Pembroke News Spring 2024

9)

Welcome to the spring edition of Pembroke News for 2024. The 50th year of Pembroke School has flown, and as usual, the making of this edition has been a whirlwind. In a way, this edition has been in the works for years:

• Evelyn King (Yr 11) is the recipient of the Best Youth Advocate (SA) Award from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and shares her experience growing up with type 1 diabetes since age six (page 14).

• Four cherished members of our community were recently presented with Life Membership of Pembroke School in recognition of their many years of service (page 10).

• Old scholar Sally Pfitzner’s (1992) Pembroke journey has come full circle as she reflects on becoming an artist, her role as one of our ArtistsIn-Residence, and both her children completing Art in Year 12 at Pembroke (page 40).

What better theme to tie these stories together than Our Hearts and Minds, one of the four pillars of the Strategic Plan 2030.

Pembroke is truly a place of strong hearts and minds. Woven throughout the pages of this edition, we see that our students and old scholars stand up for what they believe in, learn and grow through innovation, and explore the world around us to better make sense of it. From our youngest learners in the ELC planting vegetables and learning about sustainability, to old scholar Tom Northcott (2007) being named a 40 Under 40 Sustainable Leader for 2024, our hearts and minds are evident throughout our community.

Our intrepid students have been learning in all corners of the globe this year. Oscar Zhou (Yr 7) and Jayden Yue (Yr 9) were selected to represent Australia at the inaugural International Olympiad for Artificial Intelligence. Oscar and Jayden travelled to Bulgaria where they competed against 34 other countries. They share their story on pages 20-21.

The first Campbell Whalley Geographical Expedition departed in July, with students visiting Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, exploring the unique geographical features of both regions, and immersing themselves in local cultures. Their journey along with several student reflections and a stunning photographic gallery are shared on pages 22-25.

Also abroad in July, the UK Cricket Tour visited world-famous grounds, competed against some of the strongest cricketing schools going around, and travelled throughout the UK, building friendships and forging connections with students all the way from Edinburgh to London (page 28).

If you were lucky enough to catch a performance of The Addams Family , the 2024 edition of Pembroke’s biennial Middle School Musical, you will undoubtedly agree that our students are talented, courageous and hardworking. Flick to pages 26-27 to read about the production from the perspective of Jack Grosser (Yr 10) whose brilliant portrayal of Gomez Addams had the audience captivated.

Throughout this edition, whether it’s on the stage, overseas or in the classroom, our community continues to be powered by hearts and minds. I hope you enjoy perusing this edition of Pembroke News as much as I have enjoyed compiling it. Happy reading.

Gabbi Agnew Publications Manager

From Our Principal

The Spiritof Pembroke and Those WhoCame Before Us

It has certainly been an eventful and momentous chapter for Pembroke School, complete with highs and lows, successes and challenges, and, of course, learning and caring – the two greatest elements behind why we are all here. During this period, the spirit of Pembroke has shone ever bright. I am constantly humbled by and grateful for the grace, kindness and solidarity of this wonderful community.

In August, we held the most sparkling event of our anniversary calendar – our 50 Years of Pembroke All That Glitters Black Tie Dinner, proudly hosted by Pembroke School, the Parents’ and Friends’ Association and Pembroke Old Scholars Association. I was awed to sit among more than 400 people

from all walks of life who came together to reflect, connect and celebrate their part in the story of Pembroke and the part Pembroke has played in the story of their lives. In my speech, I spoke of how it takes a village to raise a child, and how very fortunate we are to have had three villages – Girton, King’s and Pembroke – in not only collectively raising countless children but also empowering them to find their place in the world. I will never grow weary of hearing a past or current staff member or parent, an old scholar from any vintage or any other great friend of our community talk about their connection to the School and the impact that it has and will continue to have on their life’s journey. And such was the dinner, a night spent not only enjoying the terrific atmosphere, hospitality and entertainment, but most importantly spent in the company of others who will forever be part of this story. These are the ties that bind, and they are a reminder that the gift of a Pembroke education also includes the gift of a global network that lasts a lifetime.

→ Mark Staker at the King’s Week Luncheon

Another spirited highlight was quite literally a week to remember, and the week itself is one we will not forget anytime soon.

King’s Centenary Week in early September gathered together scores of old scholars from Pembroke’s cofounding school King’s College which was established 100 years ago. The week featured a variety of events including a dedicated Chapel Service, Back to School Assembly and the King’s Luncheon which was a true triumph and included the release of a splendid King’s 100th Anniversary commemorative publication. I extend sincere gratitude to the many King’s old collegians who helped make the week such a success and the Pembroke Old Scholars Association for its incredible support. One of my personal highlights was talking to our current students about the remarkable legacy that our King’s graduates have handed down for them to continue. It is a legacy of fellowship, camaraderie, kindness, service, resilience, perseverance and excellence – in essence, it is enshrined in Pembroke’s motto of strength and unity in that we as a diverse community with a rich history are indeed stronger together.

The strength of kinship was also palpable at the launch of our reimagined John Moody Centre at the beginning of Term 3.

This project has opened the doors to the new John Moody Dining Room for boarders and other guests, the King’s Café for Middle School students and staff, and Yellow Submarine Too – a social enterprise café open to the public.

The redevelopment is community-centred on so many levels, including the role it plays in bringing us together (particularly in the sharing of a meal, a ritual that naturally assembles friends and family) and also through its origins. The philanthropic support of the Parents’ and Friends’ Association and other generous community members was instrumental in realising this dream. It is the latest milestone in our ongoing commitment to campus renewal, and we now focus our attention on new Junior School playground and shelter facilities, bespoke classroom upgrades and reopening a revamped Turner House to provide additional space and capacity for boarders. Other plans include a Food Technology Centre in Middle School and new Science and STEM laboratories in Senior School. Of course, these and other projects are heavily influenced by the spirit of kindness across our community and we dearly thank all of you for your ongoing support.

Mark Staker Principal

→ Memorabilia at the King’s Week Luncheon

Mark Staker, Chris Zielinski and Jessica London dressed up for Book Week

Mark Staker, Wilderness Principal Belinda Arnfield and Walford Principal Dr Deborah Netolicky at the IGSSA Breakfast Awards, held in DY Hall

Amanda Price-McGregor (1990), Jo Bills (1972), Mark Staker and Paul Cudmore at the Pembroke Volunteers Event

Mark Staker speaking in the Shipsters Building Atrium at the IB Diploma Evening

Mark Staker officially opening the new John Moody Centre facilities

Mark Staker and Eleanor Walters at the Pembroke Volunteers Event

Student Achievements

Evelyn King (Yr 11) was awarded South Australian Advocate of the Year (Youth) by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for her ongoing efforts in fundraising and building awareness for Type 1 Diabetes, which she has lived with since age six. You can read more of Evie’s story on pages 14-17.

Liam Ng (Yr 3) won first prize in the recent South Australian English Teachers Association Young Writers Award. His award was for the Year 2/3 Prose category.

Oscar Zhou (Yr 6) and Jayden Yue (Yr 9) were both selected for the Australian team at the inaugural International Olympiad for Artificial Intelligence. They travelled to Bulgaria in August to compete. Read more about their journey on pages 20-21.

Pranav Tibrewal (Yr 4) was a prize winner for the 2024 Oliphant Science Awards in the Years 3-4 Photography category. His entry was about the formation of limestone caves and featured photographs of various cave formations. He also won the South Australian Museum Sponsor’s Prize for Best Photography in his category.

Eight students from Year 7 represented both Pembroke and South Australia at the national da Vinci Decathlon at Knox College in Sydney. Hugh Bourke , Jonathan Chan , Carson Cheung , Monty McCann , Robert Wang , Oscar Zhou , Freya Stinchcombe , and Rhea Ma were each invited to attend after their success at the state competition in June. Freya and Rhea stepped into the positions vacated by Lily Elhalawani and Evie Dang , who were not able to attend the national competition but took part in the state competition. The team placed first in the Mathematics discipline and second in the Art and Poetry discipline.

Lucy Li (Yr 9) was selected to represent South Australia in the Under 17 team at the Australian Badminton Nationals.

Nysa Satani (Yr 2) had great success in two separate cheer competitions earlier this year, with her team placing first in both the CheerCon Icebreaker Competition and the Aussie Gold South Australia State Championships.

Tyler Cunniff (Yr 8) won the Under 15 State Time Trial Championship in road cycling, becoming state champion and bringing home a gold medal.

Kate Thomson (Yr 10) competed in the Oceania International Figure Skating Competition in the Junior Women’s Division, and also the Western Australian Figure Skating Club’s Junior Women Short Program category.

For the second year in a row, India Rasheed (Yr 12) has been selected in the Under 18 All Australian Football Team after an excellent National Championship campaign.

Alston Ma (Yr 5) represented Pembroke in the 2024 SAPSASA 12 and Under School Golf State Final. He placed second for the Boys Metro Championship, and also finished fourth overall out of 135 players. He has been selected to represent South Australia in the Under 12 Golf team for the School Sport Australia National Championships.

Also selected to represent South Australia in the Under 12 Golf team is Lucas Huang (Yr 5). Both Lucas and Alston will compete in Kiama, New South Wales from 10 – 14 November.

Monty McCann

Year 7

Rhea Ma

Year 7

Evelyn King

Year 11

Lucy Li

Year 9

Evie Dang

Year 7

Lily Elhalawani

Year 7

Tyler Cunniff

Year 8

Hugh Bourke

Year 7

Jonathan Chan

Year 7

Carson Cheung

Year 7

Liam Ng

Year 3

Oscar Zhou

Year 6

Jayden Yue

Year 9

Pranav Tibrewal

Year 4

Robert Wang

Year 7

Freya Stinchcombe

Year 7

Nysa Satani

Year 2

Kate Thomson

Year 10

Lily Bungay (Yr 12), Charlotte Guglielmucci (Yr 10), and Emily Taylor (Yr 8) competed at the Gymnastics State Championship. Charlotte placed second overall in the Level 6 Open category with a gold medal on floor, bronze on vault, bronze on uneven bars and fifth place on beam. Lily represented South Australia in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (Level 7) at the 2024 Border Challenge.

Pembroke students have been playing exceptionally well on the Hockey field, with many students selected to represent South Australia. Lucy Chappell (Yr 10) and her brother Charlie Chappell (Yr 10) were captains of the South Australian Girls and Boys teams respectively. Eliza Pannell (Yr 11) was selected for the Under 18 Girls State team, and Harrison De Garis (Yr 9) for the Under 18 Boys (reserve). Lucy Chappell and Lara Creighton (Yr 9) were selected for the Under 15 State School Girls team, while Oliver Bentley (Yr 9), Thomas Chan (Yr 10), Charlie Chappell and Harrison De Garis were selected for the Under 15 State School Boys team. Isabelle Rogers (Yr 7) was selected to Co-Captain the State Schools Under 12 Girls Hockey team that participated in the National Schools Under 12 Tournament. In addition, Harrison De Garis and Lucy Chappell were announced in the All-Australian Hockey Team.

