From Head of Quinn House, Olivia Kite
Term One has been an exciting time for Quinn House. We’ve seen students succeed both academically and on the sporting field, we’ve come together to raise awareness for mental health in teenagers, our new Year 7 students sought guidance and advice from their Big Brothers and, as we entered the season of Lent, Quinn House has given their full support to the College’s Lenten Appeal.
2017 began with Year 7 students eagerly making their way across the Hawkesbury River by ferry and spending some time together to get to know one another and build friendships at Broken Bay Sports and Recreation Centre. This experience gave students the opportunity to bond over raft building, bush walking, a (very high) high ropes course and friendly football and rugby matches. Each and every student participated in the activities enthusiastically and wholeheartedly. It was amazing to see so many students support their new friends who needed some extra encouragement to tackle the high ropes course or to come together to determine the best way to complete the initiative activities. The students returned from their time away excited about their new friendships and a little less nervous about starting high school.
Quinn House members getting to know each other
Week 3 saw Waverley College host the school’s inaugural Wellbeing Mentor Interviews. These interviews were an opportunity for parents and students to meet with Wellbeing Mentors and set SMART goals for the year ahead. These interviews will help to ensure an increased focus on positive and meaningful student – teacher interactions in the classroom.
Week 3 also saw Quinn House taking out first place in the annual House Swimming Carnival at Des Renford Leisure Centre. Each House wore their colours with spirit and enthusiasm. We demonstrated our House spirit with some old and new chants during the ‘chant off’, decorating faces with blue zinc and cheering on our Quinn swimmers from the side of the pool. The Quinn House Prefects and fellow Year 12 students showed exceptional leadership on the day and played a large role in helping the Year 7 students marshall for their races, encouraging students from the older years to participate in as many events as possible and leading Quinn to their first victory of the year.
Quinn House at the House Swimming Carnival
Week 6 gave our Year 7 students the chance to show the rest of the school what they were made of in the Dodgeball Competition. Under the guidance and leadership of our Quinn Prefects the Year 7 boys won 2 – 1 against Brennan House in the Grand Final. Brennan House shook Quinn’s confidence by winning the first game within a matter of minutes, but Quinn, led by Riley Vidulich and Kai Puntigam stepped up to the plate and won the second and third game to win the competition.
Quinn House gathered on the morning of March 10th to show their support and admiration for Ned Wieland. Ned is attempting to swim the English Channel in July this year. If he completes the swim, he will be the youngest Australian male to do so. Quinn House, along with the Junior School Water Polo team and a handful of teachers, jumped in the pool with Ned to show their support. We aimed to complete 640 laps or 32 km – the shortest distance he will swim, instead we swum a staggering 1,072 laps or 53.6 km. In doing so, we helped Ned raise awareness around mental health in teenagers. Ned’s message is simple: “Swimming makes me happy and I want other teenagers to understand that there a lot of ways to feel happy”. We wish Ned the best of luck in July.
Ned Wieland and Quinn House Prefects
The Summer Co-Curricular season saw some incredible achievements for Quinn House. Samuel Hall got through to the Zone Finals for CSDA Public Speaking and Max Torsellini, Finn O’Sullivan, Will Johnston and Brooklyn Hardaker helped the 1st Water Polo Team to win the CAS Premiership for the 2016 and 2017 Summer Season. Stuart Swinburn was awarded the CIS Award for Swimming Excellence for his exceptional dedication to and results in Swimming.
Congratulations to all students who saw success during the Summer Co-Curricular Season.
Looking forward, Term 2 is set to be full of events, guest speakers and initiatives for the students and families of Quinn.
In Week 2 Quinn will be hosting a Bake Sale on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (1st, 2nd & 3rd of May) at recess in the Centenary Quad to raise money for The Ruben Centre in Nairobi. The Ruben Centre is the focus of the College’s Lenten Appeal this season. All funds raised go directly to the centre which aims to help improve the health care and education facilities they provide to the people of Nairobi. Students are asked to bring in baked goods to be sold and these items should be brought to the Wellbeing Centre before school.
On Friday 5th of May, Quinn will have a guest speaker from HeadSpace during House Assembly time. HeadSpace will be discussing the early warning signs of mental health issues such as depression and how students can help identify these signs in themselves and in their friends. Students will also learn how to use valuable coping strategies to deal with stress particularly around their exam and assessment time as well as where they can go for help, advice and support.
Thank you to every student who has engaged with their peers, teacher and the content during their Wellbeing time. Particular thanks to those students who have made the effort to have a conversation with a new student, as it is these interactions that develop positive and supporting friendships across all year groups. Also, thank you to the Quinn House Prefects: Finn O’Sullivan, Riley Addison, Thomas Andrianakos, Will Johnston and James Matis, who have shown incredible leadership. You are all exceptional role models to our younger boys. Thank you to the Quinn Wellbeing Mentors who have provided each student in Quinn with an engaging and stimulating environment everyday during Wellbeing Time. It is these positive student – teacher interactions that have led to a successful transition to the new Wellbeing Model. All of these factors have created an environment in which each student is excited and proud to be a part of Quinn House.
Quinn House students
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and restful Easter break.
