced by a 21st Century audience.

Director, Heidi Anthony says that ‘Oliver!’ is fondly known to many audiences around the world and is most often remembered for the happy ending and light-hearted moments throughout the show. “For me, the real beauty in this story is found in the rawness of the relationships between the characters. This is also where we experience immense sadness and horror. The fact that in 2019 in a developed nation, we as a society still battle with issues of welfare and domestic violence is terribly sad. It was a great learning opportunity for our students in realising these elements of the story to understand their prevalence in our country today,” said Heidi. “We also took this opportunity to make an important stand against domestic violence, using this platform to raise awareness and support for women in our community who find themselves in these unfortunate situations.”

“It certainly was a show with many highs and lows in terms of the character’s journeys. The production team thoroughly enjoyed their time working with the cast members to capture the peculiarities of the characters, and to explore their journeys throughout the show. Thank you to the amazing production team, Ms Dunkley, Mr Key, Ms Innes, Mrs Rollo and Mr OrmeSmith. I am so grateful for their talents, and commitment to ensuring this experience for our students was of such high quality,” said Heidi.

This show had many young students, with many of them taking part in their first KWS senior school production.

“We asked a lot of our students in presenting them with sophisticated roles which are challenging for adults to portray, and yet, they were able to bring their characters to life and deliver the story with integrity and good humour.

We could not have been more proud of the students involved.” •

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VISUAL ARTS & TEXTILES YEAR 12 EXHIBIT Year after year the Visual Arts & Textiles Exhibit wows audiences with high calibre diverse creations, all completely crafted by our Year 12 students.

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he Exhibit is a showcase of HSC Visual Arts students’ completed bodies of work and Textiles and Design students’ major projects.

Held in the Derek Pigot Auditorium in August, the artwork exhibition and textiles parade was well attended by students and their friends and families.

Head of Creative Arts, Mrs Toni Bilton, described the exhibit this year as simply outstanding, saying “The fashion parade was energetic and vibrant, yet showed the sophisticated manner in which the students have developed their skills in fashion design and construction.

Visual Art students developed engaging, powerful and commanding works that were greatly admired and highlyacclaimed on the night of the exhibition.”

The audience particularly enjoyed the interactive and video components of the Visual Arts works. The artists were able to tell their family and friends about the many hours of experimentation, skills development, research and hard work that had gone into the development of their Bodies of Work.

Our Textiles and Design students worked for nine months on their major textiles projects and the quality of the designs and production of garments was evident when each of the students’ final pieces were modelled on the catwalk at the exhibit. Students drew inspiration for their designs from many and varied places this year: the patterns of the cracked earth seen during drought; the natural environment around us; industrialisation and couture versus fast fashion; the women’s rights movement; and we even saw a futuristic piece inspired by galaxies far away.

This was the first Visual Arts & Textiles Exhibit that Deputy Principal Mr James Boyd had attended since joining KWS and he was in awe of the students’ creativity. “The Visual Arts and Textiles Exhibition was superb,” said Mr Boyd. “The artwork and creations on display were stunning and the evening was added to by the artists being so willing to share insight into their motivation, the techniques used and also the challenges they overcame during the process.” •

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INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION Each year the students at Kinross Wolaroi School continue to raise the bar in Industrial Technology, with major works resembling what would be created in an established fabrication business.

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hat makes these major works even more remarkable, is the fact that they are completed by 17 and 18-year-old students in their final year of school.

Thirteen students studied Industrial Technology for their HSC in 2019 and produced custom works including a camper trailer, mobile cattle ramp, utility trays, farm equipment, servery bar, various trailers, dog kennels and a bespoke wood lathe.

Boarding student from Dubbo, Angus Smith, chose to equip an entire ute for a local builder as the focus of his major project. This included a five post bull bar, side rails and custom ute tray with built in tool boxes and a dog crate.

Angus said that it was the practicality of the course that he enjoyed the most, “I really enjoyed the hands on practical side of the subject, which allowed me to perfect the skills that I have learnt from a young age at home.” Angus has already been approached by numerous family members and friends for help with projects in the future.

Head of TAS, Mr Simon Lun was impressed with the complexity and high quality of the students’ projects, saying, “Each year, I enjoy seeing how the students’ progress and develop their skills and produce these amazing projects. I am extremely proud of the students and the work that they have produced and every year it’s great to see students set the bar higher.” •

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FUTURES PAST Year 5-6 Show In Term 3 2019 the entire cohort of Year 5 and 6 students performed in an original musical production created just for them.

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group of archaeologists are excavating a site near Edwards Air Force Base searching for Navajo artefacts.

Security patrols, led by the ever-so-slightlyevil, Major Schneider, interrupt the dig.

Tension arises between Mackenzie (passionate archaeologist), and the Major. More trouble ensues when a group of ‘crazy’ protestors arrive demanding that an ‘E.T.’, held captive within the base, be released.

With the discovery of a pre-historic orb, the archaeologists find themselves transported – back to the past – to 60,000 BC, where Stone Age surprises await! What will happen? Does the Major implement his plan for the future… for the past? Do the archaeologists return to their time?

This original musical was written, produced and directed by KWS Teacher, Mr Romko Hordynsky and the wonderfully talented group of children who took part in the production, took delight in taking the script and making it their own.

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“This year there was a wealth of talent and it was difficult to narrow down the lead characters from the cast of 120 students,” said Romko. “Leads committed to regular rehearsals and as the final, full week of rehearsals took place, there was a quiet confidence from cast and crew. Dress rehearsal flowed smoothly and the first performance took place and it was an overwhelming success.”

Thanks must go to Mrs Collins for working with the students on their choreography and Mrs Sinclair for her musical flair. Behind the scenes, Mrs Aileen Priest designed and sewed 100 costumes with the assistance of a dedicated group of mothers. Mr Seedsman’s construction skills were put to good use in the construction of the prehistoric set and artistic finishing touches were applied by Mrs Davies.

“It’s always a sad time when the sets are dismantled and costumes are returned and packed away but there always remains that special memory of a musical – until next year, when we’ll do it all again!” said Romko •

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FAREWELL TO YEAR 12 The 2019 Year 12 Graduation Assembly saw our special guest and former pupil, Ms Amy Stevens (KWS Class of 2001) deliver a wonderful speech.

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s Stevens shared her reflections on her time at Kinross Wolaroi School and how it has helped in her profession as a musician.

She offered a clear message to our 2019 leavers: ‘Life is really about allowing yourself to uncover and engage the most powerful resources you already possess: courage, faith, determination and love.

Quieten your mind and uncover them, and you will grow in the truest version of yourself, and that will lead to a level of success and happiness that some only dream about.’ Ms Stevens brought her speech to a close with a powerful performance on her viola, where she displayed her unique approach to playing the instrument which has brought her accolades from all over the world.

Mrs Christine McIntosh, Chair of Council, presented the Derek Pigot Medallion and Robe to our 2019 Dux, Duncan Suthers. The ceremony also included the official induction of our 2020 Head Prefects, Chelsea White and Lochlan Birchall, and 2020 Deputy Head Prefects, Alanah Seedsman and Josh Dominello. The outgoing Head Prefects, Emer Spora and Stirling Taylor, shared their final words with the School to complete their official duties as the 2019 School Leaders.

The Graduation Service ended with the traditional Benediction of John Rutter’s ‘The Lord Bless You And Keep You’ and the graduands received The Light of Christ from their House Mentors •

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YEAR 12 DUX GRADUATION SPEECH: DUNCAN SUTHERS

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ix years ago, I started my first day at Kinross Wolaroi School. In my first English lesson, my then teacher, Mrs Vernon, asked us to do a speech about ourselves. I would have to say that was the day my crippling fear of public speaking began.

The level of this fear has varied over the years, from mild nervousness to unstoppable leg shaking. But I’m very lucky today. I finally get a lectern to stand behind.

Nevertheless, I am happy to be standing in front of you, my fellow members of the KWS community, as I am granted the opportunity to express my appreciation for the chances the school has afforded me. These have ranged from involvement in sport, cadets, to the commitment to education that has been instilled in me by this school and that has been so important in all of our lives.

When I first came to KWS, I knew nobody. It was scary coming from a small school in Queensland to this foreign, fancy looking private school (and this was before I even knew about the haircut policy). However, over the years I became accustomed to the school, and cannot now imagine having gone anywhere else. I have made lifelong friendships and, as stressful as the HSC has been and continues to be, I know that having my friends by my side to support me has made it infinitely more bearable.

As much of a blessing as having my best friends during this time is, I can’t give this speech without acknowledging the rigorous and dogged support of my teachers.

Mrs Hill, I have always enjoyed the more mathematically inclined subjects, but you have made me not just enjoy them, but strive to excel in them. Not just because of your excellent teaching ability, or your logical way of explaining problems, but, and I think the whole

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Extension 2 class can attest to this, we want to do well so that we don’t disappoint you.

Throughout the year, Mr Lewis kindly allowed me to take extra Physics classes as it was my weakest science, and for this opportunity I am extremely grateful.

Mr Zola’s ability to not only explain complex and detailed theoretical physics, but simultaneously crack the corniest of jokes, provided a truly enjoyable Physics environment.

Mr Whiting allowed me to partake in extra Chemistry classes, which I believe allowed me to obtain a more holistic understanding of chemical concepts. Mrs Litchfield has taught me science for the last three years, and Chemistry for the last two: half of my high school career. Her dedication to ensuring her students get the best results possible is inspiring.

I will admit that being late to classes after Chemistry has become rather common, as Mrs Litchfield has accommodated my need to have my mistakes explained to me after class extremely sportingly.

Mrs Haydon is one of the kindest women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. No matter if we were celebrating a birthday or groaning at the proposal to watch another TED talk, she would always speak to our Mentor group with a smile and show that she really cares about us as people. Mrs Haydon, you have made my Year 12 experience far less stressful and I think I speak for the entirety of Year 12 Williams when I say, thank you for being our mentor.

I left English till last as I decided to model this speech on my study timetable. Take that as you will. Mrs McCalman has worked tirelessly to get me through the Extension English course, and I like to think that the hard work has paid off. Mrs Fleming had the hard job of replacing Ms Gomes as the teacher of our English class. She has taught the class with great skill and me with great patience over the last half a year. Thankfully, despite the immense

difficulty and frustration I find in English, I never did have to walk around that tree backwards.

The welcoming and supportive atmosphere that permeates this school has been reinforced by my life at home, so, I would just like to thank my family, especially Mum and Dad, for always supporting me and pushing me to do better, even when I didn’t think I needed to. Believe me, having both a mother and grandmother at the school made sure there was no chance I could get away with slacking off.

If there is one thing I would say to the current Year 11 it would be this: find a balance. Year 12 is scary, there is no denying that, and it may be tempting to give up the things you love, whether it be people or hobbies, in favour of study.

Do not do this. Find a balance. As I stated before, having friends to support me is the reason I stand here today. And the 1st Soccer training with Mr Smedley was a great distraction from the stress of the HSC. Don’t get me wrong, work, and work as hard as you can, this will be your last year of school and it flies by, but find a balance between study and the things that make you happy.

Finally, to my peers, the graduating class of 2019. We did it. Sure, we still have the HSC, but we can worry about that tomorrow. Today is our day, the culmination of everything we have done for the last 13 years. After this day we are our own people. We get to do adult things, like growing long hair and not hiding it under a beanie. I don’t know all of you as well as I know others, but it has been a true privilege to partake in my schooling journey with all of you.

There is not a single one of us who shouldn’t be proud of making it this far, and I wish all of you the best for the future…. Thank you •

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LEADERSHIP INDUCTION CEREMONY

Left to right: Alanah Seedsman, Lochlan Birchall, Dr Andrew Parry, Chelsea White and Josh Dominello

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In October, Kinross Wolaroi School held their Annual Leadership Induction Ceremony to announce the Student Leaders for 2020.

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he induction of this new Student Leadership team marks a major milestone, both in their journey within Kinross Wolaroi but also in their personal development.

“Leadership is not about position or wearing a badge, it is about service,” says Dr Parry. “Our new leaders have been selected by their peers and the School’s teaching staff. We see great potential in our Leadership Team for 2020 and their induction is testament to the confidence that our school community has in their leadership capability. The staff and students look forward to working with our new Leadership Team over the coming 12 months.”

