Veri ty Vol.19 June 2012
They’re the top Loreto students selected for the VCAA Season of Excellence
• Fame - The Musical
• Breakthrough on the water
• Walking for a cause
2012 Year of Freedom Freedom prayer written by Loreto Year 12 Captains Australia 2012 Trusting God, You give us freedom within our hearts so that we may grow in self-acceptance to serve others. Through this liberty You allow us to embrace the gift of life and see the good in all your creation, and so we give thanks. Grant us the strength to act out of love and not fear. Instil in us the inner freedom to surpass our own limitations, to see beyond the narrowness of self-doubt and personal interest. In times of hardship, guide us in our quest for inner freedom and allow us to be who we truly are. Give us the courage to admit our faults, to learn from our mistakes and grow in Your unwavering love. Through this freedom, grant us the power to stand up and speak out for the betterment of ourselves, our school and the wider community. Enable us to develop a sense of identity that is inwardly free that fosters the values of Mary Ward in the true Loreto Spirit. Amen
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Contents Principal’s Message 4 Double Life After the school bell rings, these girls just fly away
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They’re the top These girls are honing their unique interests hands on and getting great recognition
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College Council Report
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Breakthrough on the water...
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Adventures of a College Captain (or two) 11 Molly & Taylah have been connecting with fellow Loreto girls from all around the country Live forever: Fame the Musical
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Mary’s Mount Centre
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2011: A Year of Excellence
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Recipe for success 16 Mornane succeeds at swimming while Ward breaks a long athletics drought A new way to walk
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Just Briefly: College News
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Past Pupils
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Celebrating women Four women from the Loreto College community share their thoughts on what International Women’s Day means to them
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Everything old is new again
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And you are?
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Term 1 through a Year 7’s eyes
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Young scientist moving at the speed of light 34 Vale Sister Bernarda and Sister Eileen
Cover Picture: Ruth Spencer’s (Yr 12) Top Design selected outfit. Picture by Gerard Vicars Photography: Renee Fraser, Matt Hustwaite, Ian Stowe, Gerard Vicars, Ian Wilson Design: Mud Group Pty Ltd Contributions to Verity can be sent to Loreto College Development Office 1600 Sturt Street Ballarat VIC 3350 T 03 5329 6100 E development@loreto.vic.edu.au
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Despite incredibly hard work, the rapid increase in rowing’s popularity at Loreto didn’t immediately translate to success on the water. Loreto College became known for incredible spirit but not necessarily the best results. The 2011-2012 season saw that change though, as the hard work, training and growth of our rowing program came through and delivered results that made everyone take notice.... more page 24
Editor’s note Welcome to the new look Verity! A lot of work has gone into revamping this magazine. Verity is now a publication that is chock full of interesting Loreto College stories. Our aim is to make this a magazine that you will gladly read from start to finish and one that any of your family or friends could pick up and enjoy too. There are so many amazing things that Loreto girls, past and present, are achieving and Verity is now the place where we can explore these interesting stories. We welcome your contributions, so have a read, and if you think your story would fit in well, please let us know about it! www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Judith Potter Principal’s Message 2012 is the Loreto Year of Freedom, a freedom that encourages us to recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of each member of our community. For Loreto College to be a community where all are free to act out of “love, not fear” we must recognize our responsibility for ourself and our accountability to our fellow community members. We must take on the role of an encourager, one who gives courage to others through our positive and active support and guidance. A community which lives out freedom as defined by Mary Ward is a community in which the ‘amazingness’ of each student and staff member can shine through.
Whatever the limitations of our circumstances and our humanity, we are called to grow in this freedom beyond the narrowness of selfinterest and the crippling of self-doubt. In the process we will be able to respond more creatively to the needs of others and develop resourcefulness in the face of difficulty. In this spirit, Loreto education builds on Mary Ward’s desire to act out of “love not fear” (Loreto Schools of Australia Mission Statement)
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Central within this freedom is an understanding that mistakes guide learning and thus we should not be daunted when all does not go according to plan but, with a cheerful heart, reflect upon what we can learn and how we will approach this task or problem in the future. Parents and educators are charged with the responsibility of supporting daughters and students in developing strategies that build their resilience. A productive response from an adult when an obstacle arises for an adolescent is a pastoral conversation which focuses on what steps could be taken to achieve a different outcome should this obstacle arise again. Belief in self is critical. A false modesty not only impedes an individual in being the best she can be, but, simultaneously impedes a community from being the best it can be. Thus a spirit of freedom asks of each of us that we step forward and actively engage in all aspects of our community life and learning. We are also asked to look beyond our own community and discern where our involvement will make a difference to the lives of others. There is no end to what can be achieved with our full community living a life imbued with the spirit of Mary Ward’s Freedom!
Pilots.... Genevieve Tolhurst I enjoy music. I play trumpet in Loreto’s bands and in choirs, and I like listening to music. I also love hanging out with my friends. I also love school! I have friends in all my classes and have heaps (probably too much) of fun learning. For a few months I saw planes flying around Ballarat Airport. I wondered what it would be like to learn to fly a small aircraft. I started flying at the end of 2009 when I was fifteen. After six months of lessons I flew solo for the first time and last year I gained my Pilot Certificate and can manage the whole flight without aid of an instructor. I guess it was the unique challenge that interested me. I had never done anything like it before and it gave me the chance to try something that I knew nothing about. It was that curiosity of the unknown that was and still is exciting to me. One of my favourite quotes is from Leonardo da Vinci. “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” It’s so true!
Samara Smith I just thought how cool would it be if I could fly a plane and just being able to see things from a whole different view. My dad has been learning to fly and has been a part of the Ballarat Aero Club since 2005. I always went out to the club rooms with him when I could and watched the planes. I was eventually old enough to start flying in June 2011. I fly a small, two seated yellow aircraft nicknamed Tweety. It’s owned by the club and is officially known as a Skyfox CA25N Gazelle. I think the biggest challenge is remembering where all the other aircraft are up in the air and avoiding them. I just love learning all the new skills and I love being up in the air by myself on a quiet and calm day, it is just an awesome feeling. My friends think it is pretty cool, although I don’t think they quite trust my skills because whenever I tell them that I went flying on the weekend the first thing they will ask is if I crashed.
Double Life
What happens after the school bell rings? By Genevieve Tolhurst (Yr 12), Samara Smith (Yr 11) & Anna Tuncks (Yr 10)
I love being up in the air by myself on a quiet and calm day, it is just an awesome feeling.
Anna Tuncks My mother was a flying instructor when she was in her early 20s. Dad works as a pilot, my grandma and uncle got their licenses and my grandpa died in an aeroplane crash when my mum was 12. It’s kind of like a family business and I really wanted to get involved. I had a Trial Introductory Flight and after a couple of practical lessons took a Basic Aeronautical Knowledge course. BAK went for about 14 weeks and we did exams at the end. The biggest challenge for me was passing the exams; I was doing hours of revision and countless practice exams. It took a lot of work but it felt so amazing when I passed them. One time I was on a steep approach and I spotted a sheep on the numbers at the end of the runway. I had to perform a goaround but by the time I did another circuit the sheep was gone and it was safe to land. I don’t know that being a pilot is going to be my career. I like rowing, basketball and singing but I want a job that involves me doing some flying.
www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 6
They’re the top April Foster, Jacquelyn Power and Ruth Spencer have all achieved state recognition for their artistic merits. As performer, composer and designer respectively, they make an inspiring trio. While most girls their age are singing along to Lady Gaga in the shower or flicking through the pages of Cosmopolitan, April Foster, Jacquelyn Power and Ruth Spencer are honing their unique interests hands on. Such is their skill in their chosen fields, all three have been selected for the VCE Season of Excellence which celebrates the creative high achievers of 2011.
