CGS OUTLOOK
THE MAGAZINE OF THE CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL COMMUNITY
SEMESTER TWO
2016 READY FOR THE WORLD
CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | i
EDITORIAL DETAILS Editor: Reece Cummings Graphic Design: Twee Phan and Vanessa Schimizzi Photography: William Hall Photography, staff and students Printed by: New Millennium Print Contributions: Thank you to the many people who contributed to CGS Outlook, including the numerous teachers, students, and staff who supplied articles and photos.
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE 1 From the Head of School 3 Presentation Night 4 Meet the 2017 School Captains
On the cover: Primary School students in Science class © Canberra Grammar School 2016
5 Co-education at Canberra Grammar School 6 NEWSbites
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? Please forward any news, information and photos to the Editor, Reece Cummings at communications@cgs.act.edu.au
DID YOU KNOW WE’RE ONLINE? Follow the official CGS accounts for regular updates, information, news, and community activities.
CGS.ACT.EDU.AU
12 Around the School 14 Sheaffe House raises funds to help eliminate violence against women 14 CGS Orienteers navigate the Canberra bushland 15 G.A.T.E.WAYS challenges students in leadership and creativity 15 Students create app to help Pokémon Go users ‘catch em all’ safely 16 CGS collects for the Anglicare Pantry Appeal again 16 CGS students say #ITSOKTOTALK 17 Pink Day raises funds for breast cancer awareness
TWITTER.COM/ CANBERRAGRAMMAR
18 A community full of creativity, activity and service
LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/ CANBERRA-GRAMMAR-SCHOOL
19 CGS Snow Sports success
FACEBOOK.COM/ALUMNICGS
20 17 years of success in Geography competition 20 New Art, Design and Technology Centre
HELP SHAPE OUR FUTURE Support the long-term advancement and renewal of Canberra Grammar School.
CGSFOUNDATION.ORG.AU
21 Art Walk 2016 21 Farewell to long-serving staff 22 Feature Articles: Technology 24 Feature Articles: Music 26 CGS Alumni News 30 CGS Foundation News
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Printed on FSC certified paper. ii | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Welcome to this edition of CGS Outlook, which celebrates the second half of 2016, another semester of enjoyment and momentum in the life of Canberra Grammar School. As ever, these pages reflect the extraordinary diversity of opportunity that defines our School, and I congratulate all whose accomplishments are recorded here. Their stories speak of the many talents and passions of our students, staff and alumni. Yet they merely sample the range of our School’s endeavour in the classroom, in the arts, in sport, outdoors, overseas and in service, both far afield and at home. Amidst all that is recorded here, there were students whose intellectual enterprise within and beyond the curriculum this year earned premier placing in the Australian Geography Competition, the UNSW Economics Competition, the National History Challenge, the Australian Mathematics Competition, the Mathematics Olympiad, the Informatics Olympiad and the ANU Brain Bee. Students took international language exchanges and earned scholarships overseas, including two of only three hundred in the world to the Apple World Wide Developers’ Conference. They were selected for the National Youth Science Forum and the National Computer Science School. They had successes too in international robotics awards, in the Young ICT Explorers’ Competition and in the Young Business Leaders’ Challenge. There were multiple category wins once again in GovHack, and the work of our Code Cadets earned our selection as the only school in the world to trial Microsoft’s new Hololens technology. The list goes on and will no doubt grow in the years ahead with new opportunities opened, particularly in the STEM fields and in the visual and creative arts by the wholesale renovation of our Art, Design and Technology Centre.
When complete for the start of 2017, like the redeveloped Southside Infants School and The Snow Centre before it, the ADT Centre’s new light, spacious areas for innovation and collaboration will symbolise the kind of education that we value: bright and open and progressive, just like our students themselves. In 2016 we also pushed forward in sport, with first strides taken in a programme of restructure and improvement that will, in time, add greater depth of skills development and consistency of experience to the breadth of our active education. The impact of newly appointed professional coaching directors in our largest sports – Football, Rugby, Rowing and Cricket – is already being felt, along with renewed emphasis from the School and ever more active and generous commitment from parents in many fields, including Basketball, Tennis, Rowing, Rugby and Snow Sports in particular. The year also saw the start of Netball and Equestrian Sports, and continued national and international competition with our Cricketers, Basketballers, Golfers and Rugby players touring overseas, and with our Dragon-boaters continuing their phenomenal success in world championships. continued on next page...
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL CONTINUED... In the arts too, it was another vibrant year. No circus tent this time, but a truly impressive Drama programme nonetheless. I think, for example, of Term 4’s haunting performance of ‘Lord of the Flies’, but also of ‘Hamlet’, a play that few schools would tackle in its immensity and subtlety but that our students performed with maturity and gripping intensity that still dwells in my mind months later. Perhaps above all, 2016 was the year in which CGS Music rose phoenix-like in its re-creation, with performances now regularly in the School and intrinsic to its weekly rhythms: in assemblies more than ever before, in The Snow Centre, the Dining Hall, the Chapel, the Quad, the Theatre, the John Lingard and War Memorial Halls, as well as around Canberra. In Term 3, our most accomplished musicians stretched themselves and their audience at the National Gallery to greater sophistication than I’d have thought possible only a very short time ago, only to be followed weeks later by the wonderful whole School concert involving hundreds of students from Kindergarten to Year 12 at the ANU’s Llewellyn Hall; and that’s not to mention the music of Presentation Night or this year’s beautiful Junior School Christmas Carol Service, a steep change in our singing that was very special indeed. Of course, this was also the year of our first co-educational classes in the Junior School, embracing the reality of change not just for us but for the wider world, which, as we know, will inevitably be shaped in the years to come by educated, motivated and intelligent young men and women, just like our own, learning and thinking and working together, side by side in personal and professional equality.
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It’s already exciting to see that happening in visiting their classrooms. In fact, one of my absolute highlights of the year was simply spending time in classes with our boys and girls in Primary School, playing mathematical thinking games on the floor together, celebrating international customs together, comparing travel stories together, reading together, following the lifecycle of frogs and chickens and mealworms together. I can only look forward to the year ahead with more girls and boys joining those already in Primary School and with around 50 girls and 50 boys joining our boys from the Junior School as they enter Year 7 and a further 20 girls joining Year 11. In short, 2016 was a fun and fulfilling year at Canberra Grammar School; a reminder amid the anxiety and resentment that so often seemed to prevail in the divisive political rhetoric of the wider world in 2016 that we are indeed a blessed community with much cause for thanks and much to offer. We may rightly wonder about the quality of present leadership in our society in Australia and abroad, but as we read these pages that celebrate the best in our students and our School, we see ample evidence of young men and women who are confident and compassionate, intelligent and open minded, determined to strike out boldly in this global era; at one with and ready for the world. They give every reason for hope. Dr Justin Garrick Head of School
PRESENTATION NIGHT Held on Friday 2 December, the 2016 Presentation Night again proved to be another terrific way to end the year with student and staff achievements celebrated across the full range of our Junior and Senior Schools. For those in attendance on the night, the introductory video ‘A Year in the Life of CGS’ produced this year by Year 11 student Jason Tran, certainly reflected the vibrant diversity of the School’s daily activity both on and off campus. Dr Justin Garrick, Head of School, described the video as ‘elegantly portraying the spirit of our togetherness in learning and thriving as a community from PreSchool to Year 12; the nurturing of inspiration, the partnership with teachers and mentors, the joy of striving in physical endeavour, the sheer happiness of boys and girls sharing their experience and discovering their capacity together’. The culture of the School was further spoken about by the Year 6 Douglas Award winner, George Lane, who put it that ‘the amazing thing about Canberra Grammar School is that everywhere you look there are people striving for excellence but also that everyone enjoys seeing their friends excel.’ The night also showed that the vital defining aspects of the School are many, and that they are in theatre as much as they are in the outdoors and in the classroom, which was reflected in the quality of music and performances throughout the evening, alongside the numerous academic awards.
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MEET THE 2017 SCHOOL CAPTAINS Lachlan Martin – School Captain ‘For me, CGS is more than just an institution: it is a nurturing community. My aspiration to become a leader came from my appreciation for the opportunities I have been fortunate to receive at our School. I wanted to give back, and make a positive impact on the School community. It is a fantastic experience and I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed. Along with Dion and Will, I am excited for the upcoming year. We hope to further increase the strong community spirit and enthusiastic engagement from all, particularly with both boys and girls entering the Senior School in 2017. Additionally, we will look to increase our involvement with the Junior School, and strengthen older students’ relationships with Juniors. No doubt, it will be an important year in the School’s history. It is up to us students to determine how successful we are, and I am fully confident that we shall have another outstanding year.’
