The Penrhosian No.63

Winter 2015 100003641

63

Thank you!

Celebrating our donors to the Rixon Theatre 20th Anniversary Upgrade Project

2 Winter 2015

PRINCIPAL

FROM THE PRINCIPAL In this edition of The Penrhosian, we have a wealth of evidence of our ‘Four Pillars of Inspiration’ to share with you; inspirational opportunities for our students through the programs on offer, the staff who deliver these, the environment in which we all work and the community to which we belong.

In tracking the post-school pathways and study destinations of our school leavers in recent years, some interesting trends have emerged. You will find the data regarding this on page 6 of this edition.

In terms of pathways, we have seen a stronger trend towards students taking courses in the Science, Health Science and Engineering pathways than we would have seen say, ten years ago. We are also seeing a trend towards students opting to study at interstate or overseas universities. From our point of view, it is interesting to reflect on what the reasons behind this might actually be and to see if the Penrhos education has contributed to this in any way.

There is no doubt that tertiary education is now an international market and a very competitive one.

Coupled with this is the ease of access to information about university courses globally. Universities are making this information readily available and students are very comfortable jumping online to research their options.

They will have a pathway in mind and will research the universities that will most ably accommodate what they want to do. Of course the number of our 2014 Leavers who chose to study interstate or overseas is still relatively low, but worthy of monitoring just the same.

Has Penrhos contributed in any way to students considering studying at a university other than in Perth?

Hard to say at this stage, and asking those questions of the students who are making these choices will be our next step. There is no doubt that we now focus on creating citizens of the world, rather than citizens of Perth or Australia. We do this by providing opportunities to raise awareness of different cultures and global issues and by encouraging the students to take up opportunities that will broaden their perspective, challenge their thinking and hopefully get them thinking about how they can make a difference to the world they live in, by putting their talents and skills to their best possible use.

Hopefully the following opportunities offered to our students are encouraging this. Our Junior School students from K to 6 now have the opportunity to be part of a Chinese Cross Cultural Program at Penrhos. This is offered by The Confucius Institute at the University of Western Australia and has now extended to a sister school arrangement with a Junior School in Hangzhou,

China. The level of interest by our Junior School students and their parents has been overwhelming, with this partnership having enormous potential. In December, a group of Secondary School students and staff will travel to Laos to undertake a cultural experience with a difference and to complete community service work. Several of our Year 12 students have been involved in interstate and international opportunities over the past two years and it is no surprise that they are now seeking to attend university interstate to pursue their post-school studies.

Already this year, our students have travelled to New York to explore Art and Photography, from the street art of Bushwick, Brooklyn, to the high end galleries and museums such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Language and cultural immersion tours to France and Italy will take place in October. In 2016 we have the Space Tour to the USA and the Music Tour to Prague and Vienna.

The Australian Curriculum now requires us to show evidence of how we are addressing global issues through intercultural understanding, ethical understanding, critical and creative thinking and personal and social capability.

I hope you enjoy reading about the inspiring stories of our student and staff collaborations, our teaching and learning environment and community activities.

Meg Melville PRINCIPAL

Winter 2015 3

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

2 PRINCIPAL

4 SCHO O L NEWS

5

10 MIND

14 HEART

18 13

17

BO DY

22 SPIRIT

26 SUPPO RT G RO U PS & CO MMUNITY

18

30 F O UNDATIO N

32 AL UMNI

23

Editor ROCHELLE ZAKNICH

Cover photo JOANNE YONG

Contributors & Photographers EMMA CORNWALL JOANNE YONG MEG MELVILLE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS SAGA COMMITTEE

Proofreading JUDY FILDES

Design JOANNE YONG Print & Distribution SCOTT PRINT

27

Cover Rixon Theatre 20th Anniversary Upgrade Project donors Mrs Judith Pilatti, Mr Graham Rixon, Mrs Meg Melville, Mrs Sondra Anderson, Miss Rosie CowserLim and Miss Kristyn Cronin pose in the newly refurbished seats. We pay tribute to all of our donors on page 29.

4 Winter 2015

SCHOOL NEWS

Introducing our School Captain...

EILISH CAMPBELL A Penrhosian since Year 7, Eilish Campbell was a popular choice for School Captain this year, and has stepped into the role with intelligence, humour and good grace. Here she tells us about her hopes for this year, highlights at Penrhos, and her personal hero.

What do you hope to bring to the role of School Captain?

I hope to bring lots of fun and humour into school, because I know pressure and expectations can sometimes take over (especially with the older years), and we get drawn into a horrible void of stress and worry. I want to be approachable – not just someone who people look up to, but someone people want to be around.

I want to be seen as a person who makes everybody feel valued. I want to try my best to create a positive and optimistic atmosphere at Penrhos, where no one is afraid to give everything they’ve got.

What’s involved in the role?

There’s definitely a lot of behind the scenes work that goes on organising meetings and events – things that I’m sure a lot of my peers would have no idea were even happening. As well as that there’s a certain aspect to having a public identity. You become very aware of people watching you, so it’s important to present yourself as a respectable role model, and not only tell people what it means to be a good person, but to actually follow through and be the person you’ve been telling them about. It’s a really good opportunity to truly influence people to reach their full potential, which is an amazing feeling.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

There’s so much going on this year, it’s pretty overwhelming. Of course I’m really excited about the final week of Year 12, with P Day, Flower Day and the Valedictory Dinner to look forward to.

Specifically, I’m also looking forward to the performance with jazz musician James Morrison, IGSSA Athletics and Cross Country, Production Orchestra and basically making the most of my last year participating in everything I’ve enjoyed so much while I’ve been at Penrhos. Not to mention spending one last year surrounded by all of the friends I’ve made throughout my time here!

What has been your best experience at Penrhos so far?

That’s a hard one to narrow down because I’ve had countless amazing experiences because of Penrhos. The first one that really comes to mind was the drama tour I went on last year. We went to NIDA [National Institute of Dramatic Art] for a week and I got to meet many new people and learn so much. It was a time where everyone was so chilled out and there weren’t any expectations or pressures to be perfect. It was a week of experimentation and a week of learning from others, which I really enjoyed and appreciated.

Who has had the biggest influence on you during your time at Penrhos?

I would probably have to say our previous School Captains. I remember as a Year 7 listening to Eliza’s [Stuart] speeches and being so in awe of her ability to present herself in a way that made me want to be like her. I think the obvious love of the College that each of the past Captains displayed made me want to become an active member of the Penrhos community and I appreciate that immensely. They have been role models who I could strive to be like as well as being my peers and approachable mentors.

Who do you admire and why?

When I was younger, I wanted to be Hermione Granger. Rarely do we see a female in fiction portrayed in such a strong, admirable way. Admirable, for once, not for her looks, but the qualities that made her Hermione. She is a hero because she decides to be one – definitely something we’re all capable of. Now that I’m a little older, I admire the woman who brought Hermione to life; Emma Watson. She is authentic, determined and self-assured, three things that every girl should be striving for. I admire her fearlessness when it comes to promoting her values, morals and beliefs. She is forward, yet accepting of others’ opinions. A brilliant role model for girls and women.

What do you think makes a good leader?

A leader should inspire others to dream big, do more and be motivated to achieve their best. If you can influence someone to want to be the best person they can, then I think you’re doing a pretty good job. I think it’s important to be there for people, and to not get too caught up in your own life. Often when given the opportunity to hold a position of power, people’s egos can get the better of them. A good leader is grounded and supportive, a figure whom people can not only look up to, but come to easily for advice or guidance.

What’s the best thing about being a Penrhosian?

Being a part of the Penrhos community for sure. You’re immediately accepted into a strong, tight-knit community of staff and students who genuinely care about you and want to see you succeed and become the best person you can be. This constant support honestly makes you feel as though you truly can achieve anything.

SCHOOL NEWS

Winter 2015 5

Our new Library The newly refurbished Library was unveiled just in time for Term 2, much to the delight of staff and students who had eagerly been watching it take shape through the doors and (mostly brand new) windows throughout Term 1.

Designed to be a flexible learning centre, the new $1.7m Library provides resources and an environment that inspires and engages students as they grow, and is in line with the College’s vision of providing an inspirational setting for learning that is functional and aesthetically pleasing.

The design brief was to open up the space to bring in light and create an inspirational state-of-the-art facility, with spaces that: • are innovative, multifunctional and flexible • encourage collaboration and co-operative learning • allow for student-centred and independent learning • build community, nurture reading and social growth • provide world class technology • engage students Director of Finance & Administration Mr Michael Papali said the project scope needed to be broadened in order to achieve all of these objectives.

“Rather than treat this as a ‘paint job’ of spaces as they were previously, we wanted to take this opportunity to imagine the Library as a blank slate, on which we could redesign its learning and operational spaces to be more aligned with our College vision.”

Head of the Library Mrs Amanda Stewart said the refurbishment had certainly achieved the objectives set out.

“The new Library is a unique place within the College. It is a place for education and also a meeting place where like-minded students, irrespective of age, can come together to share ideas.”

“The immediate feel is definitely open, bright and inviting, with views out to the Chapel lawn. Shelves can be moved around.

Desks are on wheels and can be configured in a variety of ways.

The Collaboration Room and Tutorial Rooms are sound-proofed, with video conferencing facilities. The lounges, window seats and bean bags provide relaxing places to read and the booths allow a comfortable place to work,” Mrs Stewart said.

Another very welcome addition has been the student kitchen, which allows girls to prepare their own hot drinks to kick back with over a good book or during a study session. New seating booths allow for easier group work or discussion.

Still to come is the completion of an adjoining outdoor reading deck, where students will be able to work, read and study with a stunning view to the Chapel rose garden.

6 Winter 2015

SCHOOL NEWS

CLASS OF 2014 DESTINATIONS We are so proud of the Class of 2014 and all they achieved. Earlier this year we surveyed our graduates to gain an understanding of their post-school pathways and study plans. With expert assistance from Careers Advisor Colleen Devlin, we achieved a 90% response rate, providing insightful data that helps inform future planning at the College. We are pleased to share the results of the survey below.

Work Vocational 6% Training 1%

Deferred study 3%

University overseas 9% University of Notre Dame 9%

Exchange/ Gap year 1%

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2015?

Murdoch University 5%

Tertiary Study 89%

WHAT ARE YOUR AREA/S OF Science 17% STUDY?

Edith Cowan University 2%

Commerce, Accounting and Economics 17%

Nursing 2% Law 5%

WHERE ARE YOU STUDYING? The majority of girls have commenced tertiary study (89%), with a further 3% deferring tertiary study and 6% entering the workforce.

Arts 12%

Health Sciences 18%

Curtin University 34%

RESULTS SNAPSHOT

Psychology 2%

Medicine and Dentistry 3% Marketing and Communications 2%

WAAPA 1%

University interstate 13%

Registered Training Organisation/ College 2%

Visual or Architecture/ Performing Design 3% Veterinary Arts 5% Science 1% University Prep course 4%

University of Western Australia 25%

Education 2% Engineering 3%

The most popular courses among the girls were: • Health Sciences (18%) • Science (17%) • Commerce, Accounting and Economics (17%) • Arts (12%) The most popular destinations were: • Curtin University (34%) • The University of Western Australia (24%) • Universities elsewhere in Australia (13%) • Universities overseas (9%) • The University of Notre Dame Australia (9%)

Winter 2015 7

SCHOOL NEWS

PRINCIPAL’S LIST 2014 Congratulations to the 25 graduates from the Class of 2014 who were added to the Principal’s List. The Principal’s List celebrates excellence in academic achievement, and includes the names of students who graduate from Penrhos with an ATAR of 95 and above.

Jessica Baldock Danielle Bestall Genevieve Blair Charlotte Brooks Christy Chun Annagh Cielak Paris Elphick Grace Emery Claire Gillam

Maddison Gillett Megan Hood Zoe Jones Eleni Kagi Eilidh Kirk Ruby Matthews Dana McMullen Celina Miller

Rebecca Mulcahy Gracie Naughton Ope Olubodin Sue Park Emma Reid Julianne Smith Jamee Thomas Chelsea Toplis

Principal Mrs Meg Melville said, “We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of all of our Year 12s in 2014, the group affectionately known as the ‘half cohort’. In 2014, 96 students chose the ATAR Pathway and 15 students chose the Alternative Pathway.”

