Waverley teachers traded places with students in 7.1 on Monday as the boys led intellectual discussion, grounded by scientific research, on the question, “Climate Change is the single greatest challenge humans and the environment face.” Mr Sposari worked with the boys to create the Socratic Seminar opportunity due to the class interest in the topic, and their passion to fuse research with rigorous debate.
The boys’ initial presentations to the class were well designed and thoughtful, however, the magic of a socratic seminar is in each student’s ability to listen to each argument and construct a critical response to challenge or affirm a student’s point of view.
Each student’s argument was grounded in research that revealed a significant amount of effort to both engage and provoke the audience to consider new ideas. Of particular note was Luca Green who presented an image of Waverley College under water as a result of rising sea levels, shifting the discussion from abstract environmental considerations to a very real image of our College’s future.
Finley Carr was awarded the Seminar medal for being the most persuasive and confident as a result of his careful consideration of constructing an argument, whilst also demonstrating a thoughtful approach to challenging the perspectives of his peers. A special mention to James Kriska who shows promise as a brilliant debater.
The Socratic Seminar was highly successful in engaging the boys in rigorous and thought-provoking debate, as well as, fine tuning their ability to listen actively and respond carefully. Overall, the boys demonstrated a solid understanding of the environmental issues we face locally, as well as globally, and they should be congratulated on their ability to pursue and express insightful ideas underpinned by carefully considered research.
Ms Helen Barrie
Head of Academic Enrichment
hbarrie@waverley.nsw.edu.au
and
Mr Nicholas Sposari
Teacher of HSIE and Religion
nsposari@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This term, 7 Tech 9 have been studying, designing and creating truss bridges. A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss – a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units.
The connected elements may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads.
A stroll to Waverley Park one afternoon, allowed us to observe truss structures such as cranes and the telecommunications tower at Bondi Junction. Lessons in the woodwork rooms have seen some great collaboration, problem solving and challenges, as groups compete to create the strongest truss bridge.
Students are looking forward to testing their structures to see how much weight they can bear.
With over 180 boys volunteering in 90 community organisations located across Sydney, Year 10 students hit the ground running for Service Week this week!
It was a pleasure to visit so many organisations and see our students representing the College and themselves, with such pride and professionalism this week. Community organisations were very impressed with the degree of engagement, promptness, attention to detail, initiative and positive attitude shown by the boys.
It was humbling to hear the feedback from so many service organisations expressing their tremendous gratitude and admiration for the support they received from our students. Several organisations commented that, “the Waverley students were the best they have worked with,” given that they work with many other volunteer students.
The feedback was a credit to all our Year 10 students and the maturity that they displayed during Service Week in the community. The boys also found the week highly beneficial, commenting on the opportunity they had to meet and work alongside a wide variety of people in the community, and reflected on how lucky they were in life and their enjoyment of the experience.
A very special thank you to all of the community organisations who were able to accommodate our Year 10 students this week, and especially to those Year 10 parents/carers who assisted their sons to find a placement.
Special thanks goes to those teachers on the College staff in both the Senior and Junior Schools, who assisted with the program and checked in on students.
Congratulations to our new Captains and Prefects on a great effort yesterday with their BBQ and WaterFest fun. The Green House charity ‘Best Foot Forward’ helping disadvantaged women throughout the world through the Edmund Rice Foundation, benefitted from the $500 raised on the day.
This annual day of giving was multiplied by four, so our donation equated to $2,000. A wonderful effort by all those involved and thank you to all our supporters.
Competition in the pool events was epic, with the Biggest Splash award going to Ky Pule in the Seniors and Raphael Welch in the Junior division.
The Littlest Splash award went to Connor Andrews in the Seniors, and in the Juniors, Finn McCarthy took out the honours.
The Boogie Board relay was won by Conlon House. Congratulations to all competitors and thank you to Mr Kroll and Green House for hosting this event with the Captains. Well done!
Ms Sue Walsh
Director of Identity & Student Formation
swalsh@waverley.nsw.edu.au
‘Back to Waverley Day,’ an annual event for all Waverlians who graduated 50 or more years ago, this year honoured the Class of 1972 on 10 November 2022.
We always look forward to welcoming Old Boys back to our growing campus, but this year was particularly special, because this celebratory event was inevitably cancelled in 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19 restrictions. 100 Old Boys from the years 1953-1972 were in attendance.
After morning mass with Father Bernie in the College chapel, and a morning tea in the Senior School Library, Principal Mr Graham Leddie welcomed our alumni and our Pacifika parents/carers and extended families, to a full College assembly.
The assembly opened with a performance by the Waverley College Pacifika group. These talented Pacific Islander students have been working with Ms Sue Walsh (Director of Identity & Student Formation) and Aunty Fleur Smith for the past six months, and we were privileged to enjoy their unique stories in the form of prayer, music and dance.
The Pacifika group have made encouraging inroads into building deeper cultural awareness within the College, whilst also helping to strengthen our inclusive community, one of the four ‘Touchstones’ at Waverley.
The Pacifika brothers began with a prayer in the form of a beautiful Fijian hymn, ‘Noqu Masu’ sung with arms linked, followed by a performance of three haka: from Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand. The third haka spoke about the relationship between a father and son, and the important advice the father gives to his son about being true to himself.
