Pelican: Semester 2, 2021

Pelican Alumni Magazine - Semester 2, 2021

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Principal's Report - Joe Zavone

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Advisory Council Report - Nichole Overall

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Alumni Profile - Paul Mynott

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College Captain Report - Baden Godfrey

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Alumni Profile - James Wallace

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Community Profile - Suzanne Barnes

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Alumni Profile - Matt de Jongh

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Staff Alumni Profile - Andrew Castrission

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Mission & Identity Report - David Kelly

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Alumni Profile - Matthew Nicoletti

featured in this edition Read the latest College News @ sec.act.edu.au/news

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT Joe Zavone

I write this article at the beginning of Term 4 just as we have welcomed back Year 12 after many weeks of remote learning. Over the next few weeks we will welcome back our other year groups in a staggered approach, until we have the whole school back with us on November 1. I know that we have all been affected by the lockdown in many different ways, but the affect of lockdown in a school setting is significant and touches everyone directly.

Schools are not meant to be quiet places. Corridors, classrooms and ovals are not meant to be empty.

There is a very special energy working in a school – an energy that comes from each student’s personality and each student’s interactions with his teachers and other students. The energy of a school is unlike any other workplace energy. Schools are busy, they flow and move forward, they are about growth and development; they are unpredictable and they are rewarding. Of course, they are only all of these things when we have people here to make these things happen. Knowing that I was on site every day during lockdown, many people have said to me how wonderful it must be to be at work without students and staff and how I must be able to get all my work done. My answer to them was that it was not wonderful at all – schools are students and staff, without these things schools are just not schools. (This reminds me of the old English comedy series Yes Minister, when the most efficient hospital in England was found to be the hospital that did not have any patients!).

For teachers, planning lessons to be conducted by video conferencing is more time consuming than planning normal face to face lessons. I struggled personally in having to plan online lessons for my Year 7 Italian class. I congratulate our teaching staff for all of their hard work and creative efforts in keeping our boys engaged and motivated during their time at home. I congratulate our students for their commitment to online learning and how quickly they adapted to a new way of learning, working and studying. I congratulate our parents who worked with us in keeping our students engaged, especially those parents who were also working from home and had their own commitments and deadlines.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

I know that some of our boys struggled with the social aspects of lockdown. Unfortunately, boys are not really like girls who will just pick up a phone and have a long chat with their friends and retain some sense of social interaction. Boys tend to be physically social – they need to see their mates and be with them. Our boys were well and truly looking forward to returning to school so they could see their mates and move out of the social isolation they were experiencing. I really do hope that our local governments around Australia begin to perceive lockdowns as a final response to an outbreak rather than being the first response. I am deeply concerned abut the mental health of many of our young people if lockdowns continue to be the initial response.

I shared the news with the community a while ago that Mr. Pat Langtry is stepping down from his role of Assistant Principal - Student Wellbeing after 12 years in the role (albeit under different titles). Luckily Pat will continue to stay with us at Eddies. Many of you know how Pat operates – he knows the boys and their families; he relates well to the boys and they relate well to him. His unique and personal style has touched the lives of many of the families who have passed through the College in one way or another. He can be tough and firm, but is always fair in his approach. I cannot thank Pat enough for his contributions to the College in his pastoral care role. Next year sees us enter a new era of student wellbeing at the College, but with a sturdy and strong foundation laid for us by Pat Langtry.

the energy of a school is unlike any other workplace energy The main quad has seen a few positive changes this year. We have included some more seating for our students and will continue to look at further areas for seating. We have also established two new gardens in the quad – one near the main stairway leading to the building and the other around the beautiful tree we have dominating the quad. The gardens have worked well in softening the look of the quad. Again, we will look at further ways of softening areas around the College by incorporating more garden space.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

The College is always in need of refurbishment, being the oldest continuing Catholic school in Canberra. We can only fund a very small part of our refurbishment plans ourselves. I would ask our network of old boys and friends to seriously consider making a significant contribution to the College to assist us in continuing our refurbishment plans and helping us to give our students the best possible educational environment in which to learn, grow and thrive. If you are able to assist us in this way, please contact the College on 6295 3598 and ask to speak to one of our Finance team or myself, or email at principal@stedmunds.act.edu.au. Thanks so much for your consideration of this.

I would like to finish this report with the editorial from The Pelican published in May, 1958. It is interesting to note that while some terminology has changed, the core intention of a good education at St Edmund’s College has not changed at all. This says much about the wisdom and experience of our founders.

“When is a boy educated? When he has done his best to cultivate to the limit of his ability his threefold powers of soul, mind and body. His Faith which shows him how to lead a good life and helps him to do this by the grace he receives from prayer and the sacramants, develops his soul – the soul, the immortal part of him which will live on when the body is dead. Systematic and well-balanced study will develop his mind, will endow his intellect with the ability to cope with the problems life will present to him. Bodily labour and exercise in work or games or both will give him physical strength and sound health. All three faculties must receive due and proportionate attention. Neglect one and the others may suffer. As far as it can, the school provides the spiritual, mental and the bodily training. Each boy should avail of this training to the best of his ability. He may not attain the success of others; he many not be as good or as clever or as athletic as the next boy. But if he has done his best, if he has “had a good try”, then he is as fully educated as he could ever expect to be.”

ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR REPORT Nichole Overall

We almost made it through, but 2021 has now presented us with its own challenges! Towards the end of last year, I highlighted the positive elements that emerged for our College community in dealing with COVID-19 and the valuable insights gained for the future.

While home-schooling isn’t one of the hurdles I’ve personally had to deal with in this time - my own Old Boys are now 24 and 22 - I’ve spoken with many parents for whom this has played a prominent part. The adaptability and resilience shown throughout this period is inspiring.

What a testament it is then, to see how well prepared we were when faced with a similar situation. Processes and procedures were confidently and efficiently enacted and fortunately, we’re again on a pathway back to “normal”.

Congratulations to Principal Joe Zavone, the College Leadership Team and the staff for the smooth transitions into and out of these everevolving and sometimes confusing scenarios.

On behalf of the College Advisory Council (CAC), I’d also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the boys and you, their families, in again demonstrating the spirit with which St Edmund’s is imbued - in terms of both faith and character.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Congratulations to Principal Joe Zavone, the College Leadership Team and the staff for the smooth transitions into and out of these ever-evolving and sometimes confusing scenarios.

Now, in looking forward, our thoughts and wishes are with our Year 12 students as finish this eventful and important chapter of lives. Also to the Year 11 boys soon to take place as leaders of the College.

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To the families leaving our school community, we bid you a fond farewell and hope connections will be retained, including as part of the Old Boys’ Association. So do we offer a warm greeting to the many joining us for 2022.

For the CAC, our eye is also to a new year and other beginnings. We continue to build upon our strategic planning and direction, including capital works and master planning. So too, initiatives such as growing our Alumni engagement and the realisation of a long-term goal of a philanthropic program to aid in these endeavours.

I am sad that we once again had to miss the Old Boys’ popular annual “Blue and White Ball” but here’s hoping to celebrate bigger and better very soon!

As 2021 draws to a close, another that we won’t forget in a hurry - may you all stay safe and well and maintain a positive outlook for all that 2022 might bring.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

ALUMNI PROFILE - CLASS OF 1979 Paul Mynott

I attended St Edmund’s College for six years from 1974 to 1979. When I first arrived as the new boy from Casino in 1974, I could never have imagined the impact that Eddies would have on my future life.

My father was a Commonwealth Bank Manager, and we moved a lot throughout country NSW during my primary schooling. When I first arrived at Eddies, I couldn’t believe how big the school was, or that I now I had to play a game called rugby union. I had grown up playing league, and it took me ages to understand the rules of this new game. I still don’t know the ever changing rules 40 years later. The other big change was that I had to catch a bus to school instead of walking around the corner. Not just any bus, but the Queanbeyan bus, which had a deservedly notorious reputation that seemed to grow as the years went by. Sometimes the bus would turn around and take us back to school if the rowdiness got too much for the driver, and we were left to explain ourselves to the Brothers. I also didn’t realise then that the QBN bus stop, and all that went with it, would play such an important role in my future life and direction. More about that later.

I look back fondly on my time at St Edmund’s, which I believe is some 42 years ago. Yes, there are some not so fond memories, like getting the odd strap or a detention which was obviously some misunderstanding, but there were also plenty of good times. Tuck Day was always a bit of fun particularly when we came up with the idea to have a game of Rugby League (yes, Rugby League) with the Queanbeyan boys taking on the Canberra boys. This lasted a couple of years until it was decided that it wasn’t such a good idea, not sure who made that call, though probably for the best.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Sport played a big part of life at St Edmund’s with all sorts of options available. Whether it was Rugby or Rugby, the choices were endless, only joking, sort of.

There were plenty of options available, I chose Rugby and Cricket. Some of these teams over the early years were coached by seniors at the school which I believe is an important part of building a school culture that keeps everyone involved and one that I really enjoyed. I was lucky enough to visit New Zealand in Year 12 with the school playing Rugby. This was a fantastic opportunity and one that still vividly comes to mind when talking about the old days.

I mentioned the Queanbeyan bus stop earlier because in 1979 I met my future wife (Kerry Maher) getting on the bus. She was a St Clare’s girl who, from that day on, caused me to miss many cricket trainings escorting her home on the infamous Queanbeyan bus. We married several years later and are now blessed with 4 children, 4 in-laws and 10 grandchildren.

After I left St Edmund’s, I initially followed in my father’s footsteps and entered the CBC bank. I left there after a year and then decided to do an apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery. In 1985, I teamed up with another ex-Eddies student, Pat Dal Cortivo (Class of 1978) and we started our own commercial building business, which we ran together for approximately 35 years. During this time we had numerous Eddies boys work with us in one way or another, whether it was as an apprenticeship or a bit of part time work. Whenever we were looking to employ someone and they mentioned they were an Eddies boy, there was definitely a connection of some sort and we both looked favourably on them.

