Focus 116 October 2024

Reconciliation Action Plan Launch: A major milestone for The Friends’ School

Peter Gibson (RAP Implementation Coordinator)

The Friends’ School community continues to put its words into action and let its life speak. The launch of the Friends’ School Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) earlier this year marked yet another occasion that provides us with the opportunity to live out our Quaker values.

In my role as the implementation coordinator of the RAP, I have been privileged to work across each section of the school from Friends’ Early Learning, through to the Senior School campus. I have been heartened by the passionate staff and students who are taking steps towards shining a light

on the history of Tasmania/ Lutriwita and working towards reconciling events of the past. I have been inspired by the connections our school has fostered with members of the palawa community, and take confidence that our students are being exposed to authentic learning experiences. In particular, I would like to express gratitude to Trish Hodge and Craig Everett, the founders of NITA Education, for their guidance and education of both our students and staff.

The launch of the RAP marked a significant moment for our learning community. The event was attended by members of the palawa community, members of our Quaker community, students, and staff. A smoking ceremony was performed by proud Trawlwoolway man, Craig Everett. Craig

welcomed us to country in palawa kani and then proceeded to talk about the strengthening relationships between NITA Education

and The Friends’ School.

David Edmiston is a past board member of The Friends School and had an integral role in the development of the RAP. David was invited to share words at the launch and provided insights on the history of reconciliation and Quakers. David quoted James Backhouse and George Walker, early Quakers, who spoke out 190 years ago about the unjust taking of First Peoples’ lands, noting it was done without regard for their inherent rights—an idea radical for its time.

Principal Esther Hill’s address emphasised the importance of learning from First Nations people about living in harmony with the environment. Esther’s message was one of hope for the future stating that “our next generations get it and our next generations will carry us forward on a pathway to reconciliation.”

I want to acknowledge the hard work of many people involved in developing the

RAP to this point, and draw attention to the many members of our community who have been working both inside and outside the classroom towards truthtelling and reconciliation.

To ensure the continued success of our reconciliation efforts, a RAP committee has been formed, consisting of representatives from across all sections of the school. This committee is dedicated to supporting the implementation of the action plan and embedding reconciliation into the fabric of our school community.

Read The Friends’ School Reconciliation Action Plan by scanning the QR Code below:

Aladdin

Indigenous Immersion Week

Campbell Walker, Alexis Weeding, Fergus Gibson, and Lucie Johnston (Year 9)

An integral part of the new Year 9 program is Connection to Country, which supports our students to have a greater understanding and awareness of First Nations People and our story in lutruwita (Tasmania). The first Indigenous Immersion Week was held in August, and commenced with a smoking ceremony at school before students engaged in four main activities:

Walking tours

Each student undertook both a guided tour and an Indigenous art tour of Hobart CBD. The guided tour was run by Blak Led Tours, a tourism business that focuses on truthtelling and the representation of Tasmanian Aboriginal stories. It was a highlight learning these stories and historical moments from our past.

Indigenous games

In Houses, students learned three Indigenous games:

• arrkene irreme (a softball-like game)

• munhanganing (a tag-like game)

• marngrook (an AFL-like game)

Students participated in a House Round Robin at Bell Street on Friday, and enjoyed an Indigenous lunch of wallaby sausages, kunzea-flavoured bread and Indigenous spiced popcorn.

NITA Education

Students engaged in a number of hands-on workshops including tasting bushtucker, learning how to weave, dance, and make fire, and listening to Indigenous stories. Most importantly, completing the ‘Gumnuts to Buttons’ course developed a deeper understanding of lutruwita’s (Tasmania’s) history, with tasks that made us dive into the difficulties faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Gumnuts to Buttons experience was both confronting and significant, and incredibly important in our understanding of the challenges still experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Lea

With ‘Outdoor Experiences’, ‘Connection as a Group’ and ‘Nature’ other key aspects of the Year 9 program, students undertook abseiling, low ropes courses, flying fox and frisbee golf at the Lea in Kingston. When this day was mentioned, there were mixed emotions especially surrounding abseiling. Some students took the opportunity very gratefully, and others struggled with the idea of going down a cliff wall backwards. This day wasn’t as focused on Indigenous education, but more about connecting with each other and the environment, which are still strong Indigenous values.

We are very grateful to everyone who supported the week, and we especially thank Trish and Mathius from NITA Education for running four days of workshops for our students.

The Departure: Year 9 express gratitude for their childhood in new experience

Aaron Davey (Deputy Head of Senior School - Year 9)

Term 2 kicked off with the second major Year 9 event, ‘The Departure.’

Students were required to write a gratitude letter to their parents or guardians, reflecting on and giving thanks for the incredible blessings and opportunities they have received. Students refined their gratitude skills in English and were also guided in Opportunity Block classes.

Students constructed their letter independently, which was required to be handwritten and read to their families. Families were asked to bring in mementos from their child’s formative years and verbally share why these were significant. It was great to see photos, teddy bears and toys that have survived the test of time.

There was certainly a buzz in the afternoon, especially at 3.30pm in which over 30 families were the first group to be involved. By 7pm, over 120 families were involved in the activity. We thank all the families who managed to attend, and to those other families who emulated the experience at home. Here’s what some of them had to say:

“I loved the Gratitude sharing experience. I enjoyed spending time selecting photos and objects and then sharing those with Margot. I especially loved receiving her letter. It was a special moment. We were both pleased we were able to do this privately and not in a big group. The afternoon tea afterwards was also enjoyable.

“The new program for Year 9 overall seems like an excellent initiative. Year 9 is difficult; I think it’s a big transition year.

I’m glad this is being recognised so thoughtfully.”

- Penny McLeod, parent

“I enjoyed participating in this night, it was nice to share the letter with Mum and I could see she valued it and the thought that went into it. We both appreciated sharing items from my childhood and this aspect ended up being very entertaining.”

- Margot McLeod, student “It was a lovely night and we all really enjoyed it. Nick and I enjoyed going around the house collecting items and it led to many conversations with Oscar after the event, going down memory lane.”Alex Bradford, parent “It was a bit awkward at first, being a somewhat forced scenario, but as I read my letter I began to feel good and I could see that my parents really appreciated it. This made me feel even better.”

- Oscar Bradford, student “Our family all really enjoyed The Departure experience and it gave us so much more than expected.

In our busy lives of work, school, sporting commitments, family and social events it is not often that we take a moment to pause, to reflect and be grateful for what is most precious to us. As parents, we loved the opportunity to revisit some gorgeous moments, to look at photos and special things from babyhood and to contemplate the young man that is emerging from childhood. It was even more special to share what we had dug out of the family archives and express our love and gratitude to our son for the years of joy he has given to his entire family, and let him know how much he means to us all. His letter to us was heartfelt and has become one of our most treasured things.

Huge thanks to Aaron, the Year 9 teaching team and the School for giving us this unique space to share.”

- Meagan Avery, parent

Senior School’s Aladdin JR a magical and performancememorable

Matilda Wilson (Year 11) (Jafar)

On June 20 - 22, students from The Friends’ School in Years 9 - 12 performed the spectacular musical Aladdin JR. at The Playhouse Theatre, Hobart. This was an excellent experience for students to gain performance, vocal and dance skills and to work in a team to create a fabulous production. The play is a hilarious and magical story following young Aladdin and the trials and obstacles that he must face on the quest to be himself. The process began with auditions, which required us to act out a scene and have a vocal session with the main production team; our director, Alan Jeffery, our choreographer, Leis Moore, our musical director, Paul Kershna and our vocal director Brett Budgeon. Main roles and ensemble roles were confirmed and rehearsals began on the 4th of March. There was a long road to go until performing in June but the cast was enthusiastic and keen to put on a polished show. First we learned the dance choreography, had one-on-one workshops with the director, and rehearsed particular main scenes. Eventually, the cast was able to do full runs of the entire play and it was time to enter into the theatre. This was probably the most challenging aspect, as the transition from our rehearsal space at school to the Playhouse Theatre (and backstage) spaces was a big adjustment.

Students soon became accustomed to the space, and after a few full-costume

Meet our newly elected Head Students for 2025

The school is proud to announce the appointment of Juliet MacIntyre and Samuel Castle as Head Students for next year. All candidates presented a compelling speech in the Farrell Centre and were then voted in by fellow students and staff of the school.

Sam Castle has been at Friends’ since Kindergarten. In his speech, he reflects on what characterises Friends’ School. “We always tend to look down on our failures, but looking back, all the best things in my life have come originally from failures; my first speech, my first interschool, my first year of high school, my first time being a leader, even my first driving test, all fails. But the thing that I’ve found magical about Friends’ is that you don’t see those things - no one does. As Sam Norton tells me whenever I do lose, “No one remembers those times, they remember the times you succeed.” To me, this characterises Friends’. That is what I want to make this school - a place where we’re not afraid of our mistakes, because we all make them, but a place we take risks, because we feel comfortable to take that risk, and maybe - just maybe - do something amazing!”

Juliet MacIntyre came to Friends’ in Year 5. Her speech highlighted her strong service background, and guaranteed she can listen to all students and act with empathy and integrity. “I’m an all-rounder, I love music, drama, art, sport, gained some top-tier self-defence skills against my four brothers, and I’m a pro at Dress to Impress. Friends’ already has an incredible expanse of opportunities, but I know that everyone doesn’t always feel a part of this. In fact, I know what that’s like. So my main objective is to ensure that more of you feel a part of our community. And to model to all of you the importance of facing the things that you’re afraid of.” We talked to Sam and Juliet about their role straight after being elected.

AmeliaHoskin-Newell(asJasmine)andRupertBullard (asAladdin).Photo:AliceSkinner

MatildaWilson(asJafar)andRebekahIsmail-Arnold (asIago).Photo:AliceSkinner

rehearsals, the production was ready to go. I will never forget the experience of getting ready backstage with all the new friends I had made, and transforming into my character Jafar. As an actor, I made physical and vocal choices to create an authentic evil character. I used my facial features such as my eyebrows and eyes to display Jafars cunning side and I adopted an upright posture with my shoulders back, showcasing my character’s proud, selfish and power-hungry traits. I also developed a lowerpitched, posh-sounding voice because Jafar is, after all, the

grand vizier. As I identify as female, playing a man was particularly difficult, but once I was done in the makeup chair and my moustache was plastered on, I felt every bit my character! There were five shows in total, and the cast and crew were extremely excited. All the hard work paid off and everybody on the team was rewarded with endless positive feedback. Overall, the Senior School Musical was an incredible success and anyone who went to see it (or took part) would agree that it was the most amazing fun.

NewHeadStudentsfor2025SamCastleandJulietMacIntyre.Photo:EmmaGilligan

Congratulations! How are you feeling about the new role?

Sam: I’m very excited, and a little bit nervous about what it’s going to be like with all the workload and this on top. But I’m very excited to be able to make some sort of difference with Juliet in the school community.

Do you have any ambitions for the role?

Sam: I see the biggest part of the role as being a conduit for the students to people like Amy and Adam. And so my biggest thing will be getting student ideas and bringing them in to actually implement in the school.

Juliet: Same as Sam, I’d like to ensure the student voice is definitely heard. I’d like to implement perhaps more student-to-student support in terms of studying and exam revision particularly in Years 11 and 12. I think there’s always room for sustainable development too, and trying to implement initiatives that support our future and climate action. That’s incredibly important to me. And just generally being an approachable voice, someone that students feel supported by. I hope I come across as someone that people resonate with. I think people might know that I try my best to be an empathetic person.

What are some of your personal goals for the future?

Juliet: I have quite a creative side, so I’d like to foster that alongside something more dependable at this stage, perhaps medicine. I don’t know what that would look like, but I love drama, so I’d love to incorporate that somehow. Maybe a ‘dramatic doctor’! I’d also love to travel.

Sam: I would love to go overseas, Europe or America, and do law or something like that in another country.

What are you most excited about for next year?

Juliet: I think having a big goal. We know next year is going to be difficult, but it’s going to be incredibly rewarding, and the challenge is going to set us up with these skills to use throughout our lives.

TheAladdinJR.castinactiononstage.Photo:AliceSkinner

TheAladdinJR.castinactiononstage.Photo:AliceSkinner

Health and Wellbeing

Students SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY for Mental Health

Shivering through Shorts Day

‘BestShorts’CompetitionontheSpeakUpStayChatTYShortsDay,inwhichJoeBoyer was the winner.

Afast-paced‘howmanyshorts’competition.Photos:HollyChilman

Sophie Neal and Matilda Wilson (Wellbeing Reps)

On Friday June 21 the Wellbeing Reps organised SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Short Day at the Friends School. On the day, students were encouraged to wear their funkiest pair of shorts and come to school with a gold coin donation. There was a 7am sunrise walk

and morning breakfast organised so students and teachers could brave the cold Tasmanian winter mornings to encourage braving the conversations around mental health. Mather 5 hosted a bake sale on the Bottom Green during long tutor time and the whole of the senior school came down to watch students participate in house events. It was an extremely successful, fun, and positive day, and we were lucky enough to have Mitch

McPherson and the SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY team visit to take photos with many of the students. There was excellent media coverage on 7News and in The Mercury. Overall we raised $617.50, and we would like to aim to have more students donate their gold coins next year. Overall, SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Shorts day was lots of fun and we are glad everyone got involved.

Year 6 get GritFit

Wendy Crow (Deputy Head of Primary School)

Late in Term 2, the Year 6 students engaged in a one-hour interactive session led by SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY facilitators. The evidence-informed and clinically-endorsed program provided the students with foundational information, tools and strategies across the following topics:

• What is mental health?

• Support services available

• Depression and Anxiety

• Resilience

• Tools to boost our mental wellbeing

• Kindness

A key component of the session was understanding who to talk to and where to find help when encountering mental health challenges. Students were reminded of the people in their world whom they can safely talk to and how to engage with

Paying it forward with pizza

James Reid (Year 9 Ransome Rep)

The ‘Pay it Forward’ Pizza Campaign was a Year 9-run service activity. It allowed Year 9 students who had received affirmations on

SEQTA from teachers to cast a ballot vote towards a charity. The three charities that could be voted for were SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY, The Dogs’ Home, and Hobart City Mission. Overall, SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY received the most votes, and so a pizza fundraiser to raise money for the charity was organised by

house leaders. In total, 43 pizzas were sold, and they were accompanied by soft drinks. This raised a total of $220 for SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY. Thanks to the year 9 students who were involved in running the fundraiser, as well as everyone who preordered a pizza or drink to support the cause.

help if required. The sessions were fun, and feedback gained from the students demonstrated the importance of feeling safe to talk about our mental health and wellbeing in our community.

“The games we played helped me understand the importance of complimenting each other and how that can impact our mental health.” - Loki

“The program told us that it was okay to feel lots of different emotions. It also told us where to find help if we need it.”

- Vivi

Studentswith‘Shorty’.Photo:RichardJupe

Year8Repswith‘Shorty’onShortDay. Photo:HollyChilman

SophieCole,EdieTracey,HarrietSprouleandAlexisWeeding(Year9)atthe‘Payit Forward’PizzaCampaign

Health and Wellbeing

The Big Freeze: teachers dunked for a good cause

Jack Connah & Lizzie Ralph (Year 12 Ransome House Student Leaders)

On Friday 26 July in the depths of winter, Senior School Tutor Groups R8 and R5 organised the Fight MND Big Freeze event on the top basketball courts. The Big Freeze is a national challenge

undertaken by schools and communities to support the Fight MND Foundation, a charity close to the hearts of many Tasmanians, aimed at funding research and treatment for motor neuron disease. Each nominated teacher who had the chance to be dunked was campaigned for, and once sufficient funds were raised for each teacher, they had to brave the cold with a few buckets of ice water dumped over their heads. The teachers included

Principal Esther Hill, Heads of School Adam Chambers, Kate Baldry, Amy Harris, and Aaron Davey, and finally, House Leaders Sam Norton, Kim Carrodus, Jane Barling, and Casey-Rae Mullen. Nearly $700 was raised for Fight MND, exceeding our target of $500. It was amazing to see the Senior School community come together to have fun and raise money and awareness for this important cause.

The Friends’ School banks 380,486 push-ups for mental health

Madeline Windsor (Year 12 Student Ambassador)

During the month of June, over 200 students and staff participated in The Push-Up Challenge to raise awareness and funds for mental health services and initiatives. Participants were challenged to complete a set number of exercises each day, ranging from 50 to 200, whether it be

push-ups, sit-ups, or another movement, totalling 3,249 exercises throughout June. During this time, the Friends’ community raised $6,668 and completed 380,486 push-ups, with all funds going to Headspace Australia and Lifeline. Within the school, Student Ambassadors Anika Jolley and I organised activities such as lunchtime push-ups and group exercise sessions to get everyone involved. We were joined by the State Minister for Health,

Mental Health and Wellbeing Guy Barnett, and Principal Esther Hill, who participated too. Next year, the aim is to get even more people involved to raise awareness and funds for mental health, which impacts so many people in our community.

Japanese Cultural Day: celebrating “mizu” with creative crafts and taiko drums

FlynnClougher,JackField,ClancyRiley,LinaKuwada,SydneyMcInnesandGeorgia WigginsdrummingattheJapaneseCulturalDay.Photo:MahimeWatanabe

Calliope

Xintavelonis and Ellie Norris (Year 5)

On the 28th of May, the whole Friends’ Primary School celebrated Japanese culture with the Japanese Cultural Day. We started the day with an assembly with

dancing, speeches, and an introduction of what the day would be like. The theme of the day was “mizu” (water).

After the assembly, we broke up into vertical groups which had one or two students from each grade. In these vertical groups, we made paper lotus flowers that opened when placed on water, and Pokémon cards, featuring water-themed characters. After that, we

made traditional origami fish in our classrooms. These fish were collected and hung in the Farrall Centre foyer.

At the end of the day, we were lucky enough to finish the extravaganza with a special performance by Taiko Drums Tasmania. We are especially grateful to Mahi, Taiko Drums Tasmania, and everyone who was involved in organising the day.

Reconnecting with Kochi Kokusai in Japanese exchange program

Monique Gall (Teacher of Languages Years 9-12)

We were delighted to resume our cultural and educational exchange program with Kochi Kokusai Junior and Senior High School, welcoming a group of seven students and their English teacher, Mr. Ukyo Ishimaru, from July 30 to August 6. This visit marked the long-awaited resumption of exchange visits between Friends’ School and our sister school in Kochi, Japan.

During their week-long stay, the Kochi students attended classes with their hosts and participated in Japanese language sessions across our Primary, Middle, and Senior Schools. These interactions not only enriched language skills for all students but also fostered lasting friendships. Other highlights of the visit included a woodworking session and a trip to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. The exchange also provided numerous opportunities for cultural sharing, as students experienced daily life with their host families.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the staff members

who helped welcome our visitors and to the host families who generously opened their homes. We hope that everyone involved enjoyed the linguistic and cultural exchange, and we eagerly anticipate our return visit to Kochi in 2026, where our students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Japanese culture and education.

JapaneseExchangeStudentsatFriends’.Photo:EmmaGilligan

Language

Quaker exchanges with global Friends’ School students

Sophie Cole and Emma Hill (Year 9)

Eight US Exchange students from Abington Friends School and Friends School Baltimore arrived on June 13 and stayed in Hobart for four weeks to experience life at our school. They had the opportunity to join Friends’ co-curricular clubs and sports including water polo, music, and art/

ceramics. They were excited to try new activities and enjoyed meeting new people. While here, the exchange students got to try all types of different food. A favourite for everyone was fairy bread, closely followed by Tim Tams aand Milo. Most were not a fan of Vegemite although everyone gave it a go. Bonorong was definitely a highlight as they got to see lots of unique animals including wombats, Tasmanian devils and echidnas although their favourite was definitely

feeding the kangaroos. Another highlight was taking them to AFL games. They enjoyed the flow of the game and seeing everyone play without pads. The Friends’ students are leaving for America in Week 3 of Term 4 and are staying for five weeks including Halloween and Thanksgiving. So far the exchange has been an amazing experience. We are all looking forward to visiting America and cannot wait to see our friends again.

Triumph of language at Alliance Française

TashingaMhembere(Year10,1stprizePoetry)atthePrizeGivingCeremony.

Lillian Malone (Year 11)

On Friday June 28, The Friends’ School competed at the annual Alliance Française competition. Thirty-seven students from Year 7 to Year

11 took part in the poetry, reading comprehension, listening comprehension as well as conversation sections. Overall we came away with nine prizes and 23 honourable mentions - an amazing effort!

I competed in the Niveau 3C Poetry category, with the poem Ordre du Jour de

Floréal by Victor Hugo. This involved memorising the poem and presenting it to a panel of judges, including the appropriate pronunciation and intonation. To prepare for this I practised the poem consistently at home, and worked with Agnes Small and Julie Inman on learning

how to effectively portray the poem’s meaning and articulate the correct French pronunciation. Last year I came down with a cold right before the competition, so I did not have the ability to perform at my best. This was one of the reasons that motivated me to work hard

and practise consistently in preparation for this year’s competition. I was thus given the opportunity to present the poem once more at the prize giving ceremony, and was grateful to have received first place. I found both preparing and competing in this competition an excellent

way to support my French learning.

Congratulations to all the students who took part for representing the school so well!

CampbellStudd(Year9,2ndprizePoetry),LillianMalone(Year11,1stprizePoetry)and

Photo:JulieInman

Year11studentsPenelopeSlamen,AmyMa,BonnieHewitt,LillianMalone,Elsie BatchelorandBeatrixHuxtableatHobartCollegeonthedayofthecompetition. Photo:JulieInman

SophieColeandHsin-HuaPetersonkunanyi/MtWellington.Photo:NicholasCole

EmmaHillandLillyDavatzesatDarkMofo.Photo:KateHill

SophieColeandHsin-HuaPetersfeedingkangaroosatBonorongWildlifeSanctuary. Photo: Nicholas Cole

Friends’ Climate Action Group wins grant to inspire and educate our community

Eve Cooper (Year 12)

Towards the end of Term 2 this year, the Senior School Climate Action Group submitted an application for the Hobart City Council’s Youth Climate Action Fund. We were successfully granted $2500, and our group is excited to have begun organising our own event to be held later this year. We are planning to hold a ‘screening’ afternoon, showing three short environmental films, with a Q&A panel of local Tasmanian environmental activists and documentary makers.

Some of our guest speakers include Cassy O’Connor - passionate Tasmanian

environmental activist - and Pete Walsh, known for his involvement in the ‘Platypus Guardian’ documentary, recently released last year. Our group has also contacted Karen Gowlett-Holmes and Mick Baron, from the Eaglehawk Dive Centre, whose short film ‘Reviving Giants: A Journey into the Restoration of Tasmania’s Giant Kelp Forests’ we are planning to screen at our event. In an effort to restore the devastating loss of kelp forests on the East Coast, Karen and Mick have worked with scientists and researchers over recent years to rehabilitate these ecosystems. While it is easy to watch and listen to people speak about environmental issues, and the negative impacts

they are having, our group aims to turn this awareness into action. We believe it is important that our event reflects a sense of ‘climate hope’ and optimism towards being able to make a positive change. We are also planning to reach out to various local primary schools around Hobart to involve the local community and hopefully inspire more younger people to take action towards environmental issues they are passionate about.

Waste-free lunch days in the Primary School

Katie O’Rourke (Year 2 Teacher)

Inspired to take action and improve our world, Primary School students initiated waste-free lunch days throughout the school year. The idea first arose through the Environment Council’s observations after the Clean Up Australia school event in Term 1. Students were inspired to reduce the amount of litter in the school and the wider environment. The goal was to raise awareness about placing rubbish in the bins, keeping it out of our school grounds, and encouraging people to choose more sustainable options.

Environment Council members collected and weighed rubbish from each class during waste-free lunch

days. The class with the least rubbish was awarded the trophy, handmade by Solly Clark in Year 6. This trophy is currently on display in Class 4D.

“Waste-free lunch days are good because it shows that even the tiniest changes can make a big difference.” - Annie

“I enjoy waste-free lunch days because everyone tries their hardest to save the planet.”Ahviya

“I like it when we weigh the rubbish in the assembly to see the results.” - Arlo

“I have fun on waste-free lunch days because I like having less waste in my lunch box.” - Helly

“I like how we look after

the earth by trying to have no rubbish in lunch boxes. I like how everyone tries.” - Reya

“I love waste-free lunch days because our environment needs to be improved.” - Ella

“I like waste-free lunch days because they keep our world healthy.” - Reuben

“I love to help the Earth.” - Summer

SollyClarkandLilliSaward atthewasteweigh-in.

Photo:EmilyKeeling

Eco-warriors roll up their sleeves for environmental learning and service

Nicola Collins and Tracie Acreman (Middle School Learning Leaders)

Term 3 has seen a strong focus on the environment across all facets of the Middle School curriculum, with connections between subjects and concepts leading to diverse and rich learning outcomes. A highlight for both Year 7 and 8 students was the Environmental Service opportunities.

Year 7 students had five different activities to choose from. In Eco Warriors, students explored the pitfalls of fast fashion and took time to recycle and upcycle second-hand clothes. Their culminating activity involved a visit to City Mission Op Shop and Warehouse in Moonah, as well as The Food Bank, where they learned about food waste, second hand clothing, and upcycling. In Marine Guardians, students investigated plastic pollution and participated in an Environment Action excursion, collecting plastic

and rubbish from various coastlines, thanks to Pennicott Wilderness Tours. Those in Green Guardians spent two days planting, weeding, mulching, and clearing sites, while Eco Crafters Wildlife made rescue pouches and wildlife kits before attending a mini wildlife rescue course at Bonorong. The Eco Builders Birdhouse Conservation group made birdhouses and delivered them to Inala Nature Reserve on Bruny Island. Yet again, the Year 7 students made the most of each learning experience.

Year 8 students tackled environmental issues through a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) approach. Their Environment STEAM Quest offered six distinct pathways, each addressing different aspects of environmental stewardship, including:

• Designing experiments to understand and protect the natural world.

• Applying STEM skills to solve environmental challenges.

• Developing sustainable initiatives to address local or global issues.

• Exploring the ethical dimensions of environmental decisionmaking.

• Creating educational tools to teach younger students about environmental concepts.

• Using visual arts to convey scientific principles.

• To complement their classroom learning, Year 8 students participated in an excursion supporting six non-profit organisations in the greater Hobart area, focusing on earthcare and sustainability.

Through studying environmental issues and engaging in hands-on community work, students develop the knowledge and skills to think critically about environmental challenges from both a local and global perspective.

White wings whirring over the Kindergarten

Heidi Wiebke (Kindergarten Teacher)

Have you ever found yourself near the Kindergarten, in the Peace Garden or maybe in Meeting House looking up at the sky only to see a pure white bird circling or landing? Our 4 year old Kindergarten

children have been observing this spectacle for a few years now, wondering what sort of bird it is and why it keeps coming back. Early this year there was more than the usual level of curiosity and excitement about the bird and its white wings, whirring above our community.

As the children played in the Kindergarten garden, on what is often referred to as the ‘Sunny Side’,

their enchantment and wonder grew. Lisa Brooke, Kindergarten Learning Assistant, captured the children’s questions to help us listen to their ideas more deeply. Reviewing the comments and ideas they shared, we decided to write to our neighbour across the road, whose house the white bird seemed to be visiting frequently. The curious minds of our kindergarten children were brimming with ideas and questions. Emmett asked, “Is it a real bird?” Anton said, “What type is it and why do we always see it there?”. Some children thought it might be a pigeon or a seagull. We drew the bird and added our drawings to the letter before delivering it to the neighbour’s letter box.

To our delight, very soon

afterwards, we received a reply to our letter! Our neighbour, Claire, responded and offered to come to visit the kindergarten to answer our questions.

Claire explained that the bird arrives around the same time most mornings. It seeks shelter and protection and Claire told the children feels very fortunate to have this bird visit her house. She asked the Kindergarten children if they would help to answer a question for her, and her family; they were keen to name the bird, Lucky or Angel and wanted the children’s thoughts.

Many of the children thought they should put the two names together and call it Lucky Angel.

On our walks to Meeting House we passed the white

Year 2 investigate scats, fossils and fungi at Waterworks Reserve

Alice Row (Year 2 Teacher)

On Friday the 16th of August, Year 2 friends ventured into the bush areas around Waterworks Reserve with the intention of collecting scat samples. In groups they worked together to identify which animals were responsible for the droppings, then built a variety of animal shelters with natural materials from the environment. Here are some of their findings:

“My group found fossils.” - Anna

“When we were building our animal habitat, we found two redbacks and one whitetail spider. We had fun after lunch building big tents using sticks and bark.” - Archie

“We used a pamphlet to identify poos. We found lots of wallaby poo.” - Ahviya

“We found wombat poo in the grass. We identified it with the animal poo flip.” – Naomi

“While my group was making an animal habitat we found two pieces of iron that had rusted.” – Freddie

“When we were making the animal habitats we found a stick with fungi plates on it.” – Summer

“Me and Ella found a very light-green poo. We thought it could be a mouse poo.” - Sienna

“It was really fun to collaborate with other people to make the animal shelters.”

- Max

“We got to see all the different sorts of poo and identify the animals that made the scat.”

- Ella

Kindergartenstudentsobservinganunusualwhitebirdwho makesaregularvisit.Photos:HeidiWiebke

dove and the peace sign and we discussed this symbolism with the children. Afterwards, in the garden, the children called to Lucky Angel to see if the bird would respond. Maddy called, “Hello Lucky Angel, have a good day swooping.”

We hope that when you are near the Kindergarten you will see and appreciate Lucky Angel too.

Year2findingcluesofanimallifeatWaterworksReserve.

Photo: Gina Colhoun

Art & Music

Cardboard chronicles: unveiling identity and memory through everyday objects

SeverineCherry’scardboardsculpturesfortheTCEMidyearExhibition

Severine Cherry (Year 12)

This year, in Art Production, I wanted to explore how people imbue objects with meaning and memory, transforming them into reflections of our identity. I chose cardboard as a medium to connect with the concept of materialism, referencing the commercial exchange of goods. Additionally, in poetry, cardboard often symbolizes something artificial or lacking in substance, emphasizing that it’s the meaning behind

‘Buckets’ of imagination in IB theatre performance

Year 11 IB Theatre Students

In May the Year 11 IB Theatre class presented their first ensemble performance for family and friends. Adam Barnard’s 2015 play, buckets, is a series of short scenes connected by themes of hope, dreams, childhood and the future. Wry, emotive, funny and heartfelt, buckets takes a unique perspective on a universal dilemma: how do you deal with the fact that time always runs out? Year 11 undertook directing and working collaboratively to stage this play. Everyone enjoyed different parts of the project.

“It was great to do a show that had more adult themes for an audience, and it was a great way to have a sense of where our theatre-making skills were at and what the Theatre course would demand of us in Year 12.” - Jacqui Kus

“We came to this project with really different levels of experience, and so it was great to build a rapport with each other and work as an ensemble. This was my first public stage

JulietMacIntyre,BeaHuxtable,JacquelineKus,CharlieMelroseandCaityGreggperform ‘buckets’.Photo:TammyGiblin

performance and my first time looking at how a play text gets from the page to the stage. We realised we needed to get up on stage early in the process and try out ideas for scenes, react to each other and see what worked.” - Bea Huxtable

“I found the creative licence we were granted in executing the play rewarding, and an excellent basis for extending the humorous and absurdist themes. The lack of confinements regarding stage directions made for a collaborative dialogue and openness to everyone’s

ideas that was evident in the performance.”

- Juliet MacIntyre

“It was good to apply our knowledge of voice and acting to characters and stories in the play. I liked the opportunity to experiment with technical production elements like lighting and AV projections to help us shape the piece of theatre.”

- Caity Gregg

“I really enjoyed taking up the director role for scenes, and throughout the whole process.

It was good how we arrived at a consensus of what each scene was saying and what we wanted our audiences to take away from our show.”

- Charlie Melrose

“We were worried about how it would translate to the stage and were pleasantly surprised by the audience’s enjoyment of the show, and their great feedback afterwards.”

- Bea Huxtable

For instance, one of the objects I created is a unique branch, something with no monetary worth. It was inspired by a piece of driftwood I found on a beach in New Zealand when I was five. My parents and I spent a magical afternoon building a cubby house from natural materials, with this stick serving as the chandelier. This branch has become a tangible link to my past, embodying the joy of that memory and reflecting the importance of the relationships that define me.

The

My goal is to create 40 objects out of cardboard, carefully modeling them after items in my life that hold deep emotional significance. By reimagining simple materials into intricate works, I hope to invite viewers to reflect on how their identity can be expressed through the objects in their environment.

Nanz takes the crown at Amnesty Battle of the Bands

Somemembersofthewinningband,‘TheNanz’,Hamish Clyne,CharlieBradford,andRupertBullard.

Photo:JoeBoyer

Luke Mulcahy (Year 10)

On Thursday 29 August at the Farrall Centre the Amnesty Battle of the Bands kicked off in spectacular fashion. The evening was highly enjoyable and entertaining, featuring many talented musicians. In a close and exciting contest, the winners of the night were The Nanz , consisting of Otto Newstead (keys), Charlie Bradford (drums), Hamish these objects that truly gives them value.

Clyne (bass), Ollie Crawford (lead guitar) and Rupert Bullard (rhythm guitar and vocals). Rupert Bullard (solo) and Echo Motion tied as runners-up. Many students volunteered their time to ensure the event ran smoothly, whether by assisting backstage or collecting donations. A shop set up by VET students offered a range of refreshments. Overall the event was a great success, raising funds for Amnesty International.

Art & Music

Buzz words: Art2Words Writing Prize inspired by Emi Pavlides’ “Microscopic Murmurs”

The Art2Words writing prize is an annual Friends’ School writing competition, based upon the Ancient Greek practice of ekphrasis: responding to an art work in words. The art work which is the inspiration for the creative writing was the winner of The Visual Arts Prize of the previous year; ‘Microscopic Murmurs’ by Emi Pavlides.

Emi’s work explores the silent and tireless ways in which Native Tasmanian Bees play a role in maintaining biodiversity. Her artworks are inspired by the work of street artist Louis Masai and highlight the beauty, significance and fragility of native Tasmanian bees. Hyper realistic in style and focussed on different angles, the large-scale yet complex details and characteristics unique to each species are central in accentuating their inimitability, whilst the uncanny pin is a vital symbol for how we should shift our focus on the concept of biodiversity.

We congratulate the 2024 Art2Words winners.

Poetry Winners

Secondary: ‘Untitled’ by Elizabeth Anders-Cooke, Year 9

Senior: ‘I am merely human’ by Saanvi Sinha, Year 10

‘Untitled’

By Elizabeth Anders-Cooke, Year 9

The ungodly sight flashed through its tainted vision, Insects pinned to a wall.

Blankly staring into the beyond.

Short Story Winners

Secondary: ‘Back home’ by Rose Pullinger, Year 8

Senior: ‘The hive’ by Hazel Jennings, Year 11

I am merely human.

By Saanvi Sinha, Year

10

(My body is a microcosm.)

My eyes are the fluttering wings of a butterfly

With a blue morpho shine like Orion’s Rigel

Eyes glazed over with fear, anger, and hatred to mankind, Hatred to all that destroy the ecosystem that mother nature has provided for us.

Those who were tricked before them, drawn through the window, following the heavenly scent of the flowers on display.

Hydrangeas, azaleas, akin, sitting pristinely to draw attention, luring in targets like a siren using tremendous beauty to secure its desires.

But with all beauty is danger.

A gust of wind swept through the graveyard, rustling from an eerie tune of screams into a cacophony of corpses.

Evaporating the hopes of dying creatures, there is no chance of survival.

The force of the nail turned a curious bee into a Display.

Why are natures’ angel wings strung up for their beauty, when they should be saving our world?

My skin is the golden-brown grass of the Savannah

Blushed red with the desert rust of Mars

My blood runs like the waters of Finland

Flowing continuously like the rivers of Titan

My thoughts are the streetlights in Singapore

Never-ending stars in the blackest night sky

My heart is the sleeping dragon of Antarctica,

The lava lake of Erebus, the red storm of Jupiter

My emotions are an explosive supernova

On the surface I appear serene as a nebula

Anger drives me wild like the oceans at Cape Horn

Hatred colours me black as the Iceland beach

Sometimes all I see is a leafless tree, a setting sun; I’m the fractured Silfra, the cosmic cracks in the Universe

But I ride the storm as a seasoned sailor

Watching the auroras over the black-sand beauty.

Leaves grow back even on the barest of trees

Shining brighter than ever, the sun returns daily.

The cracked Silfra is vibrant with life,

My seams are lined with bright gold, Kintsugi

My mistakes are my heartbeat

As essential as the black holes in a galaxy

Each spin of the Earth brings a new me

Each breath that I take is a gift to use wisely.

My body is a microcosm

My mind is the macro

My body is stardust

My mind is the universe

I am merely human.

School choral students lead the way for Young Tasmania Sings 2024

Annabel Hutchinson (Year 7)

During Festival of Voices in July this year, more than 400 students aged from 10 - 14 from schools and youth community choirs had the opportunity to perform at the Federation Concert Hall over two nights as part of the Young Tasmania Sings program.

The performances were conducted by Dr. Anthony Trecek-King, an acclaimed choral conductor from the USA. Dr. Trecek-King also led a two-day workshop for the students. The repertoire ranged from traditional Southern spirituals, including “This Little Light of Mine,” to more modern compositions such as “Be Who You Are” by Ryan Main.

The schools rehearsed separately and only came together in the last week

before the performance. This was made possible through the efforts of the Friends School choral students, who learned the material first and then recorded tracks for the other schools to use for their learning.

It was a fantastic experience to learn from such a talented conductor and to raise our voices with other children from all across the state.

Outdoor Education

Year10tacklingtheHazardsRange,Freycinet

Year10bravetheelementsatMountFieldontheirWinterSkillstrip

AnnabelleHutchinson,IsabelleScar,AnnaWalker,Jemima Stacy,andChloeAinslie,Year7,bikingattheMeehanRange SamuelGingoldandJacquelineKusrockclimbingat Freycinet

Otis Monks, Harper Pratt, Harrison Tilyard, Lilli Saward and Ivy Bird Maloney, Year 3, investigating habitats at Mount Field

Outdoor Education

Felix Wilson, Bella Wells, Esperance Rapley, Lucy Wilson, WilliamGardner,LincolnPearceontheOverlandTrack

Outdoor Education

Year 8 connect to conquer Freycinet Circuit

Evelyn Wilson (Year 8)

We had an amazing experience at the Freycinet camp in Term 2. It allowed us to form stronger friendships with classmates and explore the incredible Tasmanian environments right on our doorstep. We went sea kayaking and coasteering, both great for

team-building, and hiked up to the Wineglass Bay lookout from Richardson’s Beach to Hazards Beach, returning along the coast in the morning.

One of the highlights was seeing amazing bioluminescence in the waves at night, and we had lots of fun playing frisbee and naming every wallaby we saw. We appreciated the chance to see wildlife up close, although some of the

larger moths were slightly terrifying! In the evenings, we bonded over burned pasta sticking to the bottom of our trangia pots and shared reflections on our experiences from the day, bringing us even closer together.

Through this camp, we gained a better appreciation of the natural environment around us and learned how we can help take care of it.

Muddy maths brings learning to life

Emily Wilson (Prep Teacher)

Twice a term, on fairweather days during Terms 1, 2, and 3, the Prep children have ventured out to Linear Park in Lenah Valley for a new outdoor learning experience we’ve called ‘Muddy Maths.’ Here, our eager mathematical investigators engage in openended maths challenges that connect with the learning they’ve been doing in class. The outdoor environment provides a wide range of stimuli for mathematical concepts, including using found objects such as leaves, sticks, and stones to create radial patterns, constructing 2D or 3D shapes, and measuring objects using informal units.

It has been wonderful to see the Prep students engage so confidently with a space they feel deeply connected to,

feeling

a

Year 4 practise simplicity at Risdon Brook Dam

Hugo Bullard (Year 4)

On Friday June 21, Year 4 went to Risdon Brook Dam to experience how Tasmanian Aboriginal people and colonists lived in the 1780s to 1790s.

We first read a map to find out where we would set up our camp, which was in an open area with a little tree and lots of sticks. We build a shelter by putting lots of sticks together and tying string around them, making lots of stick pillars, and connected them all together. We then put a tarp on them. The

biggest challenge was making this shelter with all the sticks and loops with the rope. We also had to carry big sticks of wood which was hard.

Tilly’s biggest challenge was “communicating with the group, because to build the hut we had to communicate”

We then had to create bush art which resembled our team. We were called Yellow Starfish, so we built a starfish. We first made the frame out of sticks, and then made the starfish surrounded by hay and grass, then we put a wallaby skull on it that we found on the ground.

We had to collect water from a bag to make tea or hot chocolate. We found a long

path going west that looked the same to the one on our map, so we started walking down the path which was very long. At last we got to a tree and found the water, and walked back.

Once we had collected the water, we used a little pot with oil at the bottom and got matches to make a little fire. We then cooked the water over the fire and after that we got to have hot chocolate or tea which was refreshing and delicious.

My favourite part of the day was making bush art and collecting the wallaby skull to put on top, and collecting all the materials.

and

and connections to share.

after visiting Linear Park for Earthcare sessions in Kinder last year. With

healthy mix of calculated risk-taking, hands-on activities, and fresh air, we always return to school

energised

excited for our next Muddy Maths

MunroeMacqueenandIsaacCarterwatchingthesunsetfromHazardsBeach

Year 4 build shelters at Risdon Brook Dam. Photo: Katie Danswan

Inclusion & Equality

Year 5 rally together for charitable endeavours

Lindy Maddock (Year 5 teacher) and Amanda Evans (EALD Teacher)

The concept of ‘Sharing the Planet’ goes beyond the Year 5 unit of inquiry; it’s a call to service and a reminder of the importance of our relationships with others. As part of this unit, Year 5 students engaged in some meaningful experiences such as an incursion from Loui’s Van and an excursion to the Salvation Army. These both emphasised the power of understanding, and

responsible action and service in shaping a better future. Students were asked to consider authentic ways to take action following these experiences, and they took the lead in addressing a critical need - warm socks and delicious biscuits! They organised a sock drive, rallying their classmates to contribute. Many students worked hard to give service at home to earn money to purchase socks to support this cause, even if it meant doing extra chores like cleaning the bath! The socks were distributed through Vinnies Van, providing much-needed comfort to many individuals braving the harsh winter conditions.

In addition, some students also embraced the opportunity to cook biscuits for Vinnies Van, a small but meaningful treat for those who receive them. Year 5 students Calliope and Pippa continued to think of ways to support others. They joined a knitting club and as Calliope said, “We are making knitted squares to join together to make blankets to donate to Vinnies.” Pippa said, “They are going towards a good cause.”

What community cause is close to your heart and why do you feel passionate about it?

“A community cause most important to me is about minimising the damage from the Tasmanian Salmon Industry, due to the amount of oxygen these behemoths suck up from native waters, many fishes suffocate due to the lack of it in the waters. And, due to these fat fish, the Maugean Skate is at the brink of extinction, due to chemicals from the Atlantic Salmon, to make them more delicious and bigger, filling them up with chemicals. I feel passionate about this subject due to many native Tasmanian animals getting eaten, or at the brink of extinction. I think this is important due to major environmental issues caused due to salmon, such as native animals being devoured by boatloads of fish, and chemicals getting absorbed into the water.”

“I feel really passionate about helping abused and hurt animals. I have a cat and I got her from Ten Lives after her mother was abandoned by her owners. Animals provide such an amazing sense of joy and happiness. If all animals have a good home, our community could really benefit. Charities like Ten Lives are amazing for anyone who wants a pet, especially if you can’t afford a really fancy pet, places like Ten Lives are amazing. The best thing about these charities is that they offer support to owners as well as pets by giving discounted pet food, toys and litter. The STP unit of inquiry really helped me understand how important charities really are. Our class helped Loui’s Van by doing service at home so that we could ‘earn’ the money to go out and buy some nice fluffy, warm socks to donate to Loui’s Van.”

“I feel passionate towards donating and helping the less fortunate. We take a lot for granted and have many things we don’t need. If we think about all the things we waste, we don’t eat and don’t use, it’s a lot. I have thought about all this much more after recent excursions to places like St Vincent de Paul, where we got to pack bags of emergency food and learned about Loui’s Van”

“I like the Louis Van and Vinnies charity because they give meals and clothes to people who need it the most or can’t afford it. Sometimes they just have a friendly conversation to help people to feel happy, which is important to create a healthy and happy community.”

HenryBullard,RolandSparkandChristianAlexanderwiththeirfoodcontributionsfor theSalvationArmy.Photo:LindyMaddock

If you were to start a not-for-profit organisation to help in our community, what would it be and why?

“We are a Quaker School and believe that everyone should be equal and live peacefully. I would start an organisation to raise more awareness for the homeless by supplying information, food, shelter and clothes, including hats and beanies.

I love to knit and learn new skills so I could set this up or contribute. I got this idea after I realised how much of a problem this was in Hobart through going to the Salvos and talking to people who look after and run Loui’s Van.”

“Maybe I would create a centre like Ten Lives Cat Cafe but I would make it free so people who could not afford to get a pet could benefit. They could also talk to others which would make people feel connected. We all know that pets make everyone feel good.”

we

“To truly make a difference to those in need, we can start noticing even the little things happening around us in the community and donating, helping and supporting people because that is the humane way to be. So when people are finding everyday life a struggle, like not being able to afford food and sleeping on the streets, we need to play our part to bring happiness to everyone.”

Year 5 students with socks for Vinnies Van. Photo: Amanda Evans

How can

truly make a difference to those in need in our local community?

Christian Alexander Emily McSwan Mari Donovan Sefton Wynne

Charlie Richards Ellie Norris Calliope Xintavelonis

Inclusion & Equality

Friends’ School Quiz Night unites community in support of refugees

On Friday, August 30, The Friends’ School hosted the Service Quiz Night, organised by student leaders Lizzie Ralph (Year 12), Emma Xu (Year 11), and Juliet MacIntyre (Year 11). The evening, held at The Farrall Centre, saw a turnout of more than 100 members of the school community and representatives from community partners.

The event aimed to support the 2024 Year 12 nominated charity: Friends of Refugees Communities Tasmania (FORCT). FORCT is an independent, non-profit organisation that works to

create a positive future for people seeking asylum and refugees in Tasmania. Their mission aligns closely with the values of The Friends’ School, promoting inclusivity and support for those in need within the wider Tasmanian community.

John Xintavelonis (also known as John X, widely recognised for his theatre and charity work across Tasmania) kept guests entertained as quiz master with captivating questions and lots of laughs. There was also fantastic entertainment and a competitive silent auction featuring generously donated prizes from local businesses.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and the school community, the Quiz Night raised approximately

$4000, which will be donated to FORCT to fund their community programs.

The organisers, together with the Senior School Stewardship Committee and Service Coordinators, would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to the success of the evening, including the many student volunteers and the school community engagement team. Everyone who helped make the event such a fun and enjoyable evening exemplified the spirit of service and collaboration that is at the heart of The Friends’ School community.

Tackling racism: from eye-opening refugee stories to global connections

On August 15, half of the Year 11 IB cohort met with the students of the Young Migrant Education Program to participate in their Students Against Racism workshop, run by Gini Ennals. We engaged in activities such as learning how to say ‘hello’ in the first languages of the students and hearing them tell stories about what had displaced them from their home countries, along with the immigration process in Tasmania. We heard many stories from the student migrants, ranging from the difficult process of seeking asylum as refugees to the racism they face every day, both individually and systemically.

The Friends’ School IB

Diploma cohort has been collaborating with the Young Migrant Education Program for over a decade now, and days like these are a truly valuable experience as they connect powerfully to the IB’s focus on learning with a global perspective and the Quaker testimonies of Peace and Equality.

The stories that stood out to me were Sandra’s experience of cruel racism on the bus, Jaweriya’s story of finding out her mum had died from the other side of the world, and Omid’s feeling of staying connected to his culture and family through religion. However, the day was not just about hardship. We also learned about their hobbies, interests, cultural practices, and who they are as people. We met the whole person— not just the refugee—and by spending time getting to know them, I feel that

we avoided what author and activist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls “the danger of the single story.”

We tackled difficult topics on an emotional level. Global issues such as the ongoing refugee crisis, inherently linked to conflict and racial or religious prejudice, were elucidated to us through individual lived experiences. Additionally, this experience gave context to some of my academic studies. For example, I am concurrently learning about Australia’s 2015 ‘No Way’ campaign in Language and Literature, human rights in Global Politics, and immigration to francophone countries in French. The transdisciplinary links were powerful. Overall, this day provided incredibly valuable insights; it was an experience that I am very grateful to have had.

Emma Xu (Year 11)

Lillian Malone (Year 11)

Inclusion & Equality

Colony 47 demonstrates homelessness is in our own backyard

Selena Cheung (Year 11)

The opportunity for Year 11 IB students to work with the team from Colony 47, a Tasmanian not-forprofit organisation tackling homelessness, was a fulfilling experience for me. Before this, I was unaware of the issue of youth homelessness in Tasmania and how it affects people my age. We watched

a video about a girl our age, Lydia, who lives in Tasmania. She shared her experience of being homeless and living in Colony 47’s Mara House. This made me realise that youth homelessness isn’t just a distant problem, but one that impacts people in my own community.

My classmates and I brainstormed ways to support those experiencing homelessness and how to raise money and spread awareness for this important issue. What

stood out to me the most was realising that our simple ideas could genuinely help shape and positively impact the lives of others. It reminded me that compassion, awareness, and action are all crucial in tackling issues like homelessness and I am motivated to stay involved and make a positive change. For this, I’m grateful.

Middle School leads homeless donation drive

Esther Hoggart (House and Student Leadership Coordinator, Years 7 and 8)

Middle School Student House Leaders and Service Council representatives recently had the opportunity to tour the Safe Sleep Space, the Hobart City Mission’s crisis accommodation for the homeless. Students felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the privileges they are lucky enough to have, and were motivated to be able to make a difference

for the homeless of Hobart. After a brainstorming session, students settled on a House Donation Drive and Film Competition; these initiatives, they felt, could make a difference not only with items donated, but also to inform others of such an important issue in our society. Over the course of the next few weeks, the Middle School community donated over 600 items, all of which will be delivered to the Hobart City Mission.

The Film Competition, inspired by the ‘Homeless Action Now!’ theme of National Homeless week saw a wide range of excellent

quality short films, all of which inspired others to take action and make a difference. Congratulations to Eva Cumunel (Year 7) for her winning entry. The films all carried an important message about the homeless in our community, including the following line from our runner-up entry from Charlotte (Year 8); “Something you may take for granted is something others are wishing for.”

Pride Day in Middle School

SophieJohnson’swinningartworkforPrideDay.

On Wednesday the 26th of June the middle school held a Pride Day to celebrate The LGBTQIA+ community and acknowledge the struggles that they can face. It was a free dress day, and every student was encouraged to dress as colourful as possible with a gold coin donation

going towards our student giving day. At recess, a bake sale was held in the Middle School foyer where anyone could buy a cookie, cupcake or lollipop for one dollar. The total amount we raised from that was $106 and it was donated to Working It Out , an organisation which provides education and support surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Middle School also

held a Pride Art Show in the library, in which anyone was welcome to submit an artwork based on pride and acceptance. There were many kinds of artwork including paintings, drawings, digital artworks and animation. Congratulations to Sophie Johnson for your beautiful painting and for winning the art show!

MiddleSchoolStudentsEvieWilson,AquariaNicholas,CharlotteHoyle,LucyDownie, MillyMorgan,andMaxSkalawiththeirhundredsofdonateditemsforHobartCity Mission.Photo:EstherHoggart

Young Leaders Program: supporting learning for Tasmanians with disabil ity

Isabel Adams (Year 11)

For the past 20 weeks, I have had the privilege of visiting the Southern Support School every fortnight as part of the Young Leaders of Tasmania program. The Southern Support School caters to students with significant intellectual disabilities, providing them with an environment that supports their learning. I visit the school every second Friday morning. Their day is just beginning when I arrive, so I often read, colour, or play with one of the students before we have a morning class meeting. During

this meeting, each student practises their name and describes which emotional ‘zone’ they are in, before the class learns about a new letter, listens to a song, and identifies words that start with that letter.

Young Leaders of Tasmania has been an incredible opportunity. I have learned a lot about how different students learn and communicate. Communicating with the students there, many of whom are non-verbal or use augmentative and alternative communication devices (AACs), has been challenging but rewarding. I have gotten to know some of the students well and have enjoyed gaining

insight into their lives. I have also developed a greater appreciation for the staff and other support people who dedicate their lives to improving educational access for individuals with disabilities.

Each student in the class I work with is unique, and each has shared something different with me. Witnessing their hard work, humour, and cheekiness has been a privilege. When I first arrived, I was worried that the students might struggle to accept me into their classroom, but I needn’t have worried. Most of the students were very open to getting to know me. One student, in particular, loved showing me

all the books she was reading and chatting with me about her family. We also played with dollhouses and did some colouring together.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Support School over the past semester. I have learned a lot through this experience and gained confidence in making new friends and interacting with people with disabilities. I would strongly encourage any student who has the opportunity to participate in the Young Leaders of Tasmania program to do so, as it truly is an incredible opportunity.

Photo: Keren Franks

Zoe Barta (Year 7)

Year 10 work experience insights: discoveries from animal farms; aviation; creative studios and beyond

We asked Year 10, “What did you learn about yourself on your work experience placement?”...

“... How a workplace is comprised of so many different people with different qualifications, skills, strengths and experiences. This opportunity helped me to understand that I work best with a more structured timetable and I like to know the schedule! - Bahzi Nicholas placed at Inala Nature Tours/ Jurassic Garden, Bruny Island

“...It can be really fun or entertaining in a workplace, all the while being serious. It takes a bit for me to get out of my comfort zone, but once I am, everything becomes easier.”

- Bailee Rugen placed at St Johns Ambulance and LivEat

“... I most definitely would like to work with animals. I chose the dairy farm because I wanted to work with animals but wasn’t sure what yet, and this confirmed that I love it, and I don’t get freakish with gross or sad things involving them. I met lots of lovely people and I fell in love with the animals and I learnt many new skills like milking cows, different things involving the calves and so much more. I absolutely loved it and would 100% do it again.”

- Beatrix Millhouse placed at Downie Family Dairy Farm

“Work experience at GHD was extremely helpful and thoroughly enjoyable, and I was fortunate to meet new people who were so nice about giving me their time. I commend their efforts to show me as much as possible of their work in a short amount of time. I have realised that this specific type of engineering wasn’t for me, and that I do not like to be stuck in an office all day, I’d like to be outdoors and working on an object, for example a trade. Overall I enjoyed my time at GHD.” - Emerson Darke placed at GHD

“...I’m capable of much more than I thought, and in the workplace, adapting to situations is key. Stepping into a workplace was something that I’d never experienced before, and I found that to make the most of my work experience placement I had to step outside of my comfort zone. To have a successful placement YOU have to be the person asking the questions, stimulating conversation and being willing to learn new things.”

- Amelia Cooper placed at Southern Cross Austereo

“... Communication is the most important thing. You have to share your thoughts really often and have to be courageous to speak for yourself or ask any questions when needed. Being able to concentrate and cooperate during the process is extremely important, as everyone has their own task to do and I had to try not to interrupt them and learn from the side when they are working.” - Annabelle Pong placed at Island Dental

“...I really enjoy working with younger children and in the education industry. I found that I was good at working under pressure and taking initiative when working. I found it a little challenging to adjust to 4 different class settings and apply the teaching strategies preferred by that teacher, but after a bit, I got used to it. I overall loved the experience and am now even more confident that I want this career pathway.”

- Poppy Baker, placed at The Hutchins School

“...I really enjoy learning about the anatomy of the body, and identifying the issues on the different scans. I also loved interacting with the patients, the majority of people who came into the clinic were predominantly older, and all of them were friendly. I would love to work in the medical field, and I’m really open to specialising in orthopaedics.”

- Noble Fajrianto placed at Pritchard Orthopaedics

“... I need to stick through more experiences that may scare me, academically, socially and more. This was something I was really nervous about, and at first I was regretting going, but I settled into it pretty fast and I got a lot out of it.”

- Rowan Walker placed at Harmony Garden Centre Lauderdale

“...I really liked doing both the practical side as well as the data analysis of the sorts of things they do at IMAS. For example I found the field work where we were using the BRUVs really fun, as well as the work that I got to do with the Maugean skates, but I also enjoyed getting to see some of the climate modelling that they do.”

- William Dunbabin placed at IMAS Taroona

“...I am actually able to thrive in scary and unfamiliar environments whilst being able to feel confident and comfortable in myself, allowing me to learn.”

- Rosa Newton placed at Paula Sutherland and Associates, & Parliament House with Minister Howlett

“... taking initiative is one of the best things you can do on a worksight by finding something for you to do instead of being told what to do. It is a very important aspect to have, which I think I developed throughout the week.”

- George Downie placed at AFL Tasmania

EmersonDarkeonsiteatGHSEngineeringforwork experience

VET Coffee Shop a welcome addition to the Senior School

Catie Connolly (Year 11)

The VET coffee shop is part of a course that thirteen VET students are currently undertaking to complete our certified Barista training. We

began serving hot chocolates at the middle school in Term 2, and for Term 3, we’ve moved to the common room at the senior school. While students sometimes order coffee, it’s mostly for the teachers!

The course started with a day-long barista training

session at TAFE, followed by several sessions at school to refine our skills on the coffee machine.

The coffee shop operates during recess. We are on a roster system and need to each complete five sessions to finish the course. I particularly enjoy making the hot chocolates. I don’t drink coffee myself—I get hyper from it!

One of my biggest challenges is the organisation required: figuring out the orders and deciding what to do first. It can get really busy, so maintaining open communication with the team is key to managing it. I didn’t have any hospitality experience before this course,

but I hope it will position me well for a job in a café.

On Friday, September 13, we held the VET dinner at the Farrall Centre. We all got to create our own recipes and dishes, and had three weeks of practise to refine them. On the night, we served a menu to approximately 60 people including family and staff. The menu featured a range of dishes made with Tasmanian produce such as oysters, rare beef, duck and gnocchi, middle eastern lamb, blueeye, cauliflower and almond fetta, and a range of decadent petit fours for dessert. It was a beautiful night, and a great success!

CatieConnolly,FelixRead,KurtDenmanandThea BeckittservingcoffeeattheVETcoffeeshop.

Photo: Susie Cretan

A quest to understand perspectives: Year 7 exemplars

Each term, Middle School students are offered a ‘Quest’ in Connections. In Term 2, the focus was ‘perspectives’ for Year 7. The launch day included a wide range of activities to immerse students in the concept of ‘perspective’. They were offered six broad options for their quest: Writing, art, film, issue (divided perspectives), conflicts, and animation. There were many outstanding submissions. Here are just a few.

Zoe Boyer - I chose to write a short story about a girl who goes on a journey to see things from an animal’s perspective. On her adventure, she meets a lot of different types of people with different perspectives on life. I wrote this because I thought it would be fun to write a fiction novel about a real life topic. It would teach that so many people have so many different thoughts and also raise awareness of the problems of animal testing.

Ella Clauson - I looked at the different perspectives surrounding the Tasmanian AFL Stadium and created a presentation on the positives and negatives. It was really fun and interesting to research the different viewpoints surrounding the proposed stadium, and it helped me understand the issues and form my own opinion based on the facts.

Eva Cumunel - I made a film from the perspective of a bug in the rain. I focussed on camera movement, colour grading, and angles. I was happy with the dramatic mood and atmosphere I created. (The sound is from the film The Sixth Sense).

Hugh Salter - I made a model of a Britain and German streetscape during 1943 in the heat of WW2. In the middle of my centre wall I put two people, one German and one British, looking at each other through a hole to convey that even though we think we’re totally different, when we look deeply we are all still human, no matter what others think.

Year 6 explore Canberra’s Parliament House

Klara Kozlowska (Year 6)

One of the biggest highlights of the Year 6 Canberra Trip 2024 was definitely Parliament House.

On May 15, a very excited grade six cohort waited until they were allowed to enter Parliament House. Everyone was amazed upon entering the foyer. Stella’s first impression was, “It was very… big and fancy. There were a lot of politicians there, wearing big suits.”

Parliament House is where politicians make important decisions, both in the House of Representatives and the Senate. We listened to Members of Parliament while they were in the middle of

‘Question Time.’ It was very cool listening to what the politicians thought about important issues like the cost of living.

We also got to listen to our own federal member, Andrew Wilkie, and ask him questions. Sydney asked him a question about entitlements. Andrew said that he doesn’t support a pay rise, but… he didn’t say anything about not supporting entitlements.

Lots of students were interested in the House Of Representatives. After all, it’s going to be our generation who are going to make very important decisions for the future, and maybe some of us will be politicians!

A favourite moment for many of us was the amazing view that we saw when

we went on the rooftop of Parliament House. We could see a beautiful view of the whole of Canberra. Everything looked so small!

Sydney says about Parliament House, “I loved learning all about how politics works, and what the politicians actually do. It was a really good experience for people wanting to explore being in parliament when they grow up. The view on the rooftop was beautiful! I also really enjoyed the frozen yoghurt.”

Some tips for going to Parliament House include being polite, asking questions and listening carefully to the information they give you so you can have a meaningful experience.

Edie Chuter - I used drawing to explore the perspectives of a dog through different senses including sight, taste, smell and hearing. I used lead pencils and a putty eraser to sketch four different angles of a dog. Each drawing highlighted a different sense.

Expression explosion

Year 6 Students

Throughout Term 3, Year 6 students embarked on a series of incursions and excursions to inform their inquiry into ‘How we express ourselves.’ Driven by the idea of expressing a core concept from each PYP Exhibition personal inquiry, students explored a wide range of creative mediums and visited three of Tasmania’s leading creative venues.

Hobart Youth Arts and Recreation Centre was an explosion of creative invitations. With instruments, sewing, pool, basketball, art and more, we were blown away with playful opportunities, generous resources and friendly people.

Hadley’s Oriental Hotel Art Prize completed our excursion with exceptional art that left us awestruck. “It was cool how each painting had a story behind it,” said Olivia.

“Some pieces looked abstract, but had really deep meaning,” said Georgie. “Even though we may not have understood how they chose the winner, the meaning was deep,” added Divy.

ABC TV Camera Operator

Kate Nickles and actor John X answered our questions about TV production and acting. ExitLeft director Ian Williams and performer Lily showed us how quickly and easily an interesting skit can be created.

The icing on the cake of our exploration into the creative industries was a mindblowing tour of MONA’s NAMEDROPPING exhibit, followed by a private presentation from curator Sarah Wallace.

Back at school, dance teacher Casey-Rae Mullens helped us break through the awkward self-consciousness barrier by leading a fun movement warm up with energising music. She then put us in groups and gave us a

short amount of time to create a performance expressing a particular emotion.

Parent Gregor Salmon visited our classrooms and demonstrated the power of pseudonyms, speaking to us as novel writer JJ Miller. Little did we know that genres such as legal thrillers follow a particular pattern, like a recipe, and can be churned out for a hungry audience! We were genuinely excited to visit the Middle School, with year 7 just around the corner. Nicola Collins facilitated a playful and disinhibiting drama workshop within the stunning glass-clad library. Her energetic exploration of voice and movement was engaging enough to keep us focused, despite the distractions of new books to explore and an epic view. Our minds were opened to the vast array of ways in which people express themselves.

Year6admiretheHadley’sArtPrizeexhibitiontoinformtheirinquiry.

Photo:NicHempel

The Jean Yeates Writing Prize

The Jean Yeates Writing Prize is awarded annually at The Friends’ School. This year it was judged by esteemed Tasmanian writer, Dr Danielle Wood who is working with students and staff as our 2024 Writer in Residence. Hazel Jennings (Year 11) and Grace Winspear (Year 12) were announced as joint winners of the prize.

Danielle Wood observed that Hazel’s Memoir “Cocoon of Stars” works with the metaphor of the moon receding from us before switching to the profoundly personal view that we are all receiving from our beginnings as we change and grow. Her writing was delicate, and honest, and Danielle especially liked her clean copy and correct use of the semicolon. Grace’s poetic entry “riffs on the iconography of fairy tales … in an abundant deluge of striking imagery”, according to Danielle.

Read “Cocoon of Stars” by Hazel Jennings here:

Friends’ all-rounders excel at Da Vinci Decathlon in Sydney

Clementine Chatto and Sophie Cole (Year 9)

The Da Vinci Decathlon competition is an academic competition with teams of eight competing to solve complex challenges in the categories of Cartography, Creative Producers (drama), Legacy (general knowledge), Engineering, Science,

Art and Poetry, English, Ideation, Code-Breaking, and Mathematics. As you can imagine, a successful team needs to have a range of abilities and skills!

This year the State competition was hosted at Hutchins. The very motivated Friends’ teams remained focused and committed, winning and placing in many individual challenges. Teams in the Year 6, 7, 9, and 10 divisions were crowned

overall winners, and the high school winning teams were invited to progress to the national competition. There was much excitement and logistical planning to enable 24 Friends’ students to travel to Sydney for the National Finals held at Knox Grammar School on a weekend in late June.

The Da Vinci Decathlon was conceived and developed by Knox Grammar School Continued on page 21

Sleeping Beauty

By Grace Winspear

How small was the pea beneath the mattress?

No less green than the sky.

A glass casket shattered across the heavens.

Or was it a slipper?

Invisible splinters jammed into the soles of my feet.

A muddled malaphor of fairy tales slips from my lips like a satin ribbon unspooling across the horizon.

A marbled knife cutting into the heart of the sky.

Full moon push pin.

Pock-marked grin.

Beaming ear to ear, falling up towards the sea mirrored in your tea-water eyes.

I take my milk lite.

Stalagmite.

Chemical spill.

Raspberry jelly oozing from the gaps between her broken teeth.

Eyes like cinnamon buns, glazed over reflecting blood-slick ballerinas cascading in a row towards oblivion.

Skip a heart-beat, spin the wheel.

Spindle finger-prick, a drop of crimson leaking into ink.

Throat choked with candy coated cotton balls.

The shine of a thousand far away suns reflected in a single tear.

A shimmer, flicker, lick her

raspberry stained mouth.

Tongue tracing the stars, a sticky pink trail.

Slack jawed choir chorus. Verdant emptiness swallow me whole.

The poster child for awe.

Photo: Duncan Kirkwood

Friends’ School teams at the State Da Vinci Decathlon at Hutchins School. Photo: Duncan Kirkwood

Continued from page 20 as an academic enrichment opportunity, which is why Knox graciously hosts the National Finals each year. At this level, the competition is extremely strong between the top teams from each state in Australia. Knox also hosted many other events and activities such as a scavenger hunt, a lecture from an academic and entertaining performances from the winning Creative Producers teams, including our own Year 7 Friends’ team!

Friends’ were very successful in the finals, with many notable results. The Year 7 team placed first in Creative Producers,

third in Science and fifth overall. The Year 9 team placed first in Cartography, Legacy and Code-Breaking as well as placing third in Art and Poetry and fourth overall, and our Year 10 team placed third in Art and Poetry. Friends’ teams were certainly ‘punching above their weight’ with these impressive performances, and all teams were outstanding ambassadors for their school and Tasmania. While we focussed on challenging our brains and teamwork, we also enjoyed some downtime with friends with shopping at Westfield Chatswood and a trip to Taronga Zoo. We all took

the ferry back to Circular Quay and took in the views of Sydney Harbour and the Bridge, climbed the steps of the Opera House, and had a quick walk through the historic Rocks area. Oh, and also some great gelato! We all enjoyed experiencing Sydney’s train system and luckily no one got lost or left behind (a phone may have been, but was thankfully returned via post!). The competition and opportunity to travel as a team to Sydney was a great experience and we all had lots of fun. We are also VERY motivated for success in 2025!

STEM excellence: Year 10 students shine at Science and Engineering Competition

Amelia Cooper (Year 10)

Each year, Year 10 students across the country come together to build, create, and problem-solve at the annual Science and Engineering Competition, a nationwide STEM outreach program run by the University of Newcastle and supported by sponsors such as Rotary and partnering universities like UTAS.

In as many teams of four as a school can gather, students create solutions to various realworld problems, representing their school and competing against others. Tasmania’s regional competition was held

on Wednesday, May 15 at the UTAS Campus in Sandy Bay. Our Friends’ group won with 32 students (8 groups) and progressed to the state final in Launceston.

In four hour-long periods, each group participated in different stations targeting many different aspects of science and engineering. These included windmill building, scheduling, tower building, and many more. One group from each school was randomly chosen to build a bridge to withstand as much weight as possible moving across it, having only been given a certain amount of resources and time. The day finished off with a presentation of all the bridges built, and an announcement

of the winning school.

Else O’Leary and her group created a wind turbine, solved a tricky timetable scenario for an airport, and drafted a power grid for a city. Else says the competition was a great opportunity to apply skills and knowledge to reallife situations, where students are exposed to aspects of science and engineering they would not usually see in the classroom.

We encourage Year 9 students who are interested in a career in STEM, wanting to expand their knowledge of the world they live in, or simply wanting a fun and engaging day with friends to sign up for next year’s competition when the opportunity arises.

Year6winningteam:EthanLittle,SydneyMcInnes,DerekHsiao,KlaraKozlowaska, StellaHoggart,NathanOne,LolaMennitzandMilesO’Raffertyatthe2024StateDa VinciDecathlonatHutchins.Photo:SharonRyan

LizziePopaandateamwithafocusononeofthechallenges.Photo:SimoneSummers WillDunbabin,AngusMilne,NobleFajrianto,Wolfgang Baukesenjoyingachallenge.Photo:SimoneSummers.

Photo: Simone Summers

Reading is magic: Book Week enchants

students, staff and families alike

Sharon Ryan (Teacher Librarian)

When you hear “Book Week”, do you think “dress-up parade”? At Friends’, it is so much more! Over five days, our community comes together for a rich and diverse celebration of books and reading. New connections are made, friendships are formed and relationships are strengthened as we share the magic of literature and the joy of sharing a great book.

Each morning in the primary school, 17 classes began with a new story, read by five different individuals. Students also gathered in 26 mixed-year groups, where Year 6 students read aloud, and everyone shared ideas and created personal creative responses to the stories.

The celebration extended beyond the school day, as 40 families gathered in the library for afternoon tea and a chat, exploring the library and sharing their love for books. Family members played a key role, with ten parents and grandparents coming in to read to students during recess and lunch. These special sessions drew over 100 attendees.

Lunchtimes were buzzing with excitement and it was standingroom-only as students took part in a Fairytale Escape Room or dove into story-themed crafts. Alongside so much reading, staff highlighted the magic of reading by performing a rousing song and dance number on stage.

It was a truly joyous week!

Ann-MarieNuttallreadthebookStellarphant,afavourite bookofhergrandsonHarrisonBremner(standingtoleftof picture).PointingisLindsayCaiandnexttoherisWolfe Bonney.Photo:SharonRyan

JuliaKeatingreadtwobooksselectedbyherdaughters Ava(left)andLily.Photo:SharonRyan

Staffdancedtothesong‘Readingismagic’fromFreckleland.Photo:FionaLewis

Sustaining relationships through stories

Fiona Zinn (Deputy Head Early Learning - Year 1)

There is never a day that goes by at Friends’ Early Learning without the delightful connections that come from engaging with stories, and this year during Book Week, the theme of ‘Reading is Magic’ leapt to life across the centre. Our School engages with Book Week differently to most, instead of calling for costumes and characters, we dive right into the world of stories and explore all the different relationships and connections we make through books and literature.

To celebrate their love for stories and books this year, the FEL children brought some of their favourites to share and read with friends. Many wonderful stories emerged across the week arriving each day in the hands of the children. The children in the Starlight Room borrowed the ‘magic carpet’ from the recent Senior School production of Aladdin - and it definitely hit the spot! The carpet was proudly placed in the middle of the story reading mat, bringing a special touch of magic to our daily storytelling experiences. Across the week we also engaged with a different ‘mystery reader’ each day - with many different community members enjoying sharing their special stories with the children.

Our wonderful mystery readers included a wide range of guests, from parents (some of which should definitely consider careers in the performing arts!) and grandparents (who read beautiful traditional and contemporary tales in their home languages), and some special members of the school community sharing some of their own childhood favourite tales.

Following these experiences the children have launched into authorship, avidly making their own books in many different shapes and sizes, and all with important messages to share and stories to tell. The children have also been collecting their thoughts in a large shared book, tracking all their theories about a new Starlight project: Ideas about Ideas.

TheBigBookofIdeasatFriends’EarlyLearning. Photos:FionaZinn

There are so many ways that story and literature, authorship and bookmaking shape our learning and play at Friends’ Early Learning; from sharing a story, acting out narrative in dramatic play and of course writing our own books as we keep traces of all their clever ideas as they emerge. Each week new stories materialise and captivate the children, all of which fosters a delightful engagement with the world of books.

Here’s some excerpts from the Big Book of Ideas: Can you share an idea?

“Yes, by hugging people.” - Nina

Where do ideas go when they leave?

“They stay in our head. They only stay in our heads for a bit, not long because they are an idea.” Where do they go? “They go somewhere else in our body.” - Darcy

What can ideas do?

“Ideas can make wishes. They dream them. You have to stay awake. In the morning, you have them when you wake up. Once I had a dream my rainbow could talk.” - Eloise

Trish Mannix with Louis McDonnell and Billie Yates

School Community

Fantastic fair raises $11,500 for local wildlife

On Saturday 4 May was The Friends’ School Fair. It was a wonderful day with many creative student lead craft stalls and activities. We were also fortunate to have some student musicians performing on the day from Primary School, Middle School and Senior School, and were even offered a special sneak peak of the school musical Disney’s Aladdin JR.

We thank all the incredibly dedicated staff, volunteers and students who helped with Fair preparations in the lead up and on the day, as well as everyone from the community who attended. Without your support this event wouldn’t have been the success that it was. We proudly raised $11,500 for local organisation Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary who will use the funds to develop their new Wildlife Hospital.

We had an extensive variety of stalls including foods, crafts, entertainment and games. Food options included international cuisines to local favourites, including food trucks, coffee van, freshly pressed juices, ice cream, sushi, Indonesian, bubble tea, Mexican and freshly made pizzas. Our providore and bake sale were hugely popular, along with our adopt-a-bear, plants and seedlings, books and boardgames and second hand uniform stalls. Tommy Choo Choo Train was a highlight of the day with many students making their way to the bottom green for a ride. As always, the face painting was very popular and got the community prepared and ready to dance the afternoon away at the silent disco. It was also wonderful to see our students running activities, including paper plane making, a soccer shoot out and badge-making.

View a thank you message from Greg Irons, Director of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, and meet one of the orphaned wombats, Bingo by scanning the QR code below.

a video of highlights that was produced by Year 12 student, Sam Jones, by scanning

Parent Year Group Representatives

Bill

Avery (Director of Community Engagement)

This year, we have established our meeting format and membership of the newly formed Parent Year Group Representatives Group. This group is a selection of parents/guardians

from each year level at the School from Kindergarten to Year 12. There are currently representatives up to Year 10. They work together, and with the School, to foster community spirit and connection among the parent and school community.

There are over 25 Parent

‘Reps’, with meetings held each term, who have helped organise or volunteered at events, fostered new parent connections and helped with

Friends Together: 2024 Giving Day

Bill Avery (Director of Community Engagement)

various communications.

Reps have also provided valuable assistance with advocacy and feedback on recent road safety initiatives and measures around the campuses.

If any parent would like to participate in this group, please visit the ‘Community’ section on the School’s website for more information.

On Wednesday 26 June, all students from Kindergarten to Year 12 supported the School’s annual giving program, Friends Together. This year the Friends’ community is raising funds for the School’s needs-based scholarship, The Friends’ Fellowship.

Students participated in several activities and discussions across Primary, Middle and Senior School campuses, including reflecting on the meaning of philanthropy, its connection to our Quaker values and the impact we can have collectively on those around us. Students also thought about the importance of

diversity in the student population, gratitude for their own education and what we can do to make all new students feel welcome at Friends’.

Some comments from students included:

“We think that people can have a bad background or past and coming to Friends can give them an opportunity to put that behind them and give them a chance to meet new people and have a better environment to work in.” - Year 7 student

“In Year 1 we shared beautiful ideas like ‘friendship’, ‘love’, ‘understanding’, ‘positive words’, ‘smiles’, ’empathy’, and being an ‘ally’, and now our classroom is filled with heartfelt reminders of these wonderful concepts of giving.”

- Year 1 students

“The Fellowship creates much needed inclusion, because when we isolate students by class, we fail to see the full picture of any idea we promote:

it’s not diversity, or equality if one demographic is excluded from our community. To add to that, if we lack perspectives in our community, it damages the integrity of our academics and arts: by excluding people, we lack diversity in our experiences, and we miss the depth and breadth of true understanding.”

- Senior School student

Since 2018 The Friends’ Fellowship has enabled six students who would not otherwise have the funds to access a Friends’ School education.

For this year’s Friends Together Appeal, we are thrilled to have raised over $100,000 so far, which will support at least two students to attend Friends’ for the next 2 to 3 years.

To donate or find out more about Friends Together, please visit www.giving. friends.tas.edu.au

Photos: Rosie Hastie

View

the QR code.

Obituaries: Sheila Given and Frances Bladel (Payne)

By Kathy Rundle

Sheila Given AM died on 27th June, 2024 aged 95 bringing to a close a long life well lived. Her life was celebrated “in the manner of Quakers” in early August in The Farrall Centre . It is with deep thankfulness and respect that we honour Sheila here in Focus. She spent nearly fifty years supporting The Friends’ School and the Quaker community.

Born Sheila Hope, in December 1928, she grew up in Portarlington, Ireland. Sheila and her two siblings were children of the Great Depression. Their father ran a shop in Portarlington and the children went to School and attended Church there. Sheila gained her Leaving Certificate in 1947 and was offered an opportunity for further education as the recipient of a scholarship to Froebel Kindergarten Institute in Dublin. She graduated from Froebel with a Teachers Certificate in 1949.

In February 1949, Sheila met John Given at a dance in Dixon Hall, Trinity College. They married in 1951 after John graduated as a Dental Surgeon from Trinity. Sheila and John began married life in Bedford, England, Sheila working as a teacher and John as a Dentist. Her own words tell us that “teaching brought me satisfaction and marriage was a fulfilment”.

Sheila was a full-time mother with 3 children under 8 years old when, in1964 the family moved back to Ireland

and a fourth child, Lucy, was born. Their disquiet over “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland led John to apply for a Tasmanian Government contract and adventurously he, Sheila and the four children emigrated to Tasmania.

The Given family arrived in Hobart the day after the shocking bushfires of February, 1967. They set up home in Snug, at the Dental Officer’s residence. Around 1970 the Given family relocated to Hobart, Sheila secured work with the Mobile Kindergarten and Belle and Lucy were enrolled at Friends’. A year later, in 1971, Sheila followed her daughters having been appointed as a Kindergarten teacher at Friends’. During her fifteen years at The Friends’ School Sheila worked as a classroom teacher and as Head of the Friends’ Junior School from 1975 to 1986.

Sheila’s life was touched by Quakers in her early years in Ireland. However, it was The Friends’ School contact and the significant influence of Bill Oats that brought her to become a member of the Society. She found the sense of community with the Quakers and the School helped sustain her after the untimely death of John in 1978.

Sheila retired from her teaching position at Friends’ in 1986. The years which followed - her 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s were remarkably productive. Sheila continued her education studies through the University of Tasmania. She became an active champion of lifelong learning and positive aging in Tasmania.

Sheila obtained a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Education Studies and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration, from the University of Tasmania during those early retirement years. In 1997, following her UTAS studies, Sheila published In the Spirit of Family - the Story of the Friends’ School 1945 to 1995. She also contributed a weekly column in the Sunday Tasmanian from 1995 to 2002.

Sheila was invited to join the Friends’ Board and in time became the first female Presiding Member of The Friends’ School Board of Governors. Other positions she held included President of the Tasmanian Chapter of the Australian College of Education, Chair of the Drysdale Institute of TAFE Council, President of the Association of Independent Schools of Tasmania, Chair of the Elizabeth College Council and Inaugural President of U3A Kingborough.

Ever busy, Sheila was a member of Quaker Service Australia, and of Committees for the Tasmanian Plan for Positive Aging, the Tasmanian Education Council, the Hamilton Literary Society and was President of the Council of the Aging.

Sheila was awarded many honours over the years including Fellowship of the Australian College of Education in 1994 and Commonwealth Senior Australian Achiever in 1999. In 2006 she was placed on the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women, in 2007 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia, in 2009 Hobart Citizen of the Year and Life Member of COTA in 2010.

A sports fanatic, Sheila adored tennis, cricket and rugby union (the Wallabies) - she attended and watched sport, consuming lots of chocolate during more tense contests.

Sheila’s remarkable life was spoken about during the Meeting for Thanksgiving. Mention was made of her mothering, grand mothering, wide friendships and mentoring. Mention also of her great energy, culture and care for educating, her wit and sense of humour, her kindness and good interpersonal skills, her clear opinions, her wisdom, her supportive friendship and sparkle. Mention was made of Sheila’s cooking skills (including fruit cake making) and handiwork (including delicate embroidered shawls for new babies). She was remembered as a greatly respected colleague and inspirational leader.

Sheila travelled the world but freely acknowledged “life in Australia has been wonderful. I feel I have maximised my potential here”. We give thanks for the life of Sheila Given.

Frances Bladel (Payne) (1933-2023)

By Alison Boleyn

The Friends’ School would like to pay tribute to Frances Bladel (Payne) who died at age 90 in December, 2023. Fran, who attended Clemes College in the 1940’s, was the Labor MP for Franklin between 1986 and 2002; in her inaugural speech she said she was “perhaps even one of a rare species” at the House of Assembly, in terms of gender. Fran came to politics after more than a decade teaching and she raised her son alone after being widowed when he was three. LGBTQIA+ equality advocate Rodney Croome AM says Fran was a strong proponent of decriminalising homosexuality at a time when it was not a popular reform and “partly responsible for Tasmania having the nation’s best Anti-Discrimination Act”. In 2006, Fran was inducted into the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women for her service to government, education and the community. Please note that our printed version of Focus was issued with some inaccuracies which have been corrected here.

We Give Thanks for the Lives of...

Barbara BIRCH (CROOKALL) (1950)

Frances BLADEL (PAYNE) (1940’s)

Judith BOWDEN (TAYLOR) (1952)

Ian COOPER (1957)

Lyndon DICKENSON (1964)

Elaine DOWNIE (MADDEN) (1951)

Ross FORD (1957)

Robert (Bob) FRASER-EASTON (1961)

Philip FOWLER (1950)

Sheila GIVEN (Staff)

Helen HAWKER (CRISP) (1944)

Mary JOHNSON (Staff)

Rosemary JONES (ASCHMAN) (1951)

Charles MACFARLANE (1950)

Malcolm READ (2014)

Elaine ROWLANDS (JACQUES) (1959)

Donald SALMON (1950)

Clinton Rumesh SINGAL (1981)

Nicholas (Nick) STILWELL (1953)

Jeremy THIESSEN (1959)

Judith WILSON (SCHOFIELD) (1956)

We are saddened to hear of the recent deaths of these Friends’ community members since the last edition of Focus. We hold them and their loved ones in the Light.

Sheila Given (1928-2024)

School Community

Alumni representatives: upcoming activities to build connections and strengthen community

The Friends’ alumni community encompasses alumni and their families, former staff and volunteers, and friends of the School – wherever they are in the world. Alumni Representatives volunteer their time to create meaningful connections amongst the alumni community and with the School across geographic locations, cohort years and different parts of our community. We also have a lot of fun!

We recently farewelled retiring Alumni Rep Riley Curtain (2020) and welcomed new Alumni Reps Mark Nicholson (1971) and Susie Cretan (2010). We are always grateful to alumni that volunteer and particularly thank Riley for helping to launch Friends’ Alumni Mentoring. Mark and Susie have hit the ground running having already visited the School to award school pins to the Class of 2029 (currently Year 7) and we look forward to their ideas, energy and contributions with upcoming alumni activities.

Currently in the pipeline for our alumni community is:

• A Past Staff school tour and reunion on 28 November 2024

• The launch of Friends’ Alumni Mentoring via Friends’ LinkedIn.

• Collaborating with the School’s Pathways team to support and connect students and alumni.

• Welcome cards from 50+ Lunch attendees for commencing Kindergarten students.

• Remaining 2024 reunions including Class of 2019 and Class of 2023

• Distributing school pins for the Class of 2030

• A Marimba reunion in mid 2025 - preparations are well underway!

• An alumni sports club reunion in early 2026

• A Chess reunion, timing to be determined - we need a passionate chess player to help us!

Friends’ Alumni LinkedIn community

To access mentoring opportunities, all alumni are invited to join the The Friends’ School LinkedIn group (select The Friends’ School in the ‘education’ section of your profile using the drop down list).

There are over 500 alumni now active in our LinkedIn community that you can reach out to about changing or furthering your career. Email us at stayconnected@friends.tas.edu.au if you need help connecting with another alum.

We extend our sincere appreciation to our current Alumni Reps for their commitment:

• Lucy Loney (Ogilvie) (1988), Convener

• Gryff Connah (2022)

• Susie Cretan (2010)

• Jade Galbally (1995)

• Trish Groom (1966)

• Roly Hill (1959)

• Mark Nicholson (1971)

• David Ovens (2017)

• Roger Stilwell (1956), British Columbia, Canada

• Alex Given (2009), London, UK

• Tessa Fink (1999), GermanyThe launch of Friends’ Alumni Mentoring via Friends’ LinkedIn.

For more information about any of these activities please get in touch with Jenny Mitchell or Lucy Loney at stayconnected@friends.tas.edu.au.

Update your details so we can stay in touch and keep you up to date with what is happening in the School community by emailing stayconnected@friends.tas.edu.au.

You can also update your details by visiting the community page on our website, www.friends.tas.edu.au/community, or finding our alumni communities on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Book a Campus Tour

We warmly invite members of the School community and prospective families to experience a personalised tour of our campuses. Discover our new facilities and observe our students actively engaged in learning.

To arrange a tour, please contact our Director of Community Engagement, Bill Avery, at bavery@friends.tas.edu.au or call (03) 6238 2301.

Submit an Enrolment Application

We are reaching, and have reached, enrolment capacity in many year levels for 2025 and beyond. To avoid disappointment, we encourage our School community to submit an enrolment application to commence your child/grandchild’s schooling at The Friends’ School or be added to a waitlist as early as possible. For more information, please call our Enrolments Office on (03) 6210 2286 or email enrol.office@friends.tas.edu.au

To complete an enrolment application, visit www.friends.tas.edu.au/apply-now

Gillian Johnson (class of 1951) making IB connections

Year 12 students Isabel Ascui, Anika Jolley and Charlotte Cox have handwritten 10 letters to alumni around Australia as part of their International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

“It’s been a strange few years with the pandemic and we wanted to connect with older alumni,” explains Isabel, who designed and created the lino prints that accompanied the letters. “We hoped to hear their stories and tell them about the changes on campus but also to share that Friends’ has the same values as the Friends’ they knew,” says Anika who, with Charlotte, handmade the writing paper from water and her parents’ shredded notes.

The students always knew they wanted to work together on their CAS project. The CAS Program (standing for creativity, activity and service) is a core component of the IB diploma that “dovetails perfectly with our Purpose and Concerns as a Quaker school”, says IBDP Coordinator Sarah Walker.

The first reply came from Gillian Johnson (nee Hickman, 1951) who described growing up on the grounds of Friends’ in the 1930s and ’40s as the child of a housemaster.

“We’re considering starting a letter-writing club,” says Anika. “People became quite interested because that first letter back was full of insightful stories.”

Gillian’s letter, lightly edited and reprinted with her permission below, describes her first 12 years, when she lived in the main building and played with boarders every afternoon:

“I lived in The Friends’ School from the time I was born, in 1935, because my father, Stuart Hickman, was a teacher and a housemaster responsible for the boy boarders.

My father, mother Clara and my brother Brian and I had rooms in the main old building of the school. We had two living rooms and, upstairs from our bedroom windows, we could look down over the city and out to the River Derwent.

Sometimes we ate in the main dining room with all the boarders; I recall them having to stand behind their chairs while our family walked the length of the room to our table. There were probably 50 boys and 50 girls. It was not a very comfortable walk!

I enjoyed being right on the spot to go to school when I was old enough. Some children came to board quite young so I had friends to play with every afternoon after school. We had much freedom in the garden, making cubby houses in the base of huge pine trees north of the main school gate.

I know my mother enjoyed the company of the women teachers who cared for the girls who boarded. She often popped into their living room to chat and laugh with them. She was also busy helping the main housekeeper. There was a shortage of domestic and household staff during World War II and the housekeeper had

a demanding job feeding the boarders and dealing with laundry and other chores.

In 1944 the headmaster Ernest Unwin died suddenly of a heart attack and my father was appointed to be acting headmaster until William Oats, a Quaker from Adelaide, came to be the new headmaster. Our family had moved to our own house in Carr Street but soon after, in 1947, my father was appointed headmaster of a school in Melbourne. We moved when I was 12.

I maintained contact with some friends from Friends’ including two who studied with me at the Kindergarten Training College in Kew. I taught, married, had two daughters, lived overseas and settled in Melbourne where I did a master’s degree in clinical psychology and worked supporting families dealing with problems in the early development of their children. After I retired, I spent time on the board of an organisation that supported preschool teachers working with children mostly from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Now my husband and I enjoy our retirement: travelling, reading, attending theatre and classical music concerts, and spending time with our grandchildren and good friends.”

- Gillian Johnson

Introducing Friends Alumni Mentoring

At the heart of The Friends’ School is a commitment to building a strong and vibrant global community and so we are excited to announce the launch of Friends Alumni Mentoring to support these aims.

Friends Alumni Mentoring provides opportunities for alumni to connect, support, and inspire one another wherever they are in the world. By participating, alumni can offer their wisdom, experience, and guidance to current students and recent graduates, helping to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

After conducting a review, the School selected LinkedIn as its preferred place to develop our global digital community. Through the use of existing technology we can capitalise on existing capabilities and make use of a platform that is already familiar to many. When you visit The Friends’ School on LinkedIn you will see the ‘Alumni’ button – where you will already find just under 500 alumni already registered.

Class of 2020 graduate Riley Curtain used the Friends’ alumni LinkedIn community recently to schedule some mentoring time with a leading Singapore based alum who specialises in economics. Through emails and a video meeting, Riley found the advice he needed to change and resolve the right pathways for him at University.

Every alumnus of The Friends’ School has a unique story to tell. By sharing your journey, you can inspire and motivate current students and fellow alumni. Your experiences, obstacles, and successes can offer important lessons and insights that may benefit others on their own paths and be a source of inspiration. We invite all our alumni to join our Friends’ digital community on LinkedIn. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected, and more vibrant global Friends’ community. Friends Alumni Mentoring is deeply rooted in our shared commitment to ‘community’, and aims to create meaningful, useful and lasting relationships that transcend generations. As alumni of The Friends’ School, you are our ambassadors in the wider world. By embodying the Quaker values in your personal and professional lives, you can demonstrate the positive impact of a Friends’ education.

“I was on The Friends’ School LinkedIn page and I kept getting recommended people who had gone to Friends’ and were now quite senior economists all over the world. So I found one or two different economists and the Community Engagement office put me in touch. I was a little bit nervous. I had no reason to be intimidated, he answered all of my questions and gave me lots of advice.”

- Riley Curtain, Class of 2021

Fromleft:Charlotte,IsabelandAnikawiththeirhandwrittenlettersandlinoprints,whichpicturetheGreenSeaTurtle, anendangeredspeciesinAustralia

GillianJohnson

School Community

QuickUpdatesAlumni

Our thanks to Alison Boleyn for our alumni updates for this edition of Focus. If you have an update to share please email stayconnected@friends.tas.edu.au.

English entrepreneur Nicola “Punch” Maughan visited Friends’ earlier this year because of her family’s historical association with the school. This includes her grandfather, Harold Barclay Allen, who in 1905 was sent with his brother Douglas to Hobart from Melbourne to attend Friends’. Later his brothers Fergus and Colin also went to Friends’. Punch’s family traces its Quaker roots to Ireland in 1700.

Lois Calvert (1953) matriculated as a Dux before studying at the Universities of Tasmania and Canberra, teaching writing and literature and tutoring with the Adult Migrant English Program. She and her mother Edith Calvert co-authored The Johnsons of Castle Hill: The Story of a Tasmanian Family (1996) and she shares the experience of her displaced Norfolk Island ancestors sent to Van Diemen’s Land in 1808 in her essay “Digging for Yams” (Griffith Review, 2012). Lois plans to publish a selection of her essays online.

To read about other Friends’ alumni in Lois’s family, please visit www.friends.tas.edu.au/news

When Beverley Young (nee Reid, 1955) introduced early intervention groups for children with disabilities in the 1970s, she had to persuade authorities to allow mums into the room. In 2007, the speech pathologist was awarded an Order of Australia for her work in disabilities and wildlife preservation. “I feel my life has been worthwhile because of the Friends’ ethos,” says Bev.

“It’s not an easy time to be a young person,” says Paul RobertsThomson (1971), who works on Table Cape Farm and Van Diemen Quality Bulbs with his wife Bronwen and children Meredith and David, with five grandchildren growing up close by. “My advice is to pursue education, quality relationships and your values, which are unlikely to be significantly mediated via the internet.”

Rather than go to art school, Jonny Scholes (2009) taught himself to code and has built a life that unites his two loves: painting and technology. The street artist, painter and Vibrance festival founder is committed to open source. “The idea that everyone should have an equal opportunity was an underlying value from my schooling and upbringing,” says Jonny. “Knowledge should be shared.”

This year, after nine in the industry, Nina Schubert (2003) has opened her own residential real estate agency, Insitu Property Hobart. Both Nina’s children study at Friends’ and she thanks her own schooling for how she approaches her profession. “Those values fostered by Friends’, of integrity and treating people equally, mean being completely honest and transparent, no matter the news, and giving people time.”

Mary-Lou Stephens (1978) did not know what she wanted to do when she completed Year 12 at Friends’. Her parents’ advice to “get some life experience” set her on paths that have ultimately led to her becoming an author – most recently of the Hobart-set historical novel The Chocolate Factory – and “slow” travelling the world rather than residing in one place.

When designer Crispin Rose-Innes visited Tasmania from England in March, he sought out the gravestone of his great uncle; Godfrey Williams was principal of The Friends’ School for less than a year before dying unexpectedly in 1908, aged 31. “I found the experience quite emotional,” says Crispin. “His life was cut very short… he was just getting started.”

Rhodes Yannarakis (2022) has completed his first year studying and living on-campus at Princeton. “I think there’s an advantage applying from Tasmania because the university wants to bring in different perspectives,” says the former IB student. Like all freshmen, Rhodes must study a variety of subjects before choosing his major. “I originally thought about economics but I’m leaning towards public and international affairs,” he says.

Emi Pavlides (2023) says “there are signs” pointing towards a life in art, rather than her other love and field of UTAS study, chemistry. When she showed as the youngest artist in Handmark Gallery’s Emerging Artists exhibition this year, both her paintings – hyperreal, close-up oils of bees – sold before opening. “I’d love to apprentice to an older artist,” says Emi. “Learning Renaissance techniques would be incredible.”

Reunions

Friends’ classmates reunite

In 2024 our alumni community has been actively participating in numerous reunions, with five events taking place in May alone and the Class of 2019 and Class of 2023 scheduled for later in the year. These gatherings have fostered a sense of community, provided valuable networking opportunities, and helped maintain lifelong friendships. Reconnecting with old friends has been heartwarming, creating lasting memories and reinforcing the bonds formed during their school years.

Class of 1974 reunion

We were delighted to host the Class of 1974 for a school tour on Friday 3 May, followed by a commemorative dinner the next day, Saturday 4 May, at The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, marking the 50th anniversary of their graduation. Forty-nine alumni enjoyed a memorable dinner, filled with laughter, shared stories, and even a rendition of the school song.

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us from around Tasmania and interstate and especially for those who survived the early morning row on the Derwent the following day!

Class of 1984 and 1994 reunions

The Class of 1984 and Class of 1994 enjoyed their reunion on Saturday 25 May with the two year groups enjoying a whole school tour marvelling at the transformations made to our buildings, followed by drinks and nibbles at Boodle Beasley in North Hobart. There was genuine and heartfelt excitement and chatter as old friends reconnected with each other over drinks and nibbles.

Thank you so much to everyone who was able to attend, especially to those who travelled from interstate and even from the UK!

Class of 1984 Reunion

Classof1974atHodgkinHall

BlairJepson,JeremySmith,GinaEdwards,JohnBrennan,TamzinHookway

SimonBoughey,KateBamford (Woodward)&GuyMcQuilkin

NinaDobie(Tucceri),KimVojacek

RichardPrebble,QuentinStevenson-Perks &GillianTurner(Beattie)

KimRobertson,KarenAlderton (Strickland)

Rob Mason

GeorgeGiannakopoulos, Alison Caldwell

Reunions

Class of 1994 Reunion

LucyHiggs,JenFearn(deLittle),DavidTitherley

LoganBittinger,JennyHo,MelanieWoolley(Fisher),PhilZakaria,CraigCooper

EmilyDorney(Manser),JamesPettifer,BlancheSawbridge,AngeMcHugh(Cooper)

Class of 2004 and 2014 reunions

On Saturday, May 25, we welcomed back alumni from the Class of 2004 and the Class of 2014 for their school reunions. We were fortunate with beautiful autumn weather, perfect for touring the campuses before gathering at Overland Brewers & Distillers in North Hobart. The evening was full of laughter, great food and drinks, and creating lasting memories. A big thank you to everyone who joined us.

ElannaWade,LisaKingshottandGenevieve Smith

JenniferO’Farrell,EricaRidge(Galloway),ImogenWegmanandImogenDoddridge (Koolhof)

LauraPaton,RemieOakes,LucyCottier (Classof2014)

SofiaTsamassiros,LucyCottier,IsabelleWarner,JackWaller,HenryHarvey,JobCarrTurbitt(Classof2014)

Upcoming Past Staff reunion

We are pleased to invite all former staff members to our upcoming Past Staff Reunion on 28 November! This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends, share memories, and celebrate the incredible experiences we shared together. Whether you were with us for a short time or many years, your contributions have left a lasting impact, and we would love to see you there!

If you have not received your invitation already, help us stay in touch with you by providing your current contact details to stayconnected@friends.tas.edu.au so we can organise your invite.

TobyGreenless,AndrewCastley

Peter Eland & Callum EastwoodSutherland

BriarnaWhitford&SkyeDayal (Matthews)

NickTompson,JessicaBuckely(Bills)

Class of 1994 school tour

Smells like house spirit

Lizzie Ralph and Otto Newstead (Year 12)

House spirit has been bigger than ever in the Senior School so far in 2024. With new weekly activities being introduced and house points up for grab, the senior students have been taking part in new sports, games and performance opportunities

with enthusiasm. Each term, a new house sport has been introduced, with house teams competing against each other every week to win the title. This includes Futsal, won by Ransome, Netball won by Hodgkin and Volleyball still in high competition. House Chess has been a massive success, with groups of students competing in intense chess matches each week. Overall in term two, Hodgkin came out on top with the most points. This

term, Uno has been added to the mix. House Music took place on Friday August 30 in a Battle of the Bands type fashion, with Unwin coming out on top with a beautiful rendition of Billie Eilish’s ‘Birds of a Feather.’

House pantomime for Humour Foundation

LindyGannon,HeadofMiddleSchool,struttingherstuff astheFairyGodmotherforHodgkinHousepantomime. Photo:EstherHoggart

Esther Hoggart and Remy RawlingsWay (Year 8)

On Friday, May 31st, The Friends’ Middle School staged their first House Pantomime. At this point in term two, friendships were still in the making, and opportunities were limitless. So naturally, many students put their hands up to be a part of it. It was a true team effort from Year 7 and Year 8 combined, along with staff, who all stormed the stage

to perform four classic fairy tales; Hodgkin performed Cinderella , Ransome performed Snow White and the 7 Dwarves, Mather performed Hansel and Gretel and Unwin performed Jack and the Beanstalk, all with a Friends’ School twist! The buzz leading up to the event was electric, with over 80 students and 10 staff involved in writing, choreographing, directing and acting in their House’s performance. The judging on the night was incredibly close, and our three guest judges, Jess Scurry, Dean Mayne and Ian Gannon had a very difficult

decision on their hands. Overall, Ransome were the winners, taking home the shield! Collaborating with the Middle School Service Council, the Middle School Student Voice Council is proud to announce that over $1600 was raised for the Clown Doctors’ Humour Foundation.

Personally, I found the House Pantomime amazing because I got to see so many students come out of their shell and try something new. Even I stepped out of my comfort zone the first time I went on stage for the Pantomime. The beauty of

House dance dazzles

Henry Webster (Year 12)

The House Dance competition in May was a resounding success, with nearly 150 participants from across the

showcasing their incredible talents. With six weeks of dedicated practice, each House presented a well polished performance. This year’s theme, “Icons,” inspired some truly unforgettable moments. Hodgkin House claimed first place with a

dynamic routine that paid homage to iconic Super Bowl halftime shows, featuring Usher’s “Yeah!” , Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s “Still Dre” , Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” , and Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” Mather house followed closely in second place with

these experiences is that if you try something new, you never know what to expect. But at the end of the Pantomime, if you enjoyed it, then you have discovered something about yourself that you didn’t already know! It was a wonderful night, and we can’t wait to see what the Houses have in store next year.

Mather’sMichael-Jackson-inspiredperformanceintheHouseDanceCompetition. Photo:TammyGiblin

their Michael Jacksonthemed performance, with Ransome taking third, and Unwin placing fourth. It was fantastic to see each house dedicate endless energy and effort to their performances, creating a memorable event for everyone

involved. The talent and teamwork displayed by all houses made the performance a significant celebration of house spirit.

TheHouseFutsalCompetition

Friends’ AFL team returns for a season of competition and camaraderie

Otto Newstead (Year 12)

This year, for the first time since 2017, The Friends’ School entered an open boys’ Australian Rules football team. The team competed in the SATIS seconds roster against Hutchins, Guilford Young, and St Virgils, and was highly competitive against these schools with their established AFL programs. Coached by Mark Allen and co-captained by George Downie and myself, the skill level of the squad ranged from experienced

club players to those who had never played before.

We started the season strong, convincingly defeating Guilford Young College and St Virgil’s. However, a tough run of injuries and some unlucky moments had us fighting for a spot in the final during the last round of the regular season. Our final game was against Hutchins, and we began strong, trailing by only a narrow margin at halftime. The second half was fiercely contested, but we ultimately lost a tight match and finished third overall.

Honourable mentions go to Lewis Lyne for his explosive

leading and excellent marking out of the forward square, Angus Cracknell for his contested on-ball work, and Jack Connah for his consistent work rate and relentless pressure. Overall, the team was known for our defensive pressure and exceeded expectations from the start of the season. Along the way, we developed strong friendships and great bonds. Hopefully, this will kickstart the footy culture at Friends’ for years to come, and I look forward to hearing about a Firsts team in the near future.

Friends’ cross country teams shine through harsh conditions

Jemima Lennon (Year 11)

The school cross country carnival was held at the beginning of Term 2, and there was great house spirit and participation at the event. From this, a team was selected to represent the school at the Southern SATIS carnival at Queen’s Domain. Due to clashes with other events, we had a slightly depleted team of 62 students this year. Having spent a lot of time at the Domain, I can say that it is quite a challenging course, but the Friends’ team was very strong. We had 8 top-4

placings, winning 2 pennants and 2 shields.

Following this was the All Schools Cross Country event, held at Symmons Plains. Thirty-four Friends’ students participated. It was an uncharacteristically nice day at Symmons, and despite the wet weather we’d had in Hobart, the course was dry and made for good racing conditions. Again, Friends’ was very successful, with 8 people finishing in the top 10, and the U20 men coming second in the teams category for their age group. From this event, Ale fisher, Harriet Sproule, Sky BestleyToman and I were selected to represent the state at the National Cross Country

Championships, which were held in Tasmania this year. The weather at the event was unpleasant at best, with strong winds and heavy rain making for a muddy and very difficult race. Congratulations to these athletes who persevered through the conditions.

Having grown up in a family that is very passionate about running, I have always found it to be a very fulfilling sport. Running is a great way to make friends and lasting memories, and a great way to unwind after a busy week at school. I look forward to seeing you all out running in preparation for the carnival next year.

JSSATIS Cross Country

Lisa Di Venuto (Head of Primary School Sport)

Congratulations to our 58 Year 3-6 students who braved wet and windy conditions in June to compete in the JSSATIS Cross Country at Rokeby Police Academy. The weather was certainly not on our side, but the team performed exceptionally well in these trying circumstances.

Special mention to the following children that placed in the top 6 finishers in their year level.

Max Griggs - 4th (Year 3 Boys)

Lucy Miller - 2nd (Year 3 Girls)

Min Luo - 6th (Year 4 Girls)

Leo Barretto-Vanderstaay - 4th (Year 5 Boys)

Eadie Price - 5th (Year 5 Girls)

Essie Pelham - 1st (Year 6 Girls)

Well done everyone!

HollyFenton,PhoebeAinslie,MinLuo,EllaBoyerandEvyChurchill.

Photo: Lisa Di Venuto

ThenewFriends’AFLteamintraining.Photo:OttoNewstead

Friends’ girls’ hockey team dominates season; securing their third consecutive State Championship

Anika

Jolley (Year 12)

The Friends’ Division 1 Girls’ hockey team had a cracker of a season. As the captain, I couldn’t be prouder of their efforts. This year’s team included players not only from years 11 and 12 but also players as young as grade 8, with our capable striker Sophie West. Despite this, we had an extremely experienced team, with all players part of club teams and a large portion also playing at state level. Many of our youngsters, like Sophie Cole, Frances Boyles, Harriet Sproule, and Claudia Windsor, showed great growth in their skills. The talent for their age should

be highly commended.

For the more senior players—Maddie Jotic, Rosie Salmon, Wavey Van Dorsselaer, and Stella Pritchard—this season was a great showcase of their skills. The defence of Stella and Maddie conceded no goals all season, while Rosie and Wavey were consistently dominant in attack.

Our team also consisted of three Year 12 players, whom we will say goodbye to at the end of the year: Maddy Windsor, a formidable opponent across the pitch whose powerful strikes resulted in many great outcomes in the circle; Emily Rawson, whose role in centre brought the team together with her consistency and

positive attitude; and myself as the team’s captain and goalkeeper.

The finals tested our patience as a team, but a 4-0 win against Collegiate secured our place in the state title. This match against St Patrick’s College produced similar results, with a confident 11-0 win. As a team, we played an extremely dominant season, scoring a total of 33 goals, with Wavey being our leading goal scorer at 15.

This was the Girls’ third year as state champions, and we hope that with the continued growth of future hockey stars within the school, this legacy will continue.

Friends’ water polo teams triumph with two grand final wins

Sophie Neal and Charlie Bradford (Year 12)

The Friends’ water polo teams had a great 2024 season, securing five places in the semi-finals this year, and two grand final wins. The Open Boys, coached by Jonty Clues and Ollie Walker, clinched a final win in a thrilling penalty shootout. The Open Girls, coached by Alila Knight, had a demanding

6-0 goal win against Hobart College. Two players also received awards for the 2024 Schools Roster Most Valuable Player. Congratulations to Grace O’Brien judged MVP for the Years 9/10 roster and to Keeley Saunder taking out second place for MVP in the college roster. Water polo takes a huge amount of commitment, perseverance and sportsmanship, and it has been so lovely to watch the growth of all individuals across the years 5-12 cohort. A huge congratulations to

all those who jumped in and supported their teammates this season! We would like to say a special thank you to the coaches and supporters of all teams, as these achievements would not be possible without them.

ThewinningFriends’boyswaterpoloteam.Photo:WaterpoloTas

ThewinningFriends’girlswaterpoloteam.Photo:WaterpoloTas

ThevictoriousFriends’girlshockeyteamattheirstatefinalagainstStPatrick’s. Photo:JohnWhite