UP date
"Unity
is an open, inviting and compassionate community where every voice is heard, and every individual is cared for. We believe that strong relationships are the foundation for ensuring that our students reach their full, God-given potential."
Francois Pienaar
Principal's Word
Francois Pienaar Principal
"Unity College is a place that offers so much to students, staff, and parents, but what truly binds us together is our slogan #YOUbelong".
As we reach the end of Term 3, I can hardly believe I’ve already been at Unity for three terms! Time has flown by, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Unity College is a place that offers so much to students, staff, and parents, but what truly binds us together is our slogan #YOUbelong. Unity is an open, inviting, and compassionate community where every voice is heard, and every individual is cared for. We believe that strong relationships are the foundation for ensuring that our students reach their full, God-given potential.
This term has been packed with incredible activities and events. One of the highlights for me was experiencing my first Ag show! It was thrilling to see our students in action, whether in the classroom or out in the paddock, handling steers, sheep, goats, and heifers. The confidence they gained throughout the preparation process was remarkable. The Adelaide Show was a great success, with our students winning several awards across different categories—an achievement that reflects the dedication of our Ag teachers and students. I want to extend a huge thank you to all the parent volunteers who supported our Ag program by feeding the animals over weekends and helping at the show. Your contributions are deeply appreciated. A special thank you to our breeders and sponsors, whose ongoing support is vital to the success of our Ag program.
This year, our Pedal Prix teams, made up of students from Years 5 to 12, competed in various races. It was fantastic to watch them participate and perform so well at each event. The 24-hour race was a particular highlight. I’d like to express my gratitude to all the staff who worked tirelessly to make Pedal Prix 2024 such a success, especially Renee Bell and Courtney Manning – your hard work and dedication is extraordinary. And of course, a big thank you to the parents and sponsors; without your support, this event wouldn’t be possible!
Another wonderful occasion was our Middle School Experience. We welcomed Year 5 students and their parents, along with new families enrolled for 2025, for a tour of our facilities and a fun-filled evening of activities. The evening ended with a hoop-shooting competition –parents vs. students – a great way to wrap up the event! One important message I shared with our families is that we are here for them. We want every student to be happy and to thrive at Unity. Our philosophy is to meet each child at their level, ensuring they can grow and succeed in a caring and safe environment. This journey is a partnership, and we believe strong relationships between parents and the school are key to success across all year levels.
I’m also excited to share that our Early Learning Centre (ELC) is growing rapidly. Many families have enrolled their children for both Kindy and long day care, and the feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. The Friday Playgroup has also been a great success, with many community members attending with their children. Under the leadership of Raegan Hill, our ELC team is delivering innovative, engaging programs that strike the perfect balance between play and learning.
This term, we also had the privilege of hosting students from Areyonga
School during Week 8. They visited to meet with our service-learning students, who will be visiting them during the Term 3 holidays – an inspiring exchange of cultures and ideas.
As we wrap up another wonderful term, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks for your unwavering support. Whether through your involvement in school events, volunteering your time, or simply encouraging our students to do their best, your contributions have made all the difference in creating a vibrant and caring environment for everyone.
To our dedicated staff, your hard work and passion have been truly inspiring. You continue to go above and beyond for our students, guiding and nurturing them every step of the way. To our incredible students, your efforts, achievements, and positive spirit this term have been remarkable—we are so proud of each one of you!
As we head into the holidays, I hope you all take the time to rest, recharge, and enjoy some welldeserved relaxation with your loved ones. I look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for Term 4!
Wishing you all a safe and restful holiday – travel safe!
Primary
Celebrating Success in VET
We celebrate Danny Hopkins and Tom Harvey who won the School Based Apprentice of the Year and School Based Trainee of the Year at the annual Murraylands Training and Employment (MTE) Awards for 2024.
