海角大神

Thanks for Term 1

As we reach the end of term, I want to offer thanks for all of the gifts of Term 1. It is a time rich in activities and new experiences as we welcome students, staff and families to our community. I would like to thank our students for returning to school this year with such a positive outlook and I appreciate that this mindset starts in the home with your encouragement and guidance. Thanks also to the 海角大神 staff who continue to show that they are educators of the highest calibre. We will celebrate the end of term next week with a Family Mass on Tuesday night in our chapel, commencing at 7:30pm.

Easter

For Christians, Easter is the most important festival in the liturgical calendar, as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the cornerstone of our tradition and the essential truth on which our belief is founded. Easter is a time of saying thanks for the year that has passed, asking forgiveness for the many times that we have failed to live up to our own expectations, and going forward with confidence that we are forgiven and loved. It is also a time that many families get the opportunity to catch up and share a meal together. Whatever Easter may mean for you, I hope that your family's celebration is rich and life-giving.

Parent Teacher Meetings 

A reminder to all parents and students that our Parent Teacher Meetings for Semester 1 take place on Monday, April 24 or Friday, April 28. These meetings provide feedback in regards to student progress to supplement the information provided in PAM. As per previous correspondence, bookings open on Sunday, April 2 at 6pm.

Caring for our Teachers

When you find a quiet moment, I鈥檇 like you to reflect upon your own schooling and what you remember. I appreciate that not all remember their school days fondly; however, most people, in my experience, can recall a teacher who made a difference, sometimes profoundly. Put simply, we need great teachers, as they can change lives for the better. As you would be aware from media reports, we are experiencing a period of chronic teacher shortage in Australia, and while more fortunate than many other schools, 海角大神 is not immune. As this is a densely researched topic there are many experts offering opinions. But there remain two core issues: our young people do not appear to see teaching as an attractive career and those who do choose this profession have a very high attrition rate, with many not continuing beyond five years. What is clear is that if we want to retain our great teachers we need to address workload concerns, and as importantly, ensure that teachers feel respected. I share this in advance of Parent Teacher Student Interviews next term and with gratitude that 海角大神 is a community that is already proud of the way we show each other kindness.

Open Day Thanks

We enjoyed an excellent turnout on Sunday, March 19 for Open Day. The College was presented very well and we have received a number of compliments from visitors, especially about the fine young people who acted as student guides and showed off their school with such pride. Thank you to all staff, student volunteers and other helpers who made it such a successful day. We are expecting that there will be continued healthy interest in enrolment and applications are open for those wanting a place in Year 7 in 2025. Applications close on August 19, 2023. Current families are reminded that we do not presume that you will be seeking enrolment for younger siblings and that an application is essential.

Harmony Day

Harmony Day continues to be one of the highlights of our College calendar and this year proved no exception. The students were given the opportunity to hear from interesting speakers, sharing insights into their personal stories. There was also dance, music and martial arts to help highlight and celebrate the wonderful riches that our cultural diversity can offer in Australia. A focus of Harmony Day was the plight of those less fortunate that agencies such as Caritas support both financially and through advocacy. Striving to see 鈥淕od in the other鈥� is truly a Lenten mission.

EISM Swimming Championships

Congratulations to the team that represented 海角大神 at MSAC on Monday. It was great to see so many students take this opportunity to test themselves against the most able swimmers in EISM and get such pleasing results. Thanks to the coaches and the many parents who make participation in events such as these possible.  

School Uniform

We allow a two week change over to full winter uniform from the start of Term 2 i.e. students can wear summer uniform if the weather is still warm until May 5.  From Monday, May 8, all students must wear the full winter uniform, which includes their blazer. The College hat is not required in Terms 2 and 3, but all students are encouraged to remain Sun Smart, especially during outdoor activities.

Honour Roll Dinner

We had the great pleasure of inducting two former students into the 海角大神 Honour Roll last Friday evening. Professor Shez Cairney and Mr Paul Desmond have both dedicated their lives to work to improve outcomes for others and it was a great privilege to recognise their achievements and celebrate with their families and friends. Professor Cairney and Mr Desmond are both profiled in the alumni section of the College website. You will also see the nomination forms for Honour Roll and Leading Lights on our website and we welcome the nomination of candidates so that we can recognise the achievements of other 海角大神 alumni.