The following list gives a snapshot of the accomplishments of the Year 12, 2014 cohort: • All bar one of our Year 12 students achieved the Western Australian Certificate of Education Graduation • Penrhos College ranked 9th in the league tables • Penrhos College was ranked among the top schools in the state in the following Stage 3 Courses: Design (Photography), Drama, English, French, Human Biological Science, Mathematics 3AB, Mathematics 3CD, Modern History, Physical Education Studies, Politics and Law • Penrhos College was ranked among the top schools in the state in the following Stage 2 Course: Mathematics 2CD Class of 2014 Principal’s List recipients

CERTIFICATES OF DISTINCTION Awarded to the top 0.5 per cent of candidates based on the WACE course score Annagh Cielak, Modern History Dana McMullen, English Celina Miller, English Julianne Smith, Modern History

CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION Awarded to students who achieve at least 20 ‘A’ grades in WACE course units Genevieve Blair Charlotte Brooks Dana McMullen Julianne Smith Celeste Williamson

Penrhos Dux wins John Curtin accolade The Penrhos College Dux from the Class of 2014, Dana McMullen, is a proud recipient of the prestigious John Curtin Undergraduate Scholarship, handed out at Curtin University in December.

John Curtin Undergraduate Scholarships are awarded to academically talented students who display qualities of vision, leadership and community service. It is Curtin University’s most generous and prestigious scholarship program. Students must excel in a wide range of endeavours to be eligible, and demonstrate a strong focus on the community around them.

Dana said there were several aspects of the John Curtin Scholarship that appealed to her.

“The chance of an overseas exchange was definitely a draw card, and being part of a student group that is expected to perform well in all aspects sounded like a great challenge. Also, I’ve done volunteer work since I was really young, so having to commit to community service while studying appealed to me. The scholarship is an amazing opportunity to meet and work alongside some truly incredible people,” Dana said.

Dana McMullen

Dana is enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at Curtin, and has also been offered an industry scholarship with Chevron. Her long-term goal is to become a leader in the development of renewable energy and sustainable systems in society.

Penrhos College has an excellent track record with this scholarship, and Dana joins Penrhos alumni members Aimee Hughes, Moira O’Brien-Smith, Julia Seymour (2011), Kaidee Arnold (2007), Natasha Stanford (2008), Kate Frusher (2009), Sarah Power (2009), Carly Thompson (2009) and Courtney Meagher (2010) as recipients of this prestigious award.

8 Winter 2015

SCHOOL NEWS

Gerard Smith

Staff member in profile… Mr Gerard Smith Gerard Smith was appointed to the broad role of Property Manager at Penrhos in 2013, with full oversight of the College’s extensive grounds and facilities. If you’ve ever stopped to admire the stunning gardens at Penrhos or an impressive new facility, chances are that Gerard had a hand in it. Here he tells us exactly what’s involved in this significant role at the College…

What does your role at the College involve?

Property Manager is a wide-ranging role, primarily about effectively managing and maintaining the safety, appearance, cleanliness and physical structure of buildings, grounds and other assets belonging to the College to protect an image of pride and belonging. I manage the maintenance, grounds, and cleaning departments and delegate jobs through our maintenance support program email system. I deal with our contractors in reference to agreements and ensuring services are maintained in a timely, cost effective manner, as well as suppliers and contractors that come into the College to ensure they are signed in, have a safety induction and work at times that do not interfere with classes.

I manage the capex budget and recurrent budgets for the maintenance and grounds departments and ensure that we stay within allocation. I get quotes for budgets and send orders off for the approved capex and recurrent budget. All orders sent come back to me to reconcile for accountability. I deal with other stakeholders in the College and liaise with them on current and future projects and upcoming budget items. On building projects, I liaise with architects, builders and contractors to ensure normal operation of the College while building is in progress. I always try to look at new ways of doing things that are more innovative and cost-effective.

Tell us a bit about your background.

I started off studying in horticulture when I left school and worked in this field for many years doing landscaping, before switching to building studies and building employment. I studied in building

and worked as a scheduler and quantities estimator for a large residential company in Perth, before moving into management in a large construction company as an estimating manager. I then moved into administration management for a residential building company, and the last role I had prior to Penrhos was general manager for one of Perth’s largest residential builders for six years. Overall, I have worked in management for about 12 years.

What do you most enjoy about your job?

I like working within such a vibrant community, and the fact that I never get bored, as there are so many things happening all the time. There’s plenty of variety in the workplace and something different every day. I always enjoy going and helping out with the sporting events, and get a great sense of satisfaction from seeing College facilities being improved. I also enjoy working as part of a team environment.

How do you get the best out of your staff?

It starts with effective recruitment – I believe all staff must have ‘the skill and the will’. I also need to ensure my staff are equipped with all the necessary instructions and up-to-date tools to complete their tasks. Setting clear and concise expectations with a vision of what is to be achieved is very important. I need to ensure all staff members work as part of a team and are encouraged to do things the best way, not necessarily the way it has always been done.

What’s been the highlight of your time at Penrhos so far?

I have enjoyed meeting many new people in the Penrhos community and being welcomed into that community.

SCHOOL NEWS

Winter 2015 9

AN INVITATION TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE Principal Mrs Meg Melville and Maths Mentor Coordinator Mr Peter Chandler had the honour of having afternoon tea with Governor of Western Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AO, at Government House in March.

Mrs Melville and Mr Chandler were invited to speak with the Governor about the wonderful STEM initiatives and opportunities on offer at Penrhos.

Mrs Melville said excellent progress was being made in formalising the STEM program at Penrhos.

“The momentum in exploring STEM activities at Penrhos has really picked up. We have established a working party of Junior and Secondary school staff across the areas of science, mathematics and technology. We are currently scoping out the variety of activities and the Year levels at which these are occurring to ensure that the activities are appropriate to the phases of development that the girls are at.

STEM activities include: • Pre-Primary to Year 6: Lego Robotics and Coding for Young Children. The emphasis is on problem solving and creative thinking through the creation of interactive books, games and projects.

• Secondary School: Digital Technologies focusing on programming, multimedia creations and presentations, Lego Robotics and 3D Printing, Maths Mentoring, Profs@Perkins program (Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research), Girls in Engineering (University of Western Australia), Engineers in Schools (Curtin University), USA Space Tour.

Mrs Melville said she and Mr Chandler were honoured to be given the opportunity.

“Our staff are collaborating with industry groups to seek out more opportunities to provide our students with practical experience in the STEM disciplines. Staff attendance at national conferences is also providing an insight into what is happening in other schools within Australia.

“The Governor was highly complimentary of the opportunities being afforded to our students in the STEM areas as this is clearly an interest of hers. The progression of STEM K to 12 activities is one of our College goals for 2015.”

“The students across all Year levels are demonstrating both the passion and ability to take these tasks on, proving that girls do have a very strong aptitude in the STEM skill development arena,” Mrs Melville said.

Mr Peter Chandler, Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AO, and

Mrs Meg Melville

Louise goes global with Future Problem Solving Year 12 student Louise Ritter will represent Penrhos College in the International Finals of the Future Problem Solving Competition in the US this year. Here she tells us about how she got there, and what she’s most looking forward to.

Louise Ritter

What attracted you to Future Problem Solving (FPS)?

Being able to discuss world issues that affect us now, and discover how they may change and develop in the future, with like-minded and fun girls. I also liked the unique yet logical process that FPS takes, and how it encourages futuristic and creative thinking, as well as being useful for organising your thoughts and ideas in other school subjects. Mrs Nicole Johnson, who has run the program since it began has also been a major factor in me continuing my involvement in the FPS program as she is always encouraging us to do our best, and to think in ways that we may not have before getting involved in the program.

Where are you headed for the international competition and how did you qualify?

I’m headed to Iowa State University in the United States for the International Finals. I qualified because I came in first place in the Global Issues Senior Individual Division at the National Competition at St Leonard’s College in Melbourne, which was in October last year. I attended the National Finals with 36 other Penrhos girls who were competing in teams for both Global Issues and Community Problem Solving.

Which topic are you looking at?

The topic at the International Finals this year is Intellectual Property; how can we ensure that our ideas and inventions are being protected in a new age of technology? What methods can be implemented to ensure that Intellectual Property is protected? How may this impact businesses and creativity?

What are you most looking forward to about this competition?

I am most looking forward to meeting and getting to know the other competitors from other countries. I think that it will be really interesting to meet people from all over the world who have the same interests and passions as myself, but also to see how our different backgrounds influence the ways that we think, and what we think. The structure of the competition allows a lot of time to meet and interact with other people your age, so you can create a wide network of like-minded young people to talk to.

10 Winter 2015

MIND

Gifted and Talented students shine in competitions Penrhos College students have achieved excellent results across two major academic competitions held earlier this year, making significant gains on previous years.

The Da Vinci Decathlon was held at Wesley College in March, and is designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines including engineering, mathematics, code breaking, art and poetry, science and English.

Penrhos College placed 8th overall in the intermediate and 10th in the senior category this year, making a big improvement on 16th and 12th from last year, respectively, out of the 24 teams competing.

The Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad, or OzCLO as it is better known, is a contest for high school students, also held in March. It challenges them to develop their own strategies for solving problems in fascinating real languages and is designed for high school students from Years 9 to 12.

Year 10 students Julia Schwab, Vanessa Ma, Catherine Maltman and Alice Wang gained first place in the Junior Team category (Years 9/10), with the Senior Team (Years 11/12) in third place of the OzCLO competition.

Dean of Teaching and Learning Mrs Nicole Blyth said the girls achieved excellent results in this competition.

“We are very proud to have gained first place in Mathematics, second in Art and Poetry, and third in Engineering in the intermediate category; fifth in Engineering and sixth in Mathematics in the senior category. Mrs Nicole Johnson and the Mathematics Department are to be commended for their work with the girls to improve their level of performance in this competition.”

tman, Vanessa Ma and Alice

Julia Schwab, Catherine Mal

Wang

Girls in Engineering A new partnership between Penrhos College and Girls Engineering got off to a very promising start in Term 2, with the first of several workshops taking place.

Girls in Engineering is a joint initiative between Rio Tinto and the University of Western Australia (UWA), designed to encourage and support more girls into engineering as they progress through their early schooling.

Run by female engineering students and Rio Tinto employees, the program has been adopted by the College as part of its commitment to encouraging more girls into STEM (Science, Engineering, Engineering & Mathematics) areas.

Hannah Golding, a Mechatronics Engineer in Rio Tinto Technology & Innovation is the lead for the program, which is run by UWA’s Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics.

Hannah said this was just the beginning of wider plans to encourage girls into the engineering profession.

Completing the biomimicry investigation

“Career choices can be influenced at all stages of education. By building skills early, and nurturing talent at several stages, we hope to give girls confidence in their own technical abilities that will outlast.”

Head of Science Mr Chris Hawkins said the Year 7 girls were the first to participate in the program, and had responded very well.

“Our Year 7s all recently participated in a two-hour class, during which they investigated what engineering means and where engineering pathways may lead. I’m sure that our girls will have had their horizons widened, experiencing ‘a-ha’ moments such as declaring, “I’ve always been interested in that, but I didn’t know it was engineering!”

“The girls also completed a stimulating investigation into biomimicry that involved examining the hydrophobic properties of some common food plants,” Mr Hawkins said.

mu

Ella Munro, Isabelle Reitze, Tolu Sorun

Working with the Girls in Engineering coord

inator

MIND

Winter 2015 11

Nigarish tours Middle East with UN Youth Australia As reported in the previous edition of The Penrhosian, Year 12 student Nigarish Hyder was one of only twelve students in Australia to be selected – and the only Western Australian – for the United Nations Youth Australian (UNYA) Middle East Experience, and participated in a unique tour of this region in January. Here she reflects on this special experience…

What springs to your mind when someone mentions the Middle East? Is it camels and deserts, dusty horizons consisting of mosque domes and minarets, or is it the conflict and unrest we see in the media?

