Winter 2018
FEATURING PAST STUDENT AND MULTI-AWARD WINNING ABC JOURNALIST, JASON OM Celebrating Diversity
2
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
CREDITS Marketing and Development Office Salesian College Chadstone 10 Bosco Street Chadstone, VIC 3148 publicrelations@salesian.vic.edu.au
Editorial Contributions: Robert Brennan Fr Frank Bertagnolli Suzie McErvale Mark Linden Shawn Ambawatta Rabel Kaka Nikita Rodrigues
Editor: Suzie McErvale
ON THE COVER
All correspondence and editorial content please address to:
Editorial Coordinator: Nikita Rodrigues Proofreader: Dr Mavis Ford La Trobe University Front Cover: Courtesy of the ABC Graphic Design and Printing: DMC Group Photographic Contributions: ABC Anna Page Brant Cumming Bronwen Mancini Carolyn Ellul Christopher Petkaris Glenn Chalk Rabel Kaka Rob Lindblade Photography Shawn Ambawatta Steve and Tina Tsakoumakis Valery Langworthy Y Katoh (Kuki, Tokyo)
Multi-award winning ABC journalist and Class of 1998 past student, Jason Om.
SHARE A STORY
7
8
We seek out past and present students who inspire and encourage us to strengthen our Salesian community. Whether they have impacted thousands of people or just those nearby, what unites them are their foundations and values. If you have a story to share, or know someone who does, we want to hear from you. Email publicrelations@salesian.vic. edu.au
11
23
27
3
CONTENTS Page 4
From the Principal Page 6
From the Rector Page 7
Website Redevelopment Page 8
2017 VCE Results Page 9
2018 Captain’s Message Page 10
Drive to Aspire Page 11
National Little League Baseball Championship Page 12
Rabel’s Story Page 14
Progressing Digital Technology Page 16
When News Breaks Page 22
Karate Kid Melina Barcellona Page 23
Christopher Petkaris Melbourne City Soccer Page 24
IN THIS ISSUE Stories have the ability to alter perspective and bind cultures, and for Salesian College Chadstone as it stands today we hold the advantage of 78 varying cultural denominations making up our 2018 student population. A melting pot of culture, stories and experiences from across the globe, our diversity allows us to share and learn from each other, inside and outside of the classroom. Class of 1998 past student Jason Om understands not only the role of storytelling at the highest level, but also the art of listening and empathy that goes with the skill of effective journalism. A curious, genuine, accomplished and socially aware man, Jason has curated his passion to exist in a place where it benefits the greater good. Uncovering the truth in reporting and mastering the art of crafting stories with meaning, he speaks passionately about the “amazing stories that really deserved to be told”. With a directed, unwavering commitment to his cause of informing the public, Jason shares insight into his high school years - a difficult time in his life during which he lost his mother. He speaks candidly about his desire to get to know his culture and the woman “he didn’t get the chance to know”. Through reading letters his mother had written over many years to his half-sister, whom she was forced to leave behind in Malaysia before his birth, Jason is today pencilling the heartbreaking story in a powerful memoir. This personal account Jason is working on, as well as running for the 2018 ABC Board, are just two of Jason’s side projects to his everyday role as a leading ABC news journalist and broadcaster. Dedicated to the everyday stories of our culturally rich community, in this Griffin edition we pay respect to the people who are brave enough to tell their stories. Past student Rabel Kaka shares his plight of escaping war torn Iraq. Stories like these are sadly not unusual in our community, but they provide us with enormous perspective. Our culture and our stories make up who we are today and into the future, and we could not be prouder. Suzie McErvale Head of Development and Marketing
CONNECT WITH US FACEBOOK.COM/SALESIANCOLLEGE
2018 Hall of Fame Dinner Page 27
Community Births, Deaths and Marriages Alumni Business Directory Upcoming reunions
@SALESIANCHAD WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/SALESIANCOLLEGE-CHADSTONE SALESIANCOLLEGECHADSTONE
4
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
FROM THE PRINCIPAL Robert Brennan Principal
“The College celebrates boys from over seventy-eight different cultural backgrounds, with most of the world’s religions represented.” In each edition of the Griffin we highlight events, stories, accomplishments and happenings in the wider College community. This edition shines the spotlight on the diversity of our community and the richness this brings.
and learn what is important to them. On meeting the boys where they are at, he demanded that his confreres be present with their students, walk with them and, importantly, nurture their spiritual needs with a sense of joy.
There is extraordinary beauty in the Salesian College Chadstone community that stems from the highly multicultural make-up. The College celebrates boys from over seventy-eight different cultural backgrounds, with most of the world’s religions represented. Now some in our sectarian society may see this as an insurmountable challenge. In contrast, those of us immersed in this Salesian community see it as a blessing, one in which we can undertake our mission of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ in the Salesian tradition to boys from all walks of life.
One of the challenges we face in a community of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds is getting the boys to understand that Christ’s message speaks to all of us, regardless of our religious persuasion. It is a delicate undertaking to deliver this message, whilst allowing each young person the freedom to interpret it from his own faith perspective. The stories presented in this edition highlight the success we have in bringing the Kingdom to life.
St John Bosco very clearly charted the way of Salesian Education, of meeting the boys where they are at. “Go to the fountain” was one of his famous sayings, as this is where you will find the boys
Our success relies on us being very clear and strong on what a Catholic life looks like and the values we uphold. However, we are never so presumptuous as to preach that Catholics have a monopoly on these values. It is under these conditions that students such as those we have recognised in this edition of the Griffin
are able to flourish, and to achieve the amazing things they have. Two of the more important values of the Catholic tradition are acceptance and valuing the dignity and the gifts others bring. Learning to embrace and celebrate difference is a constant message in our teachings. Another important message we promote is that if we value each and every human, we are then called to offer our service to others in our community less fortunate than ourselves, to challenge injustice in our world and to ensure that we are doing something to make our world a better place to live. The stories we share are a demonstration of our students taking these values out into the world, using their gifts and talents in their settings. In Jason Om we not only witness a successful young man who has taken the field of journalism by storm; we also see a person from a multi-faith, multi-ethnic culture who has flourished through sheer tenacity, courage and determination. Jason demonstrates how our values have made him one of the faces of 21st century journalism, a journalist who is collaborative, versed across all areas and grounded in a desire to tell the truth. He is a person who brings the core values of fairness and integrity to an area that is not always renowned for these values. We also read Rabel Kaka’s amazing story of being able to hold onto the true value of life through war, and his family’s difficult escape from it. We share stories of the sporting achievements of Christopher Petkaris (Melbourne City Soccer), Orlando
5
Mancini (Karate), Harrison Elustondo, Ryan Langworthy and Christopher Tsakoumakis (Baseball), as well as our Hall of Fame inductees, Young Achiever David Ballerini, Gerard Rodrigues, Gino Gaspari and Dr Primo Bentivegna. The diversity of culture, religion, and socio-economic backgrounds represented by these men is proof of how the work we do with the rich tapestry of young men who make up the Salesian College Chadstone community is working, regardless of religious, cultural and social differences. The positive stories we hear of seem to be never ending, with examples consistently filtering back to us. One such story surfaced recently, with past student Shawn Ambawatta (Class of 2013) and other alumni starting a non-profit organisation with their friends and family in late 2017, named ‘Drive to Aspire’. The charity is aimed at supporting local disadvantaged youth through the many
challenges that they may face. In their first year, ‘Drive to Aspire’ successfully raised money for the education program involved in a local Mackillop Family Services orphanage. Shawn sang the praises of the College, suggesting that the values reinforced at Salesian College have been a strong influencing factor in him setting up such an organisation. “It would be incredible if we could inspire students to utilise their passions, whether that be for cars or anything else, to benefit those less fortunate.” - Shawn Ambawatta (Class of 2013) These are the stories that make up our community.
“It would be incredible if we could inspire students to utilise their passions, whether that be for cars or anything else, to benefit those less fortunate.” – Shawn Ambawatta (Class of 2013)
6
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
FROM THE RECTOR Fr Frank Bertagnolli SDB Rector
“Integrity, the formation of an upright conscience, a social justice approach to life and a concern for the poor and the excluded are integral qualities in a Christian leader, and these go together with religious literacy.” I find that the media in general are not very sympathetic to the Christian tradition and to the Gospel values on which our society is founded. Often I am staggered (and somewhat distressed) by the lack of accurate information and the rather loose and selective reporting of the truth. The ignorance and the imbalance of some news items is unbelievable, and the inability to do anything to redress this situation is nothing but frustrating!
Dear Friends, In my role as Rector and Chaplain of Salesian College, I try to keep informed about the issues that are topical in our society; not just issues of education, but also issues of conscience, of moral challenge and of influential leadership.
Recently I had the opportunity to read a summary of a report entitled ‘Faith and Religion in the 21st Century’, published in England on behalf of the Churchill Foundation, which offers a global leadership programme. This report argues strongly about the need to include religion in debates about strategic issues in society. One commentator suggested that leaders who ignore religion are doing a disservice to their constituents, and went so far as to state that “leaders and problem-solvers must have a high degree of religious literacy, but this is not evident”. A Catholic school, like Salesian College, which prides itself on preparing leaders for the future, must be encouraged in its endeavour to offer a curriculum that includes the study of religion, and
encourages the formation of young leaders who are first and foremost “honest citizens and good Christians”, as Don Bosco used to say. Integrity, the formation of an upright conscience, a social justice approach to life and a concern for the poor and the excluded are integral qualities in a Christian leader, and these go together with religious literacy. Secularism (which takes a hostile approach to all forms of religion) and relativism (which claims that anything goes and nothing has absolute and perennial value) are the “darling” philosophies of many in the media world. All this will lead to confusion, lack of respect, intolerant views, exploitation of the weak and corruption. Parents and educators must remain alert and reject this type of thinking and behaviour. The report concludes by challenging all educational institutions to do more to offer religious literacy, because “by the serious engagement with religious groups, today’s and future leaders have a far better chance of bringing peace to a troubled world, alleviating poverty, and contributing to the common good”. There is no greater challenge today than that of religious education!
7
WEBSITE REDEVELOPMENT Suzie McErvale Head of Development and Marketing Over the past few years we have been listening to our community’s suggestions for the development of our Salesian College Chadstone Website, which until now has encompassed both the main Salesian website and Salesian Live. With this feedback in mind, we were proud to announce the launch of our new site on Friday 16 March at our 2018 Hall of Fame Dinner. In collaboration with Ignite Online, we have customised a build that meets the needs of our diverse prospective, current and past community, integrating many changes that are consistent with our mission to provide a truly 21st century learning experience for our students. Ensuring that we were compatible across all operating systems and platforms (desktop computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets), the site enables users to easily navigate through pages, regardless of the chosen device. Fast download time and a more responsive design are other key integrated changes. Page typography was a focus, with heavy pages of content
broken up with a variety of layouts, quotes and imagery to enhance the user experience. Featuring a virtual Honour Roll of past pupils who have held positions of leadership during their time here (Dux, Sporting Captain etc.), these pieces of history are accessible anywhere, any time. Like much historical data, there are gaps. Some of these lists are incomplete, and we’re looking to our Past Pupil community to help us fill in these gaps. Within the Honour Roll page we’ve dedicated a specific form for input. We encourage our community to submit their knowledge and help us to fill in our history. Another key component of our new website is the Salesian Blog, which provides up to date information about College events, important Administration notices, Alumni News and a Student Blog, among other key topics. This customised Blog build allows users to filter by category, date, alphabet and most popular articles. Posts are featured on the Salesian Website Home Page, allowing users to view ‘as it happens’ news. For prospective families yet to enter our community, we have prioritised the navigation of the enrolment process through a dedicated advice section and Monday Tour booking capabilities, ultimately helping families to make the decision that is the best fit for them. We pride ourselves on the advice we provide and the time we spend with families to reach this important decision. Sharing testimonials and stories of current and past students who tell their own perspectives throughout the website, Salesian College Chadstone is “more than just a school”.
Visit us at salesian.vic.edu.au
8
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
Dux, Kevin Tat with Principal, Mr Rob Brennan
Mike Zhao with Principal, Mr Rob Brennan
Stefano Mascaro with Principal, Mr Rob Brennan
2017 VCE RESULTS 2017 DUX The Salesian College Chadstone community congratulates Kevin Tat, who achieved an ATAR of 96.1, putting him in the top 3.9% of all Year 12 students in the state. Kevin plans to pursue a double degree in Commerce/Commerce Specialist (Economics) at Monash University. Kevin reflects on the key relationships in his life that guided him during Year 12. “My relationship with my parents provided incredible guidance to me throughout Year 12. Although they were not familiar with the VCE system, they molded me to be a determined and competitive student from a young age. They knew the value of receiving an education, as they had not received one themselves. My priority was to make my parents proud.”
MIKE ZHAO
Mike Zhao was another clear highlight of the Class of 2017, earning himself an ATAR of 95.8. He was also Subject Dux of Unit 3/4 Specialist Maths and Physics, while completing a Monash University Mathematics Extension Program during his final year. These results have put Mike in good stead to undertake the prestigious Computer Science Advanced (with Honours) course at Monash University in 2018.
ANTHONY SIRAIT
Salesian College Chadstone also congratulates 2017 Year 11 student, Anthony Sirait, who achieved a perfect score of 50 in Business Management.
FAMILY LEGACY
2017 College Captain Stefano Mascaro attained an ATAR of 91.95, and is set to follow his passion of Commerce/Law in 2018. With Stefano’s older brothers Joseph (Class of 2011) and Luis (Class of 2015) also past students who achieved extraordinary results over 90, parents Lina and Gus Mascaro reflect on their 12 years at Salesian. “As our family’s time at Salesian College Chadstone concludes, we are incredibly proud of what our three sons have achieved. In their own individual way, all three embraced the academic, sporting, cultural, spiritual and leadership opportunities the College had to offer. These opportunities all helped our boys to develop into the young men they are today, and we are incredibly thankful to have been part of the Salesian family.” NAME
ATAR
HIGHLIGHTS Median Score: 31 ATAR exceeding 90: 10.7% ATAR exceeding 80: 32.8% ATAR exceeding 70: 50.7% VCE Completion rate: 100 per cent Salesian College Chadstone commends all students from the Class of 2017 on the completion of their VCE studies.
“(My parents) knew the value of receiving an education, as they had not received one themselves. My priority was to make my parents proud.” – Kevin Tat, 2017 Dux
UNIVERSITY DESTINATION
Kevin Tat
96.1
Commerce/Economics (Monash University Clayton)
Mike Zhao
95.8
Computer Science Advanced (Honours) (Monash University Clayton)
Matthew Avila
95.1
Commerce/Biomedical Science (Monash University Clayton)
Mike Balapitiya
92.3
Engineering (Honours)/Information Technology (Monash University Clayton)
Jason Jiang
92.2
Engineering (Honours)/Computer Science (Monash University Clayton)
Kojitha Senanayake
92.15
Radiography and Medical Imaging (Honours) (Monash University Clayton)
Stefano Mascaro
91.95
Commerce (Monash University Clayton)
Arjun Girish
91.75
Engineering (Honours)/Biomedical Science (Monash University Clayton)
Hans Montera
91.1
Pharmacy (Honours)/Master of Pharmacy (Monash University Parkville)
Ashley-John Sanqui
90.85
Pharmacy (Honours)/Master of Pharmacy (Monash University Parkville)
Kartik Kashyap
90.75
Engineering (Honours)/Commerce Specialist (Monash University Clayton)
Calvin Davey
90.75
Arts/Law Pathway (Monash University Clayton)
Shi Yan
90.55
Pharmacy (Honours)/Master of Pharmacy (Monash University Parkville)
Alexander Quach
90.4
Engineering (Honours)/Commerce (Monash University Clayton)
Nicholas Lai
90.05
Engineering (Honours)/Commerce (Monash University Clayton)
Class of 2017 High Achievers (ATAR of 90 or above)
9
2018 CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE Mark Linden 2018 College Captain
“Many of my own beliefs are shared with the majority of students at the College, irrespective of their faiths. Respect, compassion, faith, comradeship and excellence are just a few common values that all Salesian students share with each other.” The Salesians, through the teachings and philosophies of their founder, St Don Bosco, have traditionally provided a sanctuary and place of education for young boys in Italy. However, as the Salesian Order grew, so did the variety of cultures, traditions and faiths that the young boys in their care held. As more boys with different values arrived at Salesian schools, the Salesians embraced the diversity of these boys, and continued to nurture them within the Catholic tradition. This underpins the culture of Salesian College Chadstone today, more than 150 years later. Salesian College now harbours a diverse range of faiths, beliefs and cultures within our school, and we embrace individual students, whilst encouraging them to become great men. Personally, I have encountered this variety of cultures, faiths and beliefs through the multitude of extracurricular activities that I participate in, on the sporting field, in our Debating team, in extension classes and much more. Throughout my years at Salesian, I have developed my knowledge of other beliefs by getting to know my peers, who, although they may come from different backgrounds, share similar experiences. It has been an educational journey full of joy and friendships, and an eye-opening expedition. Interestingly, many of my own beliefs are shared with the majority of students at the College, irrespective of their faiths. Respect, compassion, faith, comradeship and excellence are just
a few common values that all Salesian students share with each other. These values, along with the experiences I’ve had here at Salesian, have been key in leading me to where I am today, as College Captain. Perhaps the most important value shared by many at our school, in my opinion, is respect. Respect is the cornerstone on which all positive values are built, and I believe that Salesian College provides the framework for respect to be developed. I believe that all leaders should be respectful, confident, kind, understanding and committed. I would also like to highlight the significance of commitment. It seems that society today sometimes lacks the commitment or drive to participate in, succeed at or stay focused on a goal, and I implore all students to remain committed to their goals and responsibilities. Commitment is essential for representing yourself as a dedicated and respectful individual. Salesian College Chadstone embraces all boys’ faiths and traditions, which strengthen the College in a variety of ways. I am privileged to have friends of different faiths and cultures, and to learn about their beliefs in a thoughtful atmosphere. I truly believe that Salesian College is an accepting environment that embraces all faiths and promotes a multicultural and diverse school, where boys are educated to become great men.
10
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
Top Left to Right: Deeshan Ambawatta, Shawn Ambawatta, Hashan Samarajeewa, Vivek Perera and Thilina Ilangaratne Bottom Left to Right: Andrew Ambawatta, Rajul Abeyratne and Prasan Ratnayake
DRIVE TO ASPIRE Nikita Rodrigues Publications and Communications Officer
“It would be incredible if we could inspire students to utilise their passions… to benefit those less fortunate.” ‘Drive to Aspire’ is a charity founded in late 2017 by past pupils Shawn Ambawatta (Class of 2013), Deeshan Ambawatta (Class of 2016), Hashan Samarajeewa (Class of 2013), Rajul Abeyratne (Class of 2016), Vivek Perera (Class of 2016), current student Andrew Ambawatta (Year 8, 2018) and other family and friends. ‘Drive to Aspire’ aims to support local disadvantaged youth through the hardships they face. Acknowledging the value of education, ‘Drive to Aspire’ recently hosted their first event to raise money for the education program at a local orphanage, Mackillop Family Services. “While our charity was founded on a love of cars, we have shifted our focus to consider a diverse range of events”, President of ‘Drive to Aspire’, Shawn Ambawatta explains. “It would be incredible if we could inspire students to utilise their passions, whether that
be for cars or anything else, to benefit those less fortunate.” “Rather than giving the money we raise to a cause, we want to eliminate ‘the middle man’ by giving directly to the individuals and their families, so that we can directly make a difference to their lives.” The charity has nominated the beneficiary of the next few events to be a young boy named Arden. Arden was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus (a condition where excessive cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain), Global Delayed Development and Autism. While his parents have done their very best to organise medical treatment for Arden, this experience has been incredibly tough on them, and they have had to delay Arden’s treatment because of financial hardship.
‘Drive to Aspire’ were moved by Arden’s story, and have decided to do everything they can to help his family. While they are still a young charity finding their feet, Shawn truly appreciates every dollar raised, knowing the impact a helping hand will have on Arden’s life. ‘Drive to Aspire’ has big plans for the near future, and hopes to host more community fundraisers. The Ambawatta family has a proud legacy here at Salesian College Chadstone, with Shawn soon to complete his Engineering and Commerce course at Monash University, Deeshan (Class of 2016) graduating as Dux of his cohort with an ATAR of 99, and Andrew currently in Year 8. To find out more about Drive to Aspire, including news of upcoming fundraisers, visit www.facebook.com/drivetoaspire/
11
NATIONAL LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Nikita Rodrigues Publications and Communications Officer Congratulations to Year 7 students Harrison Elustondo, Christopher Tsakoumakis and Ryan Langworthy, who have all qualified to compete against 20 Australian teams in the National Little League Baseball Championship from 6 June to 11 June. The winning team will automatically qualify for the Little League World Series in the US. Good luck boys!
Take me through your preparation process for the National Little League Baseball Championship. Harrison: Our team, the Southern Mariners Baseball Charter, trains twice a week. During our training sessions we often go on a 2km run to prepare for the Championship, as we’ll be playing two to three games per day. I also play basketball and, as a member of the Sports Academy class, we participate in strength and conditioning exercises. Ryan: I am also a member of the Southern Mariners Baseball Charter, so I follow a similar training schedule to Harrison, with the guidance of our hitting coach and pitching coach. I also play cricket and football. The strength and conditioning exercises and running techniques that we learn as Sports Academy students are also helping a lot, and are making me much faster and stronger. Christopher: As a member of the Eastern Athletics Baseball Charter, we train a couple of times during the week. I broke my foot a week before the Victorian Championships, so I am doing additional exercises every day to strengthen my foot. I also play football in the winter, and participate in karate and judo training.
Who have been your most valuable mentors in assisting you to prepare for the Championship? Harrison: My coach, the Head Coach for the Victorian Little League, has been around the world playing baseball, and played for Australia for three years. He has been helpful in my development. My parents are also supportive mentors whom I appreciate. Ryan: My parents have been mentors in assisting me to prepare. My Mum is familiar with baseball, having played the sport herself, so she has provided valuable guidance. Simone Werne, a member of the Australian Baseball Hall of Fame, and Al Tanner, our pitching coach, have both also been influential in my development. Harrison and I are appreciative of our Acceleration Melbourne coaches Brandon and Jayden for their guidance. Christopher: My Dad has been a major influence on me. When we lived in America, we had a park down the road from our house. Every day after school, we’d practise baseball. I remember when I was six years old, he was pitching the ball to me when I hit the ball straight back at him and accidentally bruised his leg! Our pitching Coach, Al Tanner, and our Head Coach, John Carlisle, have also been great mentors to me.
What are you most looking forward to about competing in the Little League Baseball Championship Tournament, and where do you hope baseball will lead you in the future? Harrison: I hope to get exposure as a player during this Championship, as there may be talent scouts from the US watching our games. I would like to pursue baseball in the future, even if it’s just as a hobby. I believe it’s important to have a backup plan. I would love to be a physiotherapist for one of the major MLB teams in the US. Ryan: I played last year in the same Championship, so I’d like to develop as a younger player and achieve a better result for our team this year. After graduating from Salesian I’d like to go to University to ensure that I have a backup plan in case baseball doesn’t work out. I would love to play baseball in the US, and move up the ranks from the minor leagues to the MLB. Christopher: I am looking forward to getting experience, having fun, playing baseball and trying my best. I would like to play baseball in the future, but I am not sure whether I will pursue competing in baseball internationally.
12
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
RABEL’S STORY Rabel Kaka Past pupil (Class of 2017)
Rabel’s story is not an unusual one here at Salesian College. Like many of his peers, Rabel began studying at Salesian after fleeing violence and war in his home country of Iraq. After ISIS took control of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq and only fifteen minutes away from his hometown, Rabel and his family fled to Australia, where they applied for refugee status. Rabel had been living in Australia for over a year before he began his studies at Salesian College. While living in Australia, Rabel continued to study independently at home, determined to continue with his education to create a better future for himself. Below is an excerpt from the introductory letter he wrote to his first teacher at Salesian College in September 2015.
Hello! My name is Rabel Kaka. I am a 15-year-old teenager from Iraq. I was born and raised in the northern part of Iraq, which is known as Kurdistan. I was born on January 3, 2000. I came from one of the many Christian villages in Kurdistan, called Ankawa. I lived in Ankawa for 14 years of my life, before moving to Australia. In the mere 14 years of youth that I spent in my home country, I had already begun to talk with God about my death. “Dear God, I really couldn’t be any happier to have lived such a happy 14 years. Even if death comes to me soon, I am not scared. Actually, I am really satisfied about what you gave me in my 14 years of life. It was all happiness. Thank you”. I used to think, “Life is not really short”, as some people say. For me, I believed I had lived a long 14 years. These are strange things to say as a 14-year-old boy, aren’t they? I am quite sure there are some questions in your mind right now, aren’t there? I think one of them would be, “Why is a 14 year old kid talking about death?” Well, this is where the story begins. Rabel Kaka was a young man from a small village immersed in a big war. Just as anyone around the world would
have had, Rabel had a wish. His wish was quite simple. It was something he wanted more than anything, not just for himself, but also for anyone who wishes for the same. Rabel continued to look for his wish, but he couldn’t see it. It was getting away, out of his reach, riding the red river of the war. However, the hard path to fulfilling that wish never made him lose hope. Rabel also knew the value of love. He knew the best things in life are not really ‘things’. How did he know that? Well, that’s because he had nothing, no material things to make him happy. He never felt he needed anything, as he already had his willpower and happiness. And he had his family and friends, two things that are more important than anything else. The talks and the laughs he shared with them were priceless, especially with his friends. Rabel felt they were more like brothers. In Ankawa, in the morning, afternoon and night, during times of sadness or happiness, Rabel and his friends were always together. One thing they liked to do the most in the morning was visit the old guardian of their Church. Most summer mornings, after talking all night, Rabel and his friends would go to the very traditional and simple restaurant
called ‘Abo Shakeb’, that opens to the sound of roosters at sunrise. After eating breakfast at the shop, they would take a ‘Makhlama’ sandwich with them to give to the old Church’s guardian, starting their day with his stories. He was an almost 80-year-old man with white hair, and he still had some of his teeth
13
to chew with. The old man was called Yousif, and he was the man with the eyes that stored 1000 nights’ worth of stories. In his small Church room lay all of their secrets and thoughts. With him, the friends would talk about all of their thoughts and issues, and he was the one to advise them through their questions and wondering. Once, while Rabel was playing chess with him, and won, Yousif asked Rabel, “Rabel, let’s assume that the people from your Primary School are the chess pieces. Who do you think would be the King in this case?” Rabel replied with a tired voice, “Of course, the Principal… who else would it be?” Yousif answered, “No, Rabel. That is wrong. The answer is simple. It is you. The students are the King of the school, life and the whole future of this country. I know you will have to walk your path in life, and you might end up in places you may never have thought of going to. But wherever you go, Rabel, I want you to remember that you are you, the one who will always be remembered in our talks and hearts, the one who will be missed by your friends. Don’t ever feel lost, because here will always be your home, and wherever people think about you, that is where your home is.” At that moment, Rabel realised where a true home lies. Home is deep down in the heart of every human who loves you. No matter what happens to you, you’ll always be where you belong, in their hearts. That is your true home. That talk took place not long before the time that Rabel had to leave his village, family and friends. But he will remain warm in his true home, in their hearts. Rabel knows what his true wish is. It is a wish for everyone, for peace to come back and settle in every forsaken home.
In November 2017, Rabel Kaka completed his VCE at Salesian College. Despite English being Rabel’s fourth language, and despite the hardship and pain of fleeing his country, Rabel studied hard and achieved his goal of getting into an Engineering course at Monash University. Rabel hopes to one day go back to Iraq to rebuild his country.
“At that moment, Rabel realised where a true home lies. Home is deep down in the heart of every human who loves you. No matter what happens to you, you’ll always be where you belong, in their hearts. That is your true home.”
14
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
PROGRESSING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Nikita Rodrigues Publications and Communications Officer
Staff member of over 25 years, Darren Winfield is committed to continually adapting to changes in Digital Technology to improve our students’ learning experience. While he began teaching in Instrumental Music, Darren’s career has naturally progressed into a space that incorporates aspects of all the disciplines that he loves. Darren explores today’s Digital Technology landscape, and how he believes the subject will evolve into the future. Darren, you first started teaching at Salesian College Chadstone 25 years ago as an Instrumental Music Teacher. Today, you are Head of Digital Technology. What motivated you to make this career change? I started teaching as a trumpet, trombone, French horn and tuba teacher two days a week, while also teaching at University High School and at Kismet College. After a few years I moved into teaching classroom Music, before teaching VET Music, including sound engineering and lighting. I also tried my hand at Media before moving into the IT space. A mentor once said to me, “Every seven years, you should make a change”. As a Christian, the number seven resonates with me, and I feel that God plans to make a change in my life every seven years. I am a restless person, and I do feel that in a couple of years I may be
ready to move on to the next stage in my career.
I rewrote the course to be a little more challenging for students.
Salesian has been incredibly supportive in allowing me to develop my career, and to allow it to follow new paths.
Digital Technology started being compulsory last year, when I became Head of Department. At the moment, we have introduced programs such as Adobe Animate and Dreamweaver at junior year levels. At Year 9, we have incorporated subjects such as Robotics, 3D Multimedia and Math Animation, at Year 10 we have introduced 3D Inventor, 3D Sci-Viz and a modified 3D Game Development. At Years 11 and 12 we study coding. We’re trying to design the ICT curriculum to give students skills that are relevant to particular streams, such as Design and Technology, Multimedia and Science. We’re very interested in developing students’
Describe the Digital Technology landscape that existed when you first started teaching the subject, around 14 years ago. When I started teaching Digital Technology, the curriculum largely involved teaching Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and Word, in a very application specific context. There may have been some teaching on databases, but on the whole, the curriculum was very elementary.
15
‘Paintball’ game, where players participate in a virtual intergalactic competition that aims to foster a power source by building relationships between different areas of the galaxy. I wanted to assist them in developing a game from a first person perspective that didn’t involve violence. My favourite thing about Game Development is that so many skills we teach at Salesian come together as one, including music, art, problem solving and storytelling. It’s incredibly enjoyable to teach. There’s so much work involved in developing a game, and I take great pride in the students’ projects. Looking towards the future, what new developments in technology do you think will have an impact on our students’ learning of Digital Technology?
project management skills, as these are skills that will prove incredibly useful in their future careers. What are some of the most memorable projects your students have worked on in Digital Technology? In 2017, four of our students participated in a nationwide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) competition. Their submission was an original game, titled ‘Elementalist’. This year, over 40 students want to get involved in this competition, so we’ll probably have several groups participating. My Year 11 students are currently creating an exciting Virtual Reality
My sister works as a Civil Engineer, building roads, and it’s been mandated that all roads must be modelled in 3D in the future, and be driverless car compliant. She believes that it’s important that students learn 3D modelling as soon as possible. However, it’s challenging to incorporate this into the curriculum when there are so many topics we are already required to teach. We introduce 2D design at Year 8, and we’ve incorporated an introduction to 3D modelling at Year 9. I try to balance teaching traditional topics with these new areas. It’s important to always try to be at the forefront of your subject and to always keep pushing the boundaries.
16
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
WHEN NEWS BREAKS Suzie McErvale Head of Development and Marketing
Multi-award winning ABC journalist and Class of 1998 past student Jason Om understands not only the role of storytelling at the highest level, but also the art of listening and empathy that goes with the skill of a quality journalist. With a directed, unwavering commitment to his cause of informing the public, Jason shares insight into his high school years - a difficult time in his life during which he lost his mother. He speaks candidly about his desire to get to know
It’s wonderful to connect with you, Jason. Thank you for your time. From the infancy of your career to today, you have received a variety of prestigious journalism awards which have certainly proved your worth on the broadcasting stage. What attracted you to journalism? I think I’ve always been very curious about the world, and I’ve always had a thirst for knowledge about why things are the way they are. As a teenager I was always hooked into world events. I would read the newspaper in the morning, watch the news, listen to the morning show on Triple J and keep in touch with what was going on in the world.
his culture and the woman “he didn’t get the chance to know”. In 2018, Jason is one of ten accomplished individuals who ran for the next five-year term on the ABC Board. In an open and honest interview, Jason shares how journalism became his passion, and how his multi-faith, multi-ethnic background contributes to how he understands the world around him and where he is today.
In a world of high rotating content and ‘fake news’, good stories don’t always get attention. How do you stay true to this core value when the readership statistics don’t always support your cause? I wouldn’t make any judgments about what audiences are consuming in terms of what they are actively engaging with. That is really up to them, but what I will say is that there is a difference between what the public is interested in, what they find interesting, titillating or entertaining and what is in the public interest. The public interest is about providing the information people have the right to know.
One issue that really captured my attention as a teenager was the human rights situation in Burma and the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi. I distinctly remember being at a Salesian Retreat in Daylesford where we were asked, “Who is your hero?” Many of the other boys rattled off sports stars, AFL and soccer players. I put my hand up and said “Aung San Suu Kyi”. Some people laughed, and the priest was genuinely surprised at my answer. I was moved by the story and really had a sense of what was going on in Burma.
I think that even though it is a challenging environment at the moment (particularly in the digital space, competing with cat videos), people still have a desire for quality journalism.
I’ve always been interested in world events, but it wasn’t until University that I learnt more about the role of journalism and the importance it plays in democracy. The media plays a role in informing the public and keeping the powerful to account. There is a bigger picture to what we do. At its best, journalism is about shedding light on something the public doesn’t already know; exposing wrongdoing and revealing injustices that need to be told. For me, I was drawn to journalism because I wanted to know things and to have the opportunity to share my storytelling.
The Cabinet Files, which has been one of our biggest stories of the year, generated more than 800,000 hits. The story revealed how important and sensitive information was let out into the big wide world, exposing the fact that the systems in place were not working to keep the information secret. This proves to me that people still want quality, ground-breaking journalism. It’s not about people not engaging with content, it’s about how we can make those stories prominent and how we tell those stories in an engaging fashion. I’m hopeful that
The ABC’s role is to share quality content; that is our purpose and what we are set up to deliver. Our values of fairness and integrity, of being impartial; those values will always be there, and that is our role.
17
Photo courtesy of Glenn Chalk
18
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
people are still engaging with these big issues. You look at the United States with the mass shootings, or the ‘MeToo’ movement. People are really passionate about those political issues. It’s not a case of people switching off. In many ways, social media and the internet have really helped some of those movements grow. During your career, you have listened to real stories with great impact. Which ones have been the most memorable? The most rewarding stories and the most revealing stories are usually from people who do not necessarily want to talk to you, who are not seeking attention or publicity. When I worked for Lateline, I came across a woman and her daughter who had taken the incredible journey from Syria to escape the Islamic State and Civil War. Escaping war torn Raqqa, Henekal made it to the Lebanese border with her daughter Elena amid a terrible war that was happening around them. Through a chance meeting with an Australian humanitarian worker in Lebanon, they were included in the next Syrian refugee intake to come to
Henekal and her daughter Elena Photo credit: Brant Cumming
Australia. Set up with our cameraman in Henekal’s front yard in Wollongong, I remember being so moved by her story that I was weeping. She revealed her hardship and extraordinary journey out of Syria. It was incredibly touching. Afterwards she invited us into her house and we had a meal, and we met the rest of the community sharing tea and sweets together. That was an amazing story that really deserved to be told. Another story I think about over the years was when I was in South Australia during a time when the Aboriginal community there was very mistrusting of the media. I think that was quite fair because of their treatment and the way that the media told their story. At that time, a complex family dispute had spilled over from the Northern Territory to SA. There was a group of Aboriginal people from a particular clan who had fled a violent family dispute and had set up camp in the urban parklands in the central business district (CBD). There was a bit of a media circus going on around the group, but I really wanted to understand what was going on. Already having built some rapport with the Aboriginal communities there, I had an understanding of how to approach the situation. One of the main people there was an older woman. As a rule in their culture, the women will not speak to a man, particularly an ‘outsider’, so that was another challenge that I had to overcome. From my previous experience, I had learnt that one of the customs is to sit on the ground next to the person, not necessarily facing the person, when communicating. This allowed me to listen to this woman and
to understand what was going on in the conflict. We talked about how she and others wanted a peaceful resolution. That experience really touched me, that she would tell me, an ‘outsider’, about what was going on in her life. Again, she did not have anything to gain. She saw me as a non-Aboriginal person approaching her to come and talk to her and wanting to listen. From what I have learnt, people just want to be listened to and to be heard. It’s these stories that really stand out for me. It’s not the stories where people are trying to seek attention or publicity for whatever reason. The interviews that are difficult to get, they are gold. The value of empathy is a great point that you make. It is building that emotional intelligence isn’t it? Absolutely. It’s about empathy, understanding where people are coming from and their circumstances. It’s trying to get an idea of what makes them tick. If you’re able to empathise with your subject, then you’re able to connect and draw out more emotion from their personal story. In today’s competitive environment the need for a varied skillset is as critical as it has ever been. What strategies do you have in place to keep learning? The expectation these days for journalists, particularly at the ABC, is that they need to be across different platforms. Journalists have to file for radio and TV, be able to present, take photos and film their own videos. For this generation and the next generation, this expectation will become more intense. Multi-skilling and having these
19
Photo courtesy of the ABC
tools in your kit to do what you need is important. It is also about audience trends - where people are spending their time and what platforms they are moving to access this information. Short form video is an example of a trend now that has had huge growth. At the ABC, our Facebook videos and news on the Apple platform have had spectacular growth. It is important to monitor where the audience is because it affects how content is created and how the story is told. I also recommend maintaining a presence on social media, whether that be Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram. Being across different platforms allows innovation to happen, which is critical in today’s fast changing environment. In 2017 I was part of a project under the ABC’s $50 million content fund. As part of that project, we were tasked with creating different content from what we already had. It was an exciting project to work on, because we had creative freedom to develop something that was not business as usual. We looked at delivering informative content in practical ways in everyday life, focusing on meaningful content and shareability. It’s a mushroom effect, where you have one really good piece of content and it spreads on the merit of the idea, reaching hundreds of thousands of people. How have you adjusted to the pressure of live broadcasting? I love the buzz of being on air. There is no other job quite like it. I really love being in the moment, as part of events. Live broadcasting is unpredictable. There’s nothing quite like seeing the
story develop and unfold on the day. It is a demanding role and it does require a lot of preparation, but there is only so much preparation you can do, particularly when news breaks. Personally, I always like to be across as much information as possible. It’s also important that you be prepared for the long haul. A good example of this was the other day when we had rolling coverage of the Syria airstrikes, and our presenters were stuck in the studio for over six hours, with only a few breaks when they would come in and out. Another example was recently on Christmas Day when I presented nearly ten bulletins. Taking time out is important in your personal life, whether that be heading out with friends, going to the beach, bushwalking, doing yoga or playing video games. Being able to find an outlet is important to keep the balance. What advice do you have for today’s students, keen to succeed in journalism? The main quality you need to have is
persistence, because people are not necessarily going to tell their story to you straight away. Some journalists spend months and months on one report just to break the story, so this is crucial. People are not always going to hand to you opportunities on a plate, so you really need to keep at it. Skepticism is a valuable quality, because there is a lot of rubbish in the world. A good journalist needs to be rigorous about the facts to interrogate what people are telling you. Currently, a big topic is calling things out. Good examples of this are the ‘Me Too’ movement and the ‘Tracey Spicer Movement’. Tracey is really taking up a cause and calling out things that are wrong. Calling things out is what journalists should do. It’s about telling the facts as they are, to allow people in powerful positions to answer those facts. Empathy is crucial if students want to effectively relate to and draw out people’s stories. This is something I
20
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
have learnt the value of over the years. It’s not something I thought about as a budding journalist. We live in a world where more people are talking over each other, and not enough people are genuinely listening to each other. On a more practical level, I would suggest reading widely, including stories from Australia and globally. After all, we are in a global market. Be informed about arguments and opinions that you don’t necessarily agree with. Public debate is generally quite polarised. Look at Australia and around the world; everything is quite black and white. It’s important to consider a variety of different views, not just one side. I also think that there are fantastic opportunities for students on social media platforms. Students don’t need to wait for established media outlets to employ them or let them tell a story; they can do that right now. Learn to film and take photos on smart phones, because that’s how many people are now telling their stories. Find journalists or writers who inspire you, look at their work and aspire to what those people are doing. Set goals for yourself and identify the next practical steps to achieving them, and start writing. Whatever the vocation, you really just have to go for it and not be afraid. You can’t talk yourself out of what you want to do. Do something you really love, what you are passionate about. There are so many opportunities for young people today. Set goals, and be absolutely single minded about achieving those goals and it will work out. What were the reasons behind your ‘Everyone has a stake in the ABC’ campaign focus?
It was a tough field, running for the 2018 ABC Board. There were ten candidates, so I’m under no illusions about how much competition there has been. My thought process was, “I’m still young and still have a lot to contribute, and I genuinely care about the ABC”. That’s why I gave it a go. The latest ABC staff engagement survey showed that staff didn’t feel valued by the organisation. To me that was quite concerning, because the ABC has an important role. It’s publicly funded and should reflect the people who pay for it. It has values that are worth protecting; fairness and integrity. Trust is an intangible value, and once you lose that, it’s really hard to get it back. Broadly speaking, trust is being trampled in the public sphere. Look at federal politics, institutions, big corporations. Trust is being eroded, and I think trust is something you need in a democracy. The idea around the ‘Everyone has a stake in the ABC’ campaign is my response to the idea that if people feel excluded in the organisation, I want to respond to that thought by claiming that we all have a stake in the ABC. I was also playing on the slogan ‘Yours’. When we say that the ABC is ‘yours’, it partly implies that the ABC belongs to one person. In actual fact, it is everyone’s, because it is publicly funded by every Australian. How has your multi-faith and multi-ethnic culture contributed to who you are today? My father is from Cambodia and he is Buddhist. My mother was from Malaysia, with a Portuguese Eurasian background, and she was Catholic. On my mother’s side I have cousins who are also Vietnamese and Goan because
“Set goals, and be absolutely single minded about achieving those goals and it will work out.”
the aunties on my mother’s side married outside of their racial group. I have a really diverse and complex family structure. My half-sister, from my mother’s first marriage, is Malaysian and Muslim. For many people, it’s hard to fathom, but for me it’s completely mundane and normal that we have a variety of different people in the same family. What this has given me is the ability to accept people who are from different backgrounds. When I was younger, I would push my culture away, because it was a pressure in my life. A good example of this would be when my Dad was trying to encourage me to learn Khmer. I would push it away because Australia was my culture and I wanted to fit in and be accepted. There was a period of time that I drifted away, but now I’m back. I’m now more proud of that heritage and of who I am. As a general comment, I think that the acceptance of people’s cultural background is becoming easier in Australia. I still think there is racism, but I think it’s changing, and it will change for this generation and the next. I’m more in touch with my heritage than I have ever been, and I’m happy to be.
21
“I have a really diverse and complex family structure.” It’s great that you have been able to come to a place of acceptance with your culture. You mention your Mum. I know it was some time ago that you lost her, but I am very sorry for your loss. On a personal level, high school was actually for me a really difficult period. My mum died very suddenly when I was in Year 7. It was just me and my dad who had to pull through that. Growing up, you’re entering teenhood and all the angst that goes with it. But I was able to find my own resilience to get through. My half-sister was from my mother’s previous marriage. We had never actually met until I was in my 20s. We are in contact now, and I was always aware of her, because my mother used to write to her, but we never met until much later in life. I have a memoir that I have been writing. The story shares how my mother, who left Malaysia, left a daughter there and really struggled with dealing with coming to Australia, meeting my Dad. It’s a heartbreaking, but a very powerful story. No doubt, this was a therapeutic process for you (?). Yes, it came about because I entered a writing competition called the Vogel Prize in 2015. I wrote over the course of
six months, and through that process I found letters that my mother had been writing to my sister over the years. I travelled to Malaysia and caught up with my sister. It was an extremely emotional experience, but good to fill in the blanks. It allowed me to get to know my mum. I lost her at such a young age (12 years), and that meant I didn’t really know her as a person. It was a way of getting to know the whole backstory of how my mum came to Australia, and how she was forced to leave her daughter behind in Malaysia. Who were the people who had the biggest influence in allowing you to reach your potential during your College years? On a personal level, I would single out a couple of teachers, Mr Constantine and Miss Barcellona. Those two have such a great sense of humour. We could talk about anything. They were really there to listen. I had Mr Constantine for Social Studies and Miss Barcellona for Italian. They were always good value in terms of chatting about teenage issues. In terms of turning points, Ms Apostolopoulos and Mr Reimers played a pivotal role in helping myself, my best mate Jim and a few others to revive the student newspaper, The Griffin, this magazine, right? With the help of Ms Lawton, we also set up a Griffin contributions box in the Library, which helped students to
contribute stories. Without those people and the experience that the Griffin gave me at that time, I wouldn’t have been able to get into RMIT, because I wouldn’t have had anything to talk about when I went for the interview. Who are the mentors in your life who have helped shape your path and how have they added value? I have been very lucky because there have been a number of significant people during certain turning points during my life who have been quite crucial. If I look back, one of my lecturers, Doug Weller, was quite instrumental during my university years. Brian Thomson, who is a journalist at SBS, Simon Royal, at the ABC in South Australia who is now a good friend of mine, and the Team at Lateline also provided a very supportive environment. You really need to find these senior people who will be able to give you advice, whether it be career, personal or life lessons that you want to learn. I appreciate that not everyone has had such significant mentors, and that I have been very fortunate to meet these people. When you find them, it’s crucial to lean on them whenever you need help. Thank you, Jason – it’s been an absolute pleasure.
22
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
KARATE KID Nikita Rodrigues Publications and Communications Officer
On the weekend of Friday 20 April, Year 8 student Orlando Mancini competed in the Australasian School Age Championships and Australian Open Karate Championships in Sydney. Orlando won a silver medal in the Australasian School Age Championships, and has previously won bronze medals at three national championships. Since he started competing in 2014, Orlando has won one silver and two bronze medals at the Victorian State Championships, and has been a member of the Victorian State Karate Team from 2014 to 2017 for Kumite (sparring). Orlando has been selected to represent Australia at the 2018 Oceania Cup in Auckland from 18 to 20 May. Orlando, you started learning Karate at the age of four. What interested you about the sport?
respect them because they have more experience than I do, so I wanted to watch them to learn how to fight better.
When I was little, I loved the show ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’. I remember that I would watch the show and dream about being a ninja. My parents were aware of my interest in Karate, and found ‘Battistello Karate School’ in Malvern East, where I began training.
What are you most looking forward to in representing Australia at the 2018 Oceania Cup in Auckland?
Who were your most influential early mentors in Karate? I really admire former Commonwealth Karate Championships Under 21 gold medallist and Australian Karate champion, Luke Gillies, from my Dojo. When I started learning Karate I looked up to him and wanted to be like him. My Senseis Luc Battistello (7th Dan) and Sonia Leonardi (6th Dan), who run the Battistello Dojo, have also been influential in my development. They were both extremely successful competitors when they were younger, and are also Victorian State Coaches. They are very supportive and encouraging of me. Congratulations on winning a silver medal at the Championships! What was the most memorable moment of the Australian Open Karate Championships? It was memorable receiving the medal, but it was also valuable to see more experienced Karate competitors fight. I
MELINA BARCELLONA
I am looking forward to sparring against more competitors from different countries. It will be interesting to see how people from other countries fight, compared to Australian competitors. You have been at Salesian for a year now – what’s your favourite thing about being a high school student? I have enjoyed the opportunity to make more friends, and the variety of subjects that I have experienced as a Salesian student. My favourite subjects are PE and Systems and Technology. We are making a ‘steady hand game’, which has been interesting.
Congratulations to Ms Melina Barcellona, staff member for over 30 years, on receiving the Associated Catholic Colleges (ACC) ‘Recognition of Service Award’ on Thursday 3 May. Established in 2017, the award acknowledges those who have made an outstanding contribution to the ACC Sporting and Cultural Activities Program. Melina received the award for her exemplary work in the ACC sporting program, having coached ACC Tennis, Table Tennis and Football since 1987. Melina was the first female ACC coach at Salesian College. Congratulations Melina on receiving this award in recognition of all your hard work and dedication fostering ACC Sport at Salesian College.
23
CHRISTOPHER PETKARIS MELBOURNE CITY SOCCER Nikita Rodrigues Publications and Communications Officer
Year 7 student Christopher Petkaris travelled to Abu Dhabi at the end of Term One this year to compete in the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup. As a member of the Melbourne City Developmental Squad, Christopher competed against developmental squads from all over the world, with Melbourne emerging from the tournament as the undefeated winners. Christopher reflects on the most memorable moments of the tournament for him, as well as his future soccer aspirations.
Christopher, as a member of the Melbourne City Developmental Squad, you had the opportunity to travel to Abu Dhabi to compete in the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup. What did you most enjoy about travelling to compete internationally? During the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup we played 30 teams from all around the world. It was an Under 12s tournament, but usually I play in the Under 14s in Melbourne. There were about 16 players in our team. I enjoyed the experience of playing for Melbourne City, especially playing against other teams from all around the world. I was focused on getting the most I could out of the experience. While it was the first time I had travelled internationally alone, I had all my friends from my team on the plane with me, which was really enjoyable. It was great to experience the culture of Abu Dhabi. I found I could communicate really well with the people there, as many spoke English. We didn’t have time to do a lot of sightseeing, but I appreciated the experience of competing in a different country. Congratulations on winning the Manchester Cup! Take me through your most memorable moment of the game. The most memorable moment for me took place during the final, when our
goalkeeper saved the winning penalty. We didn’t concede a single goal all tournament, which I’m really proud of. We played seven games in total. In the group stages we played pretty comfortably, winning with a score of seven/nil in our first game. We also played against a Spanish team, whom we beat one/nil. In the quarter final we played Manchester City Under 12s, and we beat them 3/nil. I scored two goals in that game. What do you most value about playing for the Melbourne City Developmental Squad? I really appreciate all the coaches who mentor me, and the other players in my team. Playing with them helps me to grow and become a better player, as well as a better person. What do your future soccer goals look like? In the future I want to play with older age groups, and if I were good enough, it would be great to be able to travel overseas and play soccer. Soccer is definitely something I’d like to pursue as a career. Having been in secondary school for only a few months, how have you found your time at Salesian so far? I am really enjoying both the academic
and the sporting activities at Salesian. I’ve made a lot of new friends with whom I enjoy spending time at recess and lunch. I love studying Science, especially participating in experiments.
24
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
2018 HALL OF FAME DINNER
2018 YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD
The Young Achiever Award is an initiative designed to encourage, inspire and acknowledge the upcoming generation of Salesian men who have significantly contributed to the community, both during and post their time at the College. The 2018 Young Achiever Award was presented to David Ballerini.
2018 Young Achiever, Dr David Ballerini and family
diagnostic sensors for use in the third world. His candidature focussed on the use of inexpensive substrates such as thread as the basis for blood testing diagnostic devices.
DR DAVID BALLERINI Business Born 29 December 1987 to Robert and June Ballerini (first generation immigrants from Italy and England respectively), David has two siblings, Giulia and Luisa. David attended Salesian College Chadstone from 2000 to 2005. During his time here he was Senior Chess Club Captain as well as the recipient of several academic excellence awards. After graduating, David continued his studies at Monash University from 2007 - 2010, where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) with First Class Honours. David’s Doctorate research focused on developing low-cost medical
Listed as an inventor on two patents, David has authored more than ten scientific journal papers, and, along with his research team, was a recipient of the 2012 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology and of the IChemE 2012 Dhirubhai Ambani Chemical Engineering Innovation for Resource-Poor People Award. David is Founder of the ‘Liven’ app, which enables users to pay their restaurant bill through the app to earn a portion of their bill back as ‘Liven Cash’, which can be used the next time they dine at any ‘Liven’ venue, or alternatively, can be donated to charities such as the RSPCA, NBCF, Heart Foundation or Beyondblue. Liven’s founders have raised more than $11 million in funding to grow their startup business, and are currently looking to expand into the US and UK markets by the end of 2018.
2018 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES MR GERARD RODRIGUES International Relations Born 17 March 1958 in India to Leo and Florence Rodrigues, Gerry and his brother Nigel are both past pupils of Salesian College. Gerry attended SCC from 1972 to 1975, during which time he was Captain of the Under 16s and Senior Soccer Teams, Coach of the Senior Soccer Team and a member of the Debating Team. Gerry completed a Bachelor of Science (Microbiology) at La Trobe University. After graduating, Gerry worked at the Australian Customs Service in Melbourne for over 35 years in the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in numerous roles in Intelligence, Investigations, Human Resources and Strategic Planning.
25
completed his postgraduate studies at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, attaining a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) in 1996. He began his own practice in 2002, The Chadstone Clinic in Malvern East, which is well known for being a welcoming and professional family practice, with many families attending the clinic over three generations. Over the last two years, Primo has been a supervisor of General Practice Registrars who are completing their postgraduate studies to attain their FRACGP. Primo greatly values this experience, saying, “They teach me as well. Learning never ceases”.
Family of 2018 Hall of Fame inductee, Gerard Rodrigues
Seconded to the Australian Federal Police from 1999 to 2001, Gerard investigated what was then one of the largest potential fraud cases in Australia’s history, a major global smuggling operation.
Primo has been Treasurer and Board Member of the South Eastern Division of General Practice for more than ten years. He has been President of the Valguarnera Italian Social Club since 2017, a club founded by Italian immigrants, including his parents.
As Director of Cargo Operations at the Australian Border Force, Gerard oversaw Australia’s largest ever seizure of drugs, valued at over 700 million dollars. Gerard has completed numerous successful overseas aid assignments on behalf of AusAid and the United Nations, which delivered significant reforms and improvements in border protection and trade facilitation processes in several developing countries. Gerard is the recipient of an Australia Day Award for quality service and business excellence in the Public Service. Currently Gerard is Counsellor (Europe and Africa) of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection at the Australian Embassy in Brussels. In his role he has helped deliver significant trade and national security outcomes for Australia. Gerard is married to Emma Dorward, and has three children, Andrew, Olivia and Michaela.
Nigel Rodrigues accepts 2018 Hall of Fame Award on behalf of his brother, Gerard.
DR PRIMO BENTIVEGNA Medicine Dr Primo Bentivegna was born 12 October 1967 to Pietro and Filomena Bentivegna, joined by his brother Fulvio (also a past pupil) and sister Josie. Primo attended SCC from 1980 to 1985, and was School Captain of his year. Primo fondly remembers climbing Uluru in 1984 with his Salesian classmates during a school excursion, and having mass and communion at the summit. After graduating from Salesian, Primo studied Medicine at Monash University, graduating and attaining an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) in 1991. Primo
In addition to the success of building a successful family run medical practice, Primo’s personal highlights have been marrying his wife Maree in 1991, and the birth of his two daughters, Natalie and Stefanie.
2018 Hall of Fame Inductee, Dr Primo Bentivegna
26
GRIFFIN Winter 2018
2018 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES MR GINO GASPARI Australian Federal Police Gino Gaspari was born to Bert and Karen Gaspari on 26 January 1968, and has two siblings, Tiffany and Adam. Gino attended SCC from 1980 to 1985, during which time he was invited to consider a vocation with the Salesians. While he didn’t accept, Gino believes this opportunity greatly developed his self-esteem. After graduating from SCC in 1985, Gino entered the Victoria Police Academy as a recruit, graduating in May 1988. Gino was seconded to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) International Deployment Group (IDG). He was deployed to Papua New Guinea (PNG) as
a member of the Enhanced Cooperation Program, where he performed a mentoring role at Port Moresby and organised a football clinic for schools in the area. In May 2005, Gino was re-deployed to the Solomon Islands as a member of the Participating Police Force (PPF), where he performed the role of Advisor to the Crime Investigation Unit. In September 2008, as a member of the AFP International Deployment Group (IDG), Gino was deployed to East Timor as a member of the Timor Leste Police Development Program (TLPDP), performing the role of Project Manager, Intelligence. In January 2012, Gino was deployed to Nauru to perform the role of Advisor to the Nauru Police Force (NPF), where he was responsible for mentoring the investigation into the riot that had occurred at the Regional Processing Centre in July 2013.
Past pupils Mike Henry, Martin Cleary and Fr Elio Capra
Master of Ceremonies, Tony Pilkington
Past pupils at 2018 Hall of Fame
Past Hall of Fame inductees at our 2018 Hall of Fame
Gino completed his time with the IDG in 2014, and transferred to the AFP, Melbourne Airport. He is currently managing a team responsible for investigating serious Commonwealth Crime at the AFP, Melbourne Crime Operations, while completing his final year of a Bachelor of Policing (Investigations). Gino has a partner, Stephanie Ziersch, and three children, Jack, Thomas and Grace.
2018 Hall of Fame inductee, Gino Gaspari.
2018 Hall of Fame inductees, Gino Gaspari and Dr Primo Bentivegna
Tracey and Rob Brennan, David Neville and Commodore Alan Thompson
27
COMMUNITY BIRTHS, DEATHS & MARRIAGES Staff member Noel McGarry and his wife Tara welcomed the newest addition to their family, Úna McGarry, born 17 January 2018. Úna joins her sister, Méabh.
On 20 March, staff member and AFLW Western Bulldogs Head Coach Paul Groves and his wife Sarah welcomed their second daughter, Ella Sophie. Ella joins her elder sister, Zoe.
The Salesian College Chadstone community were saddened to hear of the passing of Sheridan Asuncion (Class of 2000) on 3 February 2018. Born to Flor and Josie Asuncion, Sheridan was married to Cherry Yu, and had a nine-month-old daughter, Isabelle. Sheridan’s brother, Darren (Class of 1998), reflects, “I remember Dan (Sheridan) tutoring his peers in school and finding ways to help others in need. He helped countless people to find work through his connections, and was a source of hope for so many friends. He was loyal, dedicated, honourable and incredibly kind”. Rest in peace Sheridan.
In April this year, staff member Paul Azar celebrated his marriage to Jessica Azar (née Kharoufeh) with over 400 guests! Paul and Jess enjoyed a relaxing honeymoon in tropical Thailand.
ALUMNI BUSINESS DIRECTORY If you are a Salesian College Chadstone graduate who owns or manages a business, why not extend your network and register for our Alumni Business Directory? By registering, you will be providing a valuable contact to community members seeking products or services, while also growing your own customer base. Register now by contacting pastpupils@salesian.vic.edu.au
Past pupil Scott Toniazzo (Class of 2004) and his wife Georgia welcomed their first child, Otis Giancarlo Toniazzo, born at 11:52am on 13 May 2018 at 3.34kg.
Staff member Mark Wang and his wife Michelle Huang welcomed their first child, Declan Wang, born at 4:27pm on 27 April 2018 at 2.970kg.
UPCOMING REUNIONS In 2018 we will be holding more Reunions than we’ve ever had before. If you belong to the Class of 2017, 2008, 1998 or 1978, we invite you to get your classmates together and reconnect with us.
Book now:
Class of 2017, One Year Reunion: trybooking.com/TMFI Class of 2008, Ten Year Reunion: trybooking.com/TMHD Class of 1998, 20 Year Reunion: trybooking.com/TMHN Class of 1978, 40 Year Reunion: trybooking.com/TDOV