William Herse – School Vice-Captain ‘As a younger student, the School Captains were inspirational to me because they always led with integrity and encapsulated the values and moral codes that I believe in. Now that I have the chance to be one of them, I hope that I too will be an inspiration to the younger members of the School. Looking to the future, Dion, Lachie and I hope to continue to build upon the rich nurturing culture which we have experienced throughout our schooling. I personally want to improve the already successful community outreach programmes within the School in an attempt to integrate all Houses under the one banner of CGS. My short time as Vice-Captain has been somewhat stressful, but I certainly do not regret the decision to take on the position. It just requires better organisation and less sleep!’
Dion Tsarpalias – School Vice-Captain ‘Since I first came to the School in Year 7, I was inspired by all of my seniors to one day become a confident, strong, but also caring and compassionate leader. What has stayed consistent in my years at CGS has been the strong bonds formed by the daily interactions between older and younger students. It is through these bonds that the best leaders are able to make the biggest difference in the School. By nurturing their unofficial brothers and sisters through a supportive and friendly culture, they provide so much gravity to what it means to be a student at Canberra Grammar School. In 2017, our final year here at the School, I wish to build on an already firm foundation that is our community. What I am certain many other students and I are looking forward to is accommodating and assisting our new sisters with a smooth integration.’
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CO-EDUCATION AT CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL PRIMARY SCHOOL
SENIOR SCHOOL
2017 has proven to be a successful year of building on 40 years of co-education in the early years of the Primary School, with co-education extending from Year 2 to Year 4. This year, to help both our new and existing students feel part of the School community, the Junior School hosted several events for incoming students, including a Year 3 ‘Family Day’ and a ‘Girls Night In’ for the 2017 Year 4 and 5 girls, for both new students and those continuing upward from Year 3 and 4.
It has also been a significant semester in preparation for boys and girls joining the CGS Senior School in 2017, with a multitude of events for new and current students who will be in the first co-ed intake in Years 7 and 11. October saw two days where both new and current students entering Year 7 and 11 experienced the Senior School for the first time, including students moving up from the Junior School. The multiple experience days allowed students to meet and speak to pastoral and academic staff, participate in classes, familiarise themselves with the campus, spend time with their new peers, and most importantly, see what a day in the life of a CGS student is like. At the end of Term 4, students also came together to familiarise themselves with their allocated House, ask questions and re-acquaint themselves with the Co-education Transition Co-ordinator, Ms Dimitria Karapangos. The School looks forward to seeing students return for Welcome Day and to continuing to grow co-ed throughout the School.
LAUNCH OF THE NEW SCHOOL UNIFORM The School was also excited to launch the new Academic School Uniform for Years 3 to 12, and the School Sports Uniform. After input from students, parents and staff, as well as the designer, a new range of unified sportswear and modifications to the uniform were created. The update draws on the School’s traditional themes over the years, while modernising key features to create a smart, professional look for the years ahead, reflecting the School’s aspiration to be ready for the world. CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 5
NEWSbites
NATIONAL SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR THE PRIMARY SCHOOL CGS students Daniel Fox (placed 32nd) and Ariel Hutchinson (placed 15th) competed in the National Cross Country Championships in the 11-year age group on Saturday 20 August. The event was held at Stromlo Forest Park, and they had the opportunity to run 3km against all the best runners from around the country. Well done, and congratulations. These students train regularly and have worked hard to achieve their goals.
ACT ATHLETICS CARNIVAL IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL Congratulations to all the CGS Primary School students who participated in the 12&U ACT Athletics Carnival at Woden at the end of Term 3, representing the South Weston region. Special mention must go to Alexander Spooner (2nd 70m, 2nd 100m), Max Juric (2nd 70m, 2nd 100m), Mef Ajulo (1st 100m), Dylan Outram (3rd Long Jump), Felix Wesley (3rd 100m, 3rd 200m), Dan Fox (2nd 800m) and Ariel Hutchinson (3rd 800m). Dylan, Felix, Dan and Ariel all qualified for the National Schools Championships in Sydney in late November. Well done to all our athletics champions!
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CGS PRIMARY SCHOOL WINS ACT TENNIS AWARD
TRIPPAS WHITE GROUP WINS MULTIPLE AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
Congratulations to the CGS Primary School on winning the Most Outstanding School Award for Tennis at the ACT Awards Gala Evening in September at the National Tennis Centre at Lyneham.
Trippas White Group, Canberra Grammar School’s on-site catering and hospitality provider, has been announced as the winner of two categories at the Annual Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence 2016 for the ACT, including Site & Industrial Caterer, for its work with Canberra Grammar School.
The award is recognition for the terrific amount of work by our Head Coach, Robbie Manzano, and for the commitment of our core sport tennis players and participants in Physical Education classes. The award was presented to Ms Rosalie Reeves at our Junior School Presentation Evening in September.
This award is extremely well deserved, and representative of the excellent catering shown through the consistent quality of their services to our boarding students; through the endless House dinners; in the annual Valedictory Dinner for over 500 people; and through the numerous staff, student and community events hosted throughout the year. Trippas White Group is the hospitality partner for Canberra Grammar School, overseeing the in-School dining operations and premium event services. The team’s food philosophy focuses on delivering seasonal and nutritionally balanced menus using quality Australian produce. CGS would like to congratulate Trippas White Group and the staff at the School for their award!
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NEWSbites
PHILIP JOHNSTON PERFORMS A PIANO CONCERT AT CGS FOR THE JOHN LINGARD HALL
STUDENTS DISCOVER THE LIFE-CYCLE OF CHICKENS, TADPOLES AND PLANTS
Mr Philip Johnston performed an outstanding one-hour concert in August to raise funds for improving the John Lingard Hall.
Spring was definitely in the air for the boys and girls in Year 4. Throughout November, the students, (with many staff also keeping a keen interest), have been observing the hatching and early growth of chickens.
Philip is best known in recent years for running the taekwondo programme at CGS, but he is also a CGS Alumni and parent. However, he is also a terrific concert pianist who has recorded for Warner Music, and despite this being his concern first concert in 12 years away from performing it seemed like he had never stepped away from the piano. Thank you for the amazing performance, Philip, and for your contribution to the School community.
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As the unit progressed, students rotated around the Year 4 classes, observing and inquiring into the life-cycles of snails, mealworms, tadpoles and plants. This provided a wonderful opportunity for the boys and girls to dig deeper into nature while learning about living and non-living things, how to classify them, and also to have a little bit of fun.
TWO STUDENTS EARN PLACES AT THE NATIONAL YOUTH SCIENCE FORUM CGS is pleased to advise that two students have been offered places at the National Youth Science Forum for next year. Congratulations to Michael Nguyen-Kim and Tim Greenough who have both been offered places, which continues the very strong representation the School has enjoyed at the Forum over recent years.
CGS WINS ANU BRAIN BEE CHALLENGE The CGS team consisting of Thomas Faulder, Daniel Tian, Jonathan Lee and Tim Muya were successful in winning the ACT division of the Australian Brain Bee Challenge (ABBC) team event hosted at ANU in August. Jonathan and Thomas placed 1st and 3rd respectively in their individual events. The ABBC is a competition for senior school students in Year 10 to learn about brain functions, neuroscience research, find out about careers in neuroscience, and to dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses. Congratulations to the Canberra Grammar School team!
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NEWSbites
PARENTS, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALCOHOL FORUM
CGS CARE – HORIZONS PROGRAMME
In late November, CGS hosted the ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations for an informative parents’ seminar on the topic of Young People and Alcohol. Mr David Smart, Head of Senior School, said that ‘it was very interesting to hear improvements regarding young people and alcohol consumption, and to have confirmed the crucial role that parents can play in helping to ensure young people make wiser decisions regarding delaying and reducing alcohol consumption.’
CGS Care Horizons was launched this year in April as an optional extra included in the holiday programme.