Danny, a current Year 12 student, is studying his Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical with Chapman Heavy Mechanical which is owned by Unity College Old Scholar Sam Chapman. Danny has loved working on vehicles since a young age and used numerous work experience opportunities to explore and discover his passion
Tom, a current Year 11 student who started his traineeship in Year 10 is undertaking a Certificate III in Rural Operations with Poole Farms (owned by old scholar Natasha Poole (Bond) and husband Brad.) Tom who loves all things farming, is especially passionate about cropping and has thrived in a work environment.
The Pathways Team is very proud of these two young men as they continue grow and flourish in their chosen industries.
Senior School
Lessons in History
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
The Semester 2 Year 10 History class visited the Holocaust Museum in their temporary residence at The Adelaide Hebrew Congregation. The highlight was question time with 91-year-old Holocaust survivor Andrew Steiner, born in Hungary, founder of the Andrew Steiner Education Centre and has been educating young people in South Australia about this tragic event for many years.
FLY ME TO THE MOON
The Year 12 Historians have been studying the Cold War and were fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to Wallis Cinema, Mt Barker to see the film Fly Me to the Moon. The film is set during the Cold War and focuses on NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing and had the extra incentive of starring Hollywood heartthrob Channing Tatum and glamorous starlet Scarlett Johansson.
Middle School
Middle School Social
The Year 9 Middle School Ambassadors hosted the annual Middle School social – a Silent Disco. With a large number of student attending, the event was a great success and enjoyed by all.
Year 7 ALWS Stall
The Year 7 students studied Business and Economics in their HASS lessons throughout Term 3. Their summative task involved developing an idea for a business and completing a detailed business plan for it.
The students used those business skills to prepare items to sell at a pop-up stall to raise money for Australian Lutheran World Service and raised a combined $884! The profits went towards purchasing the following items through ALWS for the needy people overseas:
+ Chickens Cheep
+ Drip Drip
+ Fishing Kit
+ Food First
+ Goat
+ Long Drop Loo
+ Pig Farm
+ School Set
+ Teach to Teach
+ Veggie Seeds.
100 Days Brighter
Our Receptions celebrated a special milestone this term – 100 days of school! They dressed up as 100-year-olds, made party hats and spent time with their Year 12 buddies, who came to visit and help to make some snazzy party hats!
Amazing Meerkats
Year 1 students visited Monarto Safari Park and wrote information reports about their chosen research animal upon returning to school.
COOL CHIMPANZEES
BY OSCAR NOYE
Did you know that chimpanzees are called primates? Chimpanzees do not have a tail.
Guess what? Chimpanzees have fur and they do not have feathers. Can you see?
Did you know chimpanzees’ threats are human disease? Leave them alone! So, they can live.
AMAZING MEERKATS
BY SIYUAN LIN (EASON)
Did you know that meerkat's lie on their back to get warm when they are in their habitat? Meerkat’s habitat has lots of them because they have 40 family, and they live together.
Guess what? Meerkat has superduper sharp claws. They have superduper sharp claws to dig for food. Guess what
Guess what? Meerkats work as a team because they build together and fight together. People want to get very very warm, so they kill more meerkats. Please ask people not to hunt meerkats.
Wetlands
Junior School
Year 4 students ventured to the Swanport and Avoca Dell Wetlands to learn about the impact of introduced species of flora and fauna. Rosheen from Landscape SA guided the students on interactive walks, explaining how organisations such as theirs are working to stop introduced and invasive species from destroying our native habitats.
Hot Shots
The Year 3s participated in the local Hot Shot Tennis Carnival and to use the student’s words – “We had a blast!” Each team of eight played modified tennis with all students displaying positive attitudes and fair play. Music was playing and some students even enjoyed a bit of ‘guitar tennis’!
Congratulations to one Unity team for being best overall. They will now play in the finals at Memorial Drive against all the regional winners.
Year 2 Adventures
Year 2 students participated in their first school sleepover, plus had an exciting day of learning at the Birdwood Motor Museum.
