Wilderness Times - 90

SPRING 2020

ISSUE # 90

CONTENTS 4

Principal’s Thoughts

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Meet the SRC Executive for 2021

10 The Annual Showcase of Music 12 Life as an International Student in 2020 14 Faculty in Focus - Science 15 Behind the News: Wilderness Feature 16 Junior School - Oliphant Science Awards 17 Introducing Mario Dreosti 18 Low Stakes Writing 20 Creating Courageous and Compassionate Leaders 21 Global Connections 22 Congratulations 23 Fundraising for Nepal 24 Wilderness Old Scholars – From the WOSA President 26 Wilderness Women Leading the Way 27 Coffee Catch Up 28 Introducing the Old Scholars’ Jazz Choir 30 Our Sporting Community 32 Student Foundation Initiatives 33 Wilderness Intergenerational Families 34 Announcements 35 Christmas Giving

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Join the Wilderness Old Scholars’ Association page on Facebook to communicate, network and hear about upcoming alumni events.

Always True – never fear the truth and treat it with respect.

Jane Danvers, Principal

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

PRINCIPAL’S THOUGHTS Our School motto, Semper Verus, calls us to be Always True.

The concept of truth has been the study of philosophers, scholars and theologians for centuries. Telling the truth has been the accepted measure of individual integrity and virtue. Honesty has characterised great leadership and underpinned the fidelity of relationships.

Yet truth, in the 21st century, is becoming an increasingly nebulous construct. The Oxford Dictionaries named “post-truth” its 2016 Word of the Year. Post truth has become an increasingly familiar parlance when describing our current global climate and political debate. We are told that we live in a “post truth world” where objective facts are less influential than appeals to individual beliefs or emotional agendas.

In essence, if a statement aligns with one’s personal opinions and prevailing mindset, it is inclined to be taken as true. Similarly, individuals are more likely to dismiss information that challenges their preferred world view.

Information is disseminated through a cloud of opinion, cultural bias, political

rhetoric, and preferential predilection.

News media curate their content to targeted audiences via algorithms that create filter bubbles which respond to our prior preferences and insulate us from data and information that does not align with our personal values. It is rare to be exposed to contrary viewpoints.

As a result, we are witnessing increasingly homogenised and polarised communities across the globe. What we read and discuss confirms what we already believe.

According to UNICEF, children form over a third of the world’s internet users. How to support young people to navigate misinformation and sort fact from opinion is a key challenge for educators in the years ahead.

In a perfect world, the internet would offer a range of views and insights but in an era when the integrity of information is questionable, it is incumbent upon us to develop in our girls open mindedness, a healthy scepticism and a willingness to challenge internal biases. It is not our responsibility to determine their political persuasion or alliances.

Rather we must teach them to be

enquiring and use their voices to bring attention to issues that have significance for them. To try to make the world a little fairer, kinder and more balanced.

We are ambitious for our students, believing girls can and should aspire to be the best they can be. This means being curious; thinking deeply about the world and having the courage to seek answers to questions.

I recently had the opportunity to hear from two Year 11 students Ella Haseldine and Havana George who learnt of Kate Cormack Brown. Kate was the second daughter of James and Mary Brown who tragically took her own life at a young age of 31 after a lengthy battle with melancholia.

Before our meeting, the girls had spent significant time researching Kate’s life and why she had not been remembered the same way as the other Misses Browns. Their findings were insightful and well documented. While Kate was referenced by Mrs Marjorie Scales in The Wilderness, she has often been left out of the common narrative about the history of our School.

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The girls wished to acknowledge her as a recognised member of our founding family but were concerned that this might be a version of the Wilderness story we may not wish to revisit.

Yet Wilderness students are encouraged to be Always True.

In our current climate this lesson is even more important. We must never be scared to face the truth even if it is uncomfortable or challenges long established histories. As the adults in our girls’ lives it is important to support their search for truth. To celebrate their willingness to explore, ask questions and continue to challenge accepted orthodoxy.

Over the past century the opinions and attitudes towards mental illness have been complex and quite contradictory, with society demonstrating a mixture of both fear and concern. This was the time in which the Misses Brown lived and maybe the reason for their reticence.

We are incredibly fortunate that these widespread views have significantly changed. People who live with a mental illness still experience stigma

and some discrimination, but it is students like Ella and Havana who are courageously advocating for this to change.

It is important to the girls that Kate is respectfully commemorated and that her story helps make a difference. In light of this, and with support from the Old Scholar’s Association, we are pleased to share that we will plant a new Carob tree in the Wilderness grounds in her memory.

The Misses Brown were always steadfast in their pursuit for change and for making the world a better place. In a prevailing context of “post truth”, it crucial to continue this legacy. Kate’s story belongs to the Brown family and through them to our Wilderness School community, past, present and future.

When singing our School song, we pledge ‘unflinching truth in everything’.

If this sits at the heart of our communal promise, it surely has veracity in 2020.

Jane Danvers Principal

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

MEET THE SRC EXECUTIVE FOR 2021

Ella Beinssen President What legacy would you like to leave Wilderness?

Every year I have looked up to the girls in leadership positions and reflected on the positive and unique legacy they have made while completing their final year of schooling. I am inspired to follow in their footsteps by doing the same. I strive to be a kind, inclusive and a courageous leader, who listens to the opinions and values of the entire cohort; someone who recognises and values the unique contribution each girl gives to the School community.

Together, we can create a happy, fun and compassionate environment where girls can step out of their comfort zones, grow as people and become more confident in themselves.

My goal is to make every person at Wilderness School feel special, involved, supported and loved, staff as well as students. I am very aware of the negative impacts that the media can have on the self-confidence of young women, particularly in terms of body image, and would love to promote the importance of self-love and acceptance.

What does leadership mean to you?

Wilderness School actively cultivates leadership qualities in our girls.

We aim to build the understanding and skills of leadership through the curriculum and the many varied activities of school life in order to become respected leaders who act with integrity and model ethical behaviour.

We are delighted to introduce our SRC Executive for 2021.

To me, leadership means several things, primarily that leadership is defined by the actions you take, not the position you hold. I genuinely believe that a respectable leader values the contributions of their teammates. For me, this will involve the 2021 SRC leadership team listening to the ideas and values of every member of the School community. It will then be the role of the SRC to facilitate these ideas in becoming a reality. Playing netball for many years has taught me the truth in the statement that, “A team is only as strong as its weakest player”, which sums up the immense importance of including, educating and uplifting every member of a team to be successful.

I believe that leaders should be great, not because of their power or position, but because of their ability to empower others. Our most treasured school values of respectful relationships, kindness and thoughtfulness, need to be at the forefront of everything that our SRC stands for. I take inspiration from this year’s leaders as they have been able to embrace the core values of the School throughout these difficult times. They have been kind to teachers and girls, shown gratitude for our situation despite the challenges, and have been adventurous when having to organise new events and new ways of celebrating school life. Leadership at Wilderness means that with the heart of a lion and our hands united, we can achieve anything.

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Tell us three things that people wouldn’t know about you.

Which three people would you invite to a dinner party and why?

Firstly, I am a fairly open person, and I do like to talk. I am very involved in the Wilderness Student Media Team and am studying Stage 2 Multimedia. During each event, I work with others in the team to capture special memories so that we can create a film that showcases the day. My main passion is editing, and I have been fortunate enough to have had many opportunities to do this, such as editing the REALISE Camp film and the Year 12 Film this year.

This question was quite a struggle for me as anyone who knows me knows my pop-culture knowledge is shameful.