In reality, the Middle East is so much more than all of these things. It is as historically symbolic as it is politically volatile, as fascinating and beautiful as it is surreally haunting, and populated with people who are as warm and welcoming as they are resilient. Home to some of the earliest human civilisations and the birthplace of many of the world’s oldest religions, it is a region that continues to move forward in this fast-paced world, while maintaining links to its rich past.

Over the summer I had the opportunity to experience these things first-hand as part of the inaugural United Nations Youth Australia (UNYA) ‘Middle East Experience’ tour. I was selected, along with eleven other young ambassadors from cities across Australia, to spend a fortnight travelling through the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Jordan. Along the way I met with various United Nations bodies, NGOs and government institutions, as well as making lifelong friendships and connections with both the other delegates and the locals we encountered.

The theme and primary goal of the tour was to impart to us a deeper understanding of the conflicts in the area, the impacts upon individuals and rapidly expanding refugee populations, and the peace-building initiatives taking place as a result of these things. This included visits to the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) regional headquarters, a workshop with UNICEF Middle East, community-building projects with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and a meeting with the Australian ambassador to Jordan.

A large portion of our time was spent focusing on the results of conflict, such as the status of refugees and issues like healthcare and education, and also subsequent peacekeeping projects undertaken by the bodies outlined above.

Our consultations gave us an opportunity to ask questions to broaden our understanding, and to explore potential careers in the area.

A personal favourite of mine was an exchange program hosted by ‘Hand in Hand’, a bilingual and biracial school in Jerusalem, where we were able to interact with fellow youth and learn more about the nature of everyday life in Israel. The exchange program also included opportunities for marsupialthemed games sessions with seven year olds, teaching Year 8 students ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and spending time with Year 10 students who introduced us to popular Israeli snack foods.

Other memorable experiences included marvelling at the ruins of Petra, a night spent camping with Bedouin Arab nomads in the Jordanian desert, a ‘float’ in the Dead Sea – and of course, the magnitude of incredible historical and geographical sights on offer in Israel; including the Temple Mount and Wailing Wall, Yad Vashem holocaust memorial museum, Jerusalem’s Old City, and a visit to Bethlehem in the West Bank.

I have had a truly life-changing experience, and the people and places I encountered along the way opened up my eyes to one of the most historically, religiously and politically relevant regions in the world. Over the course of the tour, I learnt plenty about the countries at hand, about the lives of individuals there, and about myself.

Those I met inspired me to believe that we can all make a difference in the world, and I came away with many irreplaceable memories, connections and insights. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the College for supporting me in this venture, and hope that other young people like myself continue to experience and learn from the world around them.

12 Winter 2015

MIND

Space Camp launches at Penrhos Penrhos College students with a passion for Science and Maths will next year have the exciting opportunity to attend the USA Space Camp and STEM Tour.

Launched to students and parents in Term 1, Space Camp will give students the opportunity to float around in space, design and test a virtual reality Mars rover, take on the role of a pilot or mission controller, and meet students from other countries.

Space Camp information evening

The tour will include five days at Space Camp USA in Huntsville, Alabama, where students will take part in the Advanced Space Academy Program. In Orlando, Florida, the tour group will visit the Kennedy Space Centre and attend lunch with an astronaut, as well as a visit to EPCOT theme park and the Orlando Science Centre. This trip will conclude with a tour of San Francisco, including visits to Alcatraz and Stanford University.

Maths Mentor Coordinator Peter Chandler said the response to the camp had been overwhelming, and it looked likely that all places would be filled.

STEM is the acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and is a priority area at Penrhos. In 2015 the College is investigating innovative and challenging opportunities to engage our girls in these pursuits, for implementation in 2016, with Space Camp being just one STEM initiative.

Penrhos has been invited to participate in the UWA Girls in Engineering Program for Years 7-10 in 2015 and we are delighted to be returning to the Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research once again this year to challenge our senior science and mathematics students as part of the Penrhos Profs @ Perkins Program.

Eleanor Jones, Shanoa She Cheong

Mrs Hepworth demonstrates

Olivia Evans, Hayah Yasir

JUNIOR SCHOOL GIRLS START CODING The introduction of coding and robotics in the Junior School has given girls a number of exciting new activities to immerse themselves in the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and aligns with state and national goals to provide students – particularly girls – with high quality opportunities for STEM subjects.

From exploring visual coding methods to using apps for robotics programming, the comprehensive program is being rolled out from Years 1–6.

Learning Technologies Coordinator Mr Nathan Ducker said the activities were varied and designed with each girl’s phase of development in mind.

“In the Junior School, students use their College notebooks to explore visual coding methods and have opportunities to use Lego WeDo and EV3 robotics kits. A typical lesson will often involve following instructions to complete the construction of a Lego robot before using notebooks to develop a series of coded events to send to the robot. Students are encouraged to be creative and innovative as they develop their coding.

“Recently, Year 1 students have been exploring early stages of robotics programming using apps such as BeeBots on their class sets of iPads. Year 4 students have begun their Lego WeDo

Robotics program and will go on to explore visual coding using an application called Tynker.

“In 2015, we anticipate introducing more complex visual coding applications such as Scratch and Kodu to our Year 5 students.

Year 6 students have begun preparing for their Lego EV3 Robotics program and will soon explore visual coding tools,” Mr Ducker said.

Through the introduction of robotics and coding, the College hopes to achieve even greater involvement of girls in the STEM subjects, an improved understanding of computer science and the actual processing of computers, as well as facilitating and extending the girls’ natural ability and drive to construct, hypothesise, explore, experiment, evaluate, and draw conclusions by themselves.

Mr Ducker said the response from the girls had been excellent, and indicated a strong appetite for more STEM opportunities.

“The girls have been highly enthused. Recently, we were inundated with applications when Year 6 students were offered an opportunity to be involved in a lunchtime program to explore the potential of using Lego EV3 robotics. This group will form a valuable support team, as all Year 6 students receive an opportunity to participate in robotics activities later in the Term.”

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Students take part in a Chinese Cross Cultural lesson

Engaging with China Engagement with Asia is a key cross-curriculum priority, and the establishment of a brand new sister school relationship with Hangzhou Jingdu Primary School in China is set to offer a number of exciting opportunities for our Junior School students.

The relationship was initiated through an AISWA (Association of Independent Schools in Western Australia) study tour attended

by Head of Junior School Ms Trish Somers in September, and has been formally agreed upon by the Principals of each school.

Ms Somers said, “This came about through the AISWA initiative of joint funding with the Confucius Institute at the University of Western Australia. A group of Junior School Heads and Principals visited China for this purpose, as well as to visit schools to learn about the teaching of Mathematics, the Arts and Languages.

“The school that was chosen for the establishment of a sisterschool relationship with Penrhos is the Hangzhou Jingdu Primary School in Hangzhou, a very old city south of Shanghai. The school is a university experimental school and has strong international ties, as well as being a select school for the traditional Arts.

“The Agreement has been signed as a memorandum of understanding which is a document of intent for the purposes of enhancing the students’ international awareness and mutual understanding, skills for cross-cultural communication and for further discussion about the possibility of bilateral visits by students and staff of both schools, where appropriate,” Ms Somers said.

The introduction of the Asia Engagement cross-curricular imperative reflects Australia’s extensive engagement with Asia in social, cultural, political, and economic spheres.

The Australian Curriculum states, “Many Asian nations are growing rapidly and are regionally and globally influential.

Immigrants from all these countries have historically contributed to Australia’s development and will continue to do so in the future.

An understanding of Asia underpins the capacity of Australian students to be active and informed citizens working together to build harmonious local, regional and global communities, and build Australia’s social, intellectual and creative capital. It also builds understanding of the diversity of cultures and peoples living in Australia, fosters social inclusion and cohesion and is vital to the prosperity of Australia.”

Junior School girls with Chinese teacher

Xianping Yang

One of the first initiatives to be introduced at Penrhos is the Chinese Cross Cultural Program, which has been offered to Junior School families in the form of optional after-school lessons, taking place over one Term. The take-up rate has been excellent and it is anticipated the lessons will continue to run throughout the year to ensure all interested families have the opportunity to participate.

Junior School Teacher and lead for the Asia Engagement crosscurricular imperative Ms Kerry Jenke said the lessons were being very well-received.

“During the first lesson, Ping explained that our sister school is located in Zhejiang Province, with which the Western Australian Government has a sister state relationship. She also showed students a map of where our sister school is located and photographs of some intricate paper cutting art work created by students from the school,” Ms Jenke said.

Junior School Teacher Miss Siobhan Milos said, “It was great to see many enthusiastic parents come along and engage in this wonderful opportunity. The first session was a success with great parent feedback.”

The Chinese Cross Cultural Program will introduce students and parents to many different elements of Chinese culture, including calligraphy, kung fu, language, animals and traditional dress.

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COOKING UP A STORM The Penrhos College team was crowned champion at the Schools Cook-Off Competition, held as part of the Waterford Plaza Cultural Street Festival in March.

The College was represented by Maddie Ozanne, Hannah Thatcher (Year 12) and Angelique Kabunga (Year 10), who competed against last year’s champion school, Ursula Frayne Catholic College.

Penrhos has entered for all three years the Cook-Off has been running.

This year’s competition was presented as a mystery box challenge, whereby students had five minutes to view the ingredients in a box and 30 minutes to cook and plate a dish, using these ingredients.

Hannah Thatcher, Amy Shields (judge),

Madison Ozanne, Angelique Kabunga

Head of Food and Textiles Technology Miss Jenny Rule was justifiably proud of the students.

“The girls did an amazing job to prepare and serve a deconstructed Asian style stir-fry that was judged the winner of the competition by former WA MasterChef contestant, Amy Shields.”

The girls’ efforts resulted in them winning $500 worth of vouchers for Penrhos to use at Waterford Plaza.

The winning dish

Penrhosians connect in New York Students on the New York Art and Photography tour got to take a delicious detour when they visited hip restaurant ‘root & bone’, run by 2004 alumni member and Chef de Cuisine Janine Booth in April.

Last year Janine appeared on US television’s ‘Top Chef’ and has now settled in New York with her partner, Chef Jeff McInnis, also of ‘Top Chef’ fame. Janine and Jeff opened ‘root & bone’ in 2014 to critical acclaim.

The East Village restaurant focuses on a regional garden-to-table experience, with ingredients consciously sourced locally from foragers, fishermen, farms and specialty purveyors who share their passion for producing only the highest quality seasonal products.

th, ecca Proud, Janine Boo Ebonee Hanna, Rebdia bone Clau Turner at root &

Head of Photography and tour leader Mr Anthony Urbini said the roots and ricotta sandwich, featuring honey roasted carrots, house made ricotta, melted tomatoes and carrot top pesto was a huge hit with the girls.

The visit to ‘root & bone’ was part of a much broader cultural immersion tour.

Mr Urbini said, “The Art and Photography tour takes place every second year and travels to Washington and New York for an immersion into the art world of these two great cities. Photography is a priority and there is never a shortage of opportunities to capture the essential New York.

“Sites visited in Washington include the Capital Building, the Museum of the Native American, Arlington, the National Portrait Gallery, the White House, Lincoln and Martin Luther King Monuments, and Georgetown, where a little shopping breaks the routine.

Capitol Building in Washin

gton

“On to New York and expectations ran high. The girls are always keen to visit all those places so familiar to them on their favourite movies and TV shows, but among the favourite activities engaged in were the Brooklyn Street art walking tour, visits to the Metropolitan Museum and Museum of Modern Art and viewing the 9/11 Memorial,” Mr Urbini said.

Principal Meg Melville said College tours were often eye-opening experiences for the girls.

“These tours provide the most wonderful opportunities to take our students beyond the curriculum and to see what might be possible post-school.”

Arlington Cemetery in Washington

HEART

Getting a head start in Year 7 Starting out in Year 7 can be a daunting prospect for even the most confident girl, which is why Penrhos offers a comprehensive orientation and transition program that aims to make each girl feel safe, secure and supported. Key to this is the Year 7 Early Start Day, designed to familiarise girls with their new environment, meet other girls and help calm those first day nerves.

