PLC Armidale Green Tartan Summer 2017

OUR EVENTS

P LC AR M I DAL E M AG AZ I NE V O L U M E 18 S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 /18 Presby terian Ladies’ College Armidale NSW 2350 • w w w.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

IN ALLIANCE WITH PLC SYDNEY

girls

Member of the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA) Member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls Schools (AHIGS) Member of the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA) G R E E N TA RTA N • SUM M E R 2 0 1 7 /18

OUR EVENTS

DIARY DATES FOR 2018 JANUARY 29 29 29 30

Staff Day Boarders Return Welcome BBQ 2018 School Year commences

FEBRUARY 14 15 26

Whole School Information evening Whole School Swimming Carnival Scholarship Day & Exam

MARCH 9 PLC in the Paddock - Armidale 17 Armidale Autumn Festival 21-23 Tildesley Tennis - Sydney

APRIL 12

Whole School Cross Country

MAY

At the end of 2017, we bid a fond farewell to the following staff: Mrs Maureen “Geography” Brown – After almost 30 years at PLC Armidale, Maureen has decided to retire to spend more time with family and enjoy even more adventures! We’re not sure just how we will cope without Mrs Brown! Maureen has been an exceptionally passionate and dedicated teacher and one that every Alumni asks after! She has taken the study of all things Geography to a whole new level, even putting the town of Tingha on the map with her now infamous annual Year 9 excursions! We will sure miss you Maureen. Look out world, here comes Mrs Brown!

Mrs Margot & Mr Murray Ball – Co Heads of Boarding –– After almost five years in the role which could almost be termed as “Professional Parenting” as CoHeads of Boarding, Margot & Murray are hanging up their rosters, events and keys, to retire to greener pastures, but not before the ultimate Winnebago trip around Australia, or wherever the road takes them. Thank you for all your organising and dedicated care of our Boarders.

11 Whole School Athletics Carnival 18 & 19 Boarding Schools’ Expo – Dubbo Armidale Eisteddfod commences

JUNE Armidale Eisteddfod continues

JULY 21 & 22 National Primary Games - Tamworth 27 & 28 Boarding Schools’ Expo – Narrabri

Ms Erin Foster – English/Drama Teacher – one of the most dynamic and creative English / Drama teachers, PLC Armidale has seen in recent years. Over the past five years, PLC students, families and staff have certainly appreciated Erin’s enthusiasm for her subject area, along with her support, generosity and sense of humour.

Mrs Trisha Shaw - Accounts Manager, has been an integral member of the Admin team for the past six years. We are very thankful for the competent and capable manner in which Trish has undertaken her role as well as the involvement the Shaw family has had with PLC Armidale over many years. We wish Trisha well in the next phase of life.

AUGUST 10 & 11 Annual College Council visit 21-23 Agquip - Gunnedah

Alison Spencer - Head of Boarding

SEPTEMBER

Jo Wysel – Pathways, Drama & Dance teacher Rebecca Eastment – Pathways teacher

7 Grandparents’ Day 7 Starry Night of Music

Nonni Bunn – Accounts Manager Janine Bauer – Administrative Assistant (Music) and Boarding House Mother.

OCTOBER

Guy Davidson will join the Humanities Faculty.

Welcome to the team everyone!

26-28 Old Girls’ Reunion Weekend 27 P&F High Tea – community event

For further information regarding these events, or other significant dates, please contact Mrs Shona Eichorn, Director of Development on 6770 1733 or email development@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au For all other significant dates, please check the PLC Armidale website www.plcarmidale. nsw.edu.au or our Facebook page.

From the Editor

The PLC Armidale Green Tartan is produced bi-annually by PLC Armidale. Any interesting articles or relevant information are always most welcome.

Photography: School staff, parents and students have taken most of the photos featured in this publication, along with professional photographers David Doyle, David Elkin, Stephane L'Hostis and Chasing Summer Photography.

Design: Bronwyn Grills Cover Photo: Valedictory Day at PLC Armidale. Photo by David Elkin.

Baby News... Mrs Kirsty Miller and husband Scott, welcomed Alba Rose 2

GR EEN TARTAN • S U MME R 2017/ 18

Miller on Thursday 30 November, 7lbs 6oz ( or 3.45kg) and 41cm. Mum and Bub doing well. We are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of Mrs Catherine Creagan's baby!

FROM OUR PRINCIPAL

2017 has been a year of commemorating 130 years of all-girls education at the College. The history of PLC Armidale has featured individuals and their determination, along with a community and its commitment to take the road less travelled. Opportunity has arisen from challenge, a focus on solutions - not problems and evident commitment to influence and inspire the next generation. “The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin A central theme in the Senior School this year has been the challenge to “Do hard things”! A reflection each week at Assembly has showcased individuals, often women, who have been willing to do just that. Such as Vida Goldstein, a graduate from PLC Melbourne who in 1902 travelled to the United States to meet with the then President, Theodore Roosevelt as the sole Australian / New Zealand delegate attending the International Women Suffrage movement arguing that “wherever there are women’s and children’s interests to be considered, women should be there to consider them.”

We are living in one of the most remarkable periods in history for young women with more choices before them than ever before.

This is the era of options and opportunities and endless public opinion on how one should make the most of them. However, a recent observation has been that students of the 21st Century seem burdened with more questions than answers, more pressure than prospects, and more feelings of doubt than direction.

Our all-girls context rises to the fore as we respond to these challenges by considering the uniqueness of girls and young women and how to enable them to stand firm, remain grounded and flourish across a range of endeavours. When reflecting on the history of PLC Armidale, historian Alan Atkinson reflects, “Its survival then as now… was also due to the fixed place it has always had in Armidale, its role in answering a distinct and permanent need for Girls’ education which has and will continue to make the School indispensable.”

If the present is shaped and influenced by people, events and decisions of the past, likewise the future will be shaped and influenced by the present. In our 130th year, as this edition of the Green Tartan bears testimony, PLC Armidale continues to provide an environment where girls take the lead, do hard things and celebrate accomplishments. Our College motto rings as true now as it did when incepted in 1913 “Ad Astra” – to the stars!

Mrs Nicola Taylor - Principal

Student Leadership Team 2017/2018 HEAD PREFECT Chloe Stier DEPUTY HEAD PREFECT Mackenzie Wood SPORTS PREFECT Sarah Askey CREATIVE ARTS PREFECT Lucy Quast GUILD CAPTAINS Forrest Gabriella Parsons Gregory Darcy Campbell Macquarie Allastassia Carter Wentworth Amber Whibley BOARDING HOUSE CAPTAIN Molly Trindall

Back L to R: Molly Trindall (Mungindi), Darcy Campbell (Nabiac), Lucy Quast (Armidale), Sarah Askey (Armidale), Amber Whibley (Moree); Front L to R: Gabriella Parsons (Deepwater), Chloe Stier (Armidale), Mrs Nicola Taylor (Principal), Mackenzie Wood (Walcha), Allastassia Carter (Moree).

SPIRITUAL LEADERS Mackenzie Wood Lucy Quast

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OUR EVENTS

VALEDICTORY 2017 PRIZE LIST

Valedictory Day 2017 In glorious Spring sunshine, through the avenue of applause, our Year 12 students strode confidently to the Astra Arts Centre to their final Valedictory Assembly. An emotional walk for some and a joyous path for others … and that was just the parents! Ms Katie de Veau, a 1990 graduate of PLC Armidale, was an absolutely outstanding and engaging guest speaker.