I continued playing rugby with the Queanbeyan Whites joining several Eddies old boys, not only from my year but also old boys from previous years. The Queanbeyan Whites association with St Edmund’s continues today and hopefully will continue well into the future. My association with St Edmund’s continued when my son Nicholas attended from Year 4 to Year 12. He also has many fond memories and also made lifelong friends along the way. Seven of my nephews also attended the College, and my great-nephews and grandsons will continue our long association with the College for years to come.

As for me I still keep in contact with many of the old boys from the Class of ‘79, and we are all still good mates. The chief event organiser, Adrian Halloran, manages to round up as many as he can for the odd informal catch-up, which keeps us all in touch.

I am now semi-retired, and work for my son, Nicholas Mynott and Jack Vanderglas (Class of 2001). I’m looking forward to what the future holds, but when I look back I realise that St Edmund’s obviously played a big part in my life, more than I could have imagined.

It gave me many lifelong friends, endless memories and the privilege of calling myself an Eddies boy.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

COLLEGE CAPTAIN REPORT Baden Godfrey

2021 has not been the type of year I’d have expected to graduate in. Coming off the back of a very unique year in 2020 to say the least, we thought we would return to school with some normality, and for the most part we did.

The year kicked off with a ton of excitement particularly around the Athletics Carnival and the Swimming Carnival where Mulrooney House, to everybody’s surprise, actually won something. My own house O’Brien didn’t fair too well, but if it was a competition for best house themes than our O’Brien House Olympians and Hawaiian O’Brien would have swept the competition.

It is events like these carnivals that will stick with me long after I’ve left this school. The excitement before your race, the iconic $10 pizza lunch, the house themes and of course the tug of war, where I’m sure every student throughout St Edmund’s College history will remember the traditional “everybody let the rope go at once” moment to see the staff fall over. These moments are special reminders of my time here.

However, the Eddies normality that we loved would soon be disrupted just a few weeks into the second semester as we were forced into lockdown and learning at home due to COVID-19. This would see an immediate stop to all that we loved doing at the school. Although remarkably, despite the students being taken out of St Edmunds, St Edmunds was not taken out of the students. Thanks to the remarkable work of the College staff, online learning was seamlessly implemented, and we were back in the classroom virtually. Furthermore, the spirit of the school remained alive and well, and believe it or not, flourished with boys staying committed and involved with school life through such things as sending in their weekly trick shot videos.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Sadly the lockdown led to the abrupt end to the sporting seasons, and although Year 12 students have lost our last chance to represent the school on the sporting field, we can take some solace in the fact the remaining boys, no matter their code of sport, will return to the field, pitch and court to double their efforts and win triumphantly when sport returns.

As I look back on my 9 years of schooling at Eddies, the one thing that stands out the most to me isn’t the learning, nor the ovals or Richo wearing a dress. The thing that stands out the most to me are all my mates, all my brothers, all my family that I’ve gained over this near decade long journey. Together we’ve experienced all this College offers: the sets in Mr Bell’s classroom, the sport on the weekends, the last minute assignments, Mr Fox’s wild stories of how someone broke every bone in their body in PE, the Heritage days, the legendary chicken and gravy rolls at The Pines, iconic end of year days of the past and dare I say the “touch” footy at lunch time.

These memories and mateships I have are something I hope I never lose, and something I don’t believe I ever will. The Eddies Boys I made these memories with will forever embody the characteristics of pride, friendship, kindness and dedication that will ensure these memories and relationships are kept alive.

On behalf of my Year 12 cohort, I would like to say a massive thank you to all the staff at the College.

We can never truly verbalise just how appreciative we are of you and how impactful you’ve been upon us. Most of your sacrifices for us may never been seen, but I assure you they have been greatly valued by us Eddies Boys.

I’d also like to thank our parents and family that have helped us through our journey at this school.

You have given us the opportunity to experience something unlike anything else and have sacrificed for us beyond what anybody would expect, and it has meant the world to us.

For me personally, I know I won’t forget the latenight help with assignments, the extra training sessions or simply the love and compassion I’ve received from my family.

Together, the class of 2021 has lived this school and learnt what it takes to become an Eddies boy, and I believe I can comfortably say that as I look back now, having seen the transformation of us from children into young men, that are prepared to take our ‘Eddies Spirit’ into the world with us. Emotionally, I’m not sure if I’m prepared to leave this school, but it has given me the tools and ability to move onwards and upwards and that’s something I may never be able to repay.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

As a new day dawns upon us, I’m reminded of the old College vision statement that we used to carry around everywhere on our diaries as middle school students. “Achieving today, Leading Tomorrow”.

This has always resonated with me, but particularly more so now as I look to the future. Together we’ve achieved at this school, in the classroom, on the sporting field, personally and socially, but I believe that the “leading tomorrow” part of that statement is particularly important now as we seek to make our mark upon the world. As we prepare to leave, the remember the mark left upon the College by those old boys who walked before us, and we leave the future of St Edmund’s to the boys remaining. It may still be your time to achieve at school, but your time to lead has also begun.