Assistant Dean of Pastoral Care Mrs Kate Gillam said starting Secondary School was a major life event for most students.

“Many students experience a variety of emotions, behaviours and concerns around their transition. These concerns are not isolated to the students alone, and parents and caregivers can also experience apprehension about the impending move from a primary school to a secondary schooling environment.”

Early Start Day takes place the Friday before Term 1 commences. All new students are assigned a buddy from the existing Year 6 cohort, who makes contact with the new student in the weeks leading up to Early Start Day. The girls come to the College, meet key staff, their buddies, Form teachers and other Form students. The day involves activities designed to assist with building relationships, a tour of the campus, morning tea and lunch as a cohort, and a variety of practical activities for fun and enjoyment.

The girls attend several interactive workshops on the day, including Travel Diary, What to Pack, Stop-Revive-Survive and Girl World, designed to provide them with strategies to ease their transition to Secondary School.

Head of Year 7 Mrs Laura Rutherford said, “Early Start Day gives our Year 7s the chance to have the campus to themselves for a day, get a feel for the layout, and ensures they have some familiar faces for their first official day of school.

We find it helps the girls feel more assured and comfortable coming into the College on the Monday, and do all we can to reassure them that it’s normal to feel nervous, that everyone is in the same boat, and that Penrhos is a friendly, welcoming environment where people are always happy to help.”

Feedback from our Year 7s

Year 7 students are always asked to provide their feedback on Early Start Day – here’s what they had to say this year…

“I thought today would be an amazing day, but it was even better than I expected! It was an awesome experience! My favourite part was when we learnt how to deal with anxiety because it really, really helped me.”

“This was awesome! I learnt to breathe, breathe, breathe and BE THE TREE! Plus you taught us how to relieve stress, how to set goals and don’t talk behind other girls’ backs.”

“Bec was super funny and she really inspired me. I learnt today that school is not all about popularity or looks – it’s important to be happy.”

“Getting to write things in everyone’s diaries was awesome today. The tips I’m taking away from today are to be open, be friendly, be positive, be inclusive and take ten minutes every day for myself.”

“I really loved Becca’s enthusiasm today and she showed me that there are a lot of people in the school who will help you, and that many of the people in my year have similar fears to me.”

“I loved reading the comments in my book today from my Form friends because they said really nice things about me. I also liked the message today that you don’t have to be friends with everybody, but you do have to be friendly.”

Winter 2015 15

16 Winter 2015

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Rolling out the red carpet This year’s Amanda Young Fair featured an element of glamour thanks to the Hollywood theme, and saw the Margaret Way Courtyard come alive with giant-sized Oscar statues.

There were plenty of activities on offer on what is always a day of fun for a wonderful cause – the Amanda Young Foundation, established and named in honour of the past Penrhos student (class of 1996) who tragically contracted meningococcal disease and died at the tender age of 18.

Girls took the opportunity to partake in the raffle, sausage sizzle, sponge throwing, fairy floss machine, performance items, taking pictures with movie stars (through the clever use of green screen technology), cake stalls, and more.

Student Council Secretary Caitlin Hughes said the Amanda Young Fair was a team effort.

“Working with the other girls on the Student Leadership Team to create such a fun day for everyone, it was really great to see everyone come into their own, in their way. Also, getting to be so creative with our decorations and ideas was a lot of fun. We had huge Oscar statues and big rolls of ‘film’ in the Margaret Way Courtyard. It was a lot of fun watching people take photos with them on the day.

“A giant thank you to [Head of Year 12] Mr Leech. He was awesome throughout the whole process and just supported us in anything we wanted to do. Also, a thank you to the girls of the Student Leadership Team who organised such an incredible day.

Barry Young, Lorraine Young, and Mrs Melville with guest speakers

Meg

“This year we raised about $7,000 for the Amanda Young Foundation, and we had the privilege of presenting the check to Barry and Lorraine Young at an assembly in early Term 2,” Caitlin said.

HOLLYWOOD HAIR DAY Junior School students showed their creative flair and generous spirit at Hollywood Hair Day in March.

Pastoral & Service Learning Leader Ms Sue Neale organised the event as a way of ensuring the Junior School could contribute towards fundraising for the Amanda Young Fair.

“The idea for Hollywood Hair Day was in direct response to the Amanda Young Fair theme of Hollywood. Unfortunately, the Junior School students were unable to attend the Fair this year due to a clash on the calendar.

Poppy Valentine-Louttit, Abby Philip

“However, we wanted to support this College event and organised students to take part in a Hollywood Hair day for a gold coin donation,” Ms Neale said.

A variety of hair styles were on show spanning many themes and decades.

“Some students wore Disney character hairstyles, including Pocahontas and Rapunzel, to more glamorous and sophisticated Academy Award movie star hairstyles. It was all very exciting and the students really got into the spirit of the day,” Ms Neale said.

Hollywood Hair Day in the Junior School

Tahlia de Kok, Caitlin Mia

s

Winter 2015 17

HEART

Don’t You Know It’s Magic?

This year’s Music Gala Night took on a mystic theme, entitled ‘Don’t You Know It’s Magic?’, which saw the audience entertained by professional illusionists and magicians in the foyer prior to the show, as well as some student and staff magic tricks performed on stage between items – executed to varying degrees of success, but all highly entertaining!

The Music Gala Night is a truly whole school concert event, involving performers from all large ensembles from both the Junior and Secondary Schools.

Director of Music Mr Paul McCarthy said, “It is a rare occasion for us to see on the same stage on the same night, the full developmental continuum of music across the College, and it is really exciting to see the level of musical depth and talent we have here at Penrhos. This concert event has sold out the last three years, becoming a highly sought after and anticipated concert event on the Penrhos calendar.”

Each year, the annual Music Gala Night is based on a theme, from which all music performed is chosen. Recent themes have included 2012 ‘Music Galah Night – Let the Animals Run Free’, where the foyer was turned into a 49 animal petting zoo for all audience and performers to interact with. 2013 was ‘A Night at the Oscars’, complete with the three metre high Oscar statues and all music chosen from Oscar nominated movies.

2014 was ‘All You Need is Love’, a Beatles commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their arrival in Australia.

From the Intermediate Jazz Orchestra performing Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by The Police, to the Guitar Ensemble performing Witchy Woman by the Eagles, the theme was evident throughout the entire program.

When asked about the theme for 2016, Mr McCarthy said, “You will have to wait and see…but cryptically, ‘you would have to travel far and wide to see another night like the 2016 Music Gala Night will be!’”

A VISIT FROM THE LITTLE OWL Junior School students had a special visitor in March, when a little owl came to stay in the courtyard for a day.

Holly wins state composition accolade Year 12 student Holly Broadbent has been selected to represent WA in the Australian Society for Music Education’s (ASME) Young Composers Project for 2015 for her competition string quartet entry. Holly will receive composition lessons from a Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) composition staff member and will be flown to Adelaide to hear her work premiered by the Australian String Quartet at the ASME National Music Conference in the September school holidays. Best wishes, Holly!

The owl was spotted by Year 3 student Avril Holt and her dad in the morning, and remained in the small courtyard tree all day, attracting many admirers.

Personal Assistant to Head and Deputy Head of Junior School Michelle James said, “He was visited during the day by many students, classes, staff and parents. He was photographed a lot, especially after school by parents. It was a job to keep everyone quiet and still around the tree – our signs helped a bit. He hardly moved a muscle all day, just lifting a leg now and then to rest it.”

The owl remained in the Junior School courtyard tree until about 7pm, when he flew over to the roof above the Year 2 class, before taking off to the south.

Holly Broadbent

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Year 11 swimmer Eleni Reidy-Crofts

2015 Swimming season Term 1 is swimming season at Penrhos and girls of all ages took to the pool with great enthusiasm.

From team novelty events to competitive races, the swimming carnivals offer something for everyone, with an emphasis on participation and House spirit.

The season culminated in Penrhos hosting the IGSSA Swimming Carnival at Challenge Stadium in March, requiring an army of more than 100 staff and student volunteers. Penrhos swimmers excelled in the pool, taking out fourth place.

Principal Mrs Meg Melville said, “We are enormously proud of all members of our Swimming Team who performed so well to gain fourth place (from seventh place in 2014) at the IGSSA Swimming Carnival. Penrhos College also received high praise from the IGSSA Executive Officer for the efficient and effective hosting of this event.”

2015 IGSSA SWIMMING RESULTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

St Hilda’s 1,020 Iona Presentation College 997.50 Santa Maria 953 Penrhos 838 St Mary’s 787.50 Presbyterian Ladies’ College 784 Methodist Ladies’ College 778 Perth College 765

2015 INTERHOUSE SWIMMING RESULTS Overall 1 2 3 4

Athens Troy Sparta Rome

Year 7-9 1 2 3 4

Athens Troy Sparta Rome

Year 10-12 1 2 3 4

Troy Sparta Athens Rome

BODY

Winter 2015 19

PENRHOS SETS THE STANDARD IN FITNESS Junior School students at Penrhos College received an excellent report card after their recent participation in the Sports Challenge Australia fitness testing program.

The fitness testing was undertaken in response to new research by the University of Western Australia – the biggest of its kind in the world – which showed an alarming decline in the skills, fitness and flexibility of children aged six to 12 since the early 1980s.

The testing was coordinated by Dr Garry Tester, CEO of Sports Challenge Australia and an Adjunct Professor of Pedagogy (Child Development) in the School of Sports Science, Exercise and Health at the University of Western Australia.

Dr Tester said, “Penrhos College was the first out of the blocks with the testing of their entire Junior School in Years 1 to 6. It was apparent from the first class tested, that having two highly trained and matriculated Physical Education (PE) staff has built a fantastic attitude to PE in all of the girls.”

Junior School students were tested in a fun-filled and non-threatening environment on aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility, and various sporting skills that focused on fundamental movement and ball skills.

“Under the stewardship of the Head of Physical Education, Kenrick Armitage, a passionate professional, the girls breezed through the Sports Challenge seven item fitness testing. Even in the oppressive heat of the Perth summer, we were amazed by the enthusiasm and commitment each girl gave to the testing.

“With the Sports Challenge research covering over 33,000 children from around Australia, it was clear at Penrhos, the girls have the right attitude and skill development to do very well in their PE studies and sporting pursuits now and into the future,” Dr Tester said.

The highly acclaimed Sports Challenge program provided the school with valuable data and feedback for both teachers and parents regarding various fitness levels of the Junior School girls. All parents received a comprehensive report of their children’s fitness levels, with comparisons to Australia wide averages by gender and age.

Sports Challenge Programs Coordinator Deanna Smith said, “It was such a pleasure for our testing team to come to a school where the staff, parents and children are committed to a healthy and physical lifestyle. The bar has been set for others to follow.”

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Penrhosians continue to Run for a Reason Penrhos has a proud record of participation in the HBF Run for a Reason, spanning all six of these events since 2010, and this year was no different with a record 83 Penrhos team members.

This year the HBF Run for a Reason exceeded 31,000 participants, making it the largest community run in Western Australia, behind the City to Surf.

The timing of the Run for a Reason ties in well with the Cross Country season and has been extremely popular with runners in the Penrhos community, including students, staff and parents.

“As a Penrhos community event, I always encourage as many Penrhos students, staff and parents to be involved by registering as part of the Penrhos Team. In keeping with the name of the event, our girls also dedicate their run to ‘a special reason’ or event in their lives,” Mr Fandry said.

Dean of Co-Curricular Mr Norbert Fandry said the runners have enjoyed great success in the event.

“Over the years, Penrhos girls – mainly the Cross Country squad members – have supported the event in large numbers and have really enjoyed the atmosphere, the growing numbers as well as the competition. Penrhos has had numerous girls at the front of the 4km race and winning prizes.

“The event is well placed for our Cross Country squad as it falls in the middle of the season and gives our girls an excellent goal to strive for. Our girls are encouraged to run the 4km course, as this distance is suitable for their age and the distance they need to run for their interschool competition. However, quite a number have seen the 14km as a challenge and have been very successful over that distance,” Mr Fandry said.

gton, Georgia Keeffe

Leah Varone, Isabelle Browne, Tayla Rimin

Athletes shine at Nationals Three Penrhos athletes represented Western Australia at the National Junior Championships held in Sydney in March.