MACS Announcement

Please find attached in the announcement of Dr Edward Simons as the new Executive Director of MACS.

First Week of Term 2

Monday, April 24 - Parent Teacher Student Interviews (no student classes)

Tuesday, April 25 - ANZAC Day Public Holiday

Wednesday, April 26- Students return

Friday, April 28 - Parent Teacher Student Interviews (no student classes)

Darren Atkinson
Principal

At the end of next week, it is Easter, an important time for the Church and an opportunity for families to spend some time together. It is also the start of the Term 1 holidays, a good time to think about the impact that holidays have on secondary school progress. While there is considerable research on the impact of breaks, much of it is on the long breaks that Northern Hemisphere schools take in the summer.

What we do know is that holidays can have mixed effects on student progress. It is true that holiday breaks can provide students with much-needed rest and relaxation, which can improve their overall wellbeing and motivation. When students return to school after a break, they may be more energised and focused, which can lead to better academic performance. It is also very important to remember that not everything that a young person learns is done in a classroom and the holidays can provide opportunities for other activities and experiences. (In fact, an interesting question to think about is what percentage of hours in a year is a student in school? The answer is at the end)

The big concern that is often expressed is about momentum, forgetting and stalling in progress, coupled with a loss of routine that needs to be regained after the break. For students who are open to school and its ways of doing things, this is not usually much of a concern. After a day or two, many students express that the holidays seem like a distant memory, so getting back into the swing is usually not so difficult. 

To help students stay on track I would offer two suggestions:

1. High school is reading school, especially for students with academic aspirations, so in the break students should continue to develop their reading habits to make sure reading is a daily activity.
2. VCE Students seeking an ATAR should understand that the R stands for Rank and that all students are ranked on their performance, so being aware of what other students are doing (not just at 海角大神) can be helpful, and keeping up is important. Teachers will give students tasks to do to ensure that the VCE is a seamless experience, but students should plan to make some time to complete them.

The break helps everyone to refresh and it is part of the whole cycle of a school year. It is important that students do the things that help them to develop, eat well, sleep often, get outside for a significant part of the day and read. It can be a very beneficial time.

(The answer to the question is 15 per cent, and that assumes 40 weeks of school, no public holidays or curriculum days)

Michael Box
Deputy Principal Learning

The benefits of extracurricular activities in student development

As the term comes to an end, and the anticipation of the colder months reaches us in Term 2, it is important that students enjoy a well deserved break. Our Christian tradition recognises the importance of Easter as a time to reflect, to seek forgiveness and to forgive, to love and be grateful for the blessings we enjoy. Easter is an important time for our community and I hope that you have the opportunity to reflect, appreciate and celebrate with your child the importance of what is Jesus鈥� Ministry, Death and Resurrection. 

In times in which we have come to more broadly appreciate the role of schools in facilitating a holistic education founded on not just the academic, but also the social, emotional, cognitive, physical and spiritual facets, it is important that parents support their children to engage in all the available extracurricular activities available at school, as such experiences support the aim of developing well adjusted and socially responsible adults. Extracurricular activities play a crucial role in a student鈥檚 overall development, taking place outside of the regular curriculum and inclusive of sports, clubs, music, art, drama, and volunteering. These activities provide students with opportunities to develop skills and abilities beyond the academic realm, and they prepare students for life post school. 

Some of the key benefits for students who participate in extracurricular activities are:

• Leadership Skills
• Team Work
• Communication Skills
• Problem Solving
• Self Confidence
• Self Esteem
• Time Management
• Organisational Skills

Participating in extracurricular activities also helps students develop a sense of community and belonging. When students join clubs, sports teams, or other groups, they are able to meet new people and develop friendships outside of their regular academic circles. This creates a sense of belonging and can help students feel more connected to the College and their peers.

Social interaction through participation in extracurricular activities will have a positive impact on a student's mental health. Participation in the activities provides students with a sense of purpose and accomplishment, and they can be a way for students to relieve stress and anxiety.