Pembroke fielded seven teams in the School Sport SA Mountain Bike Teams Championships. Several of these teams achieved excellent placings in their categories, with Joe McGee (Yr 11), Felix Hopprich , and Harry McGregor (both Yr 12) claiming first place for the Years 11 and 12 Boys category, Mabel Braddy and Aiden Domiszewski (both Yr 11) also achieving first place in the Years 11 and 12 Mixed category, and Danby Erskine (Yr 8), William Baker and Banjo Parkinson (both Yr 7) placing sixth in the Years 7 and 8 Boys category. Particular congratulations go to Felix Hopprich and Harry McGregor who are back-to-back winners of the gold medal in their category.

Pembroke once again had wonderful representation at the Adelaide Eisteddfod, with many students achieving first places, Honourable Mentions and special awards.

Matthew Zhang (Yr 4) achieved second place in the Grade 4 String Instrument Solo category and received an Honourable Mention in the 9 years Own Choice Piano Solo.

Ruby Lee (Yr 9) achieved second place in the 14 years and over String section and received Honourable Mentions in 25 years and under String Solo, and the 25 years and under Nonaccompanied String Solo. Ruby was awarded the Grace Barbara Turner Award for Excellence in the Performance of Strings. Additionally, Ruby has been accepted into the Australian Youth Orchestra as a Young Symphonist Orchestra.

Angelina Zhou (Yr 5) won the Under 12 Vocal Competition.

Mia Huang (Yr 8) placed first in the Years 11-16 Solo Piano Recital, second in both the Own Choice Two Contrasting Pieces Piano Solo and the Own Choice Modern Piece Piano Solo for 14 years and under, and received an Honourable Mention in the 15 years and under Baroque Era Piano Solo. Mia received the Audrey Lees Prize for Excellence in Piano Performance.

Harrison De Garis — Year 11

Oliver Bentley — Year 9

Lara Creighton — Year 9

Alston Ma — Year 5

Lucas Huang — Year 5

India Rasheed — Year 12

Charlotte Guglielmucci — Year 10

Lily Bungay — Year 12

Emily Taylor — Year 8

Charlie Chappell — Year 10

Lucy Chappell — Year 10

Eliza Pannell — Year 11

Felix Hopprich — Year 12

Thomas Chan — Year 10 Isabelle Rogers — Year 7

Mabel Braddy — Year 11

Harry McGregor — Year 12

Joe McGee — Year 11

Student Achievements

Claire Li (Yr 8) won the Certificate of Performance Piano Solo and was awarded first place in the Grade 6 Flute Solo.

Claire, along with Johnny Li (Yr 7), placed third in the Piano Duet/Six Hands. Johnny also achieved first place for the Grade 7 or above Drum Kit Solo or Performance.

Liam Kang (Yr 7) won the 13 years and under Woodwind Solo on the Alto Saxophone.

Amy Song (Yr 11) placed first in the 16 years and over Baroque Piano, and second in Open Age Complete Sonata and Open Age Two Contrasting Pieces. A musician of many talents, Amy also performed on the flute and placed first in the Open Age Piccolo, and achieved second place in the Open Age Own Choice and the Open Age Unaccompanied Solo. She also won the Miriam Hyde Prize for the Most Promising Pianist Under 16.

Younger sister Amelia Song (Yr 2) passed many auditions and has been selected to sing in the St Peter’s Cathedral Choir.

Elizabeth Yu (Yr 8) performed at the AMEB SA & NT 2024 Showcase Concert on Sunday 28 July at Elder Hall, University of Adelaide. In order to perform, she was nominated by her examiner as a student who has demonstrated an ability to display an engaging, polished and commanding performance of one of their exam pieces, and was subsequently selected by the Program Director.

In the pool, Cayden Zhou (Yr 7) placed second in the Boys 9-12 Years 4x50 Medley Relay, and third in the Boys 9-12 Years 4x50 Freestyle Relay with his teammates in the 2024 South Australian State Short Course Championship.

Pembroke’s strong Robotics students have had further success this year, with Team Koalafied competing at the Melbourne Robotics Tournament in July. The team included Lachlan Kemp (Yr 12), Pauline Oehler (Yr 10), Will Dunn (Yr 10), Daniel Wen (Yr 9), Howard Liu (Yr 9), Brandon Ng (Yr 9), Alan Xie (Yr 8) and Marina Bai (Yr 8). Jacob Miller (Yr 10) and Hayden Kong (Yr 8) were unable to attend the competitions but assisted the team greatly, while old scholars Declan Briggs (2020), Nicholas Betts (1987), Byron Betts (2020) and Ethan Nicholls (2020) kindly volunteered to support the team. The team won many matches against strong competitors and ended up placing second in the competition after two very exciting grand final matches. This is the third year that Team Koalafied has competed at this tournament, following first place successes in 2022 and 2023.

Ivy Zhang (Yr 7) was selected for the South Australian State Table Tennis team. She attended the 2024 National Senior, Youth, Junior & Para Championships, where the team won first place in the Under 13 Girls A division.

Ella Timmis (Yr 11) was selected for the Under 18 South Australian State Touch team and competed at the Touch National Youth Championships in September. The team won one game before the competition had to be shortened due to poor weather.

Amelia Song

Year 2

Cayden Zhou

Year 7

Elizabeth Yu

Year 8

Amy Song

Year 11

Johnny Li

Year 7

Liam Kang

Year 7

Mia Huang

Year 8

Claire Li

Year 8

Angelina Zhou

Year 5

Danby Erskine

Year 8

Aiden Domiszewski

Year 11

William Baker

Year 7

Banjo Parkinson

Year 7

Matthew Zhang

Year 4

Ruby Lee

Year 9

Lachlan Kemp

Year 12

Will Dunn

Year 10

Pauline Oehler

Year 10

Younger sister Darcey Timmis (Yr 10) was also selected for the South Australian State Touch team for the same Youth Championships, in the Under 16 team, and was elected Captain of the team. While they didn’t win any matches before the weather cancellation they managed to score against some of the strongest teams in the country.

Darcey was also named the Most Valuable Player for South Australia and received the Coaches Award for the team.

Our volleyballers have had a brilliant season with many selected to represent South Australia at various competitions. For the School Sport Australia Volleyball Championship, Emily Vuong (Yr 10) was selected to Captain the Under 15 Girls team, Hannah Tanti and Pippin McCleave (both Yr 9) were selected for the Under 16 Girls team, and Ella Tanti (Yr 12) for the Under 18 Girls team.

For the Australian Youth Volleyball Championships, Cheyenne Liu (Yr 11 ) and Mia Chapman (Yr 10) were selected to represent South Australia in the Under 17 Girls Volleyball team, while Zenya Zarcinas (Yr 11) and Ella Tanti were selected for the Under 18 Girls Volleyball team, and Pippin McCleave , Hannah Tanti and Emily Vuong were selected for the Under 16 Girls South Australian Volleyball team.

In the water, sisters Holly (Yr 6) and Ruby Knights (Yr 8) competed in the State Under 13 Water Polo Tournament, where they played against other state teams in eight games ending with three wins, against Tasmania and two Victorian teams.

At the Royal Adelaide Show, Chloe Lin (Yr 4) won the merit for Junior Art, Craft & Design under the theme ‘Create from a dream’.

Hannah Tanti — Year 9

Emily Vuong

Year 10

Pippin McCleave

9

Ella Tanti

Year 12

Cheyenne Liu

Year 11

Mia Chapman

Year 10

Zenya Zarcinas

Year 11

Ruby Knights

Year 8 Holly Knights

Year 6

Ella Timmis — Year 11

Darcey Timmis — Year 10

Ivy Zhang — Year 7

Daniel Wen — Year 9

Howard Liu — Year 9 Brandon Ng — Year 9

Chloe Lin

Year 4

Hayden Kong — Year 8

Marina Bai — Year 8

Alan Xie — Year 8

Jacob Miller — Year 10

Congratulations to Our Newest Life Members

At the Mid-Year Board Dinner in June, four cherished members of our wonderful community were formally presented with Life Membership of Pembroke School in recognition of their outstanding service.

Ms Amanda H Bourchier

Amanda is a Girton and Pembroke School old scholar attending both schools between 1973 and 1979. She is a current staff member, having commenced in 1990 in Turner House Boarding, before progressing to Foundation Director in 2000 and then becoming the current Director of Community Engagement and Indigenous Education in 2019. Amanda has supported The Arts at Pembroke, particularly with helping to establish the annual Unreel Film Festival and exhibitions by Indigenous artists. She has developed and continues to support the Indigenous Education Program at Pembroke with cultural exchanges, language programs and the annual Indigenous Sports Round. She is a valued member of the wider School community with strong connections to many generations of old scholars, particularly past boarding and Indigenous students, along with parents and major donors.

Mrs Jane L M Miller

Jane is a Pembroke old scholar, having attended the School from 1991 to 1995, and is the parent of three current Pembroke students. Jane commenced on the School Board in 2015 as a Pembroke Old Scholars Association nominee and was elected Chair in 2018, a position she held until 2023. She served on the Governance Committee from 2015 to 2023 and in an ex officio position on the Old Scholars Committee. During her time as Chair, Jane oversaw the completion and opening of the Shipsters Road Building and led the Board during COVID-19 as well as the successful transition of Principal. Jane also widely supports the work of the School Foundation.

Prof Warwick T Sarre

Warwick (Rick) is a King’s old scholar (1972) and past parent of two Pembroke students. As a student, Rick was actively involved in student publications (The Clarion) , Scouts and drama productions, and has maintained connections as an old scholar and parent. Rick has been a member of the School Council Finance Committee from 2012 to 2013, the School Council Education Committee from 2013 to 2014 and the Pembroke Old Scholars Association Committee from 2021 to 2023. Rick is an active King’s old scholar and is integral to King’s old scholar reunions and events, as well as co-hosting and organising the annual King’s Luncheon. Rick volunteers in support of School fundraising initiatives, participates in the Old Scholars vs Students debates, gives classes in the International Baccalaureate programme, has coached the Legal Studies Mock Trial team and has donated memorabilia to the School Archives.

→ Warwick (Rick) Sarre (1972), Amanda Bourchier (1979), Jane Miller (1995) and Luke Thomson

Mr Luke A Thomson

Luke served as School Principal of Pembroke School from 2010 to 2022. Among the many initiatives undertaken while Principal are the realisation of the Shipsters Road Building from land acquisition in 2015 to the opening in 2019, the elevation of the School Aims and the mentoring of student leaders to develop the Student Charters. Luke also guided the School though the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside of his role at Pembroke, Luke was a member and Chair of the IB Heads Council from 2016 to 2018, Chair of the Association of Independent Schools of SA from 2006 to 2010 and member of the Board of the Independent Schools Council of Australia from 2007 to 2010. Luke received the Alby Jones’ Gold Medal Award from the Australian Council of Educational Leaders in 2022.

