One article in this week’s SMH, Good Weekend, caught my attention. The bold headline “Did Tolstoy really need 783 pages to get Anna Karenina to the train station?” (this story is part of the 29 October edition of Good Weekend), seemed to challenge all that we know about “The Classics.” I mean, who is brave enough to question a GOAT writer?
The author, Tim Elliott, went on to write: “As with any art, taste in books is hopelessly subjective, and not just among readers, but among ages: who hasn’t revisited a favourite book years after reading it, only to wonder what you liked about it in the first place?”
I am definitely guilty of this. Reading certain books because we are told we should, doesn’t always work.
In Week 3, many Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 students (and myself), participated in a reading survey coordinated by Mr Bill Roberts and run by Deakin University entitled “Discovering a ‘Good Read’: Pathways to Reading for Australian Teens in a Digital Age.”
The purpose of this research project resonates deeply; music to the ears of teachers and parents/carers of teenage boys.
“This project aims to support the school, library, and book industries to increase teenagers’ recreational reading. Matching the right book to the right reader is essential to increase young people’s motivation to read. Expected outcomes include strategies that libraries, schools, and the book industry can use to promote Australian content for young adults, and equip young people to participate more fully in the social and economic benefits of pleasure reading.”
The tragic readers among us are already well aware of the benefits of reading for enjoyment, apart from the academic and social benefits.
According to Alex Quigley, author of Closing the Reading Gap, “Reading in 2022 is seen as something that happens in the Library, in English class, after other work is done, a kind of pleasurable bolt-on, like some sort of academic ice-cream treat.”
Have we as a society lost sight of the joy of reading for pleasure?
These are concerns many of us share at the College and so we have made it our goal, not only to encourage our students to engage in reading for pleasure, but to ensure that students recognise this joy for themselves.
How we do that will be directly informed by the data from the Deakin University survey. I extend a sincere ‘Thank you’ to the boys who participated actively and responded truthfully.
Stay tuned for the results.
In the meantime, here are three suggestions for students to simply sit back and enjoy, right now.
Is sharing your Netflix password with a friend, stealing?
What is the difference between an obligation and a responsibility?
Is the betterment of society as a whole, more important than the life of the individual?
Imagine a competition where questions like these, questions with several alternative solutions, all with challenging and problematic aspects, are proposed and you have three minutes to structure a competitive presentation that persuades a judging panel that your perspective is the most logical and insightful approach to solving a significant ethical dilemma.
Our middle school students demonstrated incredible grit and tenacity yesterday, working in teams of five to present their collaborative proposals to a global panel of high-profile judges at the Middle School Ethics Olympiad. From Harvard, New York to Cambridge, England, the judges engaged the teams in post presentation Q&As to enable students to examine complex ideas, to determine the validity of possible creative solutions.
Our teams stayed calm and answered each question thoughtfully and collaboratively, showing significant ability to evaluate information and arguments, quickly and succinctly.
Our teams demonstrated an outstanding ability to work collaboratively across different year groups, ensuring the maximisation of their individual character strengths to complement their overall team dynamics.
On the Waverley Orange Team, Henry Goldrich demonstrated significant leadership qualities to guide group discussion and express innovative ideas and solutions. Lachlan Chalmers knew how to keep his cool under pressure, providing logical and insightful ideas to lead the team’s approach. Alexander Avdalis complemented his team as a mighty public speaker, shaping the team’s argument and leading the presentation to ensure clarity and impact.
As senior members of the team, Dominic Scholfield and Zoltahn Szabo lead with confidence. Dominic’s mature approach to the cases revealed his nuanced understanding of the complexity of ethics, and Zoltahn could be relied upon to conclude the Team’s presentation with energy and charisma.
Evan Service was called up as a reserve on the day and did not disappoint; this piano virtuoso juggled music rehearsals and Olympiad responsibilities to cement his place on the team as a creative and critical thinker, whose insight and public speaking skills rendered him invaluable to the Team’s success.
Talent was equally high on our Waverley Red Team. Kayden Barker and Yannick Hott cemented themselves as dynamic school leaders, turning ideas into action with empathy and integrity. Isaac Occhiuto led the team’s presentations with his skilful introductory capabilities setting the tone for the Team’s outstanding visions.
