Plus Ultra | June 2021

Plus Ultra June 2021 | St Peters Lutheran College Magazine

EVENTS BACK ON CAMPUS Academic, Sporting, Music and Community - College life is thriving again!

JUNIOR HIGH 'WONDER OF SCIENCE' TECHNOLOGY SERIES— FASHION AT ST PETERS WE SAY GOODBYE TO INDOOROOPILLY STAFF MEMBERS REGULARS

HEAD OF COLLEGE MINISTRY SPOSA

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CONTENTS

Cover: Celebrating Lunar New Year in Lower Primary (p 21).

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Plus Ultra June 2021 incorporating SPOSA Bulletin Published by St Peters Lutheran College Editor / Designer Cassie Twemlow c.twemlow@stpeters.qld.edu.au Writers Cassie Twemlow, Kelsey Bricknell Photography Anthony Cox Advertising Enquiries Publications Office Telephone: 07 3377 6262 publications@stpeters.qld.edu.au St Peters Lutheran College CRICOS Provider: 00516E 66 Harts Road, Indooroopilly Qld 4068 Telephone: 07 3377 6222 reception@stpeters.qld.edu.au stpeters.qld.edu.au facebook.com/stpeterslutherancollege instagram.com/splc.official © 2021 St Peters Lutheran College SPOSA Office 66 Harts Road, Indooroopilly Qld 4068 Telephone: 07 3377 6592 sposa@stpeters.qld.edu.au stpeters.qld.edu.au www.facebook.com/sposa45

Plus Ultra | June 2021

CONTENTS

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33

CONTENTS REGUL ARS

04 Head of College 05 Letter from the Editor 06 Ministry AC ADEMIC

08 10 12 14 15 16

Indooroopilly 2020 Results Springfield 2020 Academic Results Fashion | Express Yourself Back to Learn Junior High Wonder of Science Legally Beyond

AROUND C AMPUS

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18 20 21 22 24 26

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29 30

End of an Era | Farewell Pam Carden Goodbye to the Tie Lunar New Year Captains Installation Story Time Creates Connections at Springfield Challenge Accepted: A Tribute to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Play, Playfulness and Engaged Learners for Under Eights Week Making an Easy Transition A Sense of Belonging for 13 Years

THE ARTS

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35 36

St Peters Marching Band - ANZAC Day March St Peters Music Ensembles Excel at Queensland Youth Music Awards The Creative Vision of Soundscape Who Needs Frenemies?!

SPORT

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38 40 42

Volleyball | Ever Higher Pink Stumps Cricket Double Success Again in 2021

BOARDING

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January Boarding Camps A Grades from the A Team

SPOSA

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SPOSA President (including SPOSA Events 2021) Heather McBride Patrick Bursary An Unexpected Honour There's No Business Like Show Business Getting Mo' Support Than Ever Choose Your Cause Births, Deaths and Marriages

COMMUNIT Y AND EVENTS

60 61 62 63

St Peters Ladies Lunch Mater Chicks in Pink Father Daughter Breakfast Junior High Mother's Day Breakfast

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HEAD OF COLLEGE

PLUS ULTRA 2025 - OUR NEW STRATEGIC INTENT TIM KOT ZUR

head of college

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n the 1961 edition of The Review, our College yearbook, there is an article by Theo Helbig (Class of 1962) about what St Peters would be in the year 3961 AD. Theo envisaged St Peters in 3961 AD ‘as the most modern school in Brisbane’. He also believed that St Peters was ‘entirely a boarding school. Day Scholars are just not permitted.’

St Peters, he believed, would have an enrolment of ‘eleven thousand students, comprising almost five thousand girls and over six thousand boys’. Of those eleven thousand ‘a number of students hail from the planets of Mars and Venus’. Interestingly, Theo believed that the total number of teachers would ‘number only fifty-six’ with the rest of the teaching done by robots. Theo writes ‘most of the teachers do themselves admit that the robots do a better job of drumming something into the student’s minds than they can’. A few other interesting things from Theo’s essay about the future of St Peters—‘the ovals are located on tops of buildings...sporting fixtures are played against some other metropolitan schools as well as against teams from other planets’ and ‘the College has its own nuclear power plant’. It will be interesting to see if Theo’s vision for St Peters comes to pass.

Throughout 2019 and 2020 the College, like Theo, has been envisaging its future. Nothing as ambitious as the next few thousand years, but what might St Peters look like in 2025.

Over the course of the last two years we have been systematically developing our new Strategic Intent. The process began with reviews of our Mission, the St Peters Why, Core Values and developing a shared understanding of the non-negotiables of a St Peters education – the things we would never change. The College Council and Senior Leadership spent time taking stock of where the College was at in relation to its existing Strategic Plan, and examining current educational and broader societal trends. Data from various stakeholder

Plus Ultra | June 2021

surveys and other instruments was examined, and feedback from various groups including students was considered. Time was spent imagining alternate futures and there was opportunity to float ‘moon shot’ ideas and engage in some ‘blue sky thinking’.

Consultation during the planning process resulted in the distillation of 12 Strategic Pillars and corresponding Strategic Intents that will help shape St Peters over the course of this decade and beyond. It will guide our decisions, actions and interactions into the future, and will create a framework for resource allocation across the College.

The result of this process is Plus Ultra 2025.

Plus Ultra 2025, our Strategic Intent, builds on the successes of the past 75 years, and lays out our collective vision, ambition and direction for St Peters in the years ahead.

REGULARS

Pictured (below): Our Strategic Pillars at a glance; (left): Scan the QR codes to read more about Our Strategic Intent (Indooroopilly, top; Springfield, bottom)

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR C A SSIE T WEMLOW

editor

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fter last year’s numerous cancellation notices, it’s great to see things resuming to normality on campus. This year we’ve already celebrated a variety of events like Founders Day, Father Daughter Breakfast (p 62) and the P&F's Biggest Morning Tea, with (hopefully) many more to continue throughout the rest of the year including the sold-out Legends Sports Lunch (27 August) and our previously postponed 75 year Gala Ball (23 October).

Our Strategic Intent provides a road map to help St Peters reach its vision and mission.

In charting our course for this decade Plus Ultra 2025 is future focused and embraces leading practice, next practice and innovation; yet at the same time remains true to the vision of our founding Headmaster Mr W C Schneider, whose great hope for St Peters was that it would be ‘a school where your sons and daughters will get the best possible training, a school which should do much good for the church and the country’.

St Peters has benefited greatly from the contribution and commitment of staff, students, parents and Old Scholars and will further benefit from our continued work together as we implement Plus Ultra 2025.

I look forward to sharing the progress of our exciting future, Plus Ultra 2025 in coming editions of Plus Ultra.

To read our new Strategic Intent in full please visit the College’s website or scan the codes above.

However, with the celebrations also comes commiserations as we farewell a number of members of staff. Old Scholar and current Head of Primary Years, Pam Carden (p 18), and longserving Works Manager, Gary Evans (p 20), say their final goodbyes at the end of this term after being at St Peters for a collective 63 years! We also say auf Wiedersehen to Pastor Thomas who leaves us for higher pastures in Toowoomba.

A theme running through this edition of Plus Ultra is that of perseverance and reward. We talked to students and staff, as well as Old Scholars, about their achievements and success that would not have been possible if it weren't for the persistence they maintained to realise their goals.

For those that are regularly on campus, you will have noticed work on the new Centre for Innovation and Design ploughing ahead with major excavation now complete. Next Semester we should see some real formwork starting to take shape.

Is there something we're missing? Tell us what you want to read about in Plus Ultra – submit your topics or stories via publications@ stpeters.qld.edu.au

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REGULARS

REFLECTION AND CHANGE Pictured (L-R): Pastor Thomas on his very first (2015) and final (2021) ANZAC Day Services.

THOMA S BÖHMERT

senior pastor

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his will be my final article for the Plus Ultra publication. At the end of June we are moving to Toowoomba, where I will take up the position as School Pastor at our sister school, Concordia Lutheran College.

It is part of a Pastor’s life that from time to time you are called to another place of service, and so after a little over six years of working at St Peters Lutheran College this gives me cause for reflection.

St Peters is an amazing community that truly seeks to live up to its motto, Plus Ultra – ever higher. The breadth and depth of educational and extra-curricular opportunities St Peters students are offered are nothing short of amazing. The extraordinary results achieved by many are a witness to the quality and commitment of the staff in this place.

We talk about holistic education (or life-wide learning in the new Strategic Intent) and the many offerings of the St Peters education are witness to that. From opportunities in a wide range of Sports, to Service groups, the formative weeks in Ironbark, the incredible Music Program, community worship, the support for those needing extra help or more challenges, there is something for everyone. These opportunities are offered with the goal of forming young men and women who go into the world with open hearts and open eyes to the needs of others and the understanding that the gifts they have received are not just for their own use but to serve others.

This brings me to the other aspect of our motto, Plus Ultra – more beyond. The excellence in Christian co-education we

Plus Ultra | June 2021

seek to offer is based on our belief that God has gifted each and every person and we are called to help them develop their gifts so they can make a positive difference in this world. St Peters prepares leaders of the future and we want our graduates to go into the world with confidence and in the awareness of a greater reality we are all part of and invited into. We want them to know that no matter how well they are able to perform, in all our success and failures, all certainties and doubts, they are held and deeply loved by the God who is love and who revealed that love most clearly through Jesus Christ.

The same God provides each with unique gifts and calls all to use these gifts in service of the world, which belongs not to us but to God. This divine love is the constant in all the changes and challenges around us and can carry and inspire us as we travel our life’s journey.

I have learned much during my time in this amazing community and am very thankful for the opportunity to be part of St Peters for a little while. Together with the team of Chaplains and many others I hope to have been able to contribute a little to our Plus Ultra and encouraged people to reflect on the more beyond and recognise the God of love behind all we do.

I pray for God’s continued blessing on the St Peters community and all who are part of it as you keep serving, growing and changing.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever (Psalm 118:1).

Pastor Thomas

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ACADEMIC

INDOOROOPILLY 2020 RESULTS For all that was thrown at them, our 2020 Senior cohort achieved amazing results against a backdrop of a new curriculum and a pandemic.

PETER MACDONALD

director of teaching & learning innovation

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020 was a year with a difference. The whole school experienced At Home Learning which saw a significant change in the way content and skills were delivered by our amazing teachers. Obviously, the challenges of the pandemic impacted the whole community. I am proud of the way our students, parents and teachers all worked together to make the best out of a difficult time. All parts of our community invested more time and energy in making sure the learning experiences for our students was a good as it could be, and for this I am particularly grateful. Possibly, the most inspiring reflection of 2020 is the grace that our community showed each other. There was a huge sense of partnership and teamwork as we all faced the challenges together. Now, some months on from the At Home Learning experience, we are able to reflect on the excellent results achieved by our students. There is no doubt that the community-wide investment and team approach by all has enabled our students to be so academically successful in 2020.

Our Year 12 2020 QCAA and International Baccalaureate (IB) students achieved outstanding ATAR results last year. Some highlights include: • 14% of our Year 12 students achieved an ATAR of 96 and above; • 35% achieved an ATAR of 90 and above; • 78% achieved an ATAR of 75 and above; and, • 90% achieved an ATAR of 60 and above.

In February, 31 2020 Year 12 Scholars were invited back to be recognised for their

Plus Ultra | June 2021

excellent academic achievement. While it is wonderful to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our 2020 Seniors, the Scholars’ Assembly provides inspiration for the students sitting in the audience. Well done to our Scholars for their excellent personal achievements and thank you for coming back and inspiring the younger groups of students. Again this year, it was wonderful to witness the excitement of our Scholars as they branded the Scholars’ Wall in the Academic Hub with their name.

Our IB students continued to perform well in 2020. The students were a tight bunch with a strong sense of community. Everyone worked hard to support one another through the rigors of Higher Level (HL) curriculum and external assessment. It is clear to see that strong relationships develop between Mrs Ros Midgley and each IB student. Mrs Midgley dedicates a huge amount of time to the IB students to ensure individualised care and attention is provided at precisely the right time. Mrs Sarah Thompson was assisting Mrs Midgley run the IB program during 2019 and together they made a wonderfully organised, professional and supportive team.

2020 saw the beginning of the new Senior Curriculum as well as the new Tertiary Entrance process. As you can determine from the cohort’s end of year results, they have managed the new system extremely well. We received very positive feedback from the external examination QCAA invigilators regarding how organised, responsible and prepared our students were for their examinations. Mr Simeon

ACADEMIC

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* The following statistics relate to students at St Peters Indooroopilly only.

For statistics that relate to St Peters Springfield students, see page 11.

2020 AC ADEMIC RESULTS (IND)

247 students in the cohort.

32 Milner and Mrs Rachael Turnbull invested a huge amount of time in planning for these external exams. These two staff members have set up some excellent processes in which many cohorts in the future will benefit. A huge congratulations is to be passed on to the 2020 cohort for all they have piloted throughout their schooling.

This group of inspiring young people are excellent role models of hard work, perseverance, adaptability and grit.

2021 is an evaluation year for our Primary Years Program. It was due to be in 2020; however, it was held over to 2021 due to the pandemic. An evaluation year means that the International Baccalaureate (IB) will be making a visit to our College to review our programs. Along with inquiry learning an underpinning ethos of the IB is teamwork and collaboration for students and staff. During 2020 and early 2021 our Primary Years staff have been meeting in professional learning communities to further develop their understanding and alignment in areas such as assessment, curriculum programming, inquiry learning, contemporary learning spaces and language development. The collaboration and innovation that comes from these learning communities is not only inspiring to witness, they are ensuring we are consistently improving the learning experiences for our students.

At all year levels, we are looking forward to the challenges of 2021 and are confident that our amazing learners will once again deliver remarkable achievements throughout the year.

94%

students undertook the IB.

were awarded the IB Diploma.

215

students undertook the QCAA.

18

(7%) were ineligible for an IB score or OP.