For example, despite loving food, it was only last year in PLP that I learnt who Gordon Ramsay was (embarrassing I know). However, after giving it some thought, I realised there are an endless amount of people in this world I would love to invite. Since it’s a dinner party, the first person I would invite is someone to cook. Bill Granger is a self-taught cook, and both my mum and I take inspiration from him. I absolutely adore food and would love to talk to Bill about his recipes, watch him cook and, most importantly, taste his food.

Secondly, not many people know that I love to travel and experience new cultures, meet interesting people, taste unique food, and explore beautiful places in our world. I am someone who loves to do physical activities on holidays; be it camping, bike riding, kayaking, hiking, snorkelling or scuba diving. During my childhood, I was fortunate enough to able to sail to Papua New Guinea with my extended family. I loved this trip; it was the first time I experienced the scale of our planet and the diversity of people, locations and cultures.

My passion for travel was born on this trip, and I plan to travel as much as I can in the future, COVID permitting!

Lastly, a fact that never fails to raise questions is that I have a dog named Boot, which I think we can all agree, is a pretty unusual name. The story behind this is that our previous dog was called Loop, but sadly he died after being bitten by a snake. My family wanted to keep the one-syllable name with a double ‘o’ in the middle which, as you can imagine, considerably narrowed down the options. Despite me pushing for the name Snoop, we compromised and went with Boot instead. Ironically, he loves the car and spends a lot of his time in the boot, but also loves swimming and playing with toys even in his middle age.

Next, I would invite David Attenborough as I am passionate about the environment. I would talk to him about how we can combat global warming and pollution, and the ways that we can best protect our amazing wildlife. I would also ask him for travel recommendations!

My last spot has to belong to Ash Barty. She is an amazing athlete and an incredible female leader in today’s society.

Although she has to live in the crazy world of fame and media, Ash has held her values close. She seems like a genuine person who cares about the people around her.

I would love to discuss current issues with Ash and ask her for a couple of tennis tips to improve my game.

With this guest list, it would be an incredibly tasty, engaging and long night!

Our most treasured school values of respectful relationships, kindness and thoughtfulness, need to be at the forefront of everything that our SRC stands for.

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

Trinity Hong Vice President

What legacy would you like to leave Wilderness?

Throughout our time as the SRC Executive in 2021, we hope to create a community where girls feel encouraged, confident, and excited. We want to grow upon this year’s SRC theme of ‘Spirit’ by continuing to empower girls to strive towards their endeavours while also supporting others.

We want to focus on helping girls to be confident in being their true, authentic selves without fear of judgement.

I want to support and encourage girls to challenge expectations and the norm, to act accordingly to their beliefs. Inspiring girls to unapologetically be themselves will allow them to discover not only themselves as individuals but how they belong to a wider community.

Whether it be joining a club or committee that they are interested in, participating in a new sport, or getting involved in music, these activities can enable self-discovery and foster the creation of supportive relationships.

What does leadership mean to you?

To me, the most important characteristic that comes with leadership is being supportive. Although leaders are often thought to lead from the front, I believe it is just as important to support from behind. A supportive leader can encourage and bring the best out of each person, which makes the group stronger as a whole. I believe that being open-minded is also essential as it is the willingness to hear and consider new ideas or try new things.

As a leader, it is important to appreciate that everyone has a different perspective and then to cater to each person’s experience by listening to their views and opinions.

Tell us three things that people wouldn’t know about you.

I have had a fear of birds since childhood.

I love sneakers and have close to ten pairs.

I have an unhealthy bubble tea obsession.

Which three people would you invite to a dinner party and why?

I would invite Michelle Obama as I admire her grace, humility, and sincerity. I would speak to her about her passion for girls’ education along with the several initiatives she has led that address the challenges of childhood obesity, and transition into regular life for service members.

I would also invite Emma Watson, a woman I find very inspiring. She is not afraid to express her strong views which have led to her campaign as a UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador.

I would also invite Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, as I am a big fan of his films. As he has a creative soul, I would find it impactful to listen to his unique perspective of the world and catch a glimpse into how he expresses it through his work.

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Ishani Sood Secretary

What legacy would you like to leave Wilderness?

As part of the 2021 SRC, I hope to contribute to an environment where authenticity is celebrated; where girls feel empowered to utilise their strengths and succeed in their endeavours, knowing that they will always be supported by one another. We want to encourage girls to have the confidence to take risks, follow their passions and be proud of their achievements without fearing judgement.

We want to ensure that girls feel comfortable in their skin and courageous enough to challenge stereotypes, stigmas and assumptions. We aim to make the Wilderness community a place where girls are confident enough to express their genuine views and know that their voices are being heard and admired for their authenticity.

What does leadership mean to you?

To me, good leadership is the ability to demonstrate courage and resilience when faced with challenges.

I believe leadership involves putting others first, and thus a good leader is willing to step outside their comfort zone for the benefit of their community, and to see the change they aspire to create.

No one is born a leader; one can only become a leader if they possess an open-minded attitude and a willingness to grow; through advice, interactions and experiences with others. Only then are they able to truly listen to, support and represent their community. Most importantly, I believe a true leader embodies kindness, gratitude and humility.

Tell us three things that people wouldn’t know about you.

My dog, Tina, is named after a taxi driver my family met in Switzerland.

I was at Wilderness in Mamie’s and then returned in Year 6.

I am obsessed with Delicia’s Acai bowls.

Which three people would you invite to a dinner party and why?

I would invite Jacinda Ardern as I believe there is so much to learn from her leadership. Jacinda Arden breaks glass ceilings; she is an incredible role model for female leadership as the world’s youngest female Prime Minister and the first leader to go on maternity leave while in Office.

She is actively improving women’s rights, is passionate about tackling climate change, and leads with openmindedness and kindness.

I would also invite Oprah Winfrey as I am inspired by her success as a self-made entrepreneur, willingness to speak up as an activist, and generosity as a philanthropist.

Finally, I would invite Beyoncé as I admire her as an artist and resonate with her values of feminism, charitability and supporting other women. I appreciate Beyoncé’s authenticity; promoting strength and independence in her lyrics, celebrating her own and other’s cultures, and encouraging positive body image.

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

LIGHTS - CAMERA - ACTION

THE ANNUAL SHOWCASE OF MUSIC LIVE-STREAM ‘Quiet on set.’

The gym set up as a 2-stage film studio fell silent in anticipation and excitement as 170 students and staff prepared for a music concert of new and exciting proportions.

‘Going live in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…’

On Thursday 3 September the students from the Wilderness Music Department combined forces with students in the Media Team to put on a showcase of music unlike any other our School has produced – seven cameras, two stages, ten crew members, and 150 musicians, live-streamed to the School community.

The Annual Showcase of Music featured a range of outstanding performances. It started with an inspiring performance of ‘Amazing Grace’ by Jazz Incorporated.

From here the Intermediate String Orchestra took to the screen with the joyful ‘Tim Tam Slam’ and later the Senior String Orchestra amazed us with ‘Eine Kleine Bachmusik’ and ‘Nessum Dorma’. The Year 7/8 Choir mesmerised the audience with their ‘Choral Medley’, and Dream Girls warmed the audience’s hearts with their renditions of ‘Your Song’ and ‘September’.

The Concert Band took us further into the film-making genre with a performance from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, which set the scene for the Symphonic Band’s fabulous rendition from ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’.

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The Senior Choir had the audience dancing with uplifting performances of ‘Spirit’ and ‘Oh Happy Day’.