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Kate BIDDLE Academic Distinction Birida Cup for Deputy Head Prefect Zonta Prize for Leadership Caltex All-Rounder Year 12 Award Jessica CHAMBERS Prize for Ancient History Prize for Biology Prize for Mathematics Prize for Mathematics Extension 1 Academic Distinction University of Newcastle Year 12 Award for Academic Excellence Hannah CROFT Prize for Mathematics General Anna FINNEY Prize for Geography Academic Distinction Georgina HEBBLEWHITE Prize for Economics Academic Distinction Presbyterian Church of Australia, NSW for Christian Leadership in the Senior School (Joint Winner) Camden Haven High School - Excellence Award Alex HISCOX Prize for Design and Technology Prize for PDHPE Academic Distinction University of New England Vice-Chancellor’s High Achievement Prize Bronte HODGE Bonnefin Cup for Consistent All-Round Effort Georgia HUTTON The Hutton Family Award for demonstrating courage, determination, perseverance and resilience Ragavi JEYAKUMAR Prize for Chemistry Prize for English Advanced Prize for English Extension 1 Prize for Modern History Prize for Physics (Gift of Professor C Sholl) Beattie Prize for Critical Thinking Skills in Modern History Stanton Science Prize for Special Ability Academic Distinction Morse Cup for Head Prefect Tregurtha Prize for Leadership Purkiss Cup and Prize for Dux of School (Gift of PLC and Hilton Old Girls’ Union) Dakotah LOVE Prize for Music 2 Prize for Music Extension Alexandria Ada Lam Prize for Choir - Senior School Strahle Award for significant contribution to the School Armidale-Dumaresq Lion’s Club Award for commitment to the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme Presbyterian Church of Australia, NSW for Christian Leadership in the Senior School (Joint Winner) Lucy McDONALD PLC P&F Prize (Boarding) Isobel MOORE Prize for Business Studies Alessandra PERRY Prize for Drama Emma RANCK Prize for Visual Arts Dorothy Seaton Sports Prefect Award McIntosh Cup for Most Consistent Effort in Sport Reuben F Scarf Award for Commitment - for consistent effort and desire to improve Brianna ROBERTSON Prize for History Extension Australian Defence Force Leadership Award Year 12 Agnes THWAITES Prize for English Standard Prize for Music 1

OUR EVENTS

Colin Buchanan concerts a hit!

Never short of a song or story or two, a name synonymous with Children’s entertainment in Australia in a stellar and diverse career spanning over 30 years, the much-adored entertainer, Colin Buchanan arrived at PLC Armidale last term to a hero’s reception. Whilst he may be remembered by one generation for his colourful antics on iconic ABC TV Show Play School, many may not know he is the winner of 9 Golden Guitars, is an APRA and ARIA award winner, and is one of Australia’s most successful picture book authors as well as being an internationally recognised Christian children’s artist. Colin certainly lived up to his charismatic personality and engaging reputation as he wooed the 800-strong audience with a Children’s Concert one night, and his Calvary Road concert the other, which even included a brand new song written that same day about a well-known, Angus Cattle breeder from Guyra. He also entertained the members of College Council and staff at the annual College Council dinner.

Grandparents’ Day, Mothers’ Day & Fathers’ Day We welcome our PLC Mums, Dads and Grandparents on any day of the year, but we really look forward to hosting them all together on “their respective designated days” during Terms 2 & 3.

This year, we trialled a Whole School Mothers' Day Brunch on the Sunday morning following the Celebration Ball, providing our Boarding families with the opportunity to attend. Our Grandparents enjoyed their time in the gardens and classrooms with their granddaughters and Junior School Dads enjoyed the traditional hearty egg & bacon breakfast roll and fruit, before the annual Dads v Daughters soccer match on Fathers’ Day!

College Council Dinner This year our staff and students welcomed our College Council members with a Pathways Commissioning Service and 130-year Commemorative Morning Tea, a Colin Buchanan concert followed by the annual dinner, held again this year at NERAM. Combine these events with a demanding schedule of meetings and you have a very busy College Council weekend.

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AROUND OUR SCHOOL

Middleton Public Speaking - Years 7 to 10

When asked what they wanted their legacy to be, the 2017 Student Leadership team decided that it should be “Growing the Guild”. So, they set about reinvigorating the interactions and activities across the years from Kindergarten to Year 12 during the College’s 130th year.

They re-introduced the Guild Music competition at the end of Term 2 and Term 3 concluded with a Valedictory Day Guild Lunch in the gym, with long trestle tables suitably decorated in Guild colours. The handover of the Guild Banners to the newly elected 2018 Guild Leaders also happened at this special event.

FORREST GREGORY

Growing the Guild

MACQUARIE WENTWORTH

Da Vinci Decathlon

This year’s competition for was held in the Astra Arts Centre. The judges were Mr John Harris and Miss Belinda Macri, who thought the overall standard of speaking was very high. The prepared topic was “Tomorrow the Internet will be switched off” and the speakers ranged from highly positive about the effects on society to extremely tragic scenarios. The impromptu topic was “Think Big” and this elicited both humorous and inspirational responses. The audience was most attentive and supportive during the competition which was won by Mary Flannery, Year 7, with the runner-up being Isabelle Taylor, Year 9. One of our mainstream International students, Joan Shi, deserves a special commendation as she gained the largest audience response of any speaker. All speakers acquitted themselves admirably throughout the competition.

In mid Term 3, sixteen students from the Junior School participated in the da Vinci Decathlon where they competed in teams of eight across ten disciplines: Mathematics and Chess; English; Science; Code Breaking; Engineering Challenge; Idea on; Creative Producer; Art and Poetry; Cartography and General Knowledge. The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students, which is held over three days with teams competing in year level groups in a Year 5 and 6 event, a Year 7 and 8 event and a Year 9 and 10 event. The 2017 theme for the Regional da Vinci Decathlon was ‘Imagination’.

Our Year 5 team placed: Second in 3 categories - English, Mathematics, and General Knowledge Our Year 6 team placed: First in 3 categories - Art and Poetry, Creative Producers, and General Knowledge; Second in English; Second overall in the Year 6 competition.

Visual Arts Tour to Europe Visual Arts teacher, Miss Helen Templeton and Principal, Mrs Nicola Taylor, accompanied six students on a Visual Arts tour to Europe in the October holidays, where they took in the sounds, sights and artworks in Italy, France and Spain, and certainly gained a greater global perspective.

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AROUND OUR SCHOOL

In Leadership News Huge congratulations to Ragavi Jeyakumar (Year 12) who was selected to attend the United Nations Youth Australia 2018 American Political Tour. Ragavi will be one of only 16 High School students representing Australia on this inaugural tour of America culminating in a visit to the White House!! What an outstanding recognition for Ragavi, our 2017 Head Prefect.

Lion’s Youth of the Year - the tradition continues!

Following the recent successes of students Brianna Robertson and Darcy Campbell, we extend our sincerest congratulations to Year 11 student, Gabriella Parsons, who was recently announced as the District’s Lion’s Youth of the Year participant ahead of tough competition. Gabi will now progress to the Regional finals in 2018 and we wish her all the best.

Australian Geography Competition success Geography students from Years 7-10 tested their geographical skill and knowledge against students from all around Australia in the 2017 Australian Geography Competition, with again some outstanding results. Many student geographers performed to a very high level and a number were in the top 1% of their year level across Australia, eleven students gained High Distinctions, eight gained Distinctions, and sixteen Credit certificates were awarded to our students.

2017 “What Matters?”

Writing Competition Winner Caitlin Hansford Last term, Year 9 student Caitlin Hansford attended the Whitlam Institute’s ceremony day for its flagship program, the “What Matters” writing competition. Caitlin won the Year 9/10 category, from thousands of entries from all over Australia. The program’s aim is to empower young people from Years 5 to 12, to think, to write and to have a voice about the things that matter to them. Our sincere congratulations to Caitlin, and what a fine representative of PLC Armidale. We encourage everyone to read all the winning entries and learn a little as to “what matters” to the younger generation. https://www.whitlam.org/the_program/what_matters_writing_ competition/what_matters_2017

Poetry in Action

Students from Year 6 to Year 11 were delighted to have ‘Poetry in Action’ visit PLC Armidale last term.