The Birdwood Motor Museum was the perfect place to consolidate their learning about technology from the past and how it has changed over time – and in particular transportation! They learned about Hawker Vans and how they provided shopping supplies to people in country areas and were amazed at the different types of transport in the museum including cars, motorbikes, scooters, buses and even fire engines.
Following the excursion, students returned to Unity and enjoyed a variety of games in the Stadium, a scavenger hunt, board games and lots of yummy food. The following morning after a great nights ‘sleep’ there were team games, a class party and movie afternoon.
Outdoor Ed
Year 11 OED Stage 2 students finished their final of 3 major expeditions for the year with a 4-day climbing trip to Mount Arapiles, Victoria. Students had spent the previous 5 weeks working on their rope technical skills enabling them to assist instructors in building climbing anchor systems they later climbed on.
With the sun peaking its way through the partly cloudy days students were in high spirits and pushed themselves to new heights overlooking the surrounding canola fields. Not since COVID has Unity College returned to Mount Arapiles and it was rewarding for staff to see students build connections with a world-renowned climbing location.
Meanwhile, the Year 10 Outdoor Ed class enjoyed a bush walking expedition in the Mount Remarkable National Park.
Learn
Material Solutions
Congratulations to the Year 12 Material Solutions class who completed their major projects in Term 3 showcasing some great design and attention to details. The 2024 class is unique as the majority are girls (10 in fact) in what is commonly a male dominated course!
Refu.Me Challenge
After reading Anh Do’s “The Little Refugee”, Year 4 students discussed what life might be like for refugees and disadvantaged people around the world. They were then presented with three challenges:
+ Use no furniture
+ Use no technology
+ Walk 6km
There were certainly mixed emotions from students as they discovered that they would not be able to use any furniture or technology for the rest of the day. Students also worked out that they would need to walk more than 17 laps of the oval to cover 6km… how exhausting!
After completing this challenge, students shared that these experiences have helped them try to understand what life might be like for other people and to appreciate what they have.
We are Called to Love and Serve
Mrs Fielke from Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) visited the Year 1 and 4 classes this term.
The Year 1s learnt about God’s world and our responsibility to care and show kindness. They found learning about Tara from Nepal interesting and they noticed her kitchen, bedroom, and ways to care for her hygiene were different to what we do and have in Australia. In response, the Year 1 students loved and served our school community by planting a few native plants and making some ‘lizard lounges’.
Meanwhile, the Year 4 students learnt that one of the ways that ALWS supports people is by helping communities start up Savings and Loans groups to kick start small businesses. To support this, the Year 4s are going to be a part of the “What’s my business?” program. Students brainstormed ideas for their small business and started developing their business plan. They then worked in groups to “pitch” their plan to a ‘Shark Tank’ panel to gain a $20 loan from the Year 4 Savings Group to get their business up and running. This unit of work will culminate with a “Market” in Term 4 where the Year 4 businesses will be set up and goods/services will be available for the Unity Community to purchase.
Students hope to improve habitat outside our classroom for native animals.
Mates on a Mission
The Term 3 #YOUbelong Day featured a longest table lunch and special visit from Ben and Mike (affectionately known as Legless and Blind) from Mates on a Mission Ben and Mike are ambassadors for Ski for Life (an organisation many of our community are involved with) and are passionate about sharing their story and message of mateship, connection, resilience and individual and community wellbeing. The conversations Ben and Mike had with our Middle/Senior students during their visit around bringing communities together to break barriers around mental health stigma really resonated and we thank them for taking the time to invest in and share their message with the Unity and wider Murraylands community.
Care
Indonesia Partnership Fundraiser
200 people gathered in the CommUnity Stadium for the Indonesia Partnership Fundraising Quiz Night – a night full of fun, games and ‘friendly’ competition all for a great cause.
