Congratulations to our Class of 2023 WATCH US CHANGE THE WORLD
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To Infinity and Beyond for our Class of 2023
Year 12 consistently demonstrated the power of friendship and the strength that is found in unity in their everyday actions. It is such a pleasure to celebrate our wonderful Class of 2023 for their outstanding HSC results and, equally importantly, for all they have contributed to the life of the College during their time as students. Congratulations to one and all; you have made the most of the gift of a Pymble education and now have so many exciting opportunities to explore. In their final year as seniors and leaders of our school, it is tradition for each Year 12 cohort to choose a theme to carry through their assemblies, events and messaging to the student body. This is always interesting, and often reflective of the qualities and collective intentions of the group at large. Our Class of 2023 chose well. You’ve got a friend in me was the perfect choice for this colourful, charismatic and caring cohort. Year 12 consistently demonstrated the power of friendship and the strength that is found in unity in their everyday actions, much like Buzz, Woody and the gang in Toy Story. And, just as we watched Andy in the series grow from childhood into adulthood, so too have we had the joy of watching our ‘Class of Toy Story’
grow over the years into the influential and compassionate young adults we know and admire today. Year 12, this publication is in honour of you, and the special gifts and talents you have brought to our Pymble family. You have gone to infinity and beyond as leaders of our school. We honour your courage. We honour your strength. We honour your commitment to living the lyrics: There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you We stick together and see it through ‘Cause you’ve got a friend in me. When we talk about Pymble changing the world, we don’t mean making big, miraculous gestures. It can be as simple as showing up to school each day to care for one another and lift each other up, as you have demonstrated so beautifully. To our sporting heroes, our dramatists, musicians, acrobats, public speakers and debaters, academics, robotics stars, artists, designers and creators, thank you for understanding that you don’t have to be friends with everyone, but that you can always be friendly to those around you. Thank you for showing up each day with care in your hearts.
2 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
While you will be sorely missed, I hope you know, from all of us here that: Boy, and as the years go by Our friendship will never die You’re gonna see it’s our destiny, yeah You’ve got a friend in me, yeah You’ve got a friend in me!
Dr Kate Hadwen PRINCIPAL
Class of 2023, We are Immensely Pymble Proud! 90) placing them on the Distinguished Achievers list. Brilliant subjects this year with 100 per cent of students in Band 6 or E4 were Japanese Extension, Latin Continuers, Latin Extension and Music Extension.
We are proud of your dedication, resilience and unwavering commitment to excellence that have laid the foundation for a future filled with limitless possibilities. Proud of the 46 HSC markers among our outstanding professional staff who worked beside you every step of the way with their high impact teaching practices. Proud of the way in which you have already begun to use your knowledge to make a positive impact on the world. Two hundred and seventy-five students from Pymble Ladies’ College sat for the NSW Higher School Certificate in 50 courses and were eligible for an ATAR. When compared to the state average, results in Bands 5 and 6 (2 unit courses) and Bands E3 and E4 (extension courses) have remained consistently well above the state. On average, 78 per cent of Pymble candidates across all 2 unit courses offered at the College achieved results in Band 5 and 6, compared with 46 per cent of students across the state in the same subjects. Pymble students achieved an incredible 21 state rankings and 38 students were named as All Rounders with Band 6 or E4 in ten or more units. One hundred and eighty-eight students had at least one Band 6 result (above
Pymble students excelled in the following 2 unit subjects in which the combined Band 5/6 results were 30 per cent or more above the state percentages (subjects with an * also had three times or more the state percentage of Band 6 students). Aboriginal Studies, Agriculture*, Ancient History*, Biology*, Business Studies, Chemistry, Design and Technology, Drama, English EAL/D*, Entertainment Industry*, Food Technology*, French Continuers, Geography*, Hospitality, Investigating Science*, Italian Beginners, Japanese Continuers*, Legal Studies, Mathematics Standard*, Modern History*, Music 1*, PDHPE*, Physics*, Society and Culture, Studies of Religion I and Visual Arts*. In addition, these subjects had 100 per cent of students in Band 5 and 6 (above 80) for 2 unit subjects and E3 and E4 for extension subjects; Classical Greek Continuers, Drama, English Extension 1, English Extension 2, French Continuers, French Extension, German Extension, History Extension, Investigating Science, Japanese Continuers, Mathematics Extension 2, Music 1, Music 2, Studies of Religion I and Visual Arts.
275
PYMBLE STUDENTS SAT FOR
50
HSC COURSES
“Your life is your canvas, and you are the artist. Paint with bold strokes, embrace vibrant colors, and create a work of art that reflects the true essence of who you are and who you aspire to become.” Record numbers of students were nominated for HSC Showcases. Visual Arts was exceptional with 75 per cent of students achieving Band 6 results and 24 nominations. Dance, Drama, Music, Design and Technology and Textiles and Design also celebrated multiple nominations. We are in awe of the creativity and commitment it takes to complete a major work and are very excited that Pymble has students selected to have their major work exhibited at both ARTEXPRESS and SHAPE Textiles. Class of 2023, your life is your canvas, and you are the artist. Paint with bold strokes, embrace vibrant colors, and create a work of art that reflects the true essence of who you are and who you aspire to become. Mrs Natasha Stanfield DIRECTOR OF STUDIES (YEAR 7-12)
2-Unit Results in Bands 5 and 6 Pymble Average NSW Average 46%
78%
Conquering All Challenges “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” Bill Bradley Twenty twenty-three Year 12 graduates have experienced some of the most challenging times during their secondary school journey, and with fortitude and grace, they have finished on a high note as one the most hardworking and committed groups I have worked alongside. I have chosen this quotation for this year as the students in this group had, and continue to have, high ambition, across a range of domains covering academia, sport, performing arts, design and technology and service. However, they also understand the importance of hard work, determination, keeping a realistic perspective and working collaboratively to achieve their goals. As the leaders of the College for 2023, they have effectively modelled these values alongside their other key trait: kindness for their younger peers. On behalf of all their teachers, I would like to honour and acknowledge their commitment to their own learning, their drive and ambition and their profound sense of inclusivity. Graduating from school is marked by effort and determination, and it is my sincere hope that all our students are immensely proud of themselves, as are their teachers, families and friends.
good sense, optimism and gentle encouragement enabled the girls to persevere when times were challenging and this support allowed the girls to shine their brightest. Over the years so many of you have risen early to get to training sessions and stayed up late to watch performances, walked over pins on the dining room floor and read novels alongside your daughter. This commitment to her education cannot be understated. Thank you most sincerely for your steadfast loyalty to and support of the College. Reflecting on this graduating class of 2023, I am excited to hear their next steps and am confident that they will continue to follow their ambitions, even when the challenge is great. I know they will always value humour and kindness, and provide answers to the many tough questions
I would also like to thank the parents of our graduating Year 12s – your
4 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
that confront us. As I referenced in their farewell speech – this year group is filled with magical and mythical individuals who bring such a great sense of optimism, genuine compassion and the spirit of fun wherever they go. I congratulate every student on her achievements and thank her most sincerely for the unique gifts that have been so generously shared with the Pymble community. Like all their teachers, I look forward to hearing stories about the next set of adventures that these young women embark upon and hope they remember that they are always a Pymble girl! Mrs Nikki Wyse HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL
Farewell Year 12! Our girls were able to celebrate their time at Pymble and acknowledge their incredible achievements with a memorable Chapel Service and Awards Ceremony. The special day also saw Angie Wang and Sophia Gao named Dux of the Class of 2023. Congratulations to all!
