Saint Stephen's College Optima Magazine Issue 2018-19

Optima CRICOS Provider 01938G

2018 | 2019

We're top innovator again l page 11

STEAMing ahead l pages 6-8

Our clubs set standards for others l page 13 Shaping the future l page 15

Knights of musical comedy l pages 18-19

In memoriam Humphrey Firkins l pages 20-22

2018 | 2019

Contents

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Editor’s letter

On the cover 11 ....................We're Top Innovator Again

Regulars

4 ............................ From the Chapel 5 ...................... From the Headmaster 9-11 .......................... College News 13 ..........................Interact/Earlyact 22-29 ............... Where Are They Now? 30-31 .......................... Staff News 32-34 ...................... College Sports 35 .......................... 10-year reunion Special Features

6-8 . STEAM (Science, Maths, Engineering, Arts and Technology) 18-19.... Senior College Musical — Monty

Python's Spamalot

20-22......In Memory of Humphrey Firkins 34 ................. Sisters' Hockey Success Digital edition

Optima is also available as PDF, on the College website at www.saintstephenscollege.net.au

Contact Us Reserve Road Coomera Qld 4209 PO Box 441 Oxenford Qld 4210 Tel 07 5573 8600 admin@ssc.qld.edu.au www.saintstephenscollege.net.au Saint Stephen’s College Limited ABN 31 071 134 024 CRICOS Provider Number 01938G Editorial production and design by Rob Layton Printed by Surfers Inkspot

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elcome to Optima 2018-19!

Another year another Optima – my fifth consecutive issue as Editor. How time flies.

Each year I try to include new and interesting Snezana stories about the College Dudic community and our Old MEDIA Scholars. And, amazingly enough, because we have such an active and thriving environment both within and around the College there always seems to be more to tell than pages to fit it all in. We do our best to cover a lot of topics and keep you up to speed about our great College, our Old Scholars, staff, performing arts, sport, innovation, community and so much more.

The ‘regular’ sections include messages from Headmaster, Dr Jamie Dorrington and College Chaplain, Father Andrew Kinmont. The College Sport section this year includes a rugby ‘bucket list moments’ as well as accolades for our high achievers, including our own Director of Sport, Rod Seib.

There is a three-page STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) spread, that provides an amazing insight into how our students are heading into the future.

In 2018 Saint Stephen’s took out top innovative school in the nation for the third consecutive year. Read the details in the story on page 11. Also, there are some great photos from our ab fab Senior College Musical, Monty Python’s Spamalot, which had us all in stitches, and no doubt will be an award winner.

This year sadly, we share the news of the passing at the end of 2017 of Mr Humphrey Firkins, our greatest and most generous supporter. Mr Firkins was the Founder of The Goda Foundation (named after his wife), through which he helped hundreds of Saint Stephen’s College students take part in life-changing experiences. A memorial service was held in his honour at the start of 2018 in the Goda Firkins Auditorium, attended by students, Old Scholars, staff, parents, friends and family. It was a moving service that included the College All Hail. In this Optima are some tributes from that memorial service that represent Mr Firkins' family, the College community and Old Scholars. It is a great testament to an inspirational and generous man who touched the hearts and minds of many.

Thank you to those who have contributed to this edition – Old Scholars and staff – it makes for great reading.

Also, many thanks to our advertisers, ongoing and new, whose support contributes to producing this publication, which is distributed and read far and wide: Gold Coast Orthodontists, The Boardwalk Tavern, Gold Coast Private Hospital, Bond University, Zarraffa’s Coffee, Surfers Inkspot Printers, Burling Brown and Harcourts Coastal.

Happy reading!

Snez

OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S COLLEGE

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FROM THE CHAPEL

We will be strong and united through our faith in Jesus

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n 24 November 1992, Queen Elizabeth II gave a speech at Guildhall to mark the 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne. During her speech she referred to the difficult year that she had endured, when she said: “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an 'Annus Horribilis'.”

At the time of this address, she was looking back over a year that saw the marriages of three of her four children fail, and for someone who values family, this did make for a ‘horrible’ year.

There can be no doubt that as we look back over the past 12 months, our College could say that it has been a challenging time in which we helped each other deal with some ‘horrible’ news. Mourning the loss of anyone in our family is difficult, and to lose one of our Year 12 students and Humphrey Firkins, a man who has made significant contributions to our College since its foundation, has certainly been tough for our College family.

However, despite these challenges, we have also seen the incredible support given by our students, staff, families, and our amazing Old Scholars. It does remind us of just how strong we are as a community when we are united under God, and what can be achieved when we combine our resources.

I am reminded of one of the more well-known stories about Jesus that we read in our Bibles. Jesus’ miraculous feeding of 4

OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S COLLEGE

Father Andrew Kinmont CHAPLAIN

over 5000 people with just five loaves and two fish, is one that we have all heard. Many commentators focus on how Jesus was able to use the power that He has as the Divine Son of God to be able to take this meagre offering and turn it into enough to feed the vast crowd.

But there is another important aspect to this Biblical narrative.

We also see how much can be achieved when we place our resources into the hands of Jesus.

The little boy did not hold anything back. He gave Jesus everything that he had, even though it seemed like a paltry offering given the size of the task at hand. But it was enough, and Jesus was able to take what the little boy offered, and do something spectacular – indeed, something miraculous – with it.

For those who know the history of our College, you will recall that our founders began with very little, however, they proceeded in faith and placed all that they had into God’s hands We can see how much God blessed their resources when we look at all that our College has become and, more importantly, all that it has achieved.

I encourage you to put your faith and trust in Jesus, and allow Him to take your, seemingly meagre, resources and do great things with them. We can see what He was able to achieve when our College founders placed everything they had into His hands, just as we see what He was able to do as we combined our resources with Him over the past 12 months when things were, perhaps, ‘horrible'.

I pray that the next 12 months will be a ‘annus mirabilis’ – a wonderful and amazing year – for you all.

With every blessing,

Father Andrew Kinmont

FROM THE HEADMASTER

Dr Jamie Dorrington HEADMASTER

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chools have always been important institutions. We provide opportunities for young people to make friends, develop their social skills, and equip themselves with the knowledge, skills and attitudes for success after graduation.

Saint Stephen’s College is now one of Australia’s leading innovative schools, but we must continue to focus on these three areas of every student’s life.

Having said this, we must also recognise that the formulae for success in the world of work has changed, and we need to place greater emphasis on what have been described as entrepreneurial skills, soft skills, and 21st Century capabilities.

We have developed our own list of attributes to position Saint Stephen’s College graduates for success in an increasingly challenging world.

The original list was developed well before the ‘smartphone’, so while most of them don’t relate to digital technology, they are all influenced by the way we and our students tap into the digital power that surrounds us all.

Personal mastery Every leadership or executive development book I have read identifies this as an essential attribute for successful people.

A global perspective Our graduates will live in a flat world, which will require them to work with people from all over the planet. Successful graduates will need to have an awareness of their place in the world and an understanding of how events in other parts of the world can impact on them.

A futures orientation It is actually possible to predict themes or threads of activity that are likely to gain traction in the future, as many of them have reoccurred throughout history.

A capacity to work in teams I have said many times that we,

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Develop lifelong skills in a world of change

munication are two areas that will be equally important for the success of graduates.

universities, and workplaces expect people to work effectively in teams, yet these skills are rarely taught and practiced. I am sure that the foundations are established in the younger years, but we need to build on these foundations as children mature.

Creative problem solving Creativity is not restricted to art, drama, music and film and TV. Students can be taught the skills to think creatively, but they need the time to exercise the creative process before they are expected to come up with THE answer. Creative problem solving incorporates a willingness to take risks and to bounce back when an idea does not work.

Ability to apply knowledge The common view is that we need to develop knowledge and skills before they can be applied, although there are some very wise people who argue that much can be learnt from building first, and then unpacking the learning. In any event, learning for no apparent purpose is dry, uninteresting, soul destroying and leads to discipline problems.

We need to look for opportu-

nities for students to reverse engineer what they have built or to apply what they have learnt before a unit of work is completed.

Interdisciplinary perspective Successful people are able to look outside their own areas of expertise and bring different perspectives to bear. This requires them to have at least an appreciation of the insights provided by people with different training and knowledge sets. It also makes them aware of the need to work as part of a diverse team.

An appreciation of the language and processes of science and technology Today we need to add coding skills to the list that students need to thrive in the 21st Century. Our students have grown up with technology, but they don’t necessarily understand how technology is developed, and the process that occurs before it arrives on their device. This creative process and the scientific process sit beneath so many aspects of our daily lives.

Communication skills Digital and face-to-face com-

A learning network that extends beyond the classroom Our students need to build their own learning networks that extend beyond the classroom and the campus. This includes personal networks and digital networks. We need to attach the development of these skills to genuine research tasks and we need to track their skill development.

I am very pleased to advise that we have developed a number of programs to build these capabilities. In addition to what is occurring in different subjects, we have emphasised project-based and inquiry-based learning, many of which sit under the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) umbrella.

We are always looking for ways to improve the learning outcomes for our students, and the outcomes listed above have as much value as the traditional subjects. In fact, they complement the development of these basics, because they provide students with the opportunity to apply what they have learnt, develop their social skills, make friends while working together, and build their self-confidence.

I look forward to informing you of our plans for implementation in 2019 and beyond.

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CAMPUS STEAM

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aint Stephen’s College won the renowned regional section of the Newcastle University Science and Engineering Challenge for the second year running.

Head of Science, Iain Taylor, said the group of 32 Year 9 and 10 students showed great skill in completing complex, problem-solving tasks that included designing bionic hands to sign language, towers to withstand an earthquake, weight-bearing bridges, and message encoders.

“Our Year 10 Team Projects subject encourages and challenges our students to problem solve, which will make them well positioned to meet growth skills areas of problem solving, and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM),” said Mr Taylor.

“They have been honing these skills through classroom activities in the Team Projects subject, which proved invaluable for the 2018 competition. Students discussed what worked well and what they would have done differently. And, they mentored the Year 9 teams, using the skills they had been developing in class. This type of competition is ideal as it allows students to become critical thinkers, problem solvers and to work well in large and small teams.”

Mr Taylor said the students were broken into eight groups of four with each group tasked with completing practical engineering and problem-solving based activities.

Competition activities included:

College wins

●● designing towers with optimised mass and structural stability to carry weights and

be tested on an earthquake simulator ●● designing a bionic hand to complete sign language symbols and pick up items ●● encoding a message ●● designing a bridge - one group built a 70-gram bridge of balsa wood, cardboard and sticky tape which held an impressive 800-gram track and a 3.2 kg trolley “Saint Stephen’s placed first in the competition with 1190 points, with second place at 1008 points. The margin of victory and calibre of opposition makes this victory particularly special. I am extremely proud of the achievements and hope to continue this success into the future,” said Mr Taylor.

Slime a hit as College takes booth at Pop-Up Science Show

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ight, electricity and slime were a huge draw card to the Saint Stephen’s College booth at the fourth Pop-Up Science Centre grand finale celebrating 2018 National Science Week!

Hosted by Education Queensland and Griffith University at Night Quarter in Helensvale, it displayed the hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) activities, demonstrations, shows and special guests.