The evening raised over $6000 which will support the continued development of the Indonesia Partnership, particularly the sponsoring of Indonesian students and staff to visit Unity/Australia in the coming years. Thank you to all those who attended and to those who supported the fundraiser through donations and prizes:
+ JET Trucking
+ Bunnings
+ Nutrien Ag
+ Karen’s Cabins
+ Kerr Family
+ Layy’s Garage
+ White Family
+ Eastside Bearing
+ CMV Winery
+ Daish Irrigation
+ Ackmac Irrigation
+ Raymond Garden Maintenance
+ Drakes Murray Bridge
+ NuFarm
+ Tany Pasin MP
+ Sydney Swans
+ Glass Hair by Abbi
Celebrating Community
There were several special events in Term 3 where we celebrated the special community that makes up Unity College. We enjoyed a Father’s Day breakfast on the Junior School and at the ELC where Dad’s and Special Friends joined with their children for a morning of food, fun and celebrating their learning.
An afternoon tea honouring our volunteers was held late in the term, showing how much we appreciate the many and varied things they do for our community that help make Unity such a special place. The Term 3 Non-Uniform Day theme of House Heroes showed our support for the wider community with funds raised supporting the Cancer Council (Cooperation), The Salvation Army (Progress), Harmony House (Union) and Fight MND (Loyalty).
A highlight was Loyalty devotees Mr Yeager, Mr Penno and Millicent Manning taking one for the team for a public dunking as part of MNDs Big Freeze.
Areyonga Update
Football was a big focus this term for the fellas with the U15 fellas playing in the RMNA Grand Final for Ramblers and the older fellas playing in the school football grand final.
The Year 10 students were involved in Ag this term and loved spending time with the animals at the Unity College Farm. Learning to cook different food in Home Ec was also a curriculum highlight.
A highlight of the term was the visit from the younger Areyonga Primary School students. They visited Adelaide Oval, the South Australian Museum and Monarto Safari Park. The visiting students enjoyed ‘camping’ out in the community Stadium and having dinner with the Unity based Areyonga students and students participating in the Areyonga Service Trip in the Term 3 school holidays.
ELC Update
“The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn”
Maria Montessori
The Early Learning Centre (ELC) is thriving, each day the children arrive into new learning experiences, ready to extend their learning and interests. The educators have been working hard to capture the individual and group interests of children to create a learning program that will enable each child to feel included and have a sense of agency.
In the Wattle Room, the educators are dedicated to celebrating each child’s individual journey while nurturing a strong sense of community and belonging. This term, they have delved into Who We Are as part of our Unit of Inquiry. They have introduced two exciting new projects: a height chart and a belonging tree.
The height chart is a delightful and engaging way for children to visually track their growth over time. This simple but impactful tool not only promotes self-awareness but also encourages a sense of personal development and achievement.
The belonging tree is a beautiful new feature that represents our shared identity and the significance of each person in our community. We have invited families to contribute by providing a photograph of their child and family, which we have displayed alongside the tree. Each child has also created their own leaf for the tree by painting a green handprint. These personalised leaves, along with the family photos, have been added to the tree, creating a vibrant tapestry that reflects our diverse and inclusive community.
Engage
This display plays a crucial role in highlighting the importance of Belonging. It supports socialemotional learning by fostering a sense of connection and acceptance among peers and reinforcing the value of each individual within our collective environment.
In the Banksia Room children have been exploring “Who We Are,” with the primary focus on the children being able to sense and respond to a feeling of belonging within our ELC.
The term began with the children drawing a self-portrait that led to discussions about what they could see in the mirror and discussing aspects of themselves that they like and what makes them special. We moved onto creating our smiles using modelling clay and discussed what makes us happy.
They continued by investigating their families and who lives in their homes, by sharing an image of their families during show and tell, discussing who is in each child’s family and why our families are special to us. They have also been creating pop stick houses with coloured squares to represent members of our households.
We have recently placed our family photos on our new family tree that further promotes a sense of belonging and recognising children for who they are and where they come from. The children were a part of the painting and construction of the tree, making it a collaborative artwork to further create a sense of shared pride in our room.