Guard of honour
Dr Kate Hadwen (Principal), Dux Sophia Gao and Angie Wang and Mr James Hunter (Chair of Board)
Pymble Ladies’ College Class of 2023
ATAR HSC Performance Pymble Ladies’ College performed exceptionally across First in State, All-round Achievers and Distinguished Achievers, with 247 individual mentions across the three categories. BEST IN SUBJECT The following students earned a place in the Top Achievers in Course list across a variety of courses: Angie Wang 1st in Maths Extension 2 2nd in Maths Extension 1 4th in English Advanced Kelly Wong 2nd in Japanese Extension Jade Yang 2nd in Agriculture Annelise Koh 3rd in Classical Greek Continuers Sophie van Kerkwijk 3rd in Dance Miki Culver 4th in Italian Beginners
NESA ALL-ROUND ACHIEVERS
38
Manon O’Donnell 4th in French Continuers Lucy Robertson 5th in Aboriginal Studies 5th in Investigating Science
ALL-ROUND ACHIEVERS
Clio Moran 6th in Investigating Science
Thirty-eight Pymble students were named in the NESA All-round Achievers list. This list acknowledges the students who achieved a result in the highest band possible (Band 6 or Band E4) in ten or more units of courses in their current pattern of study: • Lisa Chen • Xiao Chen • Hoi Ching Janice Cheung • Martina Chin • Sophie Christopher • Miki Culver • Senuli Edirisinghe • Tess Fennell • Sophia Gao • Charlotte Hartin • Alice Sophia Hillsdon • Arabella Hunt • Minxi Jiang
• Lucia Jin • Annelise Koh • Yi Ying Lim • Alexandra Luxton • Alexandra MacColl • Piper Markson • Cheuk Lam Pang • Genevieve Power • Lucy Robertson • Claire Sun • Caitlyn Tan • Sophie van Kerkwijk • Angie Wang
• Denise Wang • Saskia WilloughbyWinlaw • Alice Windybank • Kelly Wong • On Yau Wong • Rhedyn Wong • Jessica Woo • Yo Yo Xie • Jade Yang • Alyssa Yee • Bella Zhang • Hayley Zhou
6 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
Phoebe Mason 7th in Earth and Environmental Science Senuli Edirisinghe 8th in Agriculture Alexandra MacColl 8th in Textiles and Design Piper Markson 8th in Ancient History 17th in English Advanced Shivani Senthil 8th in Agriculture Genevieve Power 9th in Hospitality Examination Angelina Lu 10th in Visual Arts Hayley Zhou 15th in Modern History
2023 ATAR RESULTS The highest reported ATAR was 99.95 achieved by Angie Wang. Other outstanding ATARs were: • Miki Culver - 99.90 • Annelise Koh - 99.90
• Yo Yo Xie - 99.85
80
60
89
40
20
%
140 STUDENTS
STUDENTS
29
STUDENTS
33%
51%
11%
>99.00
>95.00
>90.00
29 STUDENTS WITH
ATARS >99.00
DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVERS LIST The NESA Distinguished Achievers list acknowledges the students who achieved a result in the highest band (Band 6 or Band E4) for one or more courses.
188 68% GIRLS ON THE DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVERS LIST
of cohort
THE PYMBLE CLASS OF 2023 ACHIEVED A
MEDIAN ATAR OF
90.45 PYMBLE RANKED
19
th
IN THE SMH TOP 100 SCHOOLS REPORT Zhizhen Wang, Alice Guan and Elizabeth Zhu Chan
The Lessons of Pymble’s Dux Duo
ANGIE WANG AND SOPHIA GAO “I am grateful to have spent my years surrounded by such an uplifting and supportive energy. Within its fostering of community, the College has given me an intense appreciation for sisterhood, and I believe this to be inextricable from the person I am today,” Wang said.
After a year of assessments, exams and countless late nights of study, Angie Wang and Sophia Gao’s academic brilliance could not be separated, with both girls sharing the honour of being named Dux of 2023.
end of the day they are both 17-yearolds navigating their way through the early stages of their life.
Whilst the title of Dux is awarded based on results in one’s final year of study, realistically, it is earned in the years preceding that. One simply cannot cruise through high school until they reach Year 12 and become Dux after a single year of effort.
“I am grateful to have spent my years surrounded by such an uplifting and supportive energy. Within its fostering of community, the College has given me an intense appreciation for sisterhood, and I believe this to be inextricable from the person I am today,” Wang said.
This notion was confirmed by both Angie and Sophia when asked what being a Pymble girl meant to them. For Angie, it was “being firmly ambitious and indefinitely kind.” Sophia believed it was about “seizing opportunities” and being “able to excel in various areas without compromise.” From those responses alone, the studious mindsets of these two young women are laid bare on the table. But don’t be fooled; while these girls are undoubtedly intelligently gifted, at the
8 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
And, without saying, there is more to life than academic success.
Sophia says that her time at Pymble helped her grow and become more confident as a person. “Since beginning at the College in Year 9, I’ve become a girl who is willing to step out of her comfort zone to try new thing. I’ve been shaped by my experiences in rhythmic gymnastics that taught me the importance of resilience and perseverance, as well as my various leadership roles,” Gao said.
To achieve such amazing results, you’d be forgiven for thinking that these girls hardly spent a minute away from their textbooks, however, this was not the case. Both Angie and Sophia found that taking breaks and focusing on things not related to academics helped them get better marks in the long run.
points to prepare herself for virtually any exam question. Whilst Angie and Sophie had their study routines down pat, both girls still naturally encountered obstacles along the way.
“I believe in appreciating the little things in life. Especially towards Year 11 and 12, these little moments of happiness may get harder to find, but they will always, always be there,” Wang said.
“A great obstacle was the immense stress of senior studies itself. It could even interfere with my ability to concentrate; at times I felt so swamped that I struggled to settle and even choose something to begin with,” Gao said.
For Sophia, whilst studying was important, she wanted to take away memories and experiences from Year 12, not just an ATAR.
“To manage this, I began carefully planning my study time beforehand, including the order I would do things based on priority.”
“For me, a healthy school-life balance meant agreeing to plans with friends and maintaining hobbies like reading and playing the piano,” Gao said.
Angie came first in New South Wales in Mathematics Extension 2, arguably the toughest subject on offer, but says her toughest challenge was completing Latin Continuers and Extension in the HSC whilst in Year 10 in 2021. She came first in those, too.
Despite wanting to do their best to keep a healthy balance between school and their social lives, there’s no denying that both Angie and Sophia spent hundreds, if not thousands of hours earning their title of Dux. “Instrumental to my success was actively figuring out how to study. I heard about Parkinson’s Law – ‘work expands to fill the time you allocate it.’ You need to be very mindful of the length and time you allocate to each task, as more time does not necessarily mean you get more done,” Wang said. Sophia’s time in front of the books differed based on what subject she was studying. For maths and English, it was doing past papers and familiarising herself with all possible question types. For legal studies, it was writing essays for all the syllabus dot
“The biggest obstacle of any acceleration is not the content difficulty, but the sudden leap in academic maturity you must undergo in a short period of time. It made me realise the importance of knowing yourself and knowing how you learn, as my Latin classmates had two more years to refine their study technique,” Wang said. Much like their individual ways of balancing school and life and their tips for studying, their advice for younger students looking to follow in their academic footsteps also differs. Philosophically, Angie says, “the highest form of success is a labour of love” and that “success is not a reward
for suffering or self-sacrifice.” She believes that when you love what you do, striving to achieve the best you can should not be entirely painful and that success will come as long as you strive to your own best. Sophia’s advice is to, unsurprisingly, work hard, strive for excellence rather than perfection, don’t compare yourself to others and ask your teachers for help if you need it. Both girls have the world at their feet. Whatever they set their minds to, they are likely to achieve, however, they are taking things one step at a time. “I’m adamant on studying mathematics at university – it has been the one subject I have loved passionately and unwaveringly my whole life. The specifics – which university, whether I do maths with a side of computer science, economics or philosophy – are all a bit up in the air, but I’m happy doing anything as long as it’s mathsrelated,” Wang said. For Sophia, her plan is to study law at the University of Sydney. She also aspires to study at a top institution in the US, and in ten years’ time hopes to be a lawyer specialising in corporate law. She also mentions, however, that she’s always been an open-minded person, and wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up doing something else. At Pymble, a great emphasis is placed on girls marking their mark: on themselves and on the College. As you have just read, Angie and Sophia have done all this and more, and it’s only a matter of time before they do more than make their mark on the world – they look set to change it.
The Importance of Connection and Community FREYA CARMODY AND ALYSSA YEE Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader, they set out to make a difference. And with the College’s 2023 theme of Pymble Gives Back, this line of thinking couldn’t ring any truer for Head Prefects Freya Carmody and Alyssa Yee. Both Freya and Alyssa are Pymble girls through and through. Funnily enough, when asked what being a Pymble girl meant to them, both girls said there is no blanket definition – in fact, Freya says that it could mean “a hundred different things” – but that it’s all about what you make of it. “Pymble inspires girls to create their own definition of the term, as well as their own identity, united by the College values of care, courage, integrity, respect and responsibility,” Carmody said. Alyssa says that, along with these values, it’s the vast range of opportunities afforded to students which, in the end, will naturally shape you. Whatever path you take and whoever you become, you have forged your own definition of what it means to be a Pymble girl. “The College offers so many opportunities for us to find areas of interest and form connections with others, all of which helps to shape us as unique Pymble girls tied together
by our common values and variety of shared experiences,” Yee said. Connection and making a difference were a big part of Freya and Alyssa’s job; the two girls established the Year 12 theme of ‘2023, You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ at the beginning of the school year. “This theme helped us establish the legacy of enthusiasm, support, friendship and all-round good vibes we strived towards throughout our time as Head Prefects,” Yee said. Freya says that bringing people together was her favourite part of the role, and it was a privilege to see her idea of connection come to life. “One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Head Prefect role, in my eyes,
10 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
was the opportunity to engage with so many members of the College, with a common focus of connecting the school through spirit and community,” Carmody said. Whilst you can immediately sense the passion these two girls had for their role of Head Prefects, leading a school with 2,300+ students was never going to be all sunshine and roses. Learning how to communicate effectively across a wide range of portfolios and getting initiatives off the ground were just two of the issues Freya and Alyssa faced. But, as true leaders do, they learned and grew from the challenges.