We have two fantastic students who will lead our student body in 2020, Head Girl Chelsea White and Head Boy Lochlan Birchall. As part of their induction, both Lochlan and Chelsea delivered engaging and heartfelt messages to our student body.

“Leadership is a funny word; it means a lot of things to a lot of different people but to me leadership is just a group of actions. It starts with the small things; from making your bed well, to being on time to class, to asking someone if they are ok. It’s having a laugh with friends and helping a new student find their class,” says Lochlan.

“For me, quality leadership is about many things, far too many to list, but here’s a few. I want to contribute to, and encourage, a positive culture in

our school where we lift each other up; where we practise gratitude, where we encourage those around us to be the best version of themselves; where we cheer each other on; where we put others needs ahead of our own; where we celebrate the achievements of others; where we make the most of opportunities and finally… where we feel comfortable and supported to be on our very own journey,” says Chelsea •

SENIOR LEADERS Head Prefects Lochlan Birchall Chelsea White

Prefects Liam Choi Lara Clarke Hamish Donnelly Niamh McPhee Hunter Rose Bridget Yeomans

Senior Boarder Prefects Lucy Aveyard Will Byrnes

Blackman Molly Nelson Tom Richardson

Dean Harry Kermode Chloe Oriel

Gordon Ethan Mulholland Sarah Shepherd

Richards Holly Gutterson Isaac Leisk

Brown Lachlan Smith Farrah Staniforth

Douglas Lewis Dunshea Phoebe Lamph

McLachlan Ineka Hart Jack Wakem

Williams Sam Houghton Jetta Kennett

Loader Bridget Longley

New Ally Bermingham

Tower Hamish Donnelly

Wolaroi Ethan Mulholland

Miller Phoebe Lamph

Stuart Douglas Jetta Kennett

Weymouth Tom Richardson

Deputy Head Prefects Josh Dominello Alanah Seedsman

SUO Cadet Digby Cooper

TUTOR HOUSE CAPTAINS

BOARDING HOUSE CAPTAINS

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GRANDPARENTS’ DAY Over 300 grandparents attended Grandparents’ Day this year much to the delight of the Prep School students.

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n one of the most anticipated days of the school year the students presented a wonderful concert featuring all students from Kindergarten to Year 6.

Our bands, string groups, percussion and all choirs performed to thunderous applause from the appreciative audience.

Following the concert, a lovely morning tea was provided with much reminiscing of what school used to be like.

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GRANDPARENTS’ DAY

A tour of the classrooms followed, where children opened their books and read stories and poems, solved maths problems and even taught their grandparents how to program robotics! •

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Grandparents in attendance were treated to a number of solo and group performances. Above, Year 6 student Isabella Lloyd George plays the saxophone as guests arrive 51

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YEAR 6 FAREWELL DINNER

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Each year our Year 5 students host a dinner and dance for our Year 6 students to farewell them from the Prep School before they move into the Senior School for Year 7.

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his year Grace Hansen spoke of her journey over the years citing many memorable experiences. Samuel Martin and Alice Scholte from Year 5 emceed the evening and spoke of the achievements of our Year 6 cohort.

Following the speeches, it was onto the dance floor where a variety of moves were demonstrated and some were even in time!

It was a terrific evening with special guests, Dr and Mrs Parry.

Our Year 6 students each left with a framed autographed picture of their year and a graduation certificate •

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SPRING SOIREE Another busy year has passed us by and what better way to celebrate 2019 than at our annual Spring Soiree.

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rincipal Dr Andrew Parry invited the entire Kinross Wolaroi School community to join him for cocktails and canapĂŠs at the magnificent venue of Philip Shaw Wines in November.

Even the unexpected cold and wet evening did not deter anyone, with close to 400 parents and staff in attendance. This year we invited all our new parents joining the KWS family in 2020, so it was a wonderful opportunity for both new and existing parents to catch up over a few drinks in a nice relaxed environment.

Thank you to all the parents who joined us and a big thank you to Tracey and Dan Shaw for hosting the event in their incredible Winery Shed.

We hope to see you at the 2020 Spring Soiree! •

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PREP CELEBRATION ASSEMBLY

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A wonderful way to conclude the year for our Prep School was our Celebration Assembly where we acknowledged the effort and achievements of our students and also formally announced that the Prep School would be known as the Junior School from 2020.

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he audience enjoyed performances by our strings group, known as the Seven Strings and also the Year 5/6 Choir before our Year 6 students performed a wonderful farewell song with nearly half the cohort playing a musical instrument.

Bridget Horne was announced as Dux for the Preparatory School while Olivia Wilson and Samuel Martin were announced as our Junior School Head Prefects for 2020.

One of the highlights was the presentation to our Kindergarten students who were all called onto stage to receive their Graduation Certificate from Mrs Parry. Thank you to the many parents that attended the assembly – it was a very special way to conclude the school year •

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133RD ANNUAL SPEECH DAY Our Academic Year for 2019 concluded with our 133rd Speech Day, a capacity gathering of our community in the Derek Pigot Auditorium.

Mrs Pip Job addresses the Speech Day assembly

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t was a great honour to have as our special guest, Ms Pip Job a former student (1996) and current parent who gave a marvellous address and made the presentations to our prize winners. Pip is the Manager of Business Resilience Programs at the NSW Department of Primary Industries and leads the Rural Resilience Program, the Young Farmer Business Program, the Rural Women’s Network and is involved in the NSW Government drought response. Pip’s far reaching and dedicated service to rural communities provides a wonderful example for us all and exemplifies the fulfilment of one of the key objectives of a KWS education – that is to make a meaningful contribution to society.

Pip spoke of the important positive impact of her education at KWS, her discovery of confidence and belief in herself, the importance of contributing in life to something bigger than yourself, about supporting each other and caring for your family. All very important messages, particularly at this time when many families are facing the ravages of drought. In closing, she told the students to give their parents a hug every day of the holidays, which brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience. It was a beautiful, pertinent and timely address and extremely well received by all.

The Chair of the KWS School Council, Mrs Christine McIntosh addressed the gathering and spoke about the exciting developments of the year, the importance of community and the people who contributed to the many initiatives that are enhancing the educational offering at Kinross Wolaroi.

The Principal took the opportunity to acknowledge the many achievements of the year and to express his gratitude to all those who made them possible.

Dr Parry outlined the key elements of the Strategic Plan 2019 – 2023 that have been implemented in 2019, revelling in a busy and highly productive year.

The audience were entertained with some wonderful musical performances from the KWS Orchestra, the Chamber Choir and the Stage Band.

Thank you to Reverend Peter Harvey who travelled to Orange to represent the Moderator of the Uniting Church and to Reverend Andrew Cunningham our Uniting Church Minister in Orange who both officiated in the Ceremony •

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NICK TOOTH FOUNDATION

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On Saturday 10 August parts of Orange NSW recorded huge amounts of snow, with some places across Mount Canobolas receiving up to 40cm in the cold snap. This was a memorable weekend, but the snow didn’t stop our 1st XV taking on Oakhill College in our Nick Tooth Foundation (NTF) Charity Round.

The wild weather made it difficult for the Oakhill College buses to get over the mountains, with all games except the 1st XV being cancelled. The cancellations meant the crowds weren’t as large as expected, but many die-hard supporters and students lined the field supporting our boys for a hard earned win, 32-22.

The establishment of this year’s relationship with the NTF was initiated

by Year 12 student Sam Ridley after hearing about Nick’s tragic death from a head injury at his Year 12 Retreat. Over the years and through his experiences within rugby, Sam has come to understand how important it is to increase the awareness surrounding such injuries. As a result, Sam reached out to the Foundation after noticing that they had never done anything with schools in the past.

In October, Sam was involved in the annual Nick Tooth Tens Day, which was held at the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club in Sydney, playing for the Greenbay Packers team. At the end of the day, Sam and his teammates took out the bowl final and Sam says it was “an unreal day.”

Sam was also awarded the first Nick Tooth Medal of Honour; awarded to the person who shares Nick’s qualities.

“I hope KWS and the NTF can continue a relationship for many years to come as it’s such an important message. I hope one round of the ISA competition can continue to be dedicated to the NTF,” says Sam •

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THE ART OF S.I.M.P.L.E As part of Year 9 Commerce, our students form small groups and collaborate together in order to develop a small business idea. Each group starts out with grand plans and a $100 investment from the school, while also receiving guidance and mentorship from some fabulous local businesses. Groups compete for the title of ‘Entrepreneurs of the Year’, which is awarded to the students with the best business plan and greatest overall success.

This year a special mention must go to Sally Carter, Victoria Kennedy, Sameeka L’Estrange, Cailin McKay, Chloe Robertson, Olivia Tudor, Lila Tyrell and Heidi Waddell who created The ART of S.I.M.P.L.E; these students have achieved tremendously throughout 2019 and were crowned our Year 9 Entrepreneurs of the Year. The students’ concept turned out to be a very viable small business, where they created and sold handmade hair scrunchies at School and at the East Orange Village Markets. The ART of S.I.M.P.L.E team had wonderful success, raising almost $1500 dollars for their chosen charity, The McGrath Foundation. Collectively our Year 9 students raised just over $3500 in total, which was donated to various charitable causes. Each year, our Year 9 commerce students look forward to this unit of work as it is interactive and exciting, and they can put theory into practice whilst contributing to worthy causes. This unit sets out to inspire students and, who knows, it may even create some future business moguls •

THE CONFIDENT GIRLS FOUNDATION

In 2015, Netball Australia realised that their platform, as Australia’s #1 sport for females, gave them the perfect opportunity to directly impact the wellbeing of girls across the country.

This was something that resonated with our Year 12 student and Captain of Netball, Libby Noonan throughout 2019. Libby was extremely impressive in her leadership this year and was always willing to help and assist; this included coaching a Year 7 team, umpiring on many occasions and she was recognised as a valuable player in the 1st Netball Team.

This year Libby saw an opportunity to make an even greater impact and initiated a fundraising drive to help support the Confident Girls Foundation.

The Confident Girls Foundation aims to provide opportunities for vulnerable Australian girls to thrive through netball. The Foundation helps girls achieve their dreams by highlighting and helping eliminate key drivers of gender bias including financial barriers, lack of leadership opportunities, isolation, gender stereotypes that negatively affect young women and barriers to physical activity.

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R U OK? DAY In September, Senior School students participated in R U OK Day through their wellbeing lessons. It was fantastic to see all students writing letters to one another. Students were instructed to start a conversation with peers, even if it was to just check in, or write a letter to someone that they don’t speak to that often – it was great to see. All Year 9 students gathered in their Day Houses on the main oval to connect with their peers. Students then came together to create a human letter formation of ‘R U OK’.

Remember, every day is a good day to start a conversation, so go out and talk with your peers, family, loved ones and colleagues. A conversation could change a life •

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BAGS FOR BETTER

As part of the School’s Charity Shield competition between day houses, students were asked to get involved in Headspace Orange’s ‘Bags for Better’ campaign to raise supplies and awareness for youth homelessness in Orange.

Students and families were encouraged to donate whole backpacks or daily essential items that would be used to kit out backpacks for youth in need. In October, students handed over nearly 1,000 individual items to a very grateful Sharna Lord – Headspace Orange’s Community Engagement Coordinator.

Thank you to all the students and families who got behind this very worthy campaign •

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SPONCERT

With the onset of warmer weather in Term 4, staff and students were increasingly conscious of the plight of drought-affected communities and families. With this in mind, KWS strings teacher Mrs Lorraine Moxey instigated a sponsorship program for her string students who were sponsored by friends and family to learn a new piece of music with all proceeds being donated to the CWA of NSW Drought Aid. “This term I ran a special idea in my teaching studio to encourage my students to practise. Term 4 is a short term and in the past the students lose a lot of momentum in their practice as the end of the year approaches. This year I gave each child a brand new piece of music at their first lesson of the term along with a sponsorship form.

They then had to get family, friends and the community to sponsor them to learn that piece and it culminated in a “Sponcert” held in the beginning of December,” said Lorraine.

