The Visual Arts HSC major work showcase is a collection of Year 12 major works from the students of 2020. The virtual gallery explores a range of expressive forms and provides an insight into students creativity and critical thinking. Each work reflects selected material processes explored by the student as a way for them to comment on issues or ideas that are relevant to them.
Congratulations to these exhibiting students on their achievements this year, particularly under these unique circumstances.
Riley James Cebokli
Artwork title: Abstractions of The Last Supper
Expressive form: Collection of works
Artist statement: “… every cultural period creates art of its own, which can never be repeated again. An effort to revive art-principles of the past, at best, can only result in works of art resembling a still-born child” – Wassily Kandinsky.
My artwork is an abstraction of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” following the principles of neoplasticism, using the most basic visual language being colour and line to create a composition reminiscent of Da Vinci’s “The last supper”. These principals enforce the work to rely solely on such elements as colour, line, composition and thus such elements are most crucial. The work makes use of traditional and modern materials and practices. The main depiction of the last supper is painted on a wood panel sealed with multiple layers of gesso (similar to the practices of Da Vinci), which is comparable to the more traditional materials of other religious artworks at the time. The other layers of the last supper use printed ink on clear acetate which is then layered to create the composition of the main last supper work, such practices is more akin to the processes of 2D animation pioneered by Disney wherein layers of frames were painted on a transparent surface and compiled to create a dynamic affect.
Abstractions of The Last Supper
Jonathan Chen
Artwork title: Keys to life
Expressive form: Printmaking
Artist statement: ‘Keys to life’ calls upon traditional methods, to emphasise the essence of music and how it is relevant today. Music is a verbal tapestry of human history, referenced through the detailed etchings. It enhances human connection as music binds the similar tastes of different people together. I intend to spread my knowledge and appreciation of music to other people when I play music, I feel I am devoid of reality and can relax in my own personal world. The piano, as a focal point of my artwork, creates a relationship between myself and the audience as I play the piano and share this state of calm.
Keys to life
Lucas Giordano
Artwork title: Lost In Anonymity
Expressive form: Time Based Form
Artist statement: My body of work explores the obsession and use of technology, illustrating how people can lose a sense of self and their identity through various online platforms and social medias. With the current generation evolving and adapting to this modern use of technology within their daily life, it is plausible that their memories and life events will be viewed on a screen. Through the use of technology, I am able to display the factor of anonymity whilst online, hiding your identity; creating a virtual profile where no one knows your true identity.
Heath Jackson
Artwork title: Iron Horse
Expressive form: Sculpture
Artist statement: In contemporary society technology quickly becomes outdated, using waste resources as a departure point to shape new meanings. My interest in the old art form of blacksmithing influenced my body of work. My sculpture reflects two interconnected ideas; the vehicle and its predecessor, the horse. Both were once the apex of efficiency, now have been discarded; old vehicles become scrap while the now useless horse regresses into the iconic image of the wild brumby.
My body of work explores this history and development by commenting on the legacy of past technology. This is depicted through the brumby made from scrap metal, giving new life and purpose to the forgotten materials.
Iron Horse
Dylan Loulli
Artwork title: IIkigai
Expressive form: Printmaking
Artist statement: Ikigai: “A reason for being”. The word refers to having a direction or purpose in life, which makes one’s life worthwhile.
Inspired by traditional Japanese woodblock printing, my body of work explores my travels through Japan through still vignettes of various scenes captured over the past year. Having spent a number of months in Japan over my time in highschool, I have used linoleum blocks, printed in the form of a scroll, to offer insight into my perspective of a foreign landscape and the cultural impact it has had on my personal landscape.
IIkigai
Jack Lynch
Artwork title: Perspective
Expressive form: Printmaking
Artist statement: I believe everybody views the world differently, and accepting and embracing other’s perspectives of the world is shown to be a challenge to many. My body of work establishes a variety of perspectives ranging from Gouache paintings to photos, allowing the audience to question their own views of their surroundings and their life. ‘Perspectives’ evokes thoughts surrounding what it is to be alive, and to experience individual, unique experiences and to share beliefs. The beauty in everyday experiences can often go unnoticed; for example, a sunset, or a candid moment. Although often there, these generally forgotten experiences prove that people choose what they want to see. ‘Perspectives’ encourages the viewer to change their outlook on what they deem important in life, and become more observant of the fast paced world around us in hopes of, for a second, slowing it down.
Perspective
Ryuji Moonen-Narita
Artwork title: Continuity
Expressive form: Graphic design
Artist statement: My body of work aims to express the desire for completion or perfection. Reminiscent of Greek busts, the human figure is expressed as a state or host of purity and perfection. These pictures create an homage to those ideologies in a new technological method as society adapts to creating and idolising perfections by morphing realism into plastic.
Continuity
Brock Preston
Artwork title: Fresh Coterie: An Ordinary Life
Expressive form: Drawing
Artist statement: How important is your life, how important is your family, how important is your home? My body of work is comprised of five depictions of old houses, in five different art styles. Fresh Coterie: An Ordinary Life, was created to challenge viewers, to delve into their mind and memories to realise how important their house really is. Each viewer has a different viewing experience of these houses. Some might receive comfort, and others might feel warmth. The background across the five paintings have a sharp and or cold elemental feel, which is surrounding the background juxtaposed against the house, depicted as a safe and cosey place. A place for refuge.
Fresh Coterie: An Ordinary Life
Tobias Renshaw
Artwork title: What has been, what is to come?
