The Penrhosian No.68

Summer 2017 100003641

68

Shaping character through education

From the Principal Much of our discussion amongst the College leaders this year has been around what constitutes “a good education”; what is it that we want our girls to leave Penrhos with in the way of skills and attributes? Not surprisingly, the wisdom of the ancient philosophers often crops up, notably the Greek philosophers of Aristotle and Plato. Plato espoused a view of education as being not only the cultivation of skills or knowledge, but of character, of striving to fulfill the highest ideals of human existence; he believed that education developed a good person and a good person behaves nobly. Aristotle believed that educating the mind without the heart is no education at all. So, a good education is one that develops not only one’s intellectual capacity but equally importantly, their character, too. Martin Luther King Jr also resonates with his belief that intelligence plus character is the true goal of education.

In his book, The Road to Character, David Brooks writes about this from the point of view that through time and certainly in the modern era, we seem to have lost sight of the role of character development in education.

He believes that this is now reflected more broadly in the values of society and what we rate as truly important. He distinguishes between what he calls the “résumé virtues” and the “eulogy virtues”; the résumé virtues being those that you highlight in your résumé; the skills that you bring to the employment market and that contribute to your external success. The eulogy virtues are those that are spoken about at your funeral; the qualities that define you as a person that go to the very core of who you are — ­ your character; qualities such as integrity, empathy, and relationships with family and friends.

Of course, a true and valid education is one that develops both. One could be excused for thinking that the sole purpose of education is to deliver top rankings in the NAPLAN, WACE examinations and league tables, which gain top billing in the media with the release of Year 12 results each year. If this was the end goal of an education

2

Summer 2017

at Penrhos, then we would have failed our girls in providing them with a good education. I cannot deny that I am the first to scan the results when they are published to see that we are maintaining our stellar academic performance, but I also know that our Year 12s are not defined by their WACE results and nor are the WACE results the true indicator of our students’ abilities to make a meaningful contribution to society beyond school.

It is a great privilege, as an educator, to have the ability to help grow a student’s intellectual capacity. It is an even greater privilege to help shape their character development. From the day a girl begins at Penrhos to the day she graduates, it is our goal to nurture both. As an independent, faith-based school, with a dynamic and vibrant co-curricular program, a service learning focus and a strong track record in academic pursuits, Penrhos develops both intellectual capacity and character; educating for skills, competencies and character in a global environment of ever-growing moral and ethical dilemmas.

And a final quote from Kurt Hahn, Founder of the Round Square Organisation and the Duke of Edinburgh Program: “There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see this, perhaps we will be unwilling to settle for less.”

Please enjoy reading the summer edition of The Penrhosian.

2017 has been a truly amazing year at Penrhos. My sincere thanks to the students, staff, parents, Support Group volunteers, and the College Council for their collective contributions to this wonderful place of learning.

Meg Melville PRINCIPAL

Editor Rochelle Zaknich

Contributors & Photographers Paula Barrow Courtney McPhee Heather Pearson Claire Pickering Joanne Yong

Rob Frith Meg Melville Eloisa Pickerill Tina Russell

Proofreading

Moral responses and equipping young people

5

Stunning display marks NAIDOC Week

9

Judy Fildes

Print & Distribution Scott Print

Design Echo Creations

Cover photography Joanne Yong

Boarders' Bash is a smash hit

11

Danielle loses her locks for leukaemia

Summer 2017–18 CONTENTS

17 6 Morrison Street, Como WA 6152 Tel: 08 9368 9500 Email: feedback@penrhos.wa.edu.au www.penrhos.wa.edu.au

2

From the Principal

/PenrhosCollege

4

Student News

/PenrhosCollege

22

Staff News

/PenrhosCollege

24

Community News

30

From the Foundation President

31

From the Alumni President

34

Out & About

/PenrhosCollegeWA

A School of the Uniting Church in Australia ABN 33 834 165 805 CRICOS CODE 00444E

Summer 2017

3

Penrhos entrepreneurs appear on Network Ten's Shark Tank A group of Year 11 students had the exciting opportunity to appear on Network Ten’s Shark Tank, as part of an episode that aired in August. Shark Tank is a reality show that gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to bring their dreams to fruition. They present their ideas to the sharks in the tank — five titans of industry who made their own dreams a reality and turned their ideas into lucrative empires.

The contestants try to convince any one of the sharks to invest money in their idea. Here the Penrhos team — Edith Del Carpio Zevallos, Ilke Dincer, Christina Dorkhom, Sophie Lee-Goh, Klaudia Oey and Laura Walton — tell us about the “surreal” experience of taking their idea, SLD Space, all the way to Shark Tank.

Can you explain what SLD Space is and how you developed it?

SLD (Specific Learning Disabilities) Space is a secure online support network/app where students, parents, teachers and experts can seek advice about specific learning disabilities. There are two ways that a user could seek advice — asking a question publicly or asking a question privately.

How did the Shark Tank opportunity come about?

After the Just Start It finals, we received an email from Lainey, who runs the program. She explained that there was an opportunity to apply for the show, where we would be able to extend the possibility to gain more interest in our app. This was three days before Year 10 camp! We thought, ‘what do we have to lose?’ and decided this was an opportunity that we couldn’t miss.

During the eight-hour bus ride to and from camp, we wrote our script for the audition. Ilke, who didn’t go on camp, started creating the animation for the audition video. Once we returned, we had three days to complete our audition video before the deadline.

How did you find the experience of appearing on the show?

Stressful and surreal. Some of us don’t remember much about appearing in front of the cameras. Everyone backstage was very nice and the Sharks were lovely and extremely supportive. We are all very glad that we had this experience, even though it was a shame that it wasn’t all shown on the show.

4

Summer 2017

What was the feedback you received?

All the feedback we received was very positive. The Sharks loved our idea, however they didn’t feel that the kind of investment we were seeking was the right fit for our idea. They said that instead of someone hounding us for a return on their investment, our project would be more suited to a sponsorship or research task, or even a crowd-funded project; this would give us more time to develop our idea.

After the show, we received a call from Notre Dame University, who wanted to get involved with SLD Space. We went and pitched to a group of staff over the 2017 summer holidays. They were really excited about our app and have been helping us develop our idea this year.

What has this experience taught you about starting up a business?

This experience has taught us the following: • At the core of every business is a problem. You cannot have a successful solution without one.

• Don’t be afraid to network or reach out to anyone.

• With start-ups, you start with nothing, so you have nothing to lose.

• If you are not successful the first time, try again as you will gain more experience in the process. It’s OK to fail.

• Don’t take yourself too seriously, but at the same time, keep yourself on track.

Moral responses and equipping young people Every day, in both ordinary and exceptional circumstances, we make moral judgements and choices – between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ – when driving our car, for example, or posting on social media, when confronted with poverty or hearing about a terrorist act. Our moral responses might be personal or shared, clear or complex, enduring or changeable over time. They influence our words and actions, and shape our relationships and experiences.

Our moral judgements and choices always arise from an intrinsic framework. Today, some of the most popular frameworks are known as The Golden Rule/Do Unto Others; the Nothing-Illegal rule; the Survival/Success principle; the Look-in-the-Mirror/Self-Respect measure; the Look-Around/Conformity measure; and the Published-in-theNewspaper principle.

These moral frameworks might be held consciously or subliminally; however, mostly they are too simplistic and shallow to stand alone – they tend to lack a tangible foundation, allow for relativism and a transient response, or reinforce adverse emotions including fear, guilt, shame and doubt.

In today’s complex and increasingly global environment, the about-penrhos/strategic-directions.html), we also uphold key pressures and challenges young people face are acute. They and present a set of Core Shared Values: respect, integrity, might include family problems, substance abuse, materialism, empathy, knowledge, growth and synergy. These six values shape employment, social networking, body image, negative stereotyping, the ethos of Penrhos College, and define and inspire a common violence and crime. For each pressure and challenge, there are focus and identity for members of the community, including past many expectations and questions for young people to address and and present students, staff and families. resolve. So, how are we equipping the next Our complementary values-directed frameworks generation to meet and tackle such wideOur complementary valuesare grounded on powerful and compelling ranging issues? How are we guiding them to directed frameworks are historical and modern narratives, which stem make careful, informed moral judgements from Biblical, religious and spiritual, socio-cultural and choices – between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ grounded on powerful and and institutional influences. These narratives are and ‘wrong’? What framework underpins compelling historical and full of diverse and relatable characters (leaders, and informs their moral responses? modern narratives, which stem disciples and villains) within communities, with As a school under the umbrella of the Uniting goals and motivations; encounters, experiences from Biblical, religious and Church in Australia (assembly.uca.org. and outcomes; evaluations, realisations and spiritual, socio-cultural and au), Penrhos College fosters and expresses meaning-making. These narratives and the values institutional influences.

Christian values. In Chapel Services and conveyed provide an important touchstone.

Assemblies, through storytelling, teaching, In other words, the Christian values and Core Shared Values that rituals, reflection, questions and sharing, our Junior School and are upheld and expressed at Penrhos College offer our students an Secondary School students, staff and families are encouraged to inclusive, practical framework from which to reflect on and tackle recognise, engage with, think about and live out Christian values key pressures and challenges, in order that they are well-equipped of love, compassion, honesty, respect, faithfulness, kindness, to make considered, informed moral judgements and choices – gentleness, service, grace, sacrifice, patience, perseverance, between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. courage, forgiveness, thankfulness, wisdom, justice, peace, belonging and hope (and so on).

Rev Claire Pickering Chaplain As part of our Strategic Directions (www.penrhos.wa.edu.au/ Summer 2017

5

Budding author receives accolade from Anthony Horowitz Year 7 student Kate Leigh got a lovely surprise when she was announced as the winner of the Alex Rider short story competition in September, personally selected by internationally acclaimed author Anthony Horowitz himself.

Alex Rider is a series of young adult spy novels about a 15-yearold spy named Alex Rider. The prolific British author, Anthony Horowitz, is well known for the series, as well as other work including Foyle’s War, Sherlock Holmes, and various TV and film projects.

Trademarks Alex Rider ™; Boy with Torch Logo ™ © 2010 Stormbreaker Productions Ltd

The competition celebrated the release of Never Say Die, and encouraged aspiring young authors to pen their own Alex Rider short story. Kate won a complete, signed set of Alex Rider books, as well as a designed version of her story, and a framed letter of congratulations from Anthony Horowitz.

Kate said she was inspired to enter as an avid fan of the series.

“I saw an ad for the competition in the school Library, and as I had read the Alex Rider series before and found it absolutely riveting, I was eager to enter. In my story, Alex goes to the Natural History Museum in London for a school excursion and is attacked by an

enemy from a former Alex Rider book. As usual, Alex cleverly worms his way out of an impossible situation.”

On hearing her story had been chosen as the winning entry, Kate said, “I was absolutely ecstatic! It was the most incredible feeling in the world.

“I would encourage people to find something that inspires them and to work hard at it, because if you put passion into something, anything is possible.”

Kate is a keen reader, and her other favourites include the Harry Potter series and Andy Griffiths’ Treehouse series.

“I am also looking into Agatha Christie,” she said.

Students scoop South Perth Young Writers’ Awards Five students at Penrhos College received accolades at the City of South Perth Young Writers’ Awards at a ceremony held in July, including two girls who were awarded a prestigious Christobel Mattingly Medallion.

Year 6 student Eleanor Jones and Year 10 student Jane McGuire were both recipients of a Medallion, which is awarded to the entry judged to be the most outstanding each year. The last time two medals were presented was in 2003.

This is the second Christobel Mattingly Medallion Eleanor has received, her first being in 2015. Both girls also received first place in their respective categories.

Eleanor’s piece, ‘Sparrow’s Shadow’, uses dystopian themes and is deftly written from the perspective of a bird. Jane’s piece, ‘Take a Stand’, is a richly told story set in a sheep shearing shed, with a surprise twist at the end.

6

Summer 2017

year but I never thought I could get the Medallion twice! There were a lot of great stories this year, so I was quite shocked when my name was called.”

The awards are open to any student living or attending school in the City of South Perth, and there were approximately 400 entries to this year’s competition, which encourages excellence in creative writing.

The other Penrhos College award recipients were Year 6 student Amelia Huxtable (Upper Primary, 2nd place), Year 9 student Jacinta Kingsbury (Lower Secondary, Highly Commended), and Year 8 student Sophie Harvey-Lissienko (Lower Secondary, 2nd place).

Jane said, “I was honoured to be awarded the Christobel Mattingly Medallion.

Thank you to everyone who supported me, I shall use this as positive boost to write many more stories!”

The awards are open to any student living or attending school in the City of South Perth, and there were approximately 400 entries to this year’s competition, which encourages excellence in creative writing. There are five age categories for prose and the awards are open to all students from Year 1 through to Year 12.

Eleanor said, “I love writing and this is the fourth year I've entered the competition.

I was really excited to get a prize this

The anthology of this year’s winning pieces can be read at: library.southperth.wa.gov.au/Documents/Kids-and-Teens/ SPYWA-anthology-2017.pdf

Penrhos wins Governor’s School STEM Awards Penrhos College won both the primary and secondary school categories in the prestigious Governor’s School STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Awards in November, becoming the first school to win both categories.