“Throughout my time as Head Prefect, I grew both as a leader and person, coming to better understand how to try and bring out the strengths of the student leaders in our prefect body to spread the spirit of friendship throughout the different aspects of Pymble life,” Yee said. “In bringing this vision to life, I also came to understand the nuances of leadership better in that it entails both leading by example as well as leading through others.” For Alyssa, it was the realisation that the consistent, smaller actions she took had a greater impact on others than extravagant ones. “Being Head Prefect taught me that people more often notice the everyday actions you take and the interactions you have with people, rather than grand initiatives,” Carmody said. “Whilst obviously it is great to bring to life tangible results from your work to help improve a school environment, I’ve learned not to put quite so much pressure on myself to ‘achieve’, but rather put effort into being a presence that can life people’s experiences in similar ways.” As well as their leadership duties, both girls also undertook a broad variety of co-curricular activities and service
initiatives whilst maintaining a serious academic workload. For an average Year 12 student, maintaining a healthy school-life balance is important. With the amount Freya and Alyssa had on their plates combined with the academic workload of the Higher School Certificate, it was vital. Freya’s advice to maintain a healthy balance is to talk to others and discuss your problems, take things step by step and don’t get too ahead of yourself and don’t be afraid to reassess a situation if you feel like what you’re doing isn’t working. For Alyssa, what kept her going was pacing herself, keeping things in perspective, always finding time to do things that made her happy and approaching life with a positive attitude and an open mind. Next year, Freya is off to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music to study a Bachelor of Music Theatre (Music Performance) while Alyssa aspires to study a law and commerce degree. With their lives just beginning and the world at their feet, both girls are extremely grateful to have attended the College and for the opportunities they received. “Pymble is more than just a school, it’s a community. I am so proud to be a Pymble girl and it has been an absolute honour to represent the College as Head Prefect in 2023,” Yee said. “The Pymble community is the heart and soul of the school, serving to enrich academic, service and co-curricular experiences, and the way that Pymble students are able to draw on their connections with friends and staff even after they graduate is really wonderful.”
Ash Aces Her Way to Iowa State ASH NARKER Twenty twenty-three has no doubt been the biggest year of Ash Narker’s life. In the past 12 months alone, Ash became the first Pymble girl since 2012 to win the singles title at the prestigious Tildesley Shield, obtained a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking and most recently announced she had accepted a scholarship to study sports/exercise science at Iowa State University in 2024, the eighth-ranked college in America for women’s tennis. What makes this success all the more remarkable is that Ash was born with severe to profound hearing loss and is medically classified as deaf. She
makes it clear, however, that her deafness does not define her; it’s just a roadblock like any other that she has had to overcome.
“I don’t see myself as being a deaf athlete, but rather a normal athlete who happens to be deaf,” Narker said. It is this mindset that has allowed her to excel in mainstream tennis.
12 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
“Being deaf has allowed me to be more resilient than others in the sense that I have had to overcome a lot of adversity, which has gotten me to the position I am in today.” Ash first picked up a tennis racquet when she was five years old after watching her three older brothers play, and now considers herself ‘married’ to the sport after 13 years of competition. “I’m practically married to tennis! And like all marriages it has its ups and downs, but nothing can come close to that winning feeling, and the bigger the tournament, the better the feeling,” Narker said.
She’s also adamant that she would wipe her older brothers off the court, saying they “don’t stand a chance.” After everything Ash has achieved and all the adversity she has overcome to get to where she is today, you’d be brave to bet against her. To the naked eye, tennis might not seem like the type of sport that requires a player to rely on their hearing to succeed. But Ash explains that tennis is far more than see ball, hit ball, and the ability to pick up on auditory cues is very beneficial to one’s game. “In tennis, simply seeing the ball is believed to be insufficient. Hearing the ball enables faster reaction times which can be an advantage when receiving fast serves and groundstrokes, which means that even the tiniest fraction of a second matters. If you time the ball wrong, then your shot is most likely a mishit,” Narker said. “According to players, each type of spin makes a different sound depending how fast it comes off the opponent’s racquet. However, I can’t hear this sound, so instead I have to focus on the opponent, how they are making contact and anticipate where they are going to hit it next based on the ball’s trajectory over the net. “Often, my game is based on my kinaesthetic sense and ability to feel the ball, which is one of my strengths as a tennis player, as well as my increased visual activity,” she said. Ash is a firm believer – and living, breathing proof – that having a disability shouldn’t prevent you from following your dreams or achieving success, whether that be in sports
or life in general. But she doesn’t shy away from admitting how hard she’s worked to achieve that success. “The ability to succeed doesn’t come quickly – that is something I’ve learned over the years – and I still haven’t succeeded to the point where I have reached my full potential. Success is not possible without hard work and commitment, but if you have them both then results will come. “My coach’s dad always said, ‘When preparation meets opportunity, be ready’. It is only this way, and through experiencing failure, that you will reach your goals, not just in the sporting realm but also in everyday life,” Narker said. That quote has definitely rung true for Ash, who recently accepted a scholarship to attend Iowa State University (ISU) from 2024 where she will go through the college pathway and aim to break into the professional circuit. “I am stoked to go to America and compete for not only Iowa State, but also for myself and everything I have achieved and will do in the future. It will be great to test my level against some of the best international players amongst division one colleges,” Narker said. “I have already achieved my goal of becoming the first deaf player to ever obtain a WTA ranking, which brings me to my next goal of winning a pro tournament and breaking into the top 500 in the world, all the while competing in college tennis and getting a degree. “When I graduate college, I would like to spend a year abroad in Europe and play as many pro tournaments as possible and crack the top 100.
From there, it only gets better!” With a bright future ahead and million memories yet to be made, Ash’s fondest memory of her time at Pymble was winning the Tildesly Shield, a special moment she says will forever hold a place in her heart. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of the Pymble coaches, Kris and Tyra, as well as the encouragement from the student spectators who lifted me up when I was down in the final, and helped me come back to win it,” Narker said. Ash says that the sporting lifestyle at Pymble, and the way in which you are encouraged to follow your dreams and nurture your talents, is second to none, and that she cannot thank Ms Skye Halliday, Co-ordinator of the Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program, enough for her support, especially through her senior years. In terms of the College itself, Ash’s sentiments are no different, saying that the teaching staff have always have your back, no matter what you choose to do in life. “The teachers are very supportive (especially of me, being deaf) and the students encourage one another to strive for the highest, both in the classroom and on the sporting field,” Narker said. Ash has always strived for the highest in everything she does done during her time at Pymble, and going off her confidence, unwavering work ethic and humility, it’s clear there are a lot more goals she wants to achieve in life – and we have no doubt she will ace those, too.
Pymble’s Swimming Superstar During her six years at the College, Bella says the creativity, compassion and integrity of her fellow classmates have been what have stood out the most, making her incredibly proud to be a Pymble girl. “My time at the College has empowered me to find confidence in my own voice as a young woman and changemaker,” Zhang said.
BELLA ZHANG Bella Zhang is a firm believer in the College’s declaration, saying that for her, being a Pymble girl means being able to, but more importantly wanting to change the world.
“It has also been a privilege to be surrounded by supportive and passionate teachers who have fostered a lover for learning, change and innovation.” Bella was a masterful musician and an avid academic, but her true gift and passion was undoubtedly in the pool, being named Swimming Captain of 2023. It seems Bella’s talents were written in the stars; her grandpa was a swim coach back in China, her grandma a speedskater who also picked up swimming, with her mother and aunties also excelling in the sport.