Raegan Hill ELC Director
Strength in Unity
The Murray Bridge 24 hour Pedal Prix is one of those events where the whole Unity commUnity shines and this year’s extremely successful event was no exception. The enthusiasm, spirit and camaraderie shown be all involved – students, staff, parents, siblings and more –was an absolute joy to witness and everyone is to be commended on their effort. A sincere thank you to all involved and the team was rewarded with some great results:
+ Bunyip: 8th
+ Minnie Mouse: 3rd
+ Road Runner: 22nd
+ Sylvester: 44th
Scan the QR code to see more photos from the 2024 24hr Pedal Prix.
Scan the QR code to see more photos from the 2024 Royal Adelaide Show Livestock Teams.
Agriculture
The Unity College Livestock Show Teams have had another successful year – culminating with outstanding results at the Royal Adelaide Show. The 2024 Unity College Agriculture Program has been supported by many leading breeders and we thank them for their support:
2024 BREEDERS:
+ Cathness Charolais
+ Lancaster Black Simmentals
+ Granite Ridge Black Angus
+ Warrawindi Farms
+ Springvale Illawarras
+ Mason Farms
+ Lucernbrae Merinos
+ Idealview Goats
2024 ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW RESULTS
BEEF CATTLE
+ SAYBB Intermediate Champion
Handler: Alecia Bormann
+ SAYBB Novice Reserve Champion
Handler: Ollie Matthewson
+ SAYBB Best Presented School
Steer: Kali Hincks
+ The Charolais Society Of Australia (SA Region) Premium Highest
Scoring Charolais School: 1st PlaceExhibit No: 159, Unity College, Caithness Marshmallow U35, Caithness Charolais, Charolais.
DAIRY CATTLE
+ The Jeff Kernich Memorial Trophy Best Presented School
+ 2nd Place School Handler: Kaylee Schellen
+ SADA Handler Competition: Molly Mason – 4th (U11s), Kaylee Schellen – 3rd (U15s)
+ Illawarra Heifer Judging: Ayden Atkinson – 4th (Illawarra Handlers Class), Grace Carey – 6th (Illawarra Handlers Class)
GOATS
+ 8 out of 12 goats received a ribbon
+ Lightweight Reserve Champion: Espresso led by Matilda Harvey
+ Florence Thumlert, Abby Sanders, Matilda Harvey recieved merits in the handler competition competing against 13 other selected handlers.
SHEEP
+ Most Valuable Fleece: 5th (Team 1)
+ Junior Sheep Meat Competition: Lizzy Cartledge – 8th
School Fleece Competition Results
+ Zone 5 Under 19 Micron Fleece: 1st
Place - Unity College exhibiting Lucernbrae Merino Wether
+ Zone 5 Over 19 Micron Fleece: 2nd
Place - Unity College exhibiting Lucernbrae Merino Wether.
National Tree Day
The Year 4s, ably assisted by the Unity College Grounds Team, planted over 200 trees around the Early Learning Centre early in Term 3 for National Schools Tree Day! Thank you to Murray Bridge Toyota for supporting this event and cooking a great sausage sizzle for our hard workers.
Involve
SA Governor Visit
Her Exellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia and Mr Bunten spent time meeting with the Unity College Murraylands Student Leadership Teams, participating in an open discussion about the importance of being involved with and contributing to community, and how to be effective leaders both during and post-school years. Her Exellency encouraged students by sharing her experiences with leadership and service, and importantly, how to be an effective leader by recognising the efforts of others and actively listening to their ideas and shaping how to implement them.
Her Exellency shared the benefit of her experience with some key advice for students. ‘I encourage you to venture outside your comfort zone and surround yourself with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and viewpoints. Don’t ever be afraid to take risks or try new things so long as you are willing to learn from your mistakes. From mistakes, we learn and grow.’