Year 9 students Bella Reeves and Caitlin Blackman and Year 10 Stephanie Levy competed across several events and achieved excellent results.

Dean of Co-Curricular Mr Norbert Fandry said, “It’s a long time since we have had such amazing results at a national level.”

Congratulations to the girls on the following national achievements: Bella Reeves (Year 9) Under 15 National Champion and Gold medalist, 200m Hurdles National Silver medalist, 90m Hurdles National Bronze medalist, Triple Jump 100m representative Long Jump representative Caitlin Blackman (Year 9) Under 16 National Silver medalist, Long Jump National Silver medalist, Triple Jump Stephanie Levy (Year 10) Under 17 Discus representative and finished in Top 10 Bella Reeves , Caitlin Blackman

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Penrhosians excel in hockey championships Penrhos College students, both past and present, have achieved excellent representation in state level hockey.

Year 9 Caitlin Cooper and Year 11 Sienna Archer both competed in the National Hockey Championships. Caitlin represented Western Australia in the Under 15 Team at the Girls’ National Championships held on the Gold Coast in April, taking out the silver medal.

Sienna represented Western Australia in the Under 18 Team at the Womens’ National Championships, held in Adelaide in April, taking out the bronze medal. Penrhos College 2014 Leavers Danielle Bestall, Emma Reid and Jamee Thomas were also part of this Under 18 team.

Sienna Archer and Caitlin

Fun with Loose Parts Play Junior School girls got to try something a bit different at playtime when Loose Parts Play was introduced at Penrhos in Term 1.

Loose Parts Play is part of the broader Nature Play initiative being implemented in the Junior School, and involves an eclectic collection of natural and manufactured, recycled or recyclable materials, known as ‘Loose Parts.’

Nature Play Coordinator Dominee Carr said, “Loose Parts Play is a springboard for quality play opportunities, which in turn help children build and develop skills and characteristics essential for their journey through life.

“Loose parts are not toys. They are items with no defined use that can be moved, adapted, controlled, changed and manipulated. Loose Parts come with no instructions; rather, they invite children to use their own imagination and creativity and develop their own play scripts.”

“Loose Parts Play provides plenty of creative and decision-making opportunities: to build, to invent, to choose, to collaborate, to consider, and so on. Loose Parts Play suits each individual child’s level – so that a ‘just right’ challenge level can be attained by many kids of different ages, at the same time.”

Learning Technologies Coordinator Mr Nathan Ducker said, “Loose Parts Play has been brilliant. We’ve seen physics experiments in the playground, and the lower oval has never been so active with students engaged in collaborative, creative and imaginative games, plus a chance for contribution and responsibility at pack up time. Loose Parts Play provides potential for lots of high quality ‘teachable moments’.

“We had a shared vision of Loose Parts Play being representative of STEM in the playground and an opportunity to develop collaboration, self-regulation, real work problem solving and innovation, knowledge construction and skillful communication,” Mr Ducker said.

The loose parts took over the Junior School oval for several days over the introduction, and the girls wasted no time demonstrating their creativity, producing makeshift wagons, games – even a setting for a tea party!

Cooper

22 Winter 2015

SPIRIT

Flipping good fun for a cause Penrhos students had the opportunity to mark the last day before Lent with Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) in February.

Run by the Chaplaincy department, Pancake Day is traditionally the last day to eat all the flour, eggs and dairy products in the kitchen before the start of Lent – a time of abstinence and reflection in the 40 days before Easter. The European custom of making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday was one way to use up these ‘luxury’ items.

Pancake Day in the Margare

t Way Courtyard

Chaplain Emma said, “Pancake Day was a great success thanks to the tireless efforts of our army of volunteers from the Auxiliary who cooked over a thousand pancakes for many students and staff at the College to enjoy. Thank you very much to everyone involved.”

The Penrhos Auxiliary volunteers even featured on the UnitingCare national facebook page, where they were acknowledged for their efforts.

Zoya Neelakantam, Charlotte Sceresini, Elizabeth Morris

Como IGA on Preston Street donated the pancake mixture and maple syrup, ensuring the cost outlay was very low and the full $1,035 raised could be donated to UnitingCare West.

“I have asked that the College’s donation be given to programs involving small children such as neglect and abuse prevention programs, good nutrition education and breakfast programs, and pregnant teenager programs,” Chaplain Emma said.

LAOS DAY

This year saw the introduction of Laos Day, an overseas community service fundraiser initiated and run by a group of passionate students in aid of their upcoming trip to Laos in November.

The concept was introduced by Year 11 student Tess Clafton with assistance from Year 11 student Kate Fortina, and designed to raise as much money as possible to assist with community aid work the girls plan to carry out during the trip.

The group hosted Laos Day in April and raised money through free dress day donations, a raffle and food stalls, raising just over $2,000.

Volunteers from Penrhos Auxiliary

Laos Tour Coordinator Mr Keith Reynolds said these funds would go a long way to making a contribution in Laos.

“Every cent raised by the girls goes towards project work. On our last trip to Laos, girls used the funds raised to build a classroom and dormitory for students who had to walk up to three hours to get to school, and this allowed them to stay the week and study. We hope to contribute something just as valuable on our upcoming trip.”

The popularity of the biennial community service tour has grown with each trip. 15 students went to Vietnam on the inaugural trip, 25 students took part in the 2011 trip to Borneo, 35 visited Laos in 2013 and 51 will attend the upcoming trip.

“We have seen so much interest from the girls in broadening their horizons and really being part of something bigger. It’s fantastic to see such an enthusiastic response for a trip where the girls really do have to ‘rough it’ and step way outside their comfort zone in order to help others.

Kate Fortina and Tess Clafton

Fairy floss machine

“Still to come is Junior School Laos Day, which will be more activity-based. It’s been great for the girls to be able to involve the whole school in their fundraising endeavours, and to see the wonderful level of support they’ve had. We will also be doing other fundraising activities within our four groups outside of school, including a car boot sale,” Keith said.

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Chaplain Emma Matthews

EASTER SERVICE This year’s Easter Service explored the theme, ‘God’s gift to us all,’ and was a true collaborative effort between staff and students across the whole of K-12.

From Year 1 students dressed up as life-size gifts to the Sotto Voce Choir singing ‘The Gift’, the theme of sharing and receiving was evident across the service.

Chaplain Emma coordinates and presents the Easter Service each year, and said it was the result of extensive collaboration between different parts of the College.

“We hold our whole College Easter Service in the Sports Centre as it is the only inside area large enough to hold students, staff, family and Penrhos community members who attend. As the only whole College event on the Penrhos calendar, it was wonderful to have so many students from across the school involved this year. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to everybody who gave us the gift of their time and creative energy to make this a wonderful service of hope and celebration.

Year 10 dancers

“The Year 1 girls looked very cute and special in their gift boxes and the Year 3 girls did a great job with the dramatic Bible reading. Year 10 Dance students moved us with their powerful and emotive dances as the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection was told through music, dance and drama.

“Selected Year 10 Drama students worked beautifully with Year 1 girls in rehearsals and during the service. Thank you to all of them for giving the Year 1 girls the gift of assistance and gentleness. The string orchestra amazed us all with the musical prowess of so many students at the College, and the magnificent choirs set the scene for the whole service. Gladys Chua, our new accompanist, did a great job learning all the music and playing so beautifully at the service.”

Guests had the opportunity to participate in an offertory at the conclusion of the service, with donations going towards sponsoring disadvantaged children in suburbs close to Penrhos and those in Vanuatu through the Rotary Club’s ‘World Festival of Magic’, PCYC ‘Circus Quirkus’, Lions Club ‘Razzamatazz’, WA Special Needs Children’s Christmas Party and the UnitingWorld Cyclone Pam Relief Appeal. A total of $1,478.15 was raised at the Easter Service for these worthy causes and all monies donated have been forwarded to the nominated organisations.

Year 1 dressed as gifts

Audience participation

24 Winter 2015

SPIRIT

Honouring ANZAC Day Justine Tanner, Savannah Clee

Year 12 students Savannah Clee and Justine Tanner had the honour of representing the College at the City of South Perth sub-branch of the Returned and Services League (RSL) ANZAC Day Service in the City’s Memorial Gardens, as part of this year’s ANZAC centenary.

In reflecting on the value of peace, Savannah said, “Peace is omnipotent. It touches every walk of life, blind to the massively perceived dangers of race, gender, or socioeconomic difference.

Peace is the guardian to freedom, and the prerequisite to total happiness. Peace is all of us – therefore, it means everything.”

Savannah and Justine spoke about ‘The Value of Peace’ and ‘What ANZAC Day Means to Me,’ respectively.

Both girls said it was a fitting tribute to the ANZAC spirit, and they were honoured to take part.

Speaking about what ANZAC Day meant to her, Justine said, “ANZAC is about the fearless dedication and courage shown by all soldiers, in the face of grave danger. I believe that it is also the mateship which bonded those serving in unimaginable circumstances, and continues to unite all soldiers throughout the country, and the never-ending dedication and perseverance which echoes throughout the actions of every soldier which should also be commemorated on ANZAC Day. It is these qualities which I believe have become a quintessential part of our Australian identity – as I believe that as Australians we adopt and reflect these behaviours.”

“ANZAC Day in South Perth was a lovely experience. We were given the opportunity to lay a wreath on behalf of the school and I delivered a speech on my thoughts regarding the value of peace.

It was a fitting way to remember those who have sacrificed for Australia and experience a strong community spirit,” Savannah said.

“I was honoured and felt very privileged to speak at the ANZAC Day service, and I was very proud to speak on behalf of Penrhos at the service. I was very glad that I had the opportunity to share my thoughts on ANZAC, and its meaning to me,” Justine said.

Loose Change adds up Spare change can change lives – that is the message being promoted by Year 12 student Sharin Attamimi as part of her Piggy Bank Project.

Sharin initiated the project as a way of giving the girls an opportunity to participate in a more autonomous fundraising project that would make a difference, without the pressure of a specific deadline.

“Being a high school student, I know that at times it can be hard to find time to actually step back and make time to make a difference in someone else’s life. Through this project I aim to give the girls of Penrhos an opportunity to be involved in a self-paced project with no deadlines in which they feel they are making a difference in the world.

“Many community service programs only have one cause that the money goes to, so I wanted to create one program that provides various choices for causes and charities, allowing the girls to donate to something they really care about,” Sharin said.

Students collect a money tin from Student Services, fill it with loose change from home, family or friends, and return the tin when it’s full to the marked line.

Participants can choose to support one of six nominated charities: • 20/20/20 – Restoring vision to 20 million blind children and adults around the globe • Aisyiyah Orphanage – Providing for orphans in Surabaya, Indonesia • Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition – Finding solutions to end malnutrition • Big Cat Appeal – Saving the Bengal Tiger, Puma and Jaguar, all at risk of extinction • Hand in Hand for Syria – Providing humanitarian aid since conflict began in 2011 • Amnesty International – Refugees’ Human Rights “The Piggy Bank Project aims to provide girls with an opportunity to make a difference in a cause of their choice,” Sharin said.

Alessia Maio, Sharin Attamimi, Diana Do

Winter 2015 25

SPIRIT

JULIA ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO ‘DO IT IN A DRESS’ Year 12 student Julia Beard has raised $3,767 to give women and girls in Sierra Leone access to education through scholarships, school rehabilitation projects, and business training – all thanks to her hugely successful ‘Do It In A Dress’ campaign.

This amount will fund the education of 12 girls for 12 months and Julia plans to make her commitment to this cause ongoing.

Julia hosted the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Movie Night fundraiser in April at Curtin University’s outdoor cinema in a school dress, in support of girls’ education.

“I believe that all girls, no matter their ethnicity, age or birthplace, have the right to an education. I think we are all hungry to help and hungry for change but sometimes we don’t know how to get involved nor how to make change happen. I aim to give people a way to influence a cause close to my heart, as I believe that we should use our privilege to aid those less fortunate,” Julia said.