Head of Science Iain Taylor said it was the second year the College had been involved and a ‘first time’ experience hosting a booth.

“We timetabled different events throughout the day including light and electricity demonstrations, VAR, programming and of course the fan favourite - slime making,” he said.

“We were the only school who had the opportunity to perform on the big stage and on the strength of our Science Show last year; we were given two time slots to perform at the show zone. Both shows were well received by the great crowds. And, much to the Science Ambassadors’ delight, we were given access to the same warm up room that UB40 used.”

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Other happenings at the College for Science Week included a Science Show for students at Coomera State School and a Science Expo at the College, which featured budding junior and senior scientists. Highlights were: ●● Year 2 students building bridges and programming ●● Years 5 and 6 students creating a marshmallow catapult ●● Virtual reality zone ●● Eyeball and pluck dissections ●● Interactive physics displays “The most popular event of the evening was run by Year 10 students, where participants made magnetic and thermal slime.

Both sessions involved more than 50 students with 100 students going home with

their very own slime,” he said.

“The evening culminated with the Year 11 Science Ambassadors show in the Goda Firkins Auditorium, which as always was enjoyed by all and is a program that we are very proud of in the Science Department.

Weeks like this do not go ahead without a great deal of work and I thank the many staff and students who helped out at the three events over the week.”

CAMPUS STEAM

science challenge

... and wears its art on its sleeve 2 019 will mark a decade for the Saint Stephen’s College Wearable Art and Design show which brings together the collective creative minds of students in the Arts and Applied Technology Department – Visual Art, Film Television and New Media, Design and Business students.

It is enviably innovation education at its best as a joint STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) project.

Head of Arts and Applied Technology and Event Coordinator, Samantha Reynolds, said the annual Wearable Art and Design show had enthralled audiences.

“Each year students in Years 9 and 10 are provided a design brief to create. The 2018 theme was Repetition. It is seen as one of the most creative events the school presents, and it provides students real world experience while showcasing their works to the wider community,” said Ms Reynolds.

“Before turning to teaching, I ran the Adelaide Fashion Week, held and ran the contract to launch Westfield’s Fashion events and visual merchandising for Myer. I understand how to put on events and shows with a difference and I thought why not let my students experience this as a form of their assessment. The students love it.

“Old Scholars are consistently telling me that this is their favourite project they did at school. It makes me proud to think that what is used as an assessment,

students get such enjoyment from.” ●● Visual Art students produced two wearable artworks ●● Design students created a wearable design using technology ●● Business students ran, catered, managed and marketed the event ●● Media students designed a stop motion animation and interview packages on some of the artists and ran the audio visual

OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S COLLEGE

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CAMPUS STEAM

Little Tinkers get down to nuts and bolts of creativity T

wenty Saint Stephen’s College ‘Tiny Tinkers’ meet once a week to take to pieces toasters, lap tops, cameras and other electronic gadgets all in the name of expanding their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) imagination and creativity.

Senior College teacher and Tinker Shop Coordinator Ms Jacinda Kontoleon said the weekly workshops in the Junior science lab allowed the Years 1 to 3 students to ‘explore the wonder and beauty of electronics – the world beneath the surface of common household items’.

“Each Monday students flood the junior science lab where they are encouraged to be curious in an environment that fosters creativity and offers

options and freedom to make choices,” she said.

“During the Tinker Shop sessions, students will disassemble the items and explore what lies beneath the surface, investigating the components and construction. Then they are encouraged to build, hack, invent and create with their own hands, limited only by their imaginations.”

Ms Kontoleon said rather than focusing on one particular

skill the activity offered students the space to develop across multiple disciplines with STEAM. “Ultimately engaging in active creating and exploration that is untethered from the traditional classroom curriculum builds resilience and self-reliance encouraging learning and creating through the powerful medium of play. It’s all about inspiring the creators of tomorrow,” she said.

“Without our wonderful five

to 6O volunteers, the extra eyes from teachers Louisa Ogden and Pat Dare and all the amazing donations from the College IT and arts and applied technology departments, parents, friends and teachers our little Tinker Shop would not have got off the ground. The wonder and excitement from our students are beyond amazing and makes every sacrificed lunchtime for our growing line of volunteers worthwhile.”

Grant earns bragging rights with his fish-tagging app On the move?

Thinking of a change?

Need a new home or want to sell?

Call Michelle Beaman on 0401 000 092 Your local Northern Gold Coast community agent and fellow parent of Saint Stephens College.

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ear 12 student Grant Sampson has grabbed world bragging rights for a fishing app he developed.

“BragTag is a mobile app for fisherman. With BragTag, an angler, from a single photograph, can capture the best of their catch, automatically tag everything about it and then push it to their social media. They can also see how those people around them have done, and, from all this, work out when and where to go fishing, but more importantly, what tackle they should buy,” said Grant.

BragTag has made the top 10 per cent of international start-ups, leading to Grant exhibiting in Hong Kong at the Rise - Asia's largest emerging tech conference attracting more than 14,000 attendees.

It has also joined the Australian Fishing Trade Association

Expo and at their annual expo, which had all the top international and local fishing brands, attracted significant interest from major brands.

Grant was Queensland's Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017 when he pitched the concept to a panel, which included Steve Baxter from Shark Tank. Since then, with some grant funding and support from State Government and local tech community groups, he has proved the concept works and was shortlisted for a Queensland Fisheries ‘How big is that fish?’ 12-week funded pilot program.

COLLEGE NEWS

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ward-winning novelist and playwright, Old Scholar Claire Christian, (Class of 2001), came back to school to share her experience as a student and life after school with Year 12 students.

She was one of six renowned authors who visited Saint Stephen’s College during 2018.

Head of Information Services, Rebecca Horry, said Ms Christian spoke with Year 12 students at the end of their QCS practice week, from the view of on Old Scholar, about life at, and beyond, school.

“Part of her presentation was titled ‘To My Younger Self’ where she detailed both humorous and serious advice that she would give her teenage self.

“Her first novel Beautiful Mess won the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing in 2016. She has had three plays published by Playlab, her play Bloom was shortlisted for the Griffin Award in 2009 and she has done a lot with La Boite Theatre too.

Quite an inspiring Old Scholar for our senior students to meet.”

As part of Book Week senior students welcomed world-renowned Australian writer John Marsden - a teacher, writer, Principal of two schools in Victoria and author of many award-winning books for young adults including the seven volume Tomorrow, When the War Began series.

“So exciting for both students and staff.

It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to hear John Marsden speak and we feel very fortunate that he was able to make time in his schedule to come to the Gold Coast,” said Ms Horry.

“He spoke to our Year 9 students, who studied his novel Tomorrow, When the War Began. They were writing their essay responses, so his visit was perfectly timed to allow them the opportunity to speak indepth about the novel with the author.

“In addition to spending time with our Year 9 students, Mr Marsden conducted a writing workshop with a group of Years 8 to 11 students, as well as a session on symbolism in text with the Year 11 cohort studying Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

“We were very fortunate to host Mr Marsden as part of Book Week. He has sold millions of copies of his books, both in Australia and internationally, and has won every single writing award in Australia for young people’s fiction. In 2006 he was honoured with the Lloyd O’Neil Award for lifelong services to the Australian book industry, and his books have been translated into 11 languages.”

“What an honour and experience for our students – a lifelong memory that I am sure will encourage their love for literature.”

Each year the College welcomes many authors to speak to Junior and Senior College students to encourage enjoyment, understanding and appreciation of literature.

Other author visits during 2018

Authors outline their write stuff for book week

Rebecca Sparrow: travel writer, television publicist, marketing executive, magazine editor, TV scriptwriter, radio producer, newspaper columnist and author of three best-selling novels The Girl Most Likely, The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay and Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight (co-authored with Nick Earls).

Morris Gleitzman: bestselling Australian children’s author whose books explore serious and sometimes confronting subjects in humourous and unexpected ways.

Titles include Two Weeks With The Queen, Grace, Doubting Thomas, Bumface, Give Peas A Chance, Extra Time, Loyal Creatures, Snot Chocolate and the series Once, Then, Now, After, Soon and Maybe. Morris lives in Sydney and Brisbane, and his books are

published in more than 20 countries.

Tristan Bancks: children’s and teen author who started out as an actor and filmmaker.

His books include the Tom Weekly series, Mac Slater (Australia and US) and Two Wolves (On the Run in the US), a crime-mystery novel for middle-graders. Two Wolves won Honour Book in the 2015 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. It also won the YABBA and KOALA Children’s Choice Awards.

Tristan’s latest book is The Fall (May 2017), a new thriller novel for ages 10-plus. Tristan is excited by the future of storytelling and inspiring others to create.

Oliver Phommovanh: writes humour for kids or performs on stage as a stand-up comedian. He also shares his passion for writing with kids, using his experience as a primary school teacher. His books are packed with laughs, but also carry a lot of heart and authentic characters living in a multicultural Australia. As a comedian, he has appeared on stage, and national TV and radio.

Justin D’Ath: author of about 50 books for children and young adults, including the hugely popular Extreme Adventures series, now adapted for TV. Other series include Mission Fox and Lost World Circus. His latest book is Cooper, part of Penguin Publishers’ Stuff Happens series for boys.

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COLLEGE NEWS

Best Australian drumliners beat path to College contest

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ld Scholars and Staff Drumlines made special appearances at the prestigious 2018 Australian Percussion Eisteddfod hosted by Saint Stephen’s College, which brought together the nation’s elite young drumlines, percussion soloists and chamber ensembles.

Director of Performing Arts, Mr Dylan Troyahn, says it was the first time the College had hosted the three-day event, which included the Open Drumline Championship.

“The Australian Percussion Eisteddfod is the premier event for percussionists which brings together the nation’s best and brightest,” said Mr Troyahn.’

“It is not often this eisteddfod comes to Queensland. However, groups from Queensland have placed very highly over the last few years, with our own Saint Stephen’s College Senior Drumline winning the 2017 test piece.

It was a great visual spectacular and a great opportunity for us to highlight our percussion students.

“Many thanks to our Staff and Alumni Drumlines who joined us during the event. It is not often that a College has alumni returning on a regular basis to rehearse and perform. We encourage and value regular contact with our Old Scholars. Also, thank you to our wonderful Friends of the Arts who contribute much time and effort to fund raising.”

Music Centre to hit high note with opening in early 2019

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he new state-of-the-art Saint Stephen’s College Music Centre will be officially opened in early 2019.

Headmaster Dr Jamie Dorrington said the newest learning facility boasted the latest in performing arts space, acoustics and lighting, and was eagerly anticipated by the College community.

“We aim to hold the official opening in 2019 and I hope to invite Old Scholars, who were members of our various performance groups, to perform alongside our current students,” said Dr Dorrington.

Commercial Manager Dolores Santosa said construction began in late 2017.

“The Music Centre is a very exciting project, which will basically transform the old music building into a modern two-storey Music Centre with a magnificent 10

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forecourt entry,” said Mrs Santosa.

“It will include a concert hall with tiered seating for 212 guests, reception area, music library, music studios for visiting tutors, staff accommodation, a music practice hall, junior rehearsal area, flexible learning area and a costume storage area.