The touring group of actors performed two very different and exciting shows for our appreciative audiences. ‘The Paper Tiger’ was a lesson in comedic poetry, with accompanying songs and dances for students in Year 6, 7 and 8, that brought the joy and silliness of language to life.

Senior students attended ‘Words that Changed the World’, an exploration of some of the great speeches that have been delivered throughout history, right up to today. Drawing on an incredible heritage of poetry, literature, theatre, and cinema these words have lifted hearts, offered hope, inspired courage, given comfort to the grieving, honoured the dead, demanded ac on, and in some cases changed the course of history itself.

Students enjoyed both of these performances, and have asked that ‘Poetry in Action’ come back to PLC to perform every year!

Bell Shakespeare entertains at PLC Students from Year 2 to Year 11 were fortunate to experience the talents of the Bell Shakespeare Players at PLC Armidale earlier in the year. Junior School students were enthralled with the production of ‘The Wonderful World of Will’ as they were introduced to Mr William Shakespeare and a range of characters including Rosencrantz and Guildernstern, and Queen Elizabeth herself! Senior School students delved into the tragedy of ‘Romeo and Juliet: Rewind’ and unpacked the significance of this play. This was a fantastic educational experience for all our students.

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AROUND OUR SENIOR SCHOOL

In STEM News

In 2017, PLC Armidale had four students selected to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra. Recently, two Year 11 students were also selected to follow in their footsteps: Gabriella Parsons (Deepwater) and Mackenzie Wood (Walcha). Congratulations girls! This is an exciting opportunity for these senior students and demonstration of the strength of STEM at the College.

Spacecamp USA Take the Challenge

As the recently designed NASA rocket sits on the launch platform, Mission Control counts down "T-minus 5 minutes and counting". Having graduated from Spacecamp 2017, I am now (somewhat) trained in the many roles that must be coordinated and fulfilled to successfully complete an upcoming mission to Mars or the Moon.

Spacecamp is a 6 day immersive experience at a fabulous educational and historical facility, purpose built in Huntsville, Alabama USA. PLC Armidale had the opportunity to send one teacher to Spacecamp to experience it for ourselves, with the plan to offer the trip to our students in 2019.

Huntsville is where Dr. Werner von Braun established America’s space program, designed the Saturn V rocket and where NASA trained astronauts for the challenges of living in space. Spacecamp is literally built around a museum that celebrates America’s space exploration. Students get to climb around and complete missions in mock-up lunar modules, the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle. Realistic training involves the G-force centrifuge, fighterjet simulations, weightlessness scuba diving and multi-axis disorientation rides.

We built rockets that launched an egg to heights rarely eggsperienced and (usually) parachuted it safely back to Earth. We underwent intensive physical and mental challenges to teach us great communication and problem-solving crucial for successful space missions.

It is planned to offer Spacecamp as part of a 14 day aerospace tour of USA, taking in Orlando, Florida to see Kennedy Space Centre and cultural tours of San Francisco or Los Angeles in California. I had a wonderful experience at Spacecamp and would highly recommend it to families to consider sending Year 9-11 students in the future. It taught me a great deal, introduced me to inspiring people who worked directly on the Apollo missions to the Moon and gave me a first-hand feel of the life of an engineer or astronaut working in this exciting and emerging field. Big thanks to Jonathan Shumack for having the school selected for the opportunity and I look forward to presenting further to parents about it later next year for a 2019 inaugural trip.

David Moffitt - ICT Integration and Science Teacher

Airforce flight simulator visit Our Senior School students were thrilled to receive a visit from the Airforce and their flight simulator recently.

Many thanks to Brad, Dan, Jaimie, Mitch, Al and Ross for their engagement and interactions. The team certainly captured the girls' imaginations about the possibilities of a career in the airforce.

Thank you also to Louise and Steve from Prime 7 news for visiting and interviewing our girls and the Airforce members. Top Gun here we come!

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oeuvre

Those who attended this year’s spectacular showcase of Year 12 Visual Art, D&T, Music and Extension English & History Major Works were just so impressed with not only the calibre and content of the works, but also the extraordinary hours of effort and creativity which went into every one.

OUR PATHWAYS

Pathways Commissioning Service Last term, PLC Armidale hosted its annual College Council weekend which this year included the Commissioning Service for the new PLC Pathways program. It was a special occasion which featured a musical performance by the Pathways girls themselves, witnessed by several special guests in attendance including: the Hon Barnaby Joyce, Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England; the Rev David Burke, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of NSW; the Rev John Seaton, Chair of the Property Trust of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in NSW; Ms Alysha Liu, CEO of Australian Academy of Commerce, Cambridge College International and Royal Education International; Mr Lindsay Woodland, Armidale Regional Council and Mr Rob Harrison, Senior Advisr for NSW Industry & Investment; along with the staff, students and community representatives of PLC Armidale.

Pathways – “Hot Seat Fridays” Meeting new people can be scary for anyone, but meeting new people in a foreign country in a language that is not your own, can be even scarier. The Pathways team have implemented a program called ‘Hot Seat Friday’ where our Pathways girls have the opportunity to develop their conversational skills in a safe and encouraging environment.

Conversational skills beyond, ‘Hello, how are you?’, are imperative for our Pathways girls to easily immerse in to the life of PLC Armidale and to foster acceptance and engagement in the broader community.

So how does it work? Each Friday a different participant volunteers their time to be interviewed (Hot Seat) by one or two of the Pathways girls, who direct the flow of conversation asking open ended questions, follow-up questions and gathering information to successfully engage in an interesting conversation.

Hearing the challenges of others is often a good way of being prompted to embrace challenges one self or at least put challenging situations into perspective. Some students in the Senior School last term, had the opportunity of hearing Henry Olonga tell of his decision to do some very hard things and the consequences of that decision. In 2003, Henry Olonga was the only black African to play in the Zimbabwean Cricket team.

During the World Cup Series that year, Olonga and one other player decided to wear black armbands on the field to mark the death of democracy under the regime of Robert Magabe. The location of this protest was at a sports ground only a few hundred metres from the

President’s house. At the same time, Henry Olonga spoke out about injustices in his country of birth including torture, false imprisonment and starvation.

The consequence for Henry Olonga in speaking out was to have his career as a fast bowler terminated, being forced out of the national team and out of his country of birth. Now an Australian resident, Olonga’s first appearance at the Sydney Cricket Ground wasn’t to play the game, but to perform at a charity dinner as an Opera singer another one of his many talents. Henry very generously gave his time to be interviewed at Hot Seat Friday last term, along with a great many and varied number guests of all ages and careers.

The Hot Seat Friday program has been instrumental in developing relationships in the playground, and growing friendships between Pathways girls and mainstream students. They are growing in confidence as they settle in to life in Australia, and in to PLC Armidale.

The Hot Seat Program cuts both ways offering a platform for students of PLC and people in our community to have the unique opportunity to broaden their worldview; to learn about life experiences in China and Thailand what they believe in and how different their lives are from ours. By talking with, and learning from each other, both the Pathways and mainstream girls can successfully broaden each other’s worldview by sharing experiences of the past and moving forward to share experiences together in the future, alongside one another.

HomeStays

for Pathways & International Students!

In the various school holiday vacations (particularly in April and October) across the year, we will have some of our International students in need of Homestay accommodation. Should you would be interested (or you know someone who is) in hosting an international student through the holidays (even just for one week), please contact Enrolments Manager, Sally McCook on enrolments@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au.

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AROUND OUR SCHOOL

Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award

Term 4 Field Trip to Tingha...