‘Her Exellency emphasised that effective leadership and growth is not all about ideas, but having conversations, asking questions and listening - being engaged with those around us.’ Abby Harrowfield (Year 11, House Captain)
Term 3 Sporting Highlights
5/6 SOCCER - ROUND 1
Ted Berling, Sixten Fischer, Cooper Hincks, Lachlan Lawrence, Levi Neumann, Sam Nuske, Tyson Van Holten (Year 5) Lachlan Cameron, Chol Chol, Kaiden Gates, Adriaan Van Niekerk (Year 6)
5/6 FOOTBALL - ROUND 2
Kai Collogan, Keller Eckermann, Tristan Fiegert, Sixten Fischer, Hamish Frahn, Nicholas Gates, Ezekiel Johnson, Levi Neumann, Samuel Nuske, Patrick Sanders, Zac Seyers (Year 5) Nate Edson, Kaiden Gates, Zavier Lechie, Ollie Matthewson, Oscar McGorman, Hugo McArdle, Callum Oster, Nate Slok, Charlie Woidt (Year 6)
5/6 NETBALL - FINALS
Inspire
Madison Hearne, Audrey O'Brien, Indy Braun, Matilda Mason (Year 5) Dana Aldyni, Ella-Beth Duffield, Bella Marchetti, Molly Mason, Jade Piggott, Emily sanders, Milla Smith (Year 6)
7/8 FOOTBALL - ROUND 1
Noah Dewhirst, Izak Eletheriou, Oliver Fatchen, Chace Fiegert, Jake Hartwig, William Hollis, Joshua Johnson, Jack Watson, Philip Talbot (Year 7) Henry Blatchford, Owen Clarke, Archie Elliott, Riley Gladigau, Cain Jarvis, Clyde Modra, Seth Rankine, Ashton Smith, Parker South, Jai Williss, Koen Wilson (Year 8)
9/10 NETBALL - FINALS
Elly Burgemeister, Amelia DeMichele, Lara Franke, Maddison
Gum, Yasmin Harrowfield, Lenni Hincks, Sophie Jacobs, Zoe Michalik, Ava Schubert, Jemma Zadow (Year 9) Lexie Buick, Ariel Challinger, Demi Harrington, Porsha Marchetti, Reagan Martin (Year 10)
9/10 BASKETBALL (BOYS)ROUND 1
Deng Chol, Riley Kohler, Alex Mundy, Xavier O'Brien, Max Reljich (Year 9) Roclin Bates, Evan Clarke, Nash Roan (Year 10)
9/10 BASKETBALL (GIRLS)ROUND 1
Elly Burgemeister, Amelia DeMichele, Yasmin Harrowfield, Ava Schubert, Annabelle Vowles, Jemma Zadow (Year 9) Lexie Buick, Halle Jarvis (Year 10)
9/10 SOCCER - ROUND 1
Aiden Johncock (Year 8) Shine Ayal, Tyrone Beinke, Deng Chol, Liam Court-Jamieson, Ethan Fiegert, Aiden Franke, Chad Freund, Nyasha Muradzikwa, Ryley Neumann, Thomas Nuske (Year 9) Eli Hollis, Jayden Jaensch, Edward Rigney, Lithmin Gamlath Vidanalage, Jarryd Vokes (Year 10)
9/10 FOOTBALL - RUNNERS-UP
Tyrone Beinke, Ethan Fiegert, Aiden Franke, Chad Freund, Toby Hollis, Oakly Lampry, Archie Patterson, Lucas Piggott, Max Relijich, Alex Mundy, Xavier O'Brien, Thomas Nuske (Year 9) Jorge Barnes, Roclin Bates, Archie Bell, Evan Clarke, Denzel Gallagher, Taj Garrett, Eli Hollis, Jayden Jaensch, Brady Lienert, Carl Modra, Ethan Morrell, Nash Roan, Tyler White, Zyren Thomson (Year 10)
11/12 BASKETBALL (BOYS)FINALS
Cody Elliott, Hayden Law, Jacob Neumann, Rylie Stephenson (Year 11) Oscar Coull, Thomas Kruschel, Bailey Morrell, Charlie Reljich, Taj Rowe, Tate Waldhuter (Year 12)
11/12 BASKETBALL (GIRLS)FINALS
Gemma Cocks, Layla Hearne, Alice Laube, Millicent Manning, Erin Poulish, Yen-Yen To (Year 11) Mia Perriman (Year 12)
SAPSASA MURRAYLANDS REPRESENTATIVES
+ Athletics: Xavier Jackson, Jake Lienert, Kaiden Gates, Audrey O'Brien, Callum Oster, Madison Hearne, Frank Fatchen
+ Soccer (Boys): Cooper Hincks, Harrison Parker-Benton, Tyson Van Holten, Lachlan Cameron
+ Soccer (Girls): Brooklyn Girdler
SAPSASA District Athletics Day
Congratulations to the Unity College team who won the shield – an incredible effort. Individual achievements included:
+ Audrey O'Brien (Year 5) –Runner Up (age group)