14 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
“It came without question that I would begin swimming lessons at the young age of three, taught by my grandpa at our local pool, which was also where my older twin sisters trained,” Zhang said. “I’ve been swimming for so long now that it’s become more than just a sport to me, but a legacy and tradition tying generations of athletes in my family together.” Bella has well and truly upheld her family’s legacy, achieving spectacular results at school, club, state and national levels, saying that swimming has had the most profound impact on her life and her fundamental personality would be completely different without it. “Swimming has given me the ability to look at life with more perspective, a growth-focused mindset and an enduring sense of self-confidence and determination,” Zhang said. As Bella progressed through Secondary School, she had to learn the best ways to handle the shifting dynamics
between schoolwork, swimming and the other commitments in her life, but says she now appreciates the lessons that juggling her time taught her.
“Having less time than my peers made me more conscious of it and, in this way, I learned to prioritise what really mattered to me,” Zhang said. “Although at the time I was jealous of not having as much free time as other girls, I understand now that it was swimming which developed my dogged attitude towards hard work and hardships.” Bella says discovering a way to not only excel, but more importantly enjoying what you do is a unique and individualistic path learnt only by firsthand experience, and there are no pre-defined or foolproof solutions to achieving a perfect balance between multiple commitments all carried out with high expectations and at elite levels. “Time management strategies and study hacks can only get you so far, because the ‘perfect balance’ doesn’t exist,” Zhang said. Bella learnt this the hard way in Year 11 when she tried to juggle and balance everything at the same time, but instead ended up experiencing complete and utter burnout. “I ended up destroying my mental and emotional health, as well as my passion and motivation for swimming,
learning and music,” Zhang said. It was only after a conversation with Mr Justin Raymond, Deputy Principal – Students (K-12) and one of Bella’s most trusted mentors, did she start to have a different view on the best way to approach time management. “Life is like conducting an orchestra. You conduct each instrument’s solo as they come while the rest of the orchestra plays in the background, just as you shift your focus from swimming, school or music as you need,” Mr Raymond told Bella. In other words, he suggested Bella concentrate on what was most important or of the highest priority until something else took over. It was this method that allowed Bella to survive, and enjoy, Year 12, facing each wave of challenges as they came. “After this conversation I broke my terms up into distinct chunks; three weeks where I would primarily focus on training for a specific swim meet, then another three dedicated purely to studying purely to studying for assessments and another few targeting consistent music practice,” Zhang said. When it comes to success, Bella has achieved a lot of it – especially in the pool – but says the most important thing is considering what ‘success’ means to you, and being overwhelmingly focused and motivated by sterile percentages, rankings or milliseconds of personal best times is untenable. “Your passions are meant to be just that – something you’re passionate
about. As soon as you lose that genuine excitement or happiness from whatever you choose to invest your time in, that passion becomes a chore,” Zhang said. “A mantra I’ve developed from my swimming coach is to always be in the moment, and by doing that you’ll be able to immerse yourself in everything you do.” Bella is currently deciding whether to start college in America in the fall of 2024 or take a gap year to explore her options of what to study. If she has it her way, she would one day love to represent Australia at the Olympic Games, but for now is focusing on shorter term goals and seeing where the sport takes her. As for music, Bella says she has grown to appreciate how much of a privilege and gift it is, and although she most likely won’t pursue a career in it, she truly hopes to keep music an important part of her identity by possibly participating in a college orchestra or ensemble. “Pymble is a place that nurtures interests of all kinds and allows girls to grow into people that genuinely have the motivation and ability to change the world,” Zhang said. Bella’s motivation is clear for all to see, and there’s no denying her ability from all that she has achieved at Pymble – both in and out of the pool – so it’s only a matter of time until we see the full extent of how she is going to change the world, more so than she already has.
A Star is Born in Amelia Seeto
Since taking up dancing as a threeyear-old and having the opportunity to expand her skills in singing and acting after starting at Pymble in Year 5 in 2015, Amelia Seeto – a triple-threat performer in any sense of the term – has recently been accepted into Brent Street Theatre. While many believe performers like Amelia have ‘Showtime!’ in their DNA, she believes it was the expansive range of performing arts opportunities afforded to her at the College that has gotten her to where she is today.
AMELIA SEETO I reflect on how grateful I am for the gift of being educated at Pymble every day, and I recognise and am thankful for what I have been presented with through my years at the College.
“I have had the privilege of participating in choirs, curricular lessons, singing tuition, drama productions and musicals throughout my time at Pymble which has solidified my passion for performing arts and has led me to where I am today in terms of my future aspirations and goals,” Seeto said. She also believes that utilising the incredible opportunities given to you at the College to shape who you are and what you enjoy doing is what being a Pymble girl is all about. “I reflect on how grateful I am for the gift of being educated at Pymble every day, and I recognise and am thankful for what I have been presented with through my years at the College,” Seeto said. Whilst the opportunities at Pymble are available to everyone, it requires someone with courage, motivation and commitment to truly seize them, something that Amelia has well and truly done over her eight years at the College.
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“Many things have contributed to this success [joining Brent Street], but they all stem from my sense of self and personal drive which I believe was in part fostered during my time at school. I was actively encouraged to try new things and take huge leaps, pushing past what I believed I could do in order to reach new heights,” Seeto said. Amelia believes a key moment in her journey was playing the role of Michael Banks in the Pymble production of Mary Poppins in 2017 when she was in Year 7. “I had never done anything quite of its magnitude, and I credit it as being the moment in which I knew what I wanted to pursue throughout the rest of my time at Pymble and later in life,” Seeto said. From dancing as a child to soon joining Brent Street – one of Australia’s most reputable performing arts institutions – to study musical theatre, Amelia is over the moon at the opportunities awaiting her. “Brent Street presents a momentous opportunity for me to refine my existing skills and develop a whole range of new ones, as well as working with world-class choreographers and performers in a likeminded environment,” Seeto said. “It opens up so many pathways for my future career – as performer, teacher, choreographer and more – and will set me up so well to be able to choose my own avenue and pursue my passions.”
As in many industries, Amelia recognises that performing arts can be incredibly rewarding yet unpredictable and challenging at the same time. Obstacles pop up frequently; in her time at Pymble, Amelia had to deal with injuries, not being chosen in auditions, burning out and many more. However, she says that these obstacles only exemplified the importance of genuine determination and resilience, where the tribulations are just as prevalent and important as the successes in achieving your goals. “It is remembering and holding onto the reasons in which you undertake the arts that remains vital and using them to push through the obstacles instead of tripping up. That is a pretty good lesson to take into life beyond school – and into life, generally,” Seeto said.
Amelia’s advice for younger students looking to follow in her footsteps is simple: give everything a go, embrace the challenges, grow from the setbacks and pursue your passions, despite what other people say.
“I hope to be performing in small or large-scale productions, and possibly exploring other areas such as directing and technical backstage work. I also see myself continuing to teach young people in a dance capacity,” Seeto said.
“Whilst performing arts is tough, holding onto why you want to do it is vital for your own enjoyment and how far you can push yourself,” Seeto said.
For now, Amelia leaves Pymble with a full heart and a deep sense of gratitude for the experiences and opportunities which came her way throughout her eight years at the College.
“Developing your skills within the performing arts is such a personal journey and is in no way comparable to that of your peers, so trying to avoid self-criticism and comparing yourself to others is key to focusing on personal growth.” With a new chapter in Amelia’s life almost about to begin, when she looks ten years into the future, she says she sees herself still involved with the performing arts in some capacity, whether it be onstage or offstage.
“The breadth of specialised knowledge from the staff paired with the amazing facilities all culminates in meaningful experiences for each individual,” Seeto said. “I credit so much of my passion and how I am set up for the future to Pymble, and will be forever be grateful for my education and opportunities at the College.”
Our Girl Charlotte is Off to WAAPA! “ I am so grateful to have been in an environment where I had so much creative freedom and the resources available to me to allow me to perform at my best.”
CHARLOTTE ALLEN Charlotte Allen has loved to perform since she first sat at a piano at the age of five. Today, she is a true triple threat, acting, singing and dancing every school day at Pymble whether it is treading the boards in school musicals and plays, wowing the judges at dance eisteddfods or performing with the choir and chorale groups. “For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to make something of myself doing what I love – performing. It all started when I was in primary school and my piano teacher approached my mum and said, ‘I think Charlotte can sing!’”, Allen said. “At Pymble, I joined the dance team taking lessons in Tap, Hip Hop, Ballet, Jazz and the Eisteddfod teams. I joined the Choir and Chorale, participated in all of the musicals, had singing lessons and completed Grade 8 AMEB in voice and joined the Drama Festival Eisteddfod teams,“ she explained.
Taking on three performance subjects in Dance, Drama and Music for the HSC is not generally encouraged due to the enormous workload required to complete three major works in 12 months, along with the extensive course work obligations. However, Charlotte did so with aplomb and earned three nominations for CallBack, Encore and OnStage – an incredible achievement!