These latest inductees take the total number of Life Members to 41, joining a remarkable list of treasured figures in our community’s history. Pembroke School extends the deepest gratitude and the greatest of respect to each of them for their tireless, dedicated and passionate contributions over many years.

Welcome to Our Newest Board Member

It has also been an honour for Pembroke School to warmly welcome a new member to the School Board in Eleanor Walters.

Eleanor is a current Pembroke parent who was elected to the Board in May this year. Having served on the School’s Planning and Properties Committee since 2017, Eleanor now chairs that Committee and is also Treasurer of the Pembroke Drama and Film Forum. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Planning, a Graduate Diploma in Regional and Urban Planning, and is Deputy Chair of the South Australian Heritage Council.

Eleanor is a highly experienced planning professional with more than 30 years of expertise leading a broad range of planning and sustainability projects for local and state governments as well as private practice. She has held the role of Manager, Urban Planning & Sustainability for the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters since 2004 and is the recipient of multiple planning awards.

Pembroke School takes this opportunity to sincerely thank all Board members past and present for their devoted service in ensuring our community continues to flourish for generations to come.

→ Eleanor Walters

Pembroke School Foundation

Purpose and Compassion in Action

We are delighted to welcome our new Pembroke Foundation Chair, Ali Michell (1998) and Director of Development and Philanthropy, Vincent Ciccarello. Ali has been a member of the School Board since 2016, is the parent of two Junior School students and is an old scholar of Pembroke. Vincent is a parent of a past Pembroke student, is the former Managing Director of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and joined us in 2024 having recently served on the School’s Foundation Board.

We are thrilled to share their heartfelt vision for the Pembroke Foundation as we look to the next 50 years of Pembroke. Ali, what is the Pembroke Foundation?

The Foundation is like a supportive friend for the School, helping it to grow and thrive. As the School’s philanthropic arm, it raises funds for our current programs – such as prizes, awards and scholarships, right through to creating innovative new facilities. More than ever, as an independent school, we must look beyond school fees and government grants for the broader advancement of our School and that’s where the generosity of our community can help us to realise our dreams. It’s our job, as a Foundation, to responsibly and diligently build funds to invest back into our School to ensure its bright and bold future – not only for our current students, but the many more generations to come. The Foundation Board consists of a diverse and skilled group of volunteers including past and current parents as well as old scholars, who all share a vision for the ongoing success of our School and giving back to our wonderful community.

What inspired you to join the Foundation and what excites you about the role?

I have always been passionate about all things Pembroke. My grandfather was a foundation scholar of one of our founding schools (King’s College) and I’ve served on the School Board for several years, so I was honoured to be invited to join the Foundation. I am a big believer in the saying ‘it takes a village’ and I have much thanks to give for being a part of this one. To me, it feels that there is enormous potential within our community to make a truly significant impact for our School, now and well into its future. I wholeheartedly believe that by engaging hearts and minds with this mission, we can achieve great things. Just look to some of our most recent standout achievements such as the Shipsters Road Building and the brand-new John Moody Dining Room and King’s Café. I am extremely motivated to lead our Foundation to deliver some incredible accomplishments for our School and look forward to achieving this together with others.

Vince, what are your thoughts on the culture of giving?

The act of giving is deeply satisfying. It can bring a sense of happiness and gratification. We also know that hope drives giving. When we connect with a cause that motivates us, it can be exciting if we know we can help. This is my hope. That by giving our community choice, and opportunities that inspire, our natural desire to make a difference can be fulfilled. By giving from the heart, our community can invest in areas they truly believe in. Giving from the heart can also be powerful motivation for others. If we can work hard to make those connections and show the incredible impact of what can be delivered, we can certainly drive effective outcomes.

→ Director of Development and Philanthropy, Vincent Ciccarello and Pembroke Foundation Chair, Ali Michell

What are your plans at Pembroke?

We have bold and ambitious plans. Ultimately, we want to significantly grow the culture of giving here at Pembroke – to create a community of givers, sharing encounters and honouring acts of kindness. We want to be a school that is known for giving back and advancing good public spirit through shared values of empathy, respect and service. Giving can be both contagious and motivating and our goal is to be part of inspiring a groundswell of support for impact.

Specifically, there are a number of identified projects that we will work to fundraise for – from our ongoing needs-based scholarships, brand new Science and STEM laboratories for the Senior School, new Junior School playgrounds and an outdoor covered learning area, upgrades to Turner House for Boarding and major capital works including future plans for a development on Haslam Oval. We will also look to enhance fundraising for our Indigenous Education Program, relaunch both our bequest program and Cultural Trust Fund, and continue to encourage support for the Building, Scholarships and Endowment Funds.

Meeting the needs of our current, future and even former students is ultimately why we exist – to provide the best conditions possible for their learning and experiences at Pembroke.

Ali, how can the community support the Pembroke Foundation?

I encourage you to engage with the stories of our School – familiarise yourself with the impact we are making and to consider how support could look for you. It could be the gift of time, a donation, a gift in kind, a pledge or even a bequest. We welcome all support – big or small – and our door is always open for a conversation. Vince and the team can be reached at development@pembroke.sa.edu.au and more information on the Foundation can be found on the Pembroke website at www.pembroke.sa.edu.au/giving.

Catriona Neil-Dwyer

Philanthropy Manager

→ Shipsters Road Building

→ King’s Café

→ John Moody Dining Room

→ John Moody Dining Room

The Importance of Advocacy

My name is Evelyn King, a current Year 11, and I’ve had type 1 diabetes for 10 years, after being diagnosed with it in Year 1 when I was just six years old. I felt fine but my parents knew it was the diagnosis of an incurable disease needing daily finger-pricks and injections, with the long-term risk of terrible complications. As a six year old, I never particularly enjoyed the injections, but otherwise it just became the new norm and life went on. Now I can’t really remember not having it.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease which stops the pancreas producing a hormone called insulin. Insulin’s job is to transfer glucose from the blood to the cells in order for the cells to get enough energy to live. As a T1 diabetic, I have to rely on exterior help to deliver the glucose to my cells. To do this I need to inject a dose of insulin for every gram of carbohydrate that I eat, so I have to know how many carbohydrates are in each type of food and how much of that food I will have. If I want to snack on chips for example, I have to work out in advance how many chips I’m going to eat. Blood glucose levels (BGLs) are also affected by many other factors, such as stress and exercise, making managing diabetes a constant challenge. Unfortunately, diabetes has many serious side effects –short-term risks of BGLs going very high or very low can be fatal and long-term risks of being too high include kidney failure, amputations and blindness. There are 10,000 people with T1D in South Australia, 130,000 in Australia, many of them children.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is a charity which specifically supports kids with T1D, raises awareness about diabetes and funds research. They have been very helpful to me and my family – putting us in touch with other kids, arranging events and raising money for research.

I have worked closely with JDRF pretty much the whole time I’ve had diabetes, which has meant being a diabetes advocate since around eight years old.

Early on, I helped in fundraising events, walks and sponsorship, gave speeches to the Pembroke Year 5s and made a video to be shown at a conference.

I’ve had the opportunity to talk to many politicians from both major parties including senior government leaders. For example, Mark Butler the Health Minister, Simon Birmingham when he was Minister for Education and local leaders Marielle Smith and James Stevens. They have all been very supportive. In 2018, I went to Parliament House in Canberra as part of ‘Kids in the House,’ where kids with T1D from around Australia met with politicians over two days. This was an amazing experience as it was empowering seeing so many advocates banding together asking for something which would benefit so many people. This led to the government guaranteeing $50 million for research. I have been invited back again this November and I am very excited about it.

→ Evelyn and her father meeting The Honourable Mark Butler MP at JDRF fundraising event

→ Evelyn and her family before the 2023 City to Bay where they ran for JDRF

→ Evelyn and her parents outside Government house for a JDRF event

→ A meeting with Senator Marielle Smith to raise money for diabetes research

The Importance of Advocacy

Over time, my diabetes management changed from injecting every time I needed insulin to using an insulin pump. The pump is attached to my body by a cannula inserted under the skin and administers insulin with just a few clicks of a button. It communicates with a Continuous Glucose Monitor (second cannula under the skin). Together, they make managing my BGL much easier and also reduce the constant stress of managing diabetes. With these, I can basically do everything anyone else can do (with care and planning) as it closely assists and monitors what’s happening in my blood.

Although these new technologies have changed my life, they are expensive. Previously they were only subsidised for those under 21 which meant that people with T1D who couldn’t afford them would lose these life-saving treatments at their 21st birthday and be at higher risk of complications. In 2022, JDRF and many advocates, including me, lobbied for universal access to these technologies for everyone, no matter their age. Just before the 2022 election, both the Liberal and Labor parties agreed to spend $275 million over four years so it is now subsidised for all Australians. I was invited to Sydney for the government announcement where we met the Prime Minister.

Earlier this year, I was awarded the JDRF Best Youth Advocate (SA) for 2024 and was also nominated for the JDRF Best Youth Advocate in Australia Award.

I know how hard diabetes is, having lived with it for most of my life, and I am excited about this award, but what I’m most proud of is that I was able to be a small part of making some big changes.

I hope I will be able to contribute to further improvements in healthcare and make a difference in more people’s lives. I was recently appointed to the SA Government Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health (CEIH) Youth Advisory Group, which aims to improve healthcare for all Australians. I am really looking forward to this new and exciting challenge.

Beyond diabetes, the bigger lesson is that we can all advocate for things we think are important – and if the message is important, then important people will listen. Last year, my dad and I wrote to President Biden asking the United States government to do something about the incredibly high price of insulin in the USA. While Australia was subsidising pumps and sensors, America wasn’t even subsidising its insulin, and many Americans couldn’t afford it. We didn’t get a reply, but last month President Biden announced that they had reduced the cost of insulin by 75%. I don’t know if our letter gave him the idea, I guess I’ll never know.

I believe that if you are passionate about an important issue, you have a right to do something about it as long as you are always respectful. And don’t think no one will listen to you. Write a letter. If they don’t respond, write another. Post on social media, ask some friends, get a petition going. These changes don’t happen easily, but your voice can be heard, and you can make a difference.

Type 1 diabetes has certainly made my life difficult, however I have learnt many valuable things. It has enabled me to have my voice heard and opened me to the world of advocacy, something I probably wouldn’t be a part of if I didn’t have T1D. Finding a cure for T1D is incredibly important to me. I hope that future generations will be free of this disease and its complications because of the work I’m a part of now.

Evelyn King Year 11

→ A group photo with all the kids who went to Kids in the House, with one being interviewed for Channel 9 News

→ Evelyn outside Parliament House during Kids in the House

→ Evelyn meeting Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Sydney when diabetes technology became accessible for diabetics of all ages

→ At Kids in the House in Canberra meeting with The Honourable Christopher Pyne MP

A Sustainable Start for a Hopeful Future: ELC Leading the Way!

Among the hustle and bustle of daily school life, it’s easy to get swept up in the busyness of it all. The rigour of lessons, the excitement of sport, the intensity of performances and the countless activities we all squeeze into each day. Sometimes we need a small (but mighty) reminder of what we are all striving for. And that’s where our mighty little ELC learners come in!