“The Concert was a massive success with the kids practising enthusiastically. The standard of music at the Sponcert was outstanding and the students raised over $2000. All money raised will be donated to the Drought Aid.” Well done to Mrs Moxey for creatively engaging her students in both music and a vital community cause •

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STUDENT SUCCESS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

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Julia Williams

Year 12 , 2019 – London International Youth Science Forum

For two weeks, I and 35 other Australians joined around 500 students from 76 countries, where we attended lectures delivered by Knights, Dames and Nobel Prize Laureates on every subtopic of science imaginable.”

Julia Williams, Year 12, 2019

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lass of 2019 graduate, Julia Williams still has a hard time explaining how the experiences she has had over the past year have literally changed her life for the better.

In January, Julia attended the National Youth Science Forum held in Canberra and was adamant that no experience could ever rival that which she had just had. “I was exposed to new aspects of science I’d never known about and it gave me ideas about my future and got me excited about attending university,” says Julia.

“Once you are at the National Youth Science Forum you can put in an application for the international programs. When the opportunity to apply for the London International Youth Science Forum was offered, I just knew I had to apply,” Julia explained.

Little did Julia know, her life was about to change again when a door to something even bigger and better was opened. The boarder from tiny Alectown, north of Parkes, was thrilled to discover that she was selected to attend the London International Youth Science Forum in July. It would be her first overseas trip and Julia says that the experience was a pivotal moment in her life.

“For two weeks, I and 35 other Australians joined around 500 students from 76 countries, where we attended lectures delivered by Sirs, Dames and Nobel Prize Laureates on every subtopic of science imaginable. We also had the opportunity to visit universities and laboratories around the UK. Visiting the Nottingham University School of Chemistry’s Carbon Neutral Laboratories opened my eyes to the possibilities in sustainable buildings, and the role that chemistry, my preferred science, has to play in the renewable energy challenge.”

For Julia, the experience was so much more than educational – it was also an eye opening experience socially and culturally. “I was exposed to more cultures than I had ever experienced in my life. Exchanging stories from across the world gave me insight into other countries from the perspective of locals.

It was great to see the similarities we had with each other and the connections we formed, despite our different cultural upbringings and locations,” says Julia.

Julia says that there are many people she would like to thank for making these experiences possible. “A massive thank you goes to the Rotary Club of Orange Daybreak and Parkes Rotary Club –

both of whom sponsored me. Thank you also to Mr Tierney and Mr Whiting who wrote me references for my National Youth Science Forum application and to my family, particularly my parents who always encourage me to take every opportunity that is offered to me.”

In January 2020, Julia will return to the National Youth Science Forum as a student staff member. “Students are selected from each session to come back and be a ‘Staffie’ for the next group.

I’ll be one of 23 Staffies who will be there to support the 200 students who come to the forum. Part of the role is to encourage kids to come out of their shells and try new things,” she says.

With Year 12 completed, Julia is now figuring out what to do next. “I’m tossing up between a gap year or university.

At university, I’d like to study a Bachelor of Engineering or possibly a Bachelor of Advanced Science majoring in Chemistry.”

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The thing I have probably loved the most would be the opportunities that are available, and I am appreciating the value of these opportunities more looking back on them.”

Olivia Mirrington, Year 12, 2019

Olivia Mirrington

Year 12, 2019 – Singer, songwriter & musician

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s our town of Orange continues to receive the thumbs up for its vibrant music scene, our very own Liv Mirrington is paving the way and creating a name for herself as an outstanding singer, songwriter and musician.

Year 12 Graduate, Olivia Mirrington says she has been singing ever since she could talk. “I remember singing a lot in my bathroom at our farm in Narromine when I was really little because it had amazing acoustics and echo with the high ceilings. I started playing violin when I was about seven which was the coolest! When I was about 11, I wrote my first lyrics on the back of an excursion note and played around on the guitar to put it to chords. I have loved singing and playing ever since,” says Liv.

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The Mirrington family moved to Orange in 2008 which is when Liv and her two older siblings, Alexander and Eloise, joined KWS. Looking back on her time at KWS, Liv says there is so much that she has enjoyed and she is grateful for the support she has received to pursue her passions.

“The thing I have probably loved the most would be the opportunities that are available, and I am appreciating the value of these opportunities more looking back on them. I really loved participating in open mic nights, the Performing Arts Festival and the musicals as well as the string program and the choir,” says Liv. “I always loved the more creative subjects in the junior years such as art, music, design & technology and history.

I think I just liked being able to think in a creative way. Moving into the senior years,

I still loved my music because I got to listen to music for homework and sing in class.”

Over the years, Liv has been front and centre in many school productions and in her final year of school she was named a Year 12 Music Leader. She has been described quite simply as ‘an absolute standout’ by the School’s Head of Performing Arts, Mrs Jacqueline Shields and continues to impress both staff and students of the school with her sheer musical talent.

At her own Graduation Ceremony, Liv took to the stage to tackle Many the Miles, a melodic song by Sara Bareilles, and wow the audience she did. Liv was accompanied by her mentors and good friends Kyle Manning and Matt Arthur with whom she also now regularly performs at gigs around town.

“One of the most exciting gigs for me recently was playing in the ‘Generations’ show at the Agrestic Grocer, where I was able to work with two really talented songwriters, Andy O’Donnell and Andy Nelson. It’s so special to be able to learn and be mentored by such amazing musicians. Matt Arthur, Pat O’Donnell and Kyle Manning have been incredible sources of wisdom and great friends too,” Liv explains.

With her HSC done and dusted, Liv is now focussed on the upcoming release of her original music and furthering her studies in music. “I’ve been working on the EP and it’s really starting to get there.

It has six original tracks which are really special to me. The whole process has been really rewarding to see my vision come to life through production, recording and mixing. The vibe is kind of like an alternate-pop feel with influences of jazz and soul in there too,” says Liv. Once the final touches have been made, Liv will be launching the EP locally. She is also working on launching her website and the EP will be available on streaming services and hard copy once it’s released.

Liv hopes to complete a Bachelor of Music in either Canberra or Melbourne.

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William Smith & Digby Cooper Year 12 & 11, 2019 – Rugby Union

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Top: William Smith leads out his team for the Indigenous round Bottom: Digby Cooper

n 2019, our senior rugby teams had a slow season, but that didn’t stop two of our 1st XV players being noticed and in turn selected for representative Australian School Boy Rugby teams. Year 12 student William Smith was selected for the NSW Schoolboys 2nd XV as loosehead prop and Year 11 student Digby Cooper was selected in the ASRU Combined States XV as reserve hooker.

Throughout the 2019 rugby union season both William and Digby received KWS Sporting Honours for their efforts, the highest sporting accolade within our School. William was also a fantastic role model within rugby union at KWS in 2019, leading our students as Captain of Rugby.

William and Digby both relished the experience and thoroughly enjoyed their time at the Australian School Boy Rugby Championships where they have made friends for life.

William and the NSW 2nd squad won two out of three games and was proud to get over the line against Victoria for a well-deserved try which helped secure their win. Digby and his Combined States team secured a win against Victoria, but unfortunately lost to QLD 1st and ACT. In 2020 William is keen to pursue his passion and love of rugby union in Sydney but is still yet to make a decision on what club he will be playing for. “I am excited to meet new people and I am looking forward to getting involved in a different rugby atmosphere in 2020,” says William.

Digby is looking forward to putting on the ‘two blues’ again in 2020, playing out his final year at Kinross Wolaroi School, “there is no better feeling than running onto the field with your best mates,” says Digby. The KWS 1st XV will be eager to improve their results in 2020, when Digby is determined to score a try and help secure a win in at least one game!

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Lara Hawker with model wearing Lara’s garment

Eliza Biddulph with model wearing Lucy Jenkins’ garment

Lucy Jenkins & Lara Hawker Year 11, 2019 – Fleece to Fashion Awards

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ach year, the Fleece to Fashion Awards encourage us to celebrate Australian merino wool production and its presence within fashion and textile manufacturing across the world. The primary focus of the competition is to facilitate and foster the relationships between farming and fashion communities around Australia, so that together we can recognise the developing role of wool in the global fashion industry.

Students in our Year 11 Textiles and Design class each submitted their work in the New England Wool Secondary School section of the competition which is open to students Australia wide. This year, the theme was, ‘I Have a Dream: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’, which certainly encouraged some flamboyance.

Judging the 2019 Awards was the esteemed Australian Fashion Laureate, Akira Isogawa, along with Lady Kate Knitwear founder and designer Penny Ashby (Narrabri) and The Herd Store owner Acey Firth (Scone). Students were judged on their design skills, creative use of commercial patterns, fashion awareness and level of technical skills.

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Our students travelled to the Presbyterian Ladies College in Armidale in July to attend the Fleece to Fashion Awards night alongside guests representing all links of the wool supply chain – wool growers, rural service providers, designers, shop owners, educators and the local business community. All KWS entrants had their work selected for the Awards Night show and two came away with awards – Lucy Jenkins was awarded first place and Lara Hawker took out second place.

“When we were first told about the project, we were not aware that the competition had a big show. Once we found out, it was very exciting – this was the first time many of us had seen a fashion parade, let alone one displaying our own works!” says Lucy.

“I designed and made a white and blue jumpsuit with a chenille technique front panel, frill detail with bound edges and a detachable skirt,” said Lucy. “I used techniques such as shredding and binding to add colour and texture. Mamma Mia the film was the main inspiration for my design and my colour scheme was pulled from the architecture within the

movie. The eccentric shoulder frills were inspired by the costumes worn when the girls are performing in the film.”

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the Awards Show as I was representing KWS at the Henley Royal Regatta, however I was able to watch part of the show online – it was incredible to see all of our garments being shown and they all looked so professional and polished,” Lucy said. “I was really excited when I found out that I had received first place and it was really uplifting to know that all of the hard work was worth it.”

Lara Hawker was equally excited to receive an award at the show for her garment – a cream crop top with hand dyed sleeve frills and pompom edge detail and a cream skort embellished with hand printed fruit patterned foils.

“My design was inspired by the bright and fun colours in the Mamma Mia movie as well as the nature of Greece.

I just tried to encapsulate the relaxed feeling of the movie in my garment,” said Lara.

Both girls are continuing Textiles and Design in Year 12 and are currently working on their major works.

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Bonnie Mcphee, Krishan Kandeepan & Bianca Wong

Years 6 & 5, 2019 – Newcastle Permanent Mathematics Competition

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he Newcastle Permanent Primary School Mathematics Competition has Year 5 and 6 students from across regional NSW test their numeracy and problem-solving skills each year in one of Australia’s longest running annual mathematics competitions. In August, over 19,000 students from 335 schools sat the 39th annual competition.

This year, Kinross Wolaroi School was well represented with 36 Year 5 and 6 students sitting the 35-question paper with no calculators, rulers or other mathematical instruments.

Three of our young maths whizzes came away with serious bragging rights. Year 6 student Bonnie McPhee was named equal first in the whole competition – equal first amongst 19,226 participants that is – scoring a perfect 35 out of 35. Bonnie has also been bestowed the honour of speaking on behalf of all student competitors, delivering a speech at the awards ceremony.

Classmate Krishan Kandeepan also received the Orange District Award for Year 6 and Bianca Wong received the Orange District Award for Year 5.

In total, KWS students in Year 5 received three high distinctions, six distinctions and two merits; while Year 6 students received six high distinctions, 17 distinctions and two merits. Twentyfour of our students placed in the top 10% of the competition.

Learning Support Coordinator for the Junior School, Mr Luke Bracks was thrilled to learn of the students’ success at the competition, saying, “results such as these are a reflection of the hard work and effort from both students and staff, that all can be proud of. This is an outstanding result and displays the depth of understanding and skill that our students possess.

It is nice to be acknowledged in this way and hopefully students see the importance and value in learning maths and how it enriches society.”

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Cody Kelso

Year 11, 2019 – Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge

Ten days of these conditions resulted in everyone being pushed to some extreme limits and you had to dig deep some mornings to get your head in the right place. It was the mateship during these times that became critical.”

Cody Kelso, Year 11, 2019

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hey say that when you are given an opportunity you should grab it with both hands and this is exactly what Year 11 student Cody Kelso did when he was given the opportunity to tackle the infamous Kokoda Trail.