In a competition that relies on cognitive recall, Leo Owen’s broad general knowledge informed the perspective of the team, and ensured the validity of their well-informed argument against other competitive teams.
Toby Johnson’s ability to wrap up the Team’s argument became an iconic consolidation of the Team’s vision, leaving a lasting impression on the judges of Waverley’s grit and tenacity.
The collaboration of the students is to be commended, working interdependently as strong teams. They were a credit to the College, receiving praise from the judges for their teamwork and maturity.
It takes a village to ensure wonderful opportunities like this, run smoothly. Our thanks to Ms Lauren Ryan, for her precise administration coordination, Ms Nina Kormanyos and the canteen team, for providing the students with a delicious morning tea and lunch, and the magnificent Mr Bill Roberts for co-leading and coaching the Red Team.
2023 is set to be a promising year for our Waverley Ethletes!
Waverley hosted St Aloysius’ in our first full Summer home round last weekend, and we had some excellent results as well as some disappointments that come with playing sport.
The 1sts Basketball 109-107 win in double overtime was a great lesson in perseverance.
The 1st XI Cricket were also just as impressive, with the 10th wicket partnership between Conor Andrews and Toby McDonald for around 70 runs, one the highlights, along with Matthew Frost’s 4 wickets.
Our 2nds Basketball are two from two, and I also want to congratulate Will Livissianis on his outstanding 114no for the 9As Cricket team.
Incredible achievement for Will Livissianis – 9A Cricket
Our 1sts Water Polo played their first ever home game at St Catherine’s on the weekend, and despite narrowly losing to Riverview, gave a strong account.
1sts Water Polo
Congratulations also to Josh Ballard (Year 9), recently selected in the Australian U15 Oztag side.
This week we are away to Cranbrook, and I want to remind all students and spectators of the expectations, particularly around uniform.
Any students wanting to attend the Friday night fixture for 1sts and 2nds Basketball at the new Cranbrook Gym, will only be permitted entry if they are in full summer College uniform.
Any students who are supporting on Saturdays, can be either in full uniform or full Waverley sports attire.
We also need to ensure we are supporting Waverley players only, and not engaging with the opposition.
It is great to see Waverley Old Boys continue to shine in a number of areas, including 2022 1st XV Captain AJ Preketes, who recently played for the Rebels against the U19 Waratahs.
We also recently have a number of Old Boys playing in the Rugby League World Cup, including Davvy Moale for the Cook Islands, and Luca Morretti for Italy.
Waverley Old Boys continue to do us proud. L to R: Clem Halaholo, Charlie Worthington, AJ Preketes and Fritz Jahnke-Tavana
With only a couple of weeks of summer activities to go, it is really important for all students to finish the year strong. I encourage all students to continue working on their fitness and skills in the upcoming holidays, ready to go for the start of the 2023 College year.
On Saturday, 29 October, the Waverley 1st V faced a tough matchup against St Aloysius.’ It was an incredible battle, which resulted in a victory for Waverley in Double Overtime, with the final score being 109-107.
Once again, the 1sts had a slow start to the game and Aloys’ came out on fire in the first and second quarter, however, thanks to Tom Gleeson and Marko Rangan, the students were able to make a run, and close out the lead to 6 during half time.
Up until the 4th quarter, Aloys’ held a 10-point lead which the students weren’t able to track down, no matter the efforts. However, late in the 4th, led by miracle 3-pointers by Marley Henare and Sergeij Jakovljevic, Waverley closed the lead, and was able to push the game into overtime, finishing 83-all after regular time.
However, Waverley was not able to contain Aloys’ and the team was pushed into another overtime. Finally, Waverley prevailed, and the game ended with some saving defensive efforts by Oscar Walters-Green and Wylie Durrans.
The students will face off against Cranbrook at Cranbrook on Friday this week, which will undoubtedly be a true thriller to watch.
Before the 1st V faced off, the Waverley 2nd V faced off against St Aloysius’ to try to secure their second win, in their run to go undefeated this season. It was a controlling win which was much deserved.