“Throughout 2018 students, parents and friends have literally seen the new building emerge from the ashes of the old

music and drama centre in the western carpark area. It will be exciting to see the completion and official opening of this beautiful building with the up-to-the now space, acoustics and lighting.”

“Many thanks to our College community for the patience and support during the construction phase,” she said.

WINNER

COLLEGE NEWS

Saint Stephen's top innovator again

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aint Stephen’s College has been named a top innovative school in the nation for the third year running.

Headmaster Jamie Dorrington said it was a significant achievement as only 40 schools from across Australia made The Educator Innovative Schools report.

“This national recognition is a direct outcome of the dedicated and visionary staff at Saint Stephen’s College, including our eLearning team,” said Dr Dorrington.

The Educator magazine said: “…a plethora of submissions poured in from schools across the country, bringing to our attention some truly inspiring work being undertaken to equip students with the tools that will help them to face a world vastly different to the one we currently know.

“The volume and quality of entries received made selecting 40 schools to profile an arduous task and spoke to the depth of innovation currently being undertaken in Australian schools. But after a difficult assessment, The Educator narrowed down the field to 40 schools that are worthy of special recognition.

“It must be emphasised, however, that the outstanding work detailed is only a snapshot of the pioneering efforts being made in schools across the country.”

Dr Dorrington said the College is leading the way in developing a personalised learning environment.

“A typical day at Saint Stephen’s involves technology-enhanced learning of an innovative curriculum, delivered through multiple pedagogies, with support from dedicated

learning instructors in contemporary learning spaces.

“Saint Stephen’s College’s physical environment caters for multi-modal learning, where technology works seamlessly with human interaction.

“While many schools have one amazing

learning space, we have many refurbished and new settings. We are one of only 13 Microsoft Showcase Schools in Australia, a recognition that allows students access to education leaders from across the world.”

Saint Stephen’s is the only Kindergarten to Year 12 school to make the top 40 list.

College website re-fresh gives greater access to community

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he College website has been ‘refreshed’ to make it more user friendly and to better display what it is like to be part of Saint Stephen’s College.

Newly appointed Marketing Coordinator Amanda Trapnell said it followed much planning and development that involved potential and current parents and staff.

“In a nutshell, the new look aims to showcase what it is like to be a part of Saint Stephen’s College, highlights our increased digital presence, makes it easier for parents and students to access information and is generally more user friendly,” said Mrs Trapnell.

“The new look website has been created from previous data, input from families, international agents, staff, and our goals for continual improvement.

“Our priorities were to make it easier for parents and students to find the information they needed and to communicate what a

special place our College is with its amazing facilities, state-of-the art technology, learning, expert teachers and a close, strong community.”

Mrs Trapnell said there were no changes to the student, staff and parent portals as they operate on a separate secure platform.

“As information changes all the time, the website will always be a work in progress. We would love to know what you think and if you notice anything that needs updating or becomes obsolete, please let us know.”

Mrs Trapnell can be contacted at atrapnell@ssc.qld.edu.au OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S COLLEGE

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COMMUNITY CLUBS

Our clubs set standard that other schools want to copy

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he community service success and great reputation of the Saint Stephen’s College EarlyAct and Interact Clubs is generating interest from other schools seeking to create similar groups to fund raise for the community.

The Interact Club was established in 2006 and when Community Relations and Projects Coordinator, Jane Howe, a member of the Coomera River Rotary Club, joined the College she established the EarlyAct Club for younger students in 2013 and became Chairperson of Interact.

It has flourished so much that other schools want to use its success as a blue print.

“I visited Coomera Anglican College a few years ago as their senior assembly guest speaker to talk about our Interact Club and what we had been achieving. After the assembly 50 students showed interest and now they have a successful club running.

Since then we have met to discuss the opportunity of working together on a project,” said Mrs Howe.

Mrs Howe has presented to Lindisfarne College in Terranora, met with the Deputy Principal of Stanthorpe High School (with the College Interact Vice-President Georgia-Lili Howe) and has been contacted by Pimpama State High who are seeking advice on how best to set up an Interact Club.

“Our first Interact meetings were held in a small classroom, but as the club grew we moved into the Science Lecture Theatre, and in 2018 we trialled organising everything via our facebook page, which seems to be working so far. News about events and rosters are set up by committee members on the page. We have hosted large breakfast meetings here with guest speakers and Rotary members in attendance along with about 30 students.”

Mrs Howe said Saint Stephen’s College EarlyAct was introduced in response to younger students asking to be involved.

“My daughter, Georgia-Lili, was in Year 6 and asked me why there wasn’t a community club for the junior school, so I wrote a constitution. We had our first meeting in the iCentre and Geogia-Lili bought along about eight of her friends interested in volunteer work and the rest is history,” she said.

“We currently have about 30 EarlyAct members and 50 Interact members. They all want to be involved in the community, volunteering as well as meeting like-minded people.”

“They are involved in the Upper Coomera ANZAC Parade, Homeless Connect, Homeless Sleepout, they volunteer at Magnolia Aged Care, mentor the junior students, Gold Coast Marine Expo car parking, Multi-Cultural Council Gold Coast video series and the Model United Nations Assembly.

“They also have the opportunity to attend Rotary-sponsored camps such as Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN), Rotary Youth Transition Seminar (RYTS) and National Youth Science Forum (NYSF).

“There are many benefits for young people. Interact is a service club for youth aged 12 to 18 who want to connect with other young people and have fun while serving their communities and learning about the world. Clubs, which meet at least twice a month, are sponsored by local Rotary clubs.

“Interact clubs organize two projects every year - one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Members of sponsor

Rotary clubs mentor Interactors as they carry out the projects and develop leadership skills.”

If you are interested in joining the College Interact or EarlyAct Clubs, contact jhowe@ssc.qld.edu.au OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S COLLEGE

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INTERNATIONAL CONNECTION

T

Chinese New Year

hree dancing lions, drummers and 2500 home-made dumplings helped Saint Stephen’s College students ring in the 2018 Chinese New Year.

College Executive Director of International Education, Sam Holmes, said parents and students had spent countless hours rolling dough, preparing fillings and cooking thousands of pork and vegetarian dumplings for students and staff.

She said the annual celebration had gathered momentum over the years and was now a ‘big day’ for all students at the College.

“We have about 80 students from China currently studying at Saint Stephen’s. This is a big day for them. In fact, it’s a colourful day of celebration for all our students, providing an opportunity to embrace and understand a different New Year tradition,” said Ms Holmes.

“In 2018, for the Year of the Dog, we were entertained by lion dancers from the Mantis Kung Fu Academy. Many thanks to our Chinese parents, friends and students who were very busy making the most delicious dumplings. It was much appreciated by the staff and students from Years 4 to 12.”

Here is how some of our students sum up Chinese New Year “The meaning of the spring festival to me is reunion and it is the most lively festival.” Cindy Xiao (Year 11) “The Chinese New Year is very important for me. It is not only the beginning of the new year, it is also for all families to get together.” Bob Li (Year 11) “Chinese New Year’s meaning for me is family reunion and speech old welcome.

Every Chinese New Year in my family is very fun. All the family members will sit together and have dinner. All the kids will get money from the old persons. I love Chinese New Year so much.” Johnson Zhu (Year 9) “I love Chinese New Year. Because I am very happy on that day. I can eat dumplings, play fireworks, get money and have a big dinner on that day. Chinese New Year means a lot to Chinese people. It usually means holiday to me. But it also means reunion to me. I can have a big dinner and watch Spring Festival Gala with all of my family that includes my grandparents. It is usually quite a good time. I like Chinese New Year very much.” Owen Xu (Year 8) “As a Chinese, Chinese New Year is quite important for me. It means not only is it a holiday so that I can have a rest, but also quite a special dinner so everyone who always works away in my family can come back home together to spend a happy time with each other.

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During the Chinese New Year, I can meet my dear cousins who are from other cities.

Chinese New Year is reunion. Chinese New Year is a big day for Chinese parents. On this day they can meet their dear children who work or study away for nearly a year. (some Chinese are always going out for working).

In Chinese New Year, every wanderer should come home, so I truly want to go home too.”

Teresa Cheng (Year 9) “Chinese New Year means a very special day to make every Chinese family together, to celebrate new year coming. Most of Chinese will go back to his hometown, to meet their family. Because many people work at other place. So, in New Year must be full of the love in every family. This is a time just for family. We make New Year's Eve dinner and have them together, the food in New Year's Eve must be the richest food, because people yearn for happiness with family. We talk and laugh in the dinner, because we all enjoy it. The children play the firecracker

and fire work, so it's still very alive outside.

The children can get a red packet from elder people, there have some money inside. So, it's also unforgettable for children. New Year is very happy and enjoyable.” Tony Siu (Year 9) “In China, I love New Year because we will have a long holiday and I can eat dinner with my family. I think is a happy time. New year is very popular and important day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated at evening social gatherings, where many people dance, eat, drink, and watch or light fireworks to mark the new year. Some Christians attend a watchnight service. The celebrations generally go on past midnight into New Year's Day. But in China, some Chinese people will return to their hometown and eat dinner together. Also, the children will have many red envelopes. Happy New Year to you” Emily Liu (Year 9)

COLLEGE COMMUNITY SERVICE

Cambodia learning tour S

ince 2011, as part of The Goda Foundation funded programs, small groups of senior Saint Stephen’s College students have been immersed in international service and learning tours.

The three-week program in Cambodia is designed for young people to be global citizens prepared to take on future studies with an understanding of developing cultures.

Trip Coordinator, Shelley McFarland, said students devote their time to New Hope School where they volunteer while learning about the Cambodian people and culture.

“We tour S21 and the killing fields, visit the Royal Palace and Angkor Wat. We spend a lot of time working in the classrooms, visiting and working within the community, teaching and playing games with the students,” said Mrs McFarland.

“Students come away with a renewed sense of maturity and cultural awareness. They realise how lucky we are and value

what we have daily more. They develop resilience by working long hours within a suffering and poor culture. They become

more aware of the sadness and events other countries have experienced, some very recently, how they have recovered and

how amazing and resilient the people are.”

Foundation founder, Humphrey Firkins, aimed to provide students opportunities to balance study and humanity through community service and leadership experiences “which take them outside their comfort zones and encourage them to develop a deeper understanding of the world, it’s people and their part in it. A world which will be influenced for better or for worse by their attitude, their appreciation and their understanding of life and human relationships.”

Students who took part in the most recent service trip to Cambodia were: Brieanna Baird, Ethan Claverie, Mckenzie Ecob, Adelle Hanna, Alli Hayes, Brittany Hills, Georgia-Lili Howe, Ivan Kravchuk, Xanthea Lowe, Blake Matheson, Kyla McDonald, Chloe Mear, Savanah Novello, Elisabeth Pasere, Uttanka Patel, Bayley Perkins, Katherine Pinto, Zezette Smith, Alana Todhunter and Tasmin Vey.

Junior Councillors help shape the future of the Gold Coast Senior students Jacob Rossiter and Elisabeth Pasere are Junior Gold Coast City Council members -a student leadership and civic program for young people in Years 10 and 11.

Jacob (Year 10) said he was elected to the Junior Council almost by accident.