“I owe a lot of gratitude and thanks to my teachers for the abundance of support throughout the years, particularly this past year at Pymble performing my major works and working towards the HSC.”
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“A lot of time, preparation, rehearsing and commitment goes into these subjects plus an enormous amount of time from my teachers, so it’s incredibly rewarding for everyone involved. I am so grateful to have been in an environment where I had so much creative freedom and the resources available to me to allow me to perform at my best,” Allen said. “I didn’t want to think of my major works as a percentage of my mark so I focused on creating works and performances that told a story, something that was meaningful to me and performances that were emotionally responsive. I combined that with passion, performance quality and a focus on technique resulting in the audience, in this case the HSC markers, appreciating the work.” Her hard work, commitment and talent was recognised with early offers of entry to the Sydney Conservatorium
of Music, the Victorian College of Performing Arts and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. “I was absolutely ecstatic to get a phone call from the Director of the Music Theatre Degree program at WAAPA offering me a position. It is an incredible feeling to know you’ve been selected to study what you absolutely love at such a reputable institution. It’s definitely been a long-held ambition to study and perform in music theatre, so to learn from some of the best in the industry is incredibly exciting,” Allen said. ”I am looking forward to moving to Perth, living on campus and completely submerging myself in the culture of the course and working towards a career in the arts training at an elite level with other passionate people. I’m also looking forward to being challenged and growing as an artist and hopefully one day soon performing and or creating
professionally both in Australia and overseas. “I would love this opportunity to lead to travel and working overseas and I definitely have my eyes set on London to perform at the West End and possibly Broadway in New York. As well as performing and being on stage, HSC Dance gave me a taste for choreography and I would like to explore this further at university in my course at WAAPA.” Whatever stage she chooses and wherever she goes, we are sure that Charlotte is set to shine.
Pymble’s Triple-Threat Performer Joins the Sydney Conservatorium of Music CLAIRE OSLINGTON Claire Oslington was the third person in her family to attend Pymble Ladies’ College; her grandmother, Dianna Payten (neé Middleton), graduated as a Boarder in 1963, and her sister Sally in 2019. There’s a high chance that, in the best possible way, she was also the loudest.
to have Mrs Penny Mills as her singing teacher. Mrs Mills assisted Claire in the development of her soprano range and breathing skills and helped her perfect the songs for the lead role of Sophia in Mamma Mia, one of her highlights of her time at Pymble.
During her time at the College, Claire immersed herself in music, singing and performing arts, all of which she says became a large part of her life from a very young age.
She also credits Mr Marcus Stafford (Head of Learning Area – Performing Arts and Head of Bands) and Mr Kurt Schweinberger (Deputy Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts) in building her love of music, which included playing alto saxophone in the bands and ensembles and singing in the choirs and chorale.
“At the age of three, I would dance around my grandmother when she played the piano, giving anyone who came to the house a tambourine or castanet to ensure full involvement and participation,” Oslington said.
“Being outside your comfort zone builds strength and resilience, and you never know what you can achieve until you try.”
“My grandfather is in the local church choir, so I have always been surrounded by music and associated it with happy family times.” Claire was recently accepted into the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music to study classical voice, an achievement she says will open amazing opportunities for the future. “The high standard of the music and drama at Pymble has set me up with the skills and confidence to take the next step, and I am looking forward to seeing where this musical journey takes me,” Oslington said. When Claire first arrived at the College in Year 7, she says she was fortunate
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“Their enthusiasm and banter made the hard work and early morning rehearsals really enjoyable and fun,” Oslington said. Claire says it was a privilege to learn and grow, both academically and personally, in the enriching environment of Pymble under the guidance of amazing and inspiring teachers and leaders. “As Executive Performing Arts Prefect, I had the opportunity to develop leadership and organisational skills that will underpin my university studies and future career,” Oslington said. “Teamwork and character building are hallmarks of the Music and Performing Arts departments at Pymble, with teachers providing unwavering support and developing deep, magical connections between senior girls and
younger year groups in ensembles, musicals and drama groups.” With the theme of 2023 at the College being Pymble Gives Back, it’s fitting that Claire notes that throughout her six years at Pymble, she has always felt that everyone – both students and teachers – were always more than willing to lift each other up and give back in their own way.
“I will always appreciate that there’s so much generosity and so many humble attitudes at Pymble,” Oslington said.
“It’s such a wonderful school; always giving back to the community, and the students as well. I remember the role models and the way that I’ve seen the staff members behave – they’ve laid a great platform for me to emulate in life.” Claire says the opportunities she was given through her involvement in music and drama at Pymble helped shape her personal development and built her confidence and leadership skills. She also says that they ultimately also led to her pursuing music as a career. “I am proud to have encouraged broad participation in school music events, such as PAC (Performing Arts Competition), fostering a school community spirit of inclusiveness and collaboration for all abilities, while
also raising money for the Australian Children’s Music Foundation,” Oslington said. “These experiences at Pymble have led to my passion for pursuing music in my tertiary studies.” Without hesitation, Claire’s advice to any younger students with a passion for music and drama is to “follow your heart and go for it.” “Being outside your comfort zone builds strength and resilience, and you never know what you can achieve until you try. Pymble is a great place to stretch yourself and grow in a safe environment, with wonderful teachers and support staff to encourage and help you along the way,” Oslington said.
How Rhedyn’s Belief Helped Her Achieve Balance RHEDYN WONG
For Rhedyn Wong, being a Pymble girl meant being someone who wasn’t afraid to challenge herself, striving to be her best in both who she was and what she did, and embracing every opportunity that came her way. This articulate description not only epitomises Rhedyn’s time at Pymble, but also goes hand in hand with the College motto of All’ Ultimo Lavoro – ‘strive for the highest’. Whether she was competing in sports, playing the clarinet in three ensembles or putting her head down in the classroom, Rhedyn says Pymble’s unique breadth of opportunities encouraged her to find her community and sense of belonging at the College. “My willingness to get involved with as many aspects of College life as I could helped me to forge connections with so many different girls across all years and allowed me to find my passion for athletics and music, and continue playing softball,” Wong said.
“I have learnt so much from all these different groups, and it’s encouraged me to embrace any challenge that I face as an opportunity to learn and grow.”
Rhedyn not only had a passion for sport, she also excelled at it, representing New South Wales in softball and javelin and deservingly being named Captain of Field Athletics and Pymble’s Sports Prefect in 2023, and it was her interest and involvement in sport from a young age that propelled her to where she is today. “I first got involved in sport from a young age, where I enjoyed tennis for a number of years as well as playing netball and modball (a modified version of softball) through the primary school PSSA system,” Wong said. “I really only started playing softball and sports outside of school when one of my classmates encouraged me to join North Shore Softball’s winter competition, where I found I really enjoyed the team spirit and atmosphere.” Her interest in athletics, on the other hand, was solely the product of Pymble, when she tried a few of the athletics programs in Year 7 and discovered she had a talent for throwing, something that came naturally to her thanks to her background in softball. “Throws became something I looked forward to every week for the past six years, and I have really enjoyed the supportive community and encouraging attitude that surrounds
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Pymble’s athletics team,” Wong said. “Athletics also offered a unique blend of individual and team sport, where I developed a much stronger internal motivation to improve and succeed in my individual event whilst still loving the camaraderie of the Pymble athletics community.” As the years went on, Rhedyn began excelling at both softball and javelin and was soon selected to represent our state in both sports. The dedication and preparation required to excel in two different sports at such a high level was enormous, with Rhedyn saying she leant on those closest to her to help get her through. “Balancing athletics and softball has definitely been challenging at times – both sports come with unique commitments, and I relied gratefully upon friends, family and school support systems to manage my schedules,” Wong said. However, whilst juggling her many sporting commitments was at times exhausting, it taught Rhedyn the value of effective time management and organisation when it came to her academics. “Academics have been my top priority across my years at Pymble, especially in Year 11 and 12, so I learned to be realistic about my workload and
commitments with music and sport,” Wong said.
valuable, and can open so many doors in the future,” Wong said.
“I’m so grateful to have a strong support system in my family, and really understanding academic staff who often facilitated catch-up work from classes I missed. They were instrumental in allowing me to balance my academics with sporting commitments.”
“Hang in there despite the tough times and stay determined to achieve what you set your mind on – hard work really does pay off, and the memories you make along the way will stick with you forever.”