The night also marked a powerful moment for the Wilderness School community with the inaugural performance by the Old Scholars Jazz Choir stunning the viewers with a ‘Yesterday Medley’. It was wonderful to see the generations of Jazz Choir vocalists take to the stage, and this further heightened when the current Jazz Choir took the spotlight to conclude the evening with ‘Survival Medley’. As the show moved seamlessly from one stage to the next the Senior Music students, acting as television hosts, took the audience on a journey through the set by interviewing some of the crew and directors and giving the audience a sense of what was going on behind the scenes. The night was also an opportunity for us all to say thank you and congratulations to the Year 12 musicians, as they received their Year 12 Music medals.

The applause from the other student’s made it clear what a powerful and positive impact these Year 12 students have had on the Wilderness music community.

The production also showcased the skills of the Media Team students who operated the seven-camera setup. Their advanced cinematography skills captured all the beautiful musical moments. Added to this was the mastery of Year 11 Creative Arts student, Ella Anderson, who operated the livestream switcher which involved monitoring the live footage, feeding back to the film crew, and selecting the best shots

to send out to the live-stream. This was truly magical to witness. Not only was the film crew highly professional and skilful, but there was also an inspiring sense of connection within the crew.

We must also acknowledge the support this event received from The Hive, in particular Mrs Candace Gwyther whose amazing skills as a sound and lighting technician provided beautiful visual and sound quality; and Mr Dominic Ashfield whose management of the technical setup of the live-stream provided a flawless connection to the School community.

The team of music staff and ensemble directors must also be thanked for their inspiring leadership and tireless commitment to producing quality performances.

A huge congratulations needs to be offered to all of the Wilderness girls involved in this event. It was an amazing evening of collaboration, professionalism and entertainment enjoyed by an audience of well over 500 online viewers.

‘5… 4… 3… 2… 1…Clear. We are off air.’

It was at this moment as the live-stream concluded that the gym erupted in a collective celebration of joy, giving those present a heart-warming sense of community and incredible achievement.

Hal Bruce Head of Performing and Creative Arts

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

LIFE AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IN 2020

There is one undeniable truth about 2020. It has created unprecedented disruption.

required our additional support to keep them connected to each other and their families.

This disruption has demanded something extra from each of us.

For our interstate boarders and international girls, the impact has produced a set of additional challenges. With state and national borders closed, these girls faced the prospect of prolonged periods without the capacity to return home. For our international students, they are now into their tenth month without any direct contact with their families and with the very real prospect of not being able to return home over the Christmas break. This is a huge sacrifice that each international family is making for their daughter to continue her education at Wilderness.

The strengthening of these connections is essential to help sustain the girls both academically and personally.

These extraordinary times have required us to be innovative in developing ways of maintaining and strengthening the connections with our international community. In many ways, despite the physical disconnect, these efforts have brought us closer together, allowing our sense of community to thrive in adversity.

A sense of connection is at the heart of every positive experience, and now more than ever, these girls have

Messages of assurance from Principal, Ms Jane Danvers have been filmed and translated for our international parents to reassure them of the care their daughters are receiving.

We have allied with Walford School to provided ongoing boarding accommodation for all international students across the holiday breaks.

During the July school holidays, many of the international students took to the road for a short stay in the South East of our State. On route to Mount Gambier, they visited the Old Tailem Bend township, the Pink Lakes at Meningie, the Giant Lobster in Kingston, and the beautiful town of Robe. They also enjoyed a bonfire and a breathtaking Australian sunset at a deer farm before exploring the natural wonders in and around Mount Gambier as well as the Naracoorte caves.

The trip was a great morale boost and allowed the girls to form fond memories of this time of their life despite the additional challenges the COVID-19 situation has brought for them this year. We were pleased to be able to live-stream the holiday so the experience could be shared in real-time with their families in Hong Kong and China.

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This year is a great opportunity for me to spend more time with others and deepen my friendship with them. FAI CHAN

In the October holidays short trips to Victor Harbor and Hahndorf were scheduled to give the girls something to look forward to and uncover more about the Australian way of life.

During our recent International Assembly, a movie capturing messages of love and support from their families back home provided a surprise for the girls and an opportunity to share their circumstances and emotional messages with the whole school.

Included are some of the responses elicited when the girls were asked, “What is the outstanding memory of this time going to be for you?”

“When I wrote down this sentence, this is my 223th day away from home, I still can’t believe that I’m going to spend my first Chinese New Year away from my family in a foreign country.” – May Bian

“It’s been a tough year, we’ve had a lot of new experiences, leaving home for more than a year: I wish each other a long life to share the beauty of this graceful moonlight, even though miles apart.” – Queenie Lin “I think this year is a very challenging year, in such a long time, I no longer rely on my parents, no longer timid. Even though I miss my family very much and sometimes feel sad, I have changed a lot and become stronger this year.” – Ella JI Despite COVID, this year, for me, has been livelier than ever, with new girls joining the boarding family, and the Wilderness girls having a chance to explore South Australia and forge new relationships.

Rosie Broderick Head of Boarding

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

FACULTY IN FOCUS

SCIENCE “If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.”

– Vincent van Gogh This ‘can do’ attitude resonated strongly with the faculty, as we faced the online COVID-19 challenge; keeping learning alive for the girls during lockdown…but never locked in.

The Science Faculty ever resourceful, harnessed the ‘science of life’ that surrounds us every day whether we are at home, at school, within a classroom, or at the dining room table.

Across the Middle and Senior School, our girls undertook a series of different activities during their remote learning journey. Our Year 7’s focused on understanding the principles of pure and impure substances by completing a treasure hunt. Here they saw, identified and learned about pure and impure substances.

“Today I have learnt many objects are pure or impure substances. I have learnt that some types of sugar are pure, and others aren’t. I learnt that raw rubber is pure, but rubbers are not. I now know that tap water isn’t pure, but distilled is. I have learnt and deepened my understanding of pure and impure substances and what they are.

I am excited to challenge myself by dissecting and pulling apart substances and finding out what particles they have in them. I still wonder which everyday items I use are pure and impure. What are the most common pure and impure substances?” – Audrey Petrucco

In Year 8, girls investigated particle theory. To further develop their understanding, they reflected on the connections they made to the processes of diffusion, convection, expansion and contraction.

While our Year 9 students demonstrated the ‘conservation of mass’ using kitchen items, their double lessons were broken up by heading into the garden to photograph a flower and uploading it to the group chat.

Girls in Years 10, 11 and 12 worked together in break-out communities of learning in order to beat the isolation.

The engagement seen across their chat rooms was a testimony to the deep learning the girls continued to enjoy during the difficult time.

These special moments not only captured the unprecedented challenge facing humanity, but they also captured the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our staff. As a faculty we continued to push the boundaries, we continued to learn (what worked well and what needed improvement – and at a lightening pace), and we continued to share our collective wisdom in order to continue to deliver learning that matters. As a leader, I am incredibly proud of the Science Faculty and girls alike as we embraced this challenge together and kept science alive within our virtual classrooms.

Simone Burzacott-Gorman Head of Science

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WILDERNESS FEATURE

BEHIND THE NEWS Throughout this year, the Environment Committee has been working with endangered plants native to our Crawford campus and its surrounding area. We have worked predominantly on the critically endangered Spyridium fontis-woodii or Woods Well Spyridium.