In April, the Orange Ex-Services’ Club requested applications for their Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge which would afford two young people from the local area the opportunity to participate in the trek. Organisers said that it was important that participants understood that this was not a prize, gift or a right, but a ‘privileged opportunity to develop personal leadership skills based on the values our Kokoda Veterans held dearly – personal discipline, mutual respect, trust, mateship, courage and self-sacrifice.’

“The Kokoda Trail has been on my bucket list since I first learnt about

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Australia’s connection with Kokoda” says Cody. “When I was 8, my parents’ home schooled my brother Aidan and I for 12 months while we travelled around Australia, camping all the way. It was a very memorable year in which we saw a lot of diversity in the Australian landscape and its people. We learnt about Australian history and it opened our eyes to the benefits of taking opportunities when they arise. To me, Kokoda was an opportunity to experience first-hand and gain some insight into the conditions that were endured by the Australians whose courage and sacrifice have given us our life as we know it today.”

In September Cody, along with his team of 40 young Australians from all around the country, set off to Papua New Guinea and began the unforgettable 10-day trek.

“We travelled together under the guidance of staff from Adventure Kokoda and were lucky enough to have Major Charlie Lynn OAM OL as our trek leader as his knowledge of Kokoda is second to none. While Charlie is 75 years of age, he was as fit as anyone else in our group,” explained Cody.

“Our Kokoda campaign was 10 days of trekking where we were woken between 4:30am and 5am every day. You would pack up, eat and pull on wet clothes from the day before and be trekking by 7am at the latest and continue through until 5pm or 6pm each night. Basically, we would spend the first eight hours trekking uphill and then usually downhill for the last couple of hours to arrive at our next village where our campsite would be set up,” said Cody.

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“The mornings were generally nice and sunny although very humid, but by lunchtime every day we had rain.

So we would go from dripping in sweat to being soaked by rain as we trekked through mud. Charlie said that in his 99 crossings of the Kokoda Trek, ours was the wettest he had experienced. Ten days of these conditions resulted in everyone being pushed to some extreme limits and you had to dig deep some mornings to get your head in the right place. It was the mateship during these times that became critical – you needed to help each other physically and mentally. That shared experience brings you together and I have made some mates for life.”

“I was actually surprised with how well I went physically and mentally, and as a result, I enjoyed that I was able to assist others who were doing it tough.

It also helped me to draw on the fact that what we were experiencing was nothing compared to the conditions that were endured by the Australians during the war. We had suitable shoes, clothing, backpacks, good food and plenty of it.

Although we had some illness, we had great medical supplies and a campsite to come into each night and on top of all of that, we were not being shot at!”

Cody said that one of his most memorable moments from the trip was holding the Australian flag for the Dawn Service at Isurava Memorial which overlooked the village of Kokoda. He also recalls visiting the largest Australian war cemetery, located in Port Moresby, where there are over 3,500 graves.

“Here, after our first war briefing, we all knelt in a line before a gravestone and made an oath to the fallen Australian before us. Our promise was that from that day on, everything we did in our lives would be done to our fullest potential – that soldier needed to know that their sacrifice was worthwhile,” said Cody.

Cody has now turned his focus to his final year of school and the opportunities that may arise. “My focus for the next 12 months will be school and my representative goals with rugby union and rugby league. Although I don’t yet know what career I want to pursue, I want to achieve a mark that opens as many doors as possible,” says Cody.

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Annabella Triggs

Year 10, 2019 – Wool4School

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icture this… a bold, bright outfit made with Merino wool fabrics that has colourful LED lights in the cuffs, holographic embroidered stars on the back, a fluoro yellow belt and glitter on the collar. This was the extravagant design that saw Year 10 Textiles and Design student Annabella Triggs become one of only nine finalists in her year group in the 2019 Wool4School competition.

First launched in 2012, Wool4School receives more than 85,000 student entries globally. It’s an annual student design competition that encourages budding fashion designers to show the nation what they’re made of and this year the brief was to design a garment or outfit that embraces the use of technology. As the name of the

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competition suggests, students must also incorporate and explore the benefits and versatility of wool and woollen fabrics in their designs.

“I submitted a mood board, development designs, my final design and a creative statement with the title ‘The Outgoing’. The garment I designed was a two-piece set consisting of shorts and a tube top as well as a jacket. I chose to incorporate LED lights in the cuffs for many reasons; I thought it would aid in identification of friends and finding people in large crowds such as at festivals; assist with finding keys and other items in dark purses; and as a safety feature when walking home at night,” Bella explained.

“I am heavily inspired by bold and bright fashion. I was also inspired by different forms of ‘night life’ including neon signs which is seen in my choice of contrasting piping on the garments. The silhouette of the piece is youthful and inspired by celebrity costumes such as Little Mix, Katy Perry and Beyoncé. The technology was inspired by the use of LED lights in other designers work such as Zac Posen’s dress for Claire Danes at the Met Gala,” says Bella.

Bella says she was absolutely blown away when she found out that she had been named as a finalist in the competition. “To be honest, I couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t wait to tell my mum and sister!”

Bella is now entering into her final years of school and already has some ideas about how she can put her creativity to good use.

“In Year 11 and 12, I will be continuing with drama and art as these subjects provide me with a creative outlet and also give me the opportunity to utilise all my design and photoshop skills in areas such as costume design and visual arts. When I finish school, I would like to study midwifery at University and become a midwife. That being said, I do see some areas of creativity in my future and hope to one day dabble in some area of design, whether that be packaging and marketing or having a clothing line, which my sister and I have always dreamed of!”

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Doug Philipson

Year 9, 2019 – Rugby Union

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oug Philipson had a fantastic rugby union season in 2019, which saw him being selected in the Central West under 15 team leading to a coveted place in the NSW Junior Country Cockatoos.

As part of his inclusion within the Country side, Doug went on to Captain the team in their fixtures in the ACT and Sydney city. The representative success didn’t stop there: Doug caught the attention of selectors and earned a spot in the NSW Gen Blue under 15 75-man squad.

From within this squad, Doug secured a spot as one of two scrum halves in the 1st team, going on to play within this premier team in the Southern Conference Junior Gold Cup. This competition took place in the Term 3 holidays, which saw Doug and his team mates take on two NSW sides, Melbourne Rebels and ACT Brumbies.

The 1st Gen Blues under 15 went on to beat these teams throughout the week which presented the opportunity to take on QLD in the Junior Gold Cup Final. Doug and his teammates went onto secure the final win in a close game 20-15.

Within KWS rugby Doug was given the opportunity to further his representative career, trialling for position within the ISA under 16 team. A determined Doug earned a spot in the 2nds team and went on to compete in the NSWSRU Championships earlier on in the year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The experiences that Doug has had throughout 2019 have developed his skills and led him to become a more confident player. “I am thankful for my experiences this year, which gave me the opportunity to play alongside and against the most talented players in the country; this has helped me develop both as an athlete and as a person,” says Doug.

The commitment to these teams requires a lot of effort on Doug’s behalf however he is quick to thank his parents for all their support and guidance. “I’m really excited to see what next season has in store for me and hopefully it holds more great opportunities within KWS and representative teams,” says Doug.

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Gianrico Wynn

Year 9, 2019 – DJ & Music Producer

Music has always been a big part of my life – from picking up the trumpet at the age of seven, to producing music at the age of 15.”

Gian Wynn, Year 9, 2019

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ith music all around us, it seems only natural to use people’s love of music to do a little good. Year 9 student Gianrico Wynn has done just that.

Gian is a budding DJ, musician and music producer and has recently taken his love of music and used it to raise funds for a worthy cause.

“Music has always been a big part of my life – from picking up the trumpet at the age of seven, to producing music at the age of 15. To me, music is like a language that everybody knows, no matter where they are from,” he says.

Gian was introduced to electronic music by his older brother Luca and says that this moment was one that he will fondly remember for the rest of his life.

“I discovered the world of DJ-ing and I loved it! I got immersed in it and started DJ-ing myself. Electronic music is just so different; it tells a story without needing words, something about it just clicks with me,” Gian explains.

In an unfortunate turn of events, earlier this year Gian was alerted to the need to support charitable organisations such as Headspace in Orange.

“I had always been aware of depression and mental health issues

but it only recently occurred to me how much of a problem it actually was when I lost a family friend to the problem.

I was also eager to raise funds for Headspace as one of my idols, Avicii also took his life earlier this year. He was one of the people responsible for me DJ-ing and making music,” says Gian.

Gian took it upon himself to approach Headspace and began organising a dance party charity event, which would raise money and awareness of youth mental health issues.

The Mafia Events Under 18s Dance Party was held in September at the Orange Show Ground and Gian was thrilled with the response he received.

“The event was a success, we had a good turn out and I’m positive we raised awareness while having a great time.”

Gian now hopes to build on this experience and says that DJ-ing is what he was born to do. “In 2020 I plan to release my first single under my artist name GÏANRICØ. The dream would be to get signed to a record label and tour and play across the world as a global artist. I am also currently an ambassador for ‘Good Life Festival’ which is one of Australia’s biggest under 18 music festivals.”

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Toby Gough

Year 8, 2019 – Speech & Drama

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oby Gough openly admits that some of his friends and family think he is a little crazy.

Admirably, he absolutely loves being on the stage performing for the crowd, a place that most of us find somewhat terrifying. This year, the Year 8 student has been busily entering as many eisteddfods as possible and relishing his time in the spotlight, all the while tending to his day-to-day school commitments.

In 2019, Toby competed in 119 speech and drama sections in six different eisteddfods from May to September. Overall, he placed first in 72 sections, second in 28, third in 13 and highly commended in two. He also received some major awards for his efforts, including Penrith Eisteddfod’s Senior Speech and Drama Championship Winner, Orange Eisteddfod’s Adjudicator Award for the Best Senior Performer and Forbes Eisteddfod’s award for Most Promising Speech and Drama Performer across all ages.

Toby also completed in two eisteddfods for music, where he performed on the bassoon. He has also represented KWS in two ensembles and played in the Orange Regional

Conservatorium Symphonic Wind Ensemble at the Orange and Bathurst eisteddfods.

“I think the highlight for me was the Orange Eisteddfod as it was the 40th anniversary of the competition and I’ve been competing there for six years. My favourite speech and drama sections are all of the impromptu sections; things like impromptu mimes, impromptu public speaking and improvised character sketches. Some of my drama friends think I’m crazy for loving these sections, but I enjoy them because they draw on all of your public speaking and drama skills. They’re not just about how well you’ve practiced and memorised something,” he says.

“It’s a lot of work preparing different speeches and rehearsing for each eisteddfod, but I just love being on stage.

Each year I ask my Mum if I can go in more eisteddfods, and this year was the most she’s ever let me do, so I was happy about that! No matter what the result is for each performance, I always have this great sense of achievement after being on stage. There’s something about speaking and performing in front of people that just makes me want to keep doing it,” says Toby.

More recently, Toby was selected as a participant in the Bathurst Arts Council 2019 Youth Arts Awards. Toby is one of only 10 students selected and was invited to perform at the Showcase Concert in November with the opportunity to be awarded the 2019 Youth Arts Council Scholarship, to be announced in January 2020.

On top of the enormous effort that Toby has put into competitions this year, he was also awarded A+ Honours for his Grade 8 speech and drama exam, A Honours for his Grade 5 music exam in bassoon, he came second in the final level of the CWA Public Speaking competition, was a member of the KWS debating team and performed in the KWS musical, ‘Oliver’.

If that wasn’t enough, Toby has also been volunteering his time in order to develop his craft and credentials.

“This year I volunteered as an announcer at the Bathurst Eisteddfod and I enjoyed it so much. In December, I completed work experience with B-Rock Radio in Bathurst which was exciting. I’ve also started some volunteer teaching work with Encore Speech and Drama this year and am enjoying teaching some of the younger kids,” says Toby.

Although he is only in Year 8, Toby already has some very clear direction for his future. “I’m not sure if I want to be an actor or a musician, but I like the idea of keeping these things in my life forever even if it’s my hobby.

Performing arts is definitely a big part of my life and I can see myself doing so many different things with it – from being a music or drama teacher, to radio announcing or being a TV presenter travelling the world.”