In the Pembroke ELC (Early Learning Centre), joy and curiosity take centre stage and action takes place. As Susie Sadler, Assistant Head of Junior School, so beautifully put it: ‘Play areas are alive with the sounds of laughter and the sights of children engaged in their own wonderings and explorations.’

Through play-based learning, this inquisitive bunch of four year olds are encouraged to ask questions and make discoveries.

One question our ELC students have been asking with great curiosity this year is, ‘What does a better and more peaceful world look like?’ This is a big question, stemming from the IB (International Baccalaureate) mission statement ‘The IB develops inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through education that builds intercultural understanding and respect.’

In the ELC, staff and students alike think kindness to each other, and to the world, is part of the answer. They have frequent discussions about ‘walking softly on the planet’. Supported by their Year 2 buddies, this focus on sustainability has led the ELC students to the Green Bin Project. Their goal: to place a green bin in central locations across the School, starting with the Junior School.

So, where does one start on a mission like this? By visiting the Principal, of course! With a perfectly crafted poster-sized letter asking ‘Dear Mr Staker – can we please have a big green bin to put our organic waste in?’ our pint-sized waste warriors made the trek from the ELC to Bills House in the Middle School. Mr Staker was quick to support the project and followed up with a visit to his office for a discussion on the topic.

The next step was an awareness campaign, educating the first classes to receive the bins (ELC to Year 2) on exactly what can and cannot go in the newly acquired bins. With assistance again from Year 2, posters were created and the slogan ‘If it grows, in it goes’ quickly took hold.

As the ELC students plan their next move – a whole School organic bin program – they continue to broaden their sustainability efforts in a number of ways.

They are dab hands at using their composting bin, and the worm farm is a hit producing beautiful brown fertiliser. The compost and the worm fertiliser keep the ELC veggie and herb patches in peak health, and this circle of organic life creates the perfect environment for observing, exploring and learning.

Their environmentally friendly efforts have not gone unnoticed, with a well-earned nomination for Burnside Council’s annual Environment Awards. This event celebrates local champions making a significant environmental impact and fostering positive change in our community.

So, as we watch with great pride the next steps on this journey for our youngest learners, let’s follow their lead. Stay curious – don’t lose the magic of those early years. The sustainable future we as a school, and far more broadly as the custodians of this planet, are striving for is still within reach, and in safe hands with these little green thumbs!

Amelia Weston Marketing and Communications Coordinator

→ Ollie Molyneux with a carrot picked from the ELC Garden

→ Max Howarth turning the composter in the ELC Garden

→ Harper Liew, Mrs Kerry Rowbotham, Chloe Shopov and Eddie Ricketts

→ Sophia Gillard picking carrots from the ELC Garden

→ Arash Rahman, Sophia Gillard, Max Howarth, Viktor Hirschausen and Ollie Molyneux watering the plants

→ Ollie Marsden showing the ELC produce to Principal Mark Staker

Pembroke Students Represent Australia at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence

The IOAI is an International Olympiad dedicated to the field of Artificial Intelligence. This was its inaugural year and it was held in a beautiful town near the Black Sea called Burgas in Bulgaria. Students from over 40 countries united to participate in this event – making the IOAI the largest inaugural edition of any International Olympiad ever.

The Selection Process:

The selection process had two stages. Stage 1 involved submitting an application based on our experience with programming, mathematics and linguistics. From this stage, ten people were shortlisted across the country. Stage 2 involved completing a set task that utilised fundamental machine learning and programming skills and sitting an interview. After the Australian team was formed, we went through rigorous training that was provided by Leading Coding and the Australian Institute of Machine Learning to prepare us for Bulgaria.

It is wrong to say that the future is just AI – but it is also wrong to say that the future does not involve AI. Throughout history, humanity has experienced the profound impacts that innovation and technology can have on society. In 1882, Charles Babbage had the idea of creating a computer. People today, 160 years later, are still mesmerised by this remarkable invention. It’s impossible to imagine how the breakthroughs made by emerging scientists today will impact the universe’s future – yet we know for certain that the decisions made in the field of AI today will change the world forever.

The Experience:

It took us 60 hours to travel to the town of Burgas as our baggage was lost in Qatar on the way. Arriving at 1.00am Bulgarian time did not help with our jetlag. However, we adjusted to the daily routine of the competition surprisingly quickly.

The first official day of the competition was filled with photos and formalities. These events on the first few days allowed for many new friendships and showed us windows into other cultures that we had never come across before.

Day two was the scientific round, where students were tasked with engineering new AI models from the resources provided. Tasked with different sets of criteria, teams had to code, train and run their three different AI models in a set time of eight hours. While the questions were difficult, many teams thrived under the pressure, including ours.

One of the hardest aspects of the scientific round was sticking to the constraints for the tasks. For example, certain methods for cleaning datasets were banned. Additionally, teams were only given 300 computer credits on the Google Colab platforms.

→ IOAI Australian National Team

Following the scientific round was a day for students to rejuvenate and get to know the other teams. Although the competition was the main objective of the trip, the other days were nothing short of amazing. For example, there were activities like Quest Burgas. This entailed going around the city, discovering the past of the town, as well as immersing ourselves in the culture and heritage of Burgas. At night, there were optional parties for the participants and Team Leaders to enjoy.

This was one of the highlights of the trip. Seeing so many people partying to different countries’ songs was just incredible.

The practical round involved creating a video and an image by utilising AI effectively and creatively. We were tasked with creating an album cover and a music video for a song. On top of this, we were given certain objects and themes that we had to include.

Reflections:

The whole experience was extremely enriching for us. Not only did we learn and discover many ideas and concepts from leaders at Google DeepMind and other famous lecturers, we also made many connections with like-minded people from places all over the world – each with their own valuable perspectives, experiences and insights. Talking with other like-minded people made us realise that AI is a very fast-moving field with so many possibilities, ideas and unique perspectives.

Note: If you liked this article, we wrote it. If you didn’t like the article, AI wrote it.

Oscar Zhou (Year 7) and Jayden Yue (Year 9)

→ Oscar and Jayden at Doha Airport

→ Oscar at the National AI Training Camp

→ Jayden at the National AI Training Camp → The International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence

Geographic Adventures: Exploring Ecuador and Galapagos Islands

→ Charlotte Ross (Yr 12), Lara Kidman, Zara Fairfax (both Yr 11) (back), Amara Black (Yr 12), Poppy Richards and Cordelia Stott-Smith (both Yr 11) (front) at the base of Cotopaxi, Ecuador’s second highest mountain.

Sixteen intrepid Years 10 – 12 students ventured on the trip of a lifetime during the winter break, visiting Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands on the inaugural Campbell Whalley Geographical Expedition. They explored dramatic volcanic landscapes, ancient lava tunnels, and picturesque coastlines, encountered animal species unique to the Galapagos Islands such as giant tortoises and marine iguanas, and observed firsthand the thriving ecosystems that inspired Darwin’s theories on evolution.

The Galapagos is a place that incites wonder, triggers an oft supressed instinct for adventure and prompts investigation into the wonder of our beautiful planet.

If you are willing to listen, the Galapagos speaks with clarity. It explains the value of conservation, the rich place a kinship with nature has in our global world and the value of a spirit of exploration. It is gratifying that 16 Pembroke students took an opportunity to listen, to think and then to act.

From one:

I wanted to say yes to everything and try new things out of my comfort zone. I wanted to grow friendships with the people I didn’t know too well. I wanted to grow my knowledge through travel.

And what travel it was. Each day provided a carefully crafted lesson; a deep, lifelong moment seated in the most incredible of classrooms. The Galapagueños provide a unique outlook on our world. They talk not with a hint of doom for past actions or mistakes but with optimism for the future.

They acknowledge ‘trying’. They point at beautiful things and ask, ‘Can you see it, how good?’ They challenge with, ‘What is the value of that, is it worth protecting?’ Nutritious food for thought.

For one student, visiting the Galapagos was a dream come true:

Ever since I was young, it has been a dream of mine to visit the Galapagos Islands. I first found out about them when I was three years old and watched the Octonauts Galapagos Islands episode. I was fascinated by the iguanas that sneezed salt. Afterwards, I would do my own research about the Islands and their animals. Every few years, I would return to watch documentaries and read Wikipedia pages regarding the Galapagos.

Nobody was more excited with this honest sentiment than our wonderful guides. When a sea lion nuzzled an astonished snorkeller, a green sea turtle wobbled past or a marine iguana comically sneezed seawater, they were the first to celebrate.

This attitude became infectious and the foundation of the trip. Each day was met collectively with a sense of anticipation, optimism and an open mind.

Students also spoke of moments of surprise:

How close the seals came to me during the snorkelling. Their foot stroking me!

Full credit needs to go to this group of young people. There was a willingness to see the positive aspects, an authentic enthusiasm for new, challenging things and their care for the locals. This was not a trip where visitors looked in from the outside. It was one where the best view was at the front and among the people and they took it, which is a credit to them all.

→ Lara Kidman, Max Stapleton, Poppy Richards, Cordelia Stott-Smith, Zara Fairfax (all Yr 11), Charlotte Ross and Amara Black (both Yr 12)

→ View from lookout over Tijeretas Bay, San Cristobal Island

→ Lava Tunnels, San Cristobal Island

Geographic Adventures: Exploring Ecuador and Galapagos Islands

My main goal was to experience the islands in the flesh, to see the history and species I had read and seen so much about and be able to connect with them more than you can on a screen. I wanted to connect with the locals, learn from them, interact with them and see what life was like – every nitty gritty detail. I wanted to hear about the islands from the locals’ perspective, see their traditions and rules, understand the names.

Galapagos comes with a reputation and in the cynical world of online oversharing, the sensation of being surprised was refreshing.

Ecuador and the Galapagos are places of contrasts and diversity. From tropic lagoons where penguins hunt with sea lions (think about that), to the lofty flank of the impressive Cotopaxi (snowballs at 4600m anyone?), the experiences were wide ranging. As one student expressed:

Going up high was a pretty cool feeling. You don’t really notice until you’re on your way up, but it felt awesome. The temperature on Cotopaxi was pretty surprising, and had I had known it would be raining, snowing and hailing, I might have worn warmer pants.

Mr Campbell Whalley, in whose honour this trip was created, was an educator of vision. A Pembroke staff member in the 80s and 90s, his ideas were seated in deep care for his community, his understanding of our environment, his optimism for our youth and the value of lifelong messages.

He helped to create our School’s dynamic learning community which encourages self-management, curiosity, intellectual rigour, enjoyment, innovation and the exploration of everyone’s potential.

Answers from students regarding how the trip had changed their perspectives would surely make him smile:

I want to learn and see the world. I think it has so much to offer, and it would be incredible to see all these new places. I’m thinking that if I get the opportunity, I’ll take a gap year. The trip was a very fun and bonding experience. I learnt that it’s fun to be independent. This is the first real trip I’ve had without parents, and it felt good to experience something for myself, without that assumed reliance.