“When the school announced that they wanted new junior councillors, I became interested but did not originally apply due to my lack of knowledge, however, my Head of Year asked me to represent the College in the council I was chuffed, and I was happy to sign the paperwork soon after,” said Jacob.

“The Junior Council aims to bring the next generation of Gold Coasters into the fray of problems and issues of the Gold Coast itself, learning of societal principals and development. I, alongside the other Division 1 school students in the city was able to speak with the councillor and Deputy Mayor, Donna Gates about some issues on the Gold Coast and ask some questions.

“The council creates a strong sense of unity and friendship among the students and aims to unite us in some of the other activities we do, building critical and

lifelong team working skills in the process.

The Junior Council currently features 112 students and 29 schools and taught me that despite the variation between each and every student, we all can make a substantial contribution to our society or each other in our own different way.

“The experience of the Junior Council helps teach me about some pressing issues that the Gold Coast faces and what we need to do as a society, it shows that a group of over 100 can still be domestic with us all working together in work and play that helps us appreciate the need for service and the issues the Gold Coast, or societies globally face each and every day.”

Elisabeth (Year 11) said being on Junior

Council had been an amazing experience that helped her improve her development in communication and project management.

“Being on the executive committee, myself and seven other members from different schools must plan events sometimes months in advance which taught me how to stay on top of my work and how to use my time efficiently,” she said.

“Another big skill I solidified was communication and public speaking. We regularly have chances to speak in front of a large crowd, (off the top of your head too, which can get scary!). However, with most things, practise makes perfect and after a few attempts I feel confident enough to trust myself when presenting.

“I have also discovered how detailed these times of meetings/ other similar situations are planned. ‘background’ workers are normally taken for granted. After being in the council, I have learnt how difficult it can get and to always appreciate the effort to plan big events. “ Junior Council aims to provide young people with citizenship, participation, consultation and community.

OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S COLLEGE

15

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COLLEGE FUNDRAISING

World's Greatest Shave I

n 2018 Saint Stephen’s College students and staff held their greatest World’s Greatest Shave fundraising efforts – almost doubling the previous year’s total.

College Chaplain and fundraising team captain, Father Andrew Kinmont, said the total raised for the Leukaemia Foundation was $15,455.80!

As well as students and staff offering up their long locks for shaving or colouring, sausages were sizzled, cake stalls were swamped, and Stage Band music filled the Goda Firkins Auditorium in the name of raising awareness and funds.

Father Andrew said that although female students had shaved their hair in previous years, it was the first year three female students volunteered to shave their hair all at the same time.

“It is a brave step for anyone to shave their hair, but in particular for both Matilda and Sam, this involved a significant commitment, as Matilda had quite an extraordinary head of hair, and Sam’s was down to her waist,” said Father Andrew.

“Shane is also a stand-out, as he was involved in 2017 with shaving, and the year before (Year 2) with coordinating his classmates to bring in donations.

“Teacher Laura Sullivan was only just back from leave having undergone treatment for Leukaemia, so her involvement was obviously very personal. I also believe her personal journey inspired many to join this most worthy cause.

“We did very well raising more than $15,000 – almost double of that raised the previous year.”

Congratulations to everyone involved and a huge thank you to those who gave so generously. Your support goes towards helping families facing blood cancer. What a fantastic effort!!

Those who shaved Matilda Wangoma (Year 12), Ethan Powell (Year 12), Emily Fogarty (Year 11), Zac Lloyd (Year 10), Sam Rumpel (Year 9), Lucas Gascoigne (Year 9), Wellson Yap (Year 8), Shane van Zyl (Year 4) and Junior PE teacher Ryan Soars.

Those who coloured Year 12 students Chloe Shute, Tilly Baldwin, and Jake Gitsham and staff Laura Sullivan, Carla Agiasotelis, Debbie Johnson, Jo Garvin, Casey McManus and Michaela Mulrine So many more fundraisers Saint Stephen’s students are keen funds and awareness raisers and each year are involved in many charitable events. Other major fundraisers included: ●● World Vision -the College was in the top 50 fundraising schools in Australia towards in support of displaced people around the world. ●● 40 Hour Famine - students gave up some ‘comforts’ and encouraged others to support the cause. ●● Homeless Sleepout – an initiative of the College Earlyact and Interact Clubs to raise funds and awareness of homelessness issues on the Gold Coast. ●● Mental Health Awareness Week – student raised money for beyondblue and other mental health agencies. ●● National Bandanna Day, an awareness campaign for CanTeen Australia to support young people affected by cancer.

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COLLEGE MUSICAL

Knights of

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t was a laugh a minute and much ‘Fisch Schlapping’ at the 2018 Saint Stephen’s College Senior musical Monty Python’s Spamalot, with glowing audience reviews for the four performances featuring 81 actors, dancers, orchestra members and tech crew.

Director and Drama Teacher Bradley Chapman said staging the musical was an enormous eight-month mission for all involved.

“Luckily we have an extremely dedicated group of performers who met the demands of a busy schedule with the commitment and enthusiasm of professionals,” said Mr Chapman.

“Though some of the actors had never been involved in a stage production (whilst others are seasoned performers) I was impressed with their ideas, creativity and tenacity. I really could not have asked for a friendlier, funnier or more hardworking group of students.

“Comedy is like music: you can work very hard, but at the end of the day you must have an ear for it to succeed. All cast members showed enormous flexibility in adapting to the ever-changing styles and characters that this show demanded and the highlight for audiences was watching the amazing transformation to new heights.

“Through the Performing Arts, students learn the value of critical feedback, explore the depth of human expression, develop unique cognitive abilities, form new bonds and strengthen existing relationships, develop talents and habits that transcend all other areas of study, express themselves creatively, find their voice and develop a well-rounded sense of self. Some students will perhaps never tread the boards again after graduation whilst others will actively pursue a career in this arena. But, whatever path they choose, the fact remains that Theatre in Education benefits everyone “ Music Director and Director of Performing Arts, Dylan Troyahn, said one of the greatest single things a college could do to bring people from all walks of life together, was put on a musical.

“A musical extends far beyond the members of the Performing Arts Department, drawing in people from all areas of the College. From instrumental tutors to the maintenance department, administration and Friends of the Arts, it takes a community to put on a successful musical,” said Mr Troyahn.

Monty Python’s Spamalot was presented through special arrangement with Origin Theatrical.

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comedy

COLLEGE MUSICAL PRINCIPAL CAST Fox Cassidy.......................... King Arthur Georgia Rothera.................. The Lady of the Lake Nicolas Van Litsenborgh....... Sir Galahad / Prince Herbert / The Black Knight / Tim the Enchanter Eckard van Jaarsveld............ Sir Lancelot Christopher James............... Sir Robin Cameron Harmer................. Patsy SUPPORTING CAST Andrew Van Dulst................ .Sir Bedevere / Prince Herbert’s Father / The Guy Who Says the Bit About the African Swallow/ William Neville/ Mrs Galahad / The French Taunter / The Guy Who Says the Bit About the European Swallow Chloe Clayton...................... Laker Girl / Knights of Ni Freya Haywood ................... .Laker Girl / Sir Robin’s Minstrel / Knights of Ni Paris King ........................... .Laker Girl / Sir Bors / Knights of Ni Sophie Rees ........................ .Laker Girl / Concorde / Knights of Ni Tymyka Wines..................... Laker Girl / Knights of Ni Ashley Van Litsenborgh..........Laker Girl / The Head Knight of Ni Nicholas Griffin.................... .The Historian / Prince Herbert’s Guard Mia Van Zyl.......................... The Mayor of Finland Elliot Hanscomb................... Not-Dead-Fred Derito Da Costa.................... Brother Maynard ENSEMBLE CAST Laine Brittliff, Chloe Bubeck, Jaron Dalton, Sarah Hayes, Josephine Henry, Angus Herlihy, Lilly Holmes, Sienna Joyce, Caitlyn Linnegar, Nicole Lipinski, Blake Matheson, Tiffany Minter, Emmily Oram, Franco Pangaruy, Madeleine Peters, Sam Rumpel, Kyle Smith, Emily Snelling, Nikkit Sugden, Xavia Tollis, Billy Walker DANCERS Sophie Adamson, Payge Blond, Jessica Craft, Derito Da Costa, Ella Dickens, Mckenzie Ecob, Chloe Fraser, Kacee Gordon, Angelique Haas-Maganas, Makhaya Haugaard, Jaime Hayes, Ainsley Heldon, Angelina Hood, Zoe Hood, Jasmine Horner, Kayla Humphreys, Lucy Kenyon, Taylah Mathieson, Jaslyn McFarlane, Katiana McFarlane, Jessica McLachlan, Elise Monk, Taylah Murphy, Emmily Oram, Alani Perkins, Ari Perkins, Maria Pletneva, Ashleigh Sampson, Janhavi Sharma, Lilli Trickey, Cara Vey, Tasmin Vey, Elise Walker ORCHESTRA Conductor Dylan Troyahn; Keyboard 1 Ashleigh Miles; Keyboard 2 Daniel Cao; Violin Michaela Holsted, Lewis Low; Flute and Piccolo Kaitlin Wooden, Ella Todhunter; Clarinet / Bass Clarinet / Tenor Saxophone Zoe

Erskine, Jorja Greenwood; Alto Saxophone Damien Cahill, Tayla Blonde; Trumpet Nelson Oakley, Hayden Craft; Trombone Julie Cahill; Euphonium Jake Greenhow; Guitar Jai Schelbach, Bass Grant Sampson; Percussion Peter Neville, Aidan Gooden; Tech Crew Sophia Boyd, Logan DeGroot, Oska Lang, Aidan Lipinski WITH THANKS Special mention to Simon Howe and our College maintenance team who have worked tirelessly on our fabulous set and to Michael Ware for his work with our leads on characterisation.

Thank you to our helpers Elena Barrcou, Dannielle Bennett, Michaela Chapman, Selina Chen, Trisha Cochrane, Georgia Coventry, Carla Dalton, Snezana Dudic, Ding Eckstein. Brett Golden – Tech Crew, Phyllis Hobbs, Elaine Lan, Hong Li, Linda Li, Nina Li, Sandra Lipinski, Claudia Marmissolle, Samantha Reynolds, Michelle Smith, Tracy Wang,Yanhong Wang, Michael Ware, Amy Zhang, Cherry Zhao. and all of our wonderful parents!

Thank you to our sponsors The Goda Foundation. Wiley Constructions. Burling Brown Architects, National Australia Bank, Saint Stephen’s College Friends of the Arts, The Athlete’s Foot, Helensvale. Gold Coast Area Theatre Awards

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In Memoriam v Humphrey Firkins

Dr Jamie Dorrington Saint Stephen’s College Headmaster

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here are three essential building blocks for school culture: Experiences, role models and traditions.

We come to together to recognise the immense contribution Humphrey Firkins made to the development of our school’s culture.

I first met Humphrey a few days after I took up my position as Acting Headmaster in June 2003.

I remember a tall and somewhat imposing figure coming into my office to explain the role of The Goda Foundation.

Humphrey had set up the foundation in honour of his late wife, Goda. At the time the foundation focused on supporting the music program at the school, which was appropriate, given Goda’s great love of music. It also provided significant cash prizes each year for the top five academic place getters in Year 12.