“Another one of my passions is aviation. I love everything to do with planes and have even thought about the idea of becoming a pilot one day. I’ve joined the Australian Air Force Cadets and am even starting flying lessons at the end of 2019,” says Toby. “I’m very proud of everything that I’ve achieved this year and can’t wait to get back into it in 2020.”

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Daniel Lord Year 5, 2019 – Trampoline Gymnastics

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t’s no secret that most children (and many adults) cannot resist the temptation to jump on a trampoline.

It’s a fun activity for young and old and is one that has many physical, mental and even educational benefits to offer. Year 5 student, Daniel Lord has only recently taken up trampolining as a sport but has already been bouncing his way into the record books.

Daniel says that he only got a trampoline at home at the beginning of 2017, but from then on, it received much use and he enjoyed it so much that he looked into what training he could participate in locally.

“I practised jumping around and doing flips and somersaults every day, even in winter! I then started parkour and gymnastics classes at the Orange PCYC and this year they began a competition trampoline class which I joined straight away,” says Daniel.

In May this year, Daniel competed in the Central West Regional Trampoline Competition and by the end of the day, his name was firmly etched in the medal tally.

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“I got Gold for Level 1 Tumbling and another Gold in the Level 1 MiniTrampoline event. I also received Silver in the Level 1 Trampoline event.

This qualified me for the Country Championships – a competition for everyone in NSW except for the Sydney metropolitan area. At the Country Championships I received Gold for the Trampoline and Mini-Trampoline events and in Tumbling I received 4th place. These placings meant that I qualified for the 2019 Winter State Championships to be held in Sydney.”

“When we walked into the Sydney Gymnastics Centre I was amazed at the size of it. I was nervous but confident as I had done so well at the Regional and Country Competitions. There were about 10 boys competing against me at my level and I received Gold in all of my events – Tumbling, Trampoline and Mini-Trampoline. I felt very proud of myself for getting that far in my first year of competitive trampolining!”

Daniel is now focussing on his schooling, his other love of soccer, and he is also continuing his trampoline training with a new goal of making it into Level 2 of trampolining in the year to come.

“I have started practicing the Level 2 routines for next year’s competitions.

I would like to go as far as I can in competitive trampolining in the next couple of years. I would also like to try men’s artistic gymnastics which includes the pommel horse, bars, rings and vault,” says Daniel.

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Lachlan de Vries & Phoebe Paynter Year 6 & 4, 2019 – Athletics

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his year, KWS had 9 students represent HICES (Heads of Independent Co-educational Schools) at the CIS (Combined Independent Schools) Carnival held in September and all students performed well amongst strong competition.

Notably, two of our students finished the competition with medals; Year 4 student Phoebe Paynter was awarded a silver medal in the U10 long jump and Year 6 student Lachlan de Vries was awarded a bronze medal in the U11 boys long jump. These placings meant that both Phoebe and Lachlan qualified for the 2019 NSW PSSA (Primary Schools Sports Association) State Athletics Championships, held in November at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre in Homebush.

“I qualified for State after coming second in long jump at CIS,” said Phoebe.

“This was a huge achievement for me and I was actually really shocked!”

“At the state competition I achieved a new personal best of 3.87m. To prepare myself, I would watch YouTube videos, take HIIT classes (High Intensity Interval Training) and would swim, run and practice jumping on weekends and at Little Athletics competition

nights. I only started participating in Little Athletics this year after doing well in School competitions. It wasn’t something that I had previously trained for but I am loving it so far,” said Phoebe.

“My teachers and coaches at KWS have been so helpful in getting me to this level and I couldn’t have done it without them. I love the sport programs and opportunities at KWS and hope to continue with athletics!”

Lachlan says that his interest in athletics was sparked at a very young age and he was thrilled to finally make it to the PSSA State Athletics Championships.

“State was a big milestone for me.

I was so excited when I found out that I had qualified and I couldn’t wait to go!” says Lachlan. “I prepared for state by running, riding and training with Mr Doyle.”

“My interest in athletics started when I broke the 50m long jump record in kindergarten and from then on, I’ve been participating in athletics. At KWS, there’s something for everyone and for me, sport is the thing I love. In the future, I hope to continue with athletics, motorbike riding and rugby – hopefully at a professional level!”

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Jemma Luelf, Isabella Scammell, Millie McKinnon & Georgia Miller Years 10, 7 & 6, 2019 – Girls’ Rugby Sevens

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n recent years the Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens team has had remarkable success and these exceptional female athletes have become role models for many young women around Australia. This growing interest has led to some of our female students exploring their options externally to the school in order to become more involved with the game. This year four students were selected to represent Central West NSW in teams within Rugby Sevens.

Year 6 student Georgie Miller and Year 7 student Millie McKinnon made the Under 13 Central West team, Year 10 student Jemma Leulf was selected in the Under 15 team and Year 10 student Isabella Scammell made the Under 17 team.

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As part of their Central West representation our students headed to Forster Tuncurry in the last week of the Term 3 holidays to compete in a state wide competition. Jemma had a great carnival and her efforts were definitely noticed, receiving the Coaches Award for her team. “I definitely loved the team culture the most, but I enjoyed the whole experience. I loved the opportunity to play rugby after watching my brothers play for many years,” say Jemma.

For these girls it was their first introduction to the sport and it wasn’t without issues; Isabella took a heavy hit on her shoulder early on in their trial games, but bounced back with some specialist physio support.

Isabella was determined to develop

on her natural ability and ready to step out of her comfort zone, which saw her skills and technique improve immensely. Isabella and her teammates went on to be the top country Under 17 team in the competition. “I loved it all – the trainings, our trial games in Gunnedah and Newcastle and the actual tournament,” says Isabella.

The game of Rugby Sevens is fast paced, requiring the utmost trust in your teammates. This trust is often formed on the back of friendship within the team and this was definitely the case within the Under 13 side for both Millie and Georgie. Millie loved the tournament and relished the experience, assisting with a number of tries. “I am excited to trial for the under 15 Central West team next year; if successful I am looking forward to improving my skills and technique, whilst making more friends,” says Millie.

Year 6 student Georgie Miller is the first female student to have represented Kinross Wolaroi Prep School in Rugby Sevens; even more remarkable is the fact that she played up a division in the Under 13 age group. The Under 13 Central West side went on to make the final and Georgie helped secure the win with a well-deserved try. “Playing Rugby Sevens for Central West was an honour, the highlight was definitely making new friends and developing my skills,” Georgie said.

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Ava Buesnel, Isaac de Bruyn, Joshua de Bruyn, Kajan Kandeepan, Krishan Kandeepan, Bonnie McPhee & Keeley O’Toole Years 6 & 4, 2019 – Seven Strings

The Seven Strings are an enthusiastic group who take great pride in the way they perform and so rehearsals are lively but exciting.”

Mrs Lorraine Moxey, KWS Strings Teacher

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n a bid to develop teamwork skills and foster excellence through chamber music, each year students in the Prep School are given the opportunity to audition to be a part of an ensemble affectionately known as the Seven Strings.

The string group is made up of seven players, who have each achieved a high standard in musicianship and are enthusiastic members of other ensembles both within KWS and the wider community. In 2019, the Seven Strings was made up of Year 6 students Ava Buesnel, Isaac de Bruyn, Joshua de Bruyn, Kajan Kandeepan, Krishan Kandeepan and Bonnie McPhee as well as Year 4 student Keeley O’Toole.

Under the guidance of KWS strings teacher and music maestro, Mrs Lorraine Moxey, the Seven Strings get together once a week to practice and prepare for upcoming performances.

“Working with my ensembles is my favourite time of the week. The Seven Strings meet every Tuesday at lunch time and they are an enthusiastic group who take great pride in the way they perform and so rehearsals are lively but exciting!” says Lorraine. “I take a long time planning repertoire and even

writing repertoire that will stretch and challenge the students, that also covers a wide range of styles and techniques.

We rotate the violins around in the group so that the students get experience in leading and sitting in different positions within the group.

In 2019, this talented group of musicians performed unaccompanied, a skill in itself, at most of the School’s concerts and also entered the Orange Eisteddfod, continuing the School’s long standing winning streak in the Open Primary School Age Strings Ensemble section.

“Seven Strings had to enter the Orange Eisteddfod in the large ensemble section this year because of their numbers. The Seven Strings won that section with our Prep Strings Ensemble coming second. KWS has been successful in winning that section for over 13 consecutive years,” said Lorraine •

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We all get on really well – we just tell stories and joke about everything.”

KWS Laundry employee, Rebecca Davidson

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MEET THE LAUNDRY TEAM

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ne of the lesser known facilities associated with boarding at Kinross Wolaroi School is the Laundry and its team.

Located in a small premises on the PLC site between Stuart Douglas and Miller Houses, the Laundry operates five days a week during school term.

Laundry Supervisor Patricia Penrose loves her team of five staff who all enjoy each other’s company in between washing loads of sheets, towels and student clothing.

“We have a rotating roster – we do four boys’ houses on Monday mornings and two girls’ houses in the afternoon, then on Tuesday we do four girls’ houses in the morning and two boys’ houses later in the day. We wash personal clothes for different houses throughout the week and on Fridays we can wash uniforms and clothes ready for the weekend for any house,” says Patricia.

Each week they would wash 350400 sheets and up to 90 shirts as well as towels and pillowcases. Patricia says given the nature of the laundry the steam and water can make things either very hot or very cold depending on the season.

“We’ve got three huge commercial washing machines and one smaller one, as well as four large commercial dryers and one smaller dryer. It’s so cold in here in winter and through summer it’s so hot, especially when we are doing shirts with the steamer and the cuff and collar machine,” says Patricia.

Without a doubt the biggest job of the week is sorting boarders’ individual clothing and then putting them back into their bags at the end of the day.

All clothes are named and labelled by the boarders. The biggest job of the year is the end of year clean up. “We wash doonas, sheets, doona covers, mattress protectors, sometimes pillows and blankets and that takes us four days.

It’s the very last job we do before we go on holidays,” says Patricia.

Rebecca Davidson has been working at the laundry for about five years and enjoys working with such a great bunch of people. “We all get on really well – we just tell stories and joke about everything,” she says •

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MEET OUR BOARDING HEADS OF HOUSE Boys’ Houses

Trathen Mr Hugo Johnson

Tower Mr Anthony Begg

Weymouth Mr Nathan Short

Wolaroi Mr James Perrin

Hugo Johnson comes to Kinross Wolaroi as Head of Trathen House in 2020 after two years teaching PDHPE at St Stanislaus’ College in Bathurst. Prior to this, Hugo taught at The Armidale School where he was heavily involved in boarding as a Deputy Head of House. He has a Bachelor of Education (Human Movement and Health Education) from Sydney University, a Master of Sports Coaching from Griffith University and is a Level I cricket coach and a Level II rugby coach. Hugo grew up on a farm in Blayney and went to boarding school himself, in Sydney. He is looking forward to helping to shape the young lives of Year 7 boys in Trathen House.

Anthony Begg is no stranger to the Kinross Wolaroi community having held several leadership positions over his 13 years with the School and will commence his role as Head of Tower House in 2020. Anthony is described by the Principal Dr Parry as an “integral part of the School’s Indigenous Program and is passionate about teaching and mentoring young people.” Anthony has a Bachelor of Human Movement and a Bachelor of Secondary Teaching from Charles Sturt University, a certificate in Educational Leadership, a Certificate of Cultural Competence from the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultation Group and is a Level II rugby coach. Anthony values the role he will play in the development of boys at the School. “Tower House gives our Year 8 boys another year of specialised value development supported by the role-modelling of our Year 9 junior leaders. It is a highly rewarding environment and a great opportunity to support our boys as they navigate the challenging time of adolescence,” says Anthony.

When the opportunity arose to become Head of Weymouth House, Nathan Short couldn’t resist the chance to apply.

His passion for pastoral care has been honed over five years at Kinross Wolaroi both teaching and in his role as a Year 8 coordinator. “I am looking forward to helping the boys in my care to be the best they can be. I’m proud to be part of the vibrant KWS community and the small part I get to play in the boys’ lives,” says Nathan. At Weymouth, he has care of Year 9-12 boys hailing from Orange to Abu Dhabi. “I did a gap year in Ireland, spent a couple of years working in Sydney, attended Charles Sturt University in Bathurst and spent time on a farm at Baldry,” says Nathan, which is why he understands the KWS objective to replicate home life for boarders. “It’s really important that we are able to provide an authentic country boarding experience and provide opportunities that mirror what these kids would be doing at home such as camping, swimming in the dam, camp oven cooking, bonfires and planting trees,” says Nathan.