Those who participated in the evening heard about a very successful programme known as ‘Effekt’, which deals with parental leniency in relation to children’s alcohol use, specifically by encouraging parents to maintain a zero-tolerance position towards underage drinking and communicate clear guidelines to children and reasons why this approach is crucial in their development. A warm, firm, connected and supportive parenting style has been shown to be most successful in raising happy and successful children who display the right approach to alcohol.
CGS Care is excited to announce that over the summer holidays we will be offering Tennis, Kids Pantry, AFL, Soccer, Basketball, Cheerleading, LEGO, Code Camps, Multi Sports, Performing Arts, Chess and more.
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Horizons programmes are derived from the children’s interests and are a fun and interactive programme allowing skills to develop and friendships to be made. In the launch, children could attend Tennis, Dance and a Kids Pantry, and these activities have continued to grow by offering AFL and Performing Arts.
For information visit CGS.ACT.EDU.AU
AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR VISITS PRIMARY SCHOOL TO SHARE THE ‘RULES OF WRITING’ Junior School students recently enjoyed a wonderful opportunity to interact with well-known Australian author Morris Gleitzman, who shared his experiences with writing and gave them his number-one rule: the central character needs to have a problem that has to be shared on the first page. Morris recently launched the 5th book in his series ‘Toad Delight’. The students were eager to have hundreds of their books signed by the author, especially those in Year 6, who have been reading ‘Once a Boy Overboard’ in their classrooms.
STAFF INVESTIGATE INTERNATIONAL STEM EDUCATION PROGRAMMES Throughout the end of 2016, members of the CGS Art, Design and Technology (ADT) Department, including Mr Trevor Dunbar (CGS Gallery Director), Ms Gai Dennett (Head of Senior School Library), Mr Alister McDonald (ADT Teacher), and Ms Yumi Young (ADT Teacher) travelled to various overseas venues to investigate international STEM education programmes, and to explore art and design institutions in order to plan a tour for ADT students. To gain inspiration, staff visited museums, art galleries, zen gardens and centres for technology in Japan, Germany, and Croatia. These investigations coupled with the launch of the new ADT Centre (see page 20) aim to address the School’s strategic aims for CGS students to be innovative, intelligent and international. This trip was only made possible by the work of the CGS Staff Professional Excellence Fund (SPEF) and its committee.
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AROUND THE SCHOOL PRIMARY
PRIMARY SCHOOL
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SENIOR SCHOOL
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SHEAFFE HOUSE RAISES FUNDS TO HELP ELIMINATE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN This year, as part of the Sheaffe House Mini-Fete, students raised money for the Canberra Rape Crisis Service. As a part of the Senior School Assembly on 24 November, the students also took time to reflect on White Ribbon Day and acknowledge the importance of all men committing to never being violent towards women. The School Captain, Lachlan Martin, gave an impressive speech on how this issue applies to the School as a community. A selection of student leaders and senior staff then recited the oath as a symbolic statement of the School’s comittment to eliminating violence against women.
The words of the oath are: ‘I will stand up, speak out and act to prevent men’s violence against women. This is my Oath’. Sheaffe House also presented a cheque for $4,800 to the CEO of Canberra Rape Crisis Centre, Ms Chrystina Stanford.
CGS ORIENTEERS NAVIGATE THE CANBERRA BUSHLAND The Canberra Grammar Senior School orienteering team enjoyed another successful season of navigating their way around complex courses in the Canberra bushland. In addition to the two weekday training sessions, which varied between training on Red Hill and other locations, the team competed in the Orienteering ACT Saturday Metro Series, which involved 16 events held on Saturday mornings and a different bushland location around Canberra each week. The Metro Series also includes the Junior League, a cumulative point score competition, in which junior competitors earn points based upon their performance at the events. Particular congratulations go to the Team Captain Mark Glanville, who placed 2nd in the M18 age class, and Jaxon Kneipp, who placed 3rd in the highly competitive M16 age class. The team also defended their title of Champion High School and reclaimed the title of Champion College (after a one14 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
year hiatus) at the ACT Secondary Schools Orienteering Championships held in September. Congratulations to Will Madl and Toby Wilson, who won 1st and 2nd respectively in the M12 age class, and Mark Glanville and Ryan Turner, who came in 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the M18 age class. Thank you to Mark Glanville (Captain) and Dylan Earley (Vice-Captain) for their leadership of the team this year, as well as Mr Purcell and Dr Holland for their coaching and administration.
G.A.T.E.WAYS CHALLENGES STUDENTS IN LEADERSHIP AND CREATIVITY The G.A.T.E.WAYS Challenge took place in Term 4 this year over the course of a day, where teams made up of students who rotated through several challenge activities where each child had an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in one of the challenges. Strong emphasis is placed on creativity, lateral thinking and problem-solving skills. School teams had access to a comprehensive handbook with preparation activities, including examples and answers to work through prior to the competition day. Two teams of four per year level were entered from Year 3 to Year 6 in the competition. On the day of the Challenge, teams participated in four practice workshops in the morning followed by four competition challenges in the afternoon. Each member of a team became the leader of a specific challenge, with each challenge set in a scenario or hypothetical situation that needed to be completed in 30 minutes. The three top teams at each venue received trophies, and the two top teams in Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane received an invitation to participate in the finals.
The following students participated in the G.A.T.E.WAYS Challenge 2016: Year 3: Sam Lloyd, Sam Nelson, Oliver Mitchell, Charlotte Lee, Lily Thu, Harry Bodman, Omkaar Mulye, Edward Alexander Year 4: Karl Howe, George Pourpouras, James Wilkinson, William Reading, Julia Rose, Naavya Challana, Jack Ryan, John Christopherson Year 5: Milind Merson, Cameron Allnut, Dylan Ricciardella, Jadon Johnston, Adhip Sircar, Devendra Singh, Charlie Raff, Shivaan Wimalendran and Year 6: Finn Love, Matthew Johnston, Calvin Pickering, Joel Morrison, Ben Varela, Timothy Robinson, Elliot Brown, Jordan Iglesias. This year, both Year 6 teams qualified to attend the final competition in Melbourne. Thanks go to Ms Nerida Bennett, for assisting with guiding the team.
STUDENTS CREATE APP TO HELP POKÉMON GO USERS ‘CATCH EM ALL’ SAFELY With the recent popularity of the Pokémon Go app, three Year 10 CGS students – George Dan, Sam Reading-Thompson and Robin Hodda – have come together to create an app called ‘Parkachu’, which encourages Pokémon Go users to play safely by combining data from the popular smartphone app with transport data from the ACT Government. The app, created as a part of a tech open data competition called GovHack, was designed over 46 hours by the students. CGS student George Dan was also lucky enough to talk about the app on ABC TV.
The students said their app was ‘inspired by the media attention surrounding the dangers of people driving while playing the game’. They hope their app will allow users to see any Pokémon near carparks and bus stops, thus engaging in the game safely and sensibly. CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 15
CGS COLLECTS FOR THE ANGLICARE PANTRY APPEAL AGAIN The 2017 Anglicare Pantry Appeal led by the new CGS Chaplain, Father Andrew Robinson, assisted by CGS students and staff, were able to collect 64 bags or 960 items – nearly breaking the 1,000 items mark! The local Anglicare representative said, ‘Thank you for supporting the Pantry Appeal – we really appreciate what you and the School community are doing on behalf of Anglicare and our clients’.
Well done to all involved, and congratulations on another successful year of collections.
CGS STUDENTS SAY #ITSOKTOTALK CGS Senior School students gathered on Friday 12 August in the Quad to raise awareness for mental health and the impact that it can have on young men and to change the types of conversations being held regarding suicide. The social media campaign, #ITSOKAYTOTALK, began with a UK rugby player, Luke Ambler, deciding to take the conversation concerning mental health into his own hands after his brother-in-law took his life very suddenly. This conversation graduated into a social media campaign, which has rapidly spread throughout Australia and the world, as well as helped to facilitate more open conversations about one of the leading causes of death in young men.
issues can have on daily lives, and it is important for men
2016 CGS School Captain Ben McGinness said that ‘we understand the severity of the impact that mental health
CGS students gathered in the Quad to raise awareness
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to recognise that talking makes it easier to overcome various problems and that it is okay to express your feelings. As a part of the #ITSOKAYTOTALK initiative, about mental health’.