Rhedyn also says something she found effective and incredibly important in her busy schedule was taking advantage of time between matches and events and when in transit to complete homework and fit in some extra study. Acknowledging that juggling her time between academics, sport and co-curricular activities was at times tricky, Rhedyn offered two pieces of advice for girls aspiring to follow in her footsteps: try everything and stick it out through the tough times. “Pymble provides an incredible range of opportunities across performing arts, sport and academics, and a lot of support in balancing these. Whilst it is important to maintain a schoollife balance, embracing the diverse opportunities and challenges that come with trying new things is really
With an ATAR of 99.35, Rhedyn is hoping next year to study a combined Bachelor of Laws and Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the University of New South Wales, with a focus on international relations and economics after discovering a passion for the latter in Year 11 and 12. She also plans to continue music, athletics and javelin at university and beyond. Rhedyn says her highlights of her time at Pymble were travelling to Japan on a music tour, being part of such a talented and tight-knit athletics team and the combination of having the opportunity to explore subjects she loved with dedicated and compassionate teachers to guide her. Above all, however, she says the way the College helps its students to grow as human beings is what stands out the most.
“Pymble truly instils lifelong courage and determination – it’s an environment that offers so many opportunities and encourages all of us to be the best versions of ourselves, not only as athletes, performers and scholars, but also as young women,” Wong said.
From the Bush to Boarding Head Prefects ABIGAIL BALLHAUSEN AND AMARLEY BRON “It was an incredibly challenging role with lots of speeches, lots of responsibilities and lots of community interactions, but that’s exactly what I loved about it,” Bron said. Abigail says the most rewarding aspect of the job was making a difference to those around her.
Abigail Ballhausen and Amarley Bron, Pymble’s 2023 Boarding Head Prefects, couldn’t believe their eyes the first time they both stepped foot in the College. For Abigail, it was the sheer size of the grounds and the buildings within it that took her breath away. Amarley, on the other hand, had her mind blown when she realised how amazing the sporting facilities were. Abigail grew up in Narromine in the Central West region of New South Wales, Amarley in Taree on the state’s Mid North Coast. Becoming Boarders was the first time both girls had been away from their families for any serious length of time, and they would’ve been excused had they taken time to settle in or even regret their decision. But neither of those situations eventuated. In fact, it was quite the opposite; both Abigail and Amarley dived head first into all things Pymble – particularly sport – and never took a backward step after joining the College.
“One of my favourite parts about Pymble was the incredible opportunities it provided me with in terms of sport and co-curricular activities,” Ballhausen said. In their final year at the College, Abigail was named Cross Country Captain, whilst Amarley had the honour of captaining Basketball. For Amarley, however, sport meant more than just competition and physical activity. “Sport has always been a vehicle in how I build connection, and it’s always where I’m most confident. Playing sport at Pymble allowed me to find some of my best mates,” Bron said. Whilst Abigail and Amarley took their sport very seriously, it was their role of Boarding Head Prefects that gave them the most pride. Both girls also graciously said that working with the other was a great experience, and that they couldn’t have achieved all they did without teamwork and communication.
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“My favourite part of the role was making a positive difference to the community and feeling as though I left my mark on the school,” Ballhausen said. “Additionally, feeling like I was someone who any of the girls could come to if they had worries, suggestions or just wanted a chat was very special to me.” Whilst they loved their time at Pymble, Abigail and Amarley both naturally encountered challenges from living away from their greatest supporters: their families. “One of the major challenges I faced whilst at boarding school was being away from my family and off Country for so long,” Bron said. “Taree is where I grew up and is where I was most comfortable, so being away from home took me out of my comfort zone. I was usually always with my family, so learning to live without them proved to be incredibly difficult.”
Abigail expressed similar sentiments, saying that in Year 7 to 9 she experienced severe homesickness, however, she soon came to understand that she could contact her family at any given time and that school holidays, when she got to go back home, were always just around the corner. “Homesickness was a large challenge for me, but as my friendships became stronger in Boarding and I began to realise how lucky I was to live at Pymble, it began to go away,” Ballhausen said. “In Year 10 to 12 I wasn’t as homesick, as I released that was home just a phone call away.” The combination of leading the Boarders and their respective sports meant Abigail and Amarley had to find ways of balancing these responsibilities with the pressure of the Higher School Certificate. “I found it was really important to be able to use my support system of the Boarding staff, Miss Howie and the First Nations team, Ms Rockwell, Mrs Wyse and my family when things were too busy and I needed help,” Bron said. “This helped me maintain balance because I always had someone supporting me and making sure I was
okay. My support network got me through Year 12 and I’m so, so grateful for all they did for me during my Pymble journey.”
with so many of my day girl friends,” Ballhausen said.
Abigail’s way of balancing her commitments was more structured but worked just as effectively as Amarley’s.
“The best part of being a Boarder, however, was the bonds I made with the other girls, not only in my year but in all years. These bonds will never be broken.”
“I found that staying organised and focusing on time management was a large factor in balancing academics, sport and leadership,” Ballhausen said.
Amarley went one step further, saying she wouldn’t be who she is today had she not taken that leap in choosing to attend Pymble.
“To ensure I kept on top of my academics I made a to-do list every day of what I wanted to achieve, and I utilised every free period as effectively as I could, as well as nights after sport training and in the afternoon.”
“Pymble Boarding is an incredible, supportive and inclusive environment where I’ve had some of my best memories, met some of my lifelong friends and truly became the best version of myself,” Bron said.
As their time at Pymble comes to an end, next year Abigail plans to go to Sydney University to study occupational therapy, while Amarley wants to travel to the UK to live and work in a boarding school, and then attend Sydney University to study public health. Wherever the world takes them, Abigail and Amarley will always look back at their time at the College with great fondness. “As a Boarder I always felt quite special, and loved being able to share my home and a different way of living
“I wouldn’t be who I am today without Pymble. I loved my time as a Boarder and at the College; it’s an environment that encourages young people to thrive and be the best they can be.”
The Student Who Brought Research to Life at Pymble LUCY CLARK Lucy Clark is who you would describe as a perfect all-round student. From academics to sports, coaching to service initiatives, Lucy has done it since starting at the College in Year 7 in 2018.
“To me, being a Pymble girl has meant being myself whilst immersing myself in every opportunity. My time at the College has taught me to know my values whilst being resilient when approaching challenges,” Clark said. “The abundance of different experiences I have had throughout the last six years have enabled me to know who I am, what I stand for and how I can make a difference.” And make a difference she did; two of Lucy’s greatest achievements during her time at Pymble was creating a journal club and organising a student research conference to “empower students in navigating academia.” “Alongside Charlotte Hartin, we developed the journal club with the belief that academia should be
accessible and widely used amongst the student community,” Clark said.
often returned to a task more focused and with a better perspective,” Clark said.
“Its aim was to allow students to get a head start on developing a range of research-based skills that enabled them to access and understand academia.”
“By participating in co-curricular activities since Year 7 and through the support of the Pymble staff, I developed the time management skills required to recognise both when I needed a break and how to optimise the time I spent studying.”
It was Lucy’s involvement in the Sokratis program in Year 8 and 9 that instigated her passion for research and, with the support of Pymble staff, developed skills and an understanding of what research was. “This opportunity was one that I wanted to extend to other students around me and through running the student research conference, I was able to see the passion spread among my peers,” Clark said. As well as her strong interest in research and academics, Lucy participated in and coached gymnastics at the College, passing on her skills and knowledge to the younger generation of gymnasts. It was her time spent in these roles which helped her achieve a healthy school-life balance throughout Year 12. “Finding something I loved outside of the classroom in both gymnastics and coaching meant I was able to take scheduled breaks from studying, and
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Next year, Lucy has accepted a position at the University of Technology Sydney to study a double degree in a Bachelor of Science (Environment) and a Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation. “I am excited to be taking my first steps into gaining the experience and knowledge required to work within academia and research in the future,” Clark said. “In ten years, I hope to be working within a research institute finding solutions to our environmental challenges.” Lucy’s favourite part about being a Pymble student was being at a school where she was supported in exploring her passions. “Moments that I will cherish in the future include competing at national
clubs for gymnastics, the launch of the Pymble Institute and volunteering at Sony Camp, but most importantly having an environment to walk into each day where I knew I would be challenged,” Clark said. The last piece of wisdom Lucy offers is to have an open mind and don’t be afraid of trying new things, because those new things could give you happiness and lead you to places you never thought possible.
“For me, sometimes saying yes to something so simple has opened doors and given me opportunities that I never would have imagined,” Clark said.
Embracing the Arts
ELLIOT DUNK
We are very Pymble Proud of Elliot Dunk, a talented art student and musician who began at Pymble in Year 3 and was offered early entry into the highly coveted Bachelor of Animation Design at UTS.