Proceeds go to One Girl, a non-profit organisation founded in 2009 by Melburnians Chantelle Baxter and David Dixon. One Girl works in Sierra Leone, West Africa, to give girls access to education through their ‘Back To School’ program. So far One Girl has provided 200 girls across Sierra Leone scholarships to attend school.

“The event was an immense success in my eyes, I am so thankful to all those who helped make it possible, and am extremely appreciative to all who donated. It is a surreal feeling to know that the money I raised will significantly impact the lives of 12 girls, and give them an education that they truly deserve,” Julia said.

There are over 66 million girls in the world who are not in school and in Sierra Leone only one in six girls gets the opportunity to attend high school. 23% of adolescent women are in marriages or unions, meaning a girl is more likely to be a child bride than to attend school.

Julia Beard

“Ferris Bueller is a cult hero who takes a day out to appreciate how good his life is.

I don’t think that we should skip school, however I do believe that we too should get our heads out of our technology and enjoy the privilege of living in an affluent society. Once we realise how good we’ve got it, I hope people will be inspired to create the same standard of living for those in third world countries,” said Julia.

Erin wins Premier’s Australia Day Active Citizenship Award Year 11 student Erin Robertson was awarded the Premier’s Australia Day Active Citizenship Award for a person under 25 years in the City of South Perth in January. This is the second year in a row this prestigious award has been presented to a Penrhos student.

Erin received this year’s award for being a strong advocate for community service and creating the Lovely Hearts Project at the College.

City of South Perth Mayor Sue Doherty said, “Erin is a strong advocate for community service and has created the Lovely Hearts Project at Penrhos College. This project encourages students to make felt toys for people who are feeling down and would benefit from a little cheering up.

“She has been involved with Piney Lakes, Little Hands Festival, World Vision and the 40 Hour Famine. Erin also volunteers her time to making dolls for the Uthando Doll Project in Africa and making rugs for foster children.”

Erin said she was surprised but pleased to receive the award.

“Receiving the Australia Day Active Citizenship Award was quite a surprise. I hadn’t known Miss Poetschka had entered several students in, and I believed another girl was more worthy of the award. I think I was more shocked than happy, but I was pleased in the end,” Erin said.

Erin Robertson

26 Winter 2015

SUPPORT GROUPS & COMMUNITY

P&F Family Barbecue The P&F Family Barbecue is the biggest event on the College’s community calendar, and 2015 was no exception. A perfect summer’s day set the scene for another hugely successful event, which could not have happened without the hard work of the P&F Committee and their army of helpers. Thank you to everyone who came along and helped out on the day!

Rutherfords become Australian Citizens Head of Year 7 Mrs Laura Rutherford, her husband Scott, and their Penrhosian daughters (Sophia, Year 2 and Lauren, Kindergarten) recently became Australian Citizens at a special ceremony in South Perth in May. Mrs Rutherford said, “It was an emotional moment when we took the pledge to become Australian Citizens this evening. The ceremony was lovely and both [City of South Perth Mayor] Sue Doherty and [Member for South Perth] John McGrath were there. Sophia and Lauren said the highlight for them was getting a native plant.”

The Rutherfords commenced at Penrhos in 2011 soon after their arrival from the UK. ty

The Rutherfords with Mayor Sue Doher

Come and see Penrhos in action!

We invite prospective families and students to join us for a Tour Morning in 2015. You will have the opportunity to meet Principal Meg Melville, senior staff, students, and tour the College campus.

Please join us for one of the dates below: Thursday, 13 August at 9am Tuesday, 27 October at 9am Wednesday, 25 November at 5.30pm (Twilight Tour) Bookings can be made online via the College website: www.penrhos.wa.edu.au For more information, please contact the Marketing & Community Relations office on (08) 9368 9517 or email feedback@penrhos.wa.edu.au

SUPPORT GROUPS & COMMUNITY

Winter 2015 27

KATE GRENVILLE VISITS PENRHOS

The College was honoured to host bestselling author Kate Grenville to launch her new book, ‘One Life: My Mother’s Story’, in April, in partnership with Dymocks Garden City.

Kate Grenville

The launch was held in the newly refurbished Library and featured Kate Grenville in conversation with State Director of the Australian Writers’ Centre Alecia Hancock. The event was attended by around 100 guests, who got to hear the author’s views on the creative process, defining success and feminism.

‘One Life’ was built from many fragments of a memoir, left behind by Kate’s mother when she died. The book tells the story of a woman whose life spanned a century of tumult and change, and in many ways, echoes that of many mothers and grandmothers, for whom the spectacular shifts of the twentieth century offered a path to new freedoms and choices.

Kate explained to the audience that it took 27 drafts to reach a point where she felt ready to release the book.

Proceeds from ticket sales on the day were put towards the Discovery Book Club, run by The Department for Child Protection and Family Support (Cannington District).

Adorabears By Sue For the last few years Sue Manson (Harvey) 1985 has been hard at work throughout September and October making these beautiful commemorative gifts for our Penrhos leavers.

Sue is happy to take orders for this year’s leaving group and also from girls in previous graduating years who still have their uniforms. The purchaser must provide a Penrhos shirt or dress that has a crest on it (not faded or thread worn) and other uniform items they would like to see utilised on the bear (ie. tie, socks).

Sue says that it doesn’t matter if the uniform has stains on it as she can usually work around them, however, the better quality uniform piece, the better quality bear. The purchaser may opt for any design of their choice (ie. tie on the ears or paws etc).The bear seen in the photo, pictured right, is priced at $80.

Sue can be contacted at adorabearsbysue@live.com.au or visit her Facebook page ‘Adorabears by Sue’ to have a look at the range of bears available.

28 Winter 2015

FOUNDATION

From the FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

We have advertised the 2015 Foundation Funding Scheme to Parent Support Groups, and look forward to offering further support to the College community.

Board membership We would like to thank Kelley Yeats who joined the Board in 2012 for her service. Kelley resigned at the end of 2014 and we are grateful for the expertise and professionalism she brought to the Board.

This year we welcomed Tom Esze onto the Board. Tom is a licensed real estate agent with some 28 years’ experience in the industry, as well as being a licensed general auctioneer of approximately 2,500 auction calls. He has served as a board member and senior vice president of REIWA, as well as chairing various committees and dispute resolutions throughout his real estate career. Prior to entering into real estate in 1987, Tom served as a soldier in the Australian Armed Forces for six years. Tom has a daughter, Charlotte, in Year 5.

Community The Year 12 Father Daughter dinner, held in August, was again sponsored by the Foundation. This event was held on campus for the second time and feedback from the girls and their dads indicated it was an enjoyable evening.

Sondra Anderson with daughter Caris

The Foundation Board has recently conducted a number of strategic planning sessions to determine our purpose and vision for the long term.

Our Purpose – Accumulate, preserve and manage a corpus of funds from which the income generated will be used for the long term benefit of the College.

Our Vision – To ensure the long term sustainability of independent girls’ education at Penrhos College by building a culture of giving.

2014 was a productive year for the Foundation, and I take this opportunity to summarise the highlights.

Foundation funding The Foundation disbursed $485K for the benefit of the College and support community in 2014, allocated as follows: • Bursaries – $141K ($132K in 2013) • Penrhos property refurbishment – $334K, a reduction of $247K compared to 2013, resulting from the completion of the expansion of the Early Learning Centre. Of the initial $3M committed, $2.1M has been paid to the College, with the remaining $900K being added to the existing Foundation investment portfolio for future growth. This $334K also includes $74K towards the refurbishment of Rixon Theatre.

• Penrhos College Alumni Association – $51K • Penrhosian production – $10K • Development Office – $29K In 2014 the Foundation approved three grants: • Boarders’ Netball Teams – $3,648 for the provision of new uniforms for Saturday Netball.

• Friends of Drama and Dance – $1,500 for fibreglass shop mannequins to display costumes worn in major drama shows in the Rixon Theatre foyer.

• The Rowing Parent Support Group – $5,000 to enable the purchase of eight Croker arrow, slim handled sweep oars.

Menrhos, which falls under the Foundation banner, had another successful year under the stewardship of Jonathan Shack, with assistance from the Marketing & Community Relations office. Last year’s events included Secondary School Dads and Daughters Breakfast, Junior School Movie Night, Year 5 Dads and Daughters Camp and Year 7 Dads and Daughters Camp.

In 2014 we launched the Rixon Theatre 20th Anniversary ‘Sponsor a Seat’ campaign. The 20 Premium seats sold within a fortnight of the launch, and we continued to see an enthusiastic response. The second phase of the campaign will launch soon, and we hope to see the Penrhos community continue to support this campaign and ‘sponsor a seat’.

The Foundation received a bequest from past staff member Mrs Betty Harman in May 2014. This bequest was the catalyst for initiating The Betty Harman Bequest Society, in consultation with Betty’s family, and the Foundation hopes to develop the Society and further promote bequest giving as a means of achieving its fundraising goals.

Finally, I would like to thank my fellow Board members for their continued contribution and efforts. All give significantly of their personal and business time and extremely valuable expertise. I thank them all sincerely.

Thanks also to • Ailish Breheny, for the preparation of the Financials • Michael Papali, Director of Finance & Administration • Rochelle Zaknich, Foundation Secretary • Various other members of the College staff who contribute from time to time.

Thanks also to Mrs Meg Melville, Principal, who makes time to include the Foundation Board meetings in her busy schedule.

Sondra Anderson FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

FOUNDATION

Winter 2015 29

Rixon Theatre 20th Anniversary Upgrade Project DONOR LIST The Penrhos College Foundation sincerely thanks the following donors for their generous support of the Rixon Theatre 20th Anniversary Upgrade Project. Your support will make great things possible.

The Alchin Family Sondra and Kimon Anderson The Annear Family The Baldock Family The Barlow Family Greg & Rachel Beard The Belke Family The Bereyne Family The Best Family Colin & Shelley Blair Graham & Susan Bradshaw David Broadbent Marilyn Burton Eilish Campbell Carol Carrigan (White) Anne Carter (Whitter) 1973, Sarah Hall (Carter) 2003 Nathan & Simone Chalmers The Cielak Family Briallen Clarke Helen Clee Peter & Danielle Collins The Comito Family Tony & Mia Connors Casandra Lee Cooke Emma Cornwall David, Karen & Kristyn Cronin Colleen Costello Mr & Mrs G Costello The Cudby Family Sally & Joanne Davies Carmel Dean Loretta Dease Lucy De Jesus & Tony Chamberlain Mrs Helen Dowzall Olivia & Zoe Everett Li & Ahmed Farghaly Susan Finch Derek & Melanie Fowler Jessica Fowles Patrica Fritz Geoff & Suzanne Gardiner The Gendall Family Bridget Godfrey

Ross & Annemarie Grafton Renae Grafton Jeanette & Lance Hacket & Family Mark & Susan Hampson Shani Hardwich Michelle Hargreaves Lynton Harman Camilla & David Holt Jada Huang The Huggins Family The Izzard Family M & G Jacka Evan & Caroline Jenkins Marianne John (Baker) The John Family Bob and Margaret Jones Sian & Alexa Kelly The Kermode Family Richard & Nadia King Eric Knight Thankam Kurup The Lassam Family Kay Lee Sauko Lewis Dr Boon Tock Lim Wilson & Debrah Jane Lim Taryn Lindsay Jean Louden Marilyn & David Macey Rebecca Williams (McCarthy) Genevieve McCarthy Emma McCarthy The McDonald Family Lisa & Guy Meade Meg Melville Morcombe Travel Elizabeth Morgan Judith Munns (Strapp) Pramod Nair Zoya & Rhea Neelakantam The Neoh Family Georgia Ng Eugenie Nicolandis

Arwen Ooi Daniel, Aleisha & Sienna Ord Panizza - G 2011, K 2016, E 2017 Judith Pilatti Penrhos College Alumni (Inc) Elena Priest Emily Priest Programmed Property Services The Raszyk Family Glenys Richards Claudia Rigg The Rixon Family 1986-2007 Lee-Ann Roberts Jennifer Robertson Maddie Russell The Schlink Family The Schwab Family Xanthe Shaw 2010, Persephone Shaw 2013 David, Joanne & Julianne Smith Lisa Smith The Spencer-Pepper Family Darren & Amanda Stammers Jenae Tilli Jess Troy Amber Tanna The Thompson Family, Newdegate The Tincey Family Raoul & Lesley Unger Jessica Velkovski AP & JA Vellios Ian Waite & Julia Waite Ruby Wallace Samantha Warenczak Tim & Tammy Wiles Laura Williams Isabelle, Juliette & Imogen Wilson Emma Wolmarans & Family The Yaksich Family The 2014 Year 6 Classes The Yeung Family Barry & Lorraine Young Rochelle Zaknich

It’s not too late to leave your mark We continue to receive expressions of interest to sponsor a seat in the Rixon Theatre, and it’s not too late to leave your mark on this special part of Penrhos.