I am forever indebted to the opportunities the College has given me and eternally grateful for all the memories and friends it has imparted upon me.

I’d like to say a final goodbye to Eddies as a student. I will never forget my time here.

Edmund’s to the fore.

Together, the class of 2021 has lived this school and learnt what it takes to become an Eddies boy VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

ALUMNI PROFILE - CLASS OF 2016 James Wallace

Thinking back to time at school, all I can remember thinking is that I could not wait to be an adult, not having to attend school and obtaining the free-range lifestyle that every teenager wishes for. However, I now look back on those times as some of the most fun in my life so far. Catching the bus to school with your mates, going to tutor group to sign in, attending class, but most excitingly, getting to hang with your mates for at least seven hours every day.

Starting at Eddies in Year 5 (2009) was one of the most daunting experiences of my earlier life, walking into Ms Roche’s classroom to a group of boys that had already developed strong friendships from beginning together in Year 4. It was soon realised that I had walked into one of the most inclusive and friendly group of boys, quickly making friends with people who I still consider to be my best mates even to this day, 12 years later. The first memory I have of Eddies is watching the UN-passionate Ms Roche teach us the intricacies of the United Nation systems, with my mates Kayleb O’Connor and Patrik Rilko.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Mid 2010 bought the start of a change in the rest of my life after being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in early June. The support received from Ms Panton, Ms James and Bernie Passeggi is something I look back on fondly to this day. Their care and recognition of the situation was above and beyond what both myself, and my specialist expected. This care and attention allowed the remainder of middle school to fly with no interruptions or disadvantages.

Whilst most of Year 8 to 10 was a blur, I recall some of the highlights being the house system and the O’Brien fortnightly house meetings. The tutor group system was a great exposure to boys of all ages, and helped many of us break our way into College life with a high sense of mateship. It was also good to have the opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns and hear the daily news from Ms Bowtell and Mr Bristow. an environment where Year 11 and 12 are the most fundamental years of life, and for many students present a high amount of stress and anxiety. However, the pastoral care team a balance of hard work at Eddies, in combination with fantastic teachers and some of the best mates was met with equal you can ask for, fostered an environment where a balance of hard work was met with equal parts of fun. I look back very fondly on these two years, and I parts of fun feel as if these years, the good and the bad parts, set me up well for the success and skills that I have needed over the past five years since graduating. Some of the highlights of these years were definitely the healthy academic competition within Mr Foskett’s Chemistry class, Ms Geoghegan’s Business class, and the somewhat controversial, non-economic chats in Mr Borgia’s Economics class.

I graduated in 2016 with First Place in Chemistry, First Place in Business, First Place in Economics, and the Phil Hawke Medal for the best achievement in Economics at St Edmund’s College. I am to this day still very proud and grateful for this medal and the academic recognition remains a highlight on my CV, mainly of how proud I am to have graduated from St Edmund’s College.

I immediately began a Bachelor of Medical Science at the Australian National University after graduation. Along with my mate Yianni Nikolis, we both began one of the hardest degrees at ANU with many international students well above our league. It was a fun experience which involved difficult chemistry labs and some odd labs such as dissecting snails and fish (taking experience from the Year 5 Tuross camp). Following the first year, I realised my hard passion for pure chemistry and biology and switched to the mainstream Bachelor of Science. I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Chemistry and Biochemistry with a minor in Biology with a high-distinction average.

Within my final year, I worked in the China-Australia Joint Centre for Functional Materials, and aided in the development and synthesis of one of the many functional molecular wires which are set to become responsible for miniaturisation for computers and the like. During these three years of university, I was a nightfill manager at Woolworths in Lanyon, in which more social and communication skills from Eddies began to creep through into my daily life. In particular, skills taught by Ms Geoghegan set me up well for success as the youngest manager of a Woolworths department in Canberra.

As a graduation present, I decided to go on the trip of a lifetime to the UK, Scotland and Europe with my brother, Angus Wallace. Upon returning, COVID-19 hit and obviously took its toll on the grad-job market. I was contacted by the Research School of Chemistry at ANU and offered a scholarship to return and begin a full-time, labbased honours project at ANU. Under the supervision of well-known Professor Michelle Coote, I completed a year-long honours project entitled ‘Development of a SP-Hybridised Carbon Coupling Method Inspired by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerisation’. Whilst undertaking this thesis, I also began a full-time Masters of Intellectual Property Law at the University of Technology in Sydney (via correspondence).

Whilst I appreciated my time in a professional research laboratory, I decided that academia and the conducting of research was not for me. The countless late nights, working around the clock on top of a Masters in Law was overwhelming and helped open my eyes to the sort of work I did not want to do as a graduate.

After 2 months’ vacation over Christmas and summer, I was lucky enough to be offered a position at Alder IP, Sydney, as a Trainee Patent Attorney and Trade Marks Attorney where I work to finish my Masters. A prerequisite to entry to Masters and the subsequent registration as a Patent Attorney is the attainment of a technical degree such as a Chemistry degree (it wasn’t all a waste of time Mum and Dad!).