+ Jake Lienert (Year 4) –Winner (age group)
+ Tansu Mpandamabula (Year 6) –Winner (age group)
Book Week
What a busy term it’s been at Concordia Kindergarten! Our program has focused on God’s Creation; Caring for the world, Caring for each other, and Caring for ourselves. The children learnt about people within our community that help them (including having our local SAPOL officers visit), exploring families and relationships with others, their bodies; how our bodies work and what is inside them, being safe with our bodies, and what our bodies can do.
We hosted a special Dad’s Night early on, with many kindy dads attending. We set up putt-putt golf, decorated donuts, photocopied our hands, and planted herbs in terracotta pots – all to celebrate Father’s Day.
We hosted a Mini Olympics, where the children competed in physical challenges including javelin (pool noodle throwing), bean bag toss, hurdles, sack race and tug-o-war.
Children also made ‘family flags’ and shared these with their peers in group time. The flags included drawings, photos, culture, hobbies and the family of each kindy child. this was a great way to get to know everyone and for children to practice speaking in front of others.
We celebrated Book Week with a dress up day and ‘share a book’ in group time. Children wore a costume, participated in a parade and had the opportunity to make their own books in play.
Across this term all the children have taken turns to go to the Unity College Junior School Bush Block. They have seen lizards, made bush huts, moved rocks and logs, and role played ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’ on the wooden bridges.
Concordia Kindy
The kindy children were very excited to see their Unity buddies this term, and for some of our new children it was the first time they met. When we went to school, the buddies made kites together, and when they came to kindy they heard the story of ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’ and had to make their own bridge out of recycled materials.
Student Achievements
Madeleine Clarke (Year 4) competed in the Dogs SA Junior Handler Competition – 2024 State Final in August where she placed 1st in the 7 years old to under 10 years old division. Madeleine then went on to compete against all other division winners (ranging in age from 7 to 19) where she was awarded Overall Runner-Up State Champion – an amazing achievement. [1]
Carly Roberts (Year 5) competed in the Australian Interschool Equestrian Championships in Tamworth. The event saw approximately 600 students from across Australia who have been selected for their state teams compete against each other (for their state and individually) across different equestrian disciplines. Carly was the overall Australian Primary Show Jumping 70cm Champion with her pony Kapeta Langley. The SA Primary Show Jumping Team also finished 3rd overall. Carly was also named Reserve Champion (2nd) in the Primary Working Hunter with her pony Trincada Santa Shaklan. [2]
Shine Ayal (Year 9) competed in the Division 4 Winter Tennis Tournament for the EDTA (Eastern District Tennis Association) in Adelaide. He and his teammates worked hard throughout the tournament and made it to the Grand Final taking 2nd place for the 2024 Boys Division 4 Boys Winter Tournament. [3]
Fallon Small (Year 10) was awarded the Tailem Bend Netball Club 2024 Junior Club Person of the Year and Mitchell Hincks (Year 11) was awarded the Tailem Bend Football Club Junior Club Person of the Year.