Expressive form: Drawing
Artist statement: The world in its current state is frightening. The way in which humans treat each other and the planet has gone beyond anyone’s darkest imagination. Our younger generation is the only hope to fix this dark time for the human race. This plight has been portrayed in my artwork through the conceptual expressions of each subject. My tonal lead portraits follow younger children through to older individuals and their expressions explore the thoughts of the different age groups’ mindset – from innocence to guilt. The foundation of my work are the young adults both male and female as they are the foundation for the world to grow beyond the present state.
What has been, what is to come?
Charles Silva
Artwork title: Tribute
Expressive form: Collection of works
Artist statement: The story behind the firefighter is unknown, although it compels the audience to imagine and visualise the situation the firefighter is subjected to surrounding the devastation of bushfires. In light of the harrowing destruction caused by the NSW Bushfires, the painting engenders an overwhelming sense of sympathy, poignance and commemoration for those who risked their lives to protect others and our environment. ‘Tribute’ challenges the viewer to contemplate the identify of our Aussie firefighters as a collective, not an individual. It pays homage to the person behind the duty.
Tribute
Alex Talbot
Artwork title: Struggling to breathe
Expressive form: Painting
Artists statement: The pressure of society subjugates individuals into an amorphous fractured self, evoked by fear. Making us struggle under the pressures of social forms affecting the physiologic and psyche of the individual. Through self-portraits, my body of work represents my struggle to overcome these pressures as it induces anxiety and stress within me through a fear of the uncontrollable force compressing and consuming me. The canvases represent the stages of trying to find a release from this pressure, a struggle to overcome as society that doesn’t let us breathe through pressures of conformity. The work looks to an ultimate release from the pressure which I’m still trying to find, so I can have an overall sense of euphoria and liberation.
Struggling to breathe
Jed Turnbull
Title: Larger than us
Form: Photomedia
Artists statement: In ‘Larger than us,’ my intent is to immerse the audience in the dramatic scale of the natural world. By dividing the work into the various layers of underwater, human perspective, aerial and the vast night sky; the separate areas of earth and it’s landscape merge into one vast form. The vast scale of the earth in contrast to humans suggests a new representation of how nature is bigger than us, whilst harnessing the form of photomedia to represent the changing notions of the world around us, therefore, drawing the audience to the colours and beauty of the natural world.
Larger than us
Paris Valenzuela
Artwork title: Merging of Reality
Expressive form: Collection of works
Artist statement: The term reality is portrayed as a single-minded notion, of what is real and what is not, with its only acceptance being the physical world around us. In my body of work, I look to explore my own fascination between the interrelation of one’s state of imagination and the physical world. For me that point of convergence is a wholistic image of the true meaning of reality. Through juxtaposing and merging the free surrealistic art form and the photographic form of realism, I am able to illuminate how, like both these artforms, an individual’s Surreal imagination intersects with their physical world to become their reality.
Merging of Reality
Anthony Vigliante
Artwork title: Poly
Expressive form: Collection of Works
Artist statement: My body of work highlights the disregard and abandonment of the environment and our fragile relationship to it. By having ghastly-like creatures traverse an abundant, lavish underwater landscape, I emphasise our collective issue to overindulge on our precious, limited resources. The underwater world that I have created is comprised of primarily single-use, non-recyclable plastics to focus on the influences severely affecting our ecosystem. By having the abhorrent creatures thrive in the dystopic landscape, I align my interests for environmental sustainability, voicing my concerns about our fickle surrounds in hope to amplify the underlying issues tarnishing our environment.
Barney Wilson
Artwork title: Metaphor of the mind
Expressive form: Time based form
Artist statement: Your living consciousness is vast and complex, ‘ Metaphor of the mind’ tries to contextualise the dark, unidentified side of the mind, represented within the materialistic, physical world. ‘Metaphor of the mind’ personifies the mind through the character extrapolating the notion of multiple personality disorder, accompanied by memory lapses and the thesis of time. This is embodied through the bleak underground setting, representing the constraints and dangerous freedom of the mind and how it can clash against you. Influencing artists: Christopher Nolan, Stanley Kubrick, Dennis Villuneve.
Jett Beckley
Artwork title: Vanitas remastered
Expressive form: Collection of Works
This year’s Industrial Technology Multimedia students have done a wonderful job of producing their Major Projects despite experiencing complications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Planning, managing and producing a Major Project is a year-long process and is highly challenging in the best of times. I commend students on their ability to endure this difficult situation and still deliver their projects.
Along with the Major Project Design, Management and Communication Folio, students have produced a variety of practical projects that have demonstrated a diversity of skills in cinematography, video and audio editing, 2D, 3D and stop-motion animation, visual special effects production and music production.
Calam Baird
Artwork title: “Internet Money”
Expressive form: Short Documentary Film
For my Industrial Technology Major Project, I intend to produce a short film based upon the rise of two teenage boys who want to make it big. The film will dive into the topics of failures, successes and entrepreneurial spirit. The film will be in the style of a short film as it has aspects of a story line and cinematic shots. The reason I am deciding to produce this film is to document a new era of “internet money”; which is a new way that teenagers are making money online. The video will showcase the new way of making money along with the struggles that come along with this such as failure of starting a business and making money in a different way to other people.
Riley-James Cebokli
Artwork title: “The Ball”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: For my 2019 Industrial Technology Multimedia HSC Major Work, I intend to create a short live-action film of no longer than six minutes. The film will incorporate various elements of media including; soundtrack (which I Intend creating), audio effects, editing and filming techniques. Video is a preferable medium for I can capture live action footage and apply various effects and techniques to achieve a desired result. Furthermore, it is easier to capture video than generate 2D or 3D animations and far less equipment, software and time is required.