However, he emphasised that, as Chairman, he was keen to expand the work of the foundation in any way that might benefit the students at Saint Stephen’s. I didn’t realise, at that time, just how committed and determined he was to do just that.

Over the years, The Goda Foundation has sponsored students to participate in a range of character developing activities, including The Young Endeavour, South Passage, Outward Bound, the Cambodia and Myanmar service learning programs, The Global Young Leaders’ Conference in Washington DC and New York, and the National Students’ Leadership Conference in various US cities.

It also sponsored awards for various schoolbased awards, while still maintaining the cash prizes for Speech Night and meeting the full cost of educating two students who were in receipt of special scholarships.

I can also remember how passionate Humphrey was about launching the Suzuki Strings program at the College many years ago. That program has been responsible for the development of many fine musicians, some of whom have gone on to have careers in music. Indeed, some of the musicians performing at this service were introduced to their instruments courtesy of The Goda Foundation.

Some of the programs have been replaced by other worthwhile activities. The Young Endeavour program has been replaced

by South Passage, enabling more students to participate and we no longer send students to the USA, partly because of transport issues and the cost.

The truth is that Humphrey wanted to continue all the programs, and I had a hard time convincing him to drop anything. He was always keen to offer more opportunities to more students and to sponsor other events, such as The Goda Foundation Ball. He want20

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ed to send three groups to Outward Bound, but given that the cost of this program was already around $70,000, I insisted we limit the numbers.

I estimate that The Goda Foundation spent well over $1million in support of various programs at Saint Stephen’s College.

Of course, when I refer to The Goda Foundations’ money, I really mean Humphrey’s money. His generosity was extraordinary. So much so that I remember him being annoyed that he had not asked for more money to sponsor some of our awards. He did all this while also sponsoring scholarships and other activities at Griffith University, supporting the Flying Doctor Service and many other charities.

The Goda Foundation clearly provided our students with unique experiences that have helped to build our culture. As significant as they were, I believe Humphrey’s greatest contribution came by way of being a role model for our students, staff and for me personally. What did he model?

We often speak about integrity, maturity and abundance mentality. Clearly, Humphrey demonstrated all three, but he also demonstrated creativity, resilience, and tenacity. I doubt that any of the people who saw Humphrey out and about or on our campus, looking splendid in his kilt and bow tie, understood how much effort it took for him to appear that way. Humphrey’s physical condition had deteriorated over the years to the point where it took him several hours to get out of bed in the morning and back into bed at the end of the day. But wo betide anyone who suggested he should just stay in bed or leave the house dressed more casually.

Humphrey was a creative problem solver.

I can remember sitting with him at one of our many weekend breakfasts at Hope Island and suggesting that he might be able to modify a golf cart to accommodate his wheelchair. Sure enough, my throw-away line resulted in him designing what might well have been the first electric wheelchair compatible golf buggy on the planet. I’m not just talking one of them, he actually had two!

Wearing a kilt was Humphrey’s answer to his legs not functioning well enough to

wear trousers. The modifications to his van were his answer to not being able to drive a conventional vehicle. I can remember many occasions where Humphrey would be at the wheel and I would be sitting in the wheelchair in the van’s passenger seat as we journeyed to a meeting or a show in Brisbane. Humphrey would recall his time in Switzerland and Germany, where there are no speed limits as I tried to tactfully remind him that in Australia, there are!

Humphrey reached the very respectable age of 93.

He had been in hospital a number of times prior to Speech Night (2017). In fact, he had been in hospital numerous times prior to the last three Speech Nights, but he had always managed to beat the odds and recover well enough to appear on stage.

It was on stage at Speech Night that Humphrey made what I believe to be his greatest contribution. Every year, without fail, he presented the most moving and meaningful speeches. On each occasion he gave our students an insight into his life, whether it be watching The Battle of Britain overhead, or changing valves in one of the world’s first computers or looking for biological specimens in fields of tall grass. In doing so he reminded us that the world was not invented yesterday, that we stand on the shoulders of generations of dedicated people of vision, and that we should all take advantage of the opportunities presented to us.

Speech Night would always finish with a group of guests and staff gathering together for refreshments in the staffroom. I would thank everyone and we would all wish Humphrey a Happy Birthday and share his birthday cake. Humphrey would always make a point of thanking us. He also made a point of being the last to leave. Humphrey really liked a good party!

Here was a man who had given so much to us, both financially and in terms of his wisdom, and he thought it was a privilege to do so. Even though he must have been feeling drained of energy at the end of a long evening, he spoke about how important Saint Stephen’s had been to him, how he enjoyed watching our students grow into fine young men and women, and how grateful he was for us allowing him to be part of something special.

In recent years Grace and I spent three Christmases and all but a few weekends with Humphrey. We would usually meet him for brunch on a Saturday or Sunday and learn more about his amazing life.

From playing games with the kids over the wall at one of his childhood homes, and to note in passing that the kids names were Elizabeth and Margaret, his time at Aimstry and

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In Memoriam v Humphrey Firkins In loving memory of Humphrey Firkins (30 Nov 1932 – 17 Dec 2017).

Mr Firkins founded The Goda Foundation in honour of his wife Goda and her commitment to excellence in her pursuits. His generosity has allowed scores of students to take part in exceptional life experiences.

A moving memorial service was held in the Goda Firkins Auditorium, where Old Scholars joined students in choirs and orchestras and the College All Hail to honour a remarkable man.

Following are some of the tributes – representing family, the College community and Old Scholars.

Jaclyn Lee Friends of the Performing Arts

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n behalf of Saint Stephen’s College Friends of the Arts, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Firkins family over the loss of such an extraordinary man.

Mr Firkins was a generous supporter of the Performing Arts at Saint Stephen’s College from its very beginnings. He was a firm believer in the need for students to gain a valuable musical education and was aware of the many benefits this would have on their education and development.

Mr Firkins’ generosity dates to the College’s inception in 1996.

In one instance in 2001, through the Goda Foundation, a student was awarded a new violin as part of a ‘special project’, which had been established to assist students develop their interests and passions. Seven years later in 2008, that same student was offered the opportunity to give back and facilitate the Goda Foundation’s initiative by teaching violin to young students at the College, with that very same violin.

Today, our students are very fortunate to be the recipients of a number of performing arts events / programs sponsored by The Goda Foundation: ●● The annual Visual Arts Exhibition, an evening displaying artworks by students and staff ●● The Performing Arts Awards Night ●● The Goda Foundation Chamber Music Competition ●● The Foundation Suzuki Strings Program to teach introductory violin to students from Prep to Year 2, that aims

to nurture a love of and develop character through music.

Mr Firkins was a strong supporter of anything to do with our Performing Arts. The

strength and depth of our strings program is directly attributable to Mr Firkins’ generosity.

He attended most concerts and performing arts events where his health allowed. In a show of their appreciation, our students have performed for Mr Firkins on a number of occasions. Some of the more memorable ones being the night the students performed for Mr Firkins and the residents at Villa Serena in Robina when he was residing there and the special

v from previous page Dowey Abby, his failure to gain entry into the Royal Navy because he hadn’t studied Latin, his experiences in the mountain warfare division and the bomb squad, to his arrival in Australia after World War II with almost no money, his time on a cattle station, owning a service station, and the development of what became a very successful vet pharmaceutical business, Humphrey impressed us a man who had led a rich life, who valued every moment and met every challenge.

Humphrey was determined to live to be 106 because, as he often reminded us, he

had two aunties who had lived to that age.

He didn’t make it, but it was not for want of trying.

Humphrey has left a mark here that will

tribute performance when he donated the Shakespeare works to the College.

Mr Firkins’ incredible legacy will live on and he will long be remembered for his contribution, dedication and commitment to the Performing Arts at our College.

Mr Firkins – a caring and generous man who will be missed by many, but he will never be forgotten by those whose lives he has touched.

last for many years to come. He may not be with us in terms of a physical presence, but he remains with us in spirit. The Goda Foundation will become his legacy, just as he intended. I believe he was right. It is a privilege to make a contribution, and to help build something greater than oneself. Humphrey’s commitment to the broader community has played a part in establishing that tradition at our College.

Humphrey Firkins and The Goda Foundation are permanently woven into the fabric of our College, so we should continue to be grateful to him for helping to make us what we are and what we can become.

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In Memoriam v Humphrey Firkins Amanda Firkins Granddaughter

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know you know my grandfather as Humphrey or Mr Firkins, I’d like to offer a new perspective on him as my, and our, Grandpa.

My earliest memories of Grandma and Grandpa are from family Christmas’ spent at the deer farm, ‘Flowerbank’. Mum and Dad would pack us up in the car and we’d make the drive from Sydney to Queensland. We’d get so excited when we finally drove through the big gates of the farm, over the little bridge and up the long driveway to the house. Grandma would be there with a big hug at the kitchen door and Grandpa would help us carry our bags to our room.

I learnt early on that Grandpa was a hard worker, he’d be out early in the morning with dad vaccinating the deer for hours on end. We’d see him at lunchtime for a sandwich and a cool drink before he was out again mowing the lawn or finishing off the morning's work.

I was convinced for a little while that Grandpa was Santa Clause. He had the deep belly laugh that we now miss and why else would anyone have a deer farm…I figured because I couldn’t find the sleigh and his beard wasn’t quite long enough that he must be a special helper.

Our visits to the farm were always the highlights of the holidays, how could they not be in such a warm and loving home.

Things changed a little bit when Grandma’s memory began to fade. Grandpa, displaying his loyalty and love, found the best facility he could for Grandma, packed up the farm and moved to Sovereign Island. Although the house and scenery changed, the same warmth was felt when we walked in the doors. We went with Grandpa to visit Grandma for his daily visits and relished the time we had left to spend with them both.

Being older now, I realise the strength he needed to watch and support a loved one disappear in front of him.

With this unfair battle going on, our holiday routine would unfold. Grandpa would come home for a swim with us before an adult conversation about school results, questions about our sporting endeavours and general chit chat over dinner. What followed was a very GENEROUS serving of ice-cream inclusive of numerous squirts of chocolate topping and sprinkles. Whether it be a movie or more chatting we were always sent off to bed with a kiss on the cheek and “Good night, good night, hope the bed bugs don’t bite” While we spent many holidays in Queensland, Grandpa made visits to Sydney for birthdays and other special occasions. If we didn’t have a visit, we definitely had a card signed with love.

As his own health began to take a turn he moved to Hope Island. A brief stay at Villa Serena again showed that while his body may have been failing him, his determination and passion for life was strong enough to keep him going. Once he’d decided he was going home that was it, it didn’t surprise me at all that no-one stood in his way…good luck if they tried! What I didn’t see during our visits, but certainly heard about, was Grandpa’s involvement with Saint Stephens College. We knew the farmland had been sold and while housing estates had been built on the property so too had a school. I was thrilled to learn that a portion of the house had been kept and that in fact, classes had been held in the original house while the school infrastructure was still being built. Grandpa’s generosity and giving nature was still intact with the formation of The Goda Foundation. With the aims of the foundation and ties been homeland and school, Grandpa found something to get him out of bed every day and a community, that I’m sure he considered family, to keep him active.

