Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

PELICAN SEMESTER 1, 2020

Alumni Magazine of St Edmund’s College Canberra

Table of Contents Principal’s Report

Page 4 - 7

Board Chair’s Report

Page 8 - 9

Captain’s Report

Page 10 - 11

Tommy Murphy: Class of 1997 Profile

Page 12 - 13

Suzanne Greenwood: Community Profile

Page 14 - 15

Faith and Service Awards

Page 16 - 17

Celebrating Staff Contributions

Page 18 - 19

Paul Scholten: Class of 1963 Profile

Page 20 - 23

Fred Zarb: Class of 1987 Profile

Page 24 - 25

Academic Success 2019

Page 26 - 27

John Larkin: 2019 College Dux

Page 28 - 29

Old Boys and Friends

Page 30 - 31

College Foundation

Pagr 32 - 33

UK Football Tour 2020

Page 34 - 35

First XV Grand Final 2019

Page 36 - 37

Basketball Trip 2019

Page 38 - 39

Sarah Kelly: Community Profile

Page 40 - 43

Josh Reid: Class of 2007 Profile

Page 44 - 45

ANZAC Day 2020

Page 46 - 47

NT Mission Trip 2019

Page 48 - 49

Don Jeffery: Class of 1973 Profile

Page 50 - 53

Neil Roberts: Class of 1993 Profile

Page 54 - 55

Front Cover: Tommy Murphy (Class of 1997)

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Principal’s Report Joe Zavone College Principal Welcome to this first edition of the “new look� Pelican. In the past The Pelican has served as a summary and highlight of the events here at the College, events which are already covered in other publications of the College - the weekly newsletter The Vortex, the College Yearbook and our Facebook page.

This new version of The Pelican is focused on our alumni, our old boys, profiling a number of alumni and significant members of our community in every edition to demonstrate the breadth and depth of their life experiences and personal stories, and to share the far reaching effect that an Eddies education has had on the local and broader community. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this new version of The Pelican and that the stories you read allows you to reflect on your time at Eddies and the way the College has shaped your experiences.

Semester 1 2020 has certainly been a unique time, now engrained upon all of our memories. The College has endured a number of significant challenges over this time. The Christmas holidays brought bushfires, the loss of lives and properties and poor air quality, making that period of time fraught with danger, concern and grief. The regular routine of being back at school and a focus on learning and all related school activities gave our students a sense of stability and confidence.

Just as the staff were gearing up for the start of the 2020 school year, late January saw the severe hailstorm which hit the Canberra area, with the College seemingly at the centre of its ferocity. Unfortunately we were faced with a significant amount of damage to the College buildings. A large number of windows were broken, all skylights were damaged, we experienced significant water damage to carpets and ceilings, damaged electrical wiring, significant damage to our roof tiles and the list goes on. Six months further and we are still in the process of repairing and replacing the damage, and still will be for many months to come.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

A few weeks into the steady routine of being back at school, the world was struck with COVID 19. Just a few weeks after starting school, we were making plans for what teaching and learning would look like in an online environment, with our students and teachers at home. I would like to share with you an article I wrote for the Daily Voice website (an offshoot of the Canberra-Goulburn Catholic Voice publication), sharing the experience of the “empty corridors” of school during this time:

“To say that the COVID 19 scenario in which we have been living for the past six weeks or so has been challenging is a significant understatement. Like all areas of our society, our schools and school communities have suffered through this time. Making matters worse is the almost daily political babble exchange between politicians and the media about the starting date for the return of face to face teaching and learning, and of course there was a great deal of fuss about the much lauded Seven Principles for Schools launched recently by our Federal Government which, on close inspection, say very little at all.

It is quite strange walking around school in the last few weeks – walking along empty corridors and empty grounds. I am sure that this was never the nature of the teaching career that any of my colleagues signed up for. This has brought home to us more than ever that the bottom line to this current situation is that our students give our schools life and energy. They are at the very core of what we do and they give shape and meaning to our work. One of the expressions I dislike hearing at the moment is “this is the new normal”. I would absolutely hate to think that what we are doing at the moment becomes normal; it might certainly become an alternative or an option to mainstream pedagogy but hopefully never the norm. Already a flurry of educational consultants and experts have jumped on the current bandwagon of the COVID 19 crisis and its effect on schools and have been waving the flag for an educational revolution and how we can never return to schooling the way it was. It amuses me and infuriates me at the same time that these people are not current educators – they do not work in schools and have not done so in quite a while. Education, especially Catholic education, has been and always will be relational. It is about community, and the healthy interactions of all members of a school community and what we give to each other – things that can never be achieved in an online environment.