As a school, we encourage you to provide your child with the opportunity to join activities outside of the College, but equally, we hope that you encourage them to participate in some of the many extracurricular activities on offer at 海角大神. 

In the last week, I had a conversation with one of our students, a young man whose involvement in the Robotics Club has led him to become a leader, also giving back to the community. You can read this story in the Teaching and Learning section below in this newsletter. It is a great reflection of what one can get from participating in a club.

Nap Rodezno

Deputy Principal

Palm Sunday

This weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday, and while this is a positive, joyous story of Jesus鈥� entry into Jerusalem, it is also the starting point of a journey towards betrayal, suffering and sacrifice. As predicted by the prophet Isaiah 700 years earlier, Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus was aware of this prophecy and would clearly have known the message he was trying to send to his disciples and the broader community in regards to him being the messiah. 

So how could everything change so quickly?

Why did everything go wrong, or was things going wrong actually right all along?

In the hype of the procession into Jerusalem, Jesus鈥� disciples and the crowd itself forget about one point of Isaiah鈥檚 prophecy, that is, the messiah is the suffering servant. He must suffer and stay true to his belief in order to be our salvation. This is something not forgotten by Jesus and I can only wonder at his courage to enter into the city for what he knows is the last time. I think if it was me, I would be turning the donkey around and heading for the hills.

Palm Sunday is the beginning of a journey that we are all invited to share; to walk with Jesus, to see what he sees, to feel what he feels. However, this is not meant to be a time full of misery, more of appreciation and wonder at the ultimate act of love; knowing that in only a week鈥檚 time, grief turns into hope, and hope turns into joy.

Tania Grace

Assistant Principal Mission

Senior Years Report

As we wrap-up the first term, I would like to acknowledge and congratulate students, families and staff for a fulfilling start to the school year. It is not to say the term has been without challenges, however, it has been more about the challenges met (there鈥檚 a song in that). The school has prioritised high expectations and these have been in classwork, assessed work, uniform, respectful behaviour and inclusivity. On the whole, students have responded positively.

Looking ahead to Term 2, it will conclude with activities week. Year 10 participate in Futures Week, Year 11 either attend Kakadu or City Camp and Yearr 12 have focus days and Retreat.  

In this article, I would like to focus on Futures Week to highlight and make a request for parental involvement. The week鈥檚 program is designed to support students as they make decisions about the various areas of their life, including their vocational pathways. 

On the morning of Wednesday, June 21, we are inviting parents, from across the whole school, to come in and share their career journeys in a session with our Year 10 students. This would be an opportunity for you to share your trek into your current career path, your experiences, and the skills and qualities that have helped you succeed in your career with our students. It is also a chance for our students to ask questions, seek advice, and learn from your experiences.

This event is designed to help our students explore various career paths and gain a deeper understanding into the real world of work. We believe that your unique experiences and career journeys can provide invaluable insights and inspiration to our students as they start thinking about their futures. We encourage parents from all fields of work to contribute to a session, whether you are a tradesperson, lawyer, nurse, artist, engineer, or in any other field i.e: science, agriculture, business or health industry etc. 

If you are interested in participating, please contact either Catherine Kearney kearneyca@aquinas.vic.edu.au or Scott Watkins watkinssc@aquinas.vic.edu.au, who can answer any further questions you may have. The student feedback from last year's presentations was overwhelmingly positive. We hope that you can join us for this exciting event and help inspire our students as they start their own career journeys. 

Rachel Crawley

Head Senior Years

Middle Years Report

Last Friday, we were privileged to have the opportunity to celebrate Harmony Day as a whole school. In the Middle Years, the students had the chance to see the 鈥楳an of a Million Faces鈥� who gave a French-inspired theatre workshop. Some students were immersed in a hip-hop high-energy interactive program, where they could discover the significance of hip-hop and urban dance culture around the world. Others took part in easy to follow dance disciplines, including: Belly Dancing, Bollywood, Bhangra, Turkish, Egyptian, Gulf, and Lebanese Folk Styles, where everyone could be up on their feet participating. There was also African drumming workshops and Chinese Martial Arts. Overall there was a fantastic range of diverse cultures for students to immerse themselves in. All students explored the importance of signing as a universal method of communicating in our society and looked at the value of sharing language. They looked at languages other than what we speak and examined the challenges faced when there are barriers to communication.

