From the Head of Conlon House, Cathy O’Sullivan
During one of our House assemblies this term, Joshua Donovan from Year 12 read a poem by Nancye Sims titled ‘Winners are People like you’. One of the verses states; ‘Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things. From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary’. In term 3, the young men from Conlon House have continued to make some positive and extraordinary contributions to the fabric of College life.
It has been another very busy term. The Year 9 cohort went on a four day outward- bound style camp to the beautiful Colo Valley. The camp provided the boys with a series of challenging physical and mental activities, which are designed to develop self-reliance and promote personal confidence. The Year 10 boys attended a formal dinner cruise on Sydney Harbour; all looking very mature and handsome, and being the perfect hosts to their partners.
Joshua Conacher-Smith and Ben Walton at the Year 9 camp
Many Conlon boys played in successful winter sporting teams. It was a very rewarding season for the Blue and Gold. There have been some outstanding performances by our Year 12 boys in both the HSC drama and music practical exams, and some exceptional final works completed for TAS and VA projects. In the final weeks of term our Year 11 boys completed their final examinations for their preliminary HSC courses. From the commencement of next term they will be in their final year of schooling and will be the new leaders of the College.
Andrew Badger and his date at the Year 10 dinner cruise
Our weekly House assemblies have continued to be opportunities for our boys to lead as well as to learn from each other. After Joshua had read the poem at the above-mentioned assembly, some of our Prefects and Year 12 students spoke to the House about their own experiences of overcoming adversities, linking to our Wellbeing focus for the term; that of developing a growth mindset and resilience. The boys’ courage and honesty in speaking about their own personal experience of overcoming setbacks made for one of the most memorable and moving assemblies of the term.
Flynn Gordon and his date at the Year 10 dinner cruise
Emily Blunt from Edmund Rice camps NSW was a guest speaker at one of our assemblies. Edmund Rice camps provide recreational, group based experience for at-risk children and young people who are experiencing some form of disadvantage or marginalisation. Our Year 11 boys have the opportunity to volunteer at their holiday camps they run for young people who are experiencing some form of disadvantage.This is a great leadership opportunity for the boys.
Tug of war
‘Friendly’ competition has become a popular activity during assemblies. The Trivia challenge between the eleven Conlon mentor groups proved to be very popular. Competition was quite fierce and it was a great joy to see students from years 5 to 12 working so enthusiastically together. Congratulations to Mrs Falkinder’s CO 07 group who were the eventual victors by one point. Another entertaining and hotly contested challenge was the ‘Tug of War’ competition with Green House. Year groups from each house competed against each other. Conlon House narrowly won the competition 3-2. It was a very special victory for our Year 12 boys (with a bit of help from Mr Bryant, Mr Nam & Mr Neale). We look forward to our re-match next term when our year 5, 6 and 11 boys will be able to compete.
Year 12 tug of war team
On Friday, 15 September our boys in years 5 and 6 participated in the Junior School Walkathon in Centennial Park. The event organised by Mr Anthony Gill and the junior school teachers was a great success and a lot of fun. James Hoggett, Patrick Hoggett, Hayden Wild, Jesse Sonego, Cooper O’Donnell, Luca Wilson, Flynn Wild, Mackenzie Martin, Mats Lea, Daniel Lambert and Sam Evstigneev were also on hand during the day to assist with road crossings, sunscreen & water distribution.
Hayden and Luca helping at the Walkathon
Academic Awards
Congratulations to the following boys who received Semester One, Academic Awards;
Year 7: Maximilian Barber, Nathan Barns, Christian Kitas, Oliver Elliot, Jared Garwood, Zachary Tyrell.
Year 8: James Privett, James Hoggett, Cooper O’Donnell, Hayden Wild
Year 9: Peter Cassimatis, Joshua Cornelius,
Year 10: Flynn Gordon, Lachlan Manastirovski, Ryan Smith, Oliver Ruse
Year 11: Chris Salakas
Year 12: Ben Donaldson, Ewan Wall
Immersions
Congratulations to the following boys who attended the Red Earth and Timor-Leste Immersions:
Red Earth: Mackenzie Martin, Ash Backlund, Ryan Smith
Timor-Leste: Oliver Ruse, Luca Martin, George Pantazis, Jonathan Schacht, Ryan Connolly.
Year 12 Co-Curriculum
- Ben Donaldson – 1st Captain Rugby, CAS Rugby, NSW Schoolboys, Australian Schoolboys
- Liam Cornish – CAS Rugby, NSW Schoolboys
- Zachary Conacher-Smith – CAS football
- Matteo De Vecchi – 1st Captain AFL
- Jackson Flynn – Debating Co-Captain
New starters
We welcomed three new students to the College and Conlon House this term. Welcome to Jack Ringrose (Year 7), Tremaine Jupiter (Year 8) and Eliot Vincent -Hull (Year 9).
Farewells
We say good-bye to Matthew Rowley (Year 7) and Chris Salakis (Year 11) and wish both boys every success in their futures.
Mentors
Thank you again to the wonderful Conlon mentors. Mr Chris Blenkinsopp is continuing to make good progress with his recovery. We welcomed Mr Patrick Nam and Mrs Suzanne Pinter in Mentor Group 11 and Mr Neale who has been taking Mentor Group 8 two days a week.
Year 12 Graduates
Finally I would like to thank our Year 12 boys and on behalf of Conlon House sincerely wish them well for their HSC and beyond.In our assembly in Week 8, our final one in which all year groups from years 5 to 12 would be together, we farewelled our year 12 students. Mrs Jones commenced the assembly with an Irish blessing and then students or mentors spoke about each year 12 boy from their mentor group. Our year 5 and 6 boys had made beautiful cards for each of the year 12 boys in their group.The boys left the assembly to the sound of rousing applause. It was a special moment for each of the boys and hopefully will become a Conlon tradition.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of our young men from year 12. As a group, they have shown sensitivity, compassion, focus, determination, leadership and above all, are all fine young men who have been extraordinary role models and leaders for us all. We sincerely wish them well for whatever path they take in life.
- Billy Cam
- Ralph Chang-Smith
- Zachary Conacher-Smith
- Liam Cornish
- Matteo De Vecchi
- Ben Donaldson
- Joshua Donovan
- Timothy Eyles
- Jackson Flynn
- Max Fontaine
- Daniel Harasta
- Ryan Helm
- Jeremy Heys
- Adam Hutchinson
- Erwan Le Pechoux
- Ross Mormanis
- Matteo Panucci
- Max Purdie
- Edenn Rogers-Smith
- John Soden
- Ewan Wall
- Liam Wilson