I’m considering producing a short film centred around a dog chasing a ball and venturing to different places following the circuitous path of the ball. The ball’s venture will commence slowly gradually gaining speed and momentum as it progresses, with each following scene seeing the ball travel through greater extremes. I intend to incorporate editing techniques and a complementary soundtrack to further enhance the story. The film isn’t reliant on many actors, primarily focussing on a dog whose involvement is merely ancillary to the plot. There is no dialogue in the film nor does the film need to be shot at any specific location the film requires few props just a ball allowing for greater flexibility.
Christian Diaz
Artwork title: “Sydney”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: For my Major Work I intend to create a short film with a variety of visual special effects. I am also thinking of including stop motion animation, 2D animation and creating my own soundtrack. I plan to capture the unique and beautiful scenery of the city of Sydney. I intend to also use video effects such as time-lapse, slow motion, freeze frames and skip frames.
My design influences for my major work comes from Ron Fricke’s work in Samsara and Baraka. I hope to achieve the similar style created by Fricke, who uses close up shots, long shots, slow-motion, time-lapse and drone footage. The theme and narrative for my Major Project is to capture the simplistic yet beautiful moments and actions of the public through the lens of a camera. I want to showcase the individuality of not only people but buildings and the infrastructure in the city.
Lucas Giordano
Artwork title: “Connected”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: For my Year 12 Multimedia Major Work I intend to create a short film analysing the use of technology in human life, with the effects and shifts in day to day life that comes with it. I sense that this is an important topic to cover due to it being very common and a recurring issue that not many people acknowledge and fully understand. Creating this short film will help me and others understand the benefits and disadvantages of depending on technology and frequently using social media, whilst also accomplishing a visually pleasing and entertaining film targeted towards a demographic audience of teenagers to young adults (millennials); as this category of people are more reliant on computers and cellular devices than others. Elements of multimedia that I would like to incorporate in my short film would be the use of 2D animation, video, audio and text. By using 2D animation on top video and 8-bit animation I can create an electronic, playful and cheeky environment and mood, replicating different websites, games and applications. Text can be used to replicate the action messaging, coding or using a keyboard adding a sense of a computerised setting. The use of video will piece each data type together and will help present the setting, lighting, movement/action, animations, effects and concept.
Ryuji Moonen-Narita
Artwork title: “Shattered”
Expressive form: Animated Short Film
Artist statement: For this Major Work I intend to create a 2D animation utilising After Effects for VFX, Photoshop for frame by frame animation, Adobe Premiere for the main compositing and editing, Adobe Audition for the creation and editing of both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds and 3DS Max for a glass shatter simulation. I intend to use frame by frame animation as the main component of my project, alongside compositions of After Effects, the first being a Galactic Orb, and the Second being a Laser Sci-fi weapon. I intend to use Audition as my main software of Recording and editing Analog diegetic and non-diegetic sounds as well creating Digital audio. To incorporate 3D elements into this composition, I intend to use 3DS Max for a glass ball, shatter simulation.
I only intend to use two characters in this animation, not only to emphasise the characters’ stories but also to limit workload and increase efficiency. I have thought about the plot/storyline of my project for a while now, I would like it to follow the journey of the protagonist as he explores a lost tomb and finds a mysterious orb. This orb upon touching transports him to another dimension, in which the antagonist detects an anomaly, not far off. The protagonist is confronted by his nemesis and is then shot in the shoulder dropping the orb and shattering. Upon shattering, the protagonist will be transported to our universe, trapped.
Daniel Pomes
Artwork title: “The Blob”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: For this Major Work, I intend to make a short film that incorporates film, 2D animation, 3D animation, and visual effects. I also intend to create a majority of my own original music and sound effects for the project. This project will incorporate film, which will be used to create the location and backdrop for the short film. 2D animation will be used in this project as the main protagonist, who will be a 2D animation composited onto the film. Another aspect to the project is 3D animation, which will be used to create objects that will be placed in video. Visual and sound effects will be used throughout the project to add a sense of depth to the short film and tie everything together.
I intend to create a short narrative for the project. The story will follow a 2D animated protagonist that resembles the image of a blob. The blob will be set in real life, where a camera will be used to film a location. The animated character will interact with its environment, were some 3D objects will be placed.
Brock Preston
Artwork title: “Ruck”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: My intentions for the Year 12 Major Work is to create a short film or trailer, with a pre-1990’s soundtrack, this will include music from my own and from the time period the film is set in. I hope to include a stop motion and cel-based animation. I found inspiration from the 2019 film, Joker, where Arthur Fleck deals with a dark world that shapes him and shapes his disorder, PBA (Pseudobulbar affect) which affects him with uncontrollable laughter. I wanted to explore these elements and ideas in my short film.
Finn Robilliard
Artwork title: “Noodlebrain”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: For my Major Project, I intend to create a film that incorporates all of the multimedia data types: video, audio (soundtrack and sound effects), text, stop-motion animation, 2D animation and video special effects. I would like to create an entirely original and unique film that challenges the status quo of Major Projects from previous years. The idea that I am considering for the film mainly revolves around the crossover between Japanese cuisine and the buzzing chaos of Tokyo.