My daily work day includes filing chemical, electronic, mechanical and biotechnological patent applications before the Australian Government and the United Nations. In addition to this, we utilise a worldwide network of attorneys in jurisdictions around the world to file applications on behalf of clients in countries such as United States, China, Canada and Europe. I also advise clients on litigation strategies, prosecution strategies, as well as general commercial law advice on the best way to commercialise ideas and ensure profitable exploitation. Patents are the most valuable asset to a business as they grant a monopoly on a particular idea. In terms of trade marks, it speaks for itself, companies protect names that gain,

or are likely to gain a reputation so as to prevent others from using the same name. Many of the trade mark cases litigated play out in the Federal Court.

I now live in Chatswood, in Sydney’s North Shore, where I enjoy golf on the weekends. I am also lucky enough to have Wednesday mornings off to play competitively in the local medley. In my free time I enjoy catching up with mates, exercising and travelling. I am still in contact with many of the mates that I met at St Edmunds College.

My time at Eddies is often a topic I find myself bringing up in a lot of social situations. I am proud to be an Eddies boy, and when I hear ‘wellrounded’, St Edmund’s is exactly what springs to mind. St Edmund’s sets an all rounded and balanced individual that values academics and spirituality whilst fostering mateship and respect.

It has allowed me to thrive in all areas of life, in relationships, management roles, professional settings and social settings. This is something I thoroughly believe that no other school can offer.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank St Edmund’s as a whole, and especially the teachers in Year 11 and 12 who encouraged me to be my best in all areas of life, especially academically at a time in which it mattered the most. Mr Foskett has been fundamental to my success in Chemistry, with his passion and inspiration shining through, and I would like to thank him personally for the opportunity to be taught by him. He sparked my interest in Science and ultimately is the single reason why I pursued a degree in Chemistry.

COMMUNITY PROFILE - COLLEGE PARENT Suzanne Barnes

“A posting to Canada? Wow – what an opportunity!” That was my instant reaction when I heard we were heading overseas for two years.

Thoughts of mountains, moose and maple syrup filled my mind and the excitement had me hopping up and down! Not so our boys, who at the time were 13 and 10. Their first thoughts were of leaving their friends, the Eddies community and the comfort and familiarity of Canberra. They were quite convinced we were about to ruin their lives, pointing out that Australia is “the best country in the world” - why on earth would we want to leave?!

However, as we told friends and family of our upcoming move, the boys’ excitement grew and the idea of throwing enormous snowballs at each other and leaping off balconies into the snow (!) sealed the deal. The farewells were hard, but the knowledge that we’d be returning to Canberra definitely helped. And so in July 2019 we left a bitter Canberra winter and flew into the Canadian sunshine to begin the adventure of a lifetime!

Being the capital city, the personality of Ottawa isn’t unlike that of Canberra. Many people work in Public Service and there are a great number of overseas diplomatic missions. The population of around 1.4 million is three times that of Canberra, but it’s a fairly compact city and easy to navigate. Different suburbs have their own individual character, some with a very heavy French influence, since Québec lies just over the bridge on the north side of the river. It was astonishing to me that people would say “Hello” or “Good morning” to you on one street, but when you turned the corner you’d hear “Salut” or “Bonjour”! It was so interesting to be part of a bilingual community and, as you might expect, the bread, pastries and cheese were fabulous!

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Another fascinating part of life in Ottawa is the changing of the seasons and, as our first winter approached, we wondered what we were in for!

Keen gardeners put little tents over all but the hardiest plants and every car is taken to the mechanic to have winter tyres put on. Not only is the tread deeper on a winter tyre, but the rubber is made of much sterner stuff than your typical “all season” tyres. It needs to be, in order to be able to withstand temps of -40°! The thought of driving in the infamous Canadian winter conditions had us somewhat anxious, but after a day spent at a “Snow & Ice Driving Course” we felt a little more prepared. Still terrified, but more prepared!

Oh but those Ottawa winters!! The magic of waking up to a snow-covered landscape is hard to describe and we spent innumerable moments just watching the silent snowflakes fall. It goes without saying that with snow come the freezing temperatures and we would often play the game “Guess what the temperature reading will be on the car by the time we’ve driven to school”: I think -21° was the lowest (which doesn’t take any wind chill into consideration!).

Once you’re all kitted out in the proper clothing (fleece-lined pants, coat that could double as a doona, knee-high lined boots…), heading outside is a lot of fun. Even on the most ridiculously cold days all the school children would be expected to get outside at recess and lunch, with schools providing toboggans for the students to play on and skiing lessons every Friday afternoon during the winter term. There were so many outdoor activities to take part in and try, from snow shoeing to cross country skiing, and nearly every neighbourhood park had a makeshift ice rink where families of all ages would gather after school or on weekends.

Ontario was hit hard by the pandemic. The lockdown that Canberra is experiencing as I write this is what we lived for three quarters of our posting.