Opera music is beginning to creep back into the mainstream pop culture psyche, thanks to performers like Antoinette Halloran making appearances on Spicks & Specks and contemporary pieces taking on subjects like Jerry Springer and even Colonel Gaddafi! April Foster though prefers the classics. It is this love and understanding that led April to being recoginsed as one of the top Music Performance students of 2011 via an invitation to perform at Top Class.
www.loreto.vic.edu.au
“My favourite pieces are always the most difficult ones – I love a challenge. “Poor Wand’ring One” from The Pirates of Penzance is probably my favourite, as it is extremely difficult. The song is like gymnastics for your voice and the character is very silly.” said April. “Top Class is a series of concerts run by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and students who achieve an A+ in their performance exam may be invited to perform. Unlike dance and acting students, music students are selected directly from their performance in their examinations.” April performed amongst other noted students at the Melbourne Recital Centre at Southbank in a gala concert held on Saturday 17th March and is now studying classical singing at the University of Melbourne. Jacquelyn Power took a more unconventional route to her success, studying Music Style and Composition via correspondence through the Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 8
Distance Education Centre Victoria. An exceptionally hard worker, Jacquelyn wanted to do her correspondence subject but couldn’t decide which other subject to drop. So instead, she took on the extra load and took 6 subjects in Year 12.
I was shortlisted for Top Sounds, but my piece had Celtic drums and they couldn’t find a drummer!
“It was hard at times doing 6 subjects, finding time to keep on top of everything. I did Maths Methods, Chemistry, English, Music Performance for flute and Psychology, along with Music Style and Composition.” said Jacquelyn. Like April, Jacquelyn was also shortlisted to have her composition performed as part of the Season of Excellence, but unique circumstances unfortunately got in the way. “I was shortlisted for Top Sounds, but my piece had Celtic drums and they couldn’t find a drummer! It’s a specialist instrument played with a stick and flicked around quite quickly” said Jacquelyn. “My piece was performed at the DECV Making Waves concert though. Seeing it performed is hard
to describe. Hearing my piece, “Celtic Rhythms”, live was so much different to in my head or on a computer. It was really cool!” A current Year 12 student, Ruth Spencer undertook Units 3 + 4 in Design & Technology as part of her Year 11 studies. Her 1960’s inspired outfit wowed audiences at Loreto’s Design & Technology Fashion Parade and helped her achieve a perfect study score for the subject. It was no surprise when she was then invited to have her summer wedding outfit modeled at Top Design.
My favourite pieces are always the most difficult ones – I love a challenge.
“Top Design is an exhibition held at the Melbourne Museum and is presented by the VCAA” said Ms Spencer.
and a pair of gloves. Cleverly, the garment was made from second-hand materials, including original 1960s silk, in an attempt to reduce the impact the product had on the environment.
“I had to send in photocopies of pages from my folio, photographs of the garment, my entire folio and lastly, the completed product I had made.”
“I also gained inspiration from the television show, Madmen, which is set in the early 1960s. I like to pursue design as an interest because I find it is an outlet for my creativity. It’s so satisfying when your design becomes reality and you’ve made a wearable product!”
Inspired by the vintage pattern books from the 60’s, Ruth identified the simple elegance of the era to make a jacket, a dress, a self-covered belt, a hat
While these are all fantastic achievements, the sentiments of the girls’ view of their pursuits are summed up by April, saying “I love it, it makes me happy.” www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Shane Carey
Geraldine Frantz
Sr Yvonne Lamerand ibvm
Our new College Council chair Shane Carey provides an update on a busy term.
College Council Chris Dunlop
Naomi Eddy
Jeff Primmer
Shane Dodd
Judith Potter
Sr Denise Desmarchelier ibvm
Maria Myers AO
Trudi Kannourakis
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On behalf of your College Council, it is with great pleasure that I provide this report to the Loreto College family. As we look forward to 2012 and beyond, we see that many exciting projects and undertakings are beginning to crystallise. With the introduction of an additional stream of Year 7 students, the continual development of teaching and education programs, and of course the major building projects now starting to take shape, you can see the ongoing development of the College. For many years now Loreto has received more enrolment applications for Year 7 places than we have been able to accommodate. In an effort to reduce the number of applicants the college had to turn away, your Council and College Leadership have implemented plans to increase our yearly intake from 135 to 156 students. During the Christmas break, alterations were made to the Mary Ward Centre to convert two open areas into classrooms for the additional class requirements. These two classrooms will meet our needs for 2012 and 2013 with ongoing planning to refurbish other areas to meet the additional streams in future years. As the additional classes move through the year levels, the number of students will increase from our current capacity of 810 to 936 girls. Many of you will be aware that some years ago Loreto College conducted an extensive review in which the development of a Performing Arts Centre was identified as a key priority. Since that review, Council has been planning for the funding and construction of a facility which will meet the needs of the College for many years to come. Council recognises the need for the centre to be functional and architecturally suitable to complement the heritage of the surrounding buildings.
We believe the design currently being finalised meets these objectives and are pleased to advise the Loreto Sisters have approved the facility to be named the “Mary’s Mount Centre”. We hope to commence construction later this year and complete the project in early 2014. Lastly, I would like to thank my Council colleagues and sub-committee members for their generous efforts and time given to the governance of this wonderful school. In particular I would like to pay tribute to the input of Mr Neil Eastwood for 8 years dedicated service to the College Council, the last two years as Chair. Neil has stepped aside from his Loreto duties and we wish him and Monica well as they undertake some well-earned travel.
Our 2012 College Co-Captains have been connecting with fellow Loreto girls from all around the country throughout the past five months, doing some adventure seeking along the way.
Australia wide. The main aim of the weekend was not only to converse about new ideas and share stories of our beloved schools, but also to write the prayer for the 2012 value, Freedom. The importance of this prayer for every Loreto school, brought for us a great amount of pressure, to create the best prayer that we could. However, as we worked together each girl was enabled to contribute something she thought described and followed in the many values of Mary Ward, and for this year most importantly, Freedom.