I would like to draw a connection between the two and create an eccentric science fiction film about a busy foreign traveller that eats an off-ramen dish that transforms his reality into a frightening hallucination where everything resembles noodles.
Thomas Riethmuller
Artwork title: “The Destruction of a Mortal Soul”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: The Intent of my Major Project is to present a compelling and a visually satisfying short film. I intend to use many programs including Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Garage Band, Adobe After Effects and other Programs discovered during the Major Project editing phase.
The narrative that I intend to create is based in a bush area. The main protagonist does not have a name but is referred to as “patient”. The “patient” is in a bush, a very calming environment for him as he seems very relaxed. It becomes apparent that he is not in this place as some objects seem extremely out of place. Then there is a voice that seems as if it is coming from a loudspeaker and questions the “patient”. As time goes the reality comes more apparent as it seems like he’s in a white, bland room with him being the only main distinct feature. As he ponders on his situation the short film ending with the realisation that his reality is altered and he may not be aware of what is real and what is augmented.
Oliver Thompson
Artwork title: “Asteroid”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: My intention for the Year 12 Major Project will to produce a short film with many animation techniques, special effects, 3D modelling, original soundtrack, camera and editing techniques. The data types for my Major Project will involve images, audio, text and video paired with animation.
I am planning to create a short film based around an asteroid striking Earth. The protagonist of the film will wake up and find out that an asteroid is going to hit earth, the Protagonist will wake up, go to the kitchen and make breakfast, they will then go to the TV room and turn on the television, they will watch an animation/cartoon and then a news alert with information about an asteroid coming towards earth. The protagonist learns about this news and heads outside to see if they can see the asteroid, they see it and run inside and hide under shelter, the asteroid heads towards the earth and ends up breaking up in the atmosphere causing it to just end up being a little rock.
Barney Wilson
Artwork title: “Parallel Reality 2036”
Expressive form: Short Film
Artist statement: For my 2020 Major Project, I intend to make a short concise film, outlining the danger of combining reality with the virtual world. I intend to inform and entertain my audience on the risks of progressing technology, as well as the many issues and side effects that this progressive technology can contain. These issues can contain ideas such as humans being unable to distinguish the difference between the virtual and real world. These concepts are still theoretical in reality but in my short film it will be based in the future where these misconceptions will be viable.
My film will incorporate and include a varied range of camera angles and effects whilst utilising and paying attention to the sharpest of details. To further demonstrate my skills and video making ability, I intend to employ high-level editing techniques and custom transitions assisted by Adobe software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop for digital elements of the filmmaking process.
Dear Parents and Carers,
As a culture, we have made great strides when it comes to our understanding and acceptance of mental health. Even just a few decades ago, mental health was rarely mentioned during a student’s time at school, let alone dealt with in a constructive way. These days, it’s a common issue spoken about in classrooms around the country.
But, despite the progress we’ve made, there’s still a long way to go. In 2016, the Black Dog Institute found that just under one in four 15–19 year olds in Australia met the criteria for having a probable serious mental illness. The top three issues of concern were coping with stress, school or study problems and depression. And, on top of that, suicide remains the leading cause of death among people aged 15–24.
We all have a part to play in making a serious change to the statistics. Something as simple as teaching students to check in on their friends can make all the difference in the world, but it’s a skill that many fail to master, through no fault of their own. As educators and parents, we have a responsibility to teach our students not just about their own mental health, but about how to look out for changes in those around them too.
So how can educators start to make a real difference? First, it’s essential that schools ensure the right training is in place for their staff. It’s naive to expect teachers to intuitively know how to broach the topic of mental health with students. Over the last three years, our qualified trainer Ms Tessa Prior (College Psychologist) has trained over 100 of our staff members in Mental Health First Aid, which is a fourteen-hour course. It is our intention to have every staff member at the College trained in this valuable space.
Today we celebrated R U OK? Day, which Waverley College has a strong connection with. The organisation’s founder, Mr Gavin Larkin, was a parent at the school – and his family still have strong ties to the College. We encourage open discussions about mental health because, in Gavin’s own words, “Getting connected and staying connected is the best thing anyone can do for themselves and for those who may be at risk.”
Gavin Larkin is the founder of R U OK? Day and his son Gus Larkin would have graduated with us in 2016, but sadly passed away from a brain tumour in 2013. Gus’s younger brother Van is in Year 9 and his Aunt Katrina King is on staff in the Junior School.
As part of today’s R U OK? Day events, three Old Boys – Lachlan Drew Morris, Patrick Cliffton, and Luca Moretti from Turn up the Talk – conducted a live podcast with Maryanne Larkin and Wendall Sailor (R U OK? ambassador), which was aired to all wellbeing groups.
Please watch and listen.
Today we also unveiled a new R U OK? billboard near the tuckshop on the senior campus, to remind boys of this important message and to embrace this year’s theme: ‘THERE’S MORE TO SAY AFTER “R U OK?”’
Thank you to Ms Cathy O’Sullivan (Head of Conlon House), Mr Simon Potter (Director of ICT, Campus & Innovation) and members of our Marketing team – Ms Jaimi Walker, Ms Venettia Miller, Mr Angus Macpherson, Ms Katie Porter – who all played a valuable part in assisting with R U OK?
The prefect and captain selection leadership process for 2021 has concluded. It is my pleasure to announce that the four College captains for Term 4 2020 and 2021 are:
The House captains and prefects will be announced shortly.