Several of our amazing teachers let their feet do the talking in order to help build a harmonious world, as they raised close to $7,000 by completing the 100 kilometre Oxfam Walk (although their GPS said 106km). 

Our Deputy Principal, Dr. Napoleon Rodezno, gave our Year 7 students an insight into the enormous challenges his family faced while living in war-torn El Salvador and what it was like to see such suffering at a young age. 

The theme of Harmony Day was 鈥榚verybody belongs鈥�, yet we also discovered in other sessions that as a country and a world, we still have a long way to go with that notion. With days like this, we want to provide students with food for thought as to how we can play a part in making sure that 鈥榚verybody belongs鈥�. When we look at the plight of many people in our world, it can understandably seem to be an impossible mountain to climb. But we discussed with our students that the long summit can start with a small step, and that is aiming to accept and hopefully celebrate differences in our own classrooms, schoolyards, and workplaces, and not be fearful of it. 

The Oxfam website says that, 鈥渘ow is a time for solidarity and compassion, not a time to close our minds or our hearts.鈥� We need to stand together against the same intolerance and fear that so many of these problems start with, and we are all capable of doing that.

A big thank you to the many teachers that put in a great deal of work to make Harmony day and the lead-up activities a great success.

Phil Box
Head Middle Years

Sustainable Easter- Easter Egg Foil

The best way to recycle Easter egg foil is to scrunch the foil up into a golf sized ball before putting it into the recycling bin. This ensures the small bits of foil do not get lost in the recycling process. If you don鈥檛 have enough to make a golf ball size, you can simply place the foil pieces into an aluminium drink can to contain them before recycling them.

Sustainable Seafood

This Easter, help keep our oceans healthy by choosing sustainable seafood with the GoodFish sustainable seafood guide. The Sustainable Seafood guide can be found .

Karyn Myers

Environment & Sustainability Coordinator

As Term 1 concludes, we hope that everyone has successfully settled into the school year by developing effective study habits, solidifying friendships, and beginning to generate momentum to continue working hard throughout the year. Throughout the term, we have gathered as a school community and shared our achievements and goals, competed in athletics and swimming carnivals, participated in Harmony Day, and have been a part of various activities within our cohorts. The Year 12s had their first of four dress up days for the year, which was lots of fun seeing everyone get involved with creative costumes and dress up ideas. 

Understandably, Term 1 is often busy as we adapt to the new school year and find our footing. Now that Senior Years has completed their first SACs, and the juniors have now settled into their new homerooms, we are all coming up to a nice break as the end of term approaches. Although for lots of us there is still much studying to be done, it is really important to still relax over the Term 1 holidays and enjoy yourselves, so you can come back refreshed and ready for Term 2! 

Chloe North-Coombes and Matthew Azzopardi

College Captains

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne aim for continuous school improvement. An essential element of this improvement is understanding how students and their families perceive the Catholic identity of our school and what they might like Catholic identity at 海角大神 College to look like in the years ahead.

Students have an important voice in our planning and so we invite all students in Years 7 to 12 to participate in the Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Survey. 

Each student in Years 7 to 12 has been asked to complete an online survey, access to which is only available through individual user codes and passwords. At no time will students be named or identified in the survey; their responses are guaranteed to be anonymous.

I write to you again to invite you to participate in the ECSI Survey, which will assist us in better understanding how our Catholic identity is expressed in work and practice here at 海角大神 College.

You are asked to complete the survey online; it may take up to an hour to do so. Try not to get caught up in the questions, simply respond intuitively. 

Keeping a record of your individual user code and password will allow you to complete the survey over two or more sessions.

The survey is only available through the project website; please refer to the .

Your responses to this survey are guaranteed to be kept anonymous.

Tania Grace

Assistant Principal Mission

On Friday, March 24, the whole 海角大神 community participated in Harmony Day, a day for celebrating cultural diversity and belonging.