Adventures of a
College Captain
(or 2)
Over the past five months that we have been College Co-Captains we have had the opportunity to meet many new people and go on some exciting ‘adventures’. The first of these was held right here in Ballarat and it was a great pleasure that we were able to stay at the old Dawson Street campus, which has recently been transformed into new apartments. It was truly amazing to think that we were staying in a building that has educated so many Loreto women, women who as Mary Ward once said “in time, would come to do much” something Loreto students, past and present, continue to do. The gathering of the Loreto school leaders is important for each of the girls involved, and becomes a starting point to forming not only new friendships, but for creating a tighter bond between all of the seven Loreto schools
The second adventure that we were given the chance to go on was in Sydney during the summer holidays, a four day conference organised by the Australian School Girls Alliance (ASGA) and facilitated by Rising Generations. This was a truly unforgettable experience with student leaders from over 90 all girls schools around Australian, New Zealand and even America! This conference gave us the ability to learn new ways to get students involved and taught us how to deal with having to take on extra tasks, as well as teaching us smaller
skills, for example, how to construct a good speech. The conference helped us to learn about ourselves and how we work by completing personality tests, which we were then able to test during the Super Amazing Race around Sydney, which was an eye opening way of getting to know our strengths and weaknesses- and may we add Molly’s team did come a very close second. Rising Generations worked with us in larger and smaller groups, whilst also in our smaller teams, known as tribes. We were given careers advice and given the chance to listen to some amazing speakers including Robin Moore, the voice of our childhood friend Blinky Bill! These amazing trips have allowed us to learn about ourselves, make new friends and share the unique sprit that surrounds all Loreto girls and makes our school so phenomenal. This first term has seen this in action with the swimming sport and athletics carnival, and we know that for this year and for many years to come Loreto girls will continue to spread their joy and optimism. www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Live Forever It’s time to bust out the bright leg warmers and fluro shirts, as Loreto College and St Patrick’s College are bringing 80’s icon Fame to life on the stage. When asked to name a musical, Grease, Cats, Footloose and Hairpsray are ones that will simply roll of the tongue of anyone, whether they are theatrically inclined or not. Always listed alongside these icons is the ultimate 80’s icon Fame. Commonly identified with Irene Cara’s top 40 hit of the same title, Fame is about the hopes and dreams of students at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts and is a fast paced show full of catchy music and action packed choreography. A combined production of Loreto College and St Patrick’s College, Fame will hit the stage to “light up the sky like a flame” at the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts on July 27 and 28. Each year, the two colleges alternate the coordination of the production and this year Loreto College is playing host. Under the guidance of Ms. Stephanie Greet, Director of Co-Curricular Performance, a team of Loreto College staff and students are already hard at work to make sure audiences are impressed. The premise is a sort of pre-Chorus Line set-up: a group of bright, hungry, driven kids all want to achieve fame, some at any cost, and some of them think that having successfully auditioned for New York’s High School of Performing Arts, they’ve already made it. These students have to cope with difficult relationships, tough teachers and most importantly, the discovery of identity. Through superb dance numbers and eloquent songs, the message of “living forever” is conveyed perfectly. Fame is, almost uniquely, a classic of cinema, television and music theatre. The movie, released in 1980, won an Academy Award and swept the world. The TV show ran for six seasons, won numerous Emmy Awards and was broadcast in over 70 countries. Fame ran for a decade on London’s West End and has been seen by over 10 million people worldwide. This production of Fame has a particularly talented cast of Loreto College and St Patrick’s College students. We are fortunate to have a breath of young, yet incredibly experienced talent across both schools with performers like Maggie Muller (Carmen), Luke Wilson (Tyrone) and Sarah Wood (Mabel) having all portrayed lead roles with BLOC Music Theatre in the past year. We also have some exciting new talent steping up to lead roles. Look out for Sarah Parkin as Serena, Laura McKenzie as Iris and Zachary Weightman as Schlomo amongst all of the other talented students you will see onstage Tickets for Fame are available from the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts on (03) 5338 0980 or alternatively from Student Reception at Loreto College. Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 12
Fame Cast List Carmen: Maggie Muller Serena: Sarah Parkin Mabel: Sarah Wood Iris: Laura McKenzie Lambchops: Courtney Farrell Miss Sherman: Molly Wheatland Miss Bell: Esther Crowley Nick: Noah DeLosa Tyrone: Luke Wilson Schlomo: Zachary Weightman Joe: Marcel Schlooz Goody: Linus Tolliday Mr Sheinkopf: Angus McDonough Ms Myers: Kate Brierley Chorus Miranda Roscoe, Bethany McKee, Monica Flynn, Elise Karslake, Anna Perkins, Georgina Rampling, Lucy Nolan, Jessica McKee, Anna Foo, Abbey Perkins, Elizabeth Brown, Maggie Quinlan, Olivia Flynn, Delaney Keating, Alia Ryan, Tessa Donnithorne, Keely Keating, Julia Richards, Laura Kors, Ashley Duffy, Brayden Ward, Daniel Sully, Georgina Fuller, Katelin Anderson, Judith Sully , Rebecca O’Dowd, Charlotte Crowley, Clara BettioSandlant, Georgina Parkin, Lucy Wheatland, Courtney Norton, Ceri Hocking, Laura Vincent, Alia Ryan, Jess Cosgriff, Kirsten Slater, Paige Ryan, Clare Keogh, Amy Harwood, Leteisha Rinaldi, Jessica Hillman, Dylan McPherson, Dan Goetz, James Wait, Bree Hearn, Tegan O’Dowd, Shelley Smith, Mathilda Reinders, Kyara Strachan, Kate Flynn, Stephanie Anderson, Brianna Poole, Zoe Myrianthis, Ashleigh Norman, Melissa Hocking, Teagan Rieniets, Wade Hear, Tom Thorpe, Anton Sgaub, Jack Wakefield, Will Lovison, Josh Rose, Oliver Iles, Jarrod Cosgriff, Ben Williams, Jordi Pring
We realised that our current living arrangements were no longer going to meet our needs as we moved into the future
A nod to our past New Performance Centre to be named “The Mary’s Mount Centre”
Sketch of the new Province Archives Centre
As the design process draws closer to completion, the leadership team of the Loreto Sisters in Australia have approved “The Mary’s Mount Centre” as the name for our new Performance Centre. This name will honour and acknowledge the leadership and service of the Loreto Sisters alongside the
heritage gifted to the Loreto College community by the Loreto Sisters since 1875. For the benefit of our younger readers, the Sturt Street campus of Loreto College was originally known as Mary’s Mount, while Dawson Street was Loreto Convent. When the two amalgamated in 1978, the name Loreto College was born. Another chapter of our history will soon unfold when the Sisters of the Mary’s Mount Community when they relocate into their beautiful new residence on Webster Street. In 2010 the Loreto Sisters advised that they were reviewing their living arrangements and according to Mary’s Mount Community Leader Sr. Yvonne Lamerand ivbm, the timing was perfect.
“We realised that our current living arrangements needed review. Webster Street provides us with more suitable accommodation on a single floor, and allows our College to take a pivotal step in its continuing development to educate young women.” Also in development at the College is a new Archives Centre, pictured above. To be situated in the south-east corner of the campus, the centre will incorporate the original St Anne’s Primary School structure and as Business Manager Jeff Primmer explained will “reveal the original building more than the existing additions.” The centre will house both the Province archives and the Loreto College archives, along with facilities for displays and meetings.