Another perspective:

I have always been interested in what I can do for my environment, but this trip enhanced everything. The need to mitigate climate change is so important and seeing a place where this is one of the top priorities in order to protect their animals was incredibly eye-opening. I also believe I will live there for a time because animal conservation sounds like a career I am interested in. I have always been a sea girl, but my hobbies have moved further towards the ocean since the trip and I’m so excited to keep travelling to countries with jaw-dropping beaches.

In many respects, the Galapagos, Campbell and Pembroke more broadly share many of the same aims; to develop a wide-ranging and deep knowledge base, enabling students to act effectively as well-informed citizens.

Pembroke should keep reaching for places like the Galapagos. It speaks of adventurous journeys as a means to connect with people and communities, both near and far.

But do not leave the last word to me. A student voice to finish:

Unique, incredible, remarkable, fun, worldly, unforgettable, hectic, crazy, biodiversity, exploration, fascinating, wholesome, lucky, sincere, adventurous, exciting, interesting, memorable, eye-opening, gratefulness. Best experience ever.

Andrew Quinn

Ecuador and Galapagos Islands Trip Coordinator

→ Galapagos Giant Tortoise

→ Galapagos Tortoise Breeding Centre, San Cristobal

→ Max Stapleton, Poppy Richards and Cordelia Stott-Smith (all Yr 11)

Sierra Negra Volcano Hike, Isabela Island

Señora with her llamas, near the TelefériQo Cruz Loma hike on Pichincha Volcano, Quito

Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island

Street food vendor, Isabela Island

Galapagos Mockingbird

El Junco Lake Hike, San Cristobal Island

Gruesome, Gothic, Great! The Addams Family Musical

Near the end of Term 3, students from Years 9 and 10 performed in the quirky, fun and extremely comedic musical TheAddamsFamily, a story about love and embracing oneself. It is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The show is based upon TheAddamsFamily characters created by Charles Addams in his single-panel gag cartoons, which depict a ghoulish American family with an affinity for all things macabre.

It was a spectacle! As a performer I had the most amazing time. I was able to meet new people, step out of my comfort zone and learn how to dance (mediocrely). It was the best experience of my life and I wish I could do it all over again!

From the upbeat, happy and inviting songs like When You’re An Addams and Pulled, to the comedic numbers such as Death Is Just Around The Corner and The Moon And Me, all the way to the tearjerking, beautifully sweet songs like Happy/Sad, this musical had it all.

My fondest memory of the performance was singing Happy/ Sad on the Saturday night. I reflected on the entire process and the song summed it up perfectly, I was happy/sad. I was so proud of the incredible effort that each member of the ensemble put in, and I was so happy that I had the opportunity to be a part of something so amazing. Yet, I was sad because I never wanted to have to stop performing the incredible show that we were able to put together in two terms. Even now writing this I want to be performing all over again.

The Middle School Musical is always a massive beast to tackle (almost as big as the gigantic octopus tentacles that rose out from underneath Pugsley’s bed) with over 100 students from Years 9 and 10 being involved as well as a wide array of staff and professionals.

I would like to personally thank Mrs Rebecca Ramsey for being an outstanding director. She created an incredible culture that nurtured growth as people and as characters, and made us all feel very comfortable with each other while being ourselves. I am extremely grateful. Miss Duddy, thank you for your wonderful support of Mrs Ramsey as Assistant Director. Thank you for always being so bubbly, encouraging and empathetic to the entire cast. You have both truly changed all our lives in so many ways.

Thank you to Mr Millar. As our conductor, you kept us all in time (apart from me, but that’s my fault, sorry). Thank you to the amazing staff and students in the orchestra, you sounded incredible. Thank you to old scholars Mim Sarre (2012) and Michael Griffiths (1991), our two singing extraordinaries. Thank you, Michael, for all the extra time you would spend with me correcting every single wrong note. Thank you to the wonderful student teams that put together our amazing costumes and props. Thank you make-up team, for your tremendous efforts to get 40 people made up two hours before the show. Thank you to our publicity team for the amazing poster and, most importantly, thank you to the Pembroke community for supporting this amazing musical and the Middle School Musical in general.

For many like me, this musical will live with us forever. Whocareabouttheworldoutside, Andwhatitwantsfromyou. Whenyou’reanAddams, YoudowhatAddamsalwaysdo.

Jack Grosser

Year 10

→ Jack Grosser (Yr 10) as Gomez Addams with the Dance Ensemble

Patrick Sage (Yr 10) as Fester

The Addams Family: Andi Lawford (Yr 10) as Wednesday Addams, Patrick Sage (Yr 10) as Fester, Jack Grosser (Yr 10) as Gomez Addams, Gabe Panagopoulos (Yr 10) as Lurch, Nika Korcek (Yr 9) as Morticia Addams, Bonnie Bennett (Yr 10) as Grandma and Lily Halpin (Yr 9) as Pugsley Addams

Andi Lawford (Yr 10) as Wednesday Addams

Alexis Chang (Yr 9)

Nika Korcek (Yr 9) as Morticia Addams

Lucy Williams (Yr 10) as Alice Beineke and Rocco Ligertwood (Yr 10) as Mal Beineke

Pembroke UK Cricket Tour

→ Harry Willis (Yr 12) batting against Durham School

Being selected as one of the 17 students from Years 10-12 for the highly anticipated 2024 UK Cricket Tour was met with gratitude by each player. The first such trip since 2017, the squad was eager to play their best cricket, experience life as a travelling sportsperson, further develop team comradery and create connections and memories abroad.

After an arduous plane ride, we arrived safely in Edinburgh, a few weary faces around the group. To shake off the jetlag, we were put through our paces with a solid training session at Fettes College, followed by a tour of the impressive Edinburgh Castle. This was their first time in Edinburgh for most of the group making it fascinating to take in the unique styles of housing and shops as well as the looming castle-like building that greeted us at Fettes. Our first game against Stewart’s Melville Cricket Club resulted in a comprehensive victory, kicking the trip off in style as we began to settle into tour life.

We went down narrowly in a competitive fixture against Durham School, a well-fought contest. After the game, we introduced ‘marks up’ to the Durham boys, teaching them the art of the drop punt. With bus rides most days, we took the opportunity not just to relax and recover, but also to reflect on the games we had played. Whether it was writing out stats and penning our thoughts or discussing performances and highlights with teammates, these reflections proved most valuable in the development of our own personal and team-based skillsets.

One of the major on-field highlights was a strong victory in a T20 match against Shrewsbury School on their graduation day, playing in front of a crowd in excess of 1,000 people. Veer Mehra’s (Yr 12) unbeaten 86* saw us over the line with 11 balls to spare. A win against the fourth oldest school in the world, St Peter’s York, who proceeded to win the England schools knockout T20 final five days later at Lords, was another memorable victory. We also played matches against senior village cricket sides, experiencing the joys of English club cricket. The Astwood Bank game reassured us that Mr Evans can still hit a booming ball. After our game against the Catford and Cyphers CC, based just outside of London, one of the best meals of the tour followed, featuring jerk chicken, pork and fish and other Caribbean cuisines, prepared expertly by the families and volunteers of the club. We were well hosted everywhere we went and thank all the school and club sides for their gracious hospitality.

The 13 cricket games were interspersed with sightseeing, shopping and more sporting activities. We rode the London Eye, visited the Jorvik Viking Centre, did a tour of ‘The Oval’ and watched the musical Wicked, among other adventures. Staying at Condover Hall presented a unique environment, its camp-like setting proving entertaining, allowing the team to let off some competitive energy during numerous small-sided soccer matches played on the site’s five-a-side soccer pitch. Our stay at the expansive and impressive grounds of Stowe School was a highlight for many. The surroundings and hospitality were unforgettable, from the sight of the 340-year-old main ‘manor’ building to their 21 cricket nets and nine-hole golf course. The tours of the grounds from their current students as well as meals in their breathtaking dining rooms were remarkable experiences.

The final leg of the tour saw us arrive at the pristine campus of Felsted School in Essex, where we were hosted in their boarding house for the last three nights. The planned 50-over games were modified to a T20 format due to squally weather. We lost to Felsted on the main oval but bounced back after a day off to tie with rival Adelaide school Westminster. This tie promises an exciting Interschool match later in the year, both schools primed for the annual four-day game.

The first Pembroke UK Cricket tour in seven years was hugely successful and memorable. New friendships were made, great cricket was played and having another ‘season’ of cricket under our belt coming into Term 4 has held us in good stead.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Evans, Mr Lindner and Ms Chatterton for organising and running a memorable trip, ensuring daily life ran smoothly, facilitating an unforgettable experience for all. We would encourage every junior cricketer at the School to consider this trip in the future.

Harry Willis (Year 12) and Joe McGee (Year 11)

Pembroke UK Cricket Tour: Photo

Lucas Saunders, Veer Mehra and Ty McKeegan (all Yr 12) in front of the Scottish National War Memorial

The team at Felsted School

Ty McKeegan (Yr 12) bowling against Stowe School

Veer Mehra (Yr 12) batting against Stewart’s Melville College

Team briefing at St Peter’s School, York

Fred Ligertwood (Yr 11) batting against Stewart’s Melville College, Edinburgh

The squad on Kensington Oval

Captain Harry Willis (Yr 12) preparing to toss the coin against St Peter’s School, York.

Harry Willis (Yr 12) batting against Stewart’s Melville College, Edinburgh

The squad at Fettes School, Edinburgh where they trained

The Pembroke School and Stewart’s Melville College teams together in Edinburgh

The squad in London overlooking the River Thames

Enjoying wonderful weather in a match against Stowe School

Winter Sports Gallery

Eliza Pannell (Yr 11) showing great skill during an Open A Girls Hockey game against Scotch College during the Winter Intercol competition

Reilly Curran (Yr 12) looks for a pass in the Yunupingu Cup Netball match for Indigenous Round

Head of Soccer, Adriano Pellegrino discussing game strategy with Boys First XI player Nicholas Luu (Yr 10)

Sid Holman (Yr 10) saves the day for the Boys First XI with an impressive headbutt against Cabra College

Frankie Lloyd (Yr 10) fends off her opposition player from Westminster School during a Girls Soccer match as part of the Winter Interschool competition

Will Holland (Yr 11) showing speed and agility representing Pembroke in Boys Hockey during the Winter Intercol competition against Scotch College

Wolf Janek (Yr 7) representing Pembroke in Middle B Boys Football during the Winter Interschool competition against Westminster School

Ivy Zhang (Yr 7) is a picture of concentration during the Final of the Pembroke Internal Open Knockout Tournament for Table Tennis

George Miller (Yr 10) makes a play against Scotch College in the Boys Basketball match during the Winter Intercol competition

Colleen Luo (Yr 11) representing Pembroke in Badminton during the Winter Interschool competition against Westminster School

Luke Chen (Yr 10) lets fly with a winning shot representing Pembroke in Table Tennis

Riley Carroll (Yr 12) representing Pembroke in the First XVI against Westminster School during the Winter Interschool competition

Minds

John Moody Centre Transformation – A Community Triumph

The start of Term 3 marked a magical milestone in the School’s campus renewal with the opening of the transformed John Moody Centre. This community-centric project has given rise to the John Moody Dining Room for boarders and other guests, the King’s Café for Middle School students and staff, and Yellow Submarine Too – a social enterprise café open to the public.