It must be Year 9 Geography Tradition dictates that every young "Year 9-er" who ventures into Mrs Brown’s classroom will be subjected to the famed Tingha Geography/ History excursion.

Congratulations to Clare Askey (2016 graduate), who was presented with her Gold Award by his Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) at Government House, Sydney recently.

Did you know that the English Cricket Team played the Guyra Cricket Team on the Ollera Oval in the late 19th century? The Everetts of Ollera were the first to bring Herefords to the New England Region?

Tingha is unique in the Northern Tablelands with the last remaining area traditionally known as a “commons”, a term that originated in the United Kingdom for standard land where anyone, regardless of socio-economic status, could graze his or her livestock.

When the tin rush ended in the mid 20th Century Tingha’s economy was in decline, so much so that simple farming techniques, such as having metal cattle grids were an extravagant luxury for the town. To resolve the issue of having cattle wandering throughout the centre of town a Tingha resident had a genius idea. Why do we need to pay some government man to dig up the road when we can just trick the cattle and paint lines on the ground instead? To everyone’s surprise this handy trick worked extremely well, no more livestock wandering into town, sticking their heads into local cafes.

The Wing Hong Long general store was established in the town in 1881 to service the mining and farming communities. To commemorate the long history of mining the store was converted into a living museum in 1998. The buildings retain the original sections of the 1880's building, the 19th century weatherboard and galvanised iron, the 1920's packing case walls and 1950's fittings.

The volunteer staff of the Museum enact a shopping experience in the 19th century, using brown paper & string, no cash register, using a cash carrier which zooms overhead at a perilously low altitude, deliveries to homes on bicycles.

STARRY NIGHTS SERIES

The Starry Nights continued this year in Term 3, with the Languages and Music nights again a roaring success. There are so many girls now participating in the Orchestra that the stage just isn’t big enough!

What a wonderful challenge to have!

PLC Armidale History Tour for Years 1 & 2

One memorable trip, the girls who forgot to wear hats were not able to leave the bus without a hat. An ingeneous idea came from the staff.

Convert the brown paper bags into hats. A hat making session resulted in a grand array of sunhats which the girls wore for the remainder of the day – they never forgot hats again.

The all-time favourite activity is the consumption of freshly baked scones, jam and cream.

Term four, Year 9 here we go again.

Mrs Maureen Brown - HSIE Teacher

Guild Gatherings

At the end of Term 2, Guild Gatherings were established as part of the Flourish Pastoral Care program, providing an opportunity for Year 6 students, to use their developing leadership skills, as well as to help the younger students to learn about and explore some of the character strengths we use at PLC. For the first gathering, Year 6 girls provided each Guild with an activity to learn about the character strength of Spirituality – not an easy concept to explain to young children! Forrest created mobiles, Wentworth blue hearts, Gregory co-constructed a large flower and Macquarie made a collage. Each of these crafts or artworks were illustrated pictures or words showing what each girl was thankful to God for.

Our Years 1 and 2 girls were fascinated with their historical tour of the College’s archives with teacher Mrs Dowling and Director of Development, Mrs Eichorn. The girls loved seeing all the old uniforms, desks, books, photos and so much more! They also loved hearing about the things that have happened in the 130 years of the College’s history.

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Year 6 were instructed to plan, collect resources and run each activity, all within a small timeframe. The girls were commended for their patience, gentleness and ability to plan quickly and efficiently!

Guild Gatherings were conducted fortnightly during Terms 2 and 3.

OUR MUSIC EVENTS

our music

It’s been a huge year for the Musicians at PLC Armidale as well as for their dedicated and hard-working teachers and staff. From the PLC Performs Concert to Starry Night of Music, Armidale Eisteddfod, Sydney Eisteddfod, Sound of Music production, regular weekly In-House Concerts, and the odd Community performance here and there. Our girls have experienced it all!

Two major events have really shaped and defined the musical life at PLC Armidale in the second semester of 2017: Starry Night of Music and the Sound of Music production.

The Starry Night of Music featured the growing school orchestra.

An orchestra of 55 players including many girls who have started learning through the wind and brass program that was initiated in 2016. The evening also featured fine performances from our six choirs, as well as our Chamber Music, String and Wind ensembles.

The fine performances are a credit to the excellent work of our Junior School teacher and choral specialist, Mrs Constance Dunham, and our Acting Director of Strings, Joanna Fairs Wu. Thank you to Mrs Constance Dunham and Mr Warwick Dunham for the countless hours of work involved in preparing the music for the Sound of Music. Congratulations also to Mrs Jan Patterson, Ms Erin Foster and Ms Helen Templeton for leading the production and creative teams. Well done to all the cast and crew.

Both of these events reflected that unique PLC spirit. A spirit of teamwork, commitment, perseverance and most importantly support of one another and belief in oneself.

Our inaugural Junior School only In House Concert held in Term 3 was a tremendous success, almost standing room only! The terrific results so far of the Junior School String program initiated last year, were very evident at this event. Several girls have performed in their first In House Concert as have the newly formed training string ensemble, the Silver Strings. Thank you to Mrs Joanna Fairs Wu for her great leadership of the Junior School Strings program.

Congratulations to our HSC Music Students Dakotah Love, Amanda Richards and Agnes Thwaites. The girls worked tirelessly over many months preparing for their HSC Recital and Composition submissions in September. They were supported by a team of teachers and accompanists who worked alongside them throughout the year but particularly in the final months. Thank you to Inge Southcott, Li Ling Chen, Robert Jackson, Bekk Baumgartner, Warwick Dunham, Denis Das Santos and Kristal Spreadborough.

Planning is well underway for the inaugural PLC in the Paddock concert to be held on March 9 next year in the gardens of “Kialami”, a beautiful property just out of Armidale on the Boorolong Road.

The spectacular setting includes a purpose built natural stage, overlooking a lake, with the setting sun. Save the date!

This semester we have seen the addition of new piano and drum teachers at PLC. Welcome to Peter Sternberg who is teaching piano to a very enthusiastic and fast growing studio. Peter has really helped fill the ever increasing demand for piano tuition, especially with the advent of the Pathways program. Welcome also to Dave Van Tongeren who teaches drums and percussion.

There are some very exciting opportunities for percussionists that will become available very soon. PLC is working very closely with the new Director of the New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM) Russell Bauer, towards some very exciting collaborative projects including percussion ensembles. There are further exciting opportunities being made available through other partnerships too including the endangered instrument program at NECOM. We are very fortunate at PLC Armidale to have an active partnership with NECOM bringing so many opportunities for our students, both at PLC and in the wider community.

Mr Matthew Minter - Director of Music G R E E N TA RTA N • SUM M E R 2 0 1 7 /18

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OUR MUSIC

Congratulations to:

Lucy Quast is one of our busiest musicians. Our 2018 Creative Arts Prefect was not only selected in the Gondwana Chorale for next year, she has been offered reserve place in both the 2018 AYO National Music Camp - Orchestral and 2018 AYO Young Symphonists, as well as a place in the Regional Youth Orchestra for Viola (but is unable to participate due to commitments for PLC). However, she is still eligible to participate in the Australian World Orchestra Project and the Opera Orchestra Australia Project in 2018!

Lucy was a guest singer with Fiori Musicali in the Britten Ceremony of Carols series of concerts performed in Coffs Harbour, Bellingen and Armidale recently, and if that wasn’t enough Lucy was invited to play the Viola at the Armidale Choral Society’s Brahms Requiem Concert held in UNE’s Lazenby Hall in December.

S O UND

C I S MU

Congratulations to all the staff, cast and crew involved in the inaugural PLC Production, The Sound of Music. Bravo on its outstanding success!

A full review will be featured in the next edition of the Green Tartan.