Beat the Teacher Mr Kevin Robillard Mathematics Teacher, Year 9 Co-ordinator and Head of Mulhall House ‘The rungs of the ladder on the side of the ship are 1 foot apart and 8 rungs are showing. The tide raises the water level by 4 feet. How many rungs will be covered by the water ? Answer on pg 34 www.loreto.vic.edu.au
DUX Laura McDonough (ATAR 99.10)
2011 A year of excellence 29 outstanding students were acknowledged amongst the Class of 2011 during this year’s Academic Assembly. Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 14
A large crowd assembled in the Gonzaga Barry Centre to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2011 and whilst every year is full of success, the past year finished with a wide range of accomplishments across many subjects. In the presence of luminaries including the new chair of College Council Shane Carey, the recently appointed Director of Catholic Education for the Ballarat Diocese Audrey Brown and Professor Andrew Dean of the University of Notre Dame, 29 Loreto girls were acknowledged and received an award. Amongst those recognised was our 2011 Dux Laura McDonough. Laura, also an award recipient for English, Business Management, International Studies and Specialist Maths, earned an ATAR score of 99.10. As she addressed to the audience her down to earth nature shone through and she reminded us that like all girls, she can struggled from study distractions. Her speech contained much practical advice for all students, encouraging them to set high expectations for themselves. Laura’s work ethic is an example to all and she is now applying herself to Arts / Law at Monash University. Six other students earned ATAR scores of 90 or more. April Foster, Belinda Fraser, Bronte Healey, Siobhan Heenan, Sarah Oakley and Maijahn Schlooz all had an excellent academic year and were presented with an Academic Honors Award Certificate, a pen, plaque and $100 cash prize. We are indeed fortunate that our students have the support of the wider Ballarat community and the College community. We are grateful for the generous support of Bakers Delight, Ballarat Books , Central Chiropractic, Cosgriff & Associates, Darrians Hairdressing, David Torrington Studios, Gray Puksand, John Thomas Electrical, Lifestyle Travel, Loreto College Past Pupils’ Association, Lou Lou’s Florist, Mrs Maria Myers AO Class of 1964, Ms Jan Stephen (Class of 1965), MSP School Photography, Mudgroup Pty Ltd, Noone Schoolwear, Notre Dame University – Sydney, Oscars Bar and Café, Paul Turner Plumbing, Prowse Perrin and Twomey, Radmac, Regent Cinemas, Southern Cross Business Machines and Westlab Supplies. Congratulations to all of our Class of 2011.
2011 VET and VCE Awards Jaclyn Carter VET Certificate 11 in Community Recreation (Fitness) Georgina Edmondson VET Certificate 11 in Hairdressing Chloe Gilbert VET Certificate 11 in Hospitality: Operations Ashlee Wilkes VET: Certificate 111 in Beauty Services The Arts Madison Fitzpatrick Mikaela Fuller Nicole Hall Sarah Oakley April Foster
Art Studio Art Studio Art Theatre Studies Music: Solo performance
English Jassmine Frederick Laura McDonough Maijahn Schlooz
ESL (English as a Second Language) English Literature
Humanities Laura McDonough Stephanie McIntrye Rebekah Leviston Laura McDonough Tessa French Sarah Oakley
Business Management Business Management History: Revolutions International Studies Legal Studies Sociology
Health & Physical Education Lauren Quanchi Health & Human Development Eleanor Toohey Physical Education LOTE Dorothy Hall Catherine McLean Maijahn Schlooz Mathematics Siobhan Heenan April Foster
LOTE: Italian LOTE: French LOTE: Japanese
Laura McDonough
Mathematics: Further Mathematics Mathematics: Specialist Maths Mathematics: Mathematical Methods Mathematics: Specialist Maths Mathematics: Mathematical Methods Mathematics: Specialist Maths
Religious Education Anika Niehaus
Religion and Society
Science Emily Baxter Belinda Fraser Bronte Healy Maijahn Schlooz Sarah Oakley April Foster
Biology Chemistry Chemistry Chemistry Psychology Physics
Technology Ruth Spencer, Rosie Lewis Frances Bailey Laura Kinnersley
Design and Technology Food and Technology IT Applications VET Certificate III Interactive Digital
Monet Van Gaans
Academic Honours - Siobhan Heenan, April Foster, Belinda Fraser, Bronte Healey, Maijahn Schlooz, Sarah Oakley www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Sport Sports Briefs 100km club The 100 km club has been making strides this year, with students and staff alike taking to Lake Wendouree for a weekly run. Organised by P.E. teacher Mr Shane Nankervis, the Friday lunchtime runs are being utilised as part of broader training programs, a fun break from school with friends and for some a much needed chance to get fit! 100km club is open to anyone who wants to join and the runners take off at about 1pm every Friday from the GBC. Mountain of Fun Run After debuting with a single team in 2011, Loreto College shone at Mt. Warrenheip with four teams entering in this year’s Mountain of Fun Run. Consisting of students from years 7 to 12, the Loreto College teams all ran competitive times. Held to raise funds for St Brendan’s Primary School in Dunnstown, teacher Ms. Kelli Baird explained that The Mountain of Fun Run has extra meaning for Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 16
many of the Loreto College students. “The event is very well supported by students at the school as many of them live within the Dunnstown community and are keen to support St Brendan’s Primary School”. Success in the Pool While Australia has been in the grips of the Olympic swimming trials, two Year 8 students have been taking to the pool with their own success. Olivia Henderson and Danielle Antis represented Loreto College at the Midlands Amateur Swimming Association Inc.’s “Annual Secondary Schools Swimming Program” on February 26. In the female 15/under 100m freestyle, the girls took two of the podium places with Olivia placing second while Danni placed 3rd. Teaming together in the 2 x 100m relay, the girls placed 2nd. The competition is tough at this meet, the girls gave a strong showing and are only getting better.
Recipe for success at Swimming Carnival Mornane House had the recipe for success as their “Masterchefs” notched up a 202 point win in the Swimming Carnival. While they also took out each of the Junior, Intermediate and Senior division titles as well, the highly coveted synchronised swimming title went to Mulhall, as their military inspired routine stirred up much house spirit. Each race was hotly contested and the margins were narrow as our swimmers vied for the title of Age Division Champion. The torpedo-like Tanika James held off the strong Georgia Murphy to claim the Open Division, while the 13 years divison proved to be exciting to watch as regular team mates Olivia Henderson and Danielle Anstis battled it out in the pool. In a close tussle, Olivia narrowly edged out Danielle to claim the title. House Champion Mornane: 1089 Ward: 887 Barry: 871 Mulhall: 790 Division Winners: Junior: Mornane Intermediate: Mornane Senior: Mornane Division Champions: 12 Years: Ella McCahon Runner Up: Lucy Olver 13 Years: Runner Up:
Olivia Henderson Danielle Anstis
14 Years: Runner Up:
Justine Baker Chiara Dew
15 Years: Runner Up:
Eboney Olver Ashleigh Norman
OPEN: Runner Up:
Tanika James Georgia Murphy
Ward wins! It was the end of a decade long drought for Ward House as they broke through with a 101 point margin to claim the House Trophy for Athletics. An elated Anna Kelly, Senior Sports Captain for Ward accepted the trophy, cheered on by a very vocal Ward contingent at Llanberris Reserve on Thursday 22 March. Ward managed to hold off a very competitive Barry who finished with 1662 and the tight tussle for position continued between Mulhall and Mornane, with Mulhall’s 1266 points giving them 3rd place, edging out Mornane with 1200. Performing strong throughout the whole day across multiple events was Year 12 Champion Brianna Elliott. Competing in the hurdles and long jump events, she placed first in both on her way to the title. Across other year levels, Elise Beynon (Yr. 11), Maddi Peterkin (Yr. 10), Emily Brugman (Yr. 9), Jess Grant (Yr. 8) and Indya Hayes (Yr. 7) all competed well and took out their respective year’s championship title. As always, a highlight of the carnival was the
novelty games, which this year included the new addition of “Ladder Relay”. These events took pride of place in the middle of the field with strong support from the spectators. Perhaps more so than the House Trophy, the tug-of-war was hotly contested between the houses, with the impressive “Mulhall Military” taking down the “Barry Braves” in the senior contest. The girls showed fantastic house spirit all day and while competition was fierce, it was impressive to see the support shown to every student from all who watched and cheered.