Whilst online teaching and learning serves a functional purpose of allowing education to continue whilst students stay at home in times of uncertainty and crisis , it does not serve the relational or communal environments of a Catholic school. Sure we can and do check in with our vulnerable students through tele-

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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phone calls, emails and video conferencing, but that is not the same as having the student there with you at school, making eye contact, asking the important questions in a safe environment, and knowing that security is only a door knock away. Even our most resilient students need their community around them – to be able to connect, to collaborate, to create, to communicate, to contemplate, to celebrate, to share, to learn together, to laugh together and to cry together. Our community of parents is lost to us in an online environment – the sense of partnering in a child’s education is greatly lessened when parents and carers cannot physically be at the school to share time with teachers and other families.

When describing community in his weekly general audience on June 26 2019, Pope Francis looked to St. Luke’s account of the first Christian community and the “communion of love” that existed and was fortified by listening to the apostolic teaching, sharing goods with one another, taking part in the Eucharist and prayer. When you consider at this closely, it is saying that a Christian community shares stories, shares goods, shares rituals and shares faith. These signs of a strong Christian community establish a “genuine covenant with God” for the community to become a force that fascinates and “conquers the hearts of many.” An online community can only do some of this.

There is a limit to the relational quality you can create and achieve online. At St Edmund’s College we have a wonderful and meaningful ritual of gathering informally on the afternoon of the last day of every term, and as the boys depart the College, they shake the hand of any teacher they walk past and thank them for their work for that term. It saddens me greatly that after eight terms of having boys shake their teachers’ hands at the end of the term, we finished this term in a completely different form – in isolation from each other”.

Let us pray that all of our students can return to their communities in the near future (when it is safe to do so), being able to once again actively participate in and contribute to their “community of love where each of us learns to relate to others and to the world around us” (Pope Francis).

As a matter of historical interest, I was given copies of the original Pelican publication from 1957 and 1958.

It looks like this original version of The Pelican was an annual publication, much like a year book, highlighting the College’s achievements, events and activities. The following is an explanation of the title given to the publication in the editorial (I am assuming the editorial was written by the Headmaster of the time, Br Fields), “The title, ‘The Pelican’ is adopted from the main feature of the school crest. It is used with all due reverence as an ancient symbol of the Person of Christ Himself. United with the school motto, ‘Christus Lux Mea’ it is a simple expression of the aim and purpose of education at Saint Edmund’s ... that Christ, the Man God, will shed on the hearts and minds of our boys the clear, pure light of His inspiration and knowledge. May He bless our every work; may He bless every page of our little paper, and all those who read it”.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Board Chair’s Report Nichole Overall College Board Chair There’s no denying that 2020 has, so far, been a trying year.

In saying that, this hasn’t impeded the progress that the College community has been committed to fostering and developing, allowing St Edmund’s to continue to move ahead. Perhaps never has this been more evident than during the difficult and sometimes confusing situation we’ve faced with COVID19.

Engendering a raft of challenges and at times, seemingly insurmountable problems in educational settings as well as everyday lives, the staff, students and families of Eddies have risen to meet it all incredibly well.

Online teaching and learning, students based at home, parents dealing with how best to assist – understandably, a huge learning curve and yet mastered both quickly and, as always, professionally.

Many positive outcomes and much that will continue to be valuable have emerged from this difficult period.

Some exciting markers demonstrating the sustained evolution of St Edmund’s include such innovations as the regular podcast, “It’s a Boy Thing”, and our new Virtual Tour. If you’ve not yet had the chance to see it, I encourage you to do so. As well as a practical look at what Eddies has to offer, it’s an inspiring testament to the expressed vision of the College to the development of “Vibrant Spirit, Strong Character and Tailored Learning”.