31

(14%) of our Year 12 students achieved an ATAR of 96.00 and above.

35%

of our Year 12 students achieved an ATAR of 90.00 and above.

90%

of St Peters 2020 graduates received an ATAR of 60.00 and above.

22%

of IB students received an IB Diploma score of 39-45, an ATAR of 96.00 and above.

99%

of St Peters students who applied for a course through QTAC received an offer.

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ACADEMIC

SPRINGFIELD 2020 ACADEMIC RESULTS CR AIG SCHMIDT

principal st peters springfield

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t was the beginning of a new era in 2020 with the graduating class being the first to graduate under the revised Queensland Certificate of Education system and the new Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) processes which incorporates state-wide, externally-set, subject-based assessments at the conclusion of Year 12. External assessments contributed as much as 50% of marks towards final subject results. The Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test and the Overall Position (OP) were relegated to history and new rhythms of learning, study and assessment were established.

Unlike the OPs, which were calculated by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), student ATAR results are calculated by the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) and subject to new privacy regulations which means that schools have not had the ready access to results that we have had in the past.

Of our 2020 graduates, almost 80% proceeded directly on to university with over 46% of those going to University of Queensland, 27% to Queensland University of Technology, 15% to Griffith University, 8% to University of Southern Queensland and 4% to Southern Cross University.

University-bound 2020 graduates are studying in a diverse range of fields reflecting the interests and passions of our young people and including Agribusiness, Arts, Behavioural Science, Biomedicine, Business, Commerce, Design, Education, Engineering, Film & Screen Production, Health Science, Intelligent Digital Technologies, Information Technology, Law, Medicine, Paramedicine, Pharmacy, Podiatry, Psychology, Social Work and Veterinary Technology.

Under the new system, 25-50% of Year 12 subject results are not finalised until after the students have completed their schooling. As such, at St Peters Springfield, the presenting of Dux, Proxime Accessit and Subject Awards for Year 12 students were held over until February 2021.

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We congratulate the 2020 Dux of Year 12, Hope Wilson (pictured far right with her family), who received an ATAR of 99.50, well above the 98.85 threshold for an OP1 equivalent and 2020 Proxime Accessit, Abbey Lay (pictured left on opposite page with teaching staff) for their outstanding academic achievements.

Hope also received a special commendation from the QCAA for having achieved an ‘A’ in six or more subjects, received the Springfield City Group Excellence in Learning Award and Subject Awards for Chemistry, Legal Studies, Mathematical Methods, Physics and Specialist Mathematics. Assisted by a full university scholarship, Hope is now studying in the field of medicine.

Abbey received the University of Southern Queensland Year 12 Excellence Award and the Subject Award for English and is now undertaking a Bachelor of Pharmacy.

At least 26% of our graduates’ ATARs were within the equivalent of the ‘old’ OP 1-5 range and at least 56% of ATARs were in the equivalent range of OP1-10.

The 2020 school year was challenging given the intrusion of COVID-19 which had implications for teaching, learning and assessment. Our staff and students did remarkably well to adapt to the uncertainty and to the demands that were placed on them throughout the year. I commend them and thank them. Year 12 students had much to deal with during their final and summative year of schooling which carries enough weight in a normal year, let alone in a year such as 2020. There has been much learnt that students will take with them that is not reflected in their academic outcomes but is reflected in their capabilities and preparedness for the vicissitudes of life.

The year that was 2020 certainly underscored that we live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Yet, amidst this reality, we can take comfort that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and that He promises that He always walks with us, no matter what we face.

ACADEMIC

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* The following statistics relate to students at St Peters Springfield only.

For statistics that relate to St Peters Indooroopilly students, see page 9.

We were also reminded in 2020 of the responsibility that we all have in our local, state and global communities and that all people’s vocations are critically important to the wellbeing of our society and nation as a whole.

To this end, we keep our graduates in our prayers as they continue to develop the God-given gifts and talents and as they use them in service to others in community. May God go with them, bless them and guide them in the years ahead. Saints for life.

2020 AC ADEMIC RESULTS (SFD)

36 students in the cohort.

As it is written, ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord’ (Colossians 3:23).

10

(26%) of our Year 12 students achieved an ATAR of 92.00 and above.

19

(56%) of our Year 12 students achieved an ATAR of 80.00 and above.

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ACADEMIC

FASHION | EXPRESS YOURSELF Thinking of pursuing the Creative Arts? With so many on offer here at the College – Digital, Design, Food, Information and Textile Technology, plus Drama, Art, Media and Graphics – our students are spoilt for choice. Aspiring Engineers, Chefs, Fashion Designers and more, are nurtured through ATAR, IB and VET courses alike. In this, the first in a series of articles on Technology and the Arts, I spoke to Ingrid Rucinski, Fashion and Design Teacher as well as VET Coordinator, about the courses she teaches here at St Peters.

C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

Plus Ultra | June 2021

F

ashion became an applied subject at the course. Having contextual learning and St Peters back in 1998. At the time, this was industry links with local companies such as considered quite progressive, especially at a Black Milk and designers like Jac Hunt, of Jac private school. However, the College saw the and Jack, means students see, hear and feel need for those students who wanted to learn what it’s really like within the fashion industry. more trade-style subjects to equip them for “You can’t be what you cannot see,” Ingrid more practical natured vocations later in life. shared. “Earlier this term, we took one of “In that regard, it showed vision because [the the Senior classes to Black Milk in Banyo, College] understood that there were other where they were able to look around the pathways for students and ensured they had warehouse and saw firsthand the sourcing the skills to equip them,” Ingrid said. of designs, advertising, cutting, production, digital printing, quality control and shipping When she started in 2005, the program only in the warehouse." had two classes—one multi-Year Level Senior class and a Year 10 class (just 24 students Ingrid even bumped into one of her exin total). Since then, it has grown into a students, Maryanne Frost (2011, pictured subject that is adopted by approximately 350 right with her sister in the Wedding Dress students per year from Years 7-12. competition), who currently works at Black Milk!

Over the years, Ingrid progressed Fashion as an applied subject to that of a vocational Another Old Scholar, Joash Teo, of eponymous subject; part of the St Peters Vocational brand Joteo, began his university studies Education Training (VET) pathway. She during his final year at St Peters in 2014. recognised the skill level the students had Last year he was named the Fashion Design and knew that Certificate qualifications would Graduate of the Year (Qld) from the Design be advantageous in the workplace and give Institute of Australia, after completing his greater diversity to the academic studies.

Bachelor of Design (Hons) degree at QUT. To During the Junior High years, it’s basic training, add to this honour, Joteo also opened at the however, once students start studying in 2020 Brisbane Fashion Month—a big deal for Senior, it’s essentially like the first and second any designer! years at TAFE. Ingrid is immensely proud of her students’ “This is great,” Ingrid explained, “because achievements. Seeing what can happen, she students who want to pursue a creative said, raises the profile of Fashion being a pathway learn skills including pattern making, legitimate career choice, instead of something garment production and how to present that’s a hobby or go-between job. a portfolio for entrance into their desired “It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry,” Ingrid course after school.” said. “Probably one of the largest businesses, Ingrid also stresses the inclusion and globally, is clothing and manufacturing. importance of industry connections within Everyone needs clothes!”

ACADEMIC

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FASHION EVOLUTION Pictured (clockwise from above): VET Coordinator, Ingrid Rucinski; 2008 Ambiwerra Festival entrant; 2010 APEX Teenage Fashion Awards entrant; 2011 APEX Teenage Fashion Awards entrant; 2011 Frost sisters in the Wedding Dress Competition; 2012 VAPAr entrant; Joash Teo in Year 8, 2010, with his creation; 2018 Seniors Fashion for VAPAr.

It’s not all about making gorgeous clothes or creating amazing fabrics though. In recent years, and thanks to ethical Australian brand, Gorman, sustainability has become a huge buzzword in the industry. Ingrid said it’s not just the industry but consumers that have driven this trend, and her students want to promote the sustainability issue too.

“Being more understanding of sustainability and progressive within the Fashion industry is what it’s currently all about,” she remarked.

From clothing that will eventually break down into the earth at its end of life, to items that are shipped in compostable bags, the industry is clearly moving with the times.

that this provides context to the students, “especially as it can be a difficult industry for kids to break into without contacts.”

Ingrid noted that the students that have gone through the Fashion program at St Peters haven’t necessarily wanted to be fashion designers. Most students, she reflected, have been interested in the wider creative industries, whether it’s Costume Design, Photography, Landscape Architecture or something else. “[Our students] come through being very focussed. They’ve always had very specific things they’ve wanted to do to express themselves,” she said. “[Fashion] is a very inclusive environment where the students feel instantly comfortable to do what they are passionate about.”

“Fashion is quite reactive to social views and values and it’s becoming more philosophical knowing we have a responsibility to the The passion and Pastoral Care within the planet,” Ingrid said, noting that it’s therefore subject has led to students discovering important for her to practice what she their unique skills and finding a sense of preaches by way of wearing a lot of secondcommunity they don’t always have elsewhere. hand clothing. She’s also advised her Senior So, Ingrid’s advice to students seeking a students to hire formal dresses—it’s a fraction career in Fashion? of the amount you’d spend on buying a dress “Perseverance. It’s not the kind of vocation and it leaves less of a carbon footprint! you go out and start with immediate success Being part of the Gateway to Industry Schools and a great big pay cheque. It’s a long slog Program, St Peters students are afforded the and the people that are successful are the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills people who don’t give up because it’s their to participate effectively in the local economy passion. It’s a good life lesson, that with whilst networking with other schools and perseverance and hard work, eventually linking with industry. Ingrid emphasised you’re rewarded.”

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ACADEMIC

BACK TO LEARN Commitment to personal growth and lifelong learning are dispositions the College actively encourages and develops in our students. In keeping with this mantra, Springfield Old Scholar, Marcelo Arriagada-Malone, has recently returned to St Peters Springfield on a workplace-based internship.

Pictured: Marcelo in Year 3 (2008) and; now (2021) back on campus.

MAI THATCHER

springfield marketing & events officer

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raduating in 2017, Marcelo is currently studying in his final year of a Bachelor of Creative Industries at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and made the request to complete the internship with the College.

Marcelo was the second student to be enrolled at St Peters Springfield with his older brother, Alexis, being the first.

Whilst at school, Marcelo made a strong contribution to our community and served in a variety of leadership roles, including School Vice-Captain (2017), Sports Captain (2017) and Cunningham House Vice Captain/ Captain (2016/2017).

We asked Marcelo why he chose to return and to share his experiences at the College. mai thatcher (mt): Why did you choose to intern back at the College? marcelo arriagada-malone (ma-m): As a Creative Industries student, I find that I work best when I feel personally invested in the work that I am creating. Being an Old Scholar, it felt like an obvious choice to apply to intern here. It makes the work such a joy to engage with when working in a familiar environment and as part of the community. mt: How do you feel being back after graduating? ma-m: I've been working different jobs across Indooroopilly and Springfield these past few years, so it doesn't feel like I ever really left. However, it feels rather nostalgic to be working with the staff and students during school time this time around. At the same time, it is also interesting to see all the changes the school has undergone since I was a student.

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mt: How did your journey at the College prepare you for life after graduating? ma-m: Following the values of the College has always been helpful in developing caring and respectful relationships with those around me, colleagues and peers alike.

I've always been one to subscribe to the philosophy of showing everyone common decency and respect. I credit that to my upbringing with the school. mt: Do you have any advice for our Year 12 students who are about to graduate? ma-m: I'm going to sound a little generic, but my advice would be to be confident in yourself as an individual. The world outside of school is very competitive. You'll find you're comparing yourself with those around you a lot. There'll be challenges and hurdles thrown at you that may make you doubt whether you're good enough to be where you are. Always remember, you bring much more to the table than just your physical work. So, don't undervalue yourself.

The College is pleased to be given the opportunity to assist Marcelo to complete his internship. We're supporting him to work at the Springfield campus with video production, photography, and the creation of other digital assets.

There is little doubt Marcelo will continue to be successful into the future with his Plus Ultra mindset. The College is proud of our Old Scholars and takes great pride in continuing our relationship with them beyond school. All are valued members of the St Peters Old Scholars Association (SPOSA) and 'Saints for life’. Continue to aim ‘ever higher’ Marcelo!

ACADEMIC

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JUNIOR HIGH WONDER OF SCIENCE From a new inclusion into the St Peters curriculum to State Winners, the Junior High 'Wonder of Science' program has been so successful it will remain for the foreseeable future.

SUSAN LIC A STRO

teacher and years 7-10 stem coordinator

2

020 saw the inclusion of exciting STEM challenges immersed within the Year 7 Science curriculum. This incorporated the introduction of 'Wonder of Science' challenge tasks. These tasks engage students in authentic and collaborative inquiry.

Students develop critical and creative thinking skills as they are challenged to develop a group response to a real-world problem or scenario.

Over the course of five weeks students designed, built, tested and evaluated their projects through a collaborative inquiry process. They were supported throughout the project by Wonder of Science Ambassadors. These Ambassadors were selected PhD researchers from leading Queensland universities, who engaged with students via online 'Teams' meetings offering guidance and support for their projects.

Representative teams were chosen to attend a regional student conference where they presented their response and showcased their work to students from other schools within the region. St Peters achieved an

outstanding effort and was awarded first, second, and third places within the region.

First place students (Sophie Lambourne, Hamish Scott, Arabella Noble and Ainsley Trotter, pictured above with Mr Tim Kotzur, Head of College, and Wonder of Science Director, Robyn Bull) went on to compete in the State Conference and successfully won overall, receiving the trophy for State Winners.

Robyn Bull, visited St Peters earlier this year to present prizes to the winning team. In her address she made special comment on the high quality of student presentations and their ability to analyse data and justify their results from their investigations.

Such opportunities for students to engage in these projects enhances the development of their team building skills that are essential skills in careers of the future.

The high level of student engagement and quality outcomes has resulted in the decision to implement the program in Year 9 this year with the vision to have all Junior High Year Levels involved by 2022.

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ACADEMIC

LEGALLY BEYOND Kerrie Anglin is a woman of many talents. Currently serving as Senior School Key Pastoral Care Teacher at St Peters Springfield, Kerrie is also a teacher and coordinator of Legal Studies, serves as WHS and Compliance Officer, is an admitted lawyer and a committee member and conference convener for the Queensland Chapter of the Australia & New Zealand Education Law Association. Now she has added one more title to this impressive list being that of a published author.

Pictured (L-R): Kerrie Anglin with her coauthored book Law and Ethics for Australian Teachers; Joel Sheppard, Kerrie Anglin and Craig Schmidt at the 2021 Academic Awards ceremony.

MAI THATCHER

springfield marketing & events officer

A

dedicated teacher in the St Peters Springfield community for the past seven years, Kerrie has recently co-authored a book titled Law and Ethics for Australian Teachers. The book, which took almost twoand-half years to complete, has been written to support teachers, school administrators and school authorities to navigate and better understand professional, legal and ethical school issues they may encounter in the classroom or wider school environment in a way that is easy to navigate.

This project began when Kerrie met with the parent of a former Springfield Old Scholar who also worked in the education industry.

After some discussion they saw the potential to improve teachers' understanding of their legal obligations in a professional context and discussed the possibility of writing a book for this purpose. Kerrie explains, “the more I delved into the research the more I saw the need for teachers to know this sort of information…better still, that they had legal obligations that needed to be met.”

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2008-2011. I would peruse and proofread some of the draft documents and found that I was becoming fascinated with the case law as well as thinking about how this would apply in the teaching world.”

Taking existing knowledge, qualifications and experience, Kerrie and her fellow authors have created a resource to explain topics such as Duty of Care, Mandatory Reporting, Family Court Orders and Parenting Plans, Suspensions and Exclusions and other legal issues. Chapters in the book include case studies and legislation from all states, detailed scenarios, definitions of key terms and end of chapter questions to help readers understand a variety of issues. In the future, Kerrie aspires to have the book adopted in tertiary education for those studying in education, pre-service teaching and the workplace as professional development.

Being both a teacher and lawyer played an important part in the creation of the book.

The College would like to congratulate Kerrie on her amazing achievement and take pride in her dedication to her service and support to the wider community and next generation of teachers, pursuing our mission statement of ‘Excellence in Christian Co-Education’.

“I first became interested in legislation and the way it appears in everyday life while living in Canberra,” says Kerrie. “My husband is a lawyer and had the riveting job of drafting the Commonwealth Work Health Safety and harmonization laws between

The book Law and Ethics for Australian Teachers (Mark Butlin, Noeleen McNamara and Kerrie Anglin), is published by Cambridge University Press and will be available to purchase in June through Angus & Robertson, Dymocks and Booktopia.

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GUESS WHO?

Two minutes with....? That's the question. Try and figure out which IND staff member has answered the questions below. Turn to page 26 for the answer.

Q: What school did you go to and what was your favourite subject?

Q: If you could chose a superpower, what would it be?

A:

Q

George Abbot School and my favourite subject was Biology.

Q: What star sign are you and are you true to your sign's attributes?

A:

I’m a Pisces and... absolutely!

Q: Who would play you in a movie about your life?

A:

Anne Hathaway.

A: To be able to teleport anywhere I want to go.

What three items would you take with you on a deserted island?

A: The Complete works of Shakespeare, a radio (that works), insect spray.

Q: What is one thing you will never do again?

A: Skydive.

MEMORABILIA | CELEBRATING 75 YEARS To celebrate our 75th anniversary, we have designed various items to commemorate the event! All items are available to purchase via Facebook or Ross Roy Reception.

'Celebrating 75 Years' pin (3cm) | $5

Keyring (3cm x 4cm) | $5

Tea Towels | $7.50 each

Purchase here!

Black pen | $5 Cap (adjustable) | $25

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END OF AN ERA | FAREWELL PAM CARDEN C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

P

am Carden (nee Ford), Head of Primary Years since 2015, is also a St Peters Old Scholar. Spending her formative years as a student on campus in the 1970’s, only to return 30 years later as staff, Pam says a lot has changed except for the feeling of community and culture.

“When I attended as a student it was a relatively small school in comparison to what it is now,” says Pam. At St Peters’ core then, as it is now, was its value in diversity and treating everyone with respect.

“There were students from all different backgrounds. Teachers were there to support and [they] treated us all as individuals.”

In 1974, Pam was also in the Year 10 Ironbark pilot group. Only one group of 28 students was permitted to participate in the outdoor education experience and, because of the Brisbane floods which had occurred earlier in the year, the supply of materials was short.

When she arrived, a lot of Ironbark wasn’t finished, including there being no windows or heating in any of the dorms.

“If we wanted a hot shower or to cook, we had to boil the water over an open fire first,” she explains.

After studying at St Peters from Years 8-12 (1972-1976), Pam went to university and pursued Social Work.

“It turns out, it wasn’t the course for me,” she shares.

After a couple of years, she decided to enrol in Teaching and was fortunate enough to love it and be offered a job before she graduated. Since then, and to aid her rise through the ranks, Pam has also embraced continued learning, gaining further qualifications in Special Education, Theology and Leadership.

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In 2010, a position at St Peters became available and Pam applied.

“I really did not think about returning to the College as an adult or in my profession until a position came up that I couldn’t resist applying for.”

She was offered the position of Curriculum Coordinator (Prep – Year 9) and has been back at St Peters ever since!

Pam reflects of her career that it’s not all about what you gain on paper.

“Through each role I’ve learnt that there is no right way and no ‘one size fits all’ approach.”

"

Working with young children is never boring— you can be tearing your hair out one minute and then be crying tears of joy the next."

She highlights the importance of the soft skills required for a teacher, stating that, “positivity, patience and the ability to really listen to others rather than pre-empting what they are saying and thinking” are vital to succeed.

A ‘big picture’ thinker, Pam was determined not to be blinkered by just teaching in the classroom; she wanted to know all about how schools operate and, over the course of her career, has worked in a wide variety of both State and Independent Schools (big and small, Primary and Secondary) to find out.

“Being able to think critically and creatively and being persistent are also really important,” Pam stresses.

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The most rewarding experiences Pam has had over her career have been that of building relationships.

“Working with young children is never boring—you can be tearing your hair out one minute and then be crying tears of joy the next,” she says.

Pam also expresses the longevity of relationships she’s had with peers, coworkers and parents over the years.

“I’ve really valued the special relationships I’ve maintained with families and staff around me, even since starting my teaching career.”

After 40 years in the education sector, Pam is retiring at the end of this Term to spend more time with her family and, hopefully, travel again.

“I have recently become a grandmother, so I hope to spend time with family as it’s very important to me,” Pam says, glassyeyed. She goes on to say she hopes that one day soon she can travel again with her husband and, “I would like to continue to be involved in education or volunteering in some capacity.”

Congratulations on your retirement, Pam. We wish you and your family all the best for the future.

Pictured: (clockwise from opposite page) Mrs Pam Carden as we know her, 2017; Pam at Ironbark (1974); Scan the code to watch the entire interview; Form Class photo 1975; on her last day of school.

Pam had taken her collar off her uniform to get it signed.

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GOODBYE TO THE TIE

Pictured: (right, top to bottom) Gary Evans and Carson Dron; Jacqui Wood, Gary Evans and Beverley Langlands; Cutting his retirement cake with Tim Kotzur.

KEL SEY BRICKNELL

communications officer

O

n Friday 28 May, St Peters staff gathered on the steps of Ross Roy to celebrate the career of Mr Gary Evans. Known, by some, for his iconic tie wearing, Gary has worked at St Peters for a record-breaking 47 years. Before he retires at the end of Term 1, we take a moment to say “Farewell”.

Gary commenced work at the College in 1974. His first position was held at Ironbark, when the outdoor education program was in its pilot year. In 1976, he was recruited to work at St Peters Indooroopilly by Head of College, Dr Carson Dron and, in 1978, was appointed Head of Works, succeeding Harry Spann (the first person to hold the position at the College).

Over the course of his career, Gary has observed many changes. His tenure has included five Heads of College and, when he started, student numbers at Indooroopilly sat at just 600. Today Indooroopilly boasts 2,200 students. The population increase has caused Gary to grow and adapt in his position—under his leadership, the Works

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Department have worked tirelessly to build and maintain much of the campus infrastructure we all know and love.

There is little that Gary doesn’t know about St Peters Indooroopilly—from piping to cabling, his mind holds our blueprints. Gary’s ability to recall facts about past building projects has been invaluable in times of renovation and his service to St Peters has been a true Plus Ultra effort. It’s unlikely that his 47-year record will ever be surpassed and, for his commitment to the College we are truly grateful.

Gary says that he’s enjoyed his time at St Peters—a fact evidenced at his Ross Roy Farewell. Flanked by longstanding, valued members of the St Peters community, Mrs Jacqui Wood, Mrs Beverley Langlands and Dr Carson Dron, Gary spent the afternoon reminiscing. When it came time to go, he kept it short and simply said, “I couldn’t think of a better employer to work for.”

Thank you, Gary and all the best in your retirement.

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LUNAR NEW YEAR KEL SEY BRICKNELL

communications officer

O

Check out the full slide show here.

n Friday 12 February, St Peters Indooroopilly marked the start of the 2021 Lunar New Year in the Lower Primary. To celebrate, our Prep – Year 4 students enjoyed a very lively Lion Dance by two cheeky lions.

Thank you to all the performers from the International Wushu Academy for bringing in the Year of the Ox with us!

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CAPTAINS INSTALLATION

C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

T

he 2021 Captains Installation took place on Thursday 28 January in the Dron Auditorium in front of the 2021 Senior cohort and Captains’ families.

Ben Roberton and Julia Baird (2020 College Captains) and Alara Slattery (2020 ViceCaptain), attended and presented Josiah Ruthenberg, Maddie Rushmore (Captains) and, Jake Harford and Rachel Williams (Vice-Captains) each with plants whilst Head of College, Mr Tim Kotzur, inducted the Captains into their positions.

As part of Mr Kotzur's speech, he touched on some key points expected of becoming a Senior, not just a Captain...

"...As leaders of the student body you are being asked to lead the younger students through your own examples of school spirit, participation, hard work, and respect for others …. You will exert influence as Leaders in the way you speak to each other and, interact with others in the wider community.

You will exert influence in the standards you set for others to follow in uniform, behaviour and work ethic both in and out of the classroom. By wearing the Senior Badge, you are agreeing to uphold the Christian ethos of our College.

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"The influence you have is balanced by increased responsibility as a Leader. As a Leader you will sometimes be a mentor to others and to help build trust and rapport from Prep to Year 12. You will communicate the vision of the school to the community. You will uphold the Plus Ultra motto of the College by aiming for excellence in everything you do.

You will also continue to be engaged in the activities of our College and encourage others to enjoy the many opportunities that you have experienced. Remember, you are a role model: lead by example in everything you do.

"Let this not be a burden but a privilege because, just as you have been beneficiaries of those who have gone before you, you now have the opportunity to leave a legacy for those to come. Be confident, as you are more than equipped to make a difference. As individuals you can achieve good things but as a united class of 2021 you can do great things."

Presenting the Year 12s with a Senior Badge and having them take a pledge to provide leadership is part of the Strategic Action of ‘maximize the leadership potential of all students’ contained within the Strategic Pillar of Lifewide Learning.

Congratulations Seniors and Captains!

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Pictured: (opposite page, L-R) Mrs Lisa Delaney, Deputy Head of College, Rachel Williams (Vice-Captain), Josiah Ruthenberg (Captain), Maddie Rushmore (Captain), Jake Harford (Vice-Captain) and, Mr Tim Kotzur, Head of College.

Pictured: (this page, clockwise from top left) 2021 Prefects before heading off to Ironbark in January; Captains and Vice-Captains swear their pledge; Boys receiving their Senior badges; Senior girls attaching their new badges; 2021 Captains with 2020 Captains; 2021 Captains and their families; Mr Tim Kotzur handing out Captains badges.

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STORY TIME CREATES CONNECTIONS AT SPRINGFIELD A creative writing initiative that the 2010 Year 1 students took part in has recently been revisited. However, this time the Year 1 students are new and were sharing memories with the now Seniors and School Leaders.

MAI THATCHER

springfield marketing & events officer

S

t Peters Springfield officially opened its doors to students in 2008. As the College began to grow, extra-curricular activities were introduced, including in 2010, a Creative Writing Club. The Club encouraged Primary Years students to harness their imaginations and write fictional stories and these were published at the time into a book titled And here we go...!.

Fast forward to 2021, and the same students who wrote the stories when they were in Year 1 are now in Year 12. During a recent library borrowing session for current Year 4 students, the book was found prompting discussion with the class, and current Year 4 teacher, Mrs Cathy Jeffries. Cathy, who in 2010 was a Year 2 teacher, recalled the Club and this sparked an idea!

Such was the interest from the students in Year 4, Cathy organised a special ‘story time’ reading of the stories for her students with the authors themselves. Reading through the book was like going back in time for the students who were originally involved— School Captain, Daniel Storey, Mitchell Sports Captain, Jacob Kreutzer, Faith Captain and Cunningham Sports House Captain, Themys Arriagada-Malone, and Lauren Couch and Emily Curtis.

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The reading allowed time to reminisce about their learning journey at St Peters and we asked them to give us their reflections about the stories eleven years after writing them.

Daniel “I can remember writing the story at The Hub 11 years ago during lunch time with Jacob. So, it felt very nostalgic while reading the story to the Year 4 students during story time. I can’t believe I wrote a story about dragons, guns and laser shoes. It wouldn’t be something I would write about now, only because my interests have changed over the years due to all the things I have learnt in my time here at St Peters. When I wrote that I remembered I just wanted to have fun. Now, however, I have other priorities and aspirations. I still do write a lot but it’s interesting to see how my writing style has changed and developed since then.

If I could give advice to my Year 1 self, it would be to keep going with the creative writing. Also try to not worry so much about what other people think.”

Jacob “I participated in the program knowing that my story would eventually get published in the book. I thought it was a great initiative and hope the College brings it back. I believe this project helped me become more imaginative throughout my education.”

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Pictured (above, L-R) Seniors: Themys Arriagada-Malone, Jacob Kreutzer, Daniel Storey, Lauren Couch and Emily Curtis; (below) the Seniors as Year 1 students 11 years ago; (left) And here we go...! authors Themys, Daniel and Jacob reading 'their' book to current Year 4 students; (far left) And here we go...! the book.

Lauren “I’d like to think I was a very creative individual and am very proud of the fact my story is now published in a book.”

Emily “I think writing all these stories together made us build lifelong friendships with each other. Growing up at the College has allowed us to have close relationships, and for that I’m very grateful.”

Themys “The experience really fuelled my creative and academic journey at St Peters. This project, along with other extra-curricular activities, has helped my personal and academic development. I really enjoyed all the opportunities like the Creative Writing Club the College offered.”

The College has changed and grown in size since the book was written, however still recognises the value that creative pursuits have at school. Springfield provides numerous extra-curricular activities for students to be involved, mostly led by interest within the student population with regular rotation of clubs and special interest groups.

This book and the creative short stories provide a special legacy which will remain at the College for future students to enjoy.

A copy of the book And here we go...! is available in The Hub at the Springfield College.

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CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: A TRIBUTE TO HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH On Friday 9 April, 2021, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, passed away aged 99, two months and two days short of his 100th birthday (on 6 June).

The Duke has left a legacy of service and dedication to his Queen, his country and the Commonwealth, of which we in Australia are a part.

ANNE TETLEYJONES

duke of edinburgh award coordinator

I

n 65 years of public life, it seems that as Prince Philip has been remembered in tributes around the world since his passing, perhaps his greatest, and most enduring, legacy was the establishment of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, now going strong in 144 countries. From its inception, the Duke played an active role, especially in presenting Gold Awards to their recipients, including at Buckingham Palace and around the world, taking time to meet with these young people.

The Duke certainly had a great sense of humour and put those around him at ease.

The youth achievement scheme began in the United Kingdom in 1956 with just 7,000 boys and two years later it was extended to girls.

Over the last six decades more than eight million people have ‘done their DofE’ and almost half a million youngsters are currently enrolled at either bronze, silver or gold level in the UK alone.

The Duke was a lifelong advocate for young people, believing in each individual’s potential. The Award was designed, and continues today, to encourage personal discovery, self-reliance, commitment, responsibility and service to the community.

The Duke of Ed Award (as it is colloquially known) began in Australia 1959. In that time, over 775,000 young Australians have achieved an Award and over 25,000 young people start an Award each year. The key to the Award is that it is accessible to all – no matter your race, religion, socio-economic or educational background, no matter your physical ability, young people around the world can achieve the Awards through hard work and commitment.

What about the Duke of Edinburgh Award here at St Peters?

St Peters became an Award centre delivering the first Awards in 1984. In the beginning,

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only a few students participated in the Award, but the numbers continue to grow, with on average 60 students each year starting their Bronze in Year 9.

The very first Bronze Award was achieved in February 1984 by Old Scholar Marita Moore (1985). Marita skipped Silver and went on to Gold which she achieved almost ten years later in 1993.

"It was probably one of the first real challenges I took on in life, but as it has turned out, it may in fact have been the catalyst for me to not shy away from challenges and try new and different things throughout my life!

I thought I would gain confidence, meet new people and be exposed to some situations which would take me out of my comfort zone,” Marita explained.

For Marita, completing the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award had a particularly significant impact on the future direction of her life.

“I would have to say, probably had I not done the DoE Awards I would never have joined the Army Reserve where I served as a Medic for nearly nine years. In the Army Reserve I got to meet and work with some amazing people and travel to unusual places whilst serving our country’s defence efforts.”

Old Scholar, Amanda Miller (1986), also achieved a Bronze in 1984, going on to Silver in 1985 and then Gold in 1986, becoming the first of an elite few at St Peters to achieve all three Award levels.

“The Awards really made a difference in the early resumés. Unemployment was high at the time and the Service component of the Awards made me stand out. Employers really looked at this point of difference.”

Any level of the Award is a challenge, and you need to work hard at it; you have to be motivated to do it yourself. For Old Scholar

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Pictured: (below from left) OLD SCHOLARS AND THEIR GOLD AWARDS: Bryan Kassulke (2014); Carys Hodgson recieving her award from Sir Peter Cosgrove (2015); Ellie Harford (2018).

Pictured: (above) Award badges (right) 2020 Australian Duke of Edinburgh Award data.

Kate Hodgson (2017), the skills and experiences gained through the Gold Award gave her the confidence and drive to achieve goals that would have previously seemed impossible or daunting.

"Having a Gold Award helped me achieve my Fiordland guiding job in New Zealand, I had no professional guiding experience when I first applied but having a Gold Award demonstrated a level of skill and characteristics that the company was wanting. Over the two seasons I spent in Fiordland, my DoE experience was always evident in my actions and decisions.”

Amanda and Marita also believe the Award gave them skills they have used throughout their lives.

Amanda said, "life has adversity but doing things like the DofE teaches you how to overcome them and there are always people worse off than you.”

Whilst Marita explained, “the Award provides a structured course which will take you out of your comfort zone and expose you to new and different experiences, helping to prepare you for the challenges of life ahead!"

The Adventurous Journey component of all levels of the Award certainly takes participants out of their 'comfort zone'. Today, our Bronze participants are supported by the four-day hike in the Ironbark Program. Silver Adventurous Journeys are also undertaken with the support of Ironbark staff. Whilst Gold journeys remain more challenging, there are many opportunities outside school for students to complete this section.

For Amanda, Marita and Kate, their Gold Journeys certainly pushed their physical abilities. Amanda’s bike hike took the group on a ride from Toowoomba to Dalby, on to Kingaroy and finishing at Ironbark. “We had to carry everything.

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We couldn’t sit for four days after we finished!” Marita completed a hike on Moreton island with a group of people also completing their Gold AJ. “I still remember having the feeling of being lost in a valley of lantana somewhere on the island for what seemed like an eternity!” Kates’s two solo hikes in Fiordland, New Zealand were a challenge too and set her on a new path. “I have always loved hiking and the outdoors but those first two solo hikes sparked a confidence to undertake all those adventures alone, which is something I continue to do even now. To this day I still revert to my trip planning and navigation skills I learned.”

Where to from here?

In the first decade and a half, 11 Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards were achieved by St Peters students. Many more have been awarded in the past twenty years. St Peters’ students have continued to start their Award in strong numbers. Since its introduction in 1984, 625 students have started a Bronze Award with 98 completing it. Of the 135 students starting Silver, 63 finished their Award and 48 went on to Gold. In total, 28 students have achieved a Gold Award. Over the years, only 20 students have completed all three levels of the Award highlighting just how significant an achievement this is.

In 2010 the Duke, who remained patron of the Award until 2018, said: "It has gone from strength to strength, with employers in every field of industry recognising the value of the experiences gained and the skills and characteristics developed by the young people that take part.”

The work of the Duke of Edinburgh is done. It is for those that remain to take up the challenge and be part of his legacy.

Thanks to Marita Moore (1985), Amanda Miller (1986) and Kate Hodgson (2017) for their contribution to this tribute.

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PLAY, PLAYFULNESS AND ENGAGED LEARNERS FOR UNDER EIGHTS WEEK C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

T

his year the Lower Primary activity morning was held on Thursday 27 May in the Years 1 and 2 playground area.

Students, staff and parents alike had a riot making and playing with the various activities available.

Drumline officially opened the proceedings, with the crowd keen to match the volume of noise from the drums, with their applause.

A big thank you to the parent helpers who supervised on the day!

Each Prep-Year 2 teacher and specialist teachers prepared an art and craft/play stall for the morning. This included activities like paper plane throwing, goop and playdough tactile play, bookmark and mask creation, circle games, lego and sand play.

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On the Wednesday prior, Lower Primary were treated to a performance from Saints & Singers during their Chapel time. Students sang, and signed, their hearts out to The Blessing, a song they have been learning since last year. The entire congregation finished off with Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, inclusive of all the actions.

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MAKING AN EASY TRANSITION In response to community demand, 2021 has seen growth at St Peters Lutheran College Springfield Kindergarten which has expanded to include an additional classroom, taking the facility to an impressive, state-of-the-art, two-room centre.

MAI THATCHER

springfield marketing & events officer

O

pened in March 2021, the expansion has come at a perfect time, with interest and enrolments at the College at an all-time high.

Appeal in the new room has been strong, with many families quickly taking up these highly sought-after kindergarten places.

The kindergarten, managed by Queensland Lutheran Early Childhood Services (QLECS), offers a welcoming and exciting place for young students to explore their creativity through a play-based curriculum model that focuses on exploration, questioning and problem solving. Operating as a long day care model, the kindergarten is staffed with qualified teachers who are aligned with the St Peters ethos, to foster a lifelong love of learning.

As a K-12 school, the College is proud to partner with families for their child’s entire education journey. Joining the kindergarten is the first step in that journey and annually a high proportion of students make the easy transition from kindergarten to Prep at St Peters Springfield.

Head of Primary, Mrs Debbie West-Mcinnes explains, “Children who are already familiar with our school, find the transition from kindergarten to Prep easier. Whilst enrolled

at our kindergarten there are numerous opportunities for students to engage with the wider school community including library borrowing and annual Lower Primary Athletics and Cross Country carnivals”.

Providing opportunities for older students to serve their community has meant the creation of a ‘buddy’ program for the kindergarten involving Year 4 students.

Bi-weekly visits between students create genuine and supportive social connections that endure throughout the student’s time at school. In addition, the kindergarten looks forward to regular pastoral care visits from the campus Chaplain, Pastor Matthew Wilksch, and from Mrs West-Mcinnes who enjoys story time with the children.

Principal, Mr Craig Schmidt concludes by saying, “The kindergarten is the first opportunity we have to demonstrate to families the authentic and holistic way we support students at St Peters. We are trusted with that which they hold most dear, and this is an undertaking that the team takes very seriously. The reward of watching a child grow in confidence and skill and develop in character is a gift to us."

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A SENSE OF BELONGING F0R 13 YEARS About 10% of students, across all cohorts at St Peters Indooroopilly, have been at the College since Prep. I caught up with three Seniors in that 10% – Isabel Taubert, George Thomas and Maggie Denk – and talked to them about their St Peters journey.

C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

B

eing at the one school for 13 years can produce quite a lot of memories. From the expected, Year Level progression-based milestones, to others a bit more unique.

When I caught up with Isabel, George and Maggie, it was amazing to hear them recounting the same ‘favourite’ memories.

They also shared some that were a little more personal, starting with their first ones.

Isabel described her first memory of St Peters after arriving from England.

“I went home and was so excited to tell my dad that my new school sung the Rugby song,” she told me sheepishly—young Isabel was referring to Advance Australia Fair.

Having grown up watching Rugby, she heard it each time there was an international game!

George, on the other hand, said he’d been here since he was one.

“My older sister [Abigail] went to St Peters too and I used to be wheeled through the [then] Junior School,” he said.

George reflected on how some Year Levels seemed to go quicker than others.

“Like, Year 3 is annoying so it seemed to take forever,” he joked.

Ironbark was an obvious highlight for all three Seniors and it’s not limited to just them. Each year when we interview our Seniors, the consensus is always the same— Ironbark is unforgettable.

“It was an incredible five weeks. There’s a special bond you have with people that you spend that amount of time with,” Maggie said, insisting that most of her closest friends now are ones she made at Ironbark.

Isabel explained that she learnt a lot about herself during the experience. This, she put down to the isolation and lack of everyday things like social media, parents and peers telling you who you should be and what goals you should have.

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“Solo [hike] was incredible,” she said. “You spend so much time on your own [that] you really figure out what type of person you want to be. It was a really great reset before going into my Senior years.”

Another stand-out memory is Kaleidoscope.

Again, all three students participated in the 2017 ‘Mirror Ball’ performance of Kaleidoscope and reflect with varying degrees of sentiment.

“I was no stage talent, or anything - I can’t sing or dance to save my life - but I’m so glad I did it, just for the fun,” Maggie shared with me.

Isabel, on the other hand seems to be scarred for life!

“I have a lot of fond memories from Kaleidoscope. It was a bit hectic and I still can’t hear the intro of Footloose without totally panicking… ‘5,6,7,8 where do we have to be on stage?!’ Chaotic, but super fun!”, she laughs.

George likens his time in Kaleidoscope to that of many other extra-curricular activities he’s been involved in.

“Kaleidoscope was really enjoyable, as was the [Year 6] Canberra Trip and all the Sport and Music tours. They were real highlights for me.”

All three students reflected on how, over the years their friends have changed but, for Maggie, it was different two-fold.

“I was accelerated in Year 2,” she shared.

“So I’m supposed to be in the 2022 cohort.

This means I’m still friendly with some of the people from my previous cohort.”

Maggie added, on the friend front that one of the benefits of being here for so long means that your friends are actually more like family.

“I would never feel awkward about having a conversation with someone who I’ve been with since Prep, even if it had been ages since

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Pictured: (clockwise from top left) MAGGIE: Year 1, 2011; Kaleidoscope (centre), 2017; with her brother, Nico, and sister, Evie in 2020; ISABEL: Year 2, 2011; Kaleidoscope, 2017; GEORGE: Ironbark, 2018; A keen cricketer, on the pitch in 2019; Kaleidoscope, 2017; Year 2, 2011.

we’ve talked because we’ve grown up together,” she said.

“It’s like having a cousin you only see every so often.”

George recounts that a lot of people come and go. He found that to be one of the challenges.

“When you start in Year 5 or Year 7 it sort of feels like you’re in a new school because of the changing landscape of new faces,” he explained. “It’s actually one of the really good things. You don’t just stay with the same group of kids. You meet a lot of new people all the way through.”

Isabel agreed, saying that being in the same place for so long allowed her to travel through different friendship groups.

“That’s the really good thing about being in a big school.”

The one thing that all three Seniors agreed on is the community feel of the College.

“There’s such a sense of belonging. I feel so much like a ‘St Peters kid’, waking up each day and putting on my maroon uniform. It’s just part of me,” Maggie said.

George added a similar sentiment.

“Even then [as a young student] I loved the community feel and coming up [through the Year Levels], it still feels the same.”

He says that as a Prep kid he used to look up to the Seniors and now, as one himself, it’s so pleasing to be able to reconnect with everyone and give back a little bit.

Isabel enjoys being on campus when it’s particularly quiet.

“Sometimes, on weekends, I’ll come and grab books from my locker and think how pretty Ross Roy is. I feel like such a little part of a big story and community. It feels really special.”

She loved the Year 2 Bush Dance and is looking forward to dressing up on her ‘75 Days Left’ celebration.

“I love that tradition,” she explains. “It’s the only time you’ll ever see Donald Trump talking to Mike Wazowski!”

All students are planning on studying at university next year but are aware they will miss the College atmosphere.

“I think I will miss it more than I realise,” Isabel said.

Maggie and George both reflected similarly, advising future Seniors to take every opportunity that’s offered to you.

“Try everything!” Maggie exclaimed, whilst George encouraged students to enjoy the time they have.

“By the time you get to the end, you look back and realise just how much time flies.”

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THE ARTS

ST PETERS MARCHING BAND – ANZAC DAY MARCH On Sunday 25 April, St Peters Symphonic Winds and Drumline were honoured and privileged to be involved in two important ANZAC Day events.

GR ANTLEY SUTCH HEAD OF BANDS AND CO-DIRECTOR OF COCURRICULAR MUSIC

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ymphonic Winds and Drumline joined forces to create the St Peters Marching Band this year. The 70-piece ensemble descended upon Queens Gardens to step off in the annual ANZAC Day Parade through Brisbane City. The students represented their school with great professionalism, dedication and commitment, marching behind banner holders, Josiah Ruthenberg and Jake Harford and lead by Drum Major, Gabriel Valdez Cadena. This performance was the culmination of months of rehearsal, memorisation and marching practice through the College grounds.

The band then followed up with a repeat performance at the Brookfield Showgrounds to commemorate the 2021 Shell Green 20/20 Cricket Match.

On 17 December, 1915, a cricket match was held on the Turkish site now known as ‘Shell Green’ as it was the only piece of flat ground.

The game was played as a diversionary tactic

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during preparations for the evacuation and was abandoned after Turkish shells landed close by. The Shell Green cemetery is located near Artillery Road which is now the primary route for personnel who are moving from the ANZAC Cove Dawn Service to Lone Pine.

Drumline kicked off proceedings with a spirited drum battle whilst the Jazz Combo entertained the crowds from the bleachers.

The St Peters Marching Band then took to the field with banner holders Maddie Rushmore and Claudia Lynch and Drum Major, Gabriel, to entertain the crowd at half time.

The Brookfield Showgrounds holds a significant place in the history of the war time efforts. Not only has it become the commemorative site for the Shell Green re-enactment, but it is also the site where local horses were mustered and donated to the war effort with a large portion of the 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment being formed from our local community.

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Thank you to Mr Jacobson for preparing the Drumline to lead the Marching Band; Mr Pradella in assisting the students to memorise their music and march with precision and dignity and, Ms Milner for making sure the students presented in immaculate uniform.

Thanks also to Mr Gilfedder and Mr Mudge for their incredible photographic skills.

A special mention to Mr Grant Mason for his wealth of experience, knowledge and support of the St Peters Marching Band. Most importantly a sincere thank you to our incredibly supportive families and all the members of Symphonic Winds and Drumline for their tireless efforts in preparing for such an important occasion.

This year St Peters presented our largest and most professional group of musicians. It was a great honour to once again be invited to march in the parade and a privilege to have Head of College, Mr Tim Kotzur, march alongside with us.

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THE ARTS

ST PETERS MUSIC ENSEMBLES EXCEL AT QUEENSLAND YOUTH MUSIC AWARDS St Peters Band and String Ensembles competed in the 2021 Queensland Youth Music Awards (QYMAs) and walked away with outstanding results.

DAVID DEACON HEAD OF STRINGS AND MUSIC CO-DIRECTOR

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he QYMAs draw ensembles from all over Queensland to compete in a supportive and collaborative environment. The incredibly high scores received by St Peters Senior Band and String Ensembles clearly shows the strength and success of our cocurricular Music Program.

St Peters Chamber Soloists (Strings) delivered an impressive and inspiring performance too, being awarded the first ever perfect score of 100/100 by adjudicator Associate Professor, Adam Chalabi, from the University of Queensland Music Department.

Symphonic Winds competed in the Senior Secondary Concert Band section and took out first prize with a score of 98/100. Adjudicator, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Pickett, was impressed with the ensembles' stunning performance, commenting on the exceptional level of individual and ensemble skills.

Thank you to our talented Music students who practised hard to ensure they performed at their best for this competition.

It was not only their precision and physical energy while performing but their extremely mature musical expression that captivated their audience.

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THE CREATIVE VISION OF SOUNSDCAPE Music, Art and atmosphere was resonant around the Dron Auditorium on Saturday 27 March for the College’s annual 'A Night at the PAC' concert series.

R ACHEL WILLIAMS YEAR 12 VICE CAPTAIN AND ST PETERS SOLOISTS MEMBER

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t the end of Term 1, the St Peters' cocurricular ensembles and Visual Art classes were keen to present their efforts of hard work and dedication for their friends and families, and this theme rang through the entire night.

Soundscape, by core definition, means creating an environment through music and non-music sounds, and a collaboration between the Visual Arts and the Music Departments created just that. Art students produced creative works which were inspired and informed by their emotional response to the music of the performances they were hearing. Added to the proceedings of the night was a fundraising event where live artworks were auctioned to raise money for the Art Department.

The matinee Intermediate concert featured students from Wind Ensemble, Intermediate Percussion Ensemble, Intermediate Stage Band, Sinfonia, Chamber Sinfonia and Junior High Songmakers. The performances were enhanced with lighting and projections of artworks created in advance by art students in class. The emerging musicians in our Intermediate ensembles provided live music, allowing audience members to be delighted by the artists impressions simultaneously.

The evening concert highlighted the College’s Senior ensembles, including Neon Pulse, Saints & Singers, Senior Percussion Ensemble, Cantique, Chamber Chorale, Chorale, Chamber Soloists, Soloists, Senior Stage Band and Symphonic Winds. With such a wide variety of ensembles and genres of music on display the production was an adventure through all different aspects of music, which made the night unforgettable.

I would love to thank the hard work put forward by the Art and Music Departments, and Events to make this night a success, and of course, to all of the students for their dedication to the cocurricular areas of the College.

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THE ARTS

WHO NEEDS FRENEMIES?!

Over the years, Kaleidoscope has become so successful that it is now one of the key events in the Year 8 calendar and has been described by students as a ‘rite of passage’ in Junior High.

CHRISTINE TAYLOR

co-director of cocurricular music/producer of kaleidoscope

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n 2021, a talented team of Arts Professionals, enthusiastic St Peters staff, excited cast of nearly 132 students, plus eight very organised backstage crew members worked together to create the annual Year 8 Kaleidoscope production, Frenemies. The production covered a wide range of topics including the challenges, triumphs and changes that occur over the course of the Year 8 journey. From the warning message of School Song, to the poignancy of I’ll Be There for You; the intense emotion of Loathing, to the engaging boys’ dance routine to Get’cha Head in the Game; and, finally, the culminating messages of Lean on Me and True Friends, both performances (Friday and Saturday night) offered great nights of music, dance and drama.

Many lovely comments were made by those who attended including:

"The performance was amazing and every one of the children shone. There were a couple of standouts—it'll be interesting to see what happens for them in the future!"

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"The content was so relevant and at times, quite emotional. Well done to you all—it was an incredible production and such a rich experience for each of the students."

"A fabulous show—second night even better than the first! And a cohort of energised, excited and delighted Year 8s. It was brilliant!"

"I know that all of us who attended the performances left feeling proud, impressed, entertained and thrilled about the whole experience."

"As a mum of someone who wasn’t keen to be ‘onstage’ and chose to be behind the scenes, it was a joy for me to hear him say that if he gets presented with an opportunity like that again, he thinks he would now have the confidence to take a part on the stage."

"We loved the performance on Saturday! We were very impressed with the professionalism of the production and the talent and confidence of the children."

THE ARTS

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SPORT

VOLLEYBALL | EVER HIGHER Matthew Young and Boris Georgieff—two big names in Volleyball helping to shape the St Peters Volleyball Program. I sat down to ask a few questions about what our girls and boys can expect and the history behind St Peters Volleyball.

ANTHONY COX

photographer, graphic and web designer

Q: Hi Matt. I want to start by asking about your background and your involvement in the Volleyball landscape.

Q: If a student was looking to get involved next season for the first time, what are some of the skills they could start working on?

A: I started playing Volleyball in Year 8 at BBC and soon after was selected in the Met West side. From there I went on to play for Junior Queensland sides and then with the Australian Junior Team. In 2001 I took up an AIS scholarship in Canberra and in the following year I was selected in the National Senior team and competed in the 2002 World Championships in Argentina. I was with the National team until 2010 and played approximately 260 matches. During my National team career, I played in four Asian Championships (1st place in 2007), three World Championships, a World Cup and an Olympic Games (Athens).

A: It’s important to be able to do all skills but for the younger players you want to be able to consistently serve in. Overall, I would be practicing everything. As students progress, they will be playing specialised positions. For example, setters should be working more on their setting and passer/hitters should be working on reception and attack.

In 2002 I began my professional career completing 14 seasons with six different clubs overseas and from 2011 I began coaching and playing for clubs in Sweden. In 2016 I retired from playing due to recurring calf strains. I returned to Australia in 2017 and had a few years away from Volleyball before I began coaching with St Peters and the QAS in 2019.

Q: Now heading up the St Peters Volleyball program, what are your goals here?

A: My short term goal is to have the kids understanding/performing skill techniques well and using the system of play we want in our teams. Once they have a good understanding of these areas, I am confident the players will enjoy the game more.

My long term goal would be that we have large numbers playing all year round. It is clear that the most successful Volleyball schools simply have kids playing more. If we can have this situation then there will more competition to make teams and thus players will have to train harder and more often to be selected for a higher team. The goal is to be a top school in both the AIC and QGSSSA competitions.

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Welcome Boris. Can we first start with your background in the sport, and when you first came to coach at St Peters.

A: I started coaching Volleyball at St Peters in 1992 following a meeting with Cliff Mallett.

That same year, I took a girls team to the Volleyball Queensland (VQ) Schools Cup and we won the Division 3 title (the trophy is still in the trophy cabinet in the St Peters gym).

I have been involved in coaching club Volleyball since that time as well as coaching representative teams from Queensland and the ACT at national championships and in the Australian Volleyball League. I have also been a coach in the Volleyball Australia Junior Development Program since 1997. I have had the honour of representing Australia as a coach at Asian and World Championships as well as a number of other tournaments all around the world. I have been the Head Coach of both Junior Women’s and Junior Men’s teams during this time and held the position of First Assistant Coach of the Australia Women's Volleyball Team (the Volleyroos).

Q): You have many years of experience in Volleyball and have coached at every level, so what is it you love about coaching at the high school level?

A: I enjoy working with the young athletes and helping them to develop their skills and work effectively in a team environment. I hope I am helping them develop life skills and resilience

SPORT

as well as learning to be the best Volleyball athletes that they can be. In a small way, I hope I am helping their development to become adults of good character who work hard and support each other to achieve their goals.

Q: How have you seen the Volleyball program at St Peters develop? Do you think it’s changed much over the years?

A: St Peters Volleyball program has certainly grown in numbers of students and in the quality of Volleyball being played. There have been a number of people who have lead the sport to new heights during the past 30 years including Mike Rickerby, Marty Collins and our current Program Head Coach, Matt Young (pictured top left).

Matt was the in key position as the number one setter for the National team. Mike has an extensive coaching background including coaching in the New Zealand Junior Volleyball program. Marty was a former teacher and Boarding House Master at St Peters who is now based at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra and is the Head Coach of the Volleyroos Women.

Q: What has been a highlight for you over your journey?

A: There are a few things. I hope I have passed on a love for the sport. It is pleasing when I come into the gym and see the young athletes playing Volleyball and working on their skills.

When I first started at St Peters I would often walk into the gym and see the athletes shooting baskets while waiting for the Volleyball session to start. Now I have to chase them out of the gym at the end of the session because they just want to keep playing Volleyball!

We have been fortunate to have had some very good teams over the past 30 years. St Peters has produced some high quality athletes that have represented Australia with distinction in the sport of Volleyball, including Rob Hoey, Aleta Booth, Sabine Mills, Kimberley Vogel and Catherine Vogel (pictured top right, far left, in the 2020 Opens team).

Q: How do you stay so calm when the game is in the balance? What are your words of advice for students when dealing with these situations?

A: Focus on what you can control. Focus on your process and the outcome will look after itself.

Athletes often get caught watching the game and reacting to the actions of their opponent. We focus on knowing our job/role, making a good decision quickly and executing the skill. As a coach, it is my job to be clear and concise with

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my instructions so that the athlete is ready to perform the next required action. There is little value talking about the previous point when we cannot change it. We need to prepare to do our next job/role to the best of our ability including helping our teammates to perform to their best.

We learn to 'better the ball' which means to control the ball and to play the ball with the intention of winning every point or making the opposition defend a difficult ball.

I try to remain calm and controlled but it doesn’t always happen when you are caught in the moment.

Q: Volleyball is one of three sports called the World Sports, Do you feel it gets the recognition it deserves?

A: Volleyball, Football (Soccer) and Basketball are played by more than 200 countries in international competitions and are also Olympic sports.

SportAUS conducted the AusPlay survey which confirmed that Volleyball is the most gender-equal sport in Australia. It is the third biggest Olympic team sport in Australia and one of the largest team sports by participation across all age groups, particularly school aged participants.

Volleyball participation is growing in Australia and this includes both disciplines - Beach and Indoor. Club Volleyball is typically focussed on Indoor Volleyball and underpins a very strong Queensland representative program. Historically, Queensland has provided the majority of athletes for the national program in both Beach and Indoor categories.

While we do not get the publicity and profile of the professional sports in Australia, our participants are passionate, we have world-class athletes, coaches and referees and the sport keeps growing.

Q: The possibility of Brisbane hosting the Olympics, is that something that may see a spike in popularity?

A: I was fortunate to be one of the team coaches for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. The energy and excitement it brought to our sport and the Australian community was truly amazing. I really hope that the Brisbane bid for the 2032 Olympics is successful. It will be wonderful for Australia’s Volleyball athletes to perform in a home Olympics in front of family and friends.

Who knows, but some of our current or former St Peters Volleyball athletes might be representing Australia in the sport of Volleyball at the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.

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SPORT

PINK STUMPS CRICKET The success of Pink Stumps Day at St Peters saw the Cricket program raise over $12,000 for the McGrath Foundation - one of the highest amounts ever to be raised by an Australian school.

GARY MUNDAY

cricket coordinator

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n February 2021, St Peters new Cricket Coordinator, Mr Gary Munday, with the full support of Sports House and the College, arranged for St Peters to host a Pink Stumps Day versus St Laurence's College on Mayer and Stoltz Ovals. All other St Peters Cricket teams were also involved, with the boys and parents all wearing pink at their games.

All games played with pink stumps, hats, bandanas and wrist bands—it was a very special day.

St Peters was the first school in Queensland to have all their Cricket teams, from Years 5 to 12, involved to bring awareness of breast cancer and in doing so raising an incredible $12,500.

Mr Munday, who has been heavily involved with the McGrath Foundation for over 11 years, described it as a day we all came together, and a day the school can be extremely proud of. Head of College, Mr Tim Kotzur and Deputy Head of College, Mrs Lisa Delaney, were present to help commemorate the first St Peters Pink Stumps Day proudly wearing their personally signed Glenn McGrath Cricket hats. The support from the parents was outstanding. It was a day to be remembered for so many reasons.

Pink Stumps Day has just completed its thirteenth year as the McGrath Foundation’s largest grassroot fundraising campaign.

After the success of the first Pink Test, Glenn McGrath and the team wanted to take the magic of the Pink Test to communities across the country – where cricket clubs, schools, businesses and families could all wear pink at their cricket games and raise funds to support families experiencing breast cancer.

This saw the inception of Pink Stumps Day only one year after, which now sees hundreds of registrations every Cricket season and forms a national movement of cricketing communities pinking up to help fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses.

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> You can still donate to Pink Stumps Day by scanning the code above.

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SPORT

DOUBLE SUCCESS AGAIN IN 2021!

The outstanding achievements of St Peters' Swimmers has continued with the College victorious at both the AIC and QGSSSA Swimming Championships again in 2021.

C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

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uccess for the boys’ AIC Swim Team occurred first with the closest AIC Championship in many years finishing with a narrow 16 point victory to St Peters. Five days later, the girls’ QGSSSA Swim Team moved their winning streak to eight with a comprehensive 168-point victory the largest margin in QGSSSA Swimming history!

Boys Swimming Captains, Kai Taylor and Tom Nankervis, both produced record-breaking swims on the day with Kai clocking 50.01 seconds in his 100m freestyle – a personal best swim which was also one of the fastest times ever recorded at a schoolboy meet, smashing the previous record set by St Peters Old Scholar, Michael Pickett (2020). Tom broke the AIC record for the 100m Butterfly with an outstanding swim of 54.52, breaking the previous record by nearly a second.

St Peters placed top three in every age group points score, with the Open, Under 16 and Under 15 Age Groups victorious over the other seven competing schools.

At the QGSSSA Championships, outstanding individual swims were produced by many

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girls on the night, however the stand-out performances were exhibited by Year 11 Springfield students, Mollie O’Callaghan and Ella Ramsay. Mollie broke the Open 50m and 100m freestyle records and was also victorious in the Open 200m freestyle. Ella equalled the 17 Years 50m butterfly record and also won the Open 100m and 50m breaststroke events.

Junior girls Ainsley Trotter (U14 50m butterfly), Hana Lingo (U14 50m breaststroke), Jaclyn Barclay (U15 50m backstroke), Sophie Lambourne (U14 100m freestyle) and Amelia Weber (U15 100m freestyle) all added wins contributing to a fantastic night of competition for the St Peters squad.

The College Swimming Program demonstrated its dominance by winning the Open, 16 Years, 15 Years and 14 Years Age Groups, while the 12 Years placed second.

Congratulations to all swimmers and staff involved in the St Peters Swimming Program.

Bring on the 2021/22 Season!

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We’re looking forward to seeing you at the SOLD OUT

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BOARDING

JANUARY BOARDING CAMPS Nervous, worried, anxious ... these are some of the words used by the new and returning boarders at the start of each year. But with Boarding Camp taking place in the second week of Term, these usually turn into feelings of excitement, relaxation and calm.

KIM HOLMAN

girls boarding coordinator

GIRLS BOARDING For the last 14 years we have taken our Girls Boarding cohort on their two-night annual House Camp at the start of the Term. This year we went to Twin Waters, Maroochydore, and our boarder girls again engaged in 'House of Origin'—Cameron verses Finger in a fun game of beach Dodgeball. This is a great ice-breaker, and it ensures our new boarders feel part of their boarding community. They become very House-proud after this event.

Go Finger! Go Cameron-Herse!

The other activities include visiting the Coolum Aqua Park, Kayaking, Abseiling, Knee Boarding, Swimming and on Saturday night we have House games and skits. Our Seniors oversee seven boarder's in Years 7-11 and are the 'House Mums' in their Family Groups.

They do all the meal prep and caring of their girls whilst a Junior Staff member is there for support if needed. The Year 12s know it is their responsibility to see that our new boarders feel included and they take this job very seriously.

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Prior to camp, they will have already have worked out their skits along with how meals are organised and prepared. The Seniors engage our new boarders and existing boarders just as if they were a real family.

Some girls help with dinner, others set the table and they all help with the clean-up.

We've found that by doing this on the first weekend it helps to get the new boarders involved, as parents are not in the picture for that first weekend. No phones are allowed at camp and the Year 12s know it is their job to put our new boarders at ease and cement relationships. These Family Groups continue for the rest of the year—they will celebrate birthdays together and go on dinner outings and other activities. It is lovely to see vertical friendships blossom like in a real family.

When the girls return to St Peters after camp you cannot tell the new boarders from the old boarders. Friendships are cemented, jitters and nerves are left behind and our new boarders are ready to face the year ahead with their new-found friends/family.

BOARDING

STUART DEL ANEY

boys boarding coordinator

BOYS BOARDING Boarding at St Peters is an amazing journey but with each journey there must be a start. In Boys Boarding, we start the St Peters boarding journey away at camp at Tangalooma. For each boarder the camps are different. For our new Year 12 Leaders, it is the start of their final year at St Peters and they are thinking about their legacy; what will they be remembered for and, there is also the, Wow! Only 200 days to I’m out of here.

Each new boarder has several things they must tick off...Where is my bed? Who am I sleeping near? Where are the toilets? How am I going to make friends? And, is this really happening? With the staff and older boarders to support each other we all head off to camp.

Each boy is grouped with a Senior Leader and a mixture of boys from other Year Levels. We call these 'Family Groups' and each Family Group is supported by a staff member.

Introducing the boys to their Family Groups is an important start to the year as activities and outings will be done in these groups throughout the year. Staff take their family groups to the movies, out to dinner and events at different times throughout the year.

On camp the boys are also broken up into their Houses, Schilling and Ludcke-Mutze.

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Boys Boarding Houses were, of course, named in honour of the three Fred's in St Peters' history—Fred Schilling, Fred Ludcke and Fred Mutze. These Houses are more than names. They are where your brothers are; their members will support you and lift you up; they will be there for life and theses houses are a part of you. The warriors are brave, proud, fight for what is right, embrace fear and live with no regret. The knight is honourable, respectful, chivalrous, has courage, courtesy and is loyal.

As we head away on camp, Friday afternoon is all about healthy competition, commencing with a game of touch/tackle Football on the waters edge. Boys love the competition that is in a place where they feel safe and for those who do not want to play, they are able to support and just be with their brothers.

Each meal is an opportunity to get to know each other. The Years 11 and 12 boys cook for their Family Groups and, along with their Staff member, they all eat together.

Over each camp weekend all the boys are involved in Year Level and House activities getting to know each other. When they return to campus at the end of the weekend there is no longer a ‘new’ boarder, just another brother in the boarding house.

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BOARDING

A GRADES FROM THE A TEAM At the start of the year, St Peters Boarding partnered with A Team Tuition to provide additional study support for our younger boarders (Years 6-9). Now, in the second Term of the A Team ‘Transformer Prep’ program, we decided it was time to check in and see how it’s all going.

KEL SEY BRICKNELL

communications officer

C

oming to boarding school can be tough— not only do students find themselves at a new school (and, sometimes, in a new country), they’re also thrown into the deep end of communal living. Where there was once a whole house to themselves, there’s now cubicles, shared bathrooms and dining halls; where there was independent learning at home, there’s now Study in the Library with the rest of the boarders. While some students adapt to this quickly, others can struggle. Or, we should say, they used to.

In January, St Peters partnered with A Team Tuition—an organisation dedicated to enhancing the learning experience for boarding students. The program they deliver (the Transformer Prep program for Years 6-9 boarders) works to guide students on the path to self-directed learning.

Through engaging tutoring assistance four days a week, students learn strategies to help them achieve top grades and become more confident and motivated learners.

A Team tutors visit St Peters boarders every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. Our Years 6-9 students are split into Year Level groups (five to ten students per group) and have a tutor assigned to them (the same tutor for the whole Semester). Instead of having to work out how to study alone, these students have been given a support network—they have access to their own, highly intelligent tutor who can assist them as they navigate the early years of secondary schooling.

So what does an A Team tutoring session look like?

“At the beginning of the sessions there are little activities that we do,” Year 9 student,

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Emma Udd, told us. “Sometimes they’re games and other times they’re activities to develop learning techniques.”

From there, there’s classwork and, if you need it, help with specific subjects.

“I typically try to get help with Geography and SOSE,” Emma shared, adding that while her tutor, Chris, has a Mathematics speciality, he always knows just how to help her with other subjects.

Emma’s experience with A Team Tuition, has been nothing but positive. Not only has she received the help she felt she needed with Geography and SOSE, but she’s also noticed that her grades are improving elsewhere.

“My Maths comprehension has definitely improved,” Emma said. “I understand the equations better now.”

When asked why she thinks the program has been so effective, Emma said it all comes down to the increased support.

“It’s good having a dedicated block to study in,” she reflected. “But more than that, the knowledge that someone is there if you need help is comforting.”

Emma hasn’t been the only one to notice the positive effects A Team Tuition has been having on St Peters boarders. Tutor, Charlotte Brown, has been working with A Team for a year and a half and says that she’s noticed an improvement amongst all the students in her group.

“They’re all improving in their own way,” Charlotte shared. “Some are becoming more confident in reaching out and asking more questions. Others are showing improvement in their work ethic and concentration.”

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"

My Maths comprehension has definitely improved...I understand the equations better now.”

Having only worked with St Peters boarders for two Terms, we were interested to know what stood out most to Charlotte after working with our students.

“Their tenacity, in whatever they do,” she said. “Whenever I run them through an activity that is meant to help their learning experience, they’re determined to complete it to the best of their ability.”

On reflection, Charlotte said, the students involved with the A Team program have been completely open to challenging themselves and learning new things.

“It’s a complete testament to their character and the great environment they have surrounding them.” – Another instance of that ‘Plus Ultra’ attitude shining through!

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SPOSA

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SPOSA PRESIDENT LLEWELLYN JONES

sposa president

D

o your remember the days of the old school yard? Well - at least Cat Stevens seems to, and I’m sure most of us have our own personal recollections, although memory can be a funny thing. We might remember certain significant moments, but so much fades into the background until something comes along to trigger it back into the front of our mind. Maybe you bump into an old school mate you haven’t seen for a while, or maybe like me, you have a child who is at the school and just being back at the 'old school yard' makes you remember people, feelings and events.

For a couple of our Old Scholars who came back to speak at Founders Day in February, Oriel Morrison (1991) and Josh McIntosh (1989), they were both delighted to learn that their old Headmaster, Dr Carson Dron, was in the audience. Each spontaneously remarked that Dr Dron seemed to have this uncanny knack of knowing every student by name. There was a nagging fear that he might call on you by your name at any moment. What could be more embarrassing for an adolescent school kid?

This triggered my own long-suppressed memory. They were right! This happened

to me too, at a most inopportune time. A moment of high-jinks outside the boys dormitories and for some reason I was chasing one of my friends with a wooden chair leg, when I was stopped in my tracks by a stentorian voice booming out my name. How did he know my name when there were 1,000 other kids at the school? – most of whom were much naughtier than me. I’m sure.

Luckily for me, Dr Dron had the hint of a smile in his voice as he continued jogging down to the oval – probably to check on the situation with the 1st XV. He didn’t break his stride. I lost the chair leg. Nothing more was said about it, until this day.

Dr Dron—a major character for so many of us over his decades at the school – shared some of his thoughts at the Founders Day morning tea, including his trade secret for remembering students names. If you get to see him one day, perhaps he will share it with you!

We will be holding a Cocktail Function at the school on Friday 17 September for all our Old Scholars. We would love to see you there. Let’s celebrate 75 years of experiences and spark some good memories of the old school yard.

SPOSA EVENTS 2021 75th anniversary Sunday Service Reunion Weekend

Sunday 25 July Friday 17 - Sunday 19 September

Friday 17 September

Cocktail Party | Chapel Forecourt, 7:00pm Saturday 18 September

Morning Tea | Ross Roy, 10:00am

Songs of Praise | Chapel, 11:00am

Lunch | Café 45, 12:00pm

College Tour | Meet outside Café 45, 3:00pm Sunday 19 September

Chapel Service | Chapel, 9:00am

Photo of Old Scholars | Outside Chapel, 10:00am

Congregation Morning Tea | Outside Chapel, 10:10am

AGM | Top Floor of P&F, 10:40am

P&F and SPOSA Trivia Night Gala Ball

Saturday 9 October Saturday 23 October Plus Ultra | June 2021

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HEATHER MCBRIDE PATRICK BURSARY Heather McBride was a St Peters Founding Scholar in Sub Junior (Year 9) in 1945. She was able to board at St Peters and to attend University because of an inheritance from her grandparents.

Her passion for painting saw many of her works displayed, and later sold, at the Performing Arts Centre gallery. Proceeds from her art sales now support two Bursaries, awarded to students pursuing careers in Fine Arts and Medicine.

Pictured (left, L-R): Llewellyn Jones (SPOSA President), Old Scholars, Jason Li and Hannah McPhee and, Nicky Boynton-Bricknell (SPOSA Editor) at the 2021 Scholars Assembly; (centre) Heather McBride during athletics day, 1945; (right) Heather in 2017 shortly before she passed..

C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

H

eather McBride was a St Peters Founding Scholar in Sub Junior (Year 9) in 1945. As well as being a fine sports woman, she was House Captain (Leichhardt) for four years, Captain of the A Basketball team, a member of The Review editorial committee, Girls’ Head Prefect for two years, and was one of two students who went on to complete their Senior studies in 1948.

On passing Senior, Heather attended the University of Queensland (UQ), gaining her Bachelor of Arts in 1951, before enrolling in Medicine and graduating as a doctor in 1960.

She was the first St Peters girl to graduate in Medicine. Heather also represented UQ in Basketball and Swimming. A Caloundra girl, Heather was one of the pioneers of surfboarding on the Sunshine Coast.

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A woman who enjoyed adventure, Heather began her life as a doctor with residencies in Princess Alexandra Hospital and Nambour.

In 1964 Heather travelled to the UK as a ship’s surgeon for a year before returning to Queensland to work as a locum for three years. She married fellow medico Ross Patrick in 1973. From 1974 – 1995, Heather worked as an Industrial Medical Officer at Prince Charles Hospital until her retirement.

A prolific and extremely talented artist, many of her paintings were displayed at a gallery in the Performing Arts Centre after her death in 2017. The proceeds were donated to St Peters through the St Peters Old Scholars Association (SPOSA) to enable two Bursaries, this year awarded to Hannah McPhee and Jason Li. Congratulations, Old Scholars!

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AN UNEXPECTED HONOUR Old Scholar, Brianna Fraser (2017) was awarded the 2020 Valedictorian for the University of Queensland’s Faculty of Medicine—an unexpected honour that led her to face one of her biggest fears.

KEL SEY BRICKNELL

communications officer

W

hen Brianna Fraser completed her Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Queensland (UQ) last year, the task of addressing her graduating cohort and a mix of Allied Health under- and postgraduates at their graduation ceremony was the furthest thing from her mind. For her, the three-year undergraduate degree, in which she majored in Public Health, was part of a larger tertiary journey—a seven-year Doctor of Medicine qualification.

Brianna graduated from undergraduate studies with a GPA of 6.865 (out of 7). The achievement did not go unnoticed by the staff in the Faculty of Medicine, nor did all of Brianna’s leadership work over the last three years.

“I signed up to get involved in the Public Health Association of the University of Queensland (PHA UQ) in my first year,” she told us. “From there I joined the Executive Team and, for the last three years, we’ve been working to address health inequality on campus.”

While leading PHA UQ, Brianna signed up to UQ’s social sport program, tutored first year university students and, put her name down to be part of the St Peters Old Scholar Tutoring Network, tutoring high school students in English, Chemistry, Biology and Anatomy. Her ability to juggle commitments was something, she said, she learnt at school.

“St Peters allowed me to become a wellrounded person,” she said. “I was able to do the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, take up leadership opportunities and play sport—the College taught me how to have a balanced lifestyle, that didn’t just focus on study.”

Listen to Brianna's Valedictorian speech here.

Pictured: Brianna upon graduating her degree

Luckily, she was talked into doing so by her family—an acceptance which led her to meet one of her fears head-on.

“Public speaking has always been one of my biggest fears,” Brianna confessed. “So, I decided to use that.”

Rather than shying away from the challenge, Brianna used her fear to theme her speech.

“I focused on how, at Uni, everything is scary— it’s all new. But the fact that so many people were graduating, well that was proof that none of those people had let their fears stop them.”

If you listen to the recording of Brianna’s speech, you can’t hear an ounce of fear in her voice. Instead, a confident, accomplished young women addresses her cohort with insights beyond her years.

“Fear, when harnessed correctly, functions as a driving force for greatness,” Brianna says in the speech, and she’s certainly proof of that, but what are her other tips for achieving greatness at Uni? “Get involved—doing activities outside your coursework makes the study easier!” Brianna shared. “The break offered by outside activities can help you to refresh, make friends with similar interests and come back stronger.”

If all that sounds too scary, Brianna’s advice (taken from her Valedictorian speech) is to let it be:

Given her success in so many areas of university life, you’d be forgiven for saying Brianna was a shoe-in for Valedictorian, that is, of course, unless you were her!

“Go out each day, use the courage you’ve garnered over the course of your degree and do one thing that makes you truly fearful.

For these are the moments that will shape our path, define us and ultimately allow us to own the unknown.”

“I was at the gym when I got the call,” Brianna told us. “I was shocked and did not expect it at all. I didn’t know if I should accept.”

Incredible wisdom that can be applied to all our lives. Thank you, Brianna, and congratulations.

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SPOSA

THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS Guy Edmonds always knew he wanted to pursue a career in The Arts. Over the last 20 years, he’s moved from acting to writing and directing screenplays. With a firm grip on the industry, Guy can now add literary writer and family man to his accomplishments.

C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

A

t St Peters, Guy was a keen participant in Drama classes and a member of the Stage Band and Wind Ensembles from Years 9-12. Graduating from his Senior year at St Peters in 2000, Guy was close to pursuing a career in Music or even Allied Health.

Thanks to a particularly supportive and encouraging Drama Teacher, however, Guy spent the next few years studying screen production and then, eventually, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) at QUT. Straight after graduation, Guy moved to Sydney. He quickly established himself on Australian TV shows All Saints and Home and Away, and was also in the 2011 series of Underbelly. In 2006, Guy met, and became great friends with, fellow QUT graduate, Matt Zeremes. Over 15 years later and the two of them are thick as thieves, having starred in and co-created many TV shows, plays and short films. They did ‘pilot season’ in LA a couple of times and are currently working on their second season of the Emmy Award-winning children’s TV series, Hardball, which premiered on ABC in 2019. Guy and Matt wrote, created and directed the series.

Holding the Man, a story about two Australian school boys who fall in love despite relentless hurdles, was one of the plays Guy and Matt worked on together.

The pair starred as the lead characters in the world premiere production, and Guy received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Tim Conigrave, a gay actor-turnedplaywright who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1992. The production spanned more than four years, travelling around Australia and to London’s West End. In a way, it embodied Guy’s school-day dreams coming true.

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“Whilst reading The Removalists [by David Williamson] at school I remember thinking, ‘it would be so cool to be an original cast member of a play’.”

With Holding the Man under his belt, Guy went on to be an original member of five world premiere stage productions. These included Michael Gow’s Toy Symphony and David Williamson’s Rupert, based on the life of Rupert Murdoch.

“The Melbourne Theatre company put on Rupert to a sold-out season,” Guy reflects.

“It did really well there so we toured it to Washington DC and played the main theatre at The Kennedy Centre.”

He said the role was ‘life changing’ but possibly not for the reasons you may think—on set, Guy met and worked alongside his now-wife, Haiha Le. With plenty of on- and off-screen roles up his sleeve, Guy still has an abundance of ideas for shows that he hopes to share in the future.

“I equate show ideas to a nature documentary where the crabs are born and there’s thousands of them trying to make it to the ocean without getting crushed by cars or eaten by birds. In the end, about three percent of them make it to the ocean and that’s enough to continue the cycle.”

This analogy comes from Guy as he explains that even though Hardball got off the ground, for every show that’s successful, there’s another five or six that never see the light of day. Having worked in advertisements, corporate videos, short films and as a voiceover artist, Guy emphasises that you need persistence to be successful in the industry.

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Pictured (left): Guy Edmonds; (right) Guy and his now-wife, HaiHa Le, on the set of Dream House (image used with permission from Clare Hawley).

"

I remember thinking, ‘it would be so cool to be an original cast member of a play’.”

“It takes resilience and perseverance to make it and nothing comes easy. You need to keep knocking on doors and getting used to being knocked back,” he says, adding, however, that, “There is no better feeling than getting a ‘yes’ to the show you just pitched or to the role you auditioned for. It’s very rewarding.”

Currently, Guy is working on a series of ‘wacky’ books aimed at Upper Primary students. Zoo Crew, to be launched by Scholastic later this year, is about a school populated by animals. He hopes to visit the College to promote the books in the next year. Stay tuned!

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SPOSA

GETTING MO' SUPPORT THAN EVER Over the years, Michelle Terry (1991), has held a number of positions in e-commerce and marketing roles with some of the world’s largest companies in capital cities in Europe, Asia and the United States. As of February 2020, Michelle was appointed global CEO for leading men’s health organisation, Movember. Now, based in Melbourne, Michelle ‘Zoomed’ Rowena Lester of SPOSA to talk about her role, especially as she started only six weeks prior to the pandemic.

C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

rowena lester (rl): It sounds like you’ve got a big job.

some time thinking about those three things and worked on that.

michelle terry (mt): It's a great job, but it is fairly busy. I've got people here in Melbourne and then London, Toronto, New York and LA. [Before the pandemic] I got to meet the guys in London, New York and in LA and but had to fly home quickly before I got a chance to meet the guys in Canada. So, we've only ‘met’ over Zoom, which is slightly weird. Usually, I'd be in the UK, Canada and the US about once a quarter each.

I think in terms of how we did it, we're lucky insofar as we are a mental health organisation as well as a cancer-focused organisation—we have some amazing people on staff that have really deep skills in mental health and they were able to make sure that we were doing the right thing and reaching out. Movember is a very caring and collaborative organisation and people really do check in with each other and do lovely random acts of kindness, like setting up neighbourhood networks and dropping stuff around people's houses and fun stuff.

rl: Were you busier or quieter during the time we came to know as ‘New Normal’? mt: I think I would have been busy regardless. It just would have been a bit different. I've been busy trying to make sure that the organisation is doing the best it can both with the services, its delivery to the community and, its own financial stability.

But also, our people's mental health and connection is important as well.

[Last year], we put all of our staff to work from home pretty much overnight, around the world. We were lucky because we're quite well setup from a tech standpoint. My organisation already used Zoom and Slack and lots of those tools because it's a global organisation. We were used to working across geographies, so we didn't have many problems making that happen.

But the next thing we had to tackle was how do you enable people to be socially connected and emotionally connected? We started with three pillars—first, wellness and then, connectivity. Finally, there was how to get people to work productively in a way that's entirely out of the office. We spent

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rl: So, do you feel like your role has evolved during the pandemic? Are there things that you probably wouldn’t have focussed on normally? mt: We immediately said this is clearly going to have huge impact on the lives of the community. We had to work out what was in our remit, that we should either accelerate or pause or continue. And, some of the stuff we accelerated we kept saying, ‘Okay, well, this is our time to step in and help.’

We had some digital mental health products that we were working on and we just basically threw a lot more focus and dollars toward those to get them out to market quickly. We also made sure that we were connecting with all of our supporters. I'd say what we did differently, and more of, was focusing on the community in the mental health and social connection space. We also made sure that our people were able to do [their jobs] without burning out against the background of all the other stuff they had to do in their personal lives as well.

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Pictured: Michelle Terry, CEO of Movember.

"

Movember is a very caring and collaborative organisation and people really do check in with each other and do lovely random acts of kindness..."

rl: And how have you coped with the changes both work-wise and juggling family life. mt: Because I am a mum of two small children, I was also a 'teacher' for a time. My family [had to figure out] how to be even better at multitasking, perhaps more than we were before. Suffice to say, [when my children went] back to school, everybody in the family was very happy. But having said that, we did try to give ourselves a little bit of a break and do the best we can, and [there were] fun times. We created new family rituals, like pool disco and family movie nights. We got this game, which my husband found, called Just Dance—it has an interactive dance competition. We [did that a lot] because the kids couldn’t run around as normal. Like everyone else in extended lockdown, there [were] some difficult days. rl: What are your positive and negative takeaways from this once-in-a-lifetime experience? mt: I think we have seen some remarkable acts of humans coming together and being

innovative in the way that they work, the way that they socialise, which I think is amazing. I think the worldwide experiment of getting people to work from home and really realising that there is flexibility and people have lives outside of work...it really is a societal positive and we should think about what how we want to take the best of that forward. [The pandemic] really does make you appreciate simple things, like catching up with a friend or going to the beach.

I think on the on the negative side, there [has been ] a lot damage—this is going to have a long tail. I think we're going to see a lot of mental health displacement, a real nasty economic back-end that we're all going to have to work through. And, you know, I think people will feel very relieved about social connection, but I don't think we should lose sight of how, potentially, we as a society will need to work through those things and maybe think about, given the seismic shift that we're going to see there, how can we work through this in a way that's going to make the world a bit fairer.

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CHOOSE YOUR CAUSE Earlier this year, former Multicultural Committee Co-Captains, Isha Naik and Khushbu Kumari (2019), launched Choose Your Cause—a not-for-profit organisation designed to give a voice to underpublicised charities and their respective causes. They returned to the College recently to tell us all about their work.

KEL SEY BRICKNELL

communications officer

T

he notion of ‘giving back’ was very much at the centre of 2019 Old Scholars, Isha and Khushbu’s St Peters experiences. In their Junior High years, they got involved with the College’s Service Learning program and, in their Senior years, took their passions to the next level, both studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and incorporating their acts of service into the CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) component of the programme.

Isha (a Prefect) and Khushbu (Head Boarder Girl) Co-Captained the 2019 Multicultural Committee with fervour. They ran Community Focus Days, organised cultural events to promote ethnic diversity, and even represented the College as one of three finalists at the 2019 Queensland Multicultural Awards. When they left the College, it made sense that they continued to build on their school-day foundations.

“We always had a vision of extending our passion outside of school,” Isha told us. “We work really well together, so we thought it would be great if we could both collaborate on something.”

With the ‘Why’ to their plan firmly in place, the pair were faced, then, with tackling the ‘What’ and the ‘How’.

“Last year, when we were thinking of ways that we could start a non-profit, we thought first of who we could support,” Isha said.

“Khushbu is studying Biomedicine at Monash University and I’m doing Architecture at UQ, so it was hard to find a middle ground that related to our personal career interests.

That’s why we decided we should support the many different causes that we’re passionate about collectively.”

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And that they have. Isha and Khushbu set up Choose Your Cause during the year of the 'New Normal'. Their platform seeks to educate and empower the future generation about local and international issues, particularly those that impact youth. Their site features eight unique charities and gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about them, and donate, while they’re there.

The plan, the pair shared, is to build up a database of charities for young people to access—those that do meaningful work but don’t get the same level of publicity as big-name organisations. By working with schools, Isha and Khushbu hope to implement charitable action similar to that which they experienced during their time in the St Peters Service Learning program.

“We want adolescents to explore different causes; to educate themselves and their peers; and to empower themselves to speak up about the different causes and raise funds and awareness,” Isha explained.

“Through our Youth Programme, we hope to give people the knowledge they need to take with them in their life and find their charitable passion.”

While there’s no set limit, Isha and Khushbu aim to add at least eight new charities to their website each year.

“Five-ten years down the line, we hope to have a whole repertoire of unique causes and organisations,” Khushbu said. “We want to be able to give all of them a platform to grow.”

When asked about the most testing part of establishing their organisation, Isha and Khushbu didn’t focus on their State separation, or the task of contacting their

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Pictured (clockwise from top left):Isha and Khushbu during Parade of Nations, 2019; The girls, and other students, at the 2019 Multicultural Gala; Khushbu 'Zooms' in to greet current Multicultural Committee attendees; whilst, Isha poses with Mrs Sylvia Sanjuro, Multicultural Coordinator, Senior Students after talking to them about Choose Your Cause; in their Senior Year, both girls proudly accepted the Multicultural Queensland Finalist certificate for Education, Training and Skills.

To support Isha and Khushbu, follow Choose Your Cause on Facebook and Instagram.

initial shortlist of organisations to be featured on their site (bar one very late night trying to make the time difference between Australia and Belgium work!). Instead, it was refining their idea that put up initial roadblocks.

“That’s what took us the most time,” Khushbu said. “We had to work on our idea until it was polished and made sense, not only to us, but to everyone around us.”

The distance, Isha added, actually worked really well in their favour.

“I have been able to establish contacts on the ground in Brisbane, and Khushbu has done the same with schools in Melbourne.

What 2020 taught us was that everything is possible online!”

So where to now? Isha and Khushbu are currently working on encouraging the implementation of their Youth Programme in schools, all while completing their secondyear university studies and working various jobs. When asked about the juggle, they said St Peters gave them all the tools they need to succeed.

“In Year 12 we had a lot on our plate, but it taught us time-management,” Isha reflected.

“That’s something we rely on now.”

Going forward, the pair are confident they can face any challenge they come up against.

“Nothing is impossible,” Khushbu said. “If you have the skills and experiences to back you up, and a good team to support you, you can make anything successful.”

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BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES Births Isla Joan Woodcroft Faulkner was born on 14 February 2020 to parents Tamlyn Faulkner (Brown, 2005) and David Faulkner, and proud big sister, Grace Lily.

Sloane Morrison was born on 27 October 2020 to Bianca Monahan (2006) and Blake Morrison.

Indooroopilly teacher, Shelley Clarke, husband Gareth and daughter Margaret, were thrilled to welcome Hugh Arthur McCasker to their family on 25 November 2020.

William Joseph Ray was born on 11 December 2020 to parents Matthew and Sinead Ray (Indooroopilly teacher) and big brother Theodore.

Quinn Estelle Corbin was born on 2 February 2021 to Dimity (Rutherford, 2008) and Ken Corbin—8lbs of perfection!

Archibald (Archie) Gordon Lai was born on 7 January 2021 to proud parents Elisa (Poon, 2006) and Scott.

Indooroopilly teacher, Maggie Jin, and husband Terry welcomed the arrival of their second daughter, Eleanor, on 25 January 2021, weighing 3.4kgs. Maggie has started adapting to life with two children and is enjoying spending time with her family.

We remember Ron Gerlach 02 June 1928 – 09 April 2021 Ron worked as the Bursar at St Peters from 1979 for over 15 years. St Peters was very close to his heart and we thank him for his service to the College.

Doris Weigel (Prenzler) 4 November 1929 – 27 February 2021 Doris began her career at St Peters in 1951, teaching in the Primary School. In 1956 she began teaching German and Geography in the Secondary School.

Doris took several breaks away from St Peters, teaching at the PNG Lutheran Mission, in England and Germany, resigning at the end of 1972 to accompany her parents on a trip to Germany. She married in 1985 and made Germany her home.

Doris was a dedicated teacher. She lived on campus and was involved in a range of extra-curricular activities such as Sport, student plays and supervising girls on excursions.

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Margaret Oppermann (Hiller, 1948) 13 November 1930 — 21 January 2021 Margaret’s parents were the caretakers of Ross Roy when it was being turned into a school, and consequently she was the first girl enrolled at St Peters. She participated in all activities the College offered like Basketball and the Girls’ Choir.

On leaving school, she worked in a country newspaper in Boonah and in an accountant’s office in Kingaroy.

Margaret married Colin Oppermann in 1953 and they farmed a large property of cattle and vegetables.

As well as bringing up her family and supporting her husband, she also worked in library and administration roles of country State Schools for 21 years. Margaret also completed a BA with a double major in History at the University of New England, Armidale in 1997. Since 2001, she had been a presenter and broadcaster of the local Community Radio RIMFM 100.1.

Her children: Stuart (1979), Barbara (Blanch, 1972) and Wendy (Creighton, 1973) all attended St Peters.

SPOSA

Mervyn Guse (1956) 18 August 1939 – 26 January 2021 Mervyn Guse was born in Wondai and spent his early years in Proston. At five years of age, he had an accident that caused him to lose his left leg. Mervyn was enrolled at St Peters in 1953 and spent four years here as a boarder. On leaving school he was employed as a pay clerk in the Railway in Brisbane.

Mervyn left Brisbane and moved north and was involved in crabbing and prawning for a number of years. In 2002 he moved to Kurumba and there his working days ended.

Nora Leong Hui (Cheung, 1958) 9 May 1941 – 24 January 2021 Nora Cheung was born in Madang, PNG, and became a Prisoner of War baby during the Japanese occupation.

She was the second child following Robert, and the eldest girl of what was to become a very large family.

Post-war, Nora was educated by missionaries and she was sent to board at St Peters in her Scholarship year, gaining a bursary at the end of Junior (Year 10). However, to Nora, family was paramount, and she returned to Madang to find a job and help raise her siblings, who all attended St Peters.

Nora worked as a cashier at Burns Philp and also taught Sunday School. She met Steven Leong from Rabaul and they married in 1962, and ran their own small general store. They had three children Sharon, Darren and Jeremy. A move to Mt Hagen saw them set up a business, S&N Leong trading. And a later move brought them to Australia to live at Eight Mile Plains.

Sadly for the family, Steven passed away in 2007. It was a difficult time for Nora, but several years later, she met Simon Hui and the pair married in Hawaii in 2012.

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In 1988, I left the computer industry and spent two years sailing a trimaran in the Whitsundays offering adventure trips. Eventually, I sold the business and moved back to Brisbane where I worked part-time in an admin role for Life Be In It for a number of years. In 1995, I moved back to Sydney and worked in computer recruitment. I retired and returned to Brisbane in 2000.

I married Sue Constable and we lived in Mosman in Sydney with our son Peter.

Garry Mason (1960) 16 October 1944 – 16 January 2021 Gary attended St Peters for his Sub Junior and Junior years.

In 1960, he was a member of both the 1st XI Cricket team and the 1st XV Rugby team, playing in the position of breakaway. He gained a Junior pass.

Julene Burley (Bishop, 1962) 2 November 1944 – 2 December 2020 Townsville girl, Julie was first enrolled in 1958 in the Scholarship class. She was a Sub Prefect in Sub Senior and a Prefect in her Senior year. Julie attended Kelvin Grove Teachers’ College and because of the Teaching Scholarship system, was contracted to teach for the Queensland Education Department for two years.

In 1966 she married Robert Burley, remaining in Townsville.

They had three girls and Julie became a stay-at-home mum for their formative years. She became an artistic rollerskater, winning awards and becoming a judge, giving it up after a severe injury.

Julene returned to teaching when her daughters were grown, and upgraded her qualifications with a BEd followed by an MEd, specialising in Guidance and Special Education.

Fuller eulogies will appear in the SPOSA Bulletin.

Marriages

Niel Robert Fabian (1959) 24 April 1942 – 29 December 2020 (In his own words) Annerley boy, Niel attended St Peters as a boarder from 1956 to 1959. St Peters not only provided a sound education, but there were lots of extra-curricular activities.

In 1960, I completed the last of the one-year Kelvin Grove Teachers' College training courses and taught Primary for three years. During this time I had started a Commerce degree part-time and took the next two years off to complete my Commerce degree.

In 1966, I moved to Melbourne, worked in accounting for nine months then joined IBM and spent most of my working life in the computer industry.

Austin Mills (2013) and Stephanie Balmer (2013) tied the knot on Saturday 1 May, 2021. They were married at Kooroomba Lavender Farm and Vineyard in front of friends and family, including all eight of their grandparents! Congratulations.

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COMMUNITY AND EVENTS

ST PETERS LADIES LUNCH C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

A

fter the pandemic cancelled last years' event, the 2021 Ladies Lunch was over a year in the making and went off without a hitch.

It was a beautiful start to the day on the Mango Terrace at Hillstone before over 250 ladies moved into the Grand View Room to enjoy great food, company and amusing stories from Cathie Reid AM. Many thanks to our sponsors and donors on the day - we gave away over 80 prizes and eight auction donations - as well as Rebecca Sparrow, our fabulous MC. It was great to see everyone in such high spirits after the last year. Over $10,000 was raised for the new Upper Primary playground - thank you for your support.

We look forward to seeing you all again next year.

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MATER CHICKS IN PINK KEL SEY BRICKNELL

communications officer

I

n the leadup to International Women’s Day (Monday 8 March), Indooroopilly’s International Baccalaureate CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) students, and Senior Leaders, hosted a Mater Chicks in Pink Fun Run at Robertson Park. The event was a huge success, with the wider St Peters community getting involved, both as runners and supporters.

Congratulations to our students for organising the event and thank you to everyone who donated. St Peters raised an impressive $13, 626 for breast cancer research—the third highest fundraisers overall and the top school group.

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COMMUNITY AND EVENTS

FATHER DAUGHTER BREAKFAST C A SSIE T WEMLOW

publications officer

E

arly on Wednesday 28 April over 200 fathers and daughters descended upon Café 45 for the annual Father Daughter bonding breakfast.

This year, we were delighted by guest speaker Madonna King, who entertained and educated attendees with stories, anecdotes and advice from her years interviewing and talking with teenage girls and their fathers.

Dad jokes, father-daughter dates, listening to teenage worries and concerns...all topics, and more, that Madonna highlighted in her presentation.

Madonna stressed the importance of fathers making time for their daughters, including special one-on-one time, especially if you have more than one child. Figuring out what activities - sport, reading, grabbing a milkshake - your daughter loves doing with you, and making time to do it.

A big thank you to St Peters Hospitality students who assisted with food service and also to our Food Services Department for the lovely breakfast.

We hope to see you all again next year.

Plus Ultra | June 2021

COMMUNITY AND EVENTS

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JUNIOR HIGH MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST KEL SEY BRICKNELL

communications officer

O

n Friday 7 May, our Junior High students hosted a special Mother’s Day Breakfast—just one of the Mother’s Day events that took place on campus that week.

Thank you to all of our staff and students for making these events special—we hope that all the St Peters mums, grandmothers and carers felt the love throughout the week!

It was also the first time Junior High trialled all students wearing their House polo shirts on a Friday, as you can see from the colourful photos!

To all the mother-figures in our community, Happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for doing your part in raising our wonderful St Peters students.

Plus Ultra | June 2021

Success starts the night before

Supporting St Peters Lutheran College and their families through a great night’s sleep.