All students began preparing for the day in their Pastoral time throughout Term 1. Year 8 students created informative videos explaining what Harmony Day is all about, which helped our Senior Years students get in the spirit of the day. Year 7 students were introduced to the College鈥檚 commitment to developing global citizens, and all students investigated how Harmony Day, and other activities they have been involved in over Term 1, have helped them to develop their Intercultural Competencies.

On the day, Middle Years students participated in interactive performances, including Chinese Drumming, Hip Hop Infusion, and Rhythms and Instruments of West Africa. The English Learning Area, Arts Learning Area, and St Mary鈥檚 team collaborated to create lessons that investigated the importance of communication, which is one of the College鈥檚 Intercultural Competencies. Students practiced translating instructions into other languages, (raise your hand if you now know how to say 鈥榟ello鈥� in Sudanese, or ask someone to do the 鈥榗hicken dance鈥� in Polish!) and they also learned how to sign the lyrics to the 海角大神 School Song in Auslan (Australian Sign Language). We look forward to seeing plenty of students sign along to the song at the next College Assembly!

Senior Years students learned from 2023 Honour Roll inductee Professor Shez Cairney, who shared her knowledge and vast experience in Indigenous neuroscience and wellbeing. Shez鈥檚 passion for her field of work was inspiring, and a wonderful example for where skills in Science, Social Justice and Global Citizenship can take you. The Senior Years鈥� day was rounded out with an Athletics and Activities afternoon, with many students getting into the spirit and donning their House colours with pride.

A themed 鈥楳usic Friday鈥� from our talented choirs enriched the atmosphere in the Forum at lunchtime, performed against a backdrop of international flags that represented every 海角大神 student who was born overseas.

The theme of social justice was evident throughout the whole day, with plenty of opportunities for students to participate in various fundraising activities. The donations continued our existing fundraising efforts for Caritas鈥� Project Compassion, and we look forward to seeing the final tallies of students鈥� generous efforts. Additionally, there was an impressive number of students who volunteered to organise and run these activities on the day, with the support of the Social Justice team.

A big thank you to all of the staff involved in preparing such an event-filled day, and well done to students for getting in the spirit and making the day such a success.

Natalie Zuccon

Intercultural Learning Coordinator

Year 11 VM Applied Learning Program

Our Year 11 VM students have had an active week, with lots of chances to work on key employability skills such as leadership, communication, teamwork, initiative and risk taking.

Lucy Bartholemew came out to chat to the students about her career as one of Australia鈥檚 leading female ultra marathon runners.  Lucy has broken new ground for someone of her age. After starting out as a 15-year-old, she has now carved out a career in a sport she loves. Lucy's message to students was to chase their dreams and that persistence and drive will open any doors they want.

Next our students spent the day at Melbourne Cable Park, where they tried their hand at kneeboarding or wakeboarding and spent some time on the Aqua Park obstacle course. Students had a great time trying new activities, failing, persisting and supporting each other. Coaches at the Cable Park had a similar message as Lucy, which was to find something you love and try to make a career out of it! We also had the chance to see some OH&S risks and controls in person, which will assist students to write their own OH&S policies in Work Related Skills next term.

Finally, students were put through a Muay Thai Boxing session at WFC Chirnside Park. Professional fighter Erin taught our students striking and defence techniques which they put into action on the pads. Mixed martial arts are a great opportunity to learn discipline and communication skills, not to mention the health benefits of a great cardio work out. Students left with a greater appreciation of the sport and the dedication it takes to succeed. 

Michael O鈥橦alloran

VCE VM Coordinator

The Cable Park was a fun day full of good team spirit, as we encouraged each other to give kneeboarding and wakeboarding a go. After many failures, we all managed to go a full lap around. Once we were finished on the boards, we went on an inflatable obstacle course and had even more fun, constantly falling and helping each other back up. The day was all about becoming more of a team and that was successful. We all walked away from the day feeling closer with each other.