The College has been communicating with schools across Sydney in an attempt to formulate the best possible farewell for our Year 12 students while still meeting the NSW Health regulations due to COVID-19. The final decision on what this will look like will be based on the Premier’s advice, which will be published tomorrow and communicated to Year 12 parents and students.
Further to our communication earlier in the week regarding the distressing reports of a video of a suicide circulating on social media, in particular through the hugely popular platform TikTok:
Please be aware that due to the way that TikTok presents content, if this video continues to be re-shared and viewed, unsuspecting users may be presented with it through their ‘For You’ page without actively seeking the video out.
Please exercise discretion in any communication regarding this incident with your son/s. In particular, avoid raising the issue with him if he is not aware of the video to avoid him actively seeking it out.
If he does bring it up with you, please report it to the social media platform that it was seen on, or to eSafety at www.esafety.gov.au/report/illegal-harmful-content.
If your son is presenting with signs of distress, please acknowledge it with him and reassure him that you will be seeking advice on how to support him via one of the College’s psychologists.
Please encourage anyone who may be at risk or experiencing emotional distress, including worried family and friends, to contact one of the following services:
Phone support is there all day, every day. Online support is open from 8am-midnight every day (AEST).
Phone support all day, every day, and follow-up calls.
Open 9am-1am daily (AEST).
Phone support all day, every day. Online support 7pm-4am daily (AEST).
Phone support all day, every day. Online support 3pm-midnight every day.
Last week, I attended the Archbishop’s Awards online with Ms Sue Walsh (Director of Identity & Student Formation), Waverley College’s 2020 Archbishop Award recipient, Joshua Conacher-Smith, and Ms Sherri Falkinder (Josh’s Wellbeing Mentor). Congratulations to Josh on this highly regarded award.
Archbishop of Sydney Award for Student Excellence
Joshua Conacher-Smith
In this difficult year for the Year 12 Drama cohort, with radical changes to their usual course content due to COVID-19, I am more proud than ever of the boys who achieved a nomination for possible inclusion in the OnSTAGE exhibition.
They performed a monologue two weeks ago during their HSC practical exam to an audience of three NESA markers and their teacher only.
Congratulations to Riley Klotz for his performance of Captain Everything, Oscar Rowson for his performance of Europe and Daniel Townsend for his performance of Dracula.
The Year 12 Design & Technology Major works have now successfully been handed in and our students have worked exceptionally hard to design, test and prototype these works.
For staff and students wishing to take a look, they will be on display next Monday and Tuesday in the lower level of TAS building. We will photograph and share online for parents shortly.
Congratulations to the following students on their fine work:
I’m excited to share all of the engaging, thought-provoking and innovative activities that have been happening around campus with you. From exploring the practical application of RUOK? Day in PDHPE and discovering some very unusual dice in the library (I’ll let Mr Roberts tell you more about those!), to making short films for Tournament of the Minds (ToM) and designing and baking themed birthday cakes, I’ve been extremely impressed with our boys across all areas of the curriculum.
As you’ll see below, we also achieved excellent results in the Education Perfect Championships, which took place during National Science Week, and the ICAS Science exam. Congratulations to our College community.
Our PDHPE classes have been supporting R U OK? Day. Students have been involved in activities focused on the 2020 theme, ‘There’s more to say after RUOK?’
R U OK? Day aims to inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with people around them and support individuals struggling with life. You don’t have to be an expert to keep the conversation going when someone says they’re not OK, so we looked at developing students’ skills in terms of what they can do and say to help someone feel supported and encourage them to access help before they’re in crisis.
PDHPE cover R U OK? Day
This term, Year 10 PDHPE students have produced a gymnastics composition performance in groups. This requires them to develop and create a series of movement sequences that combine simple gymnastics skills, which we’ve been learning in class.
Students had to include the following in their routines:
This task focused on the key movement skills from the new K-10 PDHPE syllabus. Our Year 10 boys were able to develop fundamental and specialised movement skills and concepts by creating movement sequences. They are to be congratulated on the quality of the performances produced.
Year 10 PDHPE gymnastics composition performance
The theme for National Science Week 2020 was Deep Blue: Innovation for the Future of Our Oceans – and it went off with a BANG here at Waverley!
Students in Years 7 to 9 participated in an escape room where they worked in small groups to complete mini experiments and crack codes, while exciting experiments including flaming hands, elephant toothpaste, dry ice reactions and ping pong ball explosions also made quite the stir.
Students in Year 11 Marine Studies conducted experiments to remove microplastics from water using ferrofluid, to demonstrate the impact plastic has on the marine environment. We are instilling a sense of marine stewardship and seen a direct impact in the playground, as our Marine Studies students have role modelled litter collection during recess and lunch breaks.
National Science Week 2020
Our boys also competed in the Education Perfect Science Championships, with impressive results:
Congratulations to Year 5 students James Cullen, who achieved a Gold award and Axel Stapleton, who achieved a Silver award.
Congratulations, also, to the 39 students who undertook the ICAS Science exam during this week:
Huon Groves, who scored an impressive 37/40
Axl Igra
James Peate
Aodhan Williams
Campbell Groves
Jake Perks
Ben Stirling
Finally, a big thank you to Mr Kyte Gawman for organising the Science Week activities!
As part of the College-wide Literacy strategy, students in Years 7 and 8 are visiting the library once every two weeks. Activities are designed to develop the reading/writing connection. With the focus on reading, students are able to discover and develop a range of vocabulary and meaning making in texts. They can then take this and apply it to their own writing, expression and text creation.
