Year Eight Year 8
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ntering the Secondary School as a fresh faced Year 8 signifies the beginning of a new chapter in the life of a student. Foremost in the mind of each student is how to quickly adjust to the large number of unfamiliar daily routines, all the while attempting to keep their Mr Andrew Osnain heads above water as the Head of Year 8 busy tides of Trinity College roll on. Daily tasks such as carrying multiple textbooks and files, keeping uniforms in order and changing in under two minutes for sport are but a few of the challenges that a new Year 8 student faces at the commencement of the scholastic year. The Year 8 class of 2007 have adjusted superbly to the aforementioned challenges. The boys quickly realised that the best course of action was to become organised and throw themselves wholeheartedly into the spiritual, academic, cultural and sporting pillars of the College. As a result the year cohort have learnt to become independent – particularly in the areas of organisation and developing the key competencies and skills necessary to help them achieve to the best of their ability. Boys developed friendships and a sense of belonging in the year group which will continue to grow as they become more familiar with the cohort over time. Early in the year each Pastoral Care Group elected two student councillors. Each councillor has been at the forefront of student activities and providing positive leadership. I would like to thank them for their earnest contribution throughout the year and encourage other students to seek out leadership opportunities in the years to come. For the first time in Trinity’s history the Quest Retreat replaced the Year 8 camp as the primary tool of establishing a sense of belonging and brotherhood at Trinity College. Over the long weekend more than sixty Year 11 students ‘adopted’ three Year 8 ‘little brothers’. Throughout the weekend the boys were introduced to the notion of being part of a ‘brotherhood’. Students were challenged to aspire to greater heights throughout their time at Trinity. The Year 11 Peer Ministers became ‘older brothers’ for the Year 8s and hopefully aided in their assimilation into the Middle School. YEAR 8 STUDENT COUNCIL
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The annual three day camp continued to build upon the
foundations of the Quest Retreat. The camp was held at Camp Kelly, Dwellingup. The boys enjoyed activities such as rafting, hiking, boat building and camping in the great outdoors. This is the time for students to further forge friendships with their peers. One of the most important maxims of the College is to be a ‘man for others’. Over the three days the boys learnt that assisting in the wellbeing of their peers is in the best interests of the year group and the College as a whole. Students were introduced early in the year to their counterparts at Mercedes College. As both groups will be working side by side over the upcoming years, the boys had an early opportunity to get to know the Mercedes girls over a lunchtime gathering in Wellington Square. This certainly helped to ease the tension for their first major social outing – the Rollerdrome. Whilst the venue and ambience took a number of staff back to the 80s, the students relished the opportunity to socially engage with the Mercedes girls in a mature and positive way. Another innovation to the year was the inaugural Super 7 Championship. Every member of each Pastoral Care Group was required to participate in one of five activities aimed at creating a climate of inclusiveness and cohesiveness amongst the year group. The activities included singing, spelling, four square, debating and a talent quest. I would like to thank the seven Pastoral Care teachers for making 2007 a successful year for the students. Ms Medhavi Karu, Mr Nik Martinskis, Mr Russell Hinks, Mr Brendan Chapman, Mr Michael Slack-Smith, Mr Mark Dodd and Ms Corinna Eagling have provided guidance and support to students in a selfless way. Students do not often see how much time and effort the Pastoral Care teachers put into the year and I would certainly like to congratulate them on their work with the boys throughout 2007. Mr Andrew Osnain Head of Year 8
Back row: Mr Andrew Osnain (Head of Year 8), Peter Walsh, Alec Wilson, Thomas Durkin, Kristopher Wright, Michael Quinlan, Perry McLaughlan, Daniel Caddy Front row: Jack Dewsbury, Connor Brown, Mark Wong, Philippe Kilpatrick, John Samineeni Jesudoss, Callum Hart, Matthew McRostie