From the jump, the students played incredible defence, and executed on offence led by Aren Yaghoubian, Eden Byrd and Toby Longmire. The lead was extended at half time, and the students were able to maintain a 15-point lead going into the last quarter.
Waverley continued to display a dominant stance on defence, led by Dom Smith and Ashar Te Rata, and extended their lead to 23, with the final score being 55-32.
Now with some momentum, the 2nd V will also face off against Cranbrook next Friday, to try to secure their third win of the season.
The Waverley 10As played a close game which came down to the last second, but unfortunately didn’t fall their way in the end. The students were led by Kayden Baker, Rory Donnellan and Mati Falaniko, the final score being 51-53.
Waverley 9As were dominant in their win, with particularly strong games from Angus Peshos, Solomon Penitani and Xavier Koster. The final score was 52-33.
The 8As played a hard-fought game but were unfortunately defeated in the end. The group was led by the defensive and offensive presence of Dominic Dametto, Aiden Giusti and Philip Falaniko. The students fell short, the final score reading 38-52.
Good luck to all our players who will be playing Cranbrook, a tough opponent, on Saturday.
Daniel Palacio
Captain of Basketball
Round 2 delivered some great results for Waverley Basketball, with the most exciting being the 1st V’s thrilling, nail-biting 2-point win in double overtime against last season’s co-premiers, and still a very good St Aloysius’ team.
The 1st V never led at any stage during the game, and at one stage were 16-points adrift, only managing to draw equal with less than 12-seconds left on the game clock. It was neck and neck for both overtime periods, with Waverley’s victory not assured until the final second, when St Aloysius’ frantically scrambled under desperate defensive pressure by the 1st V, to put up shots which were either blocked or missed their target.
This was a very memorable win and potentially season-defining moment. Congratulations to both the players and coaching staff.
The 2nd V also enjoyed a great win, leading from the start and moving out to a 22-point lead at one stage. It was a dominant performance by Waverley who is undefeated, and now faces a Cranbrook side that has also defeated Knox by a small margin.
Special thanks go to the parents/carers of the 1st V and 2nd V, who hosted the first post-game luncheon in two years. It was a bountiful feast that certainly impressed all in attendance. Thank you to Anne Gleeson and Tony Gleeson for their efforts in organising this.
Waverley was victorious in the majority of its games with the following teams winning: 3rd V (56-26), 9th V (46-13), 10th V (48-23), 10C (34-33), 10E (40-24), 10F (45-33), 10G (51-14), 10H (18-11), 9A (52-33), 9B (40-27), 9C (42-34), 9D (32-26), 9G (26-16), 9H (24-7), 8C (27-26), 8D (32-24), and 8E (25-21) with the 5th V (44-all) and 7th V (37-all) drawing their games.
The Supporters’ Club BBQ has been running for the past three Saturdays, feeding many hungry and happy players and their parents/carers. In the past, funds raised by the Supporters’ Club have helped to pay for Basketball equipment, including scoreboards, shot clocks, backboards and rims.
Thanks to Rachael Smith and Glenn Smith for their wonderful efforts in running the BBQ over the past three weeks. It has also been great to see further support from other parents/carers over the past two weeks.
If you are able to help out for one hour on a Saturday when your son plays at Waverley, please contact Rachael Smith at rachael_gray@hotmail.com. It would be enormously appreciated.
Good luck to all teams this week against Cranbrook!
Congratulations to the 1st XI, 9A, and 8A in defeating St Aloysius’ College in Round 2 of CAS Cricket.
The 2nd XI, 10A, 9/10B, 8B and 8C all went down in narrow losses, despite some outstanding individual performances from play on Day 1.
One of the highlights from the weekend, was seeing Fred Robertson (9A) back up in the field for the 1st XI after Jack George was unexpectedly injured. Fred led the way with his constant high energy, as the 1st XI sought to claim the outright points on offer.
Unfortunately, despite the Waverley tail wagging with Toby McDonald and Connor Andrews being our top scorers, a flat pitch made it difficult for Waverley to move the ball around and close out the second innings.
My personal standout team from Saturday was the mighty 8C who unluckily went down to Shore, on the final ball of the match. Waverley had Shore tied down for all but one ball, of the last two overs. Unfortunately, the Shore batsman just got enough toe on the last ball, to push it through extra cover on a downhill slope that turned, what looked like a mishit, into four runs.