Josh Nester

11 VCE VM

The Melbourne Cable Park was a cool experience. I had never even heard of wakeboarding up until a couple of weeks ago, and when we got there, I wasn鈥檛 too interested as it was spitting rain and was cold. My mates told me to hop in and try it once, and when I did, I completely failed at first, but on my second go I was flying and it was really fun. Then we went on the inflatable course where we were battling and pushing each other in the water before then teaming up with one another. Overall, I didn't regret it one bit.

Hayden Turner

11 VCE VM

On Monday, the VCE VM class went to Melbourne Cable Park. We were given the opportunity to kneeboard, wakeboard, and go on an inflatable course. I thought that it was a super fun day being given the challenge to learn how to wakeboard and kneeboard. I managed to fall off eight times before getting out of the start! The workers there were very helpful and patient in teaching me how to stand up and wakeboard. It was also good to see that they were helping the boys who were struggling a lot more then some of the others. The way that the day was run was just a super experience for the class, and I will definitely be going back for some more wakeboarding. 

Lachlan Quinn

Year 11 VCE VM

On Tuesday, we went to WFC in Chirnside Park for a Muay Thai boxing lesson. We learnt some defence punches and kicks (jab, cross, hook, push kick and roundhouse). It was fun to let out some steam and punch/kick some pads while learning how to do it safely. I would recommend it.

Alex Bratton

11 VCE VM

Last week, we had Lucy Bartholemew come and speak to us about her career as an ultra trail runner. First we watched her documentary about running the Larapinta trail. Having lucy come and speak to us was quite a motivating and encouraging experience, as she taught us that even if you can't see a career path for something you love doing, you should make one. She also taught us that even when people tell you that you can't do something and have so many doubts about what you wish to pursue, you should do as much as you can and prove them wrong. We all learnt a lot from listening to Lucy.

Kahli-Ann Wynne

11 VCE VM

Being a part of the 海角大神 Robotics Club: what it means to me

As a student in the 海角大神 Robotics Program, I have had the incredible opportunity to develop a range of important skills that have not only helped me succeed in the program, but also in my personal and academic pursuits. Through hands-on learning experiences and working collaboratively with others, I have honed my problem-solving and social skills, and gained confidence in my abilities.

One of the things that sets the 海角大神 Robotics Program apart is the emphasis on reaching out to the community. The program has given me the opportunity to educate people who are interested in robotics and engineering, both in and out of the classroom. By sharing my knowledge and experiences with others, I have not only helped them learn more about this exciting field, but also developed my own communication skills and ability to articulate complex ideas.

Another highlight of the 海角大神 Robotics Program has been the chance to travel around Australia and compete in national competitions. These experiences have allowed me to represent my school on a national stage, and showcase the skills I have developed through the program. I have also had the chance to meet students from other schools and learn from their experiences, further expanding my knowledge and network.

Beyond the technical and social skills I have gained, the 海角大神 Robotics Program has also provided me with valuable connections with organisations and universities that can help me achieve my future academic and career goals. These connections have allowed me to access mentors, internships, and other opportunities that will help me succeed beyond the program.

Overall, the 海角大神 Robotics Program has been an incredible experience that has helped me grow as a student and a person. From building friendships and connections, to developing valuable technical and social skills, the program has given me the tools and experiences to succeed in all areas of my life.

Zach Osborne

Year 10

Thank you to all staff and students who helped make our 2023 Open Day a success. 

Last Friday, March 24, the Year 10 to 12 students had a mini Athletics Carnival in the afternoon. Students could compete in 100 metre and 800m races. They could participate in all the different field event- Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Shot Put or Discus. As well as these events, there was also some novelty events, which the students really enjoyed. These were tug-a-war, three-legged races and tunnel ball.

It was so great to see so many of the senior students having a wonderful time participating in many different events.

Rice had won the carnival last year and were expecting to win again, according to most of the Year 12 students. But MacKillop had a different idea and won the carnival by 40 points from Rice, with Dominic another 15 points behind.