PINK DAY RAISES FUNDS FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS CGS hosted its 4th Annual student-based initiative ‘Pink Day’ on Wednesday 10 August to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer. This year, the day involved wearing pink scarves and items from previous years such as socks, beanies and ties. Wearing their vibrant and eccentric pieces of clothing throughout the day, students generated conversations and raised awareness for those impacted by breast cancer and their families, as well as raising $11,000 to help research a cure and treatment. This year’s funds were pledged to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to support their goal of zero deaths from breast cancer by 2030. The Foundation was chosen for this year’s initiative as the student leaders felt that the Foundation carried a valuable message and hoped that CGS’ contribution would help achieve their success.
The 2016 Pink Day initiative was led by six Year 11 IB Diploma Programme students, including Lachie Martin, Miguel Salcedo, Irwin Ip, Nicholas Arnold, Daniel Cherepinskiy and Harry Campbell. Collaborating from the start of Term 1, the students worked with CGS staff members Ms Holbrook, Ms Tuan and Ms Overheu to make the day a reality. Thank you to everyone who was involved in the day, from students to community members, and for their contribution to breast cancer research.
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A COMMUNITY FULL OF CREATIVITY, ACTIVITY AND SERVICE As part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, students are required to undertake a range of experiences involving Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS). In addition to this, the students must work independently, or in small groups, to undertake a project that focuses upon one or more of these areas.
2016 has seen an exceptional range of projects in which students have taken the role as a Project Manager and devised a timeline for completion. Once the project is finished, the final reflections are recorded. Some of the CAS Projects the IBDP Class of 2017 have undertaken this year, include: Art Wars Art Wars was introduced as a CAS project by students in the Class of 2016, and handed over to interested students in the Class of 2017, in the hope that this would become an annual event held in the closing week of Term 2 each year. Amidst the creative vibe already surrounding House Music, the Art Wars proved again to be successful. Students running this project learnt some valuable lessons about communicating clearly, and ensuring they organised materials and publicity well in advance of the activity. Determined to leave a lasting legacy, the CAS students then converted the artwork produced on the day to ‘praise postcards’ which have since been used to praise the achievements of students around the School. Dance for the Junior School While CGS does not officially have dance as part of its Co-curricular Programme, senior students with a love of dance undertook a project to ensure students in the Junior School did not miss out on exciting opportunities such as the Canberra Dance Fest, to display their talents. The CAS students created a club and worked with the junior students to choreograph the dances required to participate in this festival. The students all had a fantastic time at the Dance Fest, and some lasting friendships were made. A strong bond was also formed between the CAS students and those in the Junior School they worked with.
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The Sustainable CGS group has continued to do an outstanding job of introducing and promoting recycling and other issues around sustainability at CGS this year. The CAS students involved in this project wanted to see their project have a direct impact upon the CGS community, as well as focusing upon the more global issue of recycling and sustainability. The students’ aim was to create a project with a long-lasting impact, and through their introduction of recyclable containers in the canteen, recycling bins around the School and numerous promotional speeches at Assembly, they have achieved just that. Follow on Twitter @SustainableCGS CGS ACADEMY Students wanting to give back academically to the CGS community this year formed the CGS Academy in the hope of being able to use their own knowledge and skills to assist students in the younger years. Four afternoons a week, the students leading the Academy make themselves available to tutor students in a range of subjects. Students from Years 7–10 simply turn up and receive the academic assistance they require. Musical performances at retirement villages in Canberra CAS students with a love of music embraced the opportunity to incorporate music into their CAS project this year. Combining some of their own compositions with other musical scores, the students practised their pieces, decided upon their repertoire and then booked a series of Christmas concerts at several nursing homes around Canberra. This resulted in a great deal of enjoyment by both those involved in playing as well as those on the receiving end.
CGS SNOW SPORTS SUCCESS Primary School
Senior School
The Primary School Snow Sports team had a terrific 2016 season, with 42 students competing in various competitions and disciplines. Students raced in crosscountry skiing, alpine GS skiing and snowboarding, ski cross, boarder cross and moguls!
This season, 34 students represented CGS in various competitions at Snow Sports events. The major event was the Southern NSW and ACT Division of the Snow Sports Interschools Championships held at Perisher. Over the three days of racing, CGS received some great results with CGS being the strongest-performing school from the ACT.
Following great success at the Interschools Regional event, CGS sent 26 students to the National Interschools Championships at Perisher. The team achieved several top-10 finishes, and CGS placed 6th in the overall Primary School Co-ed Championships and 3rd in the Skiing disciplines. For the third year in a row, CGS also won the Primary School Male Champion trophy at the ACT Schools Cup and placed 3rd in the Girls Championship; there were plenty of terrific individual and team results that day. The skiers said they are already looking forward to next year’s snow season, and are always looking for new and emerging talent to join the team. Canberra Grammar Junior School was also awarded the Snow Sports ACT School of the Year award at the annual Snow Sports ACT awards dinner in October. Congratulations to all staff and families involved in the 2016 Snow Sports Season for contributing to this success. Flynn Mooney (Year 6) was also recognised as the Junior Freestyle Athlete of the Year. Packed with a year of non-stop action, the CGS Snow Sports community also gathered for a movie night in November this year in the Tim Murray Theatre where they were treated to a special showing of The Will to Fly, and afterwards were able to participate in a Q&A and book signing with Australian Olympian, Ms Lydia Lassila.
In Division 1 (Years 11 and 12), the team consisting of Constantine Nikias, Duncan Ledger and Lachlan Osborne performed very well in Alpine and Skier Cross, medalling in both events out of nine teams. Constantine Nikias was the stand-out performer, recording the second-fastest time in both events. In Division 2 (Years 9 and 10), outstanding performances came from Tristan Yip with the fastest time in Alpine on a very technical course and 3rd in Skier Cross, and Fletcher Dobson-Harper, winning 2nd individually in Alpine and 3rd in Moguls, pulling off some amazing tricks with Ben Peatey in 4th, not far behind. CGS once again medalled in the teams event with the addition of Harrison Pietsch, Matthew Duncan and Aidan Richards with first in Alpine, second in Moguls and third in Skier Cross. In Division 3 (Years 7 and 8), Callum Vass showed his fancy tricks to win the Moguls event with Lachie Byron placing a strong second to give CGS the win in the teams event. The CGS A team of Duncan Soros, Fred Taylor, Callum Vass and Lachie Byron raced very well on the final day of competition to place second in the Alpine event. At the ACT Schools Cup in September, outstanding performances came from Joshua Lorenz with a 2nd in snowboarding, Hugo Korte and Lachie Byron 3rd in Alpine and a strong performance from Harrison Korte, who was 5th in Alpine. The season concluded with the Australian National Championships held at Perisher in September. In a highly competitive field, the best-placed CGS students were Fletcher Dobson-Harper, 5th in Slope Style and 13th in Moguls; Callum Vass, 18th in Moguls; and Duncan Soros, 20th in Alpine. Well done to all students in both Primary and Senior School on an excellent season! We look forward to seeing you on the snow next year!
CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 19
17 YEARS OF SUCCESS IN GEOGRAPHY COMPETITION Canberra Grammar School has continued to perform outstandingly in the 2016 Australian Geography Competition. The competition this year had over 70,000 students from 760 schools, and while the competition was fierce CGS gained 3rd place in Australia and 1st place in the Territories for the 17th consecutive year! The Australian Geography Competition is a contest for Australian Senior School students that assesses their geographical knowledge and skills. The Competition aims to encourage those with an interest in geography and to reward excellence. The following students achieved results in the top 1% in Australia: Year 8: Nicholas Derlacki, Taj Hutchinson, Connor McHugh Year 10: Joseph Fergusson, Duncan Miller; and Year 11: Christian Flynn.
Other top performers in the competition were: Year 8: Nicholas Bull, William Loughton, Dharineesh Prashanth, Matthew Rensch, Samuel Soar Year 9: Madoc Cottle, Maxwell Rogers, Sean Taylor Year 10: Damian Camilleri, Thomas Faulder, Lachlan Gale, Forbes Mailler, Sam Reading-Thompson, Sean Taylor, Daniel Tian, Thomas Willingham; and Year 11: William Woodrow. Well done to all who participated!
Christian has also been invited to represent the ACT at the ‘Geography Big Week Out’ at Stradbroke Island in December 2016. He also has the chance to then represent Australia at the 14th International Geography Olympiad to be held in Belgrade, Serbia, in August 2017.