You will also note changes to Pelican as another element. Rather than focusing on what’s already addressed in our Yearbook, the school’s weekly newsletter (Vortex) and on the College website, the aim is to incorporate more on our Alumni as well as other important ongoing contributions to the rich and vibrant life of St Edmund’s. This includes the work of our Old Boys’ Association and our Foundation - for more than 30 years, supporting those families experiencing difficulties with meeting educational costs.

Thanks to everyone within our school community for your commitment, dedication - and perseverance over recent months - once again proving that together, we are St Edmund’s. Here’s wishing you all a continued safe, productive and life-affirming 2020.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Captain’s Report Sam Gibson College Captain I was formally appointed to the position of College Captain in February of this year, 2020. It was both an honour and a privilege to have been given this responsibility as I have been a student at the College since Year 4, all the way back in 2012. Since this time the context of both education along with teaching and learning have changed in many ways. The most notable of these being the introduction of the Bring Your Own Device policy (BYOD) which was introduced several years ago. During this time, our College has also embraced an array of exciting and innovative pathways addressing the needs of our community to provide a service for our students that will work to enhance the fulfilment of their potential.

Life in the Canberra region and specifically at St Edmund’s College has been subject to drastic change in 2020. Our region was brutalised by bushfires, continued drought, and violent hailstorms during Term 1. This was closely followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdown which created ongoing changes to what we all assumed was “normal”. As a consequence, our staff provided support to our students with the delivery of an outstanding off campus online teaching and learning program. Our pastoral care and personal wellbeing were closely monitored and addressed. The College roof and internal features are being repaired; our College grounds have been developed to the envy of the entire city; a new Elevated Learning Program and Personal Formation program have also evolved and are being delivered. Our school COVID safe protocols have been closely monitored and our co-curricular programs are reigniting. All of this has contributed to students slowly starting to see glimpses of our old lifestyle.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

For the remainder of 2020, we have much to look

•

Planning for Year 12 Graduation Rites of Passage

forward to.

has commenced with the Student Leadership

•

Team working with the College Leadership Team.

The previously mentioned Formation Program has recently looked at engaging students in meaning-

• •

The College is continuing to look at strategies to

ful conversations and also at expressing gratitude

enhance the inclusiveness of our school and its

to others. This has been grounded with contempo-

myriad of cultures.

rary research and is yet another SEC driven vehicle

•

•

•

We are quickly developing our flexible learn-

aimed at connecting and reconnecting with peo-

ing program to celebrate individual differences

ple and thus making relationships more significant.

throughout our student population.

Our exciting “virtual tour” of the College is now on

•

With the addition of Menslink, Secret Men’s Busi-

our website and showcases what our various fac-

ness, Silence is Deadly and Be You seminars lat-

ulties offer our students.

er in the year, our students will have unparalleled

Our campus continues to be physically reinvigo-

knowledge of what it means to be a man in our

rated.

modern society and to assist us in developing a

Our defence family students along, with the Senior

more balanced view of what this means.

Student Leadership Team, recently hosted a virtual

•

Next term we will see the launch of the Eddies

meeting with the current Governor General, David

Pride Statement, defining all the strong qualities

Hurley and Mrs Hurley. During this meeting, our

that “Eddies Pride” encompasses.

students were able to learn about His Excellency’s

•

We will also launch our House based “Spirit Guides”

journey through his highly distinguished military

which celebrate our commitment and connection

career and about the importance of leadership and

as a College to the beauty and depth of indigenous

kindness.

spirituality.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of activities happening at the College. It is in fact quite difficult to capture in print the energy and flow of a College as vibrant as St Edmund’s.

Many things have changed, and it seems like the entire world has changed. Through a period of such radical change, St Edmund’s has continued to remain our constant. Our teachers and support staff have remained the same – caring for students, serving students and in doing so quite often putting us before themselves and their personal circumstances. On behalf of all the current student population, we say thanks. We also owe a huge thanks to our current Old Boys population. I have always made a point of saying that it’s an honour to walk through the doors of St Edmunds, just like the 11,000 men (and counting) who came before us. Without our Old Boys, we wouldn’t be the school we are today and for that reason alone, we say thanks.