House Champion Ward 1763 Barry 1662 Mulhall 1266 Mornane 1200 Division Winners: Junior: Ward Intermediate: Ward Senior: Barry Division Champions: Year 12: Brianna Elliott Runner up: Cassandra James and Emma-Rose Murphy Year 11: Runner up:
Elise Beynon Ella Pipkorn
Year 10: Runner up:
Maddi Peterkin Stephanie Mundy and Millie Martin
Year 9: Runner up:
Emily Brugman Greta Stevens
Year 8: Runner Up:
Jess Grant Lucy Wheatland
Year 7: Runner Up:
Indya Hayes Megan Mullane www.loreto.vic.edu.au
A new way to walk Our annual walkathon was another resounding success The theme “what I want to be when I grow up” inspired hundreds of spectacular costumes at the annual Loreto College walkathon. From The Wiggles, to footballers, professors, designers, pirates and even Disney princesses complete with their own float, each of the 820 students participating in the event put their individual creative spin on it. A highlight of our college community calendar, it’s one of those events that will be remembered long after the students have left school. “They were asked as much as possible to put the costumes together from what they have at home. A few are borrowed from the drama department as well.” said Principal Judith Potter. Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 18
They were asked as much as possible to put the costumes together from what they have at home.
“I think they’re fantastic. There are so many that are unexpected which is what makes it so much fun.” Organised by our social justice group JPIC, this year’s walkathon raised funds for St Vincent De Paul, Uniting Care and missions in India, Africa and Vietnam. JPIC committee members picked the theme and the charities. The 10km walk from Kirks Reservoir back to school was followed by activities and a fashion parade. It is anticipated that a large amount of money was raised, and we will update you on the total in the next edition of Verity.
www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Just Briefly Catch up on snippets of news from around the College Dr. Andrew Fuller presents to parents Bart Simpson, Mahatma Gandhi and smooth negotiator types were just some of the “Tricky Kids” discussed at the College on 28 February. A crowd of 250 parents attended Dr Andrew Fuller’s parent briefing ‘Helping Your Child Succeed at School’ and in his amicable style, he presented strategies on parenting the “click and go” generation. Dr. Fuller, who specialises in the wellbeing of young people, says families that work well seem to praise one another a lot - compliments are made and positive efforts are commented on. “Confident children with well-developed organisational skills, resilience, independence and social skills will thrive in the classroom.” says Dr. Fuller.
International Women’s Day Breakfast A key date on the annual calendar, Loreto College took time to celebrate International Women’s Day on Thursday 8 March. As part of the celebrations the annual International Women’s Day Breakfast was held at the Mercure Convention Centre. A feature of the morning was the presentation of the Loreto Woman of the Day and the Loreto Community Achiever awards. Year 12 student Naomi Skinner won the Loreto Woman of the Day and fellow Year 12 student Brittany Rose was named as the Loreto Community Achiever. Both are ambassadors who truly embody the spirit and values of Loreto and have been involved in the full life of the College throughout their school years. Other festivities at the International Women’s Day Breakfast included an inspirational speech from past pupil Ms. Elizabeth Lacey. A member of the class of 1993, Elizabeth has amassed a wealth of experience in legal issues surrounding indigenous Australians. She captivated the audience with her talk on what International Women’s Day means to her and how those sentiments relate to her work. We would also like to acknowledge our generous sponsors Regent Cinemas and Fernwood Fitness for their support of Loreto College and our International Women’s Day Breakfast.
Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 20
30 years of service As part of Catholic Education Week, five Loreto College staff were recognised for their outstanding contribution to Catholic education. Mrs Margaret Adams, Mrs Tricia Cosgriff, Mr Peter Foord, Mr Pat O’Shea and Mr Graham Thurgood were all given awards at a special dinner, in honour of their 30 years of service to Catholic education. Thank you and congratulations to all of the recipients!
Ashleigh cuts out her rivals Year 9 student Ashleigh Meagher is now a national champion. Competing in the niche sport of “cutting” Ashleigh rode her way to victory at the National Cutting Horse Association championships held in Tamworth. Cutting requires a horse and rider to isolate a single cow away from a herd and keep it separated for a certain period of time. Horseback skills run in the family, with Ashleigh’s father being a competitor and trainer. The next step for Ashleigh is competing in the senior category, from which competitors can win a trip to the United States of America.
Loreto College teacher writes new national LOTE text In an achievement testament to the quality of our teaching staff, Japanese teacher Mrs Yoshie Burrows is now the leading author of the new national LOTE text for Japanese students. Much care and time was put into the development of the new text, which encourages multimedia integration to assist the learning of Japanese. Students in the classroom have been responding well to the new text and are pleased to have the ultimate expert to question if they need assistance with their new textbook.
Big role in the “big show with big hair” Year 11 student Ana Todd will be seen in Ballarat Lyric Theatre’s production of “Hairspray” in the principal role of Lil Inez. The musical about racial integration in 1960’s America recently played professionally in Melbourne and exploded on the big screen with Zac Efron and Amanda Bynes. The Ballarat production with Ana will hit Her Majesty’s Theatre in August. An active performer, Ana toured the United States with Glee Club Australia in 2011 along with fellow student Daniella Lombardi.
Japanese Exchange We were delighted to host 12 students from Shibuya Kyoiku Gakuen, Tokyo from March 7 to 19. Shibuya is one of the most densely populated districts in Tokyo; the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing is often visited by tourists. This made it quite a big change from Shibuya Crossing to our Sturt Street crossing! All the students enjoyed the homestay program here and immersed themselves in the Australian way of life. The Loreto College students also gained many insights from hosting them and learnt a lot about life in a big city such as Tokyo. They impressed our students with their level of competency in English, as group leader Momoko gave an excellent, well received speech at a College assembly. They continued impressing our students with their presentations about their school life, geography and science experiments. This year was different to the usual exchange programs because we ran collaborative projects before their arrival. Mr Pat O’Shea and Miss Kayoko Ikeda started to collaborate last year and during this visit many activities were shared.
Alex Mathieson wins Lions Youth of the Year One of Loreto College’s finest public speakers; Alex Mathieson of Year 12 won the Lions Club of Ballarat District Final. This year’s achievement marks back to back successes for Alex, who won both the Lions Club of Wendouree and Lions Club of Ballarat titles in 2011. On her road to victory, Alex displayed involvement in, and knowledge of her community, together with fine public speaking skills.
www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Past Pupils From the Association President Many Loreto women from the Eastern states flew over to the West for the 2012 Loreto Federation conference in May and it delivered a happy social weekend. At this biennial meeting of all Australian past pupils’ associations each association presented a resolution for discussion and implementation. This year Ballarat presented the resolution - “That past pupils be encouraged to offer their time and talents to the current students in a mentoring role, at the discretion of and guidance from the College Principal”. This is in step with the 2012 Federation theme “Striding Out in Freedom and Love” and one of our main objectives of strengthening ties between past pupils and the current Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 22
school community. As Loreto Ballarat will host the next Federation we will be seeking the support of our past pupils to stage a truly Ballarat gathering. On the weekend of 26-27 May there was a warm welcome to the classes who were celebrating their school reunions. For me, personally, it was a nostalgic time to greet the women of the 1961-62 classes.