Before we started working with this plant, there were only 11 plants left in the wild. We have now managed to grow several plants to maturity; we hand-pollinated half of these, collected their flowers, sorted the seeds and have grown a whole new generation of Spyridium. We now have more plants in a single container than what was in the wild when we started, and hundreds of germinated seeds overall. We hope to be able to plant these at Crawford when they have grown enough.

We were recently featured on ABC’s Behind the News (BTN). This was a really exciting experience as it allowed us to share our progress with the wider community. We hope that through raising awareness for native plants, more people will be inclined to help them in the future.

Our BTN segment can be found at: www.abc.net.au/btn/classroom/ threatened-flora/12625656 Inika Weber Environment Committee

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

JUNIOR SCHOOL

OLIPHANT SCIENCE AWARDS Almost 50 students from the Junior School entered the Oliphant Science Awards competition this year, which was open from June to August.

We would like to congratulate the following prize winners:

missed out on winning a prize and were ranked as ‘Highly Commended’:

Annika Ganesh – Year 5-6 Posters

Isla Balestrin – Year 3-4 Photography

Maryam (Cedra) Sawad – R-2 Posters

Students could choose to enter from a variety of categories, including posters, photography, models and inventions, science writing, crystal investigation, games and multimedia.

Lila Nassery and Adeline Wilson – R-2 Games

Edie Lydeamore and Evangeline Lee – Year 3-4 Games

Our Junior School entrants worked really hard on their projects, showing creativity, persistence and excellent scientific understanding. Their efforts resulted in some amazing entries, so much so that several students have been awarded prizes for their projects.

Maryam (Cedra) Sawad, Isha Wechalekar and Aayana Butt – R-2 Models & Inventions Specific placings have not yet been announced, but the girls will find out if they were awarded 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in Term 4. We look forward to sharing this with you.

I would also like to acknowledge the following students who narrowly

Vivienne Childs – R-2 Photography Jessica Mah – Year 3-4 Posters We congratulate all of our Junior School girls on their entries and for the time and effort they put into their projects. It is so nice to see so many of our students loving their science.

Nathan Rice Junior School Teacher

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INTRODUCING

MARIO DREOSTI

A NEW MEMBER OF OUR GOVERNING COUNCIL

We are delighted to welcome Mario Dreosti to Wilderness School.

Mario commenced as a member of our Governing Council in July 2020.

He was kind enough to answer the following questions for us so we could get to know him better.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am an Architect and the Managing Director of Brown Falconer. I also have ongoing involvement in the Institute of Architects, Association of Consulting Architects and the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA).

I joined the Sites and Services Committee in March 2016 and was recently appointed to the Council of Governors.

I am a father to Sebastian, 12 and Imogen, 9 and husband to Annie.

We live in St Peters, and our lives are now run by our new puppy, a Golden Retriever named Zoe.

What is your association with Wilderness School: I am a current Year 3 parent.

What is the mantra you live and lead by?

That good things take time.

What virtue do you admire most in people?

Vision.

If you could have dinner with two famous people, who would you choose?

Shigeru Ban and Imogen Heap.

What is one piece of advice you would give our girls?

That they can truly do anything they imagine.

What is something on your bucket list?

To learn to surf.

If you had to start over from scratch, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?

I would take more chances.

Failure is never as bad as you think it will be, and there is great opportunity in taking a chance.

What’s the most important business or other discovery you’ve made in the past year?

I learned from Dr Fiona Kerr at the Neurotech Institute about the scientifically validated impact of space and our environment on our capacity for thought and creation.

Something that architects (and indeed all people who experience delightful and uplifting spaces) inherently know but haven’t previously proved with layperson friendly science.

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

LOW STAKES WRITING

ARMED WITH PURPOSE

Asking a student to recall the last time they wrote for pleasure or without the weight of assessment usually results in muffled laughter.

For the vast majority of our students, it does not happen. Most have abandoned the journals that they once scribbled in whilst lying belly-down on their bed.

Yet, we expect our girls’ writing to be fluent, sophisticated and bold, and request that they pluck the appropriate words from a vocabulary that stretches the length of the Wilderness Parklands.

Unfortunately, this takes practice, not only to acquire a vocabulary of that size, but to use it correctly. Writing is a skill and something that Stephen Heller (2015) suggests that we start treating as a verb, rather than a noun. Writing requires work.

Low Stakes Writing (LSW) is the product of our girls’ writer’s block and the need for growth in this area. We hope it could also be the vaccine. Task sheets should not be synonymous with the fear of putting words on a page and while writing isn’t the only cause of this fear, it is certainly one of them. LSW is a program that provides students with weekly opportunities to hand-write in ways that are constantly varied. We aim to create agile and adventurous writers who can express themselves with confidence. Taking writing outside of the classroom is a nice place to start if we want our girls to feel like they can write with the same freedom as the 230 species of migratory birds that visit the Coorong each year.

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Practicing writing atop the sand dunes of the Younghusband Peninsula on a glassy night, also makes for a nice view.

Research compiled by writing theorists such as Nicole Boudreau Smith (2017) provides ample guidance for our LSW program. Put simply, in designing a bright future for the program, we certainly do not have to feel our way through the dark like our REALISE girls do as they descend from the sand dunes to find their tents. Smith took on a review of 60 years of research in the teaching of writing to find six components of practice that we will use to inform the future focus of LSW. In Term 3, we adopted component number five; ‘Writers need social interaction, not passive compliance’ (N Smith, 2017, p.73) which exposes the way that classroom chat, believe it or not, is an integral part of writing. The heightened fervor to write that follows a rich discussion proves that writing is a social process. Peer collaboration opens up a generative discourse that allows individuals to reach new ideas in their writing that alone, they could not unlock. By focusing on this component of Smith’s writing revolution, we also hope to unpack the way that the true intention of a writer is not always realised by the responder. In testing ideas out loud, before printing them, it is hoped that the gap between intention and outcome is bridged, resulting in a lot less heartache for students who, at times, receive feedback on summative tasks that were unexpected.

As we ride Smith’s components in Principled Practice throughout our LSW journey, we believe that our writers will become armed with intentionality, purpose and a clear personal voice at all times.

Weaving writing into the REALISE program, an initiative by Leah English, supports the idea that writing is not just a tool used to show the assessor what one does and does not know. It is an art form, and what better muse to inspire such art than the sweeping Coorong River. Gathered in a circle, the 15 girls from core group two discussed the joy in writing; the power that we have as young writers to encapsulate a moment that can be shared with others who were not present. That moment can be vivid and lifelike, if we can use the power of our language to make it so.

In keeping with the old adage, ‘show, don’t tell’ we discussed the ways that images and feelings can be constructed. Sensory imagery is the builder of stories that we can see, touch, feel, smell and taste. As the girls dispersed throughout the dunes to find a quiet spot, we isolated each sense and in doing so, realised that it is not often that we become the audience to just one sense exclusively.

We silently recorded a live-stream of everything we were experiencing; the salty crust that had formed around our ankles and the sound of the violent waves that tore through the ocean on the other side of the peninsula.

As we regathered, the sensations that were tapped into began to pour out into the circle of students. We scooped up the metaphors, analogies, and symbols and trickled them into recounts of our journeys that day. The girls’ writing was stimulating, vivid and outrageously real.

The sense of adventure required to write without fear of judgement is not often discussed.

It takes courage to put something in writing; to print the inner workings of one’s mind for all to see.

In pairing writing with outdoor education; where girls learn to take responsible risks and demonstrate real world application of their learning, it is our hope that we can transfer the resilience, strength and bravery that we see on a stormy kayaking expedition, to the same girl when she has pen in hand.