NEW ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE In September, the School began major renovations to the School’s Art, Design and Technology (ADT) Centre in order to create a capacity to foster and nurture our students’ curiosity towards STEM. Opened in 1972 as a purpose-built facility for art, woodwork and metalwork, the ADT Centre has produced countless creative projects over the past 44 years, but its time had well and truly come for redevelopment. The new centre aims to build on the pre-existing purpose, but to also develop deeper learning engagement through crossdisciplinary programmes in a flexible learning space that allows for a range of pedagogical approaches. By the start of 2017, its interior will be replaced with a new maker space for collaborative working, and its digital technologies will be significantly enhanced to allow more sophisticated STEM projects and larger fabrications. The variety of curricular options on offer will be expanded, and the building’s physical fabric, lighting, heating and cooling will be greatly improved. The refurbishment forms only a small part of the ADT Department’s strategic vision for education, and will ensure that students have the facilities and resources 20 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
needed in a world shaped by globalisation, environmental change and technological advancement. The new ADT Centre will undoubtedly equip CGS students with the necessary knowledge and attitudes to prepare them for careers in which collaborative, creative and problem-solving capabilities are among the most desired workplace skills. The rationale behind the refurbishment of the centre is directly aligned with the CGS aspiration for students to be imaginative and constructive; to be inspired by the world around them; and to empower students to be openminded. The 2015 Horizon Report (US) also identifies that there is an average 15% increase in academic results when students work in new generation learning spaces, something which the new ADT Centre will provide. To read more about the refurbishment, please visit CGSADTREFUB.TUMBLR.COM
ART WALK 2016 If the essence of a truly effective community event exists in the amount of fun, laughter, interaction and amount of gelato consumed, then the 2016 Art Walk was a roaring success. The Primary School shone with the work of the children adorning the walls and halls of the School. The addition of Rock Salt and the musical performances provided a true snapshot of what our children can experience at the School. Our Art Department including Ms Jessica Dabro, Ms Sally Dunbar and Mr David Hodges, deserve to be congratulated on the art on display; so too do the children and staff who set up Southside, the International Centre and Northside. It was wonderful to welcome grandparents along to this night, as a combined event with Grandfriends Day and we very much look forward to the next Art Walk in 2017.
FAREWELL TO LONG-SERVING STAFF Robert Welsh Rob came to CGS in 1983 as a fresh graduate with a very strong Mathematics background. He quickly established himself as a classroom practitioner well able to deal with the wide range of ability and approaches that we encounter. Over the following 34 years, he has had many different roles but the consistent thread has been as an exemplary teacher of Mathematics. In fact, if there is a gap in Rob’s time at CGS it is that he was not more often used as an exemplar, giving demonstration lessons. Many more could learn much from him about the craft of teaching, as well as Mathematics. This willingness to give and his interest in the welfare of our boys were also evident in Rob’s various pastoral roles but none more so than as a boarding Housemaster. Having been a day Housemaster, he moved into boarding with established skills and then showed his great capacity for hard work. All of us here at CGS have benefited from knowing Rob both personally and professionally. He manages better than most to combine passion and rationality, to be kind and firm, to be critical but not judgemental, to speak plainly and hold still. Whatever the future holds for Rob these talents will be evident.
Geoff Hill Geoff Hill first applied for a position at Canberra Grammar School in September 1988 having previously taught at St Edmund’s College. He was inspired to put in an application having spent time on the sporting field amongst the CGS boys and their families where he was impressed by our students’ manners, neatness and the happiness they exuded. Over the last 28 years, Geoff has contributed strongly to the fostering of staff support mechanisms. He has mentored numerous members of staff in their first years of teaching, willingly shared his resources and knowledge through team teaching experiences and perhaps most impressively catered for the staff on many occasions. Geoff Hill is a great adventurer and story teller. His stories have enthused and excited our children throughout the years, and will be remembered fondly by many of his colleagues and those whom he has taught.
CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 21
FEATURE ARTICLES: TECHNOLOGY
CGS WINS NATIONAL ICT COMPETITION In November, CGS students Joseph Fergusson and Rory Wade represented Canberra at the 2016 Young ICT Explorers (YICTE) National Competition where they took home first place in the National Final. Rory and Joseph, along with team partner Ines Kusen of Telopea College, also won the Canberra YICTE Year 9–10 Division with their rescue robot. Rory and Ines won the same division in the ACT last year and placed 3rd in the National Competition. In July this year, the trio competed in the Robocup Junior International Final in Leipzig, and whilst technical difficulties prevented the team from reaching the finals in the Junior Rescue Maze League, Rory received a prestigious Flower Robotics Design Award. This was the first time a junior competitor has received the award, which was judged across all leagues of the Robocup Competition, including universities from around the world. Rory received the award for the general aesthetics of the robot and the Mechanical Articulated Suspension System (MASS) that he designed and built throughout last year. This mechanism allowed the robot to maintain four points of contact with the ground, even when manoeuvring across large debris on the rescue field. Joseph, Ines and Rory also received the Best Hardware Award in their League. After the Robocup, the team continued to a cultural exchange programme in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where together with the Croatian National Robotics Team, they conducted several robotics workshops with disadvantaged Croatian students. They were accompanied in Leipzig and Dubrovnik by a small delegation of CGS staff on a Staff Professional Excellence Fund technology tour. The staff also had the chance to continue on to visit the Croatian Centre for Technology Education.
This October, Rory travelled to Perth to complete his Year 10 work experience with WesTrac, gaining insight into the operation and management of the very large autonomous fleet of vehicles used in the mining industry all over the world. He said he ‘found this experience an invaluable insight into the commercial applications of design and technology, and will transfer elements of this experience to the Young ICT Explorers Competition to improve the commercial feasibility of the robot’. The improved version of the team’s robot makes greater use of digital fabrication technologies, with the ambition of supplying the robot to a global education market in kit form. The School community wishes Joseph, Ines and Rory the best of luck for the competition. From 2017 onward, the renovated ADT facilities will support the growing trend of digital design entrepreneurship at Canberra Grammar School. The facility will include a large central digital maker space in which students will be able to design and manufacture almost any project imaginable using rapid prototyping technologies. For more information visit ROBOCUP2016.ORG/EN and YOUNGICTEXPLORERS.NET.AU
WORLD-FIRST TRIAL OF HOLOGRAPHIC LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM Canberra Grammar School, the University of Canberra and Pearson Education have formed a partnership to conduct a world-first trial of holographic learning in the classroom. Canberra Grammar School is the only trial site in Australia, and is the only school in the world trialling this technology. Pearson Education is the official launch partner for Microsoft’s brand-new product HoloLens, the world’s first untethered mixed-reality system. HoloLens allows the user to place and interact with holograms within their real-world environment and, combined with the advanced spatial awareness capabilities of HoloLens, allows for both holographic content and real-world objects to coexist and interact. Matthew Purcell, Head of Digital Innovation at Canberra Grammar School, is excited to see the possibilities of this emerging technology in the classroom environment. 22 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
‘Holographic technology has the potential to change the learning experience in a fundamental way. Some concepts are very difficult to understand when presented with a 2D representation, but once you introduce both 3D combined with spatial awareness and interaction, these concepts can be communicated in a very different way’. Professor Robert Fitzgerald from the University of Canberra’s STEM Education Research Centre (SERC) and Director, INSPIRE Centre for Innovation in Education and Training, is leading the evaluation aspect of the trial: ‘HoloLens is a novel
FEATURE ARTICLES: TECHNOLOGY
GOVHACK 2016 So, what can happen in a 46-hour hackathon over a single weekend? How about 200 participants and 46 teams creating 53 projects, eating 88 pizzas, and 140 Wok Me boxes, while drinking 568 cans of soft drink and 84 litres of juice, just to name a few things… The Canberra Grammar School Code Cadets were proud to host GovHack Canberra 2016. GovHack is Australia and New Zealand’s largest open government and open data hackathon. Hackers have 46 hours to explore data sets provided by Government agencies (many of which can be found at data.gov.au) and then build their projects using this open data. The term ‘hacker’ is often a very misused term, as its definition depends greatly on the context in which it is being used. In the context of GovHack, it is talking about ‘civic hacking’ which is defined as ‘one who collaborates with others to create, build, and invent open source solutions using publicly-released data, code and technology to solve social, economic, and environmental challenges relevant to their neighbourhood, city, state, or country’ (Wiktionary). GovHack 2016 was held simultaneously at 40 locations around Australia and New Zealand, with over 3000 total participants submitting 480 projects. In addition to having fun, teams compete for a share of over $300,000 of cash prizes on offer. These vary from local and state-based prize categories through to the major national and international prize categories – which were presented at the Red Carpet Awards in Adelaide in October.