Is it really 50 years since we left the school which was known then as Mary’s Mount? This was followed by the Past Pupils Association Annual Reunion and Annual General Meeting. Following prayer in the Chapel (and the singing of Queen of Loreto and the Holiday Hymn), we asked members to adopt the rewritten Constitution of our
Association which was presented to members for their comments at the 2011 A.G.M. If you would like to receive a copy please contact the College. Finally, we remember Sister Bernarda Stenson and Sister Eileen Riley. May their gentle, hospitable spirits rest in peace. Meg Barry President
That past pupils be encouraged to offer their time and talents to the current students in a mentoring role, at the discretion of and guidance from the College Principal
Let’s hear it for the ladies who lunch! The Development Office received a fantastic letter recently from a group of Past Pupils who meet up for lunch. This might sound pretty mundane, but the incredible part is that these girls were boarders at Mary’s Mount in the 1930’s! Mary Allen, Jess King, Mary Fleming, Margaret Holmes, Kathleen Lester and Ronna Faghi are pictured and Mrs. Fleming thinks that this is rather a record considering Mary’s Mount was such a small school at the time. The ladies believe that the oldest boarder still alive is Mary O’Brien (nee Coghlan) who is currently residing in Berwick.
Reunions We enjoyed welcoming back the classes of 1961 & 1962, 1972,, 1992 and 2002 On Saturday 26 May. We will have reports and photos from these reunions in the August edition of Verity. The 30 year reunion will be held on Saturday 11 August. If you have any enquiries about this year’s reunions, please contact the Development Office via email at development@loreto.vic.edu.au or go online to http://alumni.loreto.vic.edu.au. We hope to see many of you this year!
Rae Howell: A Loreto virtuoso A class of 1996 graduate, Rae Howell began her career treading the boards to play the grand piano keys at the Royal South Street Eisteddfod. She is now one of Australia’s most accomplished female composers and multi-instrumentalists, creating music that sits broadly across classical and jazz genres. Whilst her acclaimed chamber ensemble Sunwrae have performed internationally and she has found herself based in London, Rae had a personal career highlight recently when the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra debuted her piece Tails of the Trebuchet in March at the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts.
Weddings and Births Michelle Clark (‘88) married Michael Heritage on September 10th 2011 at St Francis Xavier Church in Cairns. The couple live in Tully, QLD where Michelle is the Officer in Charge of the Tully Criminal Investigation Branch. Kara Clarke (Lyons, ’95) and Dave welcomed their daughter Zoe Grace on 15 October 2011. Zoe is a little sister for the equally beautiful Eloise. Luke and Judy Sacco (Comelli, ‘05) welcomed Liana Melanie on 20 February. Liana weighed in at 5lb 3oz. www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Breakthrough on the water The 2011-2012 season became a breakthrough for Loreto College, as our rowing crews made their mark on the water.
Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 24
Testament to the growth of our program, we recorded our highest amount of crews ever entered with 17 crews on the water. The day got off to a flyer, with the Year 9 Divisions 4, 2 and 1, along with 10 Divisions 4 and 3 all securing victories. They were followed by the Open Division 4 who also placed first, and all of our other crews rowed competitive races and lost only by narrow margins. first full season where we competed from our own rowing shed. The fruits of an incredible amount of work from the Rowing Support Group, Loreto’s rowing headquarters meant we were able to leave the shared space of the Ballarat Rowing Club and have prime position on our school-grounds across the road from the lake.
Since the introduction of a formal rowing program in the mid 2000’s, rowing has grown in popularity amongst the students at Loreto College. The intensity, team spirit and feverish energy of the supporters resonates with the girls. It must be admitted though, that despite incredibly hard work, the rapid increase in popularity didn’t immediately translate to success on the water. Loreto College was becoming known for incredible spirit but not necessarily the best results. The 2011-2012 season saw that change though, as the hard work, training and growth of our rowing program came through and produced a season that made everyone take notice. Amid season full of notable events, including the return of the Head of the Lake to Ballarat, Loreto College had its own unique highlight - it was the
After a huge amount of media hype and anticipation, Head of the Lake finally arrived after months of training that started in Term 3 of 2011. It was the first time since 2003 that the event would be held on Lake Wendouree due to drought and the first time that many of the girls had competed in their home town.
The intensity, team spirit and feverish energy of the supporters resonates with the girls.
All of our crews were competitive and Loreto overall came second in the premiership, narrowly missing first by one point. This result is testament to how far we have come in a short period of time and to the hard working coaches and support group that make it possible. Following the excitement of Head of the Lake came Head of Schoolgirls, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest regatta held on the Barwon River in Geelong, and the National Rowing Championships held in Armadale, Western Australia. After some great results against the Ballarat schools two weeks earlier, everyone was keen to see how we would go against Melbourne and Geelong schools. Head of Schoolgirls was held over two days. All our crews rowed very competitively and placed a lot closer than previous years to some of the schools that have dominated the sport in recent times. Again a great example of how far we have come in a short time. In hot and dry Western Australian conditions, it was great for the girls to see such a high level of competition, as this was the last big regatta for rowers competing for an Olympic spot for the London games later this year. The girls were lucky enough to meet national coaches and rowers such as Anthony Edwards who has won many Olympic medals and was recently named Rower of the Year. The first heat on Friday was a good row with the girls just missing out on going straight into the A final by placing third 38 degree heat. The repechage on the Saturday was again a good row however the girls came up against some good crews and just missed out on making it into the A final. The final on Sunday was a tough row and was neck and neck for the length of the race and placed second. The girls represented Loreto College and the rowing club with great pride at local, state and national levels this season with top quality competition from all across Australia. 2012-2013 is already being talked about as the season to watch out for the “Loreto Gold” girls. www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Celebrating Women Four women from the Loreto College community share their thoughts on what International Women’s Day means to them. Celebrated around the world on Thursday March 8, International Women’s Day recognises the economic, political and social achievements of women worldwide. Celebrated at Loreto College with our International Women’s Day Breakfast, Loreto College celebrates its proud history of educating women of influence, recognised for their achievements. Verity Magazine spoke to four women from our College community to find out what this day means to them. Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 26
www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Kerry Foss Fundraising & Community Relations Manager
In my fourth year of Social Work at Melbourne University, I had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Betty Friedan, a feisty 80 year old who had been a leader of the feminist movement in the USA. The very fact that women have ‘real’ choices today is attributable to Betty Friedan, Germaine Greer and countless other women of their generation (our parents and grandparents) who challenged current thinking. But does this breadth of choice help or hinder women today? When my husband and I began talking about having our first child, I found myself reflecting on this. The feminist movement had secured opportunities and choices for women of all ages. But with this came a false sense of entitlement. Could I really ‘have it all’?
The feminist movement had secured opportunities and choices for women of all ages. But with this came a false sense of entitlement. Could I really ‘have it all’?
and while in some ways I feel I have, it has not been without sacrifice. Being a mother is such an overwhelming experience - more enjoyable, rewarding and exciting than I could have anticipated. But it also pulls at my heart strings, makes me question my decisions, instils a (pre-programmed, I think) parental guilt…. and at times, I feel I’m losing my sense of self. Despite the constant challenges, I know I am a better mother because of my work – the balance this creates in my life. As women, we need to support one another in the choices we make, which will be different for each one of us.