Billie Newton Teacher

Heller, S. (2015). Teaching writing, rather than writings. English Journal, 104(5), 12.

Smith, N. B. (2017). A principled revolution in the teaching of writing. English Journal, 106(5), 70.

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

CREATING

COURAGEOUS COMPASSIONATE AND

LEADERS

Round Square is a global association of over 200 schools from 50 different countries that share a commitment beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility, service, challenge, adventure and international understanding.

More a philosophy than an organisation, Round Square’s overriding goal is to ensure the full and individual development of every student as a whole person through the realisation of academic, physical and cultural aspirations.

The IDEALS of Round Square perfectly complement the Wilderness core values and Wilderness Learning that Matters Framework. We are deeply committed to educating the whole girl to reach her full potential through an enriching range of alliances and experiences.

Round Square has six specific areas of focus known as the IDEALS: • Internationalism – promoting internationalism and understanding of real-world issues • Democracy – encouraging student voice and freedom of thought and speech • Environmentalism – looking after the future of our planet • Adventure – risk taking, and stepping outside your individual comfort zone • Leadership – explore leadership by identifying role-models and developing leadership skills • Service – engaging with both local and wider communities through voluntary service activities These IDEALS are underpinned by the 12 Discoveries, representing the attitudes, attributes, skills and values students develop as they engage with the IDEALS: communication, inquisitiveness, diversity, responsibility, problem solving, sustainability, courage, self-awareness, compassion, teamwork, tenacity, inventiveness.

Round Square is a best practice example of how young people can be educated on the basis of tolerance, respect and mutual understanding. Whilst most member schools are highly individualistic, common ground is easily found, particularly in concepts like service to the community, adventurous learning and activities and the furthering of international co-operation.

The start of a new decade in 2020 seemed a fitting time for Wilderness to extend its global alliances and broaden opportunities for all girls by challenging their thinking and inspiring them to action while collaborating with likeminded students from a range of cultural backgrounds.

Round Square provides opportunities for students to: • t ravel as exchange students to other schools in Australia and overseas (two weeks – six months) •p articipate in regional and international service projects initiated between member schools • c ollaborate with students around the world on global and intercultural projects • attend annual Australasian Junior and Senior conferences as well as the annual International conference.

While COVID has limited the opportunities this year, it has not dampened the enthusiasm of our Round Square Ambassadors, replacing the face to face with virtual connections. Our committee has connected digitally with students from St Phillips School in Alice Springs to learn from their student representatives’ experiences as a long-term member school. Our Student Ambassadors are currently developing an action plan to involve girls throughout Wilderness School in a range of activities based on the six IDEALS. Stay tuned to see where these girls will take us!

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GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Although COVID-19 has meant the cancellation of some highly anticipated overseas and national tours and exchanges, Wilderness School has still been active when it comes to developing intercultural understanding and global consciousness within our community.

Here are some examples of what the girls have been doing: Local Round Square Ambassadors at Wilderness In Term 3, the Round Square Ambassadors collaborated with students in 1Z to explore ocean pollution, its effects, and what we can do about it. The girls worked together over a 2-week period, resulting in the creation of artworks made using recyclable materials.

International Boarders The International boarders have enjoyed sharing the holidays this year with the International boarders at Walford.

National Round Square The Round Square Ambassadors held their first virtual meeting with the Round Square Committee at St Phillip’s School, Alice Springs. The girls enjoyed learning about daily, weekly, once a term initiatives, and other experiences they had, and are looking forward to the next catch up.

They will also be meeting with the Round Square Committee at Scotch Oakburn College in Launceston this term. We plan to bring together the whole school community with our upcoming Round Square initiatives.

Global Girl Up Club Emily Teoh and Isla Truman, representing the Wilderness School Girl Up Club, held a Zoom meeting with girls from the Girl Up Club at Carolina Day School in Asheville, North Carolina.

The two clubs are working together to support students at the Isaac A. David Senior Memorial School, Liberia. The Carolina Day School Girl Up Club will

hold a Books and Schools Supplies Drive, and we will make friendship bracelets and possibly menstrual kits.

We plan to send these to the students at Carolina Day School early next year.

Their students will then package the contributions and ship them to Liberia.

Our Girl Up Club has plans to propose that the Carolina Day School Girl Up Club works with us to support the Bhadure School in Nepal.

Year 5 Dana Hall, Boston Collaboration Year 5 students developed relationships with the students in Year 5 at Dana Hall. They wrote pen-pal letters, created videos on Flipgrid to introduce themselves, posted books they are reading on Padlet, and constructed graphs about the Year 5 cohort to share with the students at Dana Hall.

The children from Godspell sent videos via Flipgrid asking questions about Australia, the bushfires, native animals, and how we were managing during Coronavirus times. The children at Godspell College were all remote learning from home. We sent videos back to answer their questions and asked some of our own.

It was a fabulous experience for our girls. They “got so much out of seeing children just like them, on the other side of the world, who were also going through Coronavirus times, remote learning and all that came with that.”

– Mrs Kate Brennan Moving Forward

Year 5 and Year 11 Out of Eden Learn (an initiative of Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education) In Term 1 and 2, Year 5 and Year 11 English as a Second Language students completed the Stories of Human Migration project, working with students in America, India and each other. They explored the migration stories of people they are close to, posted their learnings online and commented on other students’ posts.

Round Square: Virtual Exchanges We are excited to be working towards developing opportunities for Middle and Senior School students to participate in ‘Virtual Exchanges’ with other Round Square schools. It would be a great opportunity for our students to connect with peers around the world, to interact via email, through video conferencing and on social media. This will allow them to share experiences, develop language skills, understand each other’s country and culture, create friendships and potentially build lifelong relationships that may result in a physical visit to each other in the future.

Year 5 students created artworks reflecting aspects of their understanding. Both year levels were invited to Zoom with researchers at Harvard University as part of this project.

We are continuing to develop our global connections both within and outside the classroom, locally, nationally and globally, thus enabling our girls to develop their intercultural understanding and global consciousness.

Round Square: Godspell College, Argentina In Term 2, the Year 4 classes connected with the Year 4’s at Godspell College, Argentina through Round Square.

Stephanie Andrews Head of Languages Rosie Broderick Head of Boarding

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

CONGRATULATIONS The Association of Heads of Music in Non-Government Schools (AHOMINGS), has developed criteria to acknowledge and recognise the outstanding work, support and contribution of instrumental music and vocal tutors within our association schools.

AHOMINGS is an organisation that facilitates professional engagement, support and networking and are aware that instrumental music tutors contribution and long service is not necessarily recognised outside the music department that they work in, and as an organisation felt it was important to highlight their contribution.

To this end, two awards were put forward for Heads of Music to nominate one music tutor per year for each award; the Don Burrows Award for Recognition of Long Service for Music Tutors in Independent Schools and the Bob Hower Award for Exemplary Contribution of Music Tutors in Independent Schools.

It is with great pleasure that two of our long serving tutors were recipients of the Don Burrows Award; Karen Fletcher and Jennifer Stokes.

Karen Fletcher has taught flute at Wilderness since 1991, working with beginner flautists up to players undertaking the highest Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) exams and the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). She has been a tutor in the Year 4 Band Program as well as the conductor of our two flute ensembles for over 25 years. Her dedication and commitment to all her students is unparalleled. Karen works at several other independent schools across Adelaide and received nominations from more than one Head of Music.