It was incredibly frustrating to see all our chances of travel disappear as the daily number of new infections grew. By the time we left (midJune 2021) there had been more than 1.4 million cases of Covid-19 in Canada and 24,000 deaths. Everything except the truly essential shops and services were shut and ICUs in major cities such as Toronto and Ottawa were so full that patients were being flown to provincial hospitals.

If you happen to hear the Barnes boys proclaiming, “I never want to go for another walk again in my life!”, that’s because it’s pretty much all we were able to do for a year and a half! That said, we were incredibly fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the city and we’d encounter some wonderful wildlife during even a short walk around our local neighbourhood. There were squirrels, chipmunks and woodpeckers by the dozen, but we also saw raccoons, coyote, a porcupine and beaver.

As it was when we left Canberra, saying goodbye to the fantastic friends we made in Ottawa was tough; who knows when we’ll see them again? But we were all excited to be returning to Australia, and when you know you can return to the familiar comfort and security of a community like we have at Eddie’s, you can really give your whole self over to whatever chance for adventure crosses your path. I bet it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been away, walking up the front steps of school when you come back definitely feels like coming home.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

ALUMNI PROFILE - CLASS OF 1991 Matt de Jongh

I started at St Edmund’s as a Year 7 student in 1986, having come from the old Marist Brothers primary school in Queanbeyan (now St Gregory’s), which back then was basically an Eddies ‘feeder’ school for us Queanbeyan boys. I was the oldest of four brothers; David, Geoffrey and Anthony to attend the College. I also had two uncles who attended the College; Mick O’Connor who played in the First XV as a 14 year old in 1961 and Bishop Pat Power who was a 1954 foundation student. My son Harry has continued the Eddies tradition of my family and started as a Year 4 student at the College in 2014 and is now in Year 11, and loves Eddies as much if not more than his dad.

I still remember my first day at Eddies back in 1986, walking into the quadrangle area sheepishly with all my fellow Queanbeyan mates, coming from a much smaller school in Queanbeyan, to this ‘huge’ school in Canberra. One of my earliest memories was looking out of the Science Wing which overlooked the outdoor area of the Year 11 and 12 common room and watching all these senior boys in their desert boots, sporting mullets and smoking cigarettes. It’s interesting how all these years later the mullets are back in fashion at Eddies, however I am not sure if the desert boots and smoking will make a return anytime soon.

One of my fondest memories and highlight of my days at Eddies was Year 7 tutor group with Carlo Sorrentino, which involved Carlo’s “Rock and Roll Wrestling – King of the Platform” competitions. This involved Carlo standing on the raised platform at the front of the class and us boys trying to ‘knock him off’ the platform, which mostly involved Carlo throwing us across the classroom. Aside from the wrestling lessons Carlo was an encouraging influence and mentor for me at Eddies, always such a positive and fun guy and to this day I am proud to call Carlo a mate. He now teaches my son, minus the wrestling.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Rugby was always a big part of my time at Eddies and I was fortunate to play alongside both George Gregan and Michael ‘Madge’ Maguire in the First XV. I was also privileged to be coached by Col Maxwell, who as a non-staff member at the College was a lot more liberal with his language, especially at half-time when the team needed a rev-up. Col was a great character who had a lot of passion for Rugby and life, he was also a caring and kind person who gave up his time to mentor young men.

Like a lot of old boys, I didn’t really become actively involved in College life at Eddies until my son Harry commenced Year 4 in 2014. I still remember the day that Ms Patricia Doyle interviewed and signed up Harry. Ms Doyle duly told Harry that “…. he was the first enrolee for the year and that he was now officially an Eddies boy and once an Eddies boy he will always be an Eddies boy”. Ms Doyle is an iconic figure of the College and still plays an active role in the College as patron of the Old Boys & Friends Association. To this day I don’t know any old boys that call her by her first name, mainly due to the reverence that we have for Ms Doyle, who as a teacher was strict but was also very witty and cheeky. She is a much loved and renowned character of the College.

As a passionate old boy and now with my son at the College I wanted to get involved and ‘give-back’ to the place that was so special to me. So, I started off coaching my son’s Rugby team from Under 10’s through to the Under 12’s, and by being involved in Rugby I developed a strong affiliation with Marnie Edwards, David Mead and Pat Langtry. All three of them encouraged me to re-invigorate the Old Boys Association, which was disbanded in about 2002. However, I wanted to be involved in something that wasn’t exclusively for old boys, rather that would involve the entire Eddies community.

So, in early 2015 the Old Boys & Friends Association (the Association) was established and the first event was the Heritage Round/Reunion Day in July 2015, which was a dedication to the late Col Maxwell, and coincided with the Eddies vs Marist rugby match. Since then, the Association has grown and is now an integral component of the Eddies community. Now every year the Association co-hosts the three events with the College, these being the Blue & White Ball, Heritage Round/Reunion Day and Golf Day. Each year the number of attendees for these events has grown, by way of example in 2016 since the inaugural dinner (which is now the Blue & White Ball) there were about 90 attendees, at the last Blue & White Ball in 2019, there were over 250 attendees.