James Perrin will commence as the Head of Wolaroi House in 2020. He comes to Orange from Western Australia where he was the acting Head of Faculty (Religion, Philosophy and Ethics) and a Boarding Year Coordinator at Guildford Grammar School in Perth. James studied a Bachelor of Arts (Religious Studies, Theology and Philosophy) at the University of Leeds and has a Graduate Certificate in Education (Secondary Education) with the University of Exeter. He will bring to Kinross Wolaroi skills in rowing, tennis and cycling – he competed in the cycling Amateur World Championships in 2015 and 2016. James coordinated the Human Powered Vehicle Program at Guilford Grammar as well as social justice initiatives.

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FOR 2020 Girls’ Houses

Stuart Douglas Mrs Debbie Orrock

Loader Mrs Kelly Cunningham

New Mrs Kate Callaghan

Miller Mrs Haidee Priest

Debbie Orrock loves caring for children and that makes her the perfect Head for Kinross Wolaroi’s Year 7 girls’ House, Stuart Douglas.

“I am the second of eight children and from an early age I helped my mother with my younger siblings,” says Debbie. She brings to Kinross Wolaroi experience in nursing, juvenile justice, canteen supervision for more than 650 students and she has represented Australia in hockey. When Debbie was eight years old she says it was her wish to work in a two-storey house looking after the homeless.

“Whilst the girls in Stuart Douglas are not homeless, I feel like I am fulfilling this childhood dream. The girls refer to me as Aunty Deb and it is wonderful to see them grow up as part of my school family,” says Debbie.

Originally hailing from the United Kingdom, Kelly Cunningham has been the Head of Loader House since January 2019. She came to the role after living in Malaysia for four and a half years, where she was a Teacher of Business Studies and a Senior Boarding House Mistress before being promoted to Deputy Head (Pastoral). Prior to her time in Malaysia, Kelly taught in the independent sector in the United Kingdom, most notably at The Grange School near Manchester where she taught Business Studies and Economics and was also Head of the Talented Program. This year as she has become accustomed to Aussie slang, Kelly has built a warm, dynamic and positive environment around her girls. “The girls are so busy, but always have time for a chat and are genuinely interested in how staff and their housemates are going.

They can always make you smile,” says Kelly. Kelly is a big fan of the opportunities on offer at Kinross Wolaroi beyond the classroom. “I love outdoor education and have been involved in this in all of my previous schools. I see such potential at Windermere for our boarders – being outside has both physical and mental benefits and therefore I am a big fan.”

Kate Callaghan feels very privileged to be Head of New House, a role she has held for the last two years. Kate came to Kinross Wolaroi mid-way through 2017 as the Head of House. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts (English and Government) and a Master of Teaching, both from the University of Sydney.

Although she’s previously worked as an English teacher at St Stanislaus’ College Bathurst, at Pymble Ladies’ College Sydney from 20062011 and in other pastoral care roles, she had never worked with boarding students. “I saw this role as an opportunity to use my skills in pastoral care in a very different setting and challenge myself personally and professionally. It’s a decision I am very happy with,” says Kate. As Head of House Kate continues to cultivate a culture of community with the girls in her care. “I have loved getting to know all the girls as individuals and with that comes the chance to connect with their families, communities, interests and passions. It’s a lovely feeling to know that you are, hopefully, having a positive impact on a student’s life,” says Kate.

This will be Haidee Priest’s 10th year as Head of Miller House and she still loves her work as much as the day she started. “It’s wonderful, the girls are friendly and warm.

Being in Miller doesn’t always feel like a job, the girls make it such a lovely place to work,” says Haidee. Creating a safe and welcoming ‘home’ is in tune with the strategic direction for KWS’ boarding experience. “Girls from Years 8-12 mix and spend time together,” says Haidee.

“We try to create a ‘big, happy family.’” •

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MEET OUR BOARDING HOUSE MOTHERS My boarding boys are beautiful human beings, they respect, support and empathise with each other and are brothers in arms while at school.”

Ms Crina Dihel, Wolaroi House Mother

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he House Mothers of Kinross Wolaroi School come from a diverse range of backgrounds and each of them bring the same nurturing qualities to the School’s boarding students.

A House Mother at Kinross Wolaroi is an integral part of the School community. They are responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of students within the boarding house and provide a constant in the boarder’s life. They greet students when they arrive ‘home’ each afternoon with a smile and some afternoon tea and often talk with students to unpack their day in the same way that a parent would. Each boarding house is encouraged by the Director of Boarding, Matt Curran to develop its own sense of place and community and this is evidenced in the students’ pride in their Houses. Amongst the nine House Mothers, one for each boarding house as well as a casual house mother, there’s an interesting spread of personalities and ages.

Wolaroi House Mother Crina Dihel, for example, came to Kinross Wolaroi 14 years ago after moving to Australia from Romania to compete at the Sydney Olympic Games in rowing.

She initially came to KWS as a rowing

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coach in 2005. She says life at KWS is challenging and rewarding and no two days with her 50 boarding boys are the same. “My boarding boys are beautiful human beings, they respect, support and empathise with each other, they offer support to one another and are brothersin-arms while at school,” says Crina.

House Mothers, Jasmina Kosarac and Marina Podreka have also been bringing their own cultural distinctions to the School for close to 15 years and now work in Miller and Loader Houses respectively. Marina came to Kinross Wolaroi after raising her own children and feeling she had something to contribute to the School. “I make a birthday cake for each girl. We have a monthly Fantastic Four Award where individual girls are rewarded for personal achievements. Each house mother provides supper and afternoon tea – the food is different in Loader house!” says Marina. Jasmina says being the House Mother at Miller House for the last 12 years has been a very enjoyable experience. She values KWS’ respect for its boarding community and describes her boarders as, “funny with a good sense of humour, messy, respectful, sometimes homesick or upset but in general a nice bunch of teenagers.”

Weymouth House’s Terrie Birrell has felt the true depth of the Kinross Wolaroi community spirit through her work as a House Mother. Her husband Paul was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2018 and is currently at home, ‘battling on with the great determination that he has always exhibited in his life,” says Terrie.

She says her experience of KWS is of a wonderfully supportive ‘family’. “We have so much love in Weymouth; every day when I arrive we all check on each other, and the boys ask how Paul is going.

I get many messages daily of support from past students, their families and past staff, not just because Paul is unwell but because we have always stayed in touch as a family,” says Terrie. “In my role as Weymouth House Mother I am surrounded by so much love that my cup ‘really, really overflows’.” Terrie is an outstanding example of the unique attachment of a boarding House Mother.

“All this love can also be the hardest part of my job; not a day goes by that I don’t have a smile or a tear for my beautiful ‘Boots’ Daniel Simpson and now my wonderful ‘Bowie’ Sam Bowen. My heart also goes out to our boarding community at the moment with this drought; it’s tough and our families are proving themselves strong and resilient. I send

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Left to right: Crina Dihel, Liliana Popa, Terrie Birrell, Janet Murphy, Jasmina Kosarac, Marina Podreka, Desma Johnson, Maree Cornish and Jacqui Hayes

my love and pray for slow and soaking rain to come very, very soon.”

The youngest of the House Mothers is Jacqui Hayes in New House who has returned home to Orange after studying a Bachelor of Design specialising in Fashion in Sydney. “I will often be helping our girls with their textiles homework and assessment tasks and am called upon to speak at career nights at KWS to represent the design industry,” says Jacqui. As an ex KWS student (2011) Jacqui feels a strong advantage.

“Having lived in their shoes previously I feel I can easily connect with the girls,” she says. New House has a wonderful large common room space that opens to the outdoors which Jacqui says brings everyone together. “We rarely have to encourage the girls to come out of their rooms. It brings the whole house together and creates friendships with one another and within year groups,” says Jacqui.

Two very special House Mothers are Desma Johnson and Janet Murphy who look after students as they begin their boarding journey in Year 7. Friday nights are a particular highlight for Desma who came to Kinross Wolaroi almost four years ago in 2016. “Friday nights are especially nice when they all

hang out together watching movies or other activities.” Desma thinks she gets to look after a great bunch of girls in Stuart Douglas in a pivotal time of their lives. “The number of boarders is small compared to other houses so there is a real family feeling in the house. Because the girls are all the same age and in the same year they share similar interests and activities.” Janet has been looking after the Year 7 boys of Trathen House for the last six years after working in the KWS kitchen. She feels blessed to be in her position and says the role has some inherently difficult times dealing with homesickness and getting the boys used to, not only high school, but boarding and living away from home. Janet says this is something quickly overcome by the nature of her boys. “It’s very rewarding watching the boys growing in confidence towards the end of the year,” says Janet.

Liliana Popa has been the House Mother in Tower House for the last five years. She migrated to Australia from Romania in 2006 after a decade of primary school teaching, to work in Australia’s early childhood sector.

She says her main goal is to create an environment where her boys are well supported and safe. “My boarding

students are well adjusted, respectful, resilient and committed young men.

Being away from home is not easy for young boys and so the relationships they form during boarding years tend to last a lifetime,” says Liliana.

Perhaps Maree Cornish’s role as a casual House Mother who works across all eight Houses when House Mothers are away is the most privileged. “The Heads of Houses, RAs and students always make you feel very welcome and the students are polite, helpful and very well-mannered which I think is a reflection on the school and its expectations.” says Maree. “One thing I have noticed with each boarding house is there is a bond between all the students regardless of their age difference, and sense of pride that their House is the best.” Maree’s biggest challenge is remembering everyone’s names but she says the students are very forgiving! •

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All the boarding parents are really nice people who want the best for their children and I don’t think I have ever had a bad interaction.”

Mrs Sally Rattray-Wood, Assistant to the Director of Boarding

Sally Rattray-Wood Assistant to the Director of Boarding

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ffectionately referred to as the ‘glue that holds boarding together, Sally Rattray-Wood has been Assistant to the Director of Boarding for 16 years. Sally has worked with four Directors of Boarding, numerous Heads of Boarding Houses, hundreds of students and even more parents. She has a special relationship with the boarding community as she is neither a teacher nor a member of the boarding staff. “The boarders are usually nice and polite with me because I organise their tickets home,” she laughs.

Sally’s role involves exceptional organisation and co-ordination skills.

She’s in charge of planning logistical arrangements for boarding activities and each week provides boarding staff with a logistics sheet for the weekend, detailing individual travel arrangements, weekend activities, Health Centre operating hours, staff rosters and more.

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In her time at Kinross Wolaroi the boarding community has been evolving constantly. “There is a bigger emphasis on creating a home-away-from-home rather than just a place for boarders to stay and the standard of accommodation and what we expect of our boarders has changed too,” says Sally.

She’s not sure if she is a naturally organised person – and asks anyone who may think so to have a look at her desk – but says she’s been at the School for so long that she quickly knows the answers to almost any boarder’s or parent’s questions.

“A fair bit of my interaction with the parents is over the phone or by email and it’s always really nice when you actually get to meet a parent,” says Sally. “They are all really nice people who want the best for their children and I don’t think I have ever had a bad interaction.”

Most of all, Sally thoroughly enjoys the family feel of Kinross Wolaroi School.

After her family moved to Orange in 1996, it was what attracted her to apply for her job. Sally’s three girls Tess (2007), Hilary (2010) and Zoe (2014) Wilkinson all attended Kinross Wolaroi from the Prep School through to Year 12 •

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EX-STUDENT PROFILES The Chronicle follows up with our Alumni.

It’s not the School that puts you in that place, it’s the School that gives you the opportunities and you go and get yourself into that place.”

Mr Mitchell Colton, KWS Class of 2008

Mitchell Colton Class of 2008

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his former Kinross Wolaroi student has been tinkering with computers for most of his life – even as a 14-year-old he was fixing friends’ PCs in his basement.

As a young child, Mitch Colton spent weekends ‘mechanic-ing’, changing oil and checking tyres on buses owned by his grandparents and as soon as computers came into his life he started mending them. Fast forward to the present day and Mitch’s basement business, Colton Computers which he owns with his mother has its own premises, employs 16 staff and had revenue of $2.5 million last year.