Particular congratulations to the CGS teams who won categories at GovHack this year (and associated cash prizes), highlighting that the skills which our students are learning in the classroom are highly applicable in the real-world: Best in ACT: GO Explore CBR by Shard Development (Jaxon Kneipp and Damian Camilleri) – a web app to help Canberrans and tourists find new and exciting places around the national capital to catch Pokémon. Not only used the most ACT data sets of any project, but also used them in an innovative way and mashed them up to work together incredibly well. Youth Spirit of GovHack Award: George Dan and Sam Reading-Thompson - in recognition of the support they provided other teams (particularly their younger peers) in producing their hacks, many times at the expense of time they could have been spending on their own project. Best Youth Hacker Team: CrashWarning by CrashHackers (Zack Noyes, Jonathon Soper) – an iOS app that uses the ACT cyclist crash data. Strapped to your handlebars a smartphone with the app will evaluate the risk of the area you are cycling through and show the primary cause of crashes to help you avoid accidents. Additionally, a big congratulations to the CrashHackers who were runners-up in the National Best Youth Team category at the Red Carpet Awards in Adelaide, and Team Phantom (Roan Atkinson, Ujjwal Thakran) who received an honourable mention in this category. The Code Cadets are looking forward to hosting GovHack Canberra 2017 back in The Snow Centre again next year.
technology, and we are keenly interested in its potential to improve and enhance teaching and learning. Our evaluation will engage key stakeholders and examine the educational value of holographic learning in the classroom. One area of particular focus will be how holograms can support visualisation and spatial reasoning, processes that have been shown to be important in STEM education’. Pearson Education spent a week in early October interviewing a group of teachers from Canberra Grammar School about concepts that may be suitable and pedagogically beneficial for development as holograms and will be creating these holograms to be ready for the 2017 school year. ‘This is an exciting opportunity to take my learning beyond the textbook and beyond the computer screen. I hope that being able to visualise complex concepts such as mathematical relationships and chemical bonds will provide a depth of knowledge and understanding, which was difficult to previously obtain’, said Damian Camilleri, Year 10 student at Canberra Grammar School.
The in-school trial will commence at the beginning of February 2017 and run until June 2017. It will involve over 15 Senior School classes at the School using HoloLens in their lessons, with teachers developing lesson plans that integrate the use of holograms and holographic learning. Mark Christian, Learning and Innovation Director for Pearson, is thrilled with the new opportunities this partnership will bring: ‘Together with Microsoft, we can prove the applicability of this new technology for the education sector’. For more information visit HLX.EDU.AU CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 23
FEATURE ARTICLES: MUSIC
PRIMARY SCHOOL MUSIC PICCOLINI STRINGS The Co-curricular Ensemble Programme at Canberra Grammar School continues to go from strength to strength, with all ensembles experiencing a healthy growth in student numbers. Nowhere is this more evident than in the youngest of these ensembles, the Piccolini Strings. Started at Southside in 2013 to offer a quality ensemble experience for young string players, the group had a starting membership of eight students who were violinists, and many now play in our String Orchestras. In 2016, the Piccolini Ensemble was for the first time offered to the students of Northside. Rehearsing once a week after school for 30 minutes, the initial group of six students (again, all violinists) has grown at an astonishing rate. Currently there are 21 students making beautiful music as part of Northside Piccolini Strings. This number includes seven cellists! Across at Southside, the ensemble has seen so much growth that the rehearsal time has had to be extended to allow enough time to tune all the instruments.
inclusion in the 2016 Noteable Concert at Llewellyn Hall, which saw them sharing the stage with string players from every year at CGS. To be able to perform for such a huge audience is something they will remember forever.
Both Piccolini Ensembles have had successful performances at assemblies, the String Concert and the 2016 Art Walk, but the highlight by far has been their
String playing is not only alive at CGS – it is alive and ignited by the talent, passion and pure joy of Piccolini Strings! The future is, indeed, bright.
NOTEABLE CONCERT 2016 In Term 3, the inaugural Noteable concert was held at the prestigious Llewellyn Hall, displaying a fantastic celebration of music from across the combined Senior and Primary School Co-curricular Programmes. The Concert brought together over 300 students, from our youngest budding musicians as part of the Piccolini Strings from both the Southside and Northside campuses, to students
24 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
completing their secondary studies in music as part of their Higher School Certificate. The Concert concluded with a stirring performance of the ever-popular ‘O Fortuna’ from Carl Orff’s famous Carmina Burana, with a massed choir consisting of students, parents and Canberra Grammar School Staff. The Concert was undoubtedly testament to the depth and breadth of music at CGS.
FEATURE ARTICLES: MUSIC
INSTRUMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAMME The Primary School Instrumental Opportunities Programme offers all Primary School students from Kindergarten to Year 6 the chance to try an instrument. It is an inclusive programme that reflects the CGS philosophy that everyone is musical and everyone deserves an opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of learning an instrument. The programme offers lessons with a specialist instrument teacher for 15 weeks in a small group of two to four students, and gives children the chance to enjoy beginning their lessons with friends of a similar age, and to benefit from learning in a group environment. A benefit of learning in a small group is that students also begin to develop a sense of ensemble and learn to listen to each other, while they supplement their music classroom and learning about notes and rhythm with their instrument learning. Throughout 2016, the programme expanded enormously, with more than 100 students beginning their musical journey. The programme also welcomed almost 20 cello students to the Instrumental Opportunities Programme and other students have also learnt the violin, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and euphonium.
In 2017, the double bass will also be added to the list of instruments offered. It has been particularly pleasing to see many students continuing their lessons privately after they have completed the Instrumental Opportunities Programme. Many of these students have already joined a co-curricular ensemble. Congratulations to all students who have participated in the Instrumental Opportunities Programme in 2016. The Programme looks forward to welcoming many new participants in 2017.
CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 25
CGS ALUMNI NEWS HEADMASTERS PROJECT – A RESEARCH TASK BY MR TONY MAY, OLD BOY ‘During my lengthy involvement with the Old Boys’ Association, I became increasingly impressed with the number of staff who had advanced their careers to a Principal’s role in another school. Too often to my mind, a school is rated and its reputation enhanced by the deeds and achievements of its former pupils – not enough credit is given to those responsible for shaping young lives, both scholastically and in character building, thus preparing them for a life outside the schoolroom. It has been my belief for some time that these people and their impressive careers should be recognised and appropriately acknowledged. I have offered to build a list of these remarkable teachers, request relevant information and put together their profiles. At this point in time 27 profiles have been completed, and my aim is to have them published in a means that will be accessible to the CGS community in 2017. My research has unearthed some intriguing stories, for instance, that of Peter Moyes, who came to Canberra Grammar School as a 20-year-old in 1938, only to answer the call to arms the following year. He never returned to CGS, but his intent was always to teach. His post-war career quickly advanced him to Headmaster of Perth’s Christ Church Grammar, a post he held for 30 years. I recently visited 88-year-old Canon Ron Morris – our first meeting after 60 years, as he taught me Economics in 1956 – learning of another remarkable career, 30 years of which was spent in PNG.
CLASS OF 1974 CATCH-UP The Class of ‘74 included Ian Dunwoodie (School Captain, now solicitor) David Kenyon (School Prefect, now investor and property developer) Dr Geoff Fisher (School Prefect, now Head of Academy, Hyderabad, India), Peter Cursley (School Prefect, Blaxland House Captain, now semi-retired), Mark Blyton (author – We Did It at Grammar, now board chairman and CEO), who all met in Adelaide to coincide with Geoff’s visit, as well as sample excellent restaurants and superb South Australian wines.