Like many women my age, I established my career, took maternity leave and returned to work parttime. It may look like I’ve managed to ’have it all’,
International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate these choices, knowing that life is not black and white. However, neither is it grey. It is filled with the colors of the rainbow. And despite the realisation that I couldn’t really ‘have it all’, I wouldn’t have my life’s colors reflect in any other way.
Brittany Rose
Naomi Skinner
Year 12 Student
Year 12 Student
International Women’s Day is not only a globally recognised event, but a day of celebration about all that is good at Loreto, about what past and present students have achieved and what every Loreto girl can achieve in the future. Our Loreto education is something really special. We are given so many opportunities, privileges and the knowledge to make good choices in our lives. As my last year at Loreto is quickly coming to a close, I am slowly realising how lucky I am as a young woman in the world. Throughout my education I have valued the social justice aspect of school which has not only enriched my life, but helped the lives of others. At the International Women’s Day Breakfast I was fortunate enough to be awarded with the ‘Loreto Community Achiever’ award. It was very unexpected and I am extremely grateful to be recognised for my community work. Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 28
International Women’s Day inspires young women to strive to reach their full potential. Hearing the stories of past students who have fulfilled their dreams is an encouraging step towards making the most of your time at Loreto and becoming driven to make the most of the future.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is empowering women - end hunger and poverty. Immediately when I saw this theme I thought of starving, homeless women in Africa. I then realised that the theme applies right here in Ballarat and that women are also helpless against unfair pay rates. Women across the world earn on average between 10 and 30 percent less than men. Approximately there are 15,000 homeless people in Ballarat with some of them being women and children. To me, International Women’s Day is women all over the world recognising the struggle and supporting women in their own community. It is also a chance to see how far we’ve come from so many years ago. Today we can become a CEO of a big company or anything else we want. I am very proud of who we are; women can do anything.
Mandy Carroll Year 12 Coordinator
The College has held four breakfasts in honour of International Women’s Day and I have attended them all. When I wake up early and prepare to share part of the day with the young women of Loreto College, I know it is special. The girls arrive promptly and are usually accompanied by their mum. They sit at tables with teachers and friends. The mood is friendly; polite but informal and again provides one of those moments to meet the girls under different circumstances and learn new things. The speakers are always excellent; talented past pupils who have made a real fist of their education and branched out into careers in journalism, law or medicine. With one voice they talk about the strength of a girls education and how it inspired them to make a difference.
With one voice they talk about the strength of a girls education and how it inspired them to make a difference.
The joy of hearing who has been voted the Loreto Woman of the Day is palpable; those gathered are so proud of their friend and pleased to have had a chance to have their say. Then we head to the bus and commence another day at school, in a beautiful setting, with facilities and opportunities that literally take one’s breath away. On this day especially, I am always reminded that such privilege is not the case for so many women around the world; that whilst I am fortunate, I must never stop working to help my ‘sisters’ around the globe. So I’ll be making sure I wake up early again for the next International Women’s Day Breakfast. It’s a great way to start the day.
www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Archives 2012 is shaping up to be a prosperous year for our College Archives. for and admired for years to come. “It is a piece that has a lot of meaning to the family, and donating it to Loreto College is like keeping it in the family” said Anne. Our art faculty is very excited by the acquisition and will hang the piece following a formal unveiling in the coming weeks. The family history behind the painting is one of interest also. Eleanor “Nornie” Gude is a past pupil of Mary’s Mount. At the age of 15 she was so advanced in painting that she was accepted into the Ballarat Technical Art School. In 1937 she won its prestigious MacRobertson Scholarship in art, valued at £100 per annum. By that time she had progressed to the National Gallery of Victoria School (NGV), Melbourne (1936-1939) where her fellow students included Sidney Nolan, Charles Bush and Laurence Pendlebury (the latter whom The old adage ‘Everything old is new again’, still stands up in many ways and the college archive is a great place from which to observe this phenomenon. This year saw the introduction of a new uniform for Loreto Ballarat and a glance at the uniforms across the years shows how some styles do come around again and how past styles do influence new ideas. We have received many gifts to our archives collection already this year with items including vintage photo albums documenting boarding life in the 1920’s, however a donation of note is a beautiful watercolour portrait called “Study of the Artist’s Daughter”. Painted in 1980 by renowned artist Nornie Gude, it depicts her daughter Anne Scott- Pendlebury, who may be familiar to you as a star of stage and screen. Upon its completion, Nornie marked the piece as “not for sale” and it has remained in the family since. Anne has generously gifted the portrait to the College, knowing that it will be cared Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 30
It is a piece that has alot of meaning to the family, and donating it to Loreto College is like keeping it in the family
she married). Nornie’s father was also a well-known Ballarat local. Walter Gude was a prominent musician and along with being an influential figure at St. Patrick’s College, he also taught music at Mary’s Mount. This family have strong Ballarat and Loreto connections and we are pleased to be entrusted with a piece of this history. In twelve years Loreto College Ballarat will celebrate its 150th anniversary, the oldest Catholic secondary college in this city and second oldest in the Diocese of Ballarat after Emmanuel College Warrnambool (founded as St Anne’s in 1872). Honour boards, memorials, letters and photographs convey impressions of the past that help in our understanding of people, and events. We welcome any additions to our collection, and encourage you to contact us if you wish to gift an item of interest to the College.
And you are? Get to know members of the Loreto community that you may not be acquainted with yet. This edition, we meet Kerry Foss and Matt Hustwaite, who make up the Development Office at the College. Verity: So first things first, tell us who you are and what you do. Kerry Foss: I’m the Fundraising and Community Relations Manager, and I oversee our entire Development program. Matt Hustwaite: And I’m the Fundraising and Community Relations Officer. I work with Kerry in the Development program and between us we are across a lot of work. V: What exactly goes on in your office? MH: It’s a broad program, we handle the fundraising and appeal processes along with Marketing, PR and engaging with our Past Pupils. KF: We’re a good team in that I have a strong fundraising background and Matt has a strong communications background, so between us we can cover a lot of work and bring it together. MH: We’re a dynamic duo! V: Are there any key projects that you are working on at the moment? KF: I’m heavily involved in the planning process for the Mary’s Mount Centre, to make sure we raise the funds we need so that this great facility
can be built. As part of this process, we have already engaged members from right across our community who all share a passion for Loreto College and providing opportunities for our girls. MH: While Kerry has been leading that project; I’ve been revamping our communications. The main project so far has been our new look website, which will be launched very soon, as well as giving our publications a makeover. Behind all the visuals though is a lot of planning and reviewing. I’m also driving our partnership with The Courier’s
“Newspapers in Education” program which seeks to engage primary students with the newspaper for learning. V: What do you enjoy about Loreto College? MH: There is so much life in the College and there is always something to discover. I think of my job in Communications as a storyteller, and there are so many fantastic stories here to tell. KF: I love the mix of new and old – the connections between yesterday, today and tomorrow. I love that our shared history is reflected today in the energy and enthusiasm of the girls, and importantly in our vision for the future. V: Finally, what is one last thing you’d like to tell the Verity readers? MH: To get in touch with us and engage in our Loreto community. And to log on and like our Facebook page! KF: As Matt said, we really want to connect with the Loreto family. So please, get in touch and stay in touch! To contact the Development Office, email Matt and Kerry at development@loreto.vic.edu.au www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 32
Term One through my eyes! Bianca Laidlaw, Year 7 My first day…… where do I start? To tell you the truth I was scared out of my wits! As I was walking down the long drive in my new uniform I was trembling all over...