It was wonderful to witness the buzz around the Middle School Campus as the King’s Café burst to life. There was extensive browsing and interest on Day 1 as customers became acquainted with the food selections, and there has been plenty of positive feedback on the healthy options and variety of items for purchase.

The state-of-the-art John Moody Dining Room has truly uplifted mealtimes for our boarders, offering a modern and comfortable space equipped with the latest kitchen technology and an inviting social atmosphere. Beyond its primary function, the new dining hall has also become a hub for numerous activities and events, from themed dinner nights to community gatherings and staff workshops. In just a short space of time, this versatile facility is already having a profound impact on daily life and connection within our community, in particular for our boarders.

Pembroke’s Yellow Submarine Too (YST) is a social enterprise café which provides inclusive employment opportunities for young people from the wider community. Inspired by the celebrated Yellow Submarine café traineeship venture in the UK, YST empowers staff to develop new skills, gain valuable experience and build confidence. This goes to the heart of Pembroke’s Vision where we are free to be ourselves and find our place as we shape a hopeful future. YST upholds our School Aims and our Values, led by inclusivity, service and kindness. It also deeply reflects our commitment to community both locally and globally which makes us stronger together.

The John Moody Centre transformation has been a huge success, and we dearly thank our Parents’ and Friends’ Association and other devoted community members for their support in helping us to get ventures such as this off the ground. Our wider campus renewal continues in earnest with upcoming projects including new Junior School playground and shelter facilities, targeted classroom improvements and reopening a refurbished Turner House to supply additional room for boarders. Other plans include a Food Technology Centre in Middle School and new Science and STEM laboratories in Senior School. The future is brighter than ever, and we once again thank our wonderful community for continuing to help our dreams become a reality.

Mark Staker Principal

Yellow Submarine Too is open to the public on school days from 7.30am to 1.30pm. It is accessible from Shipsters Road, and the word on the street is that the coffee is worth every drop!

Boarders’ breakfast in the John Moody Dining Room

John Moody Dining Room

John Moody Dining Room

King’s Cafe

King’s Cafe

Yellow Submarine Too

→ Yellow Submarine Too

→ Yellow Submarine Too

Old Scholars

→ Sally Cooper (1999) performing at the 50 Years of Pembroke Black Tie Dinner

As I write this, our Class of 2024 is preparing for their final exams and are soon to become our newest old scholars. It’s a significant transition, and as I mentioned at our 50 Years of Pembroke Black Tie Dinner, the journey with Pembroke doesn’t end once you leave its gates. In fact, it’s just the beginning. Upon graduation, you are warmly welcomed into the world of old scholars, a community that supports each other well beyond the beautiful grounds of Kensington Park.

Over the past few years, Mark Staker and I have had the privilege of witnessing this community grow even stronger, particularly through our interstate travels. We’ve seen an increasingly engaged network of old scholars coming together regularly to reconnect, laugh and share their experiences. Our community thrives on these moments, where shared

Pembroke Old Scholars’ Affiliated Clubs

history meets new memories. It’s wonderful to witness how the bond between old scholars continues to deepen, no matter the distance.

What makes our network truly special is the robust pool of volunteers among our old scholars. Many of these individuals are not only gifted but give back by dedicating their time and talents to support current students and those on the cusp of joining the old scholars. It’s this generosity that strengthens our entire community and creates a lasting impact.

This August, we had the pleasure of celebrating Pembroke’s 50th Anniversary - a milestone event that brought together old scholars, parents, staff and friends of the School. The Parents’ and Friends’ Association, alongside the School, worked tirelessly with the Pembroke Old Scholars Association to create a spectacular evening. One of the highlights of the night was a performance by the world-renowned violinist and old scholar Sally Cooper (1999). Her music was both a tribute to the School’s legacy and a testament to the extraordinary talent within our community.

September saw us mark another milestone occasion with King’s Centenary Week. This special time was celebrated with a range of events including a Chapel Service and a tour of Archives. The week culminated in a memorable long lunch at Carrick Hill, where 150 King’s old collegians gathered to share stories from the early years of King’s, including tales of the Scouts, Cadets, Boarding House and even wartime. The event was beautifully organised by Rick Sarre (1972) and Andy McPharlin (1972), and the atmosphere was filled with

Men’s Soccer Club possc.net pembroke.soccer@hotmail.com facebook.com/pembroke.os.soccer.club

Cricket Club pembrokeoscc@gmail.com facebook.com/groups/18278828118

In Unitate inuchoir@gmail.com facebook.com/inunitate

warmth and camaraderie. It was truly a remarkable afternoon that demonstrated just how strong and deep the roots of Pembroke are.

Our national tour this year included stops in Perth, Canberra and Brisbane, with Philippa Hook (1958), Vincent Ciccarello, Mark Staker and I having the pleasure of meeting with old scholars in each of those cities. These gatherings are always a highlight, offering a chance to connect and share updates. If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend one yet, I strongly encourage you to join us. They’re not only informative but are guaranteed to be fun and rewarding gatherings.

As we approach the end of the year, we are actively seeking committee members with experience in finance and governance to join the Pembroke Old Scholars Association. If you are interested, we would love to hear from you – please get in contact with us and explore how you can contribute to our thriving community.

Finally, this year we’ve also said goodbye to some dearly loved old scholars. To their families, we extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt thoughts on behalf of the entire Pembroke community.

Thank you all for your continued support and engagement. Let’s keep this incredible tradition of connection and community going strong.

Holly Jamieson-Loveday (1997) President, Pembroke Old Scholars Association

Women’s Soccer Club pembrokewomenssoccer@gmail.com facebook.com/poswsc

Football Club pembrokekings.com.au facebook.com/pembrokekings

Netball Club facebook.com/pembrokeoldscholarsnetballclub

A Mighty Vine Life:

Interview with Old Scholar Tom Northcott (2007)

→ 40 Under 40 Sustainable Leader for 2024, old scholar Tom Northcott (2007)

So steeped in wine culture was his childhood that Tom Northcott remembers having miniscule tastes of Grange and old Coonawarra Cabernets at special Christmas occasions. He later developed a taste for Fruity Lexia and is now on a permanent hunt for the world’s greatest Rosé and dumpling combination - when not busy working as General Manager/Winemaker at Howard Vineyard, that is.

Were you interested in winemaking at school?

I don’t think I really knew what winemaking/grape growing was. But my family has always been connected to the land and owns Howard Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. Wine has certainly been a massive passion for our family, and it makes sense that I have ended up caring for our vines.

What was your thing at school?

Sports were my speciality, particularly cricket and rugby.

Who were the most influential people for you?

Obviously, my friends, many of whom I’m still good mates with. I was close with Mr Duffy and Mr Callaghan as they coached me in rugby. I played in the firsts from Year 10 and was Co-Captain in Year 12. Both taught me about leadership.

Any standout memories from your time at school?

Sadly, I was a terrible trumpet player, but I sat next to a very good one so was able to hide. I look back at that time with much joy. We had lots of fun despite being pretty focused on sport, academia and music. There were so many great people in our year.

What was your pathway out of school?

I went straight from school to university to study a Bachelor of Science in Oenology and Viniculture (winemaking and grape growing). Then I began my career at Howard Vineyard, ending up as General Manager/Winemaker, which is a very diverse role. We have a function centre, restaurant, cellar door, wedding venue and vineyards to manage.

How would you describe the industry you work in?

Both the wine and hospitality industry are extremely demanding and hard. There is an enormous amount of competition, and you are in many ways at the mercy of mother nature. The hardest industries are also the most rewarding. It’s a great feeling when someone says they love our wine, enjoy our hospitality or allows us to facilitate one of the best days of their lives at our wedding venue.

What’s it been like working under the watchful eye of your dad, Ian Northcott, owner and founder of Howard?

Dad is a huge source of inspiration and continues to this day to be one of the hardest working people I’ve met. He’s also my biggest supporter and has given me an amazing opportunity. However, he has always wrongfully claimed the wines we transitioned from his management to mine. In 2013, we made some of the best wines in our history. He reckons they are his. I say they are mine.

Why Howard?

Legend has it that Amos William Howard spotted the subterranean clover around our property and deemed it to have serious potential as a pasture plant. He was right. This significant find was then farmed and developed a thriving pastoral industry in the Mount Barker/Nairne area.

Basically, the subterranean clover is the world’s most efficient organism at grabbing nitrogen from the air and putting it into the soil, naturally fertilising it. The clover’s growth is promoted on our lane and means we don’t need to use inorganic fertilisers to feed our grapes. Our soils are amazing!

Have you grown to love a particular variety of wine or does that depend on the moment?

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are my passion. You get to make both table wines as well as sparkling wines from these grapes. They are also the most noble varieties and the hardest grapes to master in both growing and making wines from. We are fortunate to have several blocks planted in the mid-90s which are starting to come into a beautiful window of age to make lovely wine from.

Congratulations on being named a 40 Under 40 Sustainable Leader for 2024.

Thank you! To be recognised by other leaders in the state was a great surprise, especially for sustainability which is a passion of mine and the business. Sustainability is the basis for the ethos which drives our decision-making.

While not yet perfect, we consistently identify areas in which we can do better. Over time, these things (even the little ones) make meaningful change. Our aim is to support our community, improve the quality of the land which we look after, make great estate-grown wines from sustainable grape production and deliver remarkable hospitality experiences.

We are a foundation member of the Hills Biodiversity group and have planted more than 4,200 native trees/shrubs on our property over the past few years. We’re also part of a small wine growing community called Ecovineyards Australia (a group of sustainable wine growers) and have a biodiversity action plan on our site.

What is it about dumplings and Rosé going hand in hand? Is that a thing or just your thing?

I think it’s a thing! Who doesn’t love Rosé and dumplings?

Kate Holland (1992) Old Scholar

Our Living Artist: Old Scholar Sally Pfitzner (1992)

→ Sally Pfitzner (1992) working on ceramic art during her residency at Pembroke

There’s something very special about discovering that a friend is even more talented than you thought. For Kate (Bailey) Holland (1992), watching Sally Pfitzner (1992) pivot from full-time law to full-blown artist has filled her with pride. She chatted to Sal about life leading up to her first South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Exhibition.

First up, why Pembroke? I know you had two sisters who didn’t go here.

In short, my parents thought Pembroke was down to earth and would suit me better.

And was it the right fit? (Apart from meeting me, of course?)

Yes, yes, yes! Whilst I didn’t love the first couple of years as much, I can genuinely say I loved my schooling years. The benefit of being a bigger school is that there are so many people with a variety of interests. It helps you to get along with lots of different people and that is a skill. Being able to relate to many different people has served me well in my life. Pembroke also encouraged us to do what we loved and were interested in. The emphasis was not on doing subjects just to get the points. That is something I really stand by.