We’ve heard some beautiful words of thanks from members of the Griffith University and Saint Stephens community but I would like to thank you all on behalf of the Firkins family. Thank you for including him in your events, thank you for all of your letters about your experiences in the various programs and thank you for treating him as you would your own Grandpa. I believe whole-heartedly that it was his involvement with the school and his passion for you, the students that added to his determination to reach each age milestone. Everyday he was here was another day to make a difference in your lives and another day to inspire us.

Grandma and Grandpa instilled strong family values in each of their children. They taught my dad Peter, Aunty Penny, Uncle Michael and Uncle John determination, resilience, strength and the importance of family. I recognise each of these traits in my brothers and sisters. I recognise these traits in the Saint Stephens community.

Our last visits with Grandpa were special to each of us in their own ways. We were able to enjoy his stories as only he could tell them. Even on days when we could see he was very tired his quick wit and sense of humour had our laughs echoing through the halls of the hospital. On days when he was feeling better he was determined to get up and in his chair. Dressed with bow tie and kilt he’d barrel down the corridors to the cafe for a coffee and chat. I have never known anyone more determined and resilient than my Grandpa. We love him and miss him incredibly.

Without his physical presence with us now, Grandpa’s memory lives on in all of you, it lives on in this school and it lives on with Grandma’s memory in the Goda Foundation. I’m incredibly proud to be a part of this family and as a member of the Foundation board, I promise you and his memory to continue the life changing work that the Foundation offers.

Rest in peace Grandpa, I love you.

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Yasaru Gunaratne Old Scholar – Class of 2015

W

hat can I say that others before me have not said? Mr Firkins to simply put it, was kind, generous, humble and most remarkably the true embodiment of selflessness. He helped Saint Stephen’s College out of the goodness of his heart, a goodness which knew no bounds.

He gave students like me, an opportunity to thrive. So, we could become the best people we could be.

In 2014, I attended the Global Young Leaders Conference through the support of The Goda Foundation as many students have done in the past. The conference not only provided me with an opportunity to develop my skills, it allowed me to create friendships with countless individuals throughout the world, friends, who I am regularly in contact with to this day. The conference inspired me to be better than I could ever hope, and it undoubtedly shaped the individual I have become. His generosity has opened countless doors for students such as myself both during my time at the College and now as an Old Scholar.

Mr Firkins believed in Saint Stephen’s College and its fine young men and women.

He devoted his time and energy to providing opportunities for us - whether it be ‘Outward Bound’, ‘National Science Leaders Conference’, or ‘Young Endeavour’.

Regardless of which aspect of the College you admire, a Mr Firkins’ hand would have been instrumental in developing it. But why did he do all this?

I remember on speech night a few years ago, I was asked to escort Mr Firkins from the carpark to his seat on stage. On the walk over, I had to make some small talk, which isn’t really my forte. So, I thought I should ask him a question, but it couldn’t just be any question. I inquired: “Why do you invest your time and energy to providing such opportunities to us?” He said four simple words, that I will never forget. ‘Because I simply can’. Then we talked about how hot the weather had been or something. It took me a while to decipher what he meant, and I am still unsure if I completely understand. I believe he helped others realise their potential because he had the means to empower it.

We are often so focused on bettering ourselves that we overlook the people around us. We are all in one form of another, able to help those around us. Mr Firkins was able to help those around him, but more importantly, he was willing. The question is not if we are able, but whether we are willing? I don’t mean we should all go home today and donate all our possessions to charity. Rather, I want everyone to go home and think, ‘how can I help better not only myself, but how can I empower those around me to be better?’ Regardless of how minute it may be, whether it be asking a friend who is under a lot of stress to do something fun, it can make a world of difference. By helping those around us, we actively work to help ourselves. We are all able to help. We must follow Mr Firkins‘ example and also be willing.

May he Rest in Peace.

COLLEGE TRADITION

BELL

H ALEY

HU GHES

House spirit stays strong T

he Saint Stephen’s College House system and annual House Crystal Award has been part of campus life for two decades – and keeps on getting stronger.

The House system promotes strong team spirit and recognises students’ many talents in sport, academics, culture and community service.

Established in 1996, the four Houses – Bell, Greasley, Haley and Hughes – were named after the College’s founders Lex Bell OAM, Bob Greasley, Bishop Albert Haley and Lester Hughes.

The aim of the House system was to inspires camaraderie and teamwork, which it does. Competition throughout the year is hearty as students vie for the much-coveted House Crystal Award.

Every student – from Prep to Year 12 – is allocated a House on enrolment – with siblings and relatives belonging to the same House. Each House also has a dedicated organization for which they raise much funds and awareness each year, through special

the carnival itself – with events that have included HOUSE CRYSTAL AWARDS costumes, streamers, balsausage sizzles, games, food 2017.............................Hughes loons, loud cheering and stalls, entertainment, shoe 2016........................... Greasley House chants the order shines, leg waxing and giv2015........................... Greasley of the day. ing up something personal.

2014.............................Hughes Houses also compete ●● Haley (yellow) - Shave 2013.........Greasley and Hughes in chess, debating, Dash for a Cure, Leukemia Foun2012.............................Hughes for Wings, tug-o-war, dation 2011.............................Hughes Battle of the Bands and ●● Greasley (red) - 40 2010........................... Greasley much more.

Hour Famine, World Vision 2009........................... Greasley Throughout the Australia 2008..................................Bell year Houses accumulate ●● Bell (green) - Bandanna 2007..................................Bell points, vying for the Day, Can Teen 2006..................................Bell House Crystal. Awarded ●● Hughes (blue) - Mental 2005............................... Haley for the first time in 2002 Health Awareness Week, be2004............................... Haley to Haley House - and yondblue and other mental 2003.............................Hughes now a valued tradition health agencies 2002............................... Haley – the winning House is House Sports carnivals announced amid much are vibrant events – in the colour and celebrations pool, on the oval and the in the Multi-Purpose Hall to the entire Coltrack and field. Junior and Senior House lege. The House Crystal trophy is presented Captains rally their troops prior to sports to the winning House Captains and Head of carnivals where a theme is chosen by each House at Senior Speech Night.

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BOND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE PREPARING FOR UNIVERSITY WITH OUR UNIQUE PATHWAY PROGRAMS “Studying a Diploma of Business at Bond University College helped me get into the swing of study by building a strong routine and healthy work habits, as well as providing mentoring and support.

I have developed a better understanding of balance in all facets of my life, including better personal financial management, setting career goals, self-development, leadership and personal health, as well as giving back to the community in the form of a volunteer organisation.

Without the knowledge that I acquired at Bond, I feel I would have never been able to achieve what I have in such a short time frame.”

Zachariah Burridge 2016 Diploma of Business 2017 Bachelor of Laws

For more information on alternative pathways to university, visit college.bond.edu.au.

CRICOS Provider Code 00017B 24 OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S COLLEGE

WHERE ARE THEY N0W?

ASHLEIGH HOBBS

Class of 2015

France, Italy, London - the centre of fashion and a life learning experience says Class of 2015 Old Scholar Ashleigh Hobbs.

As part of her studies at QUT Ashleigh secured a scholarship to study in France for five months.

“I studied luxury fashion and economics at IESEG School of Management. Through this I was able to visit Ecole Lesage, who supply all the embroidery for Chanel and the big high fashion brands and saw next season’s fabrics and mock ups of the collections. I also worked with casting agents on the models for upcoming shows and was offered the opportunity to do my masters in fashion management in Paris,” said Ashleigh.

“I also went to Cours Florent - an elite French acting school who have alumni such as Diane Kruger and Audrey Tautou (Amelie) – and was offered a place for three years by the head of the English acting department that would provide a great opportunity to study French theatre and cinema in addition to my English acting classes.”

Ashleigh spent time in Fontainebleau, a quaint town just 40 minutes south of Paris prior to being accepted into an immersive summer program by Guildhall School of Drama in London following an intensive application and Skype audition, which she says was ‘tough but enjoyable’.

Ashleigh travelled to Venice for the 75th annual Venice Film Festival.

“I had to apply for this, again a super rigorous process but because my two university majors are fashion and film, I put together a portfolio and was accepted for accreditation,” she said.

Through her accreditation she received full accommodation and was in the company of some great names - Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling and Lady Gaga – just to name a few and enjoyed being among the first to see their new movies.

Ashleigh then headed to London for the London Fashion Week SS19 shows before returning to Australia in October, in time to celebrate her 21st birthday. She plans to complete her studies prior to returning to London.

ANNIE (EUN WOO) CHOI

Class of 2013

Old Scholar, Class of 2013, Annie Choi is continuing to enjoy professional golfing triumph in the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Tour.

According to General Manager AnK International Golf Academy at Sanctuary, Ricky Oh, Annie is: “currently ranked 19th on the money list, earning $210,000 AUD roughly, and she finished top 3 once and top 5 twice.

“She has played 17 tournaments and 13 tournaments she received prize money which is not easy at all!” said Mr Oh. Annie started playing golf at AnK Golf in 2006, at the age of 14 and in 2013 qualified as a semi-professional on the KLPGA, Australian Open and Australian Masters.

She has shared many of her successes with the College community over the years and we wish her well in her future.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? MATT QUINCE

EMILY MCNEILL

Class of 2011

Class of 2010

Matt Quince, Class of 2011, says living in Sydney and working at the Opera House as a Lighting Technician is probably one of the best gigs you could get.

“I had an interest in aviation in my earlier years, but as I got into production at Saint Stephen’s from 2006 my interest built. I enjoyed being creative, working with my hands and computers. It was a great combination of everything I liked to do,” said Matt.

Matt is also working as a freelance audio, lighting vision crew/operator and has worked on a variety of events, from children’s shows and plays to musical productions and orchestras.

“Working as a lighting tech for the Sydney Opera House

Class of 2010 Old Scholar Emily McNeill has been appointed to the United States Swim Schools Association’s (USSSA) Special Abilities Committee.

Emily, the International Swim Schools Association Coordinator, says she is excited to be on the committee.

“I am thrilled to be part of such a wonderful committee and excited to help further strengthen the relationship between this USSSA Committee and ASSA’s Inclusion Committee,” she said.

“Being the first international to be invited onto a United States Swim Schools Association Committee, is a real honour.”

ASSA Chief Executive Ross Gage said overseas appointments were rare and Emily was held in high regard.

BRIELLE COOPER

Class of 2016 has so much variety. I have worked on kids shows, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Bell Shakespeare and Sydney Theatre Company, Mandylights Production Company, Vivid, Ice Cube and Solange Festival - from full production design to lighting design,” he said.

Matt has a Cert III in Media, a Cert III Traineeship, Live production. While at Saint Stephen’s and since graduating Matt has worked on many College musicals including High School Musical, Guys and Dolls, Footloose, Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods and Lion King JR. “I’ve done a lot since I graduated, and the journey so far has been positive. We all have bad days but going to work and doing something I love turns a bad day into a great day. One day you’re setting up a basic show, and the next you’re doing lights for international artists and working with people from all over the world. You never stop learning,” he said.

After graduating Matt worked for Australian Outback Spectacular for six years as well as in the Brisbane and Gold Coast corporate and theatre sectors.

“I would love to do some musical theatre, concert touring and something on the cirque du soleil level.