Honestly, my first impressions weren’t too crash hot. I remember driving past and thinking the tall stony brick wall enclosed a gaol! Thinking back now… come on Bianca! Come to your senses. But that all changed when I was on my first tour of the school and I took my first steps through the gates. Luscious green grass and garden beds of flowers bursting with colour. So inside practically blew my socks off! We were greeted by Ms. Potter and a group of student. Before I knew it my parents and I were whisked off by two students for our tour. Two of the main things that intrigued me were the historic buildings and the library view… I had never seen anything so… so… words can’t describe it! From these moments onwards, I knew that I wanted to be a Loreto student in 2012. My first day…… where do I start? To tell you the truth I was scared out of my wits! As I was walking down the long drive in my new uniform I was trembling all over, which isn’t my usual self. But that didn’t last very long. I felt welcomed and in place instantly, from the moment I walked in the door. The teachers were so kind and friendly (well they still are!). But stressing was the last thing on my mind. I came to Loreto knowing six other girls comfortably well, only one from my school. But in the first couple days I actually realised that I recognised people that I’d seen before also. And if you are the only one from your school coming to Loreto, don’t fret! We had a class dinner where you bring your parents, some of your teachers are
there, and everyone has a BRILLIANT night out.
diary tricks I got things organised in no time! One thing that really
At Loreto College there is no getting bored… well there just isn’t time! Some of the things we have done in term one include; Swimming Sports, Athletics Day, Be Brave and Shave, Year 7 Camp… the list goes on.
unsettled me was
What has been hardest for me..? Hmmmm. I know it sounds silly but undoing my lock! Some days I stand at my locker for 5 – 10 minutes before it unlocks. But I’m told it gets easier as time goes by. Something else I struggle with is being organised. Keeping your locker clean, staying up to date with homework was all a very big shock to me. But with some extra folders and
freaked me out.”
going from a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a big pond. In other words, so many people. Coming from a school of 180 students, and 150 girls starting at Loreto…. It REALLY
I was surprised when I realised that I’d only been at Loreto for one term. I couldn’t believe how smooth and easy it had been to transfer from primary school to high school. But it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of all the students and staff. I’ve had so much fun in Term 1 and I can’t wait for Term 2! www.loreto.vic.edu.au
Young scientist Year 12 student Hilary Wilson tells Verity about her crosscountry trip for the National Youth Science Forum in Perth this past January.
Moving at the speed of light
A career in applied physics may not be in everyone’s future but for Hilary Wilson it is where she clearly sees her life heading. The year 12 student spent two weeks during her summer holidays at the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) at the University of Western Australia in Perth. Hilary joined 144 other budding scientists from around Australia in discussions, forums and experiments. While it was a fantastic opportunity to share career dreams there was also the plain old fun of blowing things up and having fun with lasers. Encouraged to apply by her science teacher Ms. Natalie Howard, Hilary survived a rigorous selection procedure which included public speaking, impromptu debates and a panel interview. She was thrilled to be selected but the issue of finding the funds was another challenge. The generosity of a local Rotary Club is much appreciated by Hilary.
“The Rotary Club of Wendouree were really supportive. Even if they weren’t involved in science they were really interested.” she says. Hilary’s NYSF experience was full of exciting activities, both science and social. A highlight for Hilary was the opportunity to utilise the university lab facilities. “Using the UWA physics department meant that we could conduct experiments that we would be unable to do otherwise” said Hilary.
“We recreated the top 6 experiments from the past 200 years like speed of light and gravitational constant. You don’t really think about the values behind them, you just use them, so it was cool to recreate these experiments.” Another highlight was the “Science Disco” where the attendees dressed up to a science theme. Costumes ranged from mad scientists to multiperson protein chains! Next for Hilary is the application process for the International Youth Science Forum. Students who have been involved in the Australian program are eligible to join budding scientists from across the world in locations such as Dublin, South Africa and the U.S.A. In the short term though she has VCE assessments, debating, tennis and umpiring school volleyball to keep her occupied.
Answer from pg 13 - None, as the ship, together with the ladder, rises with the tide. Verity Vol. 19 June 2012 Pg 34
Vale Sister Eileen Riley ibvm
Sister Bernarda Stenson ibvm
In April 2012, the Loreto family lost a beloved and creative member in Sister Eileen Riley ivbm.
Sister Bernarda Stenson ibvm was born in Dublin Ireland in 1923. Some twenty years later Sr. Bernarda began her Religious Life at Rathfarnham, Dublin. About three years after Profession she courageously offered to come to Australia as a missionary; she joined the number of truly wonderful Irish Sisters who gave their all here in Australia. Fortunately as time passed Sr. Bernarda was able to make ‘home’ visits to Ireland. Her niece Bella and Jimmy and family provided her with a home here in Australia too and it was good they were with her when she died.
Born in Sydney on the 1st of December 1928, Eileen Margaret Riley was one of four children. She began her life as an IBVM at the age of 19 in Ballarat. As Sister Dorothea, she chose as her motto “Gloria Patri et Fillo et Spiritui Sacto”, which translates to “Glory be to Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Following her profession in 1949, her ministry took her around the country to Melbourne, Sydney (Loretos’ Normanhurst and Kirribilli), Portland, Brisbane (Loreto Cooparoo) and eventually back to Ballarat in 2002. Sister Eileen’s creative talents were many and generously shared. She encouraged talents in embroidery and painting in her school students, as well as within adult groups. At an Institute Assembly, Sister Eileen incorporated the gathering theme in table mats she prepared for the whole Province. Her paintings and embroidery grace many homes and cherished pieces take pride of place on many walls in the Mary’s Mount Convent. Sister Eileen loved flowers and enjoyed arranging them. She rejoiced in the Australian bush and its natural beauty and nurtured environmental awareness in all. She stirred in her students, through her creative and artistic soul, a love of beauty and creative expression through literature and poetry. Having gave much love and creative spirit to the Loreto family, we now trust that Sister Eileen rejoices in the presence of the creator of all beauty and life.
Serve God with great love and liberty of mind.
Sister Bernarda lived Mary Ward’s value of Freedom in its truest sense “Serve God with great love and liberty of mind.” Sr. Bernarda was very definite, spoke for the voiceless, expressed her views carefully and clearly , broadened our minds and did all she could to ensure we had nourishing and delicious food. She was an exceptional cook, a tireless worker with superb managerial skills. In the gospel reading for her Requiem (chosen by Sr. Bernarda for her Golden Jubilee Mass) we hear Jesus say ‘you are the salt of the earth’. We speak of someone as the ‘salt of the earth’, Sr. Bernarda was the ‘salt’ in our community, salt gives substance and flavour, Sr. Bernarda gave substance and flavour to our life in community. On 19 January this year after a short illness, Sr. Bernarda responded again to God welcoming her ‘home’. May she rest in peace. Margaret Sculley ibvm.
Vale Sister Eileen. www.loreto.vic.edu.au
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