Pacifika Brothers, Waverley College
Supported by archival images on the large screens, Mr Leddie then spoke to the cultural, technological and social changes that occurred during 1970-72 at Waverley, and in the wider world.
Guest speaker was Dr David Curran FRACP BSc (Med) (Hons), (Class of 1970 – College Captain, Prefect, Rugby Coach and Cadet CUO), who has served as a consultant physician in gastroenterology at the Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital for 37 years.
Dr Curran spoke with great eloquence. He praised ‘Back to Waverley Day’ which he said, “ … enables Old Boys to come home to their educational birthplace.” He exhorted current students to cultivate their friendships, a vitally important part of their overall education, and said that forgiveness is the greatest gift we can give to one another.
He encouraged students to tackle life with passion and grasp all opportunities.
Guest speaker, Dr David Curran
Dr Curran also educated many of us about the life of American political radical and pacifist, Dorothy Day, (b.1897 – d.1980), champion of the poor and exploited workers. Setting up the Catholic Worker Movement in 1933, she remained a controversial figure whose ideals ignited his schoolboy energy. As a teenager, Dr Curran launched a fundraising campaign to help Dorothy Day, and she responded gratefully with a handwritten card, thanking him for his financial assistance to her cause. At the close of his speech, Dr Curran presented this framed letter to Mr Leddie for Waverley College, as an historic gift from the Class of 1970.
Old Boy stalwarts!
Luncheon was served in the Br Wallace Performing Arts Centre, and Walter Rosada (Class of 1972), delivered a memorable speech on behalf of the Class of 1972. Stepping down this year after 20 years serving as Year Coordinator, Mr Rosada thanked Alumni Coordinator, Ms Venettia Miller, for her ongoing assistance with making connections, and also the help of the Old Boys’ Union.
Mr Rosada noted that, “the College had embedded itself into their DNA” and just as they were proud to be part of a history of the College, “the College is a part of the history of us.” He shone a light on both the success stories and the quiet achievers in the Class of 1972, in the domains of medicine, sport, art and academia, reminding his fellow Waverlians to never take their cohort for granted, and to remember those no longer with us.
Ms Vanessa Witton
Marketing Communications Specialist
vwitton@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The Model United Nations (MUN) provides an opportunity for students from various schools to emulate the role of delegates, to explore the complexities of international diplomacy and the intricacies of navigating issues pertaining to the global community.
Students are tasked with presenting and furthering the interests of their nations, whilst seeking to establish diplomatic relationships with others. Several Waverley students were invited to participate at the recent MUN event, hosted by Cranbrook on Friday, 4 November.
Representing India, Switzerland, the People’s Republic of China, Australia, France, South Korea, Micronesia, Ukraine, and Israel, all students who attended demonstrated strong skills in negotiation and awareness of global issues. Whilst presenting some rather unique solutions to current global concerns, both the junior and senior delegates demonstrated a flair for diplomacy.
I thank the following students for their engagement and enthusiasm: Matt Woods, Tom Hughes, Hugh McDonald, Harrison Rimmel, Jack Preller, Jock Edwards, Ricardo Zanapalis, Lachlan Miranda, James Peate, Lachlan Hoy, Nicholas Zanapalis, Charlie Murphy, and Ewan McDonald.
When asked to reflect on the day, Nick (Year 9) found that “the Model UN allowed me to grasp the idea of how politics works in regard to solving world issues, whilst also conveying this understanding in a fun, friendly and competitive format.”
Ricardo (Year 10) felt that MUN was “extremely enriching and overall, a fun experience to be a part of. The day was exciting and challenged me to come up with ethical solutions to solve global issues. It was enjoyable to be able to work with and against students from different schools.”
Thanks to Ms Emma Halpin for organising our participation, and Ms Alice Curtis for assisting the junior team on the day.
Early this week Waverley was privileged to hear Christian Brother Frank O’Shea from the Ruben Centre in Kenya, speak at our Senior School assembly. His engaging presentation was based on his life’s journey over the past 50 years.
During this time, he has served with marginalised children and adults in Tonga, South Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya, particularly in the areas of healthcare, education and infrastructure.
At its conclusion, he strongly encouraged Waverley students to consider the “power of one.” Noting that anything is possible, if they seek to be “men for others” and strive throughout their lives to make a difference.
We thank brother Frank for his inspirational example, and hope that all the young men of Waverley will aspire to this mission.
Christian Brother Frank O’Shea, Jason Bongers (School Engagement Officer, Edmund Rice Foundation), School Captain, Lachlan Grant
Ms Sue Walsh
Director of Identity & Student Formation
swalsh@waverley.nsw.edu.au
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!
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
On Friday 21 October 2022, Peter Reismann, the grandfather of one of our Year 10 Waverley students, visited the College to present to Year 10 his experience of the Holocaust and subsequent life in Australia.
This invaluable presentation was part of the Year 10 History PBL task being undertaken this semester. Organised by Ms Zoe Fitzgerald, this incursion was one that the students thoroughly enjoyed and found practical application for their assignment.
On behalf of the History and English Departments, thank you to Peter for your memories, and thank you Zoe for organising such a valuable learning experience.
Peter Reismann
Mr Nicholas Brophy
Acting Head of History
E: nbrophy@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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