Jennifer Stokes began teaching piano at Wilderness in 1988 and since this time she has developed hundreds of budding pianists and helped guide their musical journey through their school years and beyond. Her dedication to the holistic music education of her pupils is undeniable. Jennifer also received more than one nomination from the schools she has worked in, and this is a testament to her service and contribution.

Warren Heading, who began teaching at Wilderness in 2004, was acknowledged as a recipient of the Bob Hower Award. It recognises his significant and noteworthy contribution to the profession including individual trumpet teaching and taking ensembles. This award recognises Warren’s service in several schools across Adelaide where he has been a committed and long-standing educator.

Like Don Burrows and Bob Hower, Jennifer, Karen and Warren were recognised for their consistent, passionate and far reaching influence on generations of musicians in independent, nongovernment schools in South Australia and we congratulate them on their achievement.

Anna Lenartowicz Head of Music

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The House Captains would like to thank everyone who donated and participated in the House activities.

FUNDRAISING

FOR NEPAL Every year, each House hosts a House Day as our major fundraiser to support the Bhadure School in Nepal. The fundraiser usually involves a casual day, cake stall and a BBQ cooked lunch.

The first of these days was set to occur in early March, just as COVID-19 started to disrupt the lives of people in Adelaide, and had to be cancelled.

During the period of online learning and the holidays that followed, the House Captains were unsure that they would be able to meet as a House group for our weekly meetings, let alone host a House Day. During Term 3, we were lucky to resume House Meetings in person. The House Captains were all keen to think of creative ways we could fundraise while there were still restrictions around sharing food and staff socially distancing. In mid-August, Dr Sally Nobbs received and shared with the SRC and staff, a message from Ramprasasd Poudel in Nepal. It explained that the Bhadure School had closed until further notice because of

the number of community transferred cases of COVID. This news was quite concerning for us, as we knew that the medical system is already very strained and testing would not be freely available. Sally wrote in her email to us:

“I think, even though the school is closed, the staff and students of the Bhadure, as well as the community of Junbesi still need our support, so I am hoping we can still make the donations to the school that we normally would do.”

The House Captains met the following day and agreed that we needed to raise not only money but awareness of the current situation in Nepal and the impact it was having on the Junbesi community. Together they planned a number of activities, starting with ’guess the number of lollies in the jar’

at the Middle and Senior School Athletics Carnival, followed by a raffle, a lunchtime faculty verses faculty Table Tennis Tournament and a Nepal themed casual day.

For the first time, an email was sent out to Wilderness families, asking for donations to be made directly to Wilderness In Nepal, via the Trybooking platform. In a little over a week, a total of $5521 had been collected through the activities run by the House Captains and the community donations. We were extremely pleased that the Houses were able to exceed the amount they pledge to contribute to Nepal in a year where our normal methods of fundraising had not been possible.

The House Captains would like to thank everyone who donated and participated in the activities. We would also like to thank Dr Sally Nobbs, Mr Mark Mackintosh, Mrs Yvette Lagozzino and Mrs Marg Keane for all their assistance behind the scenes.

Rhiannon Giles Head of Cedar House

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

WILDERNESS OLD SCHOLARS

From the WOSA President The year continues to be one like no other. But amidst the COVID upheaval, there are many shining examples of resilience and new opportunities created that reassure me of the astounding creativity and resourcefulness to deal with change possessed by the people in our community.

Resilience and the courage to try new ways of approaching accepted norms are integral to dealing with change in a positive way rather than being paralysed by it. Many old scholars will have had to make changes to their lives this year that they would not have thought possible. Whether that has been the experience of home schooling (yes we now have a whole new level of appreciation for our amazing teachers!); working from home; mastering the Zoom meeting; changing the way we run our businesses; finding ways to visit and care for elderly parents; attending

university entirely online; helping our children stay positive and connected with their friends. It is safe to say that the list is endless. We have been lucky in South Australia to have felt the ongoing impact less severely than other states. Most of us are managing to cope with the changes imposed upon us. I have heard many stories of people rediscovering the importance of immediate family, core friendships, and communities we belong to, and making time to consider the things that truly matter in our lives. These are the things that sustain us and help us look to the future with positivity.

On the topic of community, I have great pleasure in welcoming the 2020 Year 12 girls to our community of old scholars. Communities are built by people who feel connected to each other and part of something bigger than themselves as individuals.

We share a common past in our schooling at Wilderness and have

the opportunity to share a connected future as well. There are so many opportunities and ways we can support each other.

I encourage all old scholars to look for ways to do this beyond your immediate friendships. We want our newest old scholars to recognise the enormous value our diverse community of women represents.

To build and grow a connected and engaged community where members experience true value, requires commitment and a sense of relevance to our old scholars. As we are so diverse, we aim to offer different events that are relevant to different groups.

In 2021, we are planning to offer a new series of business ‘breakfast’ forums for old scholars at all career stages.

Each will focus on a specific industry and will be a moderated Q&A format with a panel of old scholars who have experience to share in the area of interest. We look forward to sharing

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OUR MISSION REMAINS:

To provide a ‘go to’ community hub for Wilderness Women and girls through the provision of services and events that add value to their personal and professional lives.

further details soon and hope you will find it a valuable way to connect with each other.

Another great way for us to connect is for us to share our personal stories. You may not think so, but your story might have significance for someone else. Sharing our experiences and creating better awareness of who we are and what we do will make it easier to find the connections that are relevant to you. We are always interested in your stories, so if you would like to tell yours, please contact Emma Bishop, Old Scholar Liaison Officer, and we will share it within the community.

Finally, the WOSA committee and I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and holiday season as we fast approach the end of the year. We look forward to 2021 and a return to life with more certainty.

Jacki Smith (Class of 1978) President Wilderness Old Scholars’ Association

Giving every opportunity that you had.

What unites our old scholars is not that they shared a similar timeline at school, they shared a path of abundant opportunities. We invite you to share your opportunities and join our Green Door Society.

To learn more please contact our Development Office on 08 8344 6688

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

WILDERNESS WOMEN

LEADING THE WAY Wilderness School is proud to be able to celebrate the successes of all our past and present students and the many outstanding achievements of our Wildy women.

Leading the Way offers you an insight into some of our amazing old scholars’ lives, beyond the Wilderness School gates.

Ashleigh De Silva Australian Regional Leader Girl Up Club Class of 2018 In 2018 I was elected Vice President of my cohort and together with the SRC, created the first South Australian Girl Up Club. Girl Up is a UN founded organisation created by girls, for girls.

Having always been a keen advocate for gender equality, the Wilderness Girl Up Club enabled me to channel my passions to advance girls’ skills, rights, and opportunities to be leaders. When girls rise, we all rise.

Prior to Year 12, I was lucky enough to attend a national leadership conference where I heard from Girl Up. Girl Up helped me realise that at Wilderness, we are given such a pivotal platform to create change for an equal world. The Wilderness Girl Up Club has had such a profound impact in elevating the voices of all girls and continues to flourish two years following its creation.

Upon finishing school, I applied for and was awarded the position of Australian Regional Leader of Girl Up.

The position entails independently leading the growth of Girl Up in Australia. One of the most rewarding moments was representing the organisation two years later at the same conference where I first heard about Girl Up myself.

My piece of advice for aspiring Wilderness Girls is believe that you are ‘enough’. I almost didn’t apply for the regional leadership position as I doubted my capabilities to help lead an organisation that meant so much to me. Do not underestimate the power of your voice and your actions to make change, be it within the School, your community or globally.