Learning, pushing and challenging myself – I’m always trying to improve.”

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In just one short year of graduating, Old Scholar Brielle Cooper (Class of 2016 and Sports Captain) won her first Nutri-Grain Ironwomen title and finished fourth in her first Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard event in Hawaii.

Brielle, a member of the Kurrawa Surf Life Saving Club, competed in her first Nutri-Grain Ironwomen event in October 2016 – just prior to graduating – as a ‘wild card'. Being the determined and dedicated young woman she is, Brielle trained hard to make – and win – the event the following year.

In July 2018 Brielle completed her first Molokai to Oahu event – a gruelling 52 kilometres where contestants from across the globe paddle across the Ka’iwi Channel. Brielle paddled well finishing fourth with a time of six hours and 24 minutes, which was only six minutes behind third place.

Brielle’s 2018-19 Surf Life Saving ‘to do’ list: ●● Hawaii: Molokai 2 Oahu 52km Paddleboard World Championships (July) ●● USA: US National Life Saving Championships and Life Saving Clinics New York and East Coast to Virginia (August) ●● Bali: World Ironman Series (August - 16 ironmen and ironwomen race at night under the lights of Finns Beach Club ●● Australia: Nutri-Grain Ironman series defending current (18 Oct-19 February 2019) ●● Adelaide: 2018 World Championships (November) ●● Gold Coast: State and Australian Titles (29 March 2019)

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? MICHELLE CURTIS

JAMES MASKEY

Class of 2010

Class of 2006

Congratulations to Old Scholar Michelle Curtis, Class of 2010, who married Jack Hill at the Sylvan Glen Estate, in southern highland New South Wales on 2 June 2018.

Proud mum and super Sports Centre Receptionist Shirley said the weekend wedding was “heaps of fun and laughs and winter woollies. Even their dog Rollo attended and carried the rings.”

JAYDE LOWE

Class of 2016

Class of 2016 Old Scholar and Sports Captain Jayde Lowe is kicking big goals - studying in the United States and signing with the Gold Coast United Open Women’s team.

Jayde is on an athletic and academic scholarship at Drury University, a small liberal arts college in Springfield, Missouri.

“I’m playing collegiate soccer and continuing my studies, currently completing a degree in Business Management with a minor in communications. I’ve recently completed my first year, and my intended graduation date is in 2021,” said Jayde.

“Moving so far away from home has definitely been challenging, but incredibly rewarding. During season, we play two games a week and travel every other weekend (for our games), plus we must keep up with our studies, so we’re kept very busy.

“I’ve learnt so much about the game, having been exposed to a different style of play in America and I’ve become a better-rounded player as a result. Easily, the best part about the experience is the strong friendships I have developed with my teammates, many of whom are also international students."

After completing her first year at Drury in May Jayde had a three month ‘summer break’ and returned to the Gold Coast where she signed with the Gold Coast United’s Open Women’s team, competing in the National Premier League (NPL).

“I played for the Gold Coast in the NPL for several years before I went to America, so I’m very happy to be able to play for them during my time home.”

Jayde said it was also good preparation for her American season, which began on her return in August.

A national leading role in mental health, an ultra-marathon and marriage to an Old Scholar were three exciting life changing events for 2006 College Captain and Old Scholar James Maskey in 2018.

James was accepted as the National Engagement Manager at BeyondBlue in the Police and Emergency Services Program.

“I'm a retired Queensland Police Officer with a mental health diagnosis in my history. With this history in mind, I made the decision to embark upon a new chapter in my professional journey to change the stigma that surrounds mental health in the Emergency Services,” said James.

“My role with Beyondblue is to engage with all emergency service organisations around the country and assist them in creating mental health policy to empower frontline staff to survive and thrive whilst performing emergency service work.”

In August James competed in Iceland's ‘Fire and Ice Ultra Marathon’, the toughest multi-terrain race in the world, spanning 250 kilometres through undulating terrain in Iceland.

James represented Australia and raced against some of the world’s most elite ultra-runners.

“Whilst training for and competing in this gruelling event, I am championing support and raising the awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the exceptional work conducted by The National Centre for Excellence in Post Traumatic Mental Health,” he said.

“My pursuit is to assist in changing the stigma that surrounds mental health, raise the profile of PTSD and empower those who experience mental health difficulties to seek the support of professionals who can help them recover.”

To top off his busy year James will marry Old Scholar (Class of 2004) Lisa Cheney. The couple live in Fitzroy, Melbourne.

Lisa is completing her PhD at Melbourne University in Music Composition. Lisa composed the College fanfare and processional.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? SAM CLEARY CLASS OF 2001 | CAITY LACY CLASS OF 2007 Congratulations to Old Scholars Sam Cleary (Class of 2001) and Caitlin Lacy (Class of 2007) who were married on 9 December 2017 on Kirra Hill.

Saint Stephen’s College connections - Old Scholars and staff – were abundant and helped make their wedding celebration

extra special. They included: the celebrant, a parent of an Old Scholar; photographer Shayne Nienaber; videographer Old Scholar Sam Hawley (Class of 2001); Ivy and Blue decorator and foundation student Amanda Wilson, musician Old Scholars Hayden Burton (Class of 2014), Alex Stubbs (nee Heussner, Class of 2010), Jenny Marshall (Class of 2001), and College Musician in Residence Sam Konise, amongst others.

Sam was a foundation student and the first College Captain in 2000 as a student in Year 11. He was also Captain in 2001 and is now a senior teacher at the College and Head of Year 11 (2018), Head of Year 12 (2019). Caity was also a foundation student and, as an accomplished violinist has tutored at the College. She has also played on the big stage around the world with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Michael Buble and Rod Stewart.

KARIS DAVIDSON

Class of 2015

Karis Davidson, Class of 2015, is another Old Scholar who has teed off an awesome golf career, turned professional and has her eye on representing Australia at the 2020 Olympics.

Karis turned professional in 2017 and lists her father, the team at AnK at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast and coach Ian Triggs as having the most influence on her career to date.

In December 2017 she also gained full membership on the Ladies Profession Golf Tour of Japan and in 2018 was ranked second in the 2018 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.

While not playing golf Karis enjoys shopping, watching movies and going to the gym and admits her favourite food is pulled pork.

She says the notable difference between competing as an amateur to a professional is “the fact that I am my own business.”

And, now that golf is an Olympic sport Karis has set her sights on Gold for Australia at the 2020 Toyko Olympics.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? OLD SCHOLARS RETURN TO COACH AND REF Old Scholars have come back to school in scores – to coach and referee Saint Stephen’s College APS teams.

During 2018 there was a record number of Old Scholars who returned to help the Sport Department prepare Junior and Senior APS teams including coaching soccer, rugby, netball, basketball, touch, netball and refereeing basketball and water polo.

Director of Sport, Rod Seib, said it was always a pleasure to welcome back Old Scholars, who had much valuable experience they were able to pass onto current students.

“Many thanks to Old Scholars who have returned over the years to share their skills and knowledge with our students.”

Among those who helped with coaching and refereeing during APS in 2018 were: Amy Novak (Class of 2008), Laura Hollis (Class of 2015), Kayla Shepard (Class of 2015), Thomas Ansell (Class of 2016), Vaughn Campbell (Class of 2016), Kelly Coleman (Class of 2016), Keegan Kirkwood (Class of 2016), Izzy Newey (Class of 2016), Wade Cubbin (Class of 2017), Will Egerton (Class of 2017), Caleb Enoka (Class of 2017), Jack Hawksley (Class of 2017), Todd Johnson (Class of 2017), Callum MacPhee (Class of 2017), Luis Novello (Class of 2017) and Riley Teague (Class of 2017).

KIRSTY TREZISE (NEE SORRENSEN)

Class of 2001

Class of 2001 Old Scholar and Saint Stephen’s College VET Coordinator Kirsty Trezise (nee Sorrensen) and husband Nick had their son Hugo Lewis Carl Trezise baptised at the College Chapel on 27 May 2018 by Father Andrew Kinmont. Godparents are Laura (Senior College teacher) and Brendan Sullivan.

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STAFF NEWS

10 years of service

Each year on Saint Stephen’s Day, we acknowledge the staff and tutors who have served the College for 10 years or longer.

Congratulations to the most recent recipients who reached these milestones on 15 September 2017.

10 years: Lorraine Banks, Cherie Bunting, Paula Craft, Shirlee Curtis, Surong Ge and Tony McNicol.

Alex Voulcaris Congratulations to Senior College teacher Alex Voulcaris on the birth of her baby girl Sophie Elizabeth 12.40am, 8 June 2018, weighing 6Ibs 5oz.

Cherie Bunting Congratulations to Head of Learning Enhancement, Cherie Bunting, on the birth of her daughter Emmersyn Gwen Myra Bunting who arrived at 7:40am on 16 April 2018 weighing 3.6kgs and 51cm long.

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STAFF NEWS Alex Stubbs Congratulations to College music teacher Alex Stubbs (nee Heussner, Class of 2010) on the birth of her daughter Ava Catherine Stubbs at 12.14pm on 23 July 2018 at Gold Coast Private Hospital, weighing 2.1 kgs and 46.5cm long.

Libbee Hanrahan Congratulations to Junior College teacher, Libbee Hanrahan, on the birth of her son Xavier Hanrahan at 7.45am on 20 October 2017 weighting 2.7kg and 51cm long.

Lindy Culverwell Congratulations to Senior College teacher Lindy Culverwell whose ‘little bundle of joy dropped in earlier than expected’ at 9.09am on 19 April 2018. Pippa Madison Culverwell was born 3.17kg and 49 cm long.

Bek Adams Congratulations to Year 1 Teacher Bek Adams and partner Lee Bailie who were joined by many of their family and friends to celebrate their wedding at Sirromet Winery, Mount Cotton, on Saturday 7 April 2018. Their gorgeous flower girl was Lee’s daughter Poppy.

Vanessa Chapman Congratulations to proud mum Vanessa Chapman in College Performing Arts department, on the marriage of her son Brad to Danni on Sunday 23 September 2018.

The ceremony and reception were held at the Abbey Cobaki, Tweed Heads.

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COLLEGE SPORT

Super soccer success for Open A boys team The success just keeps on rolling in for the Saint Stephen’s College Open A boys football team, under Coach Sam Cleary.

Mr Cleary said the team’s most recent win at the 2018 regional futsal competion capped off two brilliant years that included back to back APS premierships.

“We took a team of 10 students to the regional futsal competition for only the second time. The standard at this level is very high, with teams coming from as far north as Brisbane, and even a team from Toowoomba Grammar School,” said Mr Cleary.

“The games went from 3:45pm all the way until 8:30pm, and our boys went through undefeated! We beat the Toowoomba GPS side in the semi-final, and then faced Albany Creek in the grand final. We drew in regular time, only for Zayne Ivanyi (Year 10) to bury the ball into the bottom corner after a counter attack in golden goal extra time.

“This caps an amazing two years for these boys, having gone undefeated in APS Football since 2016, winning back-to-back premierships.

“I am blown away by the commitment, talent, and most of all, the grit and determination these boys possess. They are building an impressive culture of football that is spreading throughout the College.”