Mitch believes part of his work ethic and his desire to give the customer 110% comes from the well-rounded education he received at Kinross Wolaroi and he says in the early days of his business, many of his clients were associated with the school.

“Kinross Wolaroi gave me a very well-rounded education and it gave me the opportunity to be exposed to a lot

of people and things. I got to do a global youth leadership conference which took me to Europe when I was 15,” says Mitch.

“There were some fabulous teachers who helped me learn a lot and I have some life-long friends from Kinross Wolaroi.”

Within his two companies – Mitch also runs an audio visual production company called CCT Productions – he enjoys mentoring staff and would love to give back to the KWS community in the future.

“It’s not the School that puts you in that place, it’s the School that gives you the opportunities and you go and get yourself into that place and I think that is the biggest part of it. It was the network and the opportunities that Kinross Wolaroi gave me.”

Mitch recognises his dream to be in business and the success he has had comes in part from his entrepreneurial mind and he says it’s encouraging to see that celebrated in schools today.

“I think it’s important for kids to realise that they don’t have to fit the

academic box or the sporting box and if you are entrepreneurially minded you can fit yourself into any box you like,” says Mitch.

Outside of work, Mitch married his Kinross Wolaroi School sweetheart Claire (nee Silvester) in 2015. In his spare time, Mitch is an avid snowboarder and he has been following in his grandfather’s footsteps by attaining his pilot’s licence in 2016.

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Without a strong music department I don’t think I would have become a musician, it’s such an important part of school life.”

Ms Amy Stevens, KWS Class of 2001

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Amy Stevens Class of 2001

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my Stevens has music in her blood. From the age of five, Amy’s days were defined by school lessons and violin practice which she did religiously for her entire school life at Kinross Wolaroi. Her mother, Anne Stevens was a professional flautist and pianist and is still a music tutor at the school.

At Kinross Wolaroi she involved herself in anything and everything musical. “There were so many opportunities to be involved in music at school and I was in all of them, all of the time, in addition to the music community at the Orange Music Centre (now the Conservatorium of Music),” says Amy. This provided a strong foundation for Amy’s musical achievements and the musical adventures that lay ahead.

“When I was at KWS, my music teachers all had a huge influence on me, Lorraine and Bill Moxey, Greg Howard and Rob McEwan all fostered a real sense of community in the music department and an uplifting environment to create music and express myself. Without a strong music department, I don’t think I would have become a musician, it’s such an important part of school life,” Amy says.

Amy’s desires were relatively humble when she left school, she wanted to study Arts and learn more about the world but everything changed suddenly when her mother gave her a viola.

“It was almost as if it was love at first sight, Mum said you could see and hear from the sound I was making that both me and the viola almost fell in love at the same time,” says Amy. “As a musician, I had been playing for a long time, but Mum said it was clear that this was when I found my real voice within that instrument and I gained very quick entry into the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney to start my career as a professional musician.”

Since then, Amy’s career has taken her all over the world. After graduating from the Conservatorium she spent a year on a cruise ship playing in a string quartet, she owned her own music education business in Cairns

and remains an educator, mostly on a contract basis travelling to New Zealand, Brisbane and at the Conservatorium of Music and James Sheahan School in Orange. Parallel to this she’s remained a professional musician playing viola when she could.

But it’s been in the last two years in Orange that she has found her real passion. Buoyed on by the contemporary music scene in the Central West, Amy has embarked upon a solo song writing project – something that hasn’t often been attempted with viola. She combines singing and playing in her own way and writes her own words and notes. “I was sick of playing other people’s notes, as nice as they were, and I had a desire to create my own music,” says Amy. “I had always loved singing and wanted to start writing my own songs, so the scales have tipped now towards performing.”

Last year she received a scholarship from the Orange Regional Arts Foundation to study at Berklee College of Music in the US and go to Nashville to co-write with other artists. As a result, Amy will be releasing her own album and hopefully touring Australia and the world in the next year or so.

Amy recently came to Kinross Wolaroi where she told music students not to be afraid to follow their music dreams because by the time they finish school, a career in music performance will be monetised and worthwhile pursuing.

“Children are existing in such a new time, by the time they graduate the opportunities to make money and be rewarded for hard work and passion will be there,” says Amy. “It is now possible to earn an income using the new services in the music industry.”

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I have no doubt that Doug’s Driving School has taught many, many students from my old school over the last 40 years.”

Mr Doug Beddie, Wolaroi College Class of 1967 and founder of Doug’s Driving School

Doug Beddie Class of 1967

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harles Beddie attended Kinross Wolaroi School as a boarder in the 1960’s. He tried his hand at schooling, decided it wasn’t for him and returned home to the farm at Manildra at the end of Year 9 in 1967. Almost 10 years later in a spur of the moment decision, Charles who is known mostly by his second name Douglas or Doug, decided to leave the family farm but had no idea of what his next pursuit would be.

It didn’t take him long to find his calling. “My first job after leaving the farm was driving a bus from Orange to Canberra and return each day for 4-5 days a week,” says Doug.

This inspired his next move to the wider world of Sydney where Doug became a Driving Instructor for ABC Driving School in Kogarah in south Sydney. Inspired by the job but not the city, Doug returned to Orange to open his own driving school, Doug’s Driving School in 1978.

For the next nine years Doug taught young people to drive and gave truck and motorcycle lessons, as well as automatic car driving lessons. A big growth point for the business was the purchase of an automatic car in 1982 along with the decision to expand to the towns of

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Forbes and West Wyalong, supported by the Government work support scheme.

During this time, many Kinross Wolaroi students came under his tutelage. “In 1985 I was offered the opportunity to teach the disabled to drive in Bathurst where they had a disability support centre,” says Doug.

“I had my automatic car fitted with the special hand controls and assisted in the wonderful changes that being able to get around would do for them.

One of the students I taught to drive in Bathurst was at Kinross Wolaroi at the same time I was.”

Doug and his wife Heather sold the business in 1988 when they moved to Port Macquarie, but the new owners retained the original business name.

May 2019 marked the 40th anniversary of Doug’s Driving School. “I have no doubt that Doug’s Driving School has taught many, many students from my old school over this 40 years,” says Doug.

Now that Doug has retired from his career teaching others to drive, he and Heather have taken up another interesting pursuit of house sitting.

“An old school friend suggested, ‘why don’t you do house sitting?’ One week later a friend called and said she had a sit which she could no longer do and asked

if we were interested. We enjoyed it, so we got rid of all our furniture and put the rest in storage and went on the road doing house sitting,” says Doug.

Over the last three years the couple have looked after 46 houses (and their animals).

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David Sunton Class of 1989

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ormer Kinross Wolaroi School student David Sunton had never dreamt of his current career when he arrived from St Ives in Sydney to become a Year 9 boarder in Weymouth House in 1986.

Almost four decades later, in 2015, David co-founded the CASE Space School, an innovative and inspiring education program giving STEM students the opportunity to engage with great minds at NASA in the United States.

David completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Technology, Sydney and an MBA at Macquarie Graduate School of Management in Sydney (MGSM). His career started in publishing and financial reporting at Dun and Bradstreet and later transitioned to the IT industry where he headed up e-commerce, marketing, and product management divisions.

The most rewarding position in his career has been his current role as the Chief Executive Officer of the California Association for STEAM Education (CASE) Foundation and as the Co-Founder and Vice President for Marketing and Product Management at Actura.

At CASE, David collaborates with industry leaders, astronauts, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to design innovative and inspiring experiential STEM-based programs, like the CASE Space School international study program. At Actura, he works with leading schools across Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia Pacific to implement both out-of-class programs and in-class solutions such as robotics and AIoT technologies, intending to inspire and empower youth for their future success.

“The CASE Space School is an international study program designed to broaden the minds of students and instill curiosity along with the values of pursuing learning excellence in STEM,” says David. “The student’s learning journey is developed within a higher-order thinking framework, complete with engaging and immersive

What I wanted to produce in my work is a high impact, authentic STEM-based experience so students can really project into the future, to see their future self and envision how they can achieve their goals.”

Mr David Sunton, KWS Class of 1989

experiences. They learn to analyse information, how to work with teams, how to use resources to produce an outcome and how to pitch an idea to others.”

Last year a contingent of four Kinross Wolaroi students took part in the Space School and David is hopeful of KWS being involved again in 2021.

The three-tiered program sees students travel to NASA in the USA to witness amazing innovation and be inspired by major NASA projects.

It promotes leadership and personal development training such as the ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens’, and the students experience personal development through working with others on a simulated space mission.

One of the most recent examples was a mission to collect space junk.

David says much of what he has created with the Space School is driven by values he learned at Kinross Wolaroi as well as things he wished he had known as a student entering the workforce.

“What I learned from KWS was that you need to work hard and learn fast to achieve. Even if you don’t know what you want to be, you still always need to be curious, have a growth mindset and persevere,” says David. “What I wanted

to produce in my work is a high impact, authentic STEM-based experience so students can really project into the future, to see their future self and envision how they can achieve their goals.”

Outside of his work, David has good memories of his time as a boarder at Kinross Wolaroi. “The first year was quite a change for me, going from a public school to a boarding school and moving away from home, but the room mates and boarding house staff were accommodating and caring,” he says. “One of the things I appreciate most about Kinross Wolaroi is that it is a community of caring people, who welcome young and old and new.”

David lives in St Ives and works in Gordon in Sydney and has a 14-year-old son at Knox Grammar School.

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Hilary Longhurst Class of 2009

If I had to pick a few highlights, working on the launch of Our Planet was an absolute career highlight and something I’ll never forget. My involvement in Earth Hour (was another), seeing Tower Bridge’s lights turn off right in front of you is a pretty extraordinary scene.”

Ms Hilary Longhurst, KWS Class of 2009

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he Amazon fires emergency appeal, Earth Hour and Netflix’s original documentary ‘Our Planet’, narrated by Sir David Attenborough are all strings to the bow of Kinross Wolaroi 2009 graduate, Hilary Longhurst.

During three years as a day student Hilary suggested her teachers might have considered ‘talking’ as her top subject, so a career in the communications field seemed a natural fit. Encouraged by the late Cherie ‘Burnsie’ Burns, Hilary completed a Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations) at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst and has since flourished in the world of corporate and consumer PR in Sydney and Melbourne, before returning home to Orange and CSU, where she earned a Post-Graduate degree in Organisational Communications.

Hilary is now living in London after taking another much-coveted step forward in her career and landing a role as a PR Manager in the World Wide Fund for Nature‘s communications division.

“I had always wanted to work for a global organisation and live in London,” says Hilary. “WWF is a pretty relevant organisation at the moment, considering the globe’s current state, so I am thrilled

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to be working for an organisation that is well and truly making a difference for nature and wildlife as well as the next generation.”

“I can be sitting with our Director of Science who might be explaining to me how birds fly, or on set with our Head of Climate Change getting interviewed by a national London broadcast channel. It’s pretty incredible when I think about it, the opportunities given to me at WWF are endless.”

“If I had to pick a few highlights, working on the launch of Our Planet was an absolute career highlight and something I’ll never forget. My involvement in Earth Hour (was another), seeing Tower Bridge’s lights turn off right in front of you is a pretty extraordinary scene.”

Hilary plans to come home one day but with the world at her feet professionally and personally, she still has plenty she wants to achieve in the meantime.

“Australia is home and nothing beats it,” says Hilary. “When that is, who knows.

I would love to do a stint in Asia before I venture back, whether that is with WWF or someone else, (and) I love learning so another degree could be on the cards.”

Hilary said she ‘loved’ her three years at Kinross Wolaroi and she adored

English lessons with Miss Terrey along with modern history with Mr Choi, while extra-curricular activities such as sport played a huge role in her formative years too.

Along with Cherie Burns, Hilary credited the close group of friends she made at KWS as being her biggest influence along with, of course, her family.

“My parents worked very hard to send me to KWS and never let me miss out on anything. They are an absolutely amazing support and I’m very lucky to have such grounded people as my folks,” says Hilary. “My friends from school and I live all over the place at the moment but we keep in touch frequently and often have a laugh about our school days.

