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Mansfield Head of House
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From the Mansfield Head of House
Mighty Mansfield Green. The Green Machine. Mansfieldians. Mansfield. These are a few of the names used to represent the community that is Mansfield House, and this idea of community has been our focus for the year - forming community and building our culture to create our legacy. To do this, we started with what we can control. While we may not all be the best athletes, we can be the best competitors. We can encourage and support each other. We can bring the House Spirit. And we brought it.
This was clear from our very first event of the year, the ‘Under the Sea’ themed Swimming Carnival, where we focused on showing up and filling races, encouraging and supporting each other and making as much (Covidpermitted) noise as possible. This day was so much fun, and thanks to our amazing costumes, enthusiastic participation and dancing prowess, Mansfield was the first recipient of the newly introduced ‘House Spirit Award’!
Our energy and positive attitude continued at Cross Country: Mario Kart Edition. A number of Mansfield volunteers prepared for the event by developing carts during lunch breaks and on the day many green Mario carts raced around the field. With our focus on increasing attendance and participation, the students of Mansfield continued to show their competitive spirit on the day.
In Term 2, Mansfield students were invited to dig deeper and consider who we are, and who we are committed to being, as a House community. With the inclusion of everyone’s ideas, the ‘Mansfield Mantras’ (also known as the five Ps) were introduced: Positivity, Participation, Pride, Perseverance and Persistence. Positivity reflects our attitude and support for one another. We are encouraging, caring, respectful, genuine and empathetic. Participation focuses on enthusiastically giving everything a go, showing team work, attending all events, showing initiative and having the courage to go beyond your perceived capabilities. Pride means that we are community minded and recognising that everyone is a valued member of our Mansfield family. It also stands for showing support and pride in the Mansfield green and contributing with our gifts and talents. Finally, we decided on Perseverance and Persistence. For Mansfield, this means always giving our best and aiming to win while pushing through challenges, one step at a time.
With our ‘Mansfield Mantras’ as our focus, in Terms 2 and 3, students participated in the superhero-themed Athletics Carnival. Everyone in Mansfield should be incredibly proud of their efforts and commitment which, for the second time in 2021, resulted in winning the ‘House Spirit Award’. Not only did we have the highest attendance rate, but everyone wore their green shirts, contributed to the theme and cheered all throughout the day. Each Home Group contributed something unique to develop the theme: superhero face masks, superhero costumes, banners, posters, tie-dyed Batman and Riddler shirts and a giant “Go Mansfield!” shirt collaboration.
Our other two major House events included Pavement Art and RecyKle. The creativity, originality and skills shown by all students at Pavement Art was phenomenal in response to the theme ‘Untold History’, and the Mansfield teams should be incredibly proud of their efforts. Similarly, our RecyKle team of ‘Mansfieldians’ led by Ms Dixon, raced to raise awareness and money for the Leprosy Mission. Congratulations on the electric spirit and support you gave each other on the day.
This year we have been filled with gratitude. After a year of cancelled carnivals and uncertainties, we were ready to make the most of college life, and are so thankful we could. Thank you to all of the incredible home group teachers of Mansfield House – Mrs Redhead-Adelt, Mr Anderson, Mrs Ruthenberg, Mrs Etchells, Mrs Preston, Ms Dixon and Mr Kelly. We are a competitive team whose efforts contribute to creating the positive and energetic culture of Mansfield House. Thank you to each of the Mansfield Year 12 students who have repeatedly stepped up to encourage others, participate and build our House Spirit. We wish you all the best in the future – remember, success is a journey, not a destination.
‘Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.’ 1 Corinthians 12:12
This verse teaches us about the importance of community. We are all part of God’s church, and we are an integral part of His community. Like our own body, which has many parts, we are all valuable and loved by God, given our own gifts and talents. Thank you to each valued and integral student in Mansfield for being a part of our community.