As said by Michelle Obama in the Virtual Girl Up Leadership Summit 2020, “with every action that you take, you’re proving that you’re not only the leaders of tomorrow, you’re the leaders of today.”

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COFFEE CATCH UP On a beautiful June morning, I had the privilege of spending time with two of our cherished old scholars, Rosemary Henderson (Stacy) (Class of 1948) and her daughter Angela Biven (Henderson) (Class of 1972).

Rosemary laughed as she described the ‘Black Spot’ for misbehaving girls, a place that brought back memories for her. The embarrassment of this experience alone encouraged excellent behaviour.

Rosemary enlightened me with the most incredible stories of a time now passed, so sacred and insightful. The historical pathway of our School was paved out in front of me, with stories during wartime, memories of sports days and bazaars, classroom antics and schoolyard recollections.

The familiarity of Rosemary’s experiences at Wilderness resonated with me. Experiences of care, team spirit, school pride, philanthropy, and respect were evident then, and remain consistent today in our School community. It became apparent that the ethos of Wilderness, and the girls within its embrace, continue to define the School; always consistent, always reliable and “always true” throughout the generations we welcome. Our current school values of respectful relationships, responsible citizenship, adventurous learning, and a true and courageous self, are evident in Rosemary’s stories from years ago.

What amazing history we have had at this beautiful School.

Rosemary remembers wartime being a challenging time. She described ‘The Mound’ - it was a bomb shelter on school grounds. Every girl was given an eraser on a string to place between their teeth to protect them from biting their tongues in the instance a bomb went off.

Rosemary remembers sports day events on The Running Track, as it is still called. Amongst her favourite events were the slow bike race showcasing a display of balance, and the three-legged race where Shirley Baker and Rosemary won every time.

The bazaars were a chance for philanthropy to shine, where girls hosted fundraising events with proceeds going to purchase chopped wood for underprivileged families.

Stick jaw toffees were a real treat!

I could not have enjoyed my time with Rosemary and Angela more.

This gorgeous family with four generations of Wilderness girls really has experienced the School from its creation with the Misses Brown, through to current day.

Rosemary, thank you very much for welcoming me to your home and for helping to keep the history of our School alive through your incredible story sharing.

Emma Bishop Old Scholar Liaison Officer

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

INTRODUCING THE

OLD SCHOLARS’ JAZZ CHOIR

Over the years, I have observed wonderful and talented girls bring great joy and happiness to our music and school community through the Wilderness Jazz Choir.

By the final rehearsal and performance, the choir members hold not only a superb sense of accomplishment but also a tangible sense of loss and sadness. This has led to the realisation that the Jazz Choir creates a unique sense of family, belonging and camaraderie; one that could not be replaced unless we found a way to reunite and create music together again.

In September 2019, this notion came to fruition for the first time by sheer chance when I was contacted

by Mrs Jodie Escott (former Head

of Advancement). She asked after the possibility of creating a “small ensemble” of 2018 graduates for a one-off performance at the Schools 135-year celebration. Within a matter of weeks, seven graduates pulled together to learn and perform an arrangement of ‘Independent Woman’

by Destiny’s Child. We were all inspired by their dedication, passion and performance flair.

This sensational performance catalysed the inception of the Old Scholars Jazz Choir (OSJC).

OSJC first commenced rehearsals in February 2020. It was the most incredible and surreal experience addressing the choir for the first time and witnessing the amalgamation of women who graduated only months

earlier alongside women who had graduated as far back as a decade past. The room was filled with laughter, palpable nostalgia and even displays of emotion as members shared their respective backgrounds, current life paths and past jazz choir experiences.

From here it was abundantly clear that Wilderness School had created something truly special.

Despite the fact that COVID-19 restrictions prevented OSJC from meeting again until August, I believe the first rehearsal really inspired our members to stay committed and excited for what we are now developing together. Aside from the personal opportunity and privilege of reconnecting with students whom I have cherished over the many years,

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The room was filled with laughter, palpable nostalgia and even displays of emotion as members shared their respective backgrounds, current life paths and past jazz choir experiences.

I have loved witnessing how our respective jazz choir cohorts can so readily combine and collaborate with others, despite many being unfamiliar with one another.

I am proud to see that the culture built through the Wilderness Jazz Choir galvanises harmony and unity in more ways than one and that the Wilderness School values continue to guide these women, as they embrace, empower and enable each other.

There is great joy in recognising the development and maturity of the OSJC voices and hearing how lifeexperiences have brought new elements to their vocal tone and blend. Even though many members were nervous to revisit and re-use their instrument after many years

away, it has been exhilarating teaching them how to rebuild neural pathways to voice production. There are so many wonderful things to look forward to with the OSJC. Right now, we are focussed on growing closer as a united team, honing our unique skills and developing our musicality to greater heights.

We were incredibly fortunate to recently have had the opportunity to perform at the Wilderness School Annual Music Showcase. Taking to the stage for the first time since starting together, it was a beautiful event that captured the true essence and amazing community of Wilderness School.

I envisage the positive impact of OSJC on our music community, particularly

in motivating and inspiring our current students. I especially think of the deep connection of the OSJC to the current Jazz Choir, who are effectively the legacy of the former.

For me, this choir is not just about reconnecting. It is not just about creating great music or performing on stage. It is about teaching our youth the importance and value of giving back to the same Wilderness community that gave them so much whilst using the universal language of music.

That’s the power of the Old Scholars Jazz Choir; I could not be more honoured to be a part of the journey.

Joanna Tropeano Instrumental Teacher – Voice Director, Old Scholars’ Jazz Choir

Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

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Images: Bill Purvis and Raphaela Oest)

OUR SPORTING COMMUNITY

Sporting opportunities continue to grow for our old scholar community.

Wilderness girls have always been known for their outstanding abilities across both the academic and sporting arena. For years, many old scholars have continued their love for sport outside of school. The St Peter’s Old Collegian (SPOC) Women’s Hockey Club was born in recent years providing a fabulous platform for Wilderness old scholars and women from the wider community to remain engaged in a great sport and stay connected.

Despite an interrupted start to the season on account of the COVID-19 restrictions, SPOC Hockey Club has had a successful season. Four senior Women’s teams, a senior Men’s team, and the inaugural ‘Blueys’ Under 9

Mixed team have all enjoyed playing winter sport and spending time with friends and family.

Wilderness old scholars feature strongly at the club with four members of the committee being past students and over a dozen players sharing direct contacts with Wilderness School. Some of the parents of our new junior team are also old scholars.

Founding member, Lydia Rudkin (Paton) (2001) was integral in the formation of the junior side of the club, and Raphaela Oest (2003), Claire Curry (Scott) (1999) and Annabel Denton (Sawers) (1999) are all members of the committee. While none of the women’s teams made the finals this year, all were competitive and look forward to a smoother run into the season next year.

If you are interested in playing hockey again, please email SPOCHockeyClub@gmail.com or follow our active Facebook page.

We will enter teams in the Summer Mixed Hockey Competition and also the one-day Master’s competition in November for anyone over 35 this year.

We are also keen to start an U18’s women’s side next year, so any current students can also contact the club. Given the high numbers of Wilderness women amongst all grades, you are sure to find a familiar face to welcome you to the club.

Players of all levels and availability are welcome.

Claire Curry (Scott) Class of 1999

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SUMMER TENNIS On another note, we are pleased to announce that SPOC once again has provided our old scholars with an exciting sporting platform where they can maintain important connections.