Elliot created an original digital piece for his Visual Arts major work centred on female character design for a video game, influenced heavily by Greek mythology. Elliot’s piece was one of a record 24 major works by Pymble Visual Arts students that were nominated for inclusion in ARTEXPRESS in 2023.
My teacher, Mrs Maltese, helped me greatly throughout the creative process. She encouraged me to choose what I wanted to work on and make it personal and important to myself as well as something I was passionate about. I am very grateful for this because it made working on this piece so much easier.
Read on to learn more about Elliot’s artistic journey at Pymble.
I decided very early on that my work would be a digital piece as that is a creative medium I have enjoyed for a very long time. I worked on it whenever I could and had the luxury to work on it wherever I had my iPad whether I was in the library or in bed - I could always be slowly etching away at the final product.
Congratulations on your nomination for ARTEXPRESS. What was it like to receive this news? It was incredibly exciting to be nominated for ARTEXPRESS. This wasn’t a goal of mine but was a great relief as I knew my work had performed well at marking. I am very interested in concept art and character design for games and so I chose to combine my interests in Greek mythology and video game character design for my major work.
I was excited to design some original characters and once I decided they would be hypothetical video game characters I knew I wanted to create powerful female personas that are rarely the main focus of video games.
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My original concept surrounded the ‘Three Graces’ but I eventually narrowed this down to only one of the ‘Graces’, Thalia, and two versions of the Goddess Aphrodite. By doing so, I was able to add more depth to her character which I really wanted to show. Can you tell us about your artistic journey? I started watching drawing tutorial videos on YouTube when I was really young and just never stopped drawing! YouTube was a very useful tool for learning digital art and in general teaching yourself any skill you want to learn on ‘your own’. After I found a passion for it, my parents and art teachers were all very supportive and always encouraged me to continue pursuing it. I am by no means ‘excellent’ at art, I am still in the very early stages of learning art, and I wouldn’t really refer
to myself as an ‘artist’. I have a long way to go and hope to create many more original projects in the future. I love art, it is my passion and I am so excited to see what I will create as I grow my skills further. Hopefully one day I will be able to create enough original work that I am proud of to call myself an ‘artist’. What other subjects did you study at Pymble? What were your favourites and why? I loved modern history; learning about different historical events from all over the world was very interesting to me and my history teacher, Mrs Kovacs, really made classes a lot of fun. I enjoyed every class I had, even if what we were learning wouldn’t be something I normally found interesting, because my teachers were so involved and passionate, they all made class really enjoyable even if I just sat quietly listening. You are also a talented musician and band member at the College. What do you enjoy about music? I really loved learning and playing the saxophone in bands and private lessons. I didn’t practise as much as I should have but I found that playing in a band is a really cool thing.
To create music together, especially with that many commited and passionate people, was just really amazing. I loved hearing all the individual parts coming together and how each individual instrument contributed to the whole.
Pymble entirely shaped my musical journey; I learnt my saxophone at private lessons at school and played in the bands at school as well. I even had the opportunity to go to Japan with the school band in 2019 which was genuinely such an incredible experience and a trip I still think often on fondly. My saxophone teacher, Mrs Goodman, taught me saxophone from Year 4 until Year 12 and she was always supportive and kind and an incredible teacher. I’m in awe of her ability to shape me into a decent saxophone player considering I practiced about five per cent as much as I should have. My band conductor, Mr Stafford, was also always very supportive, especially when I started playing the baritone saxophone in the stage band. I shuffled in as a very small Year 7 student, taking over from the Year 12 who had just left, and it took me a while to be confident, but he was always nice about my playing. Especially in the later years once I was more confident, I really appreciated that he noticed my role in the band. What has been a highlight of your time at Pymble? The access to resources at Pymble is unreal, I’m so grateful to the opportunities Pymble provides by having teachers who feel so passionate about helping their students, with access to a million different resources for research or study help or art materials. The highlight of my time at Pymble was definitely the friends I made. There were friends I had known for a long time, but it felt like over the past two years and especially the past year everything came together, and I have the most wonderful friendship group who were always supportive and caring. That was definitely what I found most enjoyable about school and was most important to me.
Another highlight would absolutely be all of my teachers. They made me passionate about so many different subject areas and really shaped me into a more curious person, something I really cherish and appreciate. I am really thankful to all my teachers I have had at Pymble but especially my Year 12 teachers: Mrs Houghton, Mrs Reynolds, Mrs Carr, Mrs Maltese, Dr Rome, Mrs Kovacs and my mentor Mrs Wyse. They were all amazing and I really value all they did for me while I was their student. What are your plans for next year? Will music and art be a part of your future? Next year I am planning on starting an animation production course at UTS, which I am very excited about. In terms of art and music, now that I am free from the shackles of the HSC, I am thrilled to be able to do whatever I want in terms of art and music. I have a lot of ideas of things I want to draw or write about and it’s exciting that I now have a lot more freedom to pursue these projects. I will definitely continue creating digital art but am also looking forward to trying new forms of art such as watercolour or printmaking. I am so grateful to my art teachers and parents for always supporting me in my art so that I can now continue to hone my skills and continue my passions. I’m also really hoping to continue casually playing the saxophone in my future, and I’m also eager to slowly teach myself guitar and someday drums. I’m really grateful to all the music teachers I had at school for making me passionate and appreciative of music so that I can go on and continue to try and learn more and improve, even on a very casual level.
Dancing Towards HSC Success at Pymble
prestigious dance program from Year 7 through to Year 10. However, she soon realised that there were some gaps in her school experience and moved to Pymble in Year 11.
SOPHIE VAN KERKWIJK Dance has always been a constant in Sophie van Kerkwijk’s life. Her love of the art form began as a small child at her local dance school where her talent and ability became quickly apparent. She soon progressed to challenging herself by competitively performing in solo and group performances, winning prestigious competitions and many national titles in her junior years. “I love how dance is a form of expression that can be used to communicate in all types of ways. I love the physical challenge and the wide variety of styles that can be mixed with music in endless variations. It’s a creative outlet for me to enjoy as well as an arena of achievement outside of my academic studies,” she said. This path took Sophie to Newtown High School of the Performing Arts where she specialised in their
Sophie explains, “I felt that something was missing and that I had potential in other areas that wasn’t being explored. I felt the need for a change and to be challenged at different levels. I was drawn to Pymble by its wide opportunities and the balance it offers between serious academic study and extra-curricular activities.”
“Moving to Pymble was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The incredible support and opportunities offered allowed me to not only discover more potential in myself but achieve at levels I could never have previously imagined.” In addition to dance, Sophie is also a talented athlete, playing representative basketball and AFL. She embraced the sporting opportunities at Pymble with
30 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023
gusto, representing the College in the Senior Firsts for basketball and AFL, as well as participating in touch football and netball. “I was lucky enough to play at state champs for AFL and All Schools Nationals for basketball, both wonderful experiences. I loved how many opportunities Pymble gave me to try new things and widen my skills in different sports. Playing sport whilst studying and dancing helped me to develop excellent time management skills in balancing all my different activities.” Sophie also appreciated the comradery and emotional support within the Pymble community. She explains, “One of my favourite days was the AFL grand final when everyone came to watch and support us with handmade signs, even though it was pouring with rain that day! I was so happy being part of teams with girls I love – it was incredible”. Sophie continued to excel in Dance at Pymble, placing first in HSC Dance at the College and being nominated for CallBack for two of her major work performances. “It was such an honour to receive one nomination, let alone two! To have my
work selected as some of the most outstanding in the state for two of my dances, made me feel accomplished and so proud of all the hard work I put in this year. “My first nomination was for my Core Performance which is a beautiful and emotional lyrical piece choreographed by my teachers that I adapted to suit my strengths. “My second nomination was my Major Study Performance which I choreographed over the course of the year. This dance is an authentic and raw lyrical/contemporary piece that explored the complexities and emotional turmoil within toxic relationships, choreographed to the song “Turning Tables” by Adele. I’m very proud of this work; it meant a lot to me, and I was incredibly grateful and honoured to receive a nomination for this piece.” Of course, Year 12 brings with it a serious academic workload. And it was in balancing academics with all her activities that Sophie appreciated the
support of her teachers, the Head of Secondary School, Mrs Wyse and her classmates. In fact, she credits this for her incredible success in the HSC where she received an ATAR of 97 including 99 out of 100 for Dance – a mark that awarded her third place in NSW. “Mrs Wyse was someone that I always looked up to and counted on at Pymble; she was a huge mentor for me. I would go to her when I was down, I could cry to her, ask her for advice and guidance on anything I was struggling with. This same level of support was generously given by every one of my teachers and classmates which helped me so much in successfully completing my final years of schooling in such an enjoyable way.