Gondwana National Choral School

At the end of Term 3, PLC singers in the Junior and Senior schools had the opportunity to audition for the Gondwana National Choral school in January.

Established by Lyn Williams in 1997, Gondwana National Choirs are truly national ensembles whose members come from throughout Australia and range in age from 10 – 26. They perform music that is close to their hearts: new Australian works which capture the mystery and grandeur of our land and display the cultural diversity of the Australian people. The work of the choirs is a powerful expression of the determination of young Australians to work together to create extraordinary musical ensembles. They form every January for intensive training and performances across 4 or 5 vocal ensembles with leading national and international conductors at the Gondwana National Choral School, which includes programs for developing composers and conductors. Recently, the audition results were released and nine PLC Singers were selected: Huge congratulations to: Abigail Thompson (Year 5, Junior Gondwana), Gabrielle Cotterell (Year 6, Gondwana Novus), Emily Thompson (Year 6, Gondwana Voices), Sandra Alhassan (Year 6, Gondwana Novus), Sarah Hughes (Year 9, Gondwana Voices), Lily Graham (Year 9, Gondwana Singers), Isabelle Taylor (Year 9, Gondwana Singers), Clare Warwick (Year 9, Gondwana Voices), Elinor Warwick (Year 10, Gondwana Voices), Lucy Quast (Year 11, Gondwana Chorale), Dakotah Love (Graduated Year 12, Gondwana Chorale). Abigail Thompson is the youngest student in the New England Region to be selected and Emily Thompson is the youngest student to be selected for the prestigious Gondwana Voices.

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Emily Thompson in Year 6 has also received an offer to participate in the NSW Regional Youth Orchestra.

This opporutnity is for students outside of Sydney, aged 12- 20 years, selected from approximately seventeen different NSW Conservatoriums. Emily is a dedicated and determined student, who is committed to reaching her potential as a young musician. She hopes to later be a participant of the Australian World Orchestra Project and/ or the Opera Orchestra Australia Project (later in the 2017/18 Regional Youth Orchestra season).

Senior String Ensemble perform at City of Sydney Eisteddfod Eighteen students competed in the Premiere String Ensemble section for Secondary students in the City of Sydney Eisteddfod. PLC Armidale presented two works extremely well and received an enthusiastic response from the audience. The girls were motivated in their performance, playing expressively and were the only group to play from memory and were the only regional entry. We had two outstanding soloists Isla Biffin (Harp) and Mia Emanuel (Cello).

Twelve orchestras competed in the section and PLC Armidale was awarded 91 marks and a Highly Commended placing with Scots College and Knox.

The section was won by Trinity Grammar, 2nd Pymble Ladies’ College and 3rd MLC Burwood. All of these large schools presented large string orchestras and most had a majority of senior students performing.

The following girls should be very proud of their performances as much as the College is proud of them. Our thanks to Mrs Rickards for her continued dedication and passion for providing opportunities for our String players.

Year 12 Dakotah Love (Creative Arts Prefect) Year 11 Jessica Hughes (Concert master), Lucy Quast Year 10 Mackenzie Constable, Isla Biffin (Soloist), Anya Zuber, Alex Wright, Elinor Warwick, Mia Emanuel (Soloist) Year 9 Sophia Mackson, Sarah Hughes, Clare Warwick, Caitlin Hansford Year 7 Emma Dauparus, Maddy George Year 6 Emily Thompson, Gabby Cotterell, Kaylee Swick Absent: Annabel Sevil, Pip Constable and Lucy Wright

OUR SPORT

Athletics

In Term 3, one of our largest athletics teams competed at the IGSSA Athletics Carnival, held at Olympic Park, Sydney, with terrific results. Four girls were selected to represent IGSSA at the NSW CIS championships, held at the end of September.

Leadership in Sport Congratulations to the following girls on being selected as Sports Captains for 2018: Lucy Martin – Swimming Mackenzie Constable – Tennis Allastassia Carter – Soccer Saskia Kennett – Equestrian Sophie Hansen – Netball Larris Cleal – Basketball Hockey (Field & Indoor) – Sarah Askey

Representative Success - Hockey Congratulations to: Mia Emanuel, who after a lengthy selection process involving IGSSA trials, CIS trials and All Schools trials was selected as the goalkeeper for the NSW All Schools Hockey team to compete at the Pacific Games in Adelaide in December.

Sarah Askey - selected in NSW Accelerated Athlete program and in NSW Under 18 Indoor Hockey team.

Chelsea Thornton - selected in NSW Under 15 Indoor Hockey team.

PLC Teams Hockey & Netball IGSSA Results Netball – After the two rounds, our Junior Team finished 4th on the ladder in their division, narrowly missing a place in the Final series this year and our Senior team finished in 6th.

Hockey – Our Junior team finished 2nd on the ladder in their division and our Senior team finished 4th, enabling them both to qualify for the Finals. Our Senior & Junior representative Hockey teams competed admirably in the final series of their respective IGSSA competitions at Olympic Park. At the end of full-time in their respective Semi-Finals, our Seniors were drawn 1-1 with Pymble in the Division 1 competition, only to be narrowly defeated in the subsequent 9 a side “Golden Goal”. Our Juniors who played tremendous hockey to defeat Roseville College 2-0 in the Friday’s semi-final, backed up the following morning to play against local opponents, NEGS. Despite a hard-fought final, our girls were narrowly defeated 2-1. Congratulations to all players, coaches and supporters on an amazing season.

The girls selected were: Emma Barnier-Merzliakov – girls 18 years long jump. Maddi Campbell-Pickering – girls 13 years 200m. Gracie Martin – girls 16 years 200m. Isabella Watts – girls 13 years 200m and 400m.

Unfortunately, Emma could not attend the Championships due to Year 12 commitments, however the other three girls did compete.

The results from the CIS Championships: Isabella Watts – gold medal 1st: 13years 200m and bronze medal 3rd: 13 years 400m.

Maddi Campbell-Pickering – 11th : 13 years 200m. Gracie Martin – silver medal 2nd: 16 years 200m.

These girls then qualified to attend the All Schools Athletics Championships, held in Sydney, where the following results were achieved: Gracie Martin placed 10th overall in the 200m and 5th overall in the 400m. Isabella Watts crossed the line 9th in the 13 years final and placed 14th with a time of 28.33 in the 200m.

Imogen Dellow was also entered and placed 22nd in the 14 years 200m and 26th overall in the 14years 100m. She also participated in the High Jump competition.

Sport Supporters’ Group (SSG) established

At PLC Armidale, it is recognised that many parents like to support sport and their daughter’s involvement in sport. So much so, after numerous sideline discussions about the possibilities and opportunities, that a Sport Supporters’ Group (SSG) be established which liaises directly with and is co-ordinated jointly by the Directors of Sport and Development. Any parent from across the College is able to be involved, with the inaugural Chair of the SSG (by virtue of his experience in establishing a similar group), is Mr Greg Stier (father of Chloe, Year 11 and 2018 Head Prefect).

The primary objectives of the SSG include: • To foster and build community through sport across the whole College (both Senior and Junior).

• To generate funds to subsidise costs of girls’ sporting commitments through various sanctioned social activities.

• This SSG will also be a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contributions made by our parent community to sport at PLC Armidale in the future.

Pierre de Coubertin Award Congratulations to Emma Barnier on receiving the very prestigious Pierre de Coubertin Award last term for her services to Gymnastics, Athletics and Tennis.

This is an award presented by the NSW Olympic Committee to a high school student who has displayed the Olympic traits of fair play, sportsmanship, teamwork and commitment to their sport.

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OUR EVENTS From Trial Bay to Lamington National Park and beyond, our intrepid Duke of Edinburgh participants have it seems, hiked the length and breadth of the eastern seaboard.