We are thrilled to introduce openings at the SPOC Tennis Club for our old scholar community. The SPOC Tennis Club prides itself on offering a welcoming and inclusive environment.

With the warmer months approaching, tennis is such a great option for keeping fit, catching up with friends and joining in regular, social fun.

If you are interested in joining, you could rally a team of girls, join as an individual, or be included in a mixed team with SPOC players. Social and competitive options are available and all abilities are welcome.

The club fields teams in the Metropolitan Lawn Tennis Association, with home matches and training held at Kensington Gardens Tennis Club on The Parade.

For more information and registration details, please email Emma Bishop, Old Scholar Liaison Officer at ebishop@wilderness.com.au

2020 Old Scholars’ Golf Day Monday 16 November, 2020 Royal Adelaide Golf Club – 8:00am for 8:30am start •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Good luck to all old scholars playing in this years Golf Day. We look forward to sharing the results of the day.

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

STUDENT FOUNDATION INITIATIVES

It has been a pleasure to be the Year 12 Student Foundation Representative this year – a committee that embraces the culture of giving back to the School community. Although COVID-19 presented further challenges to the year, we were still able to achieve some fantastic outcomes.

Girls in the Year 6 Student Foundation have continued the lost property initiative called Discover and Return (D&R). Under this program, lost property is sorted once a fortnight, with all named items returned to teachers in the Junior School or during house meetings for Middle and Senior School students. Any unnamed uniform items are brought to the Uniform Shop for re-sale to limit garment waste.

The restrictions associated with COVID-19 meant that our planned initiatives were no longer possible for some time. As such, I was compelled to change my thinking and adapt to the current circumstances, which led to reconnecting with old scholars.

Girls across the Middle and Senior School wrote to some of our old scholars from the earlier years of Wilderness in the hope of offering positivity and providing them with an insight into the new world of online learning. Each letter included artwork made by the Lower Junior School girls.

The letters were greatly appreciated by recipients. We received some beautiful letters back from the old scholars, who shared many fond memories about their time at Wilderness.

Fortunately, the Father’s Day Cookie Drive was still possible and provided a heart-felt opportunity for the girls to present fathers and father-figures with a personalised cookie. The Drive was a success and generated support for the School Foundation, raising $693.

I would like to express my sincerest thanks and gratitude to all Student Foundation Committee members as well as Mrs Yvette Lagozzino and Mrs Jodie Escott for their help and guidance throughout my time as a leader.

Emma Moularadellis Year 12 Foundation Representative

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WILDERNESS

INTERGENERATIONAL FAMILIES Henderson Family Antholiza House Kathleen Stacy (Maegraith) Class of 1916 Rosemary Henderson (Stacy) Class of 1948 Penny Gibson (Henderson) Class of 1976 Angela Biven (Henderson) Class of 1972 Annabel Flynn (Biven) Class of 2000

Pictured L to R: Angela Biven (Henderson), Class of 1972 Daughter, Annabel Flynn (Biven), Class of 2000 Rosemary Henderson (Stacy), Class of 1948 holding Josephine Flynn Inset: Sister, Penny Gibson (Henderson), Class of 1976

My grandmother, Kathleen Stacy (Maegraith) was born in 1899. My mother, Rosemary Henderson (Stacy) remembers stories of early Wilderness School days as told by her mother, and she, of course, has her own stories also.

Wartime years were difficult. I remember a mound of dirt outside the hall covering an area shelter, and during the war, we had air-raid practice twice a week. We were fortunate this was never required.

As told by my mother, Rosemary Henderson (Stacy)…

The tuck shop was an old tram car, and it was parked over on the Northcote Terrace side of the School. It was a very special day when you had a lunch order! Mr Threadgold sold pies, pasties, chips with salt, and Kitchener buns!

“My great grandfather sailed to Australia from England on the same ship as the Brown family, and my mother began at Wilderness in approximately 1904 and was one of only a few students. She played the piano and after leaving school in 1916 was the lead violinist with the South Australian Symphony Orchestra. One of her favourite stories was when she sang in a school concert at the Walkerville Town Hall, and Miss Winnie presented her with a box of chocolates afterwards.

Mum was left-handed but was encouraged to use her right hand, resulting in her showing amazing ambidexterity.

I attended Wilderness from 1934-1948 and was in Antholiza House. Dorothy Powell and Helen Sabine were two of my early teachers, as well as Miss Annie, who taught Year 2.

Miss Winnie listened to our reading every morning, and she had a great sense of humour. I remember being further advanced than the primmers! Miss Mamie taught mathematics in my intermediate and leaving years.

Bazaars were wonderful fundraisers. We worked hard knitting, sewing and baking to fill the trestles with homemade goods. We bought wood for the local shelter with the proceeds. I remember painting the school badge on large metal trays to sell at the bazaars in the sixties. The bazaars were just as much fun when they were held a generation later!”

My mother, sister, daughter and I maintain close friendships from our school days at Wilderness. Happy memories are often shared.

Angela Biven (Henderson) Class of 1972

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Wilderness Times | Spring 2020

ANNOUNCEMENTS Wilderness Babies

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Wildy Babies 1. Sally Trodd (McDougall) (1999) gave birth to Winnie Alice Trodd

3. Josie Somerville (Kirk) (2006) gave birth to Charlie Leonard Somerville

5. K imberley Dohnt (Huis In’t Veld) (2007) gave birth to Charlotte Rose Dohnt

2. Annabel Mitchell (Hammer) (1999) gave birth to Ava Grace Mitchell

4. Katie Kurenda (Kapiris) (2004) gave birth to Jock Thomas Kurenda

6. Diana Ellis-Elwood (Elwood) (2003) gave birth to Rupert Andrew Ellis-Elwood

In Memoriam

Dick Collison (1936)

John Keeves (attended Wilderness in 1932)

Roma Elford (Sandercock) (1951)

Dheeraji ‘Raji’ Guterres (Prasad) (1994)

Margaret Stanbrough (Higgins) (1947)

Rosemary Reeves (Banks) (1949)

If you are an old scholar, we would love to hear from you so we can share your milestones and celebrate your success.

Please email your news and accompany a photo to oldscholars@wilderness.com.au

Bring a smile to a woman without a home in South Australia this Christmas

Every woman should be supported and cared for. Whether Catherine House is her home on Christmas morning or the place she is sharing Christmas lunch, she deserves to feel special and know she has the support of those around her at this emotionally challenging time. This November, Wilderness School are proud to be supporting Catherine House by donating items to women in need for Christmas.

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There are many ways to contribute to Catherine House.

Give the gift of choice with a gift card.

When women are in a position of having limited control over their situation, one of the best gifts we can give them is a gift card. This allows them to have a choice and control over a purchase they need. They may also use the card to buy a gift for a child, enabling them to participate in the tradition of giving.

Gift cards from Coles Myer, Woolworths, Target, Big W and Kmart are greatly appreciated.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to give a present, the following items would be truly appreciated: • Affirmation books • Boxed chocolates • 2021 diary or calendar • Reusable coffee cups • Movie tickets • Candles

• Adult colouring in books with pens/pencils • Nail polish • Word search/puzzles • BPA free water bottles • Perfume

Where to bring your unwrapped gift or gift card.

Girls in Mamie’s, Annie’s and the Junior School can place items in their classroom.

Middle and Senior School students can bring their items on any Wednesday and place in their Form Room.

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30 Hawkers Road, Medindie SA 5081 Phone + 61 8 8344 6688 www.wilderness.com.au CRICOS Provider Code: 00375B