Rixon Theatre seats are still available to sponsor for $500 (fully tax deductible), and include your personalised seat plaque and name on the honour board. Sponsoring a seat ensures your generosity will be recognised for many years to come and gives you and your family the opportunity to leave a tangible mark on the College.

Funds raised in the next phase of the Rixon Theatre Sponsor a Seat project will go to the Penrhos College Foundation to help us realise our vision of ensuring the long term sustainability of independent girls’ education at Penrhos College by building a culture of giving. To register your interest, please email sponsoraseat@penrhos.wa.edu.au or call the Marketing & Community Relations Office on (08) 9368 9517.

30 Winter 2015

ALUMNI

FROM THE

ALUMNI PRESIDENT Dear Penrhosians The year started off with our annual networking event, Shakers & Stirrers, held in conjunction with Wesley Old Boys at the Windsor Hotel. This was a very successful evening, with lots of reconnections made and new ones formed.

During 2015 we look forward to hosting the Alumni High Tea, the Careers Breakfast Round Table, the Year 12 Mother/ Daughter Dinner, Founders’ Day as well as the year group reunions.

We are also excited to present a Year 12 student with the Alumni Endeavour Award at the Flower Day assembly.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Val Pantin (Bennett) 1979 for many years of service to the Alumni committee, especially recently in the role of Treasurer. We are pleased to announce that Kristyn Cronin 2008 has been elected to fill the role of Treasurer. We also welcome Susan Macintosh (Cole) 1975 to the Committee as a general member.

Amanda Yaksich Alumni President

FOUNDERS’ DAY Penrhos College Alumni is once again proud to host the Penrhos Founders’ Day. This day of celebration commemorates the date the Methodist Trustees passed a resolution to purchase St Anne’s Girls’ School in South Perth, thus founding MLC South Perth.

Date: Tuesday, 4 August 2015 Venue: Penrhos College Chapel Time: 9.30am – 1.30pm We invite past students, staff and friends of Penrhos to join in the day’s festivities, including: • Chapel Service • Student assembly and performances • College tour • Light lunch Please RSVP online at www.penrhos.wa.edu.au /community/book-tickets or to alumni@penrhos.wa.edu.au for catering purposes.

This is a free event.

Winter 2015 31

ALUMNI

Shakers & Stirrers Friday, 13 February 2015 The Windsor Hotel, South Perth There was a great turnout at the annual Penrhos Alumni and Old Wesley Collegians networking event earlier this year.

Thanks to Wesley Alumni Manager Ian ‘Chook’ Fowler for his superior photography skills and the Old Wesley Collegians Association (OWCA) for helping to organise the evening.

Tracy Hernan (Terace), Rejeana Heatley-G Kareena Santoro (Verstegen) – Class of reen, 1992

Danne Reynolds (Walker), Simone Cornelius (Moor) Barrett (Brickwood), Shelley Carter (Brooks) – Class , Julie of 1989

Sue Kirk (Lindsey), Margot Michailides (Gardner), Julie Lindstedt (Price), Denise Muir (Van Abra) – Class of 1978

tt (Wright) 1984, Kate Driscoll Cate Pattison (Acaster) 1984, Jodie Evere 1979, Felicity Kermode 1984 lick Retal Ros , 1984 ney) (Malo

Amanda Yaksich (W

Rochelle Zaknich, Natalie Freeman 1984, Amanda Yaksich (Watson) 1976 , Kristyn Cronin 2008

Kim Quinlivan (Rawlings), Ros Smith (Jones), Sue Manson (Harvey) – Class of 1985

atson) 1976, Jonath

an Shack 1975

Helen Carr 1995, Graham Percival

Sue St Quintin,

78, Evan Hillard 19 78 19 k llic ta Re x Ale

32 Winter 2015

ALUMNI

Class of 1999 15 Year Reunion

Saturday, 14 November 2014 The 1999 girls gathered at The Balmoral Hotel for a relaxed night of catching up. Lots of lovely re-connections were made. The Penrhos Alumni wishes to thank Joanna Bracey (Oakes) for coordinating this successful event.

Nikki Chambers (Rainbird) and Penny Anderson

Megan Moyle (Matthews), Kelly Williams (Scott), Kelly Negus (Allen), Nikki Chambers (Rainbird), Leanne Swingler (Schmitz)

Kylie Wilkie (Weir), Rachel Bock (Adkin)

Becky Burns (Thrussell), Catherine Smith (Bowra), Kelly Negus (Allen)

Megan Moyle (Matthews), Soo-Li Yong, Samantha Wallace (Moore)

Anna Loader (Bernard), Sarah Hopps (Crawford)

Class of 2013 ‘Leavers’ Reunion Llew Woodford Function Centre, Penrhos College Friday, 20 March 2015 Penrhos College Alumni welcomed back to campus some of its newest members for their first reunion, their 18 month “Leavers” Reunion. The event provided the girls with an opportunity to catch up on the past 18 months since leaving Penrhos. Every Leavers Reunion is hosted and supported by the Penrhos College Alumni. Our thanks to representatives from the Alumni Committee, Kristyn Cronin 2008, Loretta Dease 1961, Ailsa Allen 1961 and Vicki Doherty 1970 for hosting the night.

Maddie Matthews, Georgia Yaksich

Steph Phua, Claudia Stephens, Annabel Standing

Jade Quirici, Isabel Michailides, Molly Atterton

Alex Spencer, Katie McDade, Kate Cahill

Shenae Cail, Dennika Reynolds, Abbie John

Christie Anderson, Nicola Raszyk, Maggie Johnson

ALUMNI

Winter 2015 33

A CHAT WITH... LAURA MCMAHON HIGGINS Laura McMahon Higgins (Blechynden) 2002 has had a busy few years. Since acquiring her own business at the age of 27 Laura went on to be awarded Telstra WA Young Business Woman of the Year in October 2014 and subsequently was listed as one of WA’s 40 under 40 earlier this year.

What have you been up to since graduating from Penrhos?

I graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2008 with a double degree in Law and Arts. After taking a gap year to travel, I began my career at Minter Ellison Lawyers working in the corporate advisory team. I then moved to Gilbert and Tobin Lawyers to a more specialised role working in mergers and acquisitions. After Gilbert + Tobin, I accepted a position with Bathurst Resources Limited as their Company Secretary & Legal Counsel, becoming one of a few people under 30 to hold a Company Secretary, Legal Counsel role in an ASX 200 company.

I left Bathurst to pursue my dream of owning my own business. I acquired Questamon at the end of 2012. Now I own and run Questamon, a company which provides national training and consulting services to the building, construction and mining industry. Questamon runs a range of training courses specifically written and developed for industry participants who required to work with contracts but have no legal background.

What has been your greatest achievement to date?

Definitely, taking the risk. I left a secure, well-paying job to take a huge risk and borrow money to buy a business. Since taking over Questamon, I have expanded it from a Western Australian business to a national business and doubled its profitability. I have also been named as Telstra’s Western Australian Young Business Woman of the Year in 2014 and as one of WA Business News’ 40 under 40, the group of leading business entrepreneurs under the age of 40 in 2015.

I am also very proud of the Indigenous Education Initiative that I launched in 2014. Questamon is committed to promoting education and training in the building, construction and mining industry. We have a particular focus on making our training accessible to all members of our community. Under our initiative, Indigenous people are welcome to come along to our general course at absolutely no cost. We hope that this initiative will provide employed people with additional qualifications so that they can progress to management positions and provide unemployed people with marketable and industry recognised qualifications to assist them in obtaining employment.

What’s next for you?

Questamon is keeping me very busy for the foreseeable future. The business took on a massive challenge expanding nationally, we have been received well in the Eastern States over the last year so my focus is definitely to solidify our presence there.

What is your fondest memory of Penrhos?

There are so many! School camps, Dramafest and our Year 12 common room were all highlights but the best thing about Penrhos is the lifelong friends you make.

34 Winter 2015

ALUMNI

OUT AND ABOUT Congratulations to Giz (Elizabeth) Watson 1974 who earlier this year was awarded an honorary doctorate by Murdoch University for her 16 year contribution to the WA State Parliament.

Watson joined the Greens WA party in 1990 and shortly afterwards became the co-convener of the party. Watson was elected to the state’s Legislative Council at the 1996 election, as a member for the North Metropolitan Region. She was reelected in 2001, 2005 and 2008. Watson gave her Valedictory speech to Parliament in May 2013.

Susan Thomas (Lees) 1997 graduated from Monash University with a Master of Laws (Juris Doctor) in 2013, and was admitted to practice in 2014. Susan currently works in the Professional Standards team at a large plaintiff law firm. In May 2014 Susan and husband Ashleigh welcomed the arrival of baby Daniel.

In 2011 Watson was recognised amongst WA’s 100 “Women of the Century” and she was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.

Hayley Lawrence 1989 and Rebecca Bowra 1998 are working together at Allion Legal. They are pictured here taking part in a corporate triathlon.

Kristyn Bowtell (Rowland) 1997 and husband Kris are pleased to welcome Amelia Rose Bowtell to the family, born in September 2014.

Ambre Hillier (Morris) 1991 and husband Michael were thrilled to welcome a second child to their family in late August 2014. A second son, the couple have named him Alexandre, the French version of Alexander and means that like his mum, he gets to go through life saying ‘that’s RE not ER...’ Big brother Loïc is now three and is loving having a younger brother to ‘guide’ through life. Ambre writes that seeing them so happy in one another’s company is a joy.

Cat Commander 2000 is now based in Melbourne but brought her play ‘You Took the Stars’ to the 2015 Perth Fringe World.

Bianca Thair 2000 and partner Drasko recently made it through to the finals of the Seven Network cooking show My Kitchen Rules. Bianca and Drasko have now moved to Sydney to pursue their food dream.

Kim Tyrer 1995 and Nigel Rowe welcomed a baby girl, Ava Lea Rowe in January 2015. Ava is pictured here with her very proud big brother, Jack.

Photo courtesy of The West Australian

ALUMNI

Winter 2015 35

What are our Alumni up to?

Caitlin Doughty 2000 and partner Rory became engaged in September 2014 in Santorini, Greece whilst travelling Europe.

Rory and Caitlin met whilst working in the Pilbara at the same mine site. The couple is looking forward to their wedding in November 2015.

Kate Denning 2007 was part of the Hockeyroos team that completed a tour of New Zealand in November 2014. During 2014 Kate also completed her medicine degree at UWA and was awarded the Alfred Nailor Jacobs Memorial Prize for the student who has shown outstanding ability and promise in Rural General Practice.

Photo courtesy of Hockeyroos

Alicia Minshull (Simpson) 2003 and her husband welcomed a baby boy Oliver Minshull in October 2014.

Alison Rothnie 2007 married Robert Evans in September 2014 in Perth.

Meg Keyes 2007 served as the Maid of Honour.

Congratulations to Sara Oteri 2005 for making it to the top 24 of MasterChef 2015. Sara left a career in Advertising in Melbourne to apply for the Network Ten program.

Rachel Potter (Hall) 2008 and husband Stuart have welcomed their first baby, Oliver in December 2014.

Congratulations to Bri Clark 2010 who received her first official play on triple J’s unearthed program earlier this year.

Photo courtesy of Network Ten

Alissa Pemberton 2006 married George Brown in November 2014 in Fremantle.