Along with all of our current Year 12 students, I am looking forward to the day we officially become old boys of this great College – albeit with a sense of sadness but also great satisfaction.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Class of 1997 Profile Tommy Murphy My abiding memory of St Edmund’s is laughter - the gut-busting laughter when you’re looking at the world through young eyes. There is no giggle quite like the one you have to stifle because it is ill timed and might get you in trouble. I don’t think I was disobedient, not nearly enough, but we are all rule-breakers when we’re adolescents. You spot the ridiculousness of life as you’re acquainted with adult behaviour. You also learn how much you need each other when the mood shifts.

A jolt into maturity came for my year level as we approached our graduating year. A fatal car accident claimed two of our members, David Bion and Dane Quade. They were driving home in a full vehicle after their year eleven exams. The devastation hit some harder than others. The tragedy impacted on all our lives. We strained to fathom both the cruel loss of two people with huge potential and the shock of our own mortality. Though it was holidays, the school opened its doors. We clung close.

I had initially found St Edmunds a daunting place. My much smaller and co-ed primary school, St Gregory’s Queanbeyan, had been much easier to navigate. I missed having female peers. Eddie’s sister school St. Claire’s offered a reprieve via art collaboration, Saint Vincent de Paul charity work, and theatre. At the same time the teenage me sought out a mentor in Queanbeyan who was running a local cultural organisation. I began to write my own plays. These were steps that set me on my professional path.

You write what you know. For me that was depicting the travails of a teenager coming to understand he is gay - proudly gay. I can’t say I ever hid it particularly well, despite hefty opposition. I occasioned my coming out via a drama with a character very much like my self. My mates and I did a staged reading of the play in a church hall in Queanbeyan and then a full production at Canberra Youth Theatre. I shouldn’t romanticise it as easy; though I know I had a far happier experience of coming out than many of my peers particularly because of my embracing family. I too have worked hard into adulthood to overcome words of

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

condemnation that echo, including the voices of some misguided teachers. I am also forever grateful for those teachers who spotted what I was going through and tried to be supportive.

That foundation and the nurture of arts-loving teachers at St Edmund’s enabled me to pursue a career in the arts. After training at Sydney University and NIDA, I’ve been fortunate to maintain freelance work as a playwright and screen writer for over fifteen years now. My most recent play was Packer & Sons at Sydney’s Belvoir Theatre earlier this year. My stage adaptation of a memoir, Holding The Man, called on my memories as a Catholic student. I later adapted it as a film and the play is regularly produced around the world, recently in Italy and the USA. The Arts in Australia has something of the community feel I treasured in my home town and my school.

We are certainly going to need our collegial nature as we rebuild in the aftermath of the current pandemic that has closed theatres and shut down screen production. We’re endlessly resilient and I’d encourage any students drawn to the arts to be guided by their passion. The creative industries in Australia are an enormous employer. We need new recruits.

Tommy Murphy was College Captain in 1997. His plays have been produced internationally including two West End productions in the UK (Strangers in Between and Holding the Man). He has won several awards as a writer including three Premier’s Literary Awards, two Australian Writers’ Guild Awards and The Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay. He is currently under commission from the Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir theatre. He is also developing a TV series with Fremantle Media, having written for mini series including Foxtel’s Fighting Season and Devil’s Playground. This year he was awarded the National Theatre Award by the Australia Council for the Arts.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Community Profile Suzanne Greenwood Parent Like all mums, I want my son to be successful in whatever he takes on. I want him to have the grit and determination to achieve his goals, to be a young man of honesty, compassion and humility, and to be rich in spirit. St Edmund’s understands that. Whilst we cannot and should not wrap our `sons in cotton wool, these days of social distancing have allowed a moment of pause to think about where life might take them and to reflect on our own journey and those moments that shape us. Thank you for letting me share some of my story with you.

Last year, I was appointed as the National Executive Director of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. The Guild represents Australia’s community pharmacies which are the most frequently accessed and most accessible health destination in Australia, with over 455 million individual patient visits annually. My journey to a career in health was not, however, so smooth.

I was enjoying a high-profile career as a corporate lawyer, having worked in various international postings.

I was a Telstra Business Woman of the Year Finalist and had won a Fellowship from AUSTRADE to advance my career in Asia. My dream life seemed complete. But 18 years ago, when my husband and I were preparing to welcome our first child, I had pre-eclampsia throughout the pregnancy and suffered an abruption which happens when the placenta separates from the uterus before childbirth. I did not understand it till later, but both my life and my daughter Portia’s were hanging in the balance. The rush of medical staff as we arrived at the hospital, told us things were extremely serious. One of the midwives said to me and my husband, Brendan, ‘Have you two said your final goodbyes?’