Who were the most influential teachers at school?

Di Medlin was the Principal when we started. She was so lovely and an incredible role model, demonstrating that you don’t need to be authoritarian to garner respect. I had Mr (Patrick) Wallace in Year 12 for English and found his humour, enthusiasm and passion so inspiring.

I know there are many, but can you share one particular memorable school moment?

Well, I’ve never forgotten when we were on the bus to cross country and Adrianne (Mrs MacDonald) tried to flick my ear and I almost smashed my head through the window!

What was your study path from school to university, and subsequent career?

I barely remember applying forLaw at Darwin University (I actually had Medicine as my first choice) but when I got the offer, I took it. Off I went, only 17.

I had many part-time jobs throughout my study, including one as a rounds clerk. And here’s my advice for anyone wanting a job in the profession they are studying: get a job in the industry as soon as you can. Any job! It gives you an ‘in’. At the end of my degree, I was offered a couple of positions in Darwin.

I chose to work for a small law firm that practised predominantly criminal law. I did my first trial in the Magistrates Court about two weeks after I started! It was very busy and diverse work – including flying out to the communities to defend or prosecute matters. Five years in, I became a young partner. Whilst the firm I was involved with was really successful and my career was going well, Darwin felt like a long way away, so my partner (now husband) and I made the decision to travel for the best part of a year before relocating back to Adelaide.

I determined I wanted to pursue areas of law that performed a social service. I worked as a solicitor and prosecutor at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for ten years before moving to the Crown Solicitor’s Office (CSO) for 10 years – first as a senior solicitor/delegate in the area of victims of crime, then on the Royal Commission into Child Protection Systems (SA). I then spent a year with my former Pembroke and ODPP colleague, the lovely and wise Melati Lum, outposted by CSO to SafeWork SA as a senior prosecutor before landing back within the CSO head office in the prosecution section.

→ Sally with her painting, Fishing Man

Finally, at the end of 2022, I made the difficult decision to leave the CSO. I really wanted to work more directly with everyday people, commit more time to volunteering at Operation Flinders which runs wonderful programs to improve the lives of young people through nature therapy, and develop my art through study and practice.

I now have a sessional member role at the SA Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) in the housing stream. My job consists of sitting as a member in hearings. It’s a good mix of communicating with people and using my skills to make well considered and timely decisions. Being ‘sessional’, I can list my availability and make time to pursue my other interest – art – which was key in my decision to apply.

At the start of 2023, I started an associate degree in Visual Art at the Adelaide Central School of Art. It has been joyous. Whilst there, I met my very talented and lovely friend Giuseppe Pappalardo and we commenced an Art residency at Pembroke part-time this year, which I continue to do now together with my SACAT job.

Can you describe a particular career highlight?

Hmmm, isn’t that funny, not really. I could tell you about my worst experiences very easily. I could tell you a lot of funny stories. Being able to pursue and perform areas of law for the betterment of people and society is an ongoing highlight. That might sound over the top, but that’s really what I think.

My role as an Artist-in-Residence is very special too. The Shipsters Road Art facility is incredible, and the art produced by the students there is amazing. It’s such a collaborative space where everyone learns from each other.

It’s worth noting that you didn’t study Art at school. Do you regret that?

Yes. But I’ve taken out that regret on my kids positively by enforcing that they should do what they like and what inspires them, and that they will get where they need to in the end regardless. It may not be the perfect philosophy, but it worked for me.

My favourite quote says it all really:

‘For what it’s worth, it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. And if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.’ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Both Patrick and Sofia did Art in Year 12 and loved it and I feel very proud!

Given you knew the ropes, what advice did you give your children when they first started at Pembroke?

Patrick McGrath reminded me of the very serious advice I gave him, he said it was the best advice ever: make friends with the boarders.

Any advice for your younger self starting out at Pembroke? Don’t talk so much during Year 11 Maths, perhaps?

I think that was you talking, Kate. Speak more firmly with mum about my haircut. And be kind in Year 9. I think we did a pretty good job though and had lots of laughs! My advice for all students is to just try. Do what you can at the time and enjoy as much as you can.

Kate Holland (1992) Old Scholar

→ Working in Pembroke’s state-of-the-art Shipsters Road Building

→ Sally’s paintings on display for the South Australian Living Artists Festival

Old Scholars News

Marriages

Roma Brown (peer year 2011, left in 2006) married Alexander Umeda Pelling on 6 January 2024 at OXO Tower in London.

Charles Canny (2007) and Nikki Morgan were married on 22 March 2024 at Carrick Hill. Many old scholars were in the wedding party including Tom Evans (2007), Hugh Evans (2007), Lizzie Canny (2010), Ali Liddicoat (2010) and Alex Jarvis (2007).

Sam Collins (2009) and his partner Dr Ella Shanahan were married on 28 March 2024 at Unley Park. Sam’s sister Morgan (2011) and Ellen Burch (2011) were in the bridal party and a number of old scholars were in attendance, including Duncan McKenzie (2009) who visited from the UK for the occasion. Sam is the son of Girton old scholar Jo Bills (1972) and great grandson of former King’s College Headmaster, James Bills.

→ Ella Shanahan and Sam Collins

→ Nikki Morgan and Charles Canny

→ Alexander Pelling and Roma Brown

→ Charles Canny and Nikki Morgan and their bridal party

Tatyana Abdul Rahman (2005) and her husband Mohammad Asrie welcomed their first child, Arisa Iman on 14 February 2024.

Pete Burnett (1998) and his wife Tegan welcomed their second child, Sullivan Samuel Burnett on 1 October 2024, weighing 3.91kg at Burnside Hospital. He’s a little brother to Freddie, 2.

Deaths

Pembroke School pays tribute to former Chairman of the School Council, Dr Tom W Turner who passed away on 11 September 2024. Tom was Pembroke’s second Chair, serving the School community with pride and distinction from 1980 to 1985. He also served on the Executive Committee 1981, was a Trustee for the School Council in 1979 and was a proud parent at the School. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to our community, Tom became a Life Member of Pembroke School in 1986. He epitomised the School’s values and his legacy of leadership, stewardship and service will forever be remembered. We share our deepest thoughts and sympathies with Tom’s family and other loved ones.

Clive Allert (1963) sadly passed away on 25 May 2024, aged 77. Clive was a much-loved player and supporter of the Pembroke Old Scholars Football Club. Clive played 224 games for the Club, was President for a number of years and was a proud Life Member.

Justice Malcolm Blue KC (1971) sadly passed away on 7 September 2024, aged 70. Malcolm was a King’s old collegian and past Pembroke parent. He was a treasured member of both King’s and Pembroke communities who was respected and admired by so many. The School is particularly proud of

Malcolm’s immense contributions to the wider community throughout his distinguished legal career. His legacy of service will forever endure, providing inspiration for our students of today and tomorrow.

Bruce Crowhurst (1962) sadly passed away on 27 April 2024, aged 80 years old. Bruce was a proud supporter of the Pembroke Old Scholars Football Club and a Life Member. Bruce played over 100 games for the Club, was A Grade Best and Fairest in 1963 and Club Vice Captain.

Priscilla (Barker) Goudie (1989) sadly passed away on 30 October 2023.

John Harold Fielden (1952) sadly passed away on 25 August 2024, aged 86.

Brian Humphreys (1954) sadly passed away on 25 April 2024, aged 86.

Clinton Johnson (1969) sadly passed away in February 2024, aged 71.

David Matthews (1955) sadly passed away on 18 August 2024, aged 86.

Judith Morris (1948) sadly passed away on 10 May 2024, aged 92. Judith was mother to old scholars Debbie Jeffries (1970), Caty Morris (1975), Emmy Murphy (1977) and grandmother to Alexander Jeffries (1998) and Joanna Jeffries (2005). Judith lived a life of exceptional public service, mainly for her beloved Kangaroo Island. After finishing

school, she returned to Kangaroo Island to become the first female bank teller in the state. She was soon married and thoroughly enjoyed family and farm life. Never one to rest, after her children had left home, she became a councillor, then Mayor (first female Mayor) of the District Council of Kingscote, Kangaroo Island. In later years, she became a Justice of the Peace and very much enjoyed helping and supporting her fellow islanders. She was also very proud to return to her Girton reunions for as long as she could.

Chris Paltridge (1958) sadly passed away on 2 October 2024, aged 82. Chris was a Life Member of the Pembroke Old Scholars Football Club and was the proud Captain of the 1967 B Grade Premiership side. Chris was the beloved husband of Jennifer and father of old scholars Benjamin (1991) and Charles (1993).

Our oldest living King’s old collegian, William (Bill) Nankivell (1940) sadly passed away on 11 June 2024, aged 100. We were so pleased to be able to celebrate his 100th birthday with him at the King’s Luncheon in 2023.

Robert Scrymgour (1951) sadly passed away in July 2024, aged 90.

→ Arisa Iman

→ Sullivan Burnett

Celebrating the Centenary of King’s College

There is something truly unique about the bond that our King’s old collegians share. Although King’s and Girton merged 50 years ago, the friendships that were formed have stood the test of time. They are something to aspire to and celebrate, and celebrate we did with a carefully planned, week-long program of events to mark 100 years of King’s College.

Together with our King’s Centenary Committee, including Rick Sarre (1972), Andy McPharlin (1972), Simon Berry (1974), Mark Jones (1969), Richard Willing (1947), David Paley (1972) and Peter Noblet (1964), a program was curated to honour the incredible legacy of our King’s old collegians.

From 2 September – 6 September, we welcomed back over 350 proud old collegians in celebration of this milestone. Many attended all of the events for the week, and we even had visitors from rural areas, interstate and overseas!

Chapel Service

The week began traditionally with the King’s Chapel Service in the R.A. Cook Chapel. The service truly set the tone for the week, with School Chaplain Reverend Rob MacPherson and former School Chaplain Reverend Jim Keatch presiding over the service. Our old scholar’s choir In Unitate supported with melodious hymns and we were very grateful to current student Adam Chen who played the organ beautifully. Son of R.A. Cook, Venton Cook (1960) spoke of his father and other King’s Headmasters, and the King’s Hymn ‘Except thou build the House O Lord’ was, of course, sung. It was quite an emotional moment to hear the King’s boys so fervently singing the lyrics after all this time. Following Chapel, our guests enjoyed morning tea in the newly renovated John Moody Dining Room with food made using recipes from the iconic Green and Gold Cookery Book.

Back to School Assembly and Archives Tour

As our Middle School Campus is also known as the King’s Campus, it was only fitting for us to welcome our King’s boys to a special Middle School assembly. Many of our guests spoke of assemblies in the quad in front of the Chapel, and they marvelled at the large number of students now on campus. To begin our assembly, our saxophone ensemble played the King’s Hymn, and this was followed by a student Q&A led by Jed and Lauren. They interviewed old collegians Dr Peter Noblet and David Paley on their favourite memories of their time at King’s and it gave the students an idea of how much has changed since then. As an old scholar, past parent and current grandparent, Peter spoke of the privilege our students have to be educated at Pembroke. A sentiment that he felt very strongly at King’s.