Football Open A Boys: Aidan Pigott (c), Dalton Riley, Blake Matheson, Wiehan Janse van Rensburg, Ryu Takizawa, Hayden Craft, Zayne Ivanyi, Joshua Koloski, Tom Ruthmann, Julio Da Silva.

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State team Head Coach selection C

ollege Director of Sport, Rod Seib, ticked off the pinnacle of coaching in 2018 when he was selected as Head Coach of the QLD Schoolboys Rugby Union.

“The QLD Schoolboys was a really positive experience, as it gave me the opportunity to work with the best rugby talent in the State. It is a pleasure to coach the team, as the boys are highly motivated and possess an excellent work ethic,” said Mr Seib.

The Australian School Championships took place at Saint Ignatius College Riverview in Sydney from 8 to 14 July.

“It is always great to watch the players at this tournament and pick out the future rugby union and rugby league stars.

Talent scouts and selectors from Rugby Australia and many National Rugby League teams are present to identify the boys who will develop into the next generation of professional players,” he said.

College Head of Rugby, Mick Skehan, said Mr Seib’s selection was ‘the pinnacle of coaching’.

“This is such a great honour as he would have been approached by the Australian Rugby. For Saint Stephen’s College

it’s also a massive positive,” said Mr Skehan.

Mr Seib has always been involved in rugby, graduating from Brisbane in 1992 and moving to Scotland where in 2001 he was signed up to the Aberdeen side, which he captained from 2002 to 2006.

He was also included in the Sevens Squad and called up to the Glasgow back up squad.

He was named Player's player of the year for the BT Premiership in 2003-04.

While in Aberdeen he taught at Bridge of Don Academy.

Mr Seib commenced coaching the Sunnybank Premier Rugby team from 2011. In 2014, he became the Assistant Coach with Brisbane City before being promoted to Head Coach in 2016.

COLLEGE SPORT

2008 BARBARIANS 1 �����������������������������Nicholas Coles 2 ��������������������������������Robbie Daly 3 �������������������������Thomas Fletcher 4 ����������������������������������� Sam Judd 5 ��������������������������Duncan McNicol 6 ���������������������Matthew Anderson 7 ������������������������Scott McLaughlin 8 ������������������������������Jason Mackie 9 ���������������������������������Craig Curtis 10 ������������������������������Cole Neuper 11 ���������������������Craig Wordsworth 12 �������������������������� Matthew Blair 13 ������������������������������� Zach Curtis 14 ����������������������� Hayden Collinge 15 ������������������������������ Conor Ward

Rugby bucket list moments for our Scott and Matthew

D

uring our life, and in particular during our childhood, we develop a set of dreams: a ‘bucket list’.

As we get older and our situation changes, our life goes off on tangents and we sometimes lose those childhood dreams.

It is the lucky few who get the chance to revisit and get a second chance at them. I would like to share the dreams of two of our Old Scholars – Scott McLaughlin (former student) and Old Scholar Matthew Blair - and their ‘rugby bucket list’.

Some would say that Scott McLaughlin is living his bucket list daily. Who could argue. He is one of our leading V8 Supercar drivers and travels around the world to race and watch sport with his sponsor Penske Sports.

He recently became engaged and was voted the most popular driver on the circuit. Life is good for Scott.

But, what many people don’t know is that Scott was a very good rugby player. I mean very good. Rugby and

Mick Skehan HEAD OF RUGBY motor sports were his passion, but there comes a time that you must choose and V8’s won. I think it was an excellent decision, but there is always that little voice in the back of your head. So, when the leading V8 drivers were asked to do a promotion at Eden Park, home of All Blacks Rugby, for the New Zealand leg of the series, that little voice came back.

The other drivers who went would not have realised that this was a ‘bucket list’ moment for Scott. When he lined up a kick and it sailed through the posts, you could see that little kid again in his rugby kit. It is a pity we grow old.

Matthew Blair has taken a different but no less exciting

journey. Completing Year 12 at Saint Stephen’s 2010, Matthew took the study road to success.

But he never lost his passion for the game. Stints in Brisbane while attending University, Matthew discovered the age-old issue of combining work, family and play. Life gets in the way. He resumed playing on the Gold Coast representing the Coast at State Championships, twice being selected for QLD Country and leading his Colleges side with distinction and honour.

But when the opportunity

arose to work overseas, the ‘bucket list’ affect took control.

Disappointed at missing the remainder of the season and letting his team-mates down, the decision to accept the position was straightforward; but never easy. Hard work and dedication have ensured his success. But knowing Matthew, by now he has found a local side and once again is in the thick of it. “Once a Rugby man, always a Rugby man!”

College Barbarians celebrate 10 years 2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the 2008 Saint Stephen’s College Rugby Barbarians. This team is selected based upon the qualities of leadership, skill, sportsmanship and adherence to the fine traditions of the game. To be selected, the player is deemed to be the best player in that position across the entire Senior College; considering his age, experience and playing ability. The team has been named since 2002 and is announced each year at the Rugby Presentation Night.

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COLLEGE SPORT

Sisters poised for national selection

T

he sports stats of Saint Stephen’s College sisters Casey and Dayle Dolkens point to them playing for the Australian Hockeyroos in the not too distant future.

Casey (Year 12 in 2018) and Dayle (Year 11) have already been selected to the Hockey Australia Futures Squad, and Casey was recently selected to the National Junior Women’s Squad, where selection is based on identifying athletes U23 capable of progressing to the National Senior Program as future Hockeyroos.

College Director of Sport, Rod Seib says the sisters have the dedicated and hardworking ethic to sport required to perform at an elite level.

“The athletic abilities and competitive spirit they possess have enabled them to be selected for many representative teams. Casey and Dayle have been fantastic ambassadors for Saint Stephen’s College and we wish them all the best as they strive to achieve future goals,” he said. ●● Long term goals for both students: Australian Women’s Hockeyroos, 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2024 Olympic Games ●● Casey’s short term goals: 2019 Queensland Women’s (Scorchers), 2020 Australian U21 Women’s and 2020 Junior World Cup. ●● Dayle’s short term goals are: 2019 Queensland U21 Women’s, 2020 Queensland Women’s (Scorchers), 2020 Australian U21 Women’s and 2020 Junior World Cup.

CASEY Selections Hockey Australia Futures Squad Hockey Australia U18 Youth Olympic Games Trials Queensland U21 Women’s Queensland U18 Women’s .......... Vice Captain Queensland U18 Women’s Indoor Queensland Schools U19 Girls South Coast Sharks Women’s (Super League) South Coast Schools U19 Rep............. Captain Commercial Div 1 Ladies Roosters Div 1 Ladies Achievements Australian National U21 Women’s Championships......................................... Silver Medal Australian National U18 Women’s Indoor Championships.......................... Silver Medal Australian National U18 Women’s Championships....................................... Bronze Medal Queensland Schools U19 Girls State Championships...... Gold Medal (first time in 33 Years) Queensland Women’s Super League Championships............... Gold Medal (first time ever)

DAYLE Selections Hockey Australia Futures Squad Queensland U18 Women’s Queensland U18 Women’s Indoor Queensland Schools U19 Girls South Coast Sharks Women’s (Super League) Gold Coast U18 Rep.................... Vice Captain South Coast Schools U19 Rep Commercial Div 1 Ladies Roosters Div 1 Ladies Achievements Australian National U18 Women’s Indoor Championships.......................... Silver Medal Australian National U18 Women’s Championships....................................... Bronze Medal Queensland Schools U19 Girls State Championships..........Gold Medal (first time in 33 Years) Queensland Women’s Super League Championships...................Gold Medal (first time ever)

Issy sets sights on PGA after Aussie team selection

C

ongratulations to Year 12 student Isabelle Taylor on the 2018 Queensland Girls Amateur Golf Championship win and selection in the Australian team to compete at the 2018 Annika Invitational at Royal Pines.

According to mum, Julie Spinks: “All things going to plan Issy will sign her college scholarship offer with Oregon State University on November 14.”

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PGA have signed Izzy for an internship which she will do in her holidays from uni. They are confident she will go pro. “…we are very, very thankful for your support of Issy these past 12-plus years! Issy is always so proud to say she’s a Saint Stephen’s student.”

Issy practises six days per week and admits it’s not easy, but ‘definitely worth it’ to become a professional golfer.

FEATURE STORY 10-YEAR REUNION The Class of 2007 clocked up its 10-year graduation anniversary at the end of 2017. We acknowledge you, your friendships and achievements. We hope these names, photographs and milestones bring back heartfelt memories of your time at Saint Stephen’s College and reignite bonds of years gone by.

Stay in touch via the Saint Stephen's College Old Scholars Association Facebook page CLASS OF 2007 College Captains......Sarah Wordsworth, Dylan Powter Vice Captains.........Brogan Elliot, Andrew Lyon Dux..................................................Lara Ong Class of 2007 graduates Brittany Allchin, Nathan Anderson, David Angeloski, Jenna Arthurs, Dayne Barnard, Bianca Bennelli, Joel Bladen, Michael Blair, Mathew Calcutt, Liam Carr, Sarah Champness, Lindsay Chang, Ben Chatwin, Tasnova Chowdhury, Ashley Chynoweth, Robert Ciesluk, Cassandra Corbett, Ithaka Cordia, Mitchell Corry, Stephanie Dickson, Lara Dillon, Tamara Dorrington, Olivia Drake, Jamie-Lee Dwyer, Brogan Elliot, Brandon Els, Christian Espino, Tahnaya Giribaldi, Angela Goh, Christopher Golden, Brittney Grose, Deborah Hampson, Olivia Hardy, Ben Hartono, Andrew Hayes, Kelsey Head, Jason Hickey, James Hill, Jai Hoff, James Hollis, James Hortz, Talia Inches, Harriet Jung, So-Jin Kang, Edmond Khan, Anita Knight, Caitlin Lacy, Jess Leavey, Timothy Leverrier, Michelle Lines, Andrew Lyon, Andee Maher, Josh Martin, Melissa Mayers, Julien McClendon, Leif McManimm, Richelle McNae, Emilie Meehl, Trent Moody, Caragh Nelson, Bergen Neuper, Paige Newham, Luke Nott, Jessie Nowland, Cole Odendaal, Daniel Ogden, Lara Ong, William Pavey, Shannon Ponting, Dylan Powter, Pierce Pozingis, Reece Pozingis, Megan Pyke, Tim Ramsay, Dustin Rex, Natalie Sim, David Son, Jessica Stocks, Shoko Takuma, Jamie Turner, Adam Tyrus, Skye Vadas, Stephanie Voulcaris, Victoria Welch, James Wengrow, David Wilkie, Arna Williamson, Sarah Wordsworth, Sogol Zarsav, Ivanka Zeko.

HIGHLIGHTS IN 2007 vConstruction of the Connections building vTheatralis- Bloom v Open Teams Sports Tour

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Dr Joseph E Bleakley BDSc (Qld), MDSc (Ortho) (Syd), FRACDS, MRACDS (Ortho) Dr Scott McNab BDSc (Hons), MDSc (Ortho), DClinDent (Dento-maxillofacial Radiology) OPTIMA | SAINT STEPHEN’S Dr36Nida Khan BDSc COLLEGE (Hons) (Qld), DClinDent (Ortho) (Adel)