The primary objective of the Association is to create a sense of community at Eddies, which I believe we have achieved through these three events. A visual example of the community spirit at Eddies is the Association scoreboard on Owens Oval that was opened in 2019. This scoreboard was only made possible due to generous donations by the Eddies community and a bronze plaque at the base of the scoreboard is a reminder of the generosity and community spirit at Eddies.

The College leadership, primarily through Joe Zavone and Ian Garrity, has been very supportive of the Association, as has the Advisory Council chair Nichole Overall. It’s also been great to have the support of old boys such as Grant Jones, Josh Reid and Neil Roberts who are also active in other College activities. Finally, I would just like to thank the Association committee members since 2015, who have all played a significant part in ensuring the success of the Association, including Rodney Skvorc, Chris Duncan, Matt Percy, Bridget Cusack, Carlo Sorrentino, Victoria and Peter Chapman, Marnie Edwards, Michael Moloney, Nick Overall, Stuart Lachlan, Michael Monagle, Michelle Taylor and Margaret Taylor, Frank Morella, John Watts, Luke Gersokowski, John Paul Romano, Dom Stramandinoli and Jodee Marques.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

STAFF ALUMNI PROFILE - CLASS OF 2000 Andrew Castrission

I couldn’t wait to start at St. Edmunds. My older brother and cousins were attending the school, and I had a number of uncles who had also been proud Eddies boys. As a nine-year-old starting his first day of school in Year 4 in 1992, the school seemed so big, so grand, so exciting; truly, a place of legend. My first teacher was Mr. Di Fronzo. I still remember many of those golden, Year 4 days quite vividly, like when ‘Shaggy’ invented a fishing rod alarm, or when Sir told us how he was attacked by a shark, leaving a huge scar on his calf. This was still the era of male teachers rocking very fashionable, high-waisted dress shorts. Later, of course, we discovered that Sir had a few other origin stories for his scar, each more exciting and unbelievable than the last.

As I proceeded through the school the feeling of awe did not leave me. In fact, in some ways it was growing. This was the era (the mid to late 90’s) where many of our old boys were some of the biggest names in Australian sport, winning

premierships with the Canberra Raiders, and Rugby World Cups with the Wallabies. It was also the era where the school seemed to win the Waratah Shield every year, and the First XV seemed to be invincible. As a sports-mad kid, I could not have imagined a better place to be.

As a high school student, another of my current colleagues, Carlo Sorrentino, also provided some life long memories as my Year 7 Social Science teacher. As Carlo is fond of saying, “The children are our future”. This turned out to be somewhat prophetic, as I still keenly remember many of his lessons, in particular his lessons on medieval feudalism, which I strongly borrow from, to deliver my own lessons on the subject. Each of my HASS teachers (Mr. Smith, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Damo, Mr. Golebewski) had a positive influence on me, and I suppose in some ways inspired me into my current profession.

School continued to be a place of habitual fun: recess – handball; lunch – touch footy; after-

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

school – rugby in the winter and cricket in the summer. Walk-a-thons, grand finals, and Founder’s Days, Tuross camps, and in particular, the chicken and gravy rolls. The trepidation of first days of the year, and the exhilaration of the last days. On Fridays, I got to spend $2 at the tuck-shop.

Years rolled on, and before I knew it, nine years had passed, the class of 2000 had graduated, and we ventured forth into “the real world”. After ten years of university and travelling, and a few different careers, I realised that none that really interested me. I decided teaching sounded fun, and the holidays aren’t that bad either. My first gig was to return to Eddies in 2010 as a relief teacher, I then taught as a middle school P.E teacher, and finally upon my

School continued to be a place of habitual fun: recess – handball; lunch – touch footy; after-school – rugby in the winter and cricket in the summer. return I remember hearing Mr. Langford roaring out for some students to tuck in their shirts as I walked down the corridor. Automatically and without thought my hands grasped for my shirt!

It took a moment to realise he wasn’t directing his request at me.

It takes some getting used to being a teacher at your old school. The school hadn’t seemed to change that much in my absence, and I felt that was reassuring and good.

The current students were much like the kids that we had once been. Recess was still for handball, lunch was still for touch footy, though $2 wouldn’t buy you much in the canteen any more.

I have now been a teacher here as St Edmunds for over ten years, surpassing the nine years that I was here as a student.

I have enjoyed my career here so far, but it doesn’t compare to the halcyon years of my schooling.

In recent years I have seen the school really improving, and each graduating class that leaves are just as upstanding as ‘the men who went before us’.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

MISSION AND IDENTITY REPORT - FATHER & SON CAMP David Kelly

Earlier in 2021 we were able to hold a Father & Son Weekend at The Pines, in beautiful Tuross Head, New South Wales. There were many excited boys who got to spend a whole weekend with their Dad, all to themselves. There were some nerves on the first night but these quickly settled and by the end of the weekend there were some lasting bonds formed. The highlights were relationship building, goal setting and time spent together without distractions.

Many valuable memories were made whether it was kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, walking on the beach, playing table tennis or talking about how we can be better sons and fathers. Many thanks to the fathers and their sons who attended.