The tour of the Archives following the assembly was a wonderful opportunity for the School to share the vast array of King’s memorabilia with our guests. Old collegians were able to see photos and keepsakes from their time at King’s. Those with generational connections were able to see family photos as well.

King’s Centenary Luncheon

Excitement filled the air as we welcomed guests to Carrick Hill for the King’s Centenary Luncheon. Old collegians from every decade came together, united by shared memories and the indelible mark that King’s left on their lives. Our guest speakers reflected on the topics of Scouts, Boarding, Cadets, wartime, sport, the King’s Old Collegians Association, entrepreneurs, transition to Pembroke and finally, humour at King’s. Laughter and stories were plentiful, along with a touch of that King’s cheekiness that we know and love.

King’s College ‘100 Years, 100 Voices: Stories of a Century’

Over the past few months, we have been preparing a special King’s commemorative book celebrating the remarkable contribution our King’s old collegians have made to our community. We were so pleased to be able to give each guest a copy of the book at the luncheon. In this special keepsake, old collegians reminisce on the ‘golden days’, sharing colourful anecdotes about their peers and favourite teachers, while also giving their younger selves some prudent life advice.

If you would like to receive a copy of the commemorative book, please contact oldscholars@pembroke.sa.edu.au or phone Pembroke School on (08) 8366 6200.

Casual Lunch at the Marryatville

The week ended with a casual lunch at the old watering hole, the Marryatville Hotel, kindly organised by Mark Jones (1969). What we thought was going to be casual drinks for 20 people, ended up being a lunch for almost 80 guests! It just goes to show how strong the bonds are between the King’s boys, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

I wish to personally thank all those involved in King’s Week, from our King’s Centenary Committee to our guest speakers, musicians, staff and volunteers. Events of this magnitude require a village, and we should be proud of our Pembroke village which banded together to create a memorable week of events – one for the history books!

Candace Cox-Tuck Manager, Old Scholar Engagement

Scan the QR Code to view the King’s Centenary Video

King’s boys at the Back to School Assembly

Rick Sarre and Andy McPharlin at the King’s Centenary Lunch

Venton Cook (1960) speaking at the Chapel Service

100 Years, 100 Voices - Stories of a Century

The King’s Centenary Luncheon

Pembroke Old Scholars Soccer Club at Community Day 2024

Anthea Buxton (1974) and Robyn Cox (1974) at the Girton Lunch

Class of 1994 at their 30 Year Reunion

Bill Allert (1991), Ellis Gelios (2012), Kate Holland (1992) and Sally Pfitzner (1992) at the Careers Breakfast

Rachel Bageas (1991) and Natalie Agostino (1989) at the 50 Years of Pembroke Black Tie Dinner

InU singing at the King’s Centenary Chapel Service

Jane and John Inverarity, Bill Moody (1977), Philippa Hook (1958) and Mark Staker at the Perth Old Scholars Event

2014 Leavers at their 10 Year Reunion

From Our Archives

In a world increasingly driven by rapid technological advancements, the significance of archives has never been more crucial. Archivists are often referred to as the custodians of our collective memory, safeguarding the stories, records and artefacts. Our role in preservation not only documents our records, but it extends into the emotional realms of our hearts and minds to explore how we bridge our past, present and our future.

At the heart of any archive is the preservation of identity and understanding who we are and where we come from. For researchers, accessing these records is not only about understanding what happened but often why it happened. There are many documents, photographs, letters and oral histories that are housed within our archives providing a link to our culture and our history, which fosters a sense of belonging and connects us to moments in time.

Recent visits from our Junior School and Senior School students have proven to be a wonderful experience for them to understand our heritage. To read an historical letter, a record from a soldier during wartime, open a photograph album from school years or listen to oral historical records can evoke powerful emotions, ranging from nostalgia and pride to a profound sense of connection.

For many, the process of interacting with archives becomes a personal journey as we discovered during the King’s 100-year celebrations when old collegians toured our Archives at 51 Park Road to view the King’s College memorabilia. Our artefacts have tangible connections to lives lived, highlighting milestones along the way and moments that shaped our history. While some King’s old collegians researched information for their topics as guest speakers at the centenary luncheon, others returned to donate many items of memorabilia for our archives. Our King’s old collegians enjoyed re-engaging with others and retelling their stories. It was a time for many to reflect on the profound impact their school had on building a legacy spanning across generations. Our challenge is how to preserve the integrity of archives so that future generations will understand the legacies we leave behind.

In our digital age, the function of archives is evolving. Digital archives now allow vast amounts of data to be stored, preserved and accessed. This information provides more people the opportunity to engage with our history and heritage. However, it raises concerns about the loss of tactile interaction and the preservation of digital formats. Ensuring the longevity of digital records has become a key consideration for archivists.

It has been a wonderful year as we celebrate 50 years of Pembroke and King’s 100 th Anniversary. Archives is proud to play a key role in these milestones as a place to connect and re-engage as well as provide historical memorabilia for various displays.

As always, I am sincerely grateful for our archive volunteers who work diligently behind the scenes as well as attending numerous events. They greatly assist us to connect with the past while inspiring our future generations.

Our School community is welcome to visit Archives, open daily during school term times. Contact archives@pembroke.sa.edu.au to arrange a visit, donate memorabilia or request research.

Remember – Archives Matter!

Archivist

Peta Harries School

→ King’s old collegians tour Archives to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of King’s College

→ Display of Pembroke boarding through the years

→ Display of sport at Pembroke through the years

→ Year 5 students listen to a talk by School Archivist Peta Harries

→ Dr Peter Noblet AM (1964) and Dr Robert Edgar AM (1963)

2025 Calendar

February

Commencement of Year Ceremony

Thursday 6

Parent Welcome Cocktail Evening

Friday 28

March

Class of 1985 40 Year Reunion

Friday 14

Head of the River

Saturday 15

Unreel Film Festival

Thursday 20

Lucindale Community Event

Sunday 23

Years 3-6 Swimming Carnival

Monday 31

April

Jazz Cabaret Performance

Friday 4

Senior School Formal

Saturday 5

Middle School Pet Show

Friday 11

May

Mount Gambier Community Event

Friday 2

Mother’s Day Luncheon

Friday 9

Middle School House Swimming

Carnival

Tuesday 13

Careers Breakfast

Thursday 15

Mildura Community Event

Friday 16

Choral and Dance Concert

Wednesday 21

Yunupingu Cup

Friday 23 – Saturday 24

Percussion and Concert Bands

Concert

Wednesday 28

Middle and Senior School Cross

Country

Thursday 29

Girton Luncheon

Saturday 31

June

SACE Choreographic Night

Monday 2

Strings and Orchestras Concert

Wednesday 4

Year 12 SACE Drama Performance

Thursday 12 – Saturday 14

Class of 2015 10 Year Reunion

Friday 13

Year 5 Musical

Wednesday 25 – Thursday 26

July

Darwin Community Lunch

Sunday 27

IB Diploma Programme at Pembroke Even t

Wednesday 30

August

Junior School Book Week

Monday 18 – Friday 22

P&F Father’s Day Event

Friday 29

The

September

Middle School Art Exhibition

Tuesday 2

King’s Luncheon

Thursday 4

Barmera (Riverland) Community Event

Friday 12

Stage 2 Dance Assessment

Monday 15 – Tuesday 16

Old Scholars Week

Monday 15 – Sunday 21

Generations Breakfast

Thursday 18

Class of 1975 50 Year Reunion

Friday 19

Music Showcase

Saturday 20

Pembroke Old Scholars Back to School Workshops

Sunday 21

Pembroke Old Scholars Association

AGM

Wednesday 24

Year 6 Exhibition

Thursday 25

October

Paskeville (Yorke Peninsula)

Community Event

Wednesday 1

Middle and Senior School House

Athletics Day

Wednesday 15

Valedictory Ceremony and Dinner

Friday 17

ELC – Year 6 Sports Day

Friday 31

Year 11-12 SACE/IB Art Exhibition

Friday 31

November

Junior School Grandfriends’ Day

Thursday 6

ELC and Reception Family Day

Saturday 8

Year 11 SACE Drama Production

Thursday 13 – Saturday 15

Pembroke Live

Sunday 16

End of Year Dance Show

Wednesday 19

Term Dates:

Term 1

Wednesday 29 January – Friday 11 April

Term 2

Tuesday 29 April – Friday 27 June

Term 3

Monday 21 July – Friday 26 September

Term4

Monday 13 October – Friday 5 December

Public Holidays and Student

Free Days

Term 1

Monday 10 March (Adelaide Cup)

Term 2

Monday 9 June (King’s Birthday)

Term 3

Friday 5 September (Student Free Day)

Class of 2005 20 Year Reunion

Friday 21

P&F Committee AGM

Tuesday 25

Junior School Spanish Day

Wednesday 26

Class of 1995 30 Year Reunion

Friday 28

Carols in the Quad

Sunday 30

December

Year 6 Graduation

Thursday 4

Open Days

We warmly invite you to experience Pembroke for yourself. Please register to attend an Open Day at www.pembroke. sa.edu.au/admissions/open-days-and-tours.

Term 1

Wednesday 5 March (Middle and Senior)

Friday 4 April (Middle only)

Term 2

Thursday 22 May (Middle and Senior)

Wednesday 28 May (Junior only)Wednesday 18 June (Middle only)

Term 3

Wednesday 30 July (Junior only)

Wednesday 6 August (Middle and Senior)

Wednesday 3 September (Middle and Senior)

Term 4

Monday 20 October (Junior only)

Thursday 30 October (Middle and Senior)

Publications Manager

Gabbi Agnew

Email gagnew@pembroke.sa.edu.au

Editorial Team

Gabbi Agnew (Editor)

Candace Cox-Tuck (Manager, Old Scholar Engagement)

Contact

Website: pembroke.sa.edu.au

Telephone: (08) 8366 6200

Email: enquiries@pembroke.sa.edu.au

CRICOS Provider Number 00367B

Please send all address changes to Reception Office Pembroke School

342 The Parade Kensington Park SA 5068

Telephone: (08) 8366 6200

Email: update@pembroke.sa.edu.au

Pembroke News is published twice annually.

Registered by Australia Post Print Post no 100003637

Update Your Details

Are your contact details correct?

Stay up to date with the latest news from your Pembroke old scholar community and receive invitations to upcoming events. Update your details via our website: www.pembroke.sa.edu.au/old-scholars/update-your-details

If you prefer to receive the online version of Pembroke news, please notify us via email at oldscholars@pembroke.sa.edu.au

Connect with us on social media! Find Pembroke School on Instagram (@pembroke_school), Facebook and LinkedIn, and connect with Pembroke Old Scholars on Facebook.

pembroke.sa.edu.au

→ Snorkelling on the Ancient Cultures and Coral Coasts trip for Beyond the Horizon