Alissa’s sister Sarah Pemberton 2004 served as Maid of Honour and Rachel Jones 2006 was a bridesmaid.

Photo courtesy of Scott Jennings

Erin Carter (2010) wrote and performed her show “Hell and Back”, with friends in The Stables Theatre at the 2015 Fringe World.

36 Winter 2015

ALUMNI

OUT AND ABOUT Clare Rodoreda 2005 married Tom Walshe at Voyager Estate, Margaret River in March. Several 2005 leavers attended the wedding. Clare’s mum Heather Rodoreda (Brede) 1976 also invited some her Penrhos friends. Philippa Jose (Edwards) 2005 served as Clare’s maid of honour.

From left to right Esther Dawkins, Jo Harris, Olivia Carter, Georgia Baker, Briallen Clarke, Nyomi Gunasekera, Maddie Russell, Victoria Spicer, Ashley Huston, Casey Harman, Emma Jeans, Prue Mercer, Anna Hedgcock, Alicia Marchesi In April the 2005 girls also travelled to Cape Lodge, Yallingup for the wedding of Philippa Jose (Edwards). Alicia Marchesi, Clare Walshe (Rodoreda) and Victoria Spicer served as Philippa’s bridesmaids.

From left to right Olivia Carter, Ashley Huston, Maddie Russell, Prue Mercer, Anna Hedgcock, Emma Jeans, Casey Harman, Georgia Baker, Danielle Richards, Nyomi Gunasekera Several Penrhos girls have migrated to the sunshine of the Kimberly region.

This photo is from the Derby Cup races in June 2014 and features the following old girls from left to right: Meaghan Richards (2004); Elisabeth Walters (2006); Courtney McKean (2007); Chantal Leflohic (2006); Caitlyn White (2006); Jessica Ellis (2006).

Caitlyn White writes that she was working as a junior doctor in Derby with Courtney McKean who is a Physiotherapist. Elisabeth Walters is working as a junior doctor in Broome. Notably missing from this photo are Georgie Laurisson (2007) and Sarah Duckworth (2004) who were also working up in Derby at the same time.

Abby Lovis 2009 was announced as the 2015 Maui Photo Expedition Scholarship Contest winner for this stunning image shot in Broome.

Abby is currently in her final year at RMIT Melbourne studying a Bachelor of Photography.

ALUMNI

Winter 2015 37

Old Penrhosians: Where Are They Now? The answer is Hand Works Occupational Therapy.

Hand Works OT is a business specialising in the treatment of hand injuries. With seven locations around the Perth metro area, there is a staff of 16. By chance, five of those staff happen to be past Penrhosians.

And because you can never have enough Penrhosians, Hand Works has regular Year 10 students from Penrhos on work experience.

Clearly the Penrhos connection is a strong one!

Alex Retallick (1978) is an Occupational Therapist and director of Hand Works, which has been operating since 2000. Suzanne Balding (Dixon) 1989 has just joined the business as the new practice manager. Stephanie Marchesi 2007 graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Science in OT in 2011 and joined Hand Works a year later. Rachel Ross 2008 has been a student at Hand Works on placement from Curtin University. She has completed a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and Physiology, and is now studying a Masters in OT. Rachel will graduate in July, and then join the Hand Works team as a qualified OT, working in hand therapy too. Anna Ross 2010 (no relation to Rachel) has completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, and is now studying a Bachelor of Law at Notre Dame University. Anna works at Hand Works as a fill in receptionist during her uni holidays.

ALUMNI BUSINESSES My Build Consulting

Sheran Dempster 2008 has recently launched a new business, My Build Consulting, which aims to support home owners to represent their interests with more confidence when dealing with residential builders. My Build Consulting’s unique service reduces stress, saves money, provides peace of mind, and generates practical solutions in problematic situations during the lifecycle of the build and beyond.

Sheran would like to provide the Penrhos community with a 10 percent discount on all consulting services.

Please visit www.mybuildconsulting.com.au or www.facebook.com/mybuildc

Amber Scobie Photography

“I wholeheartedly believe that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. And because life passes us by all too quickly, it is my greatest endeavour to take the glorious moments and turn them into works of art so that your stories can be relived and remembered long after the memories have faded.

My photography journey started in 1993 when I was in Year 10 at Penrhos and my love of the lens continued into my tertiary studies and led me to start my own business a four years ago.

My style is natural, simple and timeless. I believe every person, every event and every family has their own story to tell and there is great honour being invited to share in the milestones that make life worthwhile.

Living with my husband and young family in North Coogee, my two beautiful children, Alex and Addy, remind me constantly how important it is to cherish the moment, knowing this time will never be again so live the life you love.

If you and your family would love your greatest days transformed into everlasting imagery please feel free to contact me to secure a session or discuss my services further. I look forward to hearing from you.”

By Amber Scobie 1995 www.amberscobie.com.au www.facebook.com/AmberScobiePhotography

38 Winter 2015

ALUMNI

VALE, Rebecca Da Silva

By Rachel Clarke

Rebecca (Bec) came to Penrhos as a Year 10 boarder in 2007.

Bec was an extremely enthusiastic and ambitious person. She was also kind, warm and generous and because of this she had many friends.

She graduated from Penrhos in 2009 and commenced studying at UWA before transferring to Curtin Uni to study Commerce. She had one unit remaining.

Mexican-themed boarding house dinner ndson and Bec da Silva Kristy Egerton-Warburton, Kelsey Edmo

Bec’s life was tragically taken in the prime of her life after suffering cancer for 18 months.

Bec was truly inspirational to all who had the pleasure of knowing her, and she will be remembered for her beautiful smile and loving nature.

Bec will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

12.02.1992 – 11.03.2015

Final week Year 12 boarding dinner Ebony Rendell, Rachel Clarke and Bec da Silva

PENRHOSIANS IN GALLIPOLI Andrea McGuire (Braysich) 1987 with husband Steve, daughter Jane (current Penrhos Year 8 student), and son Toby, headed overseas on six week family trip in April/May. They visited family and friends in England, saw the sights of London and Paris, visited the WW1 battlefields of France and Belgium and watched the Badminton Horse Trials. The highlight of the trip for Steve and Jane was the eight day tour they did together of the Gelibolu (Gallipoli) battlefields, and attending the Gallipoli 100 ANZAC Day service. Jane was extremely humbled to meet VC recipient, Ben Roberts-Smith, at Lone Pine.

By Natalie Freeman 1984 “For many years I had always envisaged going to the 2015 Centenary ANZAC Day Service at Gallipoli.

I had read about the ballot and after discussing that with a work colleague we both applied and made a pact if either was successful, we would take the other. I promptly forgot about it until at the end of March 2014, when much to my surprise and delight, I received an email!

The build up to the Gallipoli service started at 4am on 24 April.

We boarded our bus, drove for a couple of hours and briefly stopped at Troy. By 11am we were in the ferry queue to cross the Dardenelles. We then arrived on the Gallipoli Peninsula and a multitude of security checkpoints followed. We moved to Mimosa Park, waiting for several hours for our bus number to be called. We were then on our way to the ANZAC Commemorative Site where the Dawn Service was being held.

The night was chilly, but apparently not as cold as it has been in the past. Whilst we weren’t particularly warm, we were not cold. I reflected on the first ANZACs and how cold they would have been when they jumped off the boats into the water, the adrenalin pumping keeping them going.

The night went quite quickly from about 8pm, with performances by the Australian Army Band and combined NZ Defence Force Band. Following that there were various

documentaries, interviews, and talks about different battles.

Around 5am the dignitaries arrived and the ‘Spirit of Place’ commenced with a traditional didgeridoo and a Maori Call to Gathering performance. The Dawn Service commenced at 5.30am and was very moving. We then left the ANZAC site for the 3km walk to Lone Pine for the Australian Memorial Service.

Following this service we stayed at Lone Pine and watched the televised Turkish Service and the Chanuk Bair New Zealand Service. We departed Lone Pine for Istanbul around 4pm, with a dinner break along the way, arriving back at our hotel around 9.45pm.

Turkey is an amazing place to visit if you get the chance, and our trip to Gallipoli was certainly a very moving experience. I feel very blessed to have been to have been a part of such a special occasion.”

Winter 2015 39

ALUMNI

Chunions The humble chunion was a staple of the Penrhos canteen for many years. We’ve lost count of how many times we’ve been asked for this recipe, and it has only just come to light. A big thanks to the mums of the 1985 leavers for this recipe.

ALUMNI EVENTS IN 2015 CLASS OF 2010 CATCH-UP Saturday, 27 June 2015 at 7pm The Windsor Hotel, South Perth CLASS OF 2000 CATCH-UP Saturday, 18 July 2015 at 7pm The Windsor Hotel, South Perth PENRHOS COLLEGE FOUNDERS’ DAY Tuesday, 4 August 2015 at 9.30am College Chapel, Penrhos College Past students, staff and friends of Penrhos welcome.

CLASS OF 1985 REUNION Saturday, 19 September 2015 at 7pm The Pagoda, Como CLASS OF 1995 REUNION Saturday, 17 October 2015 at 7pm Penrhos College CLASS OF 1975 REUNION Sunday, 18 October 2015 Details TBC CLASS OF 2005 REUNION Saturday, 14 November 2015 Details TBC Official invites are sent six weeks prior to the reunion.

Please contact the Alumni Relations & Events Officer via alumni@penrhos.wa.edu.au or (08) 9368 9539 to update your details or for any reunion enquiries.

Combined Independent Girls’ Schools Golf Day This year we celebrate the 50th year of the Combined Independent Girls’ Schools Golf Day. If you are an old girl from Penrhos or Kobeelya, a member of a Golf Club and have a handicap, we would love to hear from you! CIGS Golf Day is a fun day, playing Canadian Foursomes Stableford with your fellow Alumni.

Date: Monday October 12, 2015 Venue: Royal Perth Golf Club, South Perth If you would like to know more please contact Colette on 0412 246 343.

We’re now on the hunt for a recipe for the famous Pumpkin Scones! If you know the secret, do a kind deed for your fellow Penrhosians and share!

Email us at alumni@penrhos.wa.ed.au and we’ll publish the recipe in the next edition of the Penrhosian.

STAY IN TOUCH!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SCHOLARSHIP AND BURSARY RECIPIENTS FOR 2016 Nancy Thomas Scholarship Aleta Houden (South Perth Primary) Nahyun Kim (Manning Primary)

Register with our exclusive Penrhos Alumni Online Community at www.penrhos.wa.edu.au and keep up-to-date with all Alumni events, competitions, business discounts and more.

Harry Sorensen Scholarship Golshid Tarom (South Perth Primary) Harry Potter Scholarship Bianca Masters (Penrhos College) Isabelle Walton (Penrhos College)

Like our Page ‘Penrhos College’ or ‘Penrhos College Alumni’ at www.facebook.com

Raymond Perry Scholarship Emma John (Penrhos College) Margaret Way Alumni Scholarship Harriet Jones (Applecross Primary)

Follow us on Twitter: ‘PenrhosCollege’ or ‘PenrhosAlumni’ at www.twitter.com

Council Music Scholarship Charlotte Harvey-Lissienko (Penrhos College) Jean Atkinson Memorial Bursary Imogen Colquhoun (Penrhos College)

Join the Group ‘Penrhos College Alumni Inc’ or ‘Menrhos’ at www.linkedin.com

Foundation Bursary Samantha Watson (Melville Senior High School) Georgia Munns (Beacon Primary School) For more information on the scholarships and bursaries offered at the College, please visit our website.

Watch College videos at www.youtube.com/penrhoscollegewa

FEEDBACK

If you have any feedback on this edition of The Penrhosian or wish to submit photos or story ideas, please email feedback@penrhos.wa.edu.au.

6 Morrison Street, Como Western Australia 6152 | Locked Bag 690, Como Western Australia 6952 Tel: 08 9368 9500 Fax: 08 9368 9677 Email: enrol@penrhos.wa.edu.au www.penrhos.wa.edu.au A School of the Uniting Church in Australia ABN 33 834 165 805 CRICOS CODE 00444E