Unfortunately, we were unable to run the second installment due to the pandemic but we look forward to new opportunities in 2022. Thank you to Mark Todd from The Pines who made sure everything went smoothly. Thank you also to Michael Monagle for assisting on the weekend and leading important aspects of the program.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Learnings from the shared experience and discussions over the weekend:

To be a better Dad 1. Spend one-on-one time with your son 2. Try not to be distracted when spending time with your son 3. Encourage your son and keep expectations realistic 4. Affirm your son when he improves or does something well 5. Treat your son as an individual. He is not you and he has different likes, wants, goals.

6. Give your son space when needed.

7. Tell your son you love him.

To be a better Son 1. Try to complete some chores without having to be asked. This will ease stress around the home.

2. Respect decisions/directions. No means no. Dad has to make decisions all the time and arguing over being asked to switch off the game console doesn’t lead to a positive interaction.

3. Spend quality time with your Dad, sometimes this can be sacrificial time where you do an activity you know he likes (that you may not like).

4. Tell your Dad you love him.

The Father and Son Weekend is an important part of our broader program of partnering with parents and carers in providing important growth and learning experiences for our young men at the College. It was a most enjoyable weekend and certainly memorable for those fortunate enough to attend.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

ALUMNI PROFILE - CLASS OF 2014 Matthew Nicoletti

I am privileged to share my story, considering there are so many deserving old boy stories out there. I feel like I am only just beginning my journey, which been shaped and influenced heavily by the St Edmund’s community.

My journey at Eddies officially began in 2009 as a Year 7 student. The choice for me to join the school was an easy one, following in the footsteps of my father who graduated in 1981. Following me were my brothers Daniel, Benjamin and cousins Damon and Ethan not too long after.

As I entered the halls on the first day, I had this feeling that I joined a community where I belonged. It felt like I had already been there for a while, and it was the school at which I was meant to be. This feeling continued all the way throughout my tenure at the College, for which I am grateful.

Some highlights for me throughout my time at Eddies was our European cultural trip to France, Italy and Switzerland in 2014. It was an amazing experience, especially in hindsight with the borders closed now.

However, it fuelled my love for travel and have been overseas twice since and had a few more trips planned before the pandemic!

Another was the Year 12 retreat in Jindabyne at the beginning of 2014. The retreat was a way of allowing us to get away as a group before schoolwork became too hectic. I felt the comradery of the boys between our personal friendship groups and the greater class that summed up what it meant to be an Eddies boy. A great big family that we would end up chatting to if we bumped into them at school or outside of it no matter how close you were.

For the most part I would say I was an average student throughout my early to mid high school years. I did not have much belief that I had the capability to pull off good grades or be outstanding in any subject. That all changed in Year 10 when I picked a class because my friends wanted me to...Drama.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

Upon first joining Nigel Palfreman’s class I had very little confidence in putting myself out there.

By the end of the class that year I had some of that confidence and most importantly I could actually speak in public. To my surprise at the end of the year there was a miscommunication in a phone call to my parents in which they were informed their son was receiving an award. They did not say which son, so they assumed it was my brother Daniel, and to be fair he was the smart one. They got to the presentation ceremony early and saw my name on the award list also and raced over to get me. The award was first place in Year 10 Drama.

Heading into senior school I had the belief that I could achieve good grades and I did for the most part. I came first in Year 11 Drama as well as Year 12 Drama and Media. During my final year of school Nigel Palfreman told me he was introducing a media class and said it was something I should try. Taking up that class has put me on the journey that I chose and am still on now. I will forever be indebted to him for that suggestion

I went onto study a Bachelor of Journalism and Sports Media at the University of Canberra.

During my time at university, it is safe to say the journalism industry fell considerably by the time I graduated in 2018. This left me with not too many options for jobs and the long search began. Along the way though I enjoyed stints and internships at organisations like the Canberra Times, Capital Football, Daily Football Show and local radio stations such as Valley FM. One thing Eddies taught me though was to not give up and believe in myself. I know that sounds corny, however, it is something instilled to you at Eddies I found. In 2019, I decided to create my own path or platform into the media industry. I created my own podcast network called M&M Podcasts with my friend Michael Djordjieski which covers the Canberra football scene. The idea upon creation was to give a positive voice to the passionate scene other than the traditional media sources that are only interested in covering it when there is a fight, controversy or a scandal.

We have grown our social media presence to nearly 1000 followers over Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

This initiative led me to an opportunity at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, where I worked as a Social Media Agent on the 2021 Census. I now work as a Social Media Officer at the Australian Department of Health. I get the best of both worlds, I continue my sports media roots with the podcast and open myself to the world of government media and social media work.

My connection with the College remains strong to this day. My brother Benjamin coaches the First XI football team, my cousin Ethan is currently a Year 12 student (2021) and one of my best friends James Priest is a relief teacher at the College. My experience at Eddies has helped shape and influence the journey I am on today. I will always cherish the fond memories, comradery and guidance of the Eddies community.

VIBRANT SPIRIT. STRONG CHARACTER. TAILORED LEARNING

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