THE BOOT – A CGS TRADITION A great story of long-lasting CGS friendships, The Boot is an annual cricket match begun in 1999 by Richard Taber (‘55) as a part of a bucks party weekend for his son Jol (‘87). It enjoyed such success that former students still gather each and every year at Richards’ Farm between Yass and Gunning to participate in the highly contested match. With around 70–80 spectators, the match in 2016 also raised over $660 for BeyondBlue. 26 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
It is of interest to note that many of those whom I have had contact with were guided, mentored and encouraged under the leadership of Paul McKeown and his successor Tim Murray, their influence being in no small way responsible for them aspiring to and fulfilling future leadership roles. Because of the surprising number targeted in this project, I have precluded those ex-staff who had become Heads of Primary Campuses.’ Tony May (1957)
ALUMNI SYDNEY REUNION The first annual CGS Alumni Sydney Reunion was held at Martin Street Bar in the City in July. Dr Justin Garrick, Mr David Smart and Mr Sandy Goddard hosted over 25 past students from peer years ranging from the mid-1970s up to the Class of 2015. The event was a welcome addition to the interstate portion of the CGS Alumni Programme and allowed many past
students who are studying and working in and around Sydney to catch up and network with other Alumni. The next Sydney Reunion will be Friday 17 March 2017. For full details, including booking information, please visit CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU.
PAST STAFF REUNION As CGS past staff are a valuable part of the alumni community, an idea came about to have the first-ever CGS Past Staff Reunion, inviting all CGS past staff back to the CGS Red Hill campus. In October 2016, CGS welcomed back over 80 past staff for a variety of activities, reminding them all of what a typical day at CGS was like. Guests participated in a Chapel Service, morning tea with current staff, Senior School assembly and beautiful lunch in the Dining Hall. The guests came from a range of positions and year groups spanning 50 years of service to Canberra Grammar School. They held a great range of positions such as Teaching staff, Housemasters, HoDs, MiCs, administrative staff and even a past Chaplain.
All aspects of the day were created around acknowledging the important part staff play at the School, not only at the time they were at CGS but also the impact and legacy they left for future staff and students. CGS looks forward to hosting another Past Staff Reunion in the coming years.
VINTAGE CLUB REUNION The annual Vintage Club Reunion is always a well-attended and highly anticipated event for our older generations of CGS Old Boys, and Friday 4 November was certainly no different. As in previous Vintage Club Reunions, our guests – who completed their schooling at CGS in 1966 or prior – participated in current daily CGS activities, including a Chapel Service, being seated onstage at the Senior School assembly and a traditional Dining Hall lunch. Of course, the lattermost was complete with Grace in Latin. Every year, the Vintage Club reunion reminds the staff and current students of the mateship and lifelong connections
that our School creates every day. It is a delight to see friends reuniting and reliving memories from their school days and sharing stories and laughter throughout the day. The next Vintage Club Reunion will be held on Friday 3 November 2017 for all past CGS students who left in 1967 and prior. Anyone classified as a Vintage Club member is enthusiastically welcomed to the 2017 gathering. Please see the CGS Alumni website for more details.
CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 27
ALUMNI DATES FOR DIARY 2017
SYDNEY REUNION
FRI
24
MELBOURNE REUNION
S AT
06
HONG KONG REUNION
SUN
07
HONG KONG EXPO
FRI
11
BRISBANE REUNION
S AT
14
PERTH REUNION
03
VINTAGE CLUB REUNION
MAR
MAR
MAY
MAY
AUG
OCT
NOV
ANNUAL REUNION WEEKEND – CANBERRA FRI
FRI
17
26
1 YEAR OUT REUNION
S AT
SYDNEY INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS EXPO
27 MAY
20 & 25 YEAR OUT LUNCHEON
S AT
MAR
27
5 YEAR OUT REUNION
S AT
SUN
12
27
10 YEAR OUT REUNION
S AT
LONDON REUNION
MAR
27
40 YEAR OUT REUNION
S AT
S AT
04
FRI
GENERAL DATES
27
50 YEAR OUT REUNION
MAY
MAY
MAY
MAY
MAY
Please visit CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU for full event details and booking information.
CONNECT WITH CGS ALUMNI Follow the new CGS Alumni LinkedIn page to connect with the School or the Facebook page for reunion dates, to catch up with Old Boys and to receive news and updates. You can also visit CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU to see how you can get (re-)connected with the School. LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/CGS-ALUMNI 28 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
FACEBOOK.COM/ALUMNICGS
WHERE ARE THEY NOW FRED SMITH – AUTHOR, SONGWRITER Congratulations to Fred Smith (‘87), who had his first book released in September 2016. The Dust of Uruzgan follows Fred through his journey of being a diplomat, political officer and songwriter on the frontline of Australia’s mission in Afghanistan (a long way from his days at CGS!). The book is part memoir, part history and part eyewitness reportage. It offers a sympathetic explanation of an obscure and impoverished province where tribal leaders conspire against one another in a society devastated by 35 years of warfare.
BEN KINDON, LIAM BUDGE AND SAM PENDER-BAYNE CONTINUE TO HAVE SUCCESS IN MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS Music and performing are integral components of learning at CGS, and the School is pleased to report three CGS Alumni, Ben Kindon (’09), Liam Budge (’07) and Sam Pender-Bayne (’07) have gone on to great success. Ben had a lead role in ‘Les Miserables’ in 2010 at CGS and then continued on to study the performing arts after Year 12. He has continued to show his talents by securing a lead role in the ABC production of ‘Barracuda’, which can be seen on Sunday nights and iView! Meanwhile, Liam Budge and his wife, Abbey, are re-established in New York. Liam is busy composing and performing, along with preparing to record a new album.
He completed a song cycle, ‘In the Mourning’, in response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis, which you can see and hear at LIAMBUDGE.COM Sam, who was one of Liam’s classmates in music, is currently composing for an opera company in Germany. He and Liam are still close and intend to collaborate at some point. CGS congratulates Ben, Liam and Sam on their terrific achievements in the performing arts and music industries.
JAMES MOUNTAIN WINS THE SECOND AUSTRALIAN MUSIC COMPOSITION COMPETITION Former CGS student James Mountain (‘14) has two awards in the Matt Withers Australian Music Composition Competition. This competition was open to all Australians to submit a work for solo guitar based on the inspiration artwork by Queensland-based visual artist Sue Needham, Forest. Robert Davidson, Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland, was on the adjudication panel and said that James’ work ‘Between Tall Tress’ was a clear standout from the entries from all across Australia. The competition had many generous sponsors, with over $3,000 in cash and prizes split among the awards. James won first place as well as the Under 25 Emerging Artist Award, taking away a total prize pool of $1,250 as well as a framed replica of the inspiration artwork and a performance and recording of his work.
CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016 | 29
CGS FOUNDATION NEWS
THE CGS FOUNDATION IN ACTION – SCHOLARSHIPS SPECIAL ‘All the privilege and opportunity of a school like Canberra Grammar School is worth nothing if it’s not given in return to others in some way. I love the fact that, this is not a selfish school; it’s not a school in which students and parents and staff are in it for what they can get for themselves. Perhaps that’s something deeply embedded in the soul of the School, but it’s a place where caring takes precedence over competition.’ Dr Justin Garrick. Scholarships form an integral part of the identity of Canberra Grammar School. Our scholarship programme, supported by the CGS Foundation, is an active expression of our values and promotes excellence, diversity and leadership here at CGS. Through our scholarships, we not only encourage distinction within our existing community, but we also attract exceptional students to the School. These students, who may not otherwise have had such educational opportunities, bring with them a wealth of talent, experience and diversity to CGS and they consistently go on to enrich the life of our School.
I am delighted that many in our community feel the same way, with our growing numbers of donors overwhelmingly choosing to support our Scholarship Programme. Ours is a generous, caring community, for which I am extremely grateful, as I know that in sharing and embodying these values, we pass them on to our students. Please consider joining me in supporting our Scholarship Programme, and in doing so, transforming the lives of some truly exceptional children here at CGS, a few of whom you’ll meet in the following pages. With my thanks for your generosity, Dr Justin Garrick
SCHOLARSHIPS ON OFFER AT CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL CGS FOUNDATION ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS
THE ROBERT POATE SCHOLARSHIP FOR LEADERSHIP
THE TERRY SNOW SCHOLARSHIP FOR GLOBAL STUDIES
CGS ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP
CGS FOUNDATION MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS
THE HAZLEHURST SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP
CGS INDIGENOUS SCHOLARSHIP
PAUL McKEOWN ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP
COOPER MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
THE ANN JORY MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
THE OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP
YEAR 11 TIM MURRAY MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
30 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
TWO NEW SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED AT CGS First year of the CGS Indigenous Scholarship
CGS Old Boys’ Association Scholarship
Offered in partnership with the Podmore Foundation and in consultation with local Indigenous communities, the CGS Indigenous Scholarship is awarded to a Year 7 student each year and provides financial assistance and mentoring.