PLC Armidale students also travelled to Fiji and Thailand respectively on the annual International Service Learning trips this year.

Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2017 Congratulations to Gracie Martin, Grace Lehman and Charlotte Caldwell who successfully completed the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic this year. Even though well trained and prepared for the event, it still had some gruelling elements and surprises along the way for both participants and land crew.

Young Endeavour experience Sarah Askey

As some of you may know, I spent the last week of my holidays and the start of this term doing my Duke of Ed Gold Residential Project on the Young Endeavour.

The Young Endeavour is an Australian tall ship, given to Australia by the British government in 1988, as a gift to celebrate Australia’s bicentenary of colonisation. It is run by the Royal Australian Navy, and is part of Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, intended to teach young Australians how to sail, while also developing teamwork and leadership skills and increasing participants’ self-awareness and sense of community spirit.

The spots on a Young Endeavour trip are done by a ballot, so you don’t get a lot of say over which trip you get, or who you go with.

To be eligible you have to be between 16 and 23. My trip went from Brisbane to Newcastle, with 24 youthies and the Navy crew. We got to be involved in a range of group activities, discussions and had 14

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a lots of jobs on the boat that were designed to allow us to help and support others, as well as letting us develop our own skills.

This all built over the first 9 days to the opportunity to run the ship on Command Day, where were had to implement our knowledge, leadership and team work to sail the vessel ourselves for 24 hours.

During the time on the boat I learnt so many new things like how to set and furl sails, the correct lines to use, how to lay out lines, tie off the lines, as well as helping the chef in the galley. One of the highlights was climbing the 32 metre mast to the top while out at sea. Being up so high, waves breaking over the bow, and being under sail was an amazing experience.

The scenery was also breath taking, with spectacular visits from humpback whales and dolphins. As well as sailing many days, and some nights. We had lots of trips ashore, visiting Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Trial Bay, Broken Bay, and a walk to Barenjoey lighthouse at Pittwater.

I found the trip very rewarding. While it was amazing to learn how to sail a tall ship and get to make new friends, it was also very physically challenging due to sleep deprivation and also mentally challenging trying to work together with a group of people who don’t know each other and haven’t got much sailing experience!

The 11 days of my time on the Young Endeavour was lots of fun, and an amazing experience that also taught me a lot about myself and challenged me physically. I discovered my own leadership abilities, while at the same time I also got a chance to learn about others and develop wonderful new friendships. I met people that I normally wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet, in circumstances that were outside my normal life. It was a great experience, and I know I can utilize the knowledge I gained to help me in the future. I definitely recommend it to any of you girls who have a spirit of adventure and are willing to try new things!

OUR TEAMS

Cattle Team @ EKKA Terrific results were achieved at this year’s Royal Brisbane Show (aka EKKA).

Molly Trindall (Mungindi) came 5th in 16-18 years School Pararders. Molly, Isabel Leitch (Narrabri) and Paris Whibley (Moree) came in the top six out of twenty-eight Schools in Team Junior Judging. Paris was also called into top line for Paraders in the huge Intermediate classes.

CARCASS RESULTS:

• Custard achieved Reserve Champion School Steer Carcass (Led by Lily Coleman).

• Monty achieved 4th place in Open steers out of 33. (Led by Molly Trindall).

• Barry achieved 12th place in Open Led steers out of 51. (Led by Paris Whibley)

STUDS: BAL Simmental: • BAL Make A Difference attained 1st in a big class of Junior Bulls. (Led by Molly Trindall).

• BAL Midnight achieved 4th out of 9 in baby bull class. (Led by Briony Looker) Lagoona: • Lagoona Oreo - Junior Champion Bull and Grand Champion Red Poll Bull (Led by Tim Light) • Lagoona Qinta - Junior Champion Red Poll Female and Grand Champion Red Poll Female (Led by Isabel Leitch) • Lagoona Brittany 2nd to Qinta in Junior Heifer class. (Led by Emily Peet) • Lagoona Pandora Senior Champion Cow. (Led by Tim Light, Calf led by Laura Hayes) Paris Whibley also won the Whip Cracking competition!

Congratulations to all our girls and huge thanks again to Tim Light and Briony Looker for their instruction, supervision, advice and support of our PLC Cattle Team.

Equestrian Team

Vale Jacko It was with great sadness that we received news of the passing of John “Jacko” Jackson, our former Cattle Team Manager who passed away peacefully at Nambour Hospital on 5 July 2017.

For the girls who had been in the team since its inception in 2000 to Jacko’s retirement in 2012, it was a sad day indeed.

Jacko was a very popular character with both staff and students, and ‘character’ he had in abundance. Laid back, caring and wise are just some of the adjectives that could be used to describe him. With Jacko’s grandfatherly demeanour and his keen sense of humour, he could make even the most nervous student feel at ease. He was generous with kind words for all, and at times, imparted down-to-earth advice to ‘his girls’ when they were trying to find their place in the world.

We were filled with amazement at the stories he told us of his life, whether it was during his droving days or managing a team of bullocks – always with a chuckle and a glint in his eye.

At Jacko’s funeral, I was fortunate enough to be able to give a eulogy in the company of Old Girls - Alison (AJ) Gadd nee Witten (Y12, 2003); Kirstie Rogers (Y12, 2002) and Amy Shephard (Y9, 2007) and so we said our final goodbyes. Our thoughts go to Anne, Daniel, Mel and Shonna (Y2, 2012).

Farewell Jacko – my colleague, my mentor, and my friend.

Judy Miller, Cattle Team Coordinator

From “Coona” to “ISHE” and all the horse shows in between, our PLC equine enthusiasts have experienced a busy season. In unusually fine weather, PLC Armidale riders again performed well in the North West Equestrian Expo, mid-year. Their results are as follows: Team of Fours - Jorja Power, Abby Stevenson, Jessie Younghusband and Lucy Wright - 2nd place.

Working Horse Challenge - Abby Stevenson was a finalist in the Working Horse Challenge, finishing 9th overall in her age group.

PLC Polocrosse Team - Chloe Stier, Tara Murray and Elizabeth Mackie made the finals in Division 2, but lost the finals knockout round on golden point in extra time.

One Day Event (ODE) - Dressage, Show Jump and Cross Country & Combined training (CT) - Dressage and Show Jump A Grade ODE 105cm - Sarah Askey finished 7th overall & Tara Murray finished 9th.

B Grade ODE 95cm - Saskia Kennett finished 8th overall D Grade ODE 60cm - 1st Jorja Power & Jessie Younghusband 9th.

CT 5 80cm - 1st Chloe Stier CT3 60cm - 2nd Lucy Wright CT2 45 cm - 6th Liz Mackie CT 1 45cm - 3rd Lani Almond Tara Murray (Year 12) and Saskia Kennett (Year 11) both completed the 25th Anniversary Pentathlon running and then riding the C grade cross country course on a mountain bike, throwing a javelin and top score show jump up to 1.20m and a flag race. Both were awarded commemorative medals for completing the gruelling event.

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OUR BOARDING

our

ISHE

BOARDING

Our Boarding Houses have been a hive of activity over the past months with girls participating in a very diverse range of activities such as the weekly community Park Runs, to Ekka, to movies night in the DKC, Halloween Themed dinner, Sound of Music production, Boarders’ Christmas and Birthday parties.

Our Boarding House Captain for 2018 is Molly Trindall from Mungindi! Congratulations Molly! Molly together with the Boarders’ SRC is planning many other activities from trips to Uralla to the Thunderbolt Festival, Blue Hole, Bellingen Markets, Tamworth and a Christmas Lights Tour. PLC Armidale and the Boarding community farewelled Margot and Murray Ball, who departed PLC for retrirement, leaving their respective roles as “Professional Parents”, as Co-Heads of Boarding for the wide open road and time with family. We sincerely thank them for their dedication over the past almost five years and wish them well for the next Chapter of the lives.