It is due to the teachers who believed in me and pushed me to be a better person which contributed to the success of my Pymble journey.
“Two years ago, I could never have imagined that I could achieve the marks, ATAR and ranks that I did, it just makes me feel so happy that my hard work paid off. “I want to continue dance and would love to work professionally as a dancer alongside my studies in the future.” So, what does the future look like? Next year, Sophie has planned a gap year travelling Europe whilst working at The Dragon School in the UK as a sport and boarding assistant. Studying Legal Studies for the HSC developed a passion for the law, and she has applied to study at a Bachelor of Business and Law at UTS. Wherever the future takes her, it definitely looks bright.
The Story of Our Barbara Nippress Scholars YI YING LIM AND SIANA BARTO “The scholarship had such a positive impact on my educational journey and allowed additional support from my teachers when it came to schoolwork and daily life at Pymble.”
Yi Ying Lim and Siana Barto have spent their time as Pymble girls as proud recipients of the Barbara Mary Nippress Memorial Scholarship. Barbara Nippress was an ex-Pymble girl who lived with cerebral palsy. Undoubtedly a woman of great courage and determination, Barbara was involved in all aspects of College life. Her intelligence and fierce independence helped her achieve success, and she stated that her time at Pymble was the happiest of her life. Her legacy is the Barbara Mary Nippress Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship for students with a physical disability restricting them in the use of their limbs. In the case of these two girls, Yi Ying has a history of neonatal brachial plexus palsy affecting her right upper limb, whilst Siana Barto, like Barbara Nippress, was born with cerebral palsy which affected the right side of her body and caused weakness in her right arm and leg.
For Yi Ying, she stumbled upon this amazing opportunity by chance. “It was a complete coincidence because I was just browsing the school website when I came across the Barbara Mary Nippress Memorial Scholarship. I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I applied,” Lim said. “I’m really grateful for this scholarship because it has given me the opportunity to be at Pymble where I could pursue a wide array of subjects and activities to not only find my passion in STEM but also extend my learning beyond the classroom.”
For Yi Ying, she doesn’t feel as if her physical disability impacted any aspect of her schooling except for practical PDHPE lessons. In fact, she says that her disability only pushed her harder to succeed because she felt that she’d been underestimated a lot in the past. Siana found the transition into school life at Pymble more difficult, particularly in terms of moving around the school, use of the railings and some modifications in the classroom, however, staff at the College did everything in their power to accommodate her and make her life as easy as possible.
Siana’s path to the scholarship was slightly different; she was already a student at the College for over five years when she received an unexpected offer.
“The whole team, including the Head of Junior School, the teachers and support staff, worked hard to accommodate my entry in Year 3. Due to their help, I was able to do my daily school activities, including attending all classes, camps and participate in the swimming carnival,” Barto said.
“My mother was driving me to school and told me we had an important meeting with Mrs Shaw and Mrs Lim but didn’t tell me why. It turned out the school wanted to recognise my efforts over the last six years and the best way was to offer me the scholarship,” Barto said.
“I like to live my life normally like everyone else and was able to do so. My disability has made me stronger and pushed me to work harder. I wanted to try my best in the classroom and put as much effort into my work as I could, and not let my disability get in the way.”
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Both girls say the opportunities and support given to them whilst at the College have shaped them into the young women they are today. “The opportunities the school provided to be involved in athletics, community service and academics allowed me to find areas that I am passionate about and delve deeper into them, which helped shape my motivations and aspirations,” Lim said. Next year, Yi Ying is currently undecided as to what she wants to study but wants to do something STEM-related due to her love for maths and physics. Siana has received an offer for a Bachelor of Human Rights at the Australian Catholic University but is also unsure whether she will pursue this or a different course. Yi Ying and Siana thoroughly enjoyed their time at Pymble and leave with memories that will stay with them forever. “Most of my highlights at Pymble revolve around my athletic experiences in swimming, cross country and track. Being around people who were so hard working, talented and determined, and learning from the older girls in the years above me, was very inspiring,” Lim said. Siana says Pymble is the perfect option for parents looking for an all-girls school and is thankful for everything the College gave her.
“Pymble Ladies’ College is filled with opportunities for everyone and has all the resources that anyone needs in a girls’ school. In addition, my mother is also so impressed with the school, she wishes she could go back in time and redo her schooling at Pymble,” Barto said.
HSC Showcases and Exhibitions Absence- Isobel Gosper
In 2023, Pymble’s arts and technology students have been nominated for a record number of HSC showcases and exhibitions. The following students are to be congratulated for their success.
Art Express Art Express is an annual series of exhibitions of exemplary artworks created by HSC visual arts students.
NOMINATED • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Annie Chen Evanescence Sasha Wong Motherboard Safia Arslan Across The Black Sea Milla Black Glitches In Time Elliot Dunk The Transit Of Venus Yi Ning Jin (Ning Ning) Conversations In Watercolour Chloe Kwan Sonder Macey Leahy Spring Creek Angelina Lu Unsustainable Hunger: Loaves and Fishes Alexandra MacColl Fast Fashion:Threads Of Renewal Wynter O’Regan Endling Maya Partridge Smiths Lake Nostalgia Jacqueline Qin Lost In Translation Zoe Tallentire Abrasion Grace Whyte Stratification Moana Yang Sirius Cove After Whistler Elise Djerrkura Yolngu Identity : Self Portraits Ashley de Lambert-McHutchison The Duality of Balls Head (The Coal Loader, Waverton)
SELECTED • Tiffany Bae The More You Question, The More You Find (Cowra Regional Art Gallery) • Taylor Harris Megalong Valley: Drought, Fire, Flood (Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery ) • Gemma Hodge Palimpsest (Tamworth Regional Gallery) • Celine Hu Sun And Moon: Mythic Duality (Hazelhurst Arts Centre)
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• Phoebe Mason Sunburnt Country (Still Life) (Yarrila Arts and Museum, Coffs Harbour) • Georgina Pechan Stori Blong Yumi (Our Story) (Art Gallery of New South Wales - AGNSW)
CALLBACK CALLBACK is a celebration of the outstanding talent of our HSC Dance students.
NOMINATED • Charlotte Allen – Core Composition • Olivia Eichman – Core Composition • Vishakha Iyer – Major Study Performance • Zoe Orr – Core Performance, Core Composition, Major Study Performance • Sophie van Kerkwijk – Core Performance, Major Study Performance • Bonita Xie – Core Performance
ENCORE ENCORE is a showcase of performances and compositions by HSC music students.
NOMINATED • • • • • •
Charlotte Allen (performance) Freya Carmody (performance) Odessa Girdis (performance) Xin Ying Hsieh (Selina) (performance) Eliza Michie (performance) Claire Oslington (performance and composition) • Bella Zhang (performance) • Gabrielle Zhong (performance)
OnSTAGE
GROUP PERFORMANCE NOMINATIONS
HSC Shape
OnSTAGE is an event showcase featuring the works of exemplary performances and project work by HSC drama students.
Storm on 86 street • Charlotte Allen • Freya Carmody • Olivia Eichmann • Amelia Seeto
An exhibition featuring a selection of students’ exemplary HSC major projects from Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design.
Giggleswick Badgers • Amelia Barr • Rachel Johnson • Eliza Michie • Lily Race • Phoebe Vowels
• Jocelyn Mar • Abigail Tyler • Jade Yang
DRAMA PROJECT NOMINATIONS • Catherine Kelly
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE NOMINATIONS • • • • • • • • • •
Freya Carmody The Bacchae Olivia Eichmann Alice Isla Harris Anarchist Alexandra Heap Wolf’s Lullaby Savanna Lumley Blanch Eliza Michie Christmas Tilly Morgan The Hunt Claire Oslington Under Milkwood Lily Race Bottleneck Amelia Seeto Salome
A Lace up the mountain • Lucy Bell • Ava Yates • Isla Harris • Alexandra Heap • Savanna Lumley Nathan Israel Department Store • Charlotte Ferry • Maggie Kellaway • Lucy Miller • Tilly Morgan • Claire Oslington
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY NOMINATED
TEXTILES AND DESIGN SELECTED • Alexandra MacColl
TEXTILES AND DESIGN NOMINATED • Emma Saunders • Jessica Woo
pymblelc.nsw.edu.au Avon Road Pymble NSW 2073 PO Box 136 North Ryde BC NSW 1670 Australia +61 2 9855 7799
2023-PYM-HSC-1v1
A SCHOOL OF THE UNITING CHURCH ACN 645 100 670 | CRICOS 03288K
36 | Pymble Ladies’ College Congratulations to our Class of 2023