In 2015, the Old Boys’ Association approved a Deed of Gift of over $600,000 to the CGS Foundation to establish a dedicated scholarship supporting a student – boy or girl – who, through their achievement, shows the promise of making a distinctive contribution to the life of the School. This scholarship was created in honour of the legacy left by the Old Boys’ Association to the CGS Foundation and the life of CGS.
Canberra Grammar School offered the first CGS Indigenous Scholarship in 2016. The scholarship aims to make a difference in the lives of young Indigenous Australians through the provision of the exceptional educational opportunities available here. The Indigenous Scholarship programme aims to contribute to the development of an environment of respect and understanding at CGS, creating opportunities for Indigenous Australians to reach their full potential whilst educating all our students about Indigenous achievement, culture and contributions.
The CGS Old Boys’ Association Scholarship provides financial support and mentoring during Years 11 and 12, and is open to applicants from within the School or from those seeking to join CGS.
MEET SOME OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Kye Moggridge, 2016 Inaugural Recipient of the CGS Indigenous Scholarship Kye commenced Year 7 at CGS in 2016 and has already had a rich impact on School life. He has performed to an academic standard and has thrown himself into the opportunities available here. He plays Rugby Union for the School and also helped to achieve a successful Grand Final win for his Rugby League club side. Kye gave a traditional welcome in his own Kamilaroi language at Presentation Night this year, and his fellow students were able to experience him performing on didgeridoo at School Assembly. Kye’s whole House had the opportunity to take part in a traditional smoking ceremony on 19 July, with the students of Burgess House privileged to be part of the ceremony and to be educated in Indigenous culture by Kye’s father, Brad Moggridge. We are delighted to have Kye here at CGS and are sure he will continue to thrive as he heads into Year 8.
Jonathan Lee, 2017 Inaugural Recipient of the Old Boys’ Association Scholarship Jonathan is a truly outstanding student who in so many ways embodies the values of the Old Boys’ Association Scholarship and makes an exceptional contribution to the life of the School. He has received the Summa Cum Laude Medal for Academic Excellence every year of his senior schooling, along with multiple awards and distinctions across Mathematics, Science, Geography, IT and more. He is a musician of extraordinary talent, a cellist in the School’s String, Symphony and Chamber orchestras, a pianist in the Advanced Musicians’ Programme, a bass in the CGS Choir and an accomplished professional-level organist. Jonathan is also a very capable sportsman, representing CGS in first-division Football, Swimming and Water Polo. We are grateful for all that Jonathan adds – with a lovely and humble attitude – to the life of our School.
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Jasmine Fraser, 2017 Recipient of the Robert Poate Scholarship for Leadership Jasmine joins CGS in Year 11 from St Mary Mackillop College, where she has been a House Captain and dux of her year level twice. She is a natural and influential leader, excelling both academically, receiving multiple awards for outstanding achievement, and in sports, representing her school and the state in multiple sports and receiving an ACT Academy of Sport Scholarship. She is active in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, ranging from politics to charity work. She aspires to a career as a human rights lawyer with the UN or as a doctor with Médecins Sans Frontiers. We are delighted to welcome Jasmine to our School community and look forward to seeing what her time as a CGS student may hold.
Damian Camilleri, 2017 Recipient of the Hazlehurst Scholarship for Science and Technology Damian has been at CGS since Year 7 and has embraced the IT opportunities available here in that time. He has been awarded the Cameron Hood Memorial Prize for Service to CGS through IT two years running, been runner-up twice in the ACT category of Young ICT Explorers, received a Highly Commended in the open-age group of GovHack and was recently awarded one of 350 scholarships offered worldwide to attend Apple’s 2016 World Wide Developer Conference in San Francisco. Damian is an integral member of the CGS Code Cadets and gives a huge amount of time back to the School through mentoring, coordinating the lighting and AV in weekly Assembly and through his support of other and Junior Code Cadets. Following in the footsteps of his new scholarship mentor, Mr Peter Hazlehurst (PY ’90), Damian’s future in technology is set to be very bright.
We are immensely proud of these and all of our CGS Scholars, and we are delighted to celebrate their many and varied achievements with our community. The CGS Scholarship programme and the opportunities it provides to these talented young people would not be possible without the support of the CGS Foundation and our donors.
Please consider joining with many of your fellow parents and friends of CGS in supporting our Scholarship Programme by completing the enclosed donation form. ➟
32 | CGS Outlook | Semester Two 2016
DONOR LIST 2016 C GS FOUND ATION PATR ON Mr Terry Snow
C GS FOUND ATION BENEFACTO RS Mr Ken and Mrs Susan Cooper (Dec.)
Mr Peter Hazlehurst
Anonymous (2)
C GS FOUND ATION M EM BER S Mrs Hermina and Mr Daryl Blaxland
Mrs Georgina and Mr David Gazard
Mrs Wendy and Mr Vivian King
Mr Stephen and Mrs Karen Byron
Dr Carolyn Hawkins and Dr Desmond Yip
Mr Robert Mark
Mrs Louise Clegg and Mr Angus Taylor
Ms Christine and Mr Jon Hawkins
Mrs Thea De Salis
Mr Derek Jory
Dr Justin Garrick and Ms Dharini Ganesan Raju
Mr James Kilmartin
Mr Irwin Prowse (Dec.) Dr Lynne and Dr Tony Tonks
Mr Graham Matthews Mrs Helen and Dr Simon McCredie Mr Dennis Milin Mrs Janny and Mr Hugh Poate
Mr Dino Augusto Vido Mrs Heather and Dr Samuel Whittle Anonymous (4)
C GS GIV ING CLUB DONOR S Mr A Attygalle
Archdeacon J H Gibson
Mr M Lamb
Mrs B Middleton
Mr N N Berlyn
Mr A Gill
Mrs H and Mr D Blaxland
Mr A N and Mrs S Goddard
Mrs C Liang and Mr Q Ou
Mr S and Mrs M Miners
Mr J Liangis
Mr A Newman
Mr P Boric
Mr S Gosney
Dr K Lim
Mr I Prowse (Dec.)
Mrs C Brighenti
Mr M L Greentree
Dr C M Lord
Dr P and Mrs S Burt
Ms R Gurney
Mr K and Mrs D Love
Mr M and Mrs T Ravishanker
Ms C Harrington
Mr N Lysewycz
Dr G H Hart
Mr J Maffey
Mr A R Carey
Mr D Harvey
Dr M Maliel
CGS Old Boys’ Association
Dr C Hawkins and Dr D Yip
Mr S J Byron and Mrs K Byron
Mrs L Clegg and Mr A Taylor
Ms C and Mr J Hawkins
Mr G and Mrs M Mansfield Mr R B Mark
Mrs K M Rock Ms J L Seaborn Cdr M Sessions Mrs B Simkin Mrs L and Mr M Steer Mr M Storch
Mr G Matthews
Mrs V and Mr D Templeman
Dr E Ho
Mr W J Maude
Mr D A Vido
Mrs Z Hu
Mr G F Mauldon
Mrs A Welsh
Mr D A Evans and Dr R Landy
Ms N Jackson
Ms D May
Dr D Westcombe
Dr J A Garrick and Ms D Ganesan Raju
Mr X Jiang
Ms L White
Ms C Johnstone
Mrs H and Dr S McCredie Mrs M and Mr P McGinness
Professor T Yamada
Mr R J Cummings Mr P Cursley Mr H Dunstall
Mr A E Hill
Mr D P and Mrs G Gazard
Mr D Jory
Col T and Mrs J Gellel
Mr V and Mrs W King
Mr J Kilmartin
Mrs L and Mr M Memmolo
Donor details are listed as entered at time of donation. If you believe you have been omitted from this list, we apologise. Please contact us at foundation@cgs.act.edu.au
Mr W Wu Anonymous (2)
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T +61 (2) 6260 9700 E communications@cgs.act.edu.au 40 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill ACT 2603 CGS.ACT.EDU.AU CRICOS Provider No 00580G