Young Writers Award
On Friday 16 August, the finalists for the SAETA Young Writer’s Award assembled for the annual awards evening. The guest judge this year was Australian Author Gary Crew. The long-standing competition awards prizes across Years 1 to 12 for poetry and prose, and receives more than 600 entries every year. This year, we congratulate two winners from our community, Grace Marschall and Jasmin Baker.
Grace was awarded 2nd in the Year 7/8 Poetry Division with her joyous celebration of the Northern Territory town ‘Douglas Daly’. Click here to read.
Jasmin achieved 1st in the Year 11/12 Prose Division and also won the coveted main prize – the SAETA Young Writer of the Year Award. Her piece, ‘A Toasts to Lasts,’ is a moving and evocative look at the many final moments we experience. Click here to read.
We congratulate both girls on their creative and original writing and await the results of the Spring Poetry Competition.
Mel Smith
English Teacher
MASA Quiz Night Winners!
Last week, six teams of students from Years 7 to 12 travelled to Marryatville High School to participate in the Annual MASA Quiz Night. This involved competing against other schools in three challenging rounds which included questions on General Knowledge, Mathematics and various puzzles and challenges. Not only did our students conduct themselves exceptionally well throughout the evening but we had two teams who won prizes on the night. One of our Year 10 teams, consisting of Phoebe Liu, Olivia Ng, Valerie Ng and Coco Xu won a prize in the Intermediate Division and our Year 12 team, made up of Ishita Chellaboina, Shanta Holloway, Kaylah Park and Labrini Psaltis were the overall winners of the Senior Division. The Year 12 team won every category on the night – an amazing achievement!
Samantha O’Brien
Head of Mathematics & Kilburn House
Power Off for Homelessness
Each year there are around 28,000 young Australians aged 12 to 14 living rough. To raise awareness and assist those living on the streets, next Tuesday we will be having a ‘Power Off’ day in the Middle and Senior Schools where we will turn off all heating and reduce light usage.
Students in Years 7 to 12 are invited to wear a warm accessory such as a beanie, jacket or scarf during the day. There will be a donation drop-off spot in the Jeffreys Linn Arts Centre foyer and at the pick-up zone at the end of the day. Students can either donate the accessory they wore during the day or bring in a different one to donate.
We have also been running a crochet/knitting club every Tuesday and Thursday with the goal of gifting a handmade blanket too. All donations will go to Mary Mags Dinners (our Patteson House Charity) to help people experiencing homelessness. As a community, we can do so much to help those in need and enact change for individuals who may be experiencing a tough time this year.
We can’t wait to see you all in your warm clothes next week!
Misha Yagnik
Community Service Prefect
Bell Shakespeare
On Monday 19 August students in Years 7 to 11 had the privilege of attending performances by Bell Shakespeare. The troupe of three actors, who travel the country performing plays to educate students about The Bard’s works, presented ‘The Human Experience’ where they explored the way Shakespeare’s plays capture a range of human qualities: love, delight, grief, anger, ambition, guilt, revenge, courage and mercy to name just a few. They followed with a piece entitled ‘Shakespeare is Dead’ – a 45-minute exploration of the historical context, language, themes, style and value of Shakespeare’s plays – to the Year 7, 8 and 9 students. Enthusiastic, energetic and versatile, the actors immersed the students in another time and place, educating them about the world’s most renowned playwright. The tongue-in-cheek style of the two performances – including audience involvement, minimalist sets, and a resourceful use of props meant that the students were both entertained and educated.
The performances by Bell Shakespeare were an entertaining way to bring to life and unpack the plays of one who is considered by many to be the greatest writer of all time. Delivered in a way that engaged the audience, the actors explored interesting concepts and fascinating characters that are still applicable to modern society.
Ray Tsang
Year 11 student
During Week 5, actors from Bell Shakespeare visited us to perform and educate us about Shakespeare’s legacy. The performance was entertaining and emphasised the significance of Shakespeare’s work. The actors performed powerful scenes, soliloquies and taught us about the words and language Shakespeare used. It was a great experience that showed us how important and interesting Shakespeare’s works really are.
India Goodall
Year 9 student
The performance was entertaining and engaging, and also educated us about the history of Shakespeare in a modern way. I learned a lot about Shakespeare’s form of storytelling and the importance of learning about the most influential writer in English history. The skits were so fun, and I even got the opportunity to act in one of them!
Amelia Sheridan
Year 7 student