Congratulations to Mrs Alison Spencer upon her appointment to the position of Head of Boarding at PLC Armidale. Mrs Spencer has been working in the Boarding House as a House Mother this year and comes to the position also with a background in Occupational Therapy along with the raising of four daughters of her own. Mrs Spencer was selected from a very competitive field of applicants but impressed the panel with her vision for boarding at PLC Armidale and her commitment to the pastoral care and unique support needs of girls in Boarding. PLC Armidale is appreciative of Margot and Murray Ball’s willingness to support Alison as she transitions to her new role ensuring a smooth handover is in place.

P&F news

Following the AGM in October, the PLC Armidale P&F Executive Committee were each returned to their respective offices and are now planning their activities for 2018: Co-Presidents:

Theresa Smith-Ruig and Kelly Smitham (pictured at right with PLC parent Erica Smith)

Secretary:

Katherine Berry

Treasurer:

Megan Kliendeinst

The P&F has a number of fundraising events planned for 2018, including their signature event, the High Tea in Term 4 and the Trivia Night in Term 1, with a Parent Presentation night planned for Term 2. Watch this space, along with the Facebook page and Lion’s Roar for more details.

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After wrapping up the IGNITE campaign earlier this year, Foundation continued its fundraising activities with the Annual Giving program. A facilitated planning workshop was also held in Term 3 and as a result

OUR FOUNDATION

Our Foundation Our Team the Foundation is now in the process of planning a new Capital Campaign.

MEET OUR TEAM:

Chair – Mrs Deborah Martin

Secretary – Mr Brendan Peet

Treasurer – Ms Joel Ruig

COMMITTEE MEMBERS: (Jo McRae - Absent)

Ms Kate Woodland-Smith

Mrs Kylie Alcorn

Mrs Fiona Miron

Mr Darren Smitham

Mr Greg Anderson

Mrs Tina Dettwiler

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OUR EVENTS

Our Anniversary

130 Years

What a special year it has been! 130 years has been celebrated in style with our community, past, present and future: the Celebration Ball in Term 2; the Commissioning Service of PLC Pathways & Celebratory Morning Tea in Term 3 and the Celebratory Long Lunch in Term 4. The girls and staff across the whole College received a special commemorative pin; our graduating class of 2017, a beautiful bracelet and we are compiling a very special commemorative keepsake, REPAST, the book, which will be available in mid 2018. To each and everyone, our sincerest appreciation for the part you played in making this milestone year so special for PLC Armidale. We look forward to the next 130 years and beyond!

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OUR ALUMNI

You may re cognise a fe w

faces!

20 Y EA R 10 Y EA R

30 Y EA R

30 Y EA R

20 Y EA R

20 Y EA R

We enjoyed a visit from past Deputy Principal, Mrs Jean Mitchell last month. Jean is pictured here with Old Girl and immediate Past President of the OGU, Mrs Kylie Alcorn (nee Marjoram) 1985.

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OUR ALUMNI

Where Are They Now? INSPIRE - 1997 Graduates EMMA WHITE Emma is Principal and Managing Director of Empower Resolve Legal | Empower Resolve Consulting, founder of the Empower Law Clinic, a federally appointed Authorised Marriage Celebrant, and a freelance actor and voice coach. She is also mum to two beautiful little men, aged 3 years and 6 months respectively.

After graduating from PLC, she commenced degrees in Law and Financial Administration at the University of New England in 1998 and, for most of her studies, she worked full time in the legal profession while completing her studies part time. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in 2005 and was admitted to practice law in the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in 2005 and the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2008, and was entered on the roll of legal practitioners in the High Court of Australia in 2006.

Emma was the Women in Law in house lawyer of the year in 2013, and has received a number of Australia Day awards for her work with the AGS, Comcare and the federal Attorney-General’s Department.

After 15 years working in the federal government legal sector, she formed Empower Resolve Legal | Empower Resolve Consulting in 2016. Emma now specialises in legal advice and representation in discrimination law, federal statutory regulation and compliance schemes, commonwealth compensation, inquiries and inquests, litigation and dispute resolution, and succession law, and provides a range of business and strategic management services. In 2017 she formed the Empower Law Clinic, a free legal assistance service funded from profits of her legal and business consulting practice.

A keen singer and performer while at school, she has also kept her passion for the performing arts alive both on and off stage over the past 20 years. Having spent many of those years teaching singing and drama, she is now a voice coach specialising in performance and audition skills and improving audience engagement. She has played roles in Canberra productions of Guys & Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors, The Vicar of Dibley, The Full Monty, Titanic and Hairspray. She was Vocal Director for Oliver! in 2007 and My Fair Lady in 2015 and was Musical Director for Eurobeat! Almost Eurovision in 2013 and High School Musical in 2016. She is currently Vocal Director for Guys & Dolls, opening at The Q Performing Arts Centre on 3 November 2017, and she will direct Godspell for Queanbeyan Players at The Q in November 2018.

ALISON STUART (NEE RABE) After 6 years of boarding school, including my final year spent as Head Prefect, I stretched my wings with a GAP year at The King’s School, Ely, during 1998. Following this, I commenced my undergraduate degree in Optometry at UNSW. 2003 saw my career in eyecare begin in Dubbo, NSW. Although the years that followed found me back in Sydney - for reasons of the heart - professionally my heart was always in the country. At the end of 2009 my husband, Alex, and I pulled up stumps in the city and headed to my hometown of Gunnedah.

Providing primary eyecare in a rural setting has been incredibly rewarding, particularly after I gained my postgraduate qualifications in ocular therapeutics (drug prescribing). I am now mum to a 4 year old girl and a 2 year old boy and working part-time. Balancing it all is tricky and I don’t always get it right! I loved my years at PLC and am still close to many of my friends from that time. In fact I probably value them more as the years go by because they really knew me, then and now.

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L to R: Emillie Reynolds, Chloe Stier, Alison Stuart (Head Prefect 1997), Aparna Rao (Deputy Head Prefect 1997), Mackenzie Wood and Emma White.

APARNA RAO PhD Student / Medical Oncologist Dr Aparna Rao is a Medical Oncologist and cancer researcher at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. Dr Rao completed her undergraduate medical degree at the University of Western Australia in 2004. She subsequently undertook physician training in NSW, specialising in Medical Oncology. In 2012 she moved to Melbourne to complete a fellowship in Drug Development at the Peter Mac and was also awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. She has an interest in translational research and developed skills in clinical research through completing a Master of Clinical Trials Research at the University of Sydney in 2013. Dr Rao has clinical interests in Melanoma, Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology and continues to work part time as a Medical Oncologist in the Lung Cancer Clinic at Peter Mac. Alongside this, she is currently completing a PhD with a focus on cancer metabolism and using this understanding to target cancers that harbour RAS mutations - in particular in melanoma, colorectal and lung cancer. In 2018, Dr Rao will take up a post-doctoral research position in the field of cancer metabolism at the University of Texas Southwestern, USA with a view to ultimately returning to Australia to continue a career in both clinical oncology and cancer research.

EMILLIE REYNOLDS After graduating from PLC in 1997, she studied liberal studies in the United States and at Sydney University before transferring her university credits to an Arts / Law combined degree. She worked in Hospitality throughout her university days, before taking on a role as Paralegal at the NSW Crown solicitors Office (CSO) in Sydney, where after being admitted as a legal practitioner she became a solicitor in the CSO Community Law team. Her role involved being instructed in child protection appeals, charitable trust disputes, adoption appeals, and defending public interest immunity claims made for the release of government and police documents.