A lot has changed but the friendships created on the lawns at KWS or up the back of a maths classroom remain the same. We support one another with our pursuits and have collectively been through a lot, so really I owe everything to them.”

KI NR OSS WOL AR OI S C HO O L

Blast From The Past Class of 1986

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t’s said that friendships that stand the test of time and change are surely the best. The friendship of Paveena McLean (nee Angsuvatana), Josephine Liang, Caroline Wilson (nee Jefferies) and Karina Wood has lasted well over 30 years. These classmates graduated from KWS in 1986 and in July this year, travelled to Thailand to celebrate Paveena’s 50th birthday together.

Alexandra Wallace Class of 2009

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he winner of Miss Supranational Australia represents the modern success-driven entrepreneurial woman with beauty, charisma, personality, and a desire to use her attributes for social influence. This year, KWS ex-student Alexandra Wallace (KWS Class of 2009) was crowned Miss Supranational Australia 2019.

Alexandra has bachelor degrees in biodiversity and conservation and is currently undertaking a Certificate IV in veterinary nursing and an executive diploma in zoology.

Alexandra has been modelling for over eight years and has lived and worked in China, Thailand and Italy.

In 2016 she worked alongside Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Abbey Lee Kershaw’s body double in the feature film ‘Gods of Egypt’.

Alexandra loves to travel, read, attempt to sing, dance and draw, and travel back to Orange to spend time with her family. With her studies, she hopes to go into wildlife veterinary nursing and conservation • 93

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ANNOUNCEMENTS Births

In Memoriam

TALON JACK DAVID ELKINS Jessica Lowe (KWS Class of 2011) and partner Jack Elkins A baby boy, Talon Elkins Born 14 July 2019 ASTRID IIONA WEHR-CANDLER Tobias Wehr-Candler and Sarah Cook (KWS Academic Staff ) A baby girl, Astrid Wehr-Candler Born 5 September 2019 ANTOINETTE VIVIANNA RONALD Ben Ronald (KWS Academic Staff ) and wife Leesa A baby girl, Antoinette Ronald Born 11 October 2019 QUINN OLIVIA GRACE TURNER Jemma Turner (nee Hordynsky) (KWS Class of 2018) and husband Luke A baby girl, Quinn Olivia Grace Turner Born 21 October 2019 Baby Quinn is the first grandchild for Romko (KWS Academic Staff ) and the late Cindy Hordynsky REUBEN JACK CATTERSON John Catterson (KWS Academic Staff ) and wife Kate A baby boy, Reuben Catterson Born 28 October 2019 EDIE MOSH-RILEY Tom Riley and Tina Moshkanbaryans (KWS Academic Staff ) A baby girl, Edie Mosh-Riley Born 19 November 2019

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ROBIN OATES Wolaroi College Class of 1947 4 September 2019 Mr Robin Oates passed away peacefully at Orange Health Service aged 88. Robin was the loving husband of 62 years of Catherine Anne (deceased). He was the much loved father and father-in-law of Stephen (deceased) and Kristeen, Martin and Caroline, James and Susan, Andrew and Karen. Robin was the cherished grandfather of Michelle and Tim, Shane and Jacki, Emma and Jesse, Rory and Emma, Jock and Jessica, Simon and Sally, Christopher and Lauren, Mark and Marly, Mitchell and Chloe; and the Great Grandfather of Grace, Thomas, Luci, Jack, Belle, Audrey, Chappie and Conner.

Robin attended Wolaroi College and was a graduate of the Class of 1947.

During his time at Wolaroi College, Robin was a Prefect, member of the 1st XI Cricket, 1st XV Rugby and enjoyed partaking in tennis. Robin made many good friends during his time as a boarder at School and is very proud that his children and grandchildren have also had the opportunity to attend Kinross Wolaroi School.

Robin was a member of the Wolaroi College and Kinross Wolaroi School Councils and he often took road trips out west with fellow School Councillor Jim Caldwell to lobby for enrolments during tough times. He was a past President of the Wolaroi College Old Boys’ Association and was also the patron of the Kinross Wolaroi Ex-Students’ Association for many years.

Robin resided in the Millthorpe area for his whole life. He had a love for and devotion to the family farm, “Rosewick”. Over many years Robin worked hard to ensure that the property was productive, growing fat lambs, cattle, potatoes and crops.

Apart from his love for family and farming, he was also a community spirited gentleman and was involved in many community groups and projects in the Millthorpe area: the Golden Memories Museum in Millthorpe; the Commemorative Wall at Redmond Oval; alongside Anne, he was a great supporter of the Far West Country Women’s Association; and was an active member of the Millthorpe Agricultural, Horticultural and Pastoral Association.

KI NR OSS WOL AR OI S C HO O L

CINDY HORDYNSKY (NEE NORRIE) 9 November 2019

LYNETTE SIMPSON (NEE TREMAIN) PLC Orange Class of 1968 15 July 2019 Lynette Simpson (nee Tremain) passed away on 15 July 2019. Lyn’s closest friend and classmate, Hazel McKechnie (nee Hall) wrote to the School to inform of Lyn’s passing: It saddens me to let old school friends know that we lost Lyn Tremain on 15 July this year. Lynn was born on the 29th of December 1949. She attended PLC from 1963 to 1966.

Lyn enjoyed her sports and was very good at them. She also enjoyed playing chess in the common room in winter on Sunday afternoons and going dancing at Stomp City was another fun pasttime.

Lyn was kind hearted and tucked lonely people under her wing. She was cheerful and could always be heard laughing loudly around the school – she was fun to be with.

After leaving Kinross Wolaroi School, Lyn went into nursing. She lived in Sydney and eventually retired to Bribie Island after many years of caravan trips all over Australia.

Lyn is survived by her husband David and two sons. Her ashes were sprinkled over the farm she grew up on near Cudal.

Cindy Gai Hordynsky passed away on 9 November 2019 aged 58 years. Cindy was the loving wife of KWS Prep School Teacher, Mr Romko Hordynsky.

Cindy joined the KWS Staff in 1983 when she and Romko became the House Parents of Stuart Douglas Boarding House and also took up a position in the Preparatory School as a Year 1/2 Teacher.

During her nine years on the staff, Cindy served the School in an outstanding manner in virtually every aspect of the School life. Cindy was Housemistress of Stuart Douglas House from 1983-86; she taught Year 1/2 from 1983-86 and Year 5/6 from 1987-89; she coached under 12 netball and open softball; and even stepped into the role of Acting Head of Preparatory School in July 1987 until Rev. John Campbell was appointed to the role in mid-1988. In 1989, Cindy became Assistant to the Head of Preparatory School and served in this role until June 1990 when the time came for Cindy and Romko to start their family.

Cindy was the adored mother of Jemma, Olivia, Luke and Shane and treasured Grandmama of Quinn.

She was the cherished daughter of Margaret and Bert, and the loved sister of Warren, Peter, Lorraine and Colleen.

Admired by all, with a vibrant approach to life, Cindy’s philosophy was ‘life is for living’ •

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In Memoriam RICHARD JAMES MCINTOSH 21 December 2019 The school community has been deeply saddened by the death of Mr Richard McIntosh, who passed away suddenly on 21 December 2019 of natural causes. Richard was the husband of the Chair of Council, Mrs Christine McIntosh and the father of Charles (Class of 2013), Angus (Class of 2015) and Isabella Lloyd George (Year 6). He was farewelled by over 1000 attendees at a funeral service in the Derek Pigot Auditorium on 6 January 2020, officiated by the Rev Andrew Cunningham. Richard was a magnificent supporter of Kinross Wolaroi School through his children and especially his support of Christine in her role as Chair of the School Council. Richard is remembered as a treasured husband, loving father, a much-loved son, sibling and uncle, talented rugby player, an exceptional wool producer on the family farm at Molong, a true friend, and a man of faith. He will be greatly missed.

SAMUEL JAMES BOWEN Class of 2015 23 September 2019 Samuel “Bowie” James Bowen passed away tragically on 23 September 2019, aged 22 years. Late of Cowra, Sam attended KWS as a boarding student for his senior years and was a graduate of the Class of 2015. A funeral service was held in St Raphael’s Catholic Church in Cowra with hundreds of relatives and friends as well as KWS classmates and staff gathering to remember and honour Sam. Mrs Terrie Birrell, House Mother of Weymouth House, was deeply saddened by the news and fondly remembers “Bowie”:

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“When Sam arrived at KWS and Weymouth House, he quickly settled in and nestled into our hearts as one of our most popular and loved brothers. Sam was a true gentleman and we adored him.

He was such a superbly talented athlete that whenever anyone was in Weymouth House looking for him, the answer would always be, “go and look in the gym!” Sam was a vital member of the 2nd XV rugby team and always played WAS touch football. He was also instrumental in the success of our Weymouth vs Wolaroi rugby games. Bowie was a cherished member of Weymouth House and had a wonderful ability to have fun. Sam was an intelligent and strong young man but remained humble and was ever the gentleman. Polite and courteous with an infectious sense of humour, Sam always had a mischievous twinkle in his eye which made him such fun to be around!

He really was an adorable guy and the world has lost a truly wonderful young man. Our genuine and heartfelt love goes to Sam’s parents, Tony and Anne and his sister Anna; we all loved our Bowie and we thank you for bringing him into our lives, he will always live on in our hearts.” •

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

Remembering The Taylor Family’s Legacy Roland G Taylor, Class of 1928

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he School has recently received a number of books awarded as prizes to RG Taylor, a pupil at Wolaroi College in 1926 when the School began its phase as a Methodist Church school. Roland Taylor (pictured) was Captain of the 1st XV in 1928. He was one of the two Wolaroi boys who gained the Intermediate Certificate in 1926, with passes in English, Latin, maths II, history, maths I, French and chemistry. In 1927 he was awarded the Headmaster’s Prize for General Proficiency in Grade 3 (Year 9), played cricket in the 1st XI, and excelled in Swimming and Athletics. RG Taylor was awarded Colours for Tennis in 1927. As a member of the 1st XV, he was described as ‘a back who shows plenty of dash, a fair tackle, handles well, fairly fast’.

In 1928 Roland Taylor was a School Prefect, and continued to collect a number of academic and sporting prizes. He was awarded the Sir Neville Howse Cup and the Richards Cup as Athletic Champion of the College, captained the 1st XV, and was awarded the Fred Hansen Cup for Best All Round Footballer as well as the Prize for English in the Fifth Form. Roland Taylor gained the Leaving Certificate with passes in

English, Latin, mathematics I and II, and a distinction in mechanics. He was awarded a Teachers’ Training College Scholarship, tenable at the University of Sydney for four years.

Roland Taylor came from a distinguished Methodist family.

His father Rev TM Taylor had been Chairman of the Wolaroi College Council while resident in Orange, and had ‘toured the back country’ visiting families to encourage them to send their sons to Wolaroi College. His travelling companion had been Rev HSR Innes, the Presbyterian minister in Orange, who would be instrumental in the near future in setting up PLC Orange. In his address on Speech Day 1927, Rev Taylor said he had been gratified to see that ‘people in those towns had been quick to see the great advantage of having such a high-class scholastic institution as Wolaroi College near at hand. The College had grown from 42 overall in the first year to 63 in 1927, and of those, 42 were boarders.

Roland Taylor’s grandfather was a particularly distinguished Methodist clergyman in the early days in Sydney.

He was Rev William George Taylor (1845-1934), who had come from

Yorkshire to Sydney in 1871 to answer a call for Methodist preachers in Australia.

His entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography describes Rev WG Taylor as ‘a product of the fervent Methodism characteristic of Yorkshire’, who ‘regarded any preaching that did not aim at winning converts as opportunity wasted’. He is credited with setting up many Methodist service organisations in Sydney, and invented the name ‘Central Methodist Mission’ in the 1890s.

The young Roland Taylor followed in this tradition, and among the books which have been passed on to the School by his family is a copy of the bible, presented “To Roland Taylor by the Orange Methodist Sunday School to mark the occasion of his step upwards from a Scholar to a Teacher: 5th Dec, 1926”.

The School is greatly indebted to the family for the gift of these mementoes, which cast light on the early days and remind us of the efforts those Methodist and Presbyterian pioneers went to in their goal of providing a first-class education in the Christian tradition, here in Orange, for their sons and daughters •

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