Bernie Brummell 

Sports Coordinator

Commencing our Athletics carnival, the Year 12s demonstrated some great 海角大神 spirit with the display of zinc, feather boas and tutus. Notably, the Year 10s and 11s equally brought passion and excitement. It was personally a very enjoyable experience for us, as we were all together to give the events one last crack. After a few years off, and with the help of our Year 10s and 11s, Mackillop gave it their all and were deemed winners, bringing back previous standards of success. It was very rewarding to see everyone involved, whether it was a 100m race ran backwards, four people in the 3-legged-race, or everyone running in to get into the tug-of-war. 

Thank you to all of the teachers, especially Mr Brummel, for conducting the afternoon in such an enthusiastic manner. Thank you also to everyone who stayed to participate and made it fun for all- Go Mackillop! 

Ava Campbell

Senior Sports Captain

On Friday, March 17, the annual Year 7 to 9 海角大神 Inter-house Athletics Carnival was held on campus. The day was spectacular, with lots of students involved in many different activities and support shown from each of the houses. Many students dressed up in their house colours, making it a very colourful day.

Last year鈥檚 winners, Dominic, were keen to continue their recent dominance. They started well, entering the first break at recess with a lead on Rice and MacKillop. Rice鈥檚 rendition of Sweet Caroline as one of the special chants for the day was spectacular. The scores were close throughout the carnival, with all houses within 200 points before the final event- relays. 

In the end, Rice won with a total of 3057 points, Dominic finished second on 2984 points and MacKillop third on 2952 points. This was the closest carnival result we have seen for a long time.

Congratulations to the following students who were the top three competitors in each age group:

U13 GIRLS

1st Octavia Mckrell-Bonacci

2nd Grace Cameron

3rd Sienna Beck

U13 BOYS 

1st Lenny Clarke

2nd Ben Campbell

3rd Zach Buyck

U14 GIRLS

1st Zoe Fabre

2nd Gemma Settle

3rd Lyla VanMar

U14 BOYS

1st Dylan Jones

2nd Kingston Clarke

3rd Stuart Simms

U15 GIRLS

1st Olivia Haun

2nd Alisha Harmer

3rd Elicia Bracher

U15 BOYS

1st Max Pinchbeck

2nd Callum Settle

3rd Lachlan Ghosn

The 2023 Athletics carnival was a great day filled with students showing their talent in sporting events, as well as their involvement in lots of dancing, singing and cheering to get everyone involved in a fun day of sport! 

All throughout the day, we saw the pride and passion of Rice from many students and staff, whether it be cheering or in events. I am very grateful to have the role as one of your Rice House Captains for 2023. Students showed teamwork, leadership and encouragement all day long and that's what Athletics day is all about. All houses created a very fun competition, as the scores between us were particularly close the entire day. 

There were many excellent races, especially the last race of the day. In particular, a shout-out to our Rice relay runners and the U15 boys Relay team, with the fastest runners of the day. As well as the chanting, singing and dancing helped to get Rice officially over the line to win 2023 Athletics Carnival. 

A big thank you to Mr Brummell, sporting staff, Mackillop and Dominic houses, and all who helped plan and execute such a great day. Congratulations to Rice on an excellent win. Let鈥檚 be sure to keep this going all year round. Go Rice!

Aria Conway

Year 9 Rice House Captain

Some of you may know me, and some may not. My name is Campbell and I am one of the Rice House Captains for 2023.The Athletics Carnival was a great success for Rice, as we just slid past Dominic by 50 points to stop their three-peat. 

I had such a great day on and off the track, whether it was getting up and helping out with chants, getting everyone to participate on the track, or competing in my own events. It was amazing to see everybody getting out there and having a go and giving it their all. Each race I watched, I always managed to see some Rice participants, and for a good majority, I saw a lot of Rice students in top three placements. It was great to see that there is good talent within our house.

The relays were probably the highlight of my day, as there were so much Rice placement. I think that鈥檚 what finally got us over the line after trailing almost all day. The moment of Rice students being announced was like no other. It was a surreal moment when everybody jumped up and started waving their arms in the air. Walking down with the other Rice captain, Aria, and holding the shield while knowing that we had achieved one of our big goals was amazing. Overall, it was a great experience as captain and we will be looking forward to the Cross Country and Swimming Carnival. Go Rice!

Campbell Eastwood

Year 9 Rice House Captain.