RIVER MURRAY NETBALL ASSOCIATION AWARDS
+ Indii Garett (Year 7): Shirley Stephenson Perpetual Trophy
+ Jessica Kerr (Year 11): Runner-Up Inters 1 Best and Fairest
+ Zoe Harrington (Year 8): Inters 2 Best and Fairest
+ Ariel Challinger (Year 10): RunnerUp Inters 2 Best and Fairest
+ Evelyn Leske (Year 8): Runner-Up Inters 3 Best and Fairest [4]
+ Indii Garrett (Year 7): Junior 1 Best and Fairest
+ Lara Rowe (Year 4): Runner-Up Sub-Junior 2 Best and Fairest
RIVER MURRAY FOOTBALL LEAGUE MAIL MEDAL AWARDS
+ Seth Rankine (Year 8): U13 O’Neil Family Medal
+ Tyler White (Year 10): U15 Bryan Medal
+ Bailey Morrell (Year 12): U18 Runner-Up Best and Fairest
CELEBRATING SUCCESS
We love to celebrate the achievements and successes of our students beyond Unity College. If your child/ren have achieved highly in any field (sporting, music, community, professional aspirations etc) please send the information and a high resolution photo (if possible) to communitynews@unitycollege. sa.edu.au for inclusion in the Term 4 Unity Update. Please note inclusions are at the discretion of the editor.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
UCOS Update
Alex Bolt (UCOS 2010) competed in the men’s main draw of the 2024 Wimbledon Tournament after becoming a ‘last-minute’ standin at qualifying and winning his three qualifying matches. Alex was defeated by 8th seed Casper Rudd in the first round. [1]
Ally Wilson (UCOS 2011) was part of the first Gangurrus team to win a FIBA 3x3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament with victories against Kenya, Canada, Brazil and Canada again in the final – marking their qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Gangurrus Olympic campaign began with an opening loss to Canada but was followed with four-straight wins, entering the ‘play-in’ games as one of the top six teams after the group stage. Their Olympic campaign ended with a 2110 loss to Canada. [2]
Lachlan Thomas (UCOS 2021) has embraced an opportunity to play League football, gaining selection in the Adelaide Crows SANFL side. Lachlan has been part of the Crows SANFL Development squad for the last two years. [3]
Baxter Gierus-Heintze (UCOS 2023) was awarded a University of Adelaide Principals Scholarship.
Molly Bretag (UCOS 2021) has travelled to Lima, Peru to participate in the International Shooting Sport Federation Junior World Championships. Molly first took part in the event in 2022 as was part of the Trap Junior Women’s Team that claimed bronze and in 2023 made the finals as an individual, placing 4th. Molly will be aiming for gold at this year’s event.
Molly has also recently awarded a Sport Australia Hall of Fame Tier 2 Scholarship for 2025. “To be selected in the Tier 2 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentoring Program is an absolute honour and privilege. This Scholarship Program will give me the opportunity to grow as an athlete and individual... By receiving this Scholarship, it is showing me that my hard work and dedication to the sport of Clay Target Shooting is being recognised and that is very fulfilling.” (via sahof.org.au/awardwinner-molly-bretag) [4]
WEDDINGS
Estelle Craggs (UCOS 2016) married Liam Lorkin in April 2024.
Thomas Wagenknecht (UCOS 2013) married Elena Gibbons on 7 June 2024 in Melbourne. [5]
BIRTHS
Aaron (UCOS 2011) and Natalie (nee Daish) (UCOS 2021) Long welcomed Judah Samuel on 30 April 2024. [6]
Jeremy Baldwin (UCOS 2016) and Tegan welcomed Hamish David on 6 June 2024. [7]
Mitchell Austin (UCOS 2015) and Nikea welcomed Maxwell Moses on 3 September 2024.
SHARE YOUR NEWS!
We love to share what our Old Scholars are doing. If you would like
to be included in the Term 1, 2025 edition of the Unity Update, send your information and a photo to ucos@unitycollege.sa.edu.au