However, it was the manner in which the Waverley students huddled around their teammates and kept their heads held high, which struck me the most. Those who were disappointed, were quickly greeted with the true Waverley values of encouragement and positivity.
Lastly, congratulations to William Livissianis of the 9A (115*) and Henry Read of the 8A (57*) on outstanding batting performances. The ongoing commitment to the College’s Cricket program from both students is recognised, and is a reflection of their dedication to continual improvement.
On Saturday, the 1st XI won their first game of the season, after a convincing win against St Aloysius’ at Queens Park.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, we wasted no time, and picked up some early wickets to set the tempo for the game. The opening bowlers, Matt Frost and Toby McDonald worked in tandem to create pressure, which ultimately led to the fall of the Aloysius’ top order.
After some tight bowling and help from the pitch, we finished the 1st Innings with bowling Aloysius’ all out for 104 in 55 overs. Special mention to Matt Frost who topped the bowling figures, with an impressive 4/26 off 11 overs.
We continued with the aggressive tempo in our first batting innings, with a few boundaries off the first over. The whole team chipped in with some runs to chase down the 104 total in 46 overs, and ended the day with a win.
In the beginning of play of Day 2, our tail end put in a massive effort to bring our lead up to 119. Credit to Connor Andrews (38*) and Toby McDonald (28), who combined for an 11th wicket partnership of 66.
During lunch it was great to have our 1st XI support Will Livissianis, who scored 115* in the 9As. Will scored his 115 off 91 balls, with 13 fours and 4 sixes.
After getting all out for 223, we headed back in with the task of getting quick wickets in order to win outright. We went through seven different bowlers, and we finally found some success in Toby McDonald, who picked up back-to-back wickets.
We threw everything we had at them, but unfortunately the hot day and flat wicket was a field day for the batsmen. Stumps was called early, and we finished Round 2 with 6 points. A special thanks to young Fred Robertson from the 9As, who fielded 55 overs for us. His chat in the field never failed to bring the energy up.
Alfred Robertson of 9A celebrates with the 1st XI
Please see me if you require any further assistance or information.
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator
kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
“Everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God’s gifts!” Pope Francis’ inaugural Mass homily.
National Recycling Week runs from 7 – 13 November this year, and the theme is ‘Waste isn’t Waste until it’s Wasted.’ This is Planet Ark’s flagship campaign, run every year in the second week of November.
Its aim is to educate and empower people to do the right thing when they place an item in a bin. The campaign also focuses on reducing, recycling and reusing. Reducing our consumption is the first step to reducing the amount of waste we produce.
At assembly next week, members of the Students of the World Ecology Group will speak to all students and staff about the importance of recycling correctly, not just for National Recycling Week, but every day.
Through our positive collaboration and connection with Waverley Council, they have kindly provided Waverley College students, staff and families with a way to further support National Recycling Week.
They are hosting a free 30-minute Recycling 101 webinar on Thursday, 10 November, 6pm.
This webinar was designed to debunk some recycling myths and provide quick and easy tips on how to recycle more and better.
Whether you are a recycling legend or a recycling renegade, join this 30-minute session with Lottie Dalziel, sustainability expert, founder of Banish and Waverley resident!
Remember…Waste isn’t Waste until it’s Wasted.
Reserve Your Webinar Spot Here
Waverley College Aquatic Centre Swim Squad Open in Term 4
We’re excited to share the news about the arrival of the video laryngoscopes at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, donated through our College’s incredible fundraising efforts in the recent City2Surf.
Dr Tim Schindler from the Royal Hospital for Women sends this message of thanks to everyone in our generous Waverley family.
“These new laryngoscopes, being smaller and having live video assistance, are going to be an enormous help in intubating our tiniest premature babies that need ventilation, and we are so grateful to the Waverley College community for making this possible.”
Dr Tim Schindler
The Premmie Marathon Challenge runs in November, during the globally-recognised ‘Prematurity Awareness Month.’
If anyone in the Waverley community is interested in taking part, it’s free to sign up! All involvement helps shine a light on the issue of prematurity this Prematurity Awareness Month.