This week, the Year 7 boys of 7(09) and the other classes investigated genre through a range of reading and writing activities associated with specific genres and associated books. Pictured are a few of the boys who were guided through these activities by their classroom teacher and our dedicated library staff.
This program also feeds into Literacy activities designed by Mr Tall, including the reading and writing of flash fiction. To date, the boys have engaged with these activities positively and told us that they’ve enjoyed developing in this area.
Year 7 English students in the library
Students in Year 9 and 11 competed in the Informatics Olympiad competition on Thursday 27 August. Students write short computer programs to solve six problems that vary in difficulty. The competition does not test computer literacy or knowledge, but is focused on problem solving using programming skills.
Australian high school students interested in computer programming have very few outlets where they can be recognised for their abilities. The AIO challenges these students, identifies talent and can open the door to deeper engagement with problems in Computer Science.
Well done to the Waverley boys in this challenging competition.
Academic Enrichment
The ToM teams were hard at work on Tuesday in Week 6. Both teams worked all day to make their props and to start filming.
Team ᴉpᴉɹᴉʌ sᴉƃᴉɹpɐnb ɐllǝʇS – upside-down Latin translating to ‘Green Star Team’ (Charles Beckett, Ewan Mcdonald, Huon Groves, Jet Foltman, Leo Jreige, Tom Donaldson and myself) – are making a short film about conspiracy theorists who find a rock left from a past civilisation. The rock details the end of the world and they have to decide what to do with it. As such, they make tinfoil hats and shirts with the wildest theories on them.
Team ‘Fermi’ – named after a comment on the Fermi paradox (Tom Hughes, Ben Stirling, Rohan Baker, Liam Wood, Jack Tindale and Lachlan Korpar) – are making a short film about colonists on Mars who have a strange encounter with an alien. They had to make flags for all of the different colonies on Mars where their film was taking place. An alien hologram tells them of a disease that will kill all humans and they have an argument about what to do with that knowledge. They also painted rocks gold to imitate real gold found on Mars.
Due to COVID-19, all of the year groups had to sit in different areas of The Grange. This was challenging because they were mixed year group teams, but we felt as though we were able to overcome this obstacle through concise communication.
We then had to get to filming! Both teams used the green screen because filming on Mars is impossible – and filming in a cave is impractical! We were all excited to start filming as it was a landmark that all our work for brainstorming, scripting and prop making was paying off.
Tournament of the Minds (ToM)
In the library, we continue to explore ways to fire students’ curiosity and passions. 3D printing is one of the latest avenues we’ve been exploring.
Recently, we’ve used one design in particular – nontransitive dice – to generate discussions relating to Maths. Nontransitive dice roll a certain number more often, building on a mathematical principle.
If you’re interested in finding out more about these unique and intriguing dice, click here for an explanation from the man behind the maths – Dr James Grime of Cambridge University.
Exploring 3D printing in the Library
This week, I’d like to update you on our cake making in Year 10 Food Technology. The topic students have been exploring is Foods for Special Occasions. Recently, they were tasked with planning a themed birthday party – either for a sibling between the age of 5 and 13, or a family member over the age of 50. Our Year 10s then had to design and make a cake to fit their chosen theme – and I think you’ll agree that they came up with some well-presented, innovative and tasty-looking celebration treats if the example below is anything to go by!
Year 10 Food Technology
Well done, boys!
We’ve had another exciting couple of weeks here in the Junior School. Last week we kicked off with Mr Mitton organising a House-based Maths competition, using the Education Perfect Maths Championships 2020. Our students answered 477, 107 questions in total, finishing 2nd in Australia and 4th in the world! Congratulations to our winning house, Conlon – and a special mention to the following boys for answering over 6,000 questions each: Oscar Paul, Charles Coutts, James McDonald, Raff Toohey, Auguste Gibson, Daniel Morrow, Peter Soumilas and Dylan Sperring.
Last Friday saw the beginning of our first House sports competition run by Mr Ryan on a Friday morning. The first round is our Dodgeball tournament, which started with Year 5. After seven different games of intense competition, O’Connor beat Conlon in the final with a hit of the stumps and an automatic victory well before the final siren. This week Year 6 will have the opportunity to show us their skills on the Dodgeball court.
The third core value that we introduced last week was ‘RESPONSIBILITY’. This has married in so well with R U OK? Day this week. There have been many meaningful and important conversations around responsibility and how it links to important messages that R U OK? Day represents.
Mr Lavorato and 6 Indigo have created some fantastic work around the concept of responsibility and R U OK? Day.
Bright and Colourful R U OK? Day artwork created by 6 Indigo
Inspiring R U OK? Day artwork created by 6 Indigo
Inspiring R U OK? Day artwork created by 6 Indigo
Please read the following message from the Charing Cross Pedestrian and Driver Safety Group in relation to:
Charing Cross six-way intersection of Carrington Road, Victoria Street and Bronte Road, Waverley
Waverley Council is currently reviewing the traffic conditions at the Charing Cross intersection.
Local parents from Waverley College and St Charles’ School have started a petition to Council and the State Government to ensure the review addresses the multiple hazards that exist here, and that they prioritise the safety of the hundreds of pedestrians who use this intersection every day.
We need your help to get 500 hard copy signatures to be heard in State Parliament.
Due to COVID restrictions, parents won’t be able to sign the petition at Waverley College.
Instead, please sign at:
For more information, visit the Charing Cross Pedestrian and Driver Safety Group Facebook group.
Thank you for supporting this, let’s not wait for a tragic accident before we act.
This week we kicked off with an important message: R U OK? The national day is today, Thursday 10 September. However, as we heard from our guest speaker Kevin Heath, “Every day is the day to start a conversation using the four steps.”
https://www.ruok.org.au/education
R U OK? Day Guest Speaker Kevin Heath talking to students
“One thing I learnt was that always be open about your feelings to a person you trust and also NEVER bottle your feelings up.” – Charles Power, 5 Gold Student
“I learnt from Kevin Heath, if someone is bullying you or not being nice to you, not to retaliate without thinking first, which I thought was a huge thing to understand.” – Elie Baker, 6 Gold Student
“I learnt the four steps: Ask, Listen, Encourage Action and Check-in. And you don’t have to do them in order.” – Lachlan Gibbins, 6 Gold
Every morning boys are welcome to start their day in the Learning Hub. It is fantastic to see them playing a game, reading, drawing or simply having a morning chat.
Junior students starting their school day in the Learning Hub
Recently, I read an article called Infographic: Which Generation Reads the Most? This article zoomed in on the five types of generations and their reading habits. Our boys being Generation Z, 5-25 years of age, was of greatest interest to me.
What did I learn? I discovered that GenZ reads for the least amount of time but still reads for fun, although this number halves when they become teenagers and they prefer fantasy genres and books with humour.
After reading this article, I reflected on the importance of catering for our different learners. Reading, however, does not necessarily have to mean opening up a book and staring tentatively at pages and pages of endless words. For the auditory learners among us, the option of audiobooks is one that our society is increasingly turning to – and for good reason. There are many options out there and the most important thing is that your son is reading, or listening to audiobooks if that’s his preferred choice.
Your son has access to audiobooks from the Learning Hub, as well as a multitude of options online. Just remember it doesn’t always have to be a hard copy book.
Resources
There are over 500 titles to choose from. Your son can log in using his Waverley username and password. To select the appropriate age group. Click on the ‘BROWSE’ tab and then select ‘Child’ under the ‘AUDIENCE’ tab.
https://nswsecondaryau.libraryreserve.com/
https://www.natgeokids.com/au/
As part of curriculum delivery for our PDHPE program, our Year 5 students have started participating in Areogym, which is a form of gymnastics. As an extra on a Tuesday lunch, some of our Year 5 students have been given the opportunity to participate in more advanced Aerogym activities in the auditorium.
This is a great chance for students to try something different and be involved in a sporting activity that they may not get a chance to do at any other time. It’s great to see the boys so excited and interested in participating in this fun activity. Thanks to our great Aerogym coaches for their time and expertise each Tuesday.
Year 5 students participating in Areogym
In line with NSW Health guidelines set out on 19 August, the College has asked parents and carers to specify a reason for absence and/or illness on the absentee line, or via Skoolbag. This is to ensure that any student with COVID symptoms does not attend school and is tested for the virus before returning to the College.
COVID symptoms include a fever, sore throat, dry cough or fatigue.
The following information can be found on the NSW Health website:
· Encourage immediate testing for any symptomatic children or staff
· Prohibit return to school for anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 until a negative COVID test result has been reported
The College wishes to thank the vast majority of parents who are supporting these guidelines and providing us with additional information about their son’s absence from school. A follow-up call is now being made to families where the specific nature of a student’s illness has not been established.
We have been overwhelmed with our community’s commitment to ensuring that any student or staff member with COVID-19 symptoms stays home until they receive a negative test result. We ask that parents contact the College Health Centre via email upon receipt of a negative result.
We are all playing our part so that life at Waverley can continue, even as certain restrictions become the new norm.
2021 will see the entire College wearing the new academic uniform. Planning for this commenced back in 2018 and involved consultation with all of the key stakeholders at the College.
2021 will provide us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to further tighten our expectations regarding the way we present ourselves both at school and in public. Already we have seen a marked improvement in the way boys are wearing the uniform.
From Term 1, 2021, students can only attend class without academic uniform if they have a medical certificate or clearance from the Uniform Shop, which confirms that they are awaiting delivery on an item. In this case, students must be in full sports uniform.
For all other reasons, students will require a uniform pass from the Wellbeing Centre and receive a one-hour detention. Please note that students on campus without a uniform pass, or arriving or leaving campus without a blazer and tie (Term 2 and 3 only), will be subject to a three-hour detention.
Students are already being informed and reminded about these changes to the policy in 2021. You can also find these updates in the College diary, which has already been updated.
Our new, COVID-safe Virtual Open Day is now live. It’s uncertain whether we’ll be able to hold our 2020 Open Day on campus, but we aren’t letting that prevent families from experiencing life at Waverley.
This year’s 360° fly-on-the-wall tour lets visitors see more classrooms, more learning spaces and more College activities in action, from home. We’re delighted that families can now get to know us better online, at a time that works for them.
Click here to explore Virtual Open Day and see campus like you’ve never seen it before!
It was with much excitement that our new Year 8 recruits started parading for the first time back in February. None of us could have foreseen how different their initial journey would be from what they were expecting. After just four parades, Cadets moved to the online environment – before recruits had the chance to develop a real understanding of what the program was all about.
Cadets aims to develop resilience, tenacity, teamwork and leadership skills. We strive to equip our recruits with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for AFX (Annual Field Exercise – Cadet Camp) and bivouacs. Unfortunately, this year those opportunities have been taken away. As such, we are extending the commitment to the Unit until the end of Term 1, 2021.
We want students to benefit fully from the Cadets experience. The extension means that our recruits can attend AFX and put everything they’ve learnt this year into practice. It is AFX that they so look forward to from year to year. It is on AFX that our recruits get to see leadership in action. And it is on AFX that lasting friendships are forged within sections and platoons.
This coming Friday will be the last Unit Parade for Term 3. We’re heading into promotion season for our senior cadets and your sons can look forward to new ranks and enthusiasm when we return in Term 4.
Exciting news… we’re running a flash fiction competition for Years 7 to 10!
Carry on reading to find out more about the rules of the competition, what entries need to include and the prizes that are up for grabs.
Entries must incorporate the photo stimulus at the top of this article and be:
Competition closing date: Friday 30 October – Week 3, Term 4.
Flash fiction is a very short story with five important elements (below).
Flash fiction is always a complete story.
You don’t have a lot of space to describe your characters, but readers should still be able to tell them apart.
Grab the reader’s attention so they want to continue reading.
Always read over and edit your work before you hit submit.
First prize will receive a Gold Award. Everyone who enters will be awarded a Bronze Award 3.
Three winners from each year will receive Westfield vouchers up to the value of $20-40. Winners from each year will be published in Nurrunga.
Students can read this exemplary story from Year 7 student Huon Groves as inspiration:
Flash Fiction – The Wallet by Huon Groves
For more information, please see:
Good luck, everybody!
Captivate the Future is a public speaking competition that aims to empower students to share their stories and change their futures. It’s free to enter, allows everyone’s voices to be heard and is designed to give each participant an equal opportunity to share their message. All Senior School years, from 7 to 12, can enter in 2020.
1. Click here to complete and submit an application form
2. Choose a topic you’re passionate about
3. Write and refine your speech – it should last for no longer than 5 minutes
4. Practise, practise, practise!
5. Speak with passion
6. Record a video of yourself performing your speech – you can use your phone or tablet
Videos must be submitted before 10pm on 16 October 2020. Students are limited to one entry per yearly competition.
For help and more information, please email bbuchan@waverley.nsw.edu.au.
The TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) program
The TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) program will run at Rosebank College in October this year with a series of structured workshops for high school students, where they learn how to come up with a good business idea and build a plan around it.
Participants are mentored in teams, culminating in a formal presentation of their idea and plan to a panel of experienced entrepreneurs. The winning team gets to pitch at the global TYE finale in 2021. The opportunity is open to students from Years 8 to 11. Applications and payments are made by the individual to TiE directly.
There are contingencies in place for overcoming issues with COVID-19, with an alternative plan to postpone until late January/early February. Places are limited.
– The aim of the program is to inspire, challenge and empower high school students to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders
– It’s a structured program that’s run in 23 cities around the world, with over 2,000 students participating to date
– The format comprises of formal education sessions/workshops and follow-up mentoring sessions to foster entrepreneurial thinking, personal leadership, confidence and a growth mindset
– The winning team from Sydney gets to pitch at the global TYE final
Channel attempts are rare this year. With COVID-19 restrictions impacting training regimes, there is a high amount of uncertainty whether or not the swim would be allowed by both French and English authorities. The support and sacrifices made by our family, friends and local community have kept us going through the uncertainty, as has our hope to provide positivity during the challenges presented by COVID-19.
When we are swimming in the dark and cold for hours on end, wearing nothing but our swimmers, the motivation to keep going has been provided by our most vulnerable citizens – babies born prematurely. The swim is in an effort to support the Running For Premature Babies Foundation, to purchase a neonatal ventilator for The Royal Hospital for Women NICU, which will help save the lives of up to 1,000 critically ill babies every year. We are extremely humbled to have raised the required $74,000.
Alice Springs Hospital cares for prematurely born babies from a massive 2.2 million square km area and 70% of the babies they care for are Indigenous. Thanks to our awesome community, we are now well on the way to raising an additional $56,000 to provide two urgently needed humidcribs for the hospital.
We have now arrived in England and have swum in pretty much any body of water we have been able to find – the Thames River, inland lakes, an 18m swimming pool and Dover Harbour.
Enjoying a Guinness in Dover
Our swimming window is from 6 to 15 September. We are excited and nervous for our respective swims, but absolutely committed to doing everything in our control to be successful.
For further information, or to donate, please click here.
We have launched our Premmie Marathon Challenge and are hoping to find 1,000 people from around Australia to take up the challenge to run (or walk) a marathon in November for Running for Premature Babies (RFPB).
This is a marathon with a twist, and is open to everyone of all ages and fitness abilities. With our marathon challenge, participants sign up to complete their marathon in either a day, a week or a month. The distance can be split up over your chosen time frame and the km logged through the month (or week, or day) during November.
If Waverley College boys, staff and parents would like to get involved, Owen has already signed up and has created a Waverley College team. Fundraising is optional, although anyone who raises $50 or more will receive a special finisher’s medal, and there are other rewards for higher fundraising.
Our goal is to raise $100,000 that will be used to purchase new humidicribs for the Royal Hospital for Women and Alice Springs hospital neonatal units. The Alice Springs hospital is currently using humidicribs that are 20 years old and desperately need updating. They care for 350 babies a year from a massive 2.2 million km area and 70% of the babies they care for are Indigenous. I’m very proud that our charity is now supporting critically ill babies not only from Sydney, but also from some of our country’s most vulnerable communities.
You can find out more information on our event website.
If you’d like to join the Waverley College team, simply click on the ‘JOIN US’ button on this page to sign up.
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
Watch our video