The awards, which were established in 2015, recognise the support and commitment of school principals and leadership teams in developing their schools' STEM education programs. The judges aim to identify high quality outcomes and approaches in STEM subjects as well as in the way STEM teaching is integrated across learning areas.

Penrhos College won both the primary and secondary categories and was recognised for its comprehensive and integrated STEM

program, as well as its growing leadership and engagement on STEM matters across the education sector.

Principal Meg Melville said she was extremely proud of the College’s STEM program.

“The STEM program at Penrhos has continued to go from strength to strength over the past year. We have seen the opening of the Junior School STEM and Innovation Laboratory, hosted the Future Focused Learning STEM conference, and taken our passion for STEM ‘on the road’ as part of our recent country roadshow to Katanning and Manjimup.

“Our staff work tirelessly in support of the STEM program, and we are confident that the opportunities we are providing to our students will lay the foundations to prepare them for the workforce of tomorrow.”

Governor of Western Australia, Kerry Sanderson AC, said the College was a deserving winner of both awards.

“Penrhos College has successfully created a culture of STEM across both its Junior and Secondary Schools, and has applied STEM principles and processes to all learning areas.

“I have been pleased to hear of their STEM achievements over the years including their strong focus on maths education. I hope all of our outstanding award winners and finalists will serve as exemplars of best-practice STEM education and the range of possibilities available to engage students.”

Penrhos volunteers pitch in to promote AT Chat A group of Year 10 and 11 students volunteered their time in October to assist at the launch event of AT Chat, an initiative created by people with disabilities for people with disabilities, to establish a community of assistive technology users sharing valuable insights, knowledge and experiences about the topic of assistive technology (AT).

This was part of a new collaboration with the Independent Living Centre of WA. The launch was held in the lofty warehouse surroundings of Claisebrook Design Community, and allowed those with disabilities to come and learn about technology that would make their lives easier in both a work and social environment.

The opportunity to assist at this event came about from Penrhos parent Liz Chin-Seet, who works for the Independent Living Centre of WA and contacted Service Learning & Community Service Coordinator Renee Poetschka to see if any students would like to be involved.

The response from students was fantastic, with Year 10 students Celeste Adams, Dana Ghosheh, Monika Gregory, Esha Jessy, SiChee Koh, Tiffany Lee, Felicity Lindquist, Madeleine Lovegrove, Maris Seet, Jaslyn Sidhu, Ashleigh Ward, and Alyssa Zhao all volunteering to take part.

The girls were responsible for many different jobs on the night, including handing out goodie bags, general clean-up, signing people in and assisting them with signing up to online interactive apps, assisting with food service and clean-up, assisting on the photo booth, filling drinks for those who were not able to, and interacting with guests.

Francine Snadden from the Independent Living Centre WA conveyed her appreciation and commendation in a letter to Principal Meg Melville after the event.

“I wanted to convey my appreciation of the volunteer students from Penrhos at our recent launch for AT Chat as a project of the Independent Living Centre of WA. The launch was a celebration of assistive technology and the community of people who use it. The students involved did a fantastic job. They were incredibly attentive, worked well within the team and were adaptable to the challenges of working with people of diverse backgrounds and capabilities.”

Summer 2017

7

Celebrating national success in Future Problem Solving Penrhos has a very strong track record in Future Problem Solving, and two students in particular have contributed to the College’s success through representation at the National Finals an astounding five times.

Year 11 students Morgan Farley and Emily McKay both started participating in Future Problem Solving in Year 6, and have been members of a team which has qualified for the National Finals every year since, bar one.

To qualify for the National Finals, students’ entries (“the booklet”) need to be ranked in the top 10 per cent of those submitted around Australia. According to Gifted Education Coordinator Nicci Johnson, it is very unusual, and a real credit to the girls, to qualify so many times.

“Last year at the Nationals, when the girls were in Year 10, their team placed third in the Senior Division (Years 10, 11 and 12), which earned them an invitation to represent Australia at the International Conference in Wisconsin in June this year.

“To represent their school on five occasions, and indeed their country on the international stage, is an enormous achievement. It demonstrates outstanding commitment and dedication to the Penrhos Future Problem Solving program, and many years of hard work. The girls are now wonderful mentors to other students and fantastic ambassadors for the Future Problem Solving program,” Mrs Johnson said.

Morgan and Emily said Future Problem Solving offered a fun and accessible way to engage in global issues.

“It’s a way to both learn how to work as a team and how to engage in global issues, whilst also having fun. Attending National Finals, while stressful, is a lot of fun. Between the last minute researching and revising how to complete the booklet, we get to meet a lot of students who think similarly to us from all over Australia. It’s a fantastic way to make friends, and it brings the teams closer together,” Morgan said.

Through their participation in Future Problem Solving, the girls have travelled to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to attend

8

Summer 2017

National Finals, as well as La Crosse, Wisconsin, in the US for the International Conference in 2017.

“The most interesting topic we have researched is biosecurity – the topic for the International Finals. This was because some of our team studies biology at school, so we were able to transfer our knowledge from this into our booklet as research. The most challenging topic was definitely trade barriers. Emily and I studied this in Year 6 and still don’t fully understand what it is!”

Morgan said.

Mrs Johnson said Future Problem Solving helped to equip girls with the skills needed to thrive in a global world.

“The girls have learned so many important skills which will carry them through their senior years at the College and beyond school. They have learned to work collaboratively to achieve something which could not be done alone. They have shown a great interest in global issues and have examined these from many perspectives.

“They are adept at applying a process to help them solve complex problems, and they are able to think both critically about the problems and creatively about the possible solutions. These skills will stand them in good stead in the future, whatever path they take, and I have no doubt they will both make a positive impact in their world in the future,” Mrs Johnson said.

2017 NATIONAL FINALS The Future Problem Solving Finals were held at Knox Grammar Sydney on the topic of Identity Theft.

Year 11: Stella McLaughlin, Emily McKay, Morgan Farley, Bridget Godfrey Year 10: Si-Chee Koh, Anna Healy, Leanne Brady, Morgan May Year 9 Scenario writers: Ella Munro and Gabrielle Thompson Results: Year 10 team – 5th overall in the Senior Division (comprised of Years 10, 11 and 12) Year 11 team – 1st in the Action Plan presentations Scenario Writing (completed prior to attendance at Finals) Anna Healy – 3rd Senior Division Ella Munro – 4th Middle Division Gabrielle Thompson – 5th Middle Division Onsite Scenario Writing (completed at Knox in mixed teams) Gabrielle Thompson was a member of the team which placed 1st in the onsite competition. She was also named Best Individual Writer in the Middle division.

Stunning display marks NAIDOC Week Aboriginal students at the College joined forces with the team from Acacia Cultural Designs to create a stunning giant sand mural as part of this year’s NAIDOC Week celebrations.

Noongar artist Acacia Collard was commissioned to design the mural, based on the theme of moorditj yorgas (‘strong women’ in Noongar). Acacia, her mother Bev Slater, and members of their family, mentored the students during the mural’s construction. At the centre of the design was a campfire, surrounded by yorgas sitting with their digging sticks and coolamons.

Year 7 student Chiara Miller-Sabbioni said, “Collaborating as a group was a great experience. We built the mural over two days – some parts were hard work, like raking the sand in the rain. I was proud to share our mural with the school and everyone loved it.”

The mural was created on the amphitheatre lawn and provided a striking centrepiece for the NAIDOC Week assembly that took place around it. This was the first opportunity to hold a Secondary School assembly in the new amphitheatre, lending an even greater sense of occasion to this special event.

Students and staff gathered around to hear the girls speak about their homeland and how the decision to create a mural evolved, with Aboriginal Liaison Coordinator Danielle Glucina. Aboriginal Elder, Marie Taylor gave the Welcome to Country and spoke to the assembly about the culture of giving back and the importance of family.

Junior School Chapel was dedicated to understanding the meaning of Aboriginal spirituality in a message from Aboriginal Elder, Noel Nannup. Noel emphasised the importance of living in harmony with the land, and that the wellbeing of the land is directly linked to our own wellbeing. He also spoke of the belief that we cannot continually take away from our land without giving something back.

Our Year 5 girls sang two beautiful Aboriginal songs, ‘Wanjoo’ and ‘Aboriginal Our Father’.

Junior School musicians win Indigenous Song Competition Our students sang their way to first place in this year’s ABC Splash Indigenous Song Competition with a beautiful rendition of ‘Marrin Gamu’.

All students from Years 1 to 6 worked hard to learn ‘Marrin Gamu’, which is a song created to introduce Australians to the diversity and beauty of our first language. Penrhos students performed the version translated to the first language of our local area, Noongar.

Members of the Junior School Orchestra, Junior School Percussion Ensemble and all students in Years 3, 5 and 6 played recorder to create the backing track. Much time was spent learning parts, with Junior

School Music Coordinator Mr Jason Kidd spending many hours recording sound and video, and editing it into the final video for submission, which was awarded first place in this nationwide competition.

Junior School staff made the decision to pass the first place prize of $200 worth of video and audio equipment on to the second placed school, Woorabinda State School, a small indigenous community school in remote Queensland, approximately eight hours’ drive north east of Brisbane, between Gladstone and Emerald. Penrhos accepted the second place prize, consisting

of an indigenous language educational pack, tailored to our local first language.

Head of Junior School Trish Somers said it was a team effort that led to the spectacular finished product.

“Thanks to Mr Nathan Ducker for playing didgeridoo on the video, and to the Noongar students in the Secondary School and Ms Danielle Glucina for creating the wonderful sand art at the end of the video, and letting us use it. The girls had great fun learning all of the parts and recording it all, and were very excited to have come first.”

Summer 2017

9

Boarding common rooms get a makeover The boarders got a lovely surprise in Term 4 when they discovered their common rooms and reception areas had had a makeover.

The addition of new furniture, artwork and stickers has brightened up these spaces, much to the delight of boarders.

Year 7 boarder Bella Critch said the makeover had opened up the spaces and added more vibrancy and colour.

“I walked into the common room on Monday afternoon to find the new furniture and artwork hung up, as well as our furniture re-arranged. I never realised how much room was in the common room before the couches were spread out.

“The best thing is that not just our common room, but the reception area had also had a makeover with new colourful chairs and pretty stickers. Our common room is now filled with colour and life and every time you go in to get a drink or a biscuit the vibrant colours just come at you.

“We have beautiful new soft pink mats on the floors which are great for laying and sitting on while talking to your mates,” Bella said.

Visiting roo surprises boarders The boarders were delighted to receive a visit from Caramel the kangaroo, who dropped in to the Boarding House in Term 4.

Boarding parent Jennifer Egerton-Warburton brought Caramel with her during a visit to Perth. Caramel had recently been orphaned and is around four months old.

“Carmel required 'roo sitting' while I was attending the recent Variety Night at Penrhos – there were plenty of takers for this!” Mrs Egerton-Warburton said.

Secret Friends Week Secret Friends Week is always a keenly anticipated occasion in the boarding house, and this year was no exception.

This special week sees random acts of kindness abound within the boarding community. All girls and House Mothers from Years 7 to 12 are assigned a secret friend and during the week, each girl surprises their secret friend with acts of goodwill while trying not to be caught.

From handmade presents, to warm fuzzies, to decorated rooms, no effort is spared in creating nice surprises for secret friends.

Year 9 boarder Leah Varone said it was a good opportunity to spread goodwill and get to know someone new.

“It is a time where girls can build a stronger bond with their arranged secret friend. Throughout the week, from Monday to Wednesday, we give the girl small gifts or notes without them discovering who we are, whilst someone in secret is also giving to us.

“When it comes to the Thursday, we celebrate Christmas in July (in August). The whole Boarding House community dresses up to enrich the Christmas spirit, and the Kitchen staff make us a delicious Christmas feast. After dinner, we reveal ourselves to our secret friend.

“Secret Friends Week is a fun experience that gives us a chance to get to know someone new.”

10

Summer 2017

Boarders’ Bash is a smash hit The sun shone brightly on Laurie Packham Oval as the Year 12 Boarders hosted the inaugural ‘Boarders’ Bash’, a surprise afternoon of fun activities for the Boarding House girls on a Sunday afternoon in September.

The idea for the Boarders’ Bash came about as a new way of celebrating the Year 12s and their time in the Boarding House, and creating an opportunity for them to give back and provide a positive experience for the boarding community.

groups to volleyball competitions and seeing the smiles on each other’s faces was a beautiful way to end what had been an incredibly busy Term.

“As well as an opportunity to spend some quality, stress-free time with the Year 12s Year 8 boarder Kate Marquis said it was an before they left us, it was an opportunity that exciting surprise for the younger boarders. we all appreciated so much and I think the memories made that Sunday will “All boarders had been asked be ones we cherish throughout “ ... it was an to be in residence for the our years at Penrhos." afternoon but we had no idea opportunity that we why. Were we in trouble?

The final surprise of the day all appreciated so Was there a drill of some sort? was when the sprinklers came much and I think Would we like what was about on – secretly orchestrated by to happen? We would never the memories made Head of Boarding Michele Hay – have guessed what we were soaking everyone and providing that Sunday will about to experience in a million lots of laughs. be ones we cherish years – possibly the most fun Sunday Penrhos boarders have throughout our years “The fun hadn’t stopped though. ever experienced!”

Considering we were all running at Penrhos.” around like crazy on such a A barbecue lunch and beautifully warm spring day, it’s homemade treats, all prepared by the Year no wonder we were all red-faced and glowing 12s, were followed by hilarious games and after a few hours. Mrs Hay had a surprise for activities that ran well into the afternoon. us too – she turned the oval sprinklers on and we all encouraged each other to run under the “Spread across the oval in front of us was water, spraying each other to cool off. an array of bouncy castles, bubble soccer, volleyball nets and dodgeball games – just for “The afternoon finished with a makeshift us! It was like a mini fun fair just for Penrhos disco – what a sight we must have been for boarders, and all as a gift from the Year 12s. the residents of Como, 80 laughing, wet girls For many of us, being away from home means dancing and singing like we were at a concert! we often miss our local ‘show day’ each year, so to have the show come to school was such “The 2017 Year 12 group have set a new, a lovely gift from the Year 12s. We couldn’t high standard of goodbyes and we can’t thank believe it – the secrecy had been worth it all,” them enough for their generosity and the time Kate said. and effort that went in to giving us the most positive and enjoyable day. I know that we all “I think I speak for all the girls when I say that miss them but are so grateful that we were we had hours of fun and laughter, watching able to spend that last fun-filled day with them our boarding family running from one activity as they completed their Penrhos boarding to the other, challenging the different Year journey,” Kate said.

Summer 2017

11

A stunning exhibition of ‘Cityscapes’ Many tiny young hands interpreted and created beautiful pieces for the Junior School ‘Cityscapes’ Visual Art exhibition, which was enjoyed by the school and wider community in September.

Throughout the creative process, students discovered that there are many aspects to a city. There are, naturally, buildings, variations in architecture, light, reflections, street art, movement, but above all, people.

It is not just the buildings that make a city,

but the people that make up the city and those who live in a city determine what it looks and feels like.

The Junior School Visual Arts Exhibition art pieces reflected the diversity of cities from around the world, the people and how cities could be viewed and interpreted in different ways by artists.

Head of Junior School Trish Somers said, “I would like to thank Mrs Michelle Clifton, Mrs Amanda Whitford and Mrs Yolanda Pickerill for their commitment to curating this art exhibition.

Walking

into the Junior School Hall to see it transformed into an art gallery equal to any in Perth was truly inspirational.”

Year 11 & 12 Art Exhibition dazzles The annual Year 11 & 12 Art Exhibition was unveiled in September in the beautiful surrounds of the Creative Arts and Design Centre gallery space.

Opening night attracted many students, parents and staff, creating a buzzing atmosphere to rival that of any art gallery exhibition.

The exhibition was officially opened by Western Australian artist and Penrhos alumna Shana James (Class of 1986) who paid tribute to the excellent quality of the work on display from our emerging artists. Dean of Academic Administration Rob Taylor presented the Principal’s Choice Award on behalf of Principal Meg Melville.

This marvellous exhibition displayed the exceptional talents of our senior girls, many of whom had also won numerous awards and prizes in local art competitions throughout the year.

Art Head of Department Beverley Bell acknowledged the dedication and hard work given by the Year 11 and 12 students to creating expressive and innovative artworks exploring personal experiences, commentaries and points of view.

“The investment we make in teaching art will help students to grow in a way that helps them succeed in school and in life,” Ms Bell said.

12

Summer 2017

Congratulations to the following exhibition award winners who were announced on the night: Principal's Choice: Judged by Mr Rob Taylor on behalf of Mrs Melville: Simone Woolfitt ‘Claudia’ oil painting on canvas Awards judged and presented by Shana James: Year 12 ATAR: Lauren Brunalli ‘To the Convict Ship Committee’ mixed media textiles Year 11 ATAR: Samantha Pilbrow ‘Tangled Cords and Jigsaw Pieces’ selfportrait painting Year 12 General: Georgia Whitford ‘A Clouded Mind’ 3D ceramic sculpture Year 11 General: Sophie Cowell Landscape Painting – untitled

Artist-in-residence Sandra Black inspires students Art students had the opportunity to work with wellknown ceramic artist Sandra Black during her residency at the College in Term 4.

During her time at Penrhos, Sandra offered hands-on demonstrations and assistance to students, showing the girls porcelain carving and glazing techniques, among many other tips to inspire their ceramic work.

In her artist statement, Sandra said her work was largely inspired by nature.

“I have a strong sense of connection to this unique part of Australia and my work draws inspiration from WA’s south west regions' unusual native flora.

“With climate change we are experiencing hotter summers and declining winter rains. Large trees are dying and banksias succumb to phytophthora fungus along with smaller plants in urban bushland reserves. These I observed while travelling south to my former teaching job in Rockingham via the industrial area of Kwinana. Life is fragile but also tenacious, and I want my work to reflect this,” she said.

Former senior curator at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney,

Dr Grace Cochrane, said Sandra was an accomplished artist with plenty of knowledge and experience to impart to young artists.

“Sandra Black has now been working for around 33 years, with at least 29 solo exhibitions in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Germany, and she has participated in over 190 invitation exhibitions in many countries.

“She has taught consistently in a range of places and contexts, and has won awards such as the Fletcher Challenge Award in New Zealand. She has had her work published in numerous prestigious international journals and books and her work is held in many public and private collections throughout Australia and overseas. She is held in very high regard by her peers and the museum profession and has been generous in sharing her ideas.”

Art students receive top accolades Penrhos College Art students have enjoyed a run of success in art awards and exhibitions this year. Congratulations to the following: Isabella O'Brien (Year 12) won 'Best in Show' and Esha Jessy (Year 10) received a Highly Commended Award at the Perth Craft Show Awards Textile Exhibition Lauren Brunalli (Year 12) won First Prize in the Textiles category of the City of Armadale’s Outside the Frame Art Awards Georgia Whitford (Year 12) won the Award of Excellence at the North Metropolitan TAFE Annual Art and Design Exhibition ‘META’ for Senior Secondary School Students Abbey Marshall (Year 11) won the 2017 Youth Award at the Melville Art Awards Kelsea Cail (Year 11) won the Outstanding Exhibit Award in the Dalwallinu Agricultural Show Holly Nabbs (Year 10) won the Youth Art Awards City of Nedlands Open Award Commendation Simone Woolfitt (Year 12) was a finalist in the Youth Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, WA’s only Portrait Prize Principal Meg Melville said, “Inspirational teachers and programs do bring out the best in our students; thank you to Ms Bev Bell, Ms Danielle Glucina and Ms Tanya Lee.”

Summer 2017

13

Students win Curtin Engineering awards Two Year 9 students showcased their innovative thinking and picked up two of the four awards handed out at the Curtin University Engineering in School Project presentation and awards night in September.

The students, Isabelle Reitze and Isabelle Walton, had been preparing their Engineering in School Project over two Terms, and competed against six other schools — most with multiple teams — in four categories; best report, best presentation, best infographic/poster and best trade desk/promotion.

The girls picked up the awards for best infographic/poster and best trade desk/ promotion for their project tackling the problem of sharps disposal faced by medical outposts in rural Papua New Guinea.

The girls had the idea for the project after undertaking research on Papua New Guinea.

“We came to this idea after researching Papua New Guinea ­— we found a statistic

that said 60kg of medical waste is burned in hospitals every day. We began to investigate and uncovered many more issues, especially in rural areas. Approximately 85% of the population of PNG lives in rural areas and rely on rural medical facilities. As these facilities are so isolated and underfunded, they have terrible practices for dealing with medical waste. Therefore, we decided to come up with a solution for this that was cheap, easy to use and that didn’t use any power.”

The girls researched different methods of disposing of medical waste and came across a method called inertisation, which involves covering medical waste in cement before disposal to prevent injuries.

“We decided to incorporate this as part of our container as it provides a way of storing and disposing of medical waste. If we wanted to put sharps in a container and have them slip out in a block, we needed

a liner. This liner had to be impenetrable to sharps and preferably flexible. As we researched, we came across a material called graphene. Graphene is a one atom thick layer of carbon that is stronger than diamond. This would be the perfect liner as needles could be placed in the container after use and the liner would not be punctured. Once the container was full, it could be filled with cement and the block tipped out.”

Both girls participate in the Maths Mentor STEM program, and decided to take part in this challenge so they could have the opportunity to work with engineering students and come up with a solution to a real-world issue.

The girls said, “This project certainly has made us consider engineering as a career prospect. It gave us a chance to experience a taste of what a career in engineering could be like and the possibilities it could hold.”

STEM Club hosts Family Challenge The Year 2 STEM Club concluded with an exciting finale in August, when families were invited to come and complete the challenges their daughters had completed throughout the Term.

Family members were required to work together in teams under the careful supervision of their daughters, much to the delight of the Year 2 students, who relished being in charge.

challenges which included making a toothpick house (‘The Three Little Pigs’), a zip line (‘Little Red Riding Hood’), a pulley (‘Rapunzel’), and a durable parachute (‘Jack and the Beanstalk’)."

Classroom Teacher Morag Ritchie said the girls thoroughly enjoyed their responsibilities and sharing what they had learned in STEM Club.

“Two years ago we discovered so many fabulous STEM-based investigations that we knew would motivate the students to use not only Mathematics, but also Science, Technology and Engineering to solve a common problem in an engaging creative way. This is part of purposeful play and agency, within the Early Childhood range of development, combined with STEM,” Mrs Ritchie said.

“They enjoyed the extra responsibility immensely, were thrilled at being dressed up, but more than that, they cherished the chance to work as a team with their friends and show their parents all that they had learned from STEM Club.

“Over the course of the Term we completed four fairytale

14

Summer 2017

The Year 2 STEM Club is an after-school activity that started life as the Maths Club before growing into STEM.

The club is very well-subscribed, with the majority of Year 2 students in both classes attending after school, together with a strong contingent of enthusiastic parent helpers.

A stunning IGSSA victory for Penrhos athletes The Penrhos Athletics squad managed to secure the most stunning ‘come from behind’ victory in September, winning the IGSSA Athletics Carnival by just nine points over secondplaced Santa Maria.

It was an event that had everything – the lead changed five times in the closing events. After the leading school changed hands countless times throughout the day, after 129 events, the equation came down to this – the winner of the final event for the day (Event #130), the Division 1 Year 11/12 4 x 100 metre relay, would win the entire carnival.

The Penrhos relay team of Amelia Hayward (Year 11), Caitlin Blackman (Year 11), Isabella Reeves (Year 11) and Georgia Whitford (Year 12) increased their lead through every changeover and flew home to clinch the Champion School for Penrhos.

Dean of Co-Curricular Paul McCarthy said he was exceptionally proud of the team.

“There were so many outstanding achievements and personal bests that were made this week, but this stellar squad showed that grit, determination and striving for one’s personal best will result in success.

“I would like to make special mention of our outstanding Athletics Captains Maddie Booth and Chelsea Peck, our great team of specialist coaches and Phys-Ed staff, most notably our own Olympian Ms Renee Poetschka who shared so willingly of her

time, talent, expertise and experience, and, of course, our humble, skilled, dedicated and selfless Athletics Coordinator, Mr Bryce Teo, who steered this outstanding come from behind victory.

Bring on 2018!”

This was the sixth Champion School trophy in a row for Penrhos.

Penrhos was awarded the following trophies: • Year 11/12 Age Group trophy • Trophy for Champion Field School • The Dunklings Trophy for the Overall Winning School

Overall results Penrhos College – 1126 Santa Maria College – 1117 Presbyterian Ladies’ College – 1032 St Mary’s – 1001 Iona – 959.5 Perth College – 948 St Hilda’s – 916 Methodist Ladies’ College – 878.5

Junior School JIGSSA success Our Junior School athletes did Penrhos proud with their representation and sportsmanship at two JIGSSA carnivals held in glorious sunshine during Term 4.

Penrhos hosted the inaugural JIGSSA Year 5/6 Interschool Carnival, held at the WA Athletics Stadium in October, which provided a wonderful opportunity for every student to participate and represent the College.

Head of Junior School Trish Somers said, “All girls showed wonderful school spirit coupled with a ‘never-give-up’ attitude.

This led to a fantastic result, with the Year 5 girls winning the overall Champion School pennant! Our Year 6s tried their best, and when combined with the Year 5

scores, Penrhos managed to finish third in the Champion School standings.”

Year 4 students also had the chance to represent the College at their JISGGA carnival, hosted by St Hilda’s, doing Penrhos proud with their athletic skills and consistent effort.

“It was an amazing achievement by all our girls, and thank you to the Phys-Ed teachers, specialist and class teachers who all worked very hard to get the girls ready for what were some very busy days in the sun,” Ms Somers said.

Summer 2017

15

Danielle loses her locks for leukaemia

Year 12 boarder Danielle Beeby took the plunge in July, bravely shaving her head to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave.

The shave took place at lunchtime in the Margaret Way Courtyard in front of a big crowd. Danielle was supported by fellow students, Charlotte Harvey-Lissienko, Lauren Brunalli, Madelene Booth, Sally Keeffe, Bella Millar, Stephanie Hoffman and Archa Gamage, who also donated a significant length of their hair.

Danielle, who was sporting a number one after the event, said she was inspired to take part in the World’s Greatest Shave in honour of her late grandfather.

“I’ve had different forms of cancer in my family; I never met my grandfather but he had a huge influence on my Mum and so he was my main inspiration.

“I thought because it’s my last year, this would be my biggest platform to do something. I had six friends support me and cut their hair as well.

“I blanked out when I was speaking in front of everyone and I was freaking out when my hair was being shaved off, but everyone in this school is supportive,” Danielle said.

Penrhos and Christ Church collaborate to help the Salvos Year 10 students studying Global Perspectives have collaborated with their counterparts at Christ Church Grammar School to develop a website designed to help the Salvation Army receive more targeted donations for the homeless.

The idea came about as a result of the students liaising with their contact at the Salvation Army, Darren Reynolds, who indicated that while schools often wanted to help, they didn’t know how, or what the areas of need were.

Off the back of this, the Global Perspectives students decided to create a website that can be used by schools so they can see what is needed at any given time by the Salvation Army, and can target their charity specifically to that need. For instance, there may be enough blankets in supply, but the Salvation Army might be in need of socks or pasta sauce.

Global Perspectives Teacher and Gifted Education Specialist Nicci Johnson said the girls learned valuable lessons from the collaboration.

“We have collaborated with the Christ Church Global Perspectives students throughout the year. Most often this happens via email or shared docs – for example, both classes might watch a TED talk on a topic such as gender equality, and then we will come together to discuss our different views on it.

“This has given the girls a valuable learning experience and exposure to different working styles, and a cross-cultural and cross-gender perspective.”

The group project was the culmination of the collaboration between the schools, and provided an opportunity for the groups to meet face-to-face for the first time, and use their different perspectives to create something that would help address the issues of poverty and inequality.

The Global Perspectives course, based on the Cambridge course of the same name, is a groundbreaking and stimulating course that stretches across traditional subject boundaries and develops transferable skills. It is both cross-curricular and skills-based and taps into the way learners of today enjoy learning, including team work, presentations, projects, and working with other learners around the world. The emphasis is on developing the ability to think critically about a range of global issues where there is always more than one point of view.

The website can be viewed at: helpinghomelessaus.wixsite.com/ beyondtheclassroom

16

Summer 2017

Mary Poppins lights up Rixon Theatre stage

Rixon Theatre audiences were treated to joyful renditions of favourites such as ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ and ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ during this year’s College production, Mary Poppins in July.

A large cast of drama, dance and music students from Years 7–12 performed several sold-out shows of Mary Poppins The Broadway Musical, based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film.

A well-loved story, Mary Poppins (her last name describes her behaviour, because she tends to ‘pop in’ and ‘pop out’ of children’s lives whenever she pleases) mysteriously arrives at Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane as the nanny for Jane and Michael Banks. She provides order and takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures.

A very colourful Kaleidoscope

However, Jane and Michael are not the only ones on whom she has a profound effect. Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that ‘anything can happen if you let it’.

bring her to life! Of all the productions I've been in at Penrhos, Mary Poppins was definitely the most challenging, which was brilliant for my final year, to be in such an impressive show,” she said.

Year 12 Drama student Helena Cielak, who played Mary Poppins, said she enjoyed playing such an iconic and strong female character.

Mary Poppins first opened in London’s West End in 2004. It won two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical and the other for Best Theatre Choreography. A Broadway production opened in 2006, with only minor changes from the West End production. It received seven Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical and winning for Best Scenic Design.

“Playing Mary Poppins was close to a dream come true. She's such an iconic and strong female character and I feel extremely blessed that I was given the chance to

This year’s Kaleidoscope production, ‘Colour My World’, was a bright and joyful affair that brought together all students from Kindergarten to Year 2 on the Rixon Theatre stage.

This was the second Kaleidoscope after An added bonus this year was including the inaugural performance in 2015, which LOTE.” came about in response to logistical matters arising from double streaming, In keeping with the colourful theme, musical and from Performing Arts staff seeking to numbers included ‘Men in Black’, ‘Yellow offer a more age-appropriate performance Polka Dot Bikini’, ‘True Colours’, and opportunity for the ‘Happy Rainbow Day’. younger Junior School “The response from students students.

Choreographer and and parents was very Junior School Dance positive, matched only by Kaleidoscope Director Teacher Kate Pearce said the excitement of this year’s it was a valuable learning and Junior School young performers about Drama Coordinator opportunity for our Vanessa Jensen said it youngest students. being on the ‘big stage’. was a hugely positive Having an opportunity to experience for everyone “Through contributing develop and demonstrate and learning involved. choreography the girls the skills being learnt in have made a connection “The response from the Performing Arts is very on how dance can tell students and parents was very positive, beneficial to all the students, a story or convey an matched only by the as well as exciting for them.” emotion. The girls have also realised that by excitement of this year’s setting goals to retain choreography they young performers about being on the ‘big can achieve success at a very young age. stage’. Having an opportunity to develop They have learnt that it takes practice and and demonstrate the skills being learnt in hard work to prepare for a performance the Performing Arts is very beneficial to all and I commend them on their work ethic.” the students, as well as exciting for them.

Summer 2017

17

Welcoming our Chinese sisters Penrhos College was fortunate to host a delegation of students, staff and Principals from two schools in China in July; the Jingchen Experimental Secondary School and our sister school, Jingdu Primary School from Hangzhou, as part of the Asia Engagement cross-curricular imperative.

The Asia Engagement imperative reflects Australia’s extensive engagement with Asia in social, cultural, political and economic spheres.

The visitors spent a full day experiencing the Australian way of learning, and the wet, wintry conditions did not dampen anyone’s spirits.

Head of Junior School Trish Somers said it was a valuable learning experience which was embraced by everyone involved.

“Our visitors arrived in time to attend the Principal’s Assembly where gifts were exchanged. One gift presented to Mrs Melville was an exquisite calligraphy completed by Zhang Youjia, the student who presented the gift. We have had some assistance with the translation of the calligraphy and, in essence, it relates to all of us showing kindness, generosity and tolerance, like Mother Earth who cares for all living things. More simply: Great virtue promotes growth.

“The day progressed with our visitors being able to participate in a ‘typical’ Australian classroom experience and a tour of the College. Some visiting students also demonstrated their fine talents in music and dance. Towards the end of the day, our visitors and some Penrhos students shared some of their favourite playground games. It was a privilege to be a part of this joyful session being able to observe the consideration and generosity of spirit that was extended by all participants.”

A number of Penrhos Mandarin-speaking students were on hand to assist with translating and engaging with guests, including Klaudia Oey, Helen Huan, Heidi Leow, Sarah Lin, Ebony Slyth, Felicity Wu, Catherine Shan and Alyssa Zhao.

With the population of Australia continuing to grow and diversify, the need to communicate to visitors to the College in multiple languages has become a necessity.

The Penrhos community is made up of many different nationalities, with many students speaking a second or even third language. This year, Head of Languages Scott Haddrell, in conjunction with Enrolment Manager Susie Gill, together formed the Penrhos Interpreter Network (PIN), calling on girls who can speak a language other than English to help bridge the communication barriers for visitors to the College.

The PIN girls volunteer to assist as interpreters on Tour Mornings, and when the College hosts overseas guests, using their linguistic skills to offer a more tailored experience to visitors. We currently have a large number of students enrolled in the PIN program, who speak a plethora of languages, ranging from Korean, Mandarin, German, Portuguese, Japanese, and Farsi.

The day ended with Penrhos teachers, parents and students hosting a typical Australian barbeque for the guests.

Both Jingdu and Jingchen schools are hoping to host Penrhos students and staff in the near future.

The visit was made possible by Cross Curricular Leader Kerry Jenke and Xhiang Ping (Ping) of the Confucius Institute at the University of Western Australia.

18

Summer 2017

Penrhos Interpreter Network bridges the gap

This initiative was extremely useful when Penrhos hosted a delegation of students, staff and Principals from two schools in China in Term 3 (see story on this page).

Our international visitors were divided into small groups, each with their own Penrhos student interpreter. The Penrhos students mingled with guests, conversing and explaining details in Mandarin.

As the Penrhos students spoke fluently in their native language, they were able to develop a personal rapport with the visitors.

A furry friend visits the Library Sophie the Labradoodle returned to the Penrhos Library for a visit in Term 3, where she enjoyed plenty of attention and cuddles from students.

Penrhos and Wesley Student Councils go head-to-head The Penrhos and Wesley College Student Councils went head-to-head in September for their traditional mixed netball match.

Played in the Fandry Centre, the game drew a big crowd of spectators, and the friendly spirit and blaring music created a fun atmosphere.

The Wesley Student Council narrowly prevailed on the day, ensuring the Penrhos Student Council will be hungry for a victory next time!

Sophie had visited the Library previously, and staff had received several requests for another visit, especially from Learning Enhancement students, who had enjoyed spending their reading time in her company.

Both times Sophie has been a hit, and acted on her very best behaviour. Pets are proven to have a significant positive impact on wellbeing, and according to feedback from the girls, they would certainly agree.

Pre-Primary demonstrates STEM in action

Recent research has highlighted that the ability to mentally manipulate objects is key to success in many fields, including engineering. Spatial skills are an early indicator of later achievements in mathematics and strongly predict who will pursue STEM careers.

Pre-Primary Teacher Jocelyn Field said, “To build these much needed spatial skills in our students, Pre-Primary girls joined with our Scientist-in-Residence Doctor Ellen Fortini, who posed the question, ‘Now that Jack’s beanstalk has been cut down, could you design and build a structure to help Jack return to the castle?’

“This question generated lots of enthusiasm and many imaginative ideas were discussed amongst the girls.”

The design had two guidelines; the construction had to be 30cm high, and sturdy enough to withstand wind. As a surprise, two fans were produced on testing day to ensure the designs held up.

Some of our Pre-Primary students visited Mrs Melville's office one lunchtime in Term 3 to share the results of a STEM project that fused the somewhat unlikely combination of spatial skills with Jack and the Beanstalk.

“In the following lesson, the girls made sketches and wrote a list of the type of materials that they would like to use to build their 3D structure. Construction day was when all the action took place.

Students manipulated materials, glued and bent ‘stuff’ to produce a vast array of objects to help Jack ‘return to the castle’.

“In the final testing session, each student placed their creative designs in front of the fan, propelled at high speed. A small ‘Jack’ figurine was also placed on their structure. Many successes were had on the day and lots of happy engineers left the classroom that afternoon with their masterpieces in tow,” Ms Field said.

Mrs Melville was duly impressed by the innovative and creative results!

Summer 2017

19

Virtual Reality @ Penrhos ‘Virtual Reality’ (VR) is a buzzword we seem to be hearing more and more, but what does it mean for education? Here, our Head of Technology Tina Russell explains the Penrhos approach, and how students can benefit from this stateof-the-art technology.

Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality technologies are emerging in the education field as an incredible means to bring learning experiences to students that are otherwise unachievable.

These technologies provide access to environments, simulations, animations and creation tools where students can interact, take risks and learn in visual 3D environments which they can manipulate and build.

already taken advantage of the new visual and kinaesthetic learning opportunities.

Next, we sought a multi-user VR experience which would allow teachers to curate content for specific learning outcomes while also encouraging exploration and providing a means to view our 360-degree video creations. To this end, we purchased sixteen headsets which can be used synchronously or independently, through teacher control or student control to explore professional and community created content and to share our own content. This enables students to learn how to plan, film and share 360-degree content with their peers.

We have been using Augmented Reality at Penrhos for over five years through the Aurasma apps for excursions and incursions, self-directed tours, simulations, animations and more. In 2016 we started exploring 360-degree video using a range of different viewing headsets. These In utilising new and disruptive provide a multi-user experience of a technologies, we have the opportunity single environment in which students can to shape how students confront and take excursions to unbelievable places deal with the unexpected changes they without leaving the classroom. While will inevitably face; instead of fearing these provide new learning or denying it, to see opportunities for our visual opportunities through This is a single user, and kinaesthetic learners, lens of empathy and completely immersive, apioneering we want our students to spirit. interactive VR go beyond consumption Experience in using of content and learn how new and disruptive experience in which to be creators in emerging technologies can one student explores or give students confidence, technologies. creates, while what she capacity and skills to adapt After researching available can see is projected to to future disruptive and VR technologies, we made emerging technologies, monitors or screens. and to thrive. Utilising the decision to purchase an HTC Vive. This is a single emerging technologies user, completely immersive, interactive VR in class also gives students real experience in which one student explores world experience and skills or creates, while what she can see is which they take to future projected to monitors or screens. The rest work and educational of the class can observe, make suggestions environments. and decisions with the student who has Engagement with the controls, to collaborate and trial ideas. emerging technologies This state-of-the-art equipment enables provides students collaborative creation to explore identified with practical skills learning outcomes. and experiences that can raise The HTC Vive has a range of apps that are their awareness relevant to all learning areas. They include and interest in the Tilt Brush, a creation app in which one educational and can draw, paint or sculpt with any material entrepreneurial to create 3D objects through which they pathways available can move. There are simulations of real to them. and imaginary worlds to explore. Students can design costumes or clothes using templates. One app replicates a science lab in which the teacher can conduct experiments that are too dangerous to be done in a real class. Classes from Art, Science, Languages, Textiles and more have

20

Summer 2017

STEM conference draws a crowd As part of our mission to pioneer STEM education for girls, Penrhos hosted the inaugural Future Focused Learning STEM conference in August. Future Focused Learning was a one-day STEM conference for innovative educators exploring student-centred 21st century learning practices, and drew around 200 delegates, 34 presenters and 13 sponsors to the College.

The keynote speaker was world leading inspirational thinker, Lee Watanabe Crockett, who explored how we prepare global digital citizens of the future.

The conference was opened by Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC, and featured a video address from Chief Scientist of WA Peter Klinken.

The conference catered to a diverse range of educators, including strands on Early Learning, Primary, Secondary and Leadership.

Delegates came from a wide range of schools within the government, Catholic and independent sectors.

The program featured a number of prolific STEM educators, who gave presentations, shared case studies and ran a series of handson workshops.

Highlights from the program included: • Lee Watanabe Crockett, Global Digital Citizen Foundation: Future-focused learning – Solving Problems That Matter • Kim Flintoff, Curtin University: Blending serious games with online courses to facilitate multidisciplinary learning • Dan Bowen, Microsoft: Exploring the rise of the intelligent machines and future trends

• Brooke Krajancich, Penrhos College: Mathematics needs a Makeover • Dr Susan James, Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI): CHOOSEMATHS Careers • Peter Allen, Scotch College: ‘You won’t lose your job to a computer’ — Tackling STEM across K-12 • Wendy Gorman, AISWA/Little Scientists: An Introduction to the Little Scientist Program The conference included opportunities for networking across schools, and the College has received several enquiries about when the next one will be held.

Principal Meg Melville paid tribute to the staff who made the conference such a resounding success.

“A team of staff had been working on this conference since November last year. There are many people to thank but I must acknowledge three people in particular who truly went above and beyond to make this vision a reality. A sincere thank you to Chris Koopman for managing the content of the conference, Judi Mason for managing the logisitics of the conference and Joanne Yong for the marketing and registration of the conference – without their input, this conference would not have happened.”

Natural art pops up in Junior School Junior School students managed to surprise and delight passers-by during Term 3, with the impromptu installation of some natural artworks around the campus.

Some Year 2 students got creative during lunch and created a stunning artwork in the Junior School courtyard, using camellias that had fallen from the trees. They even wrote a note kindly asking everyone not to touch.

Another piece of art was fashioned from some fallen leaves, which were artfully shaped around the base of a tree.

These self-initiated artworks were very well-received by staff, students and visitors – we applaud the girls for their creativity and vision!

Summer 2017

21

Leading the trip of a lifetime The Laos community service tour is a popular co-curricular opportunity offered to students every two years. The tour is designed for students to independently undertake a community project that will be of benefit to a local village community. While the girls take a leading role throughout this tour, it could not happen without the support of Penrhos staff who willingly give up their holidays to facilitate this opportunity. Penrhos Rowing Coordinator Keith Reynolds has been integral to the success and growth of this tour, and here he tells us about what it involves, and how it has gone from strength to strength.

What is the role of the staff who take part in the Laos tour?

The role of staff going on this expedition changes over the two years that we prepare for it. We lead our teams firstly to show the girls how things can be achieved, and as their skill sets broaden, we are there to guide them through the processes.

Pastoral care is our main role whilst on the trip, where we help facilitate the goals of the team. It’s also important we have fun.

How do you encourage staff to volunteer for this trip?

It is a big ask for staff to give up their time both during the school year and during their holidays. Nevertheless, they give this most generously and I think it’s because of all the great feedback we’ve had from the girls who have gone. The staff know this trip has a great impact on the girls and can be life-changing. Staff see that they can really be part of this process. Also, my

pleading and constant begging helps.

How has the tour grown over the years, and why do you think this is?

We have had over 240 girls participate in the past four years and 76 girls will take part in this year’s expedition. I think that speaks volumes on how much the girls have really identified and want to be associated with such a special trip. The expedition has grown each time, starting with 16 on the initial Vietnam trip, and because of the great experiences the girls have had, the positive feedback is spread by word-ofmouth. When you have sisters going, you know it’s a good thing.

What do you think the girls get out of it?

We go to an area where there is no electricity, no running water, no hot

Chaplain Claire’s ordination College Chaplain Rev Claire Pickering was officially ordained as a Minister of the Word at a ceremony held at the Bicton Uniting Church in September.

shower, squat toilets, we sleep on the floor (on a mattress) and bathe in the river, and also work hard building facilities for a school. In addition, the girls love that village life offers so much more than when we are in the cities. They love the feeling of community and of being so welcomed.

When it’s time to depart and our new families are tying white string onto our wrists to wish us a safe journey home, there are many tears on all sides. This education cannot be bought. We feel that we have done some good, the village has had something that they have asked for built – it’s a win-win situation.

Chair of the Uniting Church WA Pastoral Relations Committee, Rev Trevor Waters, shared Claire’s path to ordination with the congregation. He said Claire has been on a lifelong journey of faith, raised as a minister’s daughter.

Principal Meg Melville attended the ordination and responded in the service on behalf of the College.

“It was a beautiful service to mark a significant milestone in Chaplain Claire’s professional and personal journey to becoming an Ordained Minister of the Uniting Church,” Mrs Melville said.

Scotch College Chaplain, Rev Dr Anne Wright, delivered the Message of the Word during the service. Rev Wright talked about the importance of school chaplaincy and Christian ministry.

“In Chapel and classrooms, every year, I get to tell stories of Jesus and ancient heroes to children who have never heard them before.

Storytelling is a powerful tool in our hearts and minds,” she said.

Bicton Uniting Church holds a special place in Claire’s heart, as it is her family church and her father was minister of the Church for 12 years.

Chaplain Claire was subsequently inducted to be a Minister of the Word at a lovely Junior School Chapel service at the College in October, supported by students, staff and parents.

22

Summer 2017

Penrhos staff lend a helping hand The entire Penrhos staff – Junior School, Secondary School and Operational Services – took on completely different roles for a morning by undertaking community-based tasks during the Staff Community Service Day in October.

This initiative was the brainchild of Service Learning Coordinator Renee Poetschka, who worked tirelessly to source the many activities on offer, and coordinate staff.

• Making cookies for Manna Inc & Foundation Services • Knitting scarves for UnitingCare Winter Appeal • Making fleece blankets for foster children and the homeless • South Care Inc: Working in the Opportunity Shop, sorting and doing stocktake • Manna Inc: Cooking meals, cleaning cooling rooms, general duties

The range of activities included: • Salvation Army Doorways Program: Cooking meals • Starlight Foundation: Call Centre thanking donors • Collier Park/Berrington Retirement Residents: Aqua Aerobics Class “This was a fabulous exercise Principal Meg Melville said it was a very worthy • Collier Park/Berrington Retirement initiative with many benefits. on many fronts, most Residents: Bocce Tournament • Collier Park/Berrington Retirement “This was a fabulous exercise on many fronts, importantly in the benefits Residents: Fitness/Gym Session most importantly in the benefits gained by gained by individuals and individuals and groups in our community, and also • Collier Park/Berrington Retirement groups in our community, and in terms of collegiality amongst our staff. It was Residents: Life Art Drawing Class good to move outside our day-to-day roles and • City of South Perth: Planting/Weeding/ also in terms of collegiality work with such diversity in our community.”

Surveying at Davlik Park amongst our staff. It was good • City of South Perth: Canning River Dean of Co-Curricular Paul McCarthy, who took to move outside our day-toForeshore clean up day roles and work with such part in the Starlight Foundation Thank a Donor • UnitingCare West Tranby House activity, said it was a positive experience.

Northbridge: Breakfast clean-up, diversity in our community.” interacting with clients, general duties “I really enjoyed phoning people and thanking • UnitingCare West Market Place them for their sacrifice and service to the Fremantle: Stocktake, general duties community – it was so nice to have the initial ‘sorry I don’t have • UnitingCare West Garden Blitz Family Group Home: Secured time to talk right now’ dissolve, and instead have a conversation playground and built sandpit, weeding, planting garden unfold when they realised that we weren’t wanting something from • UnitingCare West Christmas Workshop: Sorting and them again, but simply to thank them for their generosity. It was stocktaking Christmas donations also nice to see so many happy faces on the visitors to our College today – a small sacrifice on our part can mean so much to others.”

• Making soup for Manna Inc & Foundation Services

Summer 2017

23

Thanking our volunteers Wednesday, 15 November 2017 Colwyn Centre Volunteers are the backbone of the Penrhos community, and College staff were pleased to host many of our Support Group, work experience and committee volunteers at a sundowner held at the College. Principal Meg Melville and College Leadership Group members were in attendance to thank volunteers for the valuable support and assistance they provided throughout the year.

New bus signage draws attention

24

Summer 2017

You may have noticed the newly branded Penrhos fleet of buses and vans on the road in recent months.

The buses proudly display our College purpose – ‘inspiring girls to become

extraordinary women’ – as well as the crest and new flower dragon.

This initiative is all about increasing our College’s presence and exposure on the road, and making the most of this moving outdoor advertising space.

Taking our passion for STEM on the road Penrhos College staff hit the road in September, taking our passion for STEM all the way to Katanning and Manjimup.

Principal Meg Melville, Head of Boarding Michele Hay, (former) Digital Technologies and STEM Coordinator Chris Koopman and Junior School Learning Technologies Coordinator Nathan Ducker represented the College at the workshops, which attracted many local primary school students and their parents, as well as Penrhos alumni and current parents.

Staff set up a range of self-directed activities that the students could rotate through, including a range of robots (Edisons, Beebots, Ozobots, Probots), mats and activities, as well as a Virtual Reality headset and 360 degree camera.

Mrs Melville and Mrs Hay finished the trip in Albany, where they hosted a function at local favourite, Liberté, for prospective, past and current community members.

Catching up in Esperance While visiting for the annual Esperance Agricultural Show in October, our Enrolments team had the pleasure of hosting a sundowner at the Taylor Street Quarters.

Enrolment Assistant Courtney McPhee said, “It was fantastic to connect with our past and present families and get to know our future families. We look forward to connecting with more boarding families when we are on the road again in 2018.”

Penrhos staff have travelled far and wide to the regions this year, covering towns including Wagin, Dowerin, Mingenew, Newdegate, Esperance, in addition to the STEM country roadshow.

Summer 2017

25

Penrhos Auxiliary Spring Lunch Held in September, the Auxiliary Spring Lunch was a highly successful celebration of friendship and fun in the beautiful location at Beaumonde on the Point. Guests were treated to a three-course meal, fashion parade, gift bags, and fabulous raffle prizes.

Proceeds from the event were donated to the WA Branch of the Australian Special Olympics.

Year 7 Grandparents and Friends’ Day Year 7 students welcomed their grandparents and friends to the campus in September, where they enjoyed a special Chapel service about the gift of grandparents, and morning tea. The girls enjoyed showing their visitors around the College, and were fantastic hosts on the day.

26

Summer 2017

Library opening hours extended In response to student demand, and to assist busy working families, the Secondary School Library now operates with extended opening hours.

The Library is now open from 8am–8pm on Monday–Thursday, and 8am–6pm on Friday.

This has been a popular initiative, with plenty of positive feedback received from both students and parents alike.

After-hours Library Supervisor Jane Stanton said students and parents were making the most of the extended opening hours.

“Parents appreciate the fact that they don't have to rush to pick up their daughters. They are also pleased that the extra time and assistance that their daughters get with homework in the Library, means that they can relax when they get home.

“Students who have been involved in after-school activities, for example sport or drama, are also taking advantage of the later opening hours in the Library, to complete work before going home.

Secondary School Library OPENING HOURS Monday – Thursday 8am – 8pm Friday 8am – 6pm

“Some Year 12 students even go home for dinner and then come back to study as they find being in the Library a more conducive environment for learning. One Year 12 student said that these hours meant that she no longer had to catch a train to the State Library. It also meant that she could go home and eat at a more reasonable hour,” Mrs Stanton said.

Australian Children’s Laureate visits Penrhos It was a great privilege to welcome Australian Children’s Laureate and award-winning author, illustrator and sculptor Leigh Hobbs to the Junior School in October.

As the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2016-2017, Leigh has travelled around Australia and to many overseas destinations promoting quality Australian children’s literature, and the importance of reading, creativity and story in the lives of young Australians. He has written over twenty children’s books, containing his famous characters Mr Chicken, Horrible Harriet, Old Tom and Mr Badger.

Leigh has won every major children’s choice award in Australia and some of his books have been adapted for television series and stage productions.

“Libraries have played an enormous role in my life. Reading and exploring history and art is something I have been able to do because of libraries. I’m passionately interested in histories and cultures and I hope that through my work I can encourage children to explore and experience these things too,” Leigh said.

Junior School Teacher Librarian Elizabeth Allen said Leigh’s visit to Penrhos provided several exciting learning experiences.

“During his visit to Penrhos, Leigh presented an after-school opportunity to interested families. Approximately 70 guests had the opportunity to listen to Leigh, watch him draw, purchase his books and have them signed. As a talented artist and former art teacher, Leigh guided audiences through drawing his Old Tom character.

“Reading and exploring history and art is something I have been able to do because of libraries. I’m passionately interested in histories and cultures and I hope that through my work I can encourage children to explore and experience these things too,” Leigh said.

“His message reinforced that we are all different. There may have been 70 Old Tom drawings in the room, but everyone was different and that needs to be celebrated,” Mrs Allen said.

Junior School students in Years 2–6 also enjoyed a drawing lesson during Leigh’s visit, where he inspired the girls with drawing tips for creating memorable characters.

Summer 2017

27

Our new outdoor cinema series, Penrhos Picnic & Pictures, kicked off in November and enjoyed a stellar first season.

Running across four Friday nights, this exciting new community event was designed to bring people together for an outdoor movie experience under the stars at Penrhos.

Dean of Co-Curricular Paul McCarthy, who spearheaded this initiative, said the series had been a great success.

“We have been absolutely thrilled with the commencement of our Penrhos Picnic & Pictures season this year. We have such a busy, engaged and vibrant community at Penrhos, constantly striving for the highest and achieving outstanding things in so many different pursuits, and we thought it would be nice to simply come together socially, in each other’s company, amongst all of the ‘busyness’ of the usual school week. It is ironic that we can be together for so much time, but we don’t

always get the chance to connect socially, in such a setting.

The movies were selected according to a popular vote by students.

“This is why we decided to launch Penrhos Picnic & Pictures to our broader school community – students, families and parents, coming together to spend some time in fellowship, watching movies that our student community voted on watching, with ice-cream, popcorn, drinks and sausage sizzles in hand!” Mr McCarthy said.

“The most popular movies to screen this year, as voted by our students, were Moana, High School Musical, Ballerina and Pitch Perfect, and judging by the fact that around 1,000 people decided to come along to see a movie with friends in November, they were clearly popular choices.

Penrhos staff volunteered to host the events – busily popping popcorn, cooking sausage sizzles and selling drinks and ice creams – ensuring a warm community feel.

“I would like to thank the staff that came along to serve our school community in this way, and I really look forward to seeing what movies the girls vote to see on the big screen in 2018,” Mr McCarthy said.

Introducing Mind, Heart, Body, Spirit boarding bursaries A talented group of Year 8 and 9 boarding students will be joining Penrhos College in 2018 after being awarded a Mind, Heart, Body, Spirit boarding bursary.

These special bursaries were made available to girls who felt they would flourish in the stimulating Penrhos environment. The bursaries were awarded to girls from various parts of Western Australia, from up north in Broome and Carnarvon, down to Katanning and Esperance.

The recipients have each demonstrated a strong track record in all-round effort and achievement, together with a positive attitude towards their academic studies and a willingness to embrace new challenges and engage in a range of exciting co-curricular activities.

28

Summer 2017

Enrolment Manager Susie Gill said, “One of the most rewarding aspects of working in Enrolments is to be a part of the Penrhos journey with families as they realise that a door to an amazing opportunity has been opened for them. Quite often this opportunity can be life changing, and it is such a privilege to be able to share these moments with our future families.”

We look forward to seeing the wonderful contributions that our Mind, Heart, Body, Spirit Bursary recipients will make to the Penrhos community during their time at the College.

Madelene receives Amanda Young Fellowship Year 12 student Madelene Booth was the very deserving winner of this year’s Amanda Young Fellowship, presented at the Final Assembly on Flower Day. As part of its youth development program, the Amanda Young Foundation awards an annual $5,000 Fellowship in Amanda Young’s memory to a Year 12 Penrhos College student to assist the successful applicant in her further personal and career development upon completion of her secondary school education.

Amanda Young was a Penrhos alumna (Class of 1996) who tragically contracted meningococcal disease and died at the tender age of 18. During her time at Penrhos, Amanda represented the College in swimming, rowing, equestrian, athletics, cross country, softball, and debating, and won the Year 12 Margaret Way Prize for Most Outstanding Contribution to the School Community, as well as the Biology prize.

Madelene said Amanda’s proud legacy inspired her to apply for the Fellowship.

“Amanda Young was such an inspiring young woman, and so many girls at Penrhos look up to her and the legacy that she left behind.

I decided to apply for the Amanda Young Fellowship in the hope that I could develop into a person like Amanda, and grow into a young leader who will work with the people around me to optimise outcomes for as many people as possible.

with an organisation such as Doctors without Borders, UNICEF, or the Red Cross.

“Organisations such as these work with children around the world, in a plethora of French speaking regions, to improve both the health and general quality of life of many desperate people. A greater knowledge of this language would allow me to better communicate with the people around me, and I would become more versatile as a doctor overseas. I hope to undertake an exchange program in France early next year with the funding.

“The Amanda Young Foundation has been such a huge part of my education at Penrhos, with the Amanda Young Fair each year and the numerous events that the Foundation holds. Last year, I attended the Youth Summit, a young leaders’ camp presented by the Foundation, and it was there that I really set my heart on pursuing my dream of helping people all around the world, through the use of my developing leadership skills.”

“I am aware that one person may not be able to make a monumental difference, but I believe that if I can encourage as many people as possible to look beyond the life in front of them, and move their focus to achieving collective benefits for all people, the world would generally be a better place. Poverty and disease go handin-hand in many less able communities. I not only want to help improve the lives of these people, but encourage those of us who have good health and quality of life to be more active in assisting the less fortunate.

Madelene plans to use the grant to improve her French speaking skills, which she hopes will increase the likelihood of employment

“My dream is to help people and I intend to do whatever I can to make a difference,” Madelene said.

Congratulating our 2018 scholarship recipients We are proud to offer a broad range of scholarships and bursaries that recognise academic and musical excellence, reward consistent effort and positive attitude, and help to enable the enrolment of girls who may not otherwise be able to attend Penrhos. We warmly congratulate the following scholarship recipients for 2018.

Nancy Thomas Scholarship

Council Music Scholarship

Athalya Chandra Hayah Yasir

Caitlen Lilly Eleanor Jones

Rev Raymond Perry Scholarship

Sophie Harvey-Lissienko Morgan May

Krishnamenaka Gamage

Instrumental Music Scholarship

WH “Harry” Potter Scholarship

Amelie Broadbent Avril Holt Amelia Huxtable Ella Richardson Annabel Sproul Erica Wong

Liyanka Cutinha

Robin Halbert Scholarship

Foundation Bursary

Eloise Annear

Sophie Strachan

Kate Marquis

Mind, Heart, Body, Spirit Boarding Bursary Hayleigh Duck Dakota Kowald Sophie McPhail Ava Rawlings

Grace Hawkey Anna Martin Jordie Porter

Summer 2017

29

From the Foundation President 2017 has been a great year for us on many fronts.

The Foundation worked closely with the College to recruit to a newly-created position with 40 per cent emphasis on fundraising.

Paula Barrow is an experienced senior marketing professional who has more recently also become a certified Advancement practitioner – we were pleased to have Paula join us as Director of Marketing and Development in July 2017. We are also pleased to recognise the consolidation of Emma Cornwall’s role as Development Coordinator, a position in which Emma is dedicated to fundraising.

Paula and Emma have been working hard to sow the seeds from which we will grow our culture of philanthropy. Giving is well-established in boys’ schools, less so in girls’ – certainly, the emphasis on the Annual Fund, Major Gifts and Bequests continues to develop across the private school sector and we are aware that many of our peer institutions have introduced extremely successful initiatives over recent years. You will notice increased reference to giving across our publications, digital platforms and events. I am also pleased to share with you that, for the first time, members of the Foundation and the Council reached out to Year 12 parents after Graduation this year and invited them to consider giving to Penrhos. We were delighted to receive a largely positive response and some extremely helpful feedback, which will help shape our forward plans.

In other news, the Foundation confirmed its two annual bursaries for 2018, both of which provide opportunities for girls who may not otherwise have been positioned to attend the Penrhos.

Through the year ahead, we will be revising our Scholarships and Bursaries strategy in line with environmental challenges and the needs of our community.

Board membership I would like to take this opportunity to thank Greg Beard for the many years he has served on the Foundation Board, most recently as Vice President. His passion and enthusiasm for Penrhos are infectious and we are sorry Greg has decided not to continue in 2018 – the decision aligns with his youngest daughter’s graduation from the College. I would also like to recognise Greg and his wife Rachel as generous donors to the Foundation.

Alistair Baron and Helen Jones are our newest Board members, both commenced in October 2017. Alistair is a current parent, with a particular interest in joining with Tom Esze to drive

30

Summer 2017

forward new initiatives under the Menrhos banner – if you have any thoughts on how dads can become more engaged with the College, particularly around fund-raising activities to further enhance their daughters’ learning experience, please be encouraged to contact either Tom or Alistair. Helen is also a current parent; as a former School Captain, she will be working closely with Camilla Holt to raise funds for the Foundation through the alumni network. Once again, you are warmly encouraged to approach either Camilla or Helen with any ideas you may have.

Thanks to our donors The Penrhos College Foundation sincerely thanks the following donors, who have generously given to the College since the last edition of The Penrhosian.

• Greg and Rachel Beard • Travis and Ann Boehm • Helen Knott • Alan and Sue Senior Looking ahead In 2018, the Penrhos Foundation will embark on a raft of new opportunities and initiatives in which we would like all our community to be involved. We want to ensure everyone has the option to give back in a way that is individually meaningful – we are ever-grateful to our generous community for their ongoing support for enabling building projects, creating bursaries and investing in the future enhancement of the best education for our girls.

There has never been a more important time to invest in young women. Through our whole-person approach to education, our students graduate into a fast-changing world as confident individuals who are set to make a positive contribution whatever life path they may choose.

And thanks to all those who support us I would like to thank my fellow Board members and representatives from the College for their contribution and efforts throughout the year. All have given significantly of their personal and business time and I value their expertise.

The festive season is already upon us and on behalf of the Penrhos Foundation, I extend the warmest of wishes to you and your family for a safe and happy Christmas.

Sondra Anderson FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

From the Alumni President The Penrhos Alumni have enjoyed an exciting, rewarding and successful year in 2017, keeping our community well connected through our many events from reunions to school functions.

fairy lights as we welcomed the Year 12 girls into our Alumni community.

Founders’ Day, held in August, was a beautiful event that saw past students, staff, parents and friends welcomed back to the College to reconnect and reminisce.

Shakers and Stirrers, our annual networking get-together, held in conjunction with the Wesley Old Boys, kicked off a fantastic year for the Alumni. Held in February at the Windsor Hotel, a record number of Alumni from both schools turned out to reconnect with old friends.

In May, our annual High Tea provided a lovely opportunity for current parents and Alumni to come together over a selection of delicious afternoon tea treats. Special thanks go to Tom Esze, whose spirited auctioneering of donated items – including a cricket bat signed by the Australian team from the 2012-13 Australia vs Sri Lanka test series that sparked a furious round of bidding – raised over $5,000 for the annual Alumni Endeavour Award. We are indebted to the generosity of those who attended for making this such a happy and successful event.

Hosted by the Penrhos Alumni, the much-loved Mother Daughter Dinner is always a highlight on the Year 12 calendar and this year’s event once again proved a memorable evening for our leavers and their mums. The Llew Woodford Function Centre was transformed into a magical display of flowers and

This year the Penrhos Alumni hosted the annual Combined Independent Schools’ Tennis and Golf Days. These two events bring together alumni from schools across the metropolitan area for an enjoyable day of sport and socialising.

I would personally like to thank the many wonderful Penrhos Alumni who offer their time to help out at the various functions throughout the year – your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Finally, I’d like to thank the Alumni Committee, Principal Meg Melville and the Penrhos staff for all their generous help and support throughout the year.

We invite all our Alumni to keep in touch, whether by email or in person, and look forward to an exciting 2018!

Amanda Yaksich ALUMNI PRESIDENT

Penrhos Alumni Endeavour Award At the Year 12 Flower Day Assembly held in October, Penrhos Alumni Committee member Ailsa Allen was honoured to present this year’s Penrhos Alumni Endeavour Award to Amelia DaviesWaddell.

The award provides financial support to a Year 12 student who would like the opportunity to achieve something

extraordinary. The award has links to the ‘For Others’ program begun at MLC South Perth Angelo St School in 1957.

Following her graduation from Penrhos, Amelia plans to offer her voluntary services to the Melanoma Advisory Service to raise awareness among high school students of the risk of skin cancer and the importance of sun protection.

Summer 2017

31

Class of 1967 50 Year Reunion

Sunday, 6 August 2017 at the Pagoda The Class of 1967 enjoyed catching up over high tea and champagne when they came together to celebrate their 50 Year Reunion in August. There was plenty of chatting and reminiscing as the The Penrhos Alumni wishes to thank Pamela Suermondt (Juan) and Pamela Taylor (Richards) for their help organising this special event.

Gail Harrison (Caldwell), Marna Smith (Inkpen)

Back: Pamela Taylor (Richards), Wendy Jardine (West), Pamela Suermondt (Juan), Christa Nicholson (Wiegele), Yvonne Manera (Walker), Annette O’Neill (Goddard), Jenny Green, Christine Raffan (Nash), Roslyn McCreadie (Garland) and Marna Smith (Inkpen) Front: Karen Spencer (Kenworthy), Geof Church, Gail Harrison (Caldwell) and Rosemary Dillon (Prince)

Wendy Jardine (West), Roslyn McCreadie (Garland), Karen Spencer (Kenworthy)

Jenny Green, Geof Church

Class of 1997 20 Year Reunion Saturday, 12 August 2017 at the Claremont Hotel Twenty years on, the Class of 1997 enjoyead a tour of the College before heading to the Claremont Hotel to catch up with their Penrhos classmates, some

of whom had travelled from interstate and overseas for the event. There was a wonderful excitement in the room as everyone reconnected. Entertainment was provided by alumna Deb Stitt, who sang tracks from her new album ‘Mermaid’. The Penrhos Alumni wishes to thank Claire Fortune and Karen Feldstein for helping organise this event.

Deb Stitt performing tracks from her new album ‘Mermaid’

Tanya Ellis, Amanda Willmott, Erica Stanley, Jennifer Bennett

32

Summer 2017

Miecha Bradshaw, Rebecca McNeill (Board), Claire Fortune

Alison Hilton (Firns), Suzanne Srdarov, Deb Stitt

Lisa Vyse (Peacock), Alisha Gorman (Lim), Rebecca McNeill (Board)

Caroline Parry (Daley), Vanessa Bishop (Thwaites), Emily Taylor (Strong), Brooke Odlum (Dickinson)

Rebecca McNeill (Board), Felicity Anderson (Edgar), Shauna See (Skinner), Deb Stitt, Kerry Manera

Class of 1977 40 Year Reunion Saturday, 22 July 2017 at the Colwyn Centre Clockwise from left: Vicki Sturgeon, Monique Wigger-Smith (Wigger), Anne-Marie Fowler (Fullerton), Clare Howells (Dick), Robyn Base (Major), Andrea Mariotto (Burton), Denise Grant (McPherson), Robyn Bailey (Jones), Vanessa Taylor (Wray), Lisa Beckley

Meg Melville, Laurie Packham, Vicki Sturgeon

Andrea Mariotto (Burton), Ange Wilkinson, Denise Grant (McPherson)

Robyn Bailey (Jones), Barbara Bufton (Williamson), Sally Johnston (Johnson)

Lisa Beckley, Sue Jones

The Class of 1977 took a walk down memory lane and enjoyed catching up with their Penrhos peers at a sit-down dinner held at Penrhos. The ladies were joined by Principal Meg Melville and much-loved past staff member Laurie Packham. The Penrhos Alumni thanks coordinators Jennifer Hill (de Bruyn) and Robyn Bailey (Jones) for helping organise this special event.

Vanessa Taylor (Wray), Judy Watt (Sharp), Clare Howells (Dick), Anthea Jack (Letch)

Class of 2007 10 Year Reunion Saturday, 11 November 2017 at the Colwyn Centre Over 60 girls from the Class of 2007 came back to Penrhos to celebrate their 10 year reunion. They kicked off the evening with a tour of the College, then headed to the Colwyn Centre to enjoy a fun night catching up with their classmates. Reading their personalised letters that had been buried in the Margaret Way Courtyard in Year 12 in the Time Capsule caused many laughs and the photo booth was well used. The girls were also delighted to catch up with their Head of Year Mr Sean Ebert. Penrhos Alumni thanks Jess O'Donnell (Johnston) for coordinating the event and encouraging so many girls to come.

Rachelle Jones, Jess O’Donnell (Johnston), Alexandra Saratsis (Lazidis), Caitlin Oma

Caitlin Caputi (Wood), Shael Daniel, Brigid Hartnett, Telisha Norrish (Pallot)

Sarah Graham, Erica Swick, Elise Stewart, Genis White

Erica Swick, Rose Mark, Irene Tan

Louise Crawford, Michelle Pez-Ipince, Telisha Norrish (Pallot)

Stephanie Marchesi and Claire Chisholm (Dunjey)

Atossa Khosrowshahi, Emma Wright, Kristie Thomson (Giles), Helena Bailey

Summer 2017

33

Out and About The Marketing & Development Office invites Alumni members to contribute to the Penrhosian Magazine by emailing their news items to alumni@penrhos.wa.edu.au. We publish Alumni submissions in good faith, with a view to sharing and celebrating good news.

Sue Burtenshaw (Brown) 1964 has been the President of the Princess Margaret Hospital Ex-Trainees Nursing Association for almost five years. As part of the preparation for the move to the new Perth Children’s Hospital, the Association has been working on the history of PMH through the eyes of the nursing staff and volunteers. Part of this has been to record the hospital’s journey in preparation for the publication of a ‘Farewell to PMH’ book.

Education college and keeps in touch with fellow Penrhosians from 1975.

Sue would be delighted to hear from any Penrhos Alumni who have had a connection with PMH either as a staff member or a patient and would like to contribute a story to this book.

Pippa Worthington 1978 graduated from UWA with a BComm in 1981.

She began her career in marketing and communications, working in tertiary education, not for profit organisations and government positions, before starting a careers coaching business. She then travelled extensively and lived in Ireland for a few years. She now runs her own business, Heart and Soul Consulting, utilising her marketing, communications and photography skills to enable not for profits, authors and artists to communicate authentically and creatively with their stakeholders. More information is at www.heartandsoulconsulting.com.au.

In her down-time, Pippa is a member of a community-based belly-dance troupe.

The Association is also preparing for the commissioning of a stained glass artwork for the Chapel area of the new Multi Faith Centre. A significant piece of art, this inspiring and beautiful pentaptych (five panel) stained glass artwork will measure over four metres wide and two metres high.

The Association has so far raised $48,000 towards the $80,000 needed for the artwork, the beautiful marri framing, and the lighting and fitting costs.

Each piece of stained glass will be numbered for donations and named in the donor’s honour, or for someone for whom PMH has been an important part of their lives.

These donations will be acknowledged in a booklet to be produced for the blessing and unveiling of the artwork.

Sue would love to hear from anyone who would like to be a part of bringing this artwork to reality — please email s.d.burtenshaw@wn.com.au

Dixie Darch (Lambert) 1975 went to England after leaving school and settled in Somerset in the southwest of England. She teaches English and Education in a Further

34

Summer 2017

Karen Niculescu (Bennett) 1976 worked as a high school teacher from 1980-2016 in Geraldton, Bunbury, Derby, Looma, Albany and Denmark. In January 2017 she retired to Walpole with her husband Florin.

After 23 years away, Tracy Routledge 1982 returned to Perth seven years ago and built a thriving Arts PR Consultancy, TRPR. Her clients include Ochre Contemporary Dance Company, PICA, St George’s Dance & Theatre Program at St George’s Cathedral, The Last Great Hunt Theatre Company, Tura Music and Fenians Fremantle & Freedom Festival, among others. She is also the venue publicist for one of Melbourne’s best live music venues, MEMO Music Hall in St Kilda, which she manages from Perth. Artists she has promoted include Ross Wilson, Vince Jones, Normie Rowe, Deborah Conway, Jim Moginie from Midnight Oil and Alyce Platt, to name a few. Tracy regularly gets together with many of her friends from the class of 1982. Her favourite memories of Penrhos were being in the school plays and drama classes with Mrs Barker.

Jodi Corica 1986 married her husband Guy in Italy in September last year and

a large Penrhosian family joined the gathering for a week of celebrations.

Jodi’s fellow 1986 Leavers Mandy Grieg (Matron of Honour), Mandy Cocks, Liz O’Sullivan, Michelle Felear, Fleur Brady, Alison Egan, Liz Allan, Kylie Martin, Carolyn Edmiston, Bethwyn Richards and Lecia Laurance, along with gorgeous friend Natasha Miller 1988 travelled to Tuscany with their husbands and children and joined with current Penrhos families and friends that Jodi and her daughters made when they were students at Penrhos Junior School: the Bhasin, Spartalis, Drake-Brockman, McKeon, and Hodgkinson families.

Jodi writes, “The dance floor was overridden and our children horrified by our 80s moves but nothing beats the Penrhosian war-cry of ‘She Will Survive’ at 1am. To have so many friendships blossom under the Penrhos pines is a blessing, and the legacy of our shared years is watching our families come together for special times and revel with real joy and love for one another.”

Jodi and Guy have six children aged between 13 and 19 who keep them busy ferrying between netball, cricket, footy, soccer and three different schools. In their down-time they can both be found in the kitchen where they love to cook for their menagerie. In Jodi’s spare time she flits between Italian classes, Pilates, mahjong and her garden.

In October Kareene Santoro (Verstegen) 1992 visited Penrhos as a special guest of the Penrhosian Club.

Kareene is currently a Supervisor at South East Metropolitan Response North where

Anna Vidler 1998 and her husband Michael Warren welcomed their third child, a girl, Indiana Mae Warren on 22 March this year. Indiana’s two big brothers, Charlie (6) and Lenny (4), are besotted.

Three months ago, despite loving being a part of the Wesley community and working at the school – Michael for the past nine years and Anna last year – the family relocated from Perth to Dunsborough, which is where Anna grew up and boarded from. They are loving being closer to family and raising their kids in the country.

Rachel Frazer (Clarke) 2001 married Scott Frazer at Cheeky Monkey Brewery in Wilyabrup on 22 October 2016.

she has been since November 2013.

Kareene is pictured here with Penrhosian club members and much-loved past staff, Laurie Packham and Val Mayger.

Amber Scobie 1995, who studied photography in Years 11 and 12 at Penrhos, was awarded a Gold award in the Family category, a Silver distinction in the Portrait Category and a Silver award in the Birth/Documentary Category at the 2017 Australian Professional Photography Awards. In October Amber was a finalist in the Fremantle International Portrait Prize. Amber runs a successful wedding and portrait business and also works as a medical photographer at Royal Perth Hospital.

At the beginning of this year, Tara Whitney 1998 (Delaporte) moved with her family to the Wheatbelt town of Pingelly, where her husband took up the position of Office in Charge of Pingelly Police. Leaving her government job in Perth behind, Tara then started her own business, Whitney Consulting, which helps regional local governments, not for profits and community organisations navigate grant funding and government processes.

Since founding Whitney Consulting, Tara has been writing and reviewing business cases, grant applications and tender documents, undertaking project management, community engagement, and reporting. She has a step-daughter who is 14, a 6 year old and 5 year old girl. She reports that her family are all loving life in the country!

Kate Bardill (Cochrane) 1999 studied Chemical Engineering at Curtin University.

She travelled around Australia and internationally as a Safety Risk Consultant before joining Woodside in 2008. She worked at the Karratha Gas Plant for a few years before moving to Japan for a mega project. She returned to Perth, completed her MBA through Deakin University and has been working on the North West Shelf offshore platforms. She has recently moved to the Floating Production Storage and Offloading facilities as the Maintenance Engineering Team Lead. She has two wonderful children, Molly (5) and George (3).

Jennifer Rees (Phillips) 1999 studied Arts/Political Science at UWA before starting work in finance and moving to the UK, where she stayed for five years.

Jennifer returned to Perth in 2011 to work in stockbroking and finance. She is now a financial adviser for those with acquired brain injuries and/or catastrophic injuries – work which she finds extremely rewarding. Jennifer married her husband Brad, a Christ Church Grammar School old boy, in Paris in 2014.

Suraya Goddard (Harharah) 2001 and her husband Greg welcomed their second and third children – twin girls, Giselle and Grace – on 26 August 2017.

Amy Prosser 2001 completed a BSc in Biotechnology with Honours at Murdoch University. She worked in medical research for a few years in Perth, then moved overseas to live and work in The Netherlands, Canada and Scotland. She was fortunate enough to travel a lot and see some amazing sights during this time and became a ski instructor after loving skiing in Canada. She has now settled back in Perth and is working on a PhD in Immunology at UWA. She tries and get to the snow whenever she can, although she says that Perth summers are hard to beat!

Fiona Williams 2000 and her partner Kat had a baby girl, Zoe Matilda, on 12 December 2016.

Hannah White (Simpson) 2004 and her husband Raine welcomed a baby boy, Dean Jackson White, on 25 July 2017 in Gawler, South Australia.

Summer 2017

35

Teresa Slaven-Blair 2005 has recently started a PhD at the University of Western Australia studying gravitational waves, which are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by collisions between neutron stars and/or black holes, and they have only recently been detected.

She recently attended the (rst OzGrav retreat in Melbourne for the Australian collaboration of gravitational wave researchers which celebrated OzGrav becoming an ARC Centre of Excellence.

Dr Rachel Jones 2006 recently completed her PhD at UWA in sarcoma genetics and in August started a new role as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. Five years ago as a UWA postgraduate student, Rachel was the recipient of the inaugural Abbie Basson Sarcoma Research Scholarship funding muchneeded medical research into sarcoma.

Kristie Thomson (Giles) 2007 and her husband Chris recently welcomed their third child, a son, Oscar Willoughby on 2 August 2017. Big sisters Savannah and Bridie were over the moon with the new addition and Oscar has fitted into their family perfectly. Kristie is still living in Kojonup and is currently on maternity leave from her role as a Practice Nurse at the local doctors’ surgery.

Georgia Lowth 2008 wants to find out the name of an icy-pole that was sold at

the canteen when she was a student at Penrhos! It was blue and white, shaped like a Billabong and covered in chocolate with biscuit pieces in it. If anyone remembers, please email alumni@penrhos.wa.edu.au

and Mark is currently pursuing a degree in Secondary Teaching (Curtin) whilst playing and coaching cricket at national and international levels.

Rachael Pantin 2009 completed her studies in Dentistry in 2014, and is now working locally at 'The New Dentist' in Applecross.

Chloe Itzstein 2008 opened her gym, Fitness HQ in Cannington, at the beginning of 2017. Chloe trains people in functional fitness through programs including crossfit, boxing, HIIT and personal training.

Rojna Yvonne Rice (Samimi) 2009 married Mark Allan Rice at Perth’s Darlington Estate Winery on 11 February 2017. Rojna was incredibly grateful to have some of her close friends from Penrhos in attendance – L-R Carly Thompson, Sarah Power, Mary Sippe, Briony King, Jennifer Lau, Audrey Lim and Cherie Vaz. Mark surprised his bride during the speeches by announcing that he was taking Rojna to the Maldives for their honeymoon. Rojna

and Mark met while travelling in Rome a year before their wedding, after which Mark relocated from Sydney to join Rojna in Perth. Rojna recently graduated with a Masters in Human Resource Management and Employment Relations from UWA

Tayla Shillingford (Clatworthy) 2011 and her husband Daniel had their baby daughter Billie Grace Shillingford on 26 September 2017. Tayla writes, “I can’t wait to enrol her at Penrhos when she is older!”

Dannielle Martin (Greay) 2012 has been Mrs Martin for close to two years now and in March last year welcomed her daughter Dixie Lynn into the family.

Celebrating Founders' Day Penrhos College was proud to once again host the annual Founders’ Day on Tuesday, 8 August 2017. 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. The day’s festivities, which included a Chapel Service, student assembly and performances, College tour and light lunch, provided a wonderful opportunity for past staff, past parents and alumni to reconnect.

36

Summer 2017

From Penrhos schoolgirl to magazine maven Class of 1997 alumna and InStyle magazine Editor Emily Taylor has had an enviable career, spanning print, digital and social media in Australia and London. She has worked for leading magazines, including marie claire, and on some of the UK’s leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle retail brands, including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, and Net-A-Porter. She was appointed to the role at InStyle in 2015, after serving in other magazine roles including beauty director, associate editor fashion and beauty, and associate editor. Here she tells us about her journey from shy Penrhos schoolgirl to publishing powerhouse.

How many years did you attend Penrhos?

I started school at Penrhos in Year 3, so I was there for a decade.

What do you remember most fondly about your time at Penrhos?

Certainly the friendships I built during my time there. I went through school with a wonderful bunch of girls and remain close with many of them today. Those connections cannot be underestimated – they shape you.

What were your favourite subjects?

As a mini creative, drama and music were my favourite subjects from the start and I was lucky to study under many wonderful, passionate teachers who encouraged excellence in a supportive environment. I went on to attend WAAPA because I was fortunate enough to have had such a great grounding in the arts at school.

Did you hold any leadership positions at the College?

I was a member of the Student Council in both Junior and Secondary School.

Did you have a family connection to Penrhos?

My late mother, Philippa Strong (née McPherson), and her sisters Lesley and Fiona all went to Penrhos, when it was known as MLC South Perth. My sister-in-law Lauren Strong (née Plant) also went to the school a couple of years behind me. I am lucky to come from a family of gutsy women – a trait that was never discouraged at Penrhos.

I appreciate being taught that anything was possible, which is a gift.

Of course the curriculum was important, but having the space to grow as a young woman is key. Learning the value of respect, selfconfidence and kindness is something you carry with you for the rest of your life.

What do you appreciate most about having been a student of Penrhos?

I appreciate being taught that anything was possible, which is a gift. Of course the curriculum was important, but having the space to grow as a young woman is key. Learning the value of respect, self-confidence and kindness is something you carry with you for the rest of your life. Did I love going to school every day? Of course not! But that's a teenager's prerogative.

Do I thank my parents for making sacrifices so I could have a great education? Every single day.

How did your time at Penrhos prepare you for your role as Editor of InStyle?

One of the first lessons I ever learned at school was as a super shy eight-yearold new girl under then principal Jennifer Robertson, who was a true force. Although I was terrified of my new surroundings and all the strangers, she taught me to look her straight in the eye and firmly shake her right hand. She wouldn't stand for anything else. No matter where I am in the world, from talking with designers at Milan Fashion Week to taking meetings in New York, I remember her words and feel a little more confident. When I lost my mother a few years ago, Mrs Robertson sent me a card in the mail, completely out of the blue, saying she was proud of the woman I had become. Sure, maths and science and spelling are important, but these are the real lessons that stay with you.

Finally, where are you now based?

I left Perth after completing university and now call Sydney home. I'm also lucky enough to have lived a few years in London. But my family are still in South Perth and I always relish coming home.

Summer 2017

37

Penrhos inspires acting dream The moment 2005 graduate Genevieve McCarthy decided she wanted to pursue a career in the performing arts was when she played the role of Little Cosette in the Cameron Mackintosh 10th Anniversary tour of Les Miserables. At the time, she was in Year 6 at Penrhos.

This was followed by drama classes and school productions at Penrhos with Mr David Ballantyne, who Genevieve credits with helping her find her love for acting and appreciation for script.

“Drama was always my favourite period at school, not only because you get to play make-believe for an hour but also there is a real sense of community amongst the drama kids!” said the singer and actor. “And I had a seriously talented year group. Bal is a phenomenal drama teacher.”

However when she left high school, Genevieve let the acting dream go for about eight years, during which time she gained a law degree and practised in construction litigation.

It was at law school that Genevieve met her husband Jim Holt, and they were married on 22 December 2016 with Old Girls Jacqueline Rolston 2005 and sisters

Emma McCarthy 2008 and Rebecca Williams (McCarthy) 2003 in attendance.

In 2014 the couple moved to the UK for Jim’s work – and Genevieve’s passion for performing kicked in again.

“I was in a city that has one of the most vibrant and rich musical theatre cultures in the world, so it only took seeing one musical to drag me back in,” she said.

Last year Genevieve trained at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with a Masters in Performance (Musical Theatre). This year she voiced a character for the children’s TV program Thomas & Friends and landed a role in her first feature film, The Spy Who Dumped Me, which was shot in Budapest and Amsterdam over the European summer.

Genevieve said that working on the film with Kate McKinnon and Mila Kunis, two of her acting idols, was an incredible thrill.

Now that Genevieve is back on the performing career path, there are guaranteed to be many more highlights ahead.

A globe-trotting musical life Five years after leaving Penrhos and with a UWA undergraduate degree in clarinet performance under her belt, Nicola Boud left Perth for life as a globe-trotting musician in Europe.

The 1994 Penrhos graduate initially moved to the Netherlands to undertake her Masters degree at the Royal Conservatory in the Hague. Upon graduating, she won the position of principal clarinet with the Orchestre des Champs Elysées in Paris and relocated to the French capital, living there for nearly eight years. In that time Nicola established a successful career as an international soloist, and chamber and orchestral musician.

“Since a young age I had a burning curiosity to travel, meet people in other places from all sorts of backgrounds, so somehow with my job, all those things are rolled into one and the same thing, and I feel very lucky,” said Nicola.

Highlights of her career include recitals at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and at the famous Wigmore Hall in London, and an invitation to play a recital with the

38

Summer 2017

acclaimed pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout at the Edinburgh Festival, which was broadcast live on BBC 3.

masterclasses all over Europe and in Singapore.

Nicola continues to play with many orchestras and ensembles including the Orchestre des Champs Elysées (Philippe Herreweghe), Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique (Sir John Eliot Gardiner) with whom she has performed at Carnegie Hall and the BBC Proms, the young French orchestra Ensemble Pygmalion, Dunedin Consort, Concerto Copenhagen and most recently Les Musiciens du Prince, an orchestra formed by the legendary mezzo soprano, Cecilia Bartoli.

She now lives in the beautiful city of Gent in Belgium with her husband, a Flemish visual artist, and their 4-year-old son Leo – who takes after his mum in being very happy to travel and meet new people.

“Most ensembles I play in are very international; I remember once counting 15 nationalities in the one ensemble!” she said.

Nicola also enjoys teaching and has given

However even after so many years away, Australia – and Perth in particular – still exerts a pull.

“I miss Perth a lot, especially during the long northern European winters, and feel so lucky to have grown up in such an extraordinary place,” said Nicola. “I miss the big open sky, the space, the ocean and all that wild nature, so we try to return at least once a year, especially now with our young son, so he can have a big dose of his Australian side.”

2018

Alumni Events in

We look forward to welcoming alumni members to the following events in 2018.

Shakers and Stirrers Networking Evening Friday, 9 February 2018 The Windsor Hotel Penrhos Alumni High Tea Date TBC Llew Woodford Function Centre, Penrhos College Penrhos College Founders’ Day Date TBC Chapel, Penrhos College Past students, staff and friends of Penrhos are welcome.

Penrhos hosts CIGS Tennis and Golf Days This year the Penrhos Alumni proudly hosted the Combined Independent Girls’ Schools tennis competition in March at Reabold Tennis Club in Floreat. Penrhos Principal Meg Melville joined the players for lunch and presented the trophy to the 2017 winning school, Presbyterian Ladies’ College.

The Penrhos Alumni were represented by Jan Truscott, Clare Howell, Caroline Dinnie, Jan Yeo, Robyn Leuba, Glenda Wray, Jodie Everett, and Priscilla McClellan, while behind the scenes, Anne Nener, Loretta Dease, Lenette Mullins, Margo Micheilides, Penny Burnette and Cheryl Parkes were untiring in their support to make the day a wonderful success. For yet another year, Ailsa Allen did a brilliant job of organising the event.

On Monday 9 October, the Penrhos Alumni hosted the CIGS golf competition at Royal Perth Golf Club. The event, which has been running for 53 years, is always a great day of golf followed by a lunch and presentations.

This year 130 players from Methodist Ladies’ College, Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Loreto, St Mary’s, St Hilda’s, Perth College, Iona and Penrhos/Kobeelya participated, with TBA taking out the winners’ trophy. Penrhos Principal Meg Melville was the guest speaker at the lunch.

Special thanks go to Colette Nalder, Captain of the Penrhos Alumni Golf team, and to all the other alumni members who helped to make this such a fun day of golf and friendship.

Combined Independent Schools’ Tennis Day Thursday, 5 April 2018 at 8.45am Reabold Tennis Club, Floreat Combined Independent Schools’ Golf Day Date TBC Royal Perth Golf Club The following class reunions – dates to be announced in 2018: Class of 2017 Leavers’ Reunion Class of 2008 10 Year Reunion Class of 1998 20 Year Reunion Class of 1988 30 Year Reunion Class of 1978 40 Year Reunion Class of 1968 50 Year Reunion Official invites are sent by email six weeks prior to the reunion. Please ensure the College has your current email address.

To update your details or for any reunion enquiries, please email alumni@ penrhos.wa.edu.au or phone (08) 9368 9539.

Summer 2017

39

Through 2014 / 2015, we invited members of the Penrhos community to take a seat plaque in the Rixon Theatre — all monies raised from this campaign were used to fund an enhancement initiative which helped transform the Rixon Theatre into the impressive venue it is today.

There are still opportunities for your name to feature on a seat in the prestigious Rixon Theatre.

• All seats are fitted with an engraved plaque with the chosen wording of each sponsor; two lines of text, with 16 characters per line • All sponsors are recognised on the honour board and enjoy special benefits including early access ticket booking to College productions • All donations to this campaign are fully tax deductible • If you would like to find out more, please contact Development Coordinator Emma Cornwall by emailing develop@penrhos.wa.edu.au