Fundraising is optional (however, a marathon medal will be sent to all participants who raise or donate $75.) Kms can be tracked on the interactive App.
Simply choose your own marathon distance:
which you can run/walk/cycle/swim/roll through the month of November.
Funds raised go to lifesaving neonatal equipment, giving sick and premature babies a better chance of survival.
Ms Vanessa Witton
Marketing Communications Specialist
vwitton@waverley.nsw.edu.au
In a previous edition of Nurrunga, Ms Elizabeth Watson (Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning), congratulated Lachlan Miranda (Year 10) for being selected as one of 30 students from across NSW, to attend the inaugural Civics and Citizenship Convention held at NSW Parliament House on 27 October.
Lachlan was accepted into the convention after writing a 500-word response to the question ‘Australia has a strong and resilient democracy. Discuss’,which was endorsed by the College Principal, Mr Graham Leddie, and judged by a panel of experts.
I was proud to represent Waverley College as one of 102 students across the nation and one of 30 from across NSW at the inaugural Civics and Citizenships Convention at NSW Parliament on Thursday the 27th October. This was an extremely insightful learning experience. The main theme discussed throughout the day was the implications of compulsory voting in Australia.
Through three keynote lectures I was able to build a sound opinion on this topic. One highlight was listening to Professor Mark Evans discussing global voting arrangements and comparing Australia on an international stage. Throughout the day I was surrounded by like-minded peers, some of whom I developed friendships with.
After completing a strenuous day of debating, learning and collaborating with others, a nationwide referendum was held between all student participants and presided over by the President of the Australian Senate, Senator the Hon. Sue Lines. This ballot resulted in 90 to 12 in favour of compulsory voting. Resoundingly, it was a worthwhile and intuitive experience that I was privileged to attend.
Congratulations Lachlan! You represented our College with distinction and we are incredibly proud of you. It was a privilege to work with you during the application process.
Opportunities like this, allow Waverley students to flourish. And as teachers, witnessing Waverley students flourish and be part of something bigger, is truly special.
Thank you to Mr Leddie, Ms Watson, Mr Smith (Head of History) and Mr Wallington (Head of HSIE) for your support of Lachlan.
We look forward to selecting, mentoring and supporting our 2023 candidate, with the hope of our College being represented once again.
Congratulations, Lachlan
Last week, our Year 11 students had the wonderful formation opportunity to participate in their final House retreats. These retreats took place at four different venues including Grose Vale, Port Hacking, Tahmoor and Toukley.
A variety of themes permeated the retreat, ranging from knowing themselves, relationships and gratitude. From all accounts, the students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the time it gave them to step back from their studies and reflect.
A special thank you to the Heads of House and all those teachers who enabled us to organise and facilitate such a valuable formation experience for our students.
Next year, our Year 12 students will have the opportunity to participate in either a Kairos (student-led retreat) or a Year 12 retreat. I look forward to sharing these experiences and seeing our fine young men continue their journey of spiritual formation.
Today Year 10 Food Tech were introduced in a dynamic way, to foods that can be tied into Stage 5 units of study.
Divided into small groups, they sampled hidden food and were required to taste, smell and guess what they might be eating … with some hilarious results!
The students were exposed to:
Food in Australia, including food from different cultures, such as lamb heart, kangaroo sausages, and durian fruit
Food Equity, such as edible bugs
Food Product Development, such as Gaytime ice cream-flavoured milk
Food selection and Health, such as a purple carrot
Food service and catering, such as Dominos pizza
Food for specific needs, such as astronauts’ ice cream
Food for special occasions, such as Halloween lollies
Food trends, such as protein bars and plant-based duck.
Tallied on a white Leader Board, bonus points were afforded to groups who were able to answer additional questions.
Q: What is food equity?
A: Food equity is having access to healthy, affordable, culturally-significant foods.
Q: Carrots were originally purple. Suggest a reason why they are now predominantly orange.
A: One possible reason, is that they were bred to be orange in the Netherlands, in tribute to the emblem of the House of Orange and the struggle for Dutch independence.
Ms Bev McCarthy
TAS/VET Teacher
E: bmccarthy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
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.
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