In 2006 Emillie and her husband moved to Bellingen on the mid north coast. She worked as an employed solicitor in a regional firm for five years before buying an established law firm in Bellingen. Emillie has been the principal solicitor at Reynolds and Reynolds Legal services since 2012, employs 7 staff and practices in predominately in Wills and estates law, property law, commercial matters, criminal law and general litigation.

Emillie and her husband have two daughters Isabelle aged 3 and Theodora aged 6.

Mrs Judith West (Past Boarding House

Mrs Judith Lamb (nee

Staff Member)

Cornford) – 1960

Judith passed away on June 15 at Logon Hospital following a battle with cancer.

It is deep regret that I inform you that Judy passed away in Gosford Hospital on Wednesday August 9, 2017, after a short illness.

After retiring she resided in her home at Leyburn Qld, with her much-loved dog, Molly. She was an active member of the community, volunteering with the Progress Association.

Her family would very much like to thank those ex-PLC Boarders who gave her the occasional call from overseas (usually in the middle of the night) and postcards. These gave her such a thrill and the personal satisfaction of a job well done.

Yours sincerely Lyn Regan (Past Head of Boarding & sister of Judith)

J Lee-Gaston

Miss Lucy Jane Hutton - 2012 (above) Lucy passed away peacefully on July 30, 2017, in Armidale hospital surrounded by her family after a short illness. As many may know, Lucy’s physical disability led to related health problems for which she had been hospitalised. She had been a student at PLC Armidale since Pre-Kinder until she graduated in Year 12, in 2012. Despite Lucy’s physical challenges, she always approached

life with an infectious smile and “can do attitude”.

Always willing to have a go and to help others, she returned to PLC after graduation to assist with the younger students in the Junior School.

PLC Armidale was Lucy’s “happy place” so it was very fitting that her Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving was held at the College in the Astra Arts Centre and gardens on Wednesday 2 August. The day couldn’t have been more special with stunning blue skies welcoming the mass of colourful balloons which were released by the exceptionally large community in attendance, in tribute to our beautiful young friend.

OUR ALUMNI

VALE

SAVE THE DATE

2018 Reunions October 26-28 (end of Week 2 Term 4)

Please check for regular updates on both the PLC Armidale website and Facebook page for more details. The P&F will again be hosting their bi-ennial High Tea on Saturday 27 October, so please also note this as a special signature event for the weekend to attend!

Reunion Contacts We are seeking expressions of interest from PLC Armidale Old Girls who graduated in the following year groups and whom we would like to encourage to gather their cohort and co-ordinate their reunion activities in 2018: 2013 (5 year) - Jo Mackie

2008 (10 year) - Jess Barber

1998 (20 year)

1988 (30 year) - Jenny Atkin, Fiona Robb and Bronwyn Grills 1978 (40 year)

1968 (50 year) and beyond

Naturally, you are very welcome to organise a gathering outside of these years, and we are here to help facilitate as many opportunities for PLC Armidale Old Girls to get together as possible. We would also like to send a “Shout Out” to the 20 year leavers, to please consider who may be available to return to the College on the Friday afternoon to be involved in the INSPIRE program!

For further details, please contact Director of Development, Shona Eichorn, on development@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au or 6770 1733.

Committee for 2018 At the recent Old Girls’ Weekend, the PLC Armidale & Hilton Old Girls’ Union hosted its Annual General Meeting. Much work has been done this year on the organisation’s Constitution so watch this space for activities planned for 2018!

Kylie Alcorn stepped down as President, only to then take up the seat of Deputy Chair. Congratulations and thanks to Mrs Kathie Marquardt (nee Ryan – 1980 graduate) who was elected as the new President of the PLC Armidale OGU. Kate Woodland-Smith was re-elected as Treasurer, and Steph Belson (nee Doyle) and Sonia Broun (nee Waters) were elected as “Co-Secretaries”.

OGU meetings n 2018 will be held on the second Tuesday of each term, ie.

6 February, 1 May, 31 July, and the AGM on Saturday 27 October. There are lots of social activities planned for 2018, so watch this space!

Katie Beresford (nee de Veau) – 1990 Katie returned to PLC Armidale last term as the special guest speaker at the Valedictory Day Assembly to inspire the 2017 graduates.

She is a former music scholarship recipient and music prefect at PLC Armidale, and is now an award-winning singer-songwriter, entertainer and creative educator. Producing 4 studio albums, singing on stages around the world, appearing on television on Channel 9 and Foxtel, Katie is a seasoned performer and composer. Katie currently works in Canberra as a music educator, creative consultant, vocal coach and passionate advocate for staff and student wellbeing. Katie is also married with four beautiful teenage children.

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OUR COMMEMORATIONS

The Birth & Making of REPAST...

PLC Armidale’s Commemorative Book

Ever since purchasing from another independent school, a cookbook back in 2010 (a College to which I have no links whatsoever), I was so impressed and had since always wanted to do something similar.

So, what better opportunity than PLC Armidale’s 130-year milestone.

Since tabling the first concept, I knew it would take a pretty special team.

In order to achieve this monumental task, I knew it needed a small yet experienced, enthusiastic, hardworking and ambitious group of people. So, enter our graphic designer, stylist and PLC Armidale Old Girl, Bronwyn Grills. Bronwyn and I had worked together on various projects many years ago, and I knew her creative talents and passion for this type of project, so she was an obvious choice. Sarah Burrows, current PLC Armidale Parent (Frensham & Pymble Ladies’ College Old Girl) had mentioned to me in a very casual conversation when we first met when she, husband Richard and children Finn and Neve, re-located to the area, that she had once been the Food Editor for Vogue Entertaining & Travel. Perfect I thought! The third creative dynamo, is one of the most passionate past PLC parents I know,

Lynne Walker, who just happens to have done some feature writing for not only Australian Country Style, New England Living Magazine, and the Australian Open Garden Scheme, as well as previously ABC radio in NZ. Again, bingo!

We also seconded current parents Sarah Ryan and Kim Taylor, and Old Girl (1981) Kate Blackmore, and friend of PLC Bev Eichorn to help. Finally, Antony from Chasing Summer Photography was tasked with the photographic aspect of the book. And me, well I just get led astray by the others!

The Commemorative Book, or “The Book” to which it has been fondly known as from the start, became REPAST, after much soul-searching, googling, brain-storming and many months of scribbles!

The process to not only obtain submissions (stories, recipes and photos) from the PLC Armidale community, then to photograph and/ or cook every item, then design each page of the 300-page hard cover keepsake, has been nothing short of extensive (and that’s the much abbrieviated version), all in-between each of our real jobs!

We hope you enjoy it, purchase many copies for your family and to gift to others, and recommend it to others, as it certainly will be an undertaking that will not happen again in our lifetime.

Shona Eichorn

In print & online. ( 0 2 ) 676 6 3 6 27 w w w.newenglandliving.com.au 22

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OUR COMMEMORATIONS

R E PA S T THE PEOPLE, PROVISIONS AND PERSPECTIVES OF PLC ARMIDALE

REPAST is more than a cookbook.

It's a commemorative book which tells the stories and shares the recipes of PLC Armidale families and staff, past and present.

The College's history is told through the experiences of its community.

REPAST is a collection of anecdotal stories of our community, where the common denominator is food and a shared experience.

The recipes are authentic, not perfect! That's what makes it special.

It's a showcase of food, gardens, history and photos.

PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW Contact Shona Eichorn, Director of Development on 02 6770 1700 or development@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

G R E E N TA RTA N • SUM M E R 2 0 1 7 /18

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Our Gift to you...

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Scholarship IN 2019

Applications OPEN 1 December 2017 Scholarship Day & Exam 26 February 2018 SUE OF NEXT IS

an t r a t n e gre N 2018 AUTUM

ALL GIRLS PRE-KINDER TO YEAR 12 BOARDING FROM YEAR 5

In alliance with PLC SYDNEY