Immediately upon being given an epidural, I heard my gynaecologist ask the anaesthetist ‘Can I start now?’

The anaesthetist said to wait at least two minutes for the epidural to kick in but my doctor said, ‘I can’t wait two minutes; in two minutes this child will be dead’. Within seven minutes of us walking in the door of the hospital my beautiful baby girl was delivered – she was blue, but she was breathing. The health professionals at the Catholic hospital had saved our lives.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

This was my epiphany moment to see that what health professionals do for a living has true meaning and makes a difference.And two years later, these same angels delivered our son, Samuel – again I had pre-eclampsia, again he was an emergency c-section and again I was in awe at the health professionals who cared for us. So, I left my role as a city solicitor and got a job in the health sector as a Lawyer to Queensland Health, then as the Corporate Counsel to St Vincent’s Health Australia in Queensland.

My faith has always been a foundation of my life, and so during these years I was a member of the Archbishop’s Women’s Taskforce examining present roles and future directions for women in the Catholic Church. Later, I was appointed to Chair the Women’s Resource Advisory Committee and as a Board Member of the Archdiocesan Development Fund for the Brisbane Archdiocese.

Continuing my career in the law, I became the General Counsel for the St Vincent de Paul Society in Queensland. The CEO of Vinnies opened my eyes to the possibility of stepping out of a strictly legal role and into an executive role, and so I landed my first CEO role as the Chief Executive of the Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators for Australia. This national role gave me vital experience as a CEO which positioned me well to be appointed as the National CEO of Catholic Health Australia at the end of 2014.

Working in the healing ministry of Christ was a positive affirmation of my own beliefs as I was called upon to be the voice of Catholic health care in Australia. It was a very special moment for me to be commissioned as CEO by Bishop Donald Sproxton during Mass at the 2014 CHA Conference.

One thing about working for the Church is we have an amazing head office… I visited Rome on a number of occasions as I was appointed to the Board of the International Confederation of Catholic Health Care Institutes. It was always a thrill meeting with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, on these occasions as he was a keen witness to how healthcare could be improved around the world. In 2017, I was voted the Australian Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Biotech Lawyer of the Year, primarily for my work in improving health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. It was particularly rewarding to present a paper to the Vatican’s Health Inequalities conference that year about the challenges of closing the gap in Australia.

I am a passionate advocate for improved health outcomes for all Australians. Taking on the role of Executive Director with the Pharmacy Guild last year has enabled me to take that all encompassing vision to the next level. On 11 June 2020, together with my National President, I signed the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement between the Guild and the Government. This $25 billion agreement secures funding for medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the next five years, and so secures on-going health benefits for everyone.It was surreal to be in Parliament House and to greet the Prime Minister with a ‘socially distanced’ elbow bump before the signing, but the current pandemic has galvanised my resolve to be a servant leader in the health sector.

Yet above all these career highlights, my husband, Brendan, and our children, Portia and Samuel, are my greatest support and my greatest blessings.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Faith and Service Awards Michael Monagle Assistant Principal - Mission and Identity On the 5th of May we celebrated the life of Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, the Founder of the Christian Brothers. His vision of service, in addressing the needs of others, is the reason St Edmund’s College Canberra and other Christian Brother schools are here today.

Through the example set for us by the Christian Brothers we honoured members of our College community who are generously and consistently providing acts of service. They have contributed to building our amazing school culture and creating a vibrant community that values service to others and strives to build young men of strong character.

Br Matt McKeon is a Christian Brother who was an integral part of our St Edmund’s College community for 20 years. He was the spiritual heart and living touchstone of our Edmund Rice tradition. The Br Matt McKeon Faith and Service awards are named in his honour and are awarded to those staff, students and old boys who have made a significant contribution to St Edmund’s College and the wider community in service to others.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

Noyal Saji

Contribution to St Vincent De Paul Society

Leo Marris

Contribution to Performing Arts Department

Noyal has accrued 200 hours of service within the St Ed-

Leo has completed 200 hours of service within the St Ed-

mund’s College Brothers service program. His commit-

mund’s College Brothers service program. He is actively

ment to volunteering at St Vincent De Paul in Queanbey-

involved in leading and assisting with school productions,

an is to be commended.

the jazz band and music for masses, liturgies and other school based events.

Margaret Thomas

Contribution to Musical Life of the College

Carmela Wilson

Contribution to curriculum, service program and co-curricular

Margaret Thomas gives generously through her faithful

Carmela’s passion and commitment to her subject area

service to the St Edmund’s College community and her

is very evident in the effort and creativity she puts into

parish of St Thomas Apostle Kambah. She freely shares

producing learning materials for her department. The

her passion and joy of music to support students to take

continued support and encouragement she gives to her

centre stage and supportively assists them to succeed.

staff is to be commended. She has been a driving force

Margaret weaves her musical magic to ensure masses and

in establishing a Formation and Social Justice program’s

liturgies are an authentic celebration of faith that engag-

at the College. She gives her time to ensure that the boys

es all who are present. Her calm and insightful guidance

involved in football are able to actively participate and

of the College band and choral programs have enabled

enjoy their chosen sport.

numerous students to further develop their musical skills.

Don Jeffery

Contribution to St Vincent De Paul Society

William Maher

Contribution to improving others physical and mental health

Don Jeffery has volunteered with the St Vincent de Paul

William Maher is a true ‘Eddies Old Boy’. He quietly works

Society since 2014 and is the current Conference Presi-

behind the scenes giving freely of his time, talents and

dent Narrabundah Chapter. Vinnies Conference members

skills as a Physiotherapist to aid in the recovery and reha-

conduct home visitation to anyone in need in the local

bilitation for many old boys, staff and Christian Brothers

community and provide financial, material and emotion-

over extended periods, often not charging for this treat-

al support. As Conference president, Don both conducts

ment. William is a man of deep compassion for others

home visitation and provides leadership and guidance to

which was very evident in the continued care and support

other volunteer members in the Narrabundah Conference.

shown towards his year group and others affected by the

Under his leadership the Narrabundah Conference pro-

tragic loss of a fellow classmate. Thanks to William many

vided, in 2019 alone, over $60,000 worth of assistance to

at risk young men who are part of this cohort have bene-

more than 2000 individuals in the Narrabundah area. Do-

fited from his care and compassion.

nations provided by Eddies’ and other community groups allowed Don and the Narrabundah volunteers to provide 135 Christmas hampers and presents to local residents.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Celebrating Staff Contributions Joe Zavone College Principal In celebrating this year’s Founder’s Day in honour of Blessed Edmund Rice, we continued our tradition of recognising and celebrating the wonderful contribution made by long serving members of staff. We offer our congratulations and thanks to the following staff members for their commitment and dedication to the young men of St Edmund’s College Canberra.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

30 years’ service Tony Di Fronzo

Junior School Teacher

20 years’ service Tyson Flynn

Pat Langtry

Ed Mickleburgh

Julia Roche

Cleaning Manager

Head of Mathematics and Numeracy

Assistant Principal - Student Wellbeing

Junior School Teacher

15 years’ service Nathan Metcalfe Science Teacher

10 years’ service Tim Bibbens

Adam Buck

Andrew Castrission

Denzil Fox

Debbie Lonergan

Linda Meulen

Susan Phelan

Adam Saunderson

Library Technician

Technology and Applied Studies Teacher

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

Studies of Society and Environment Teacher

Canteen Staff

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

Virtual Arts, Media & Design and Technology Teacher

Junior School Sports Coordinator

Studies of Society and Environment & English Teacher

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Class of 1963 Profile Paul Scholtens Along with many other fathers of boys of an age that would allow their sons to begin at St Edmunds in its first couple of years of operation, my father put my name on an ‘intention to enrol’ list to give the Brothers some idea of how many boys would be coming to the new school in its formative years.

I was sorry that I was not a ‘first day’ student but I was just one year too young! I am, however, proud that with my parents I was amongst the many who attended the laying of the Foundation Stone – standing on the undisturbed ground that sloped towards the temporary stage above what are now the main entry steps – in 1951 and later in 1954 attended the official opening. This is not a unique double but there are not too many who can claim to have been at both very significant events in Canberra’s Catholic education history.

My first day meant stepping out in the College grey short pants suit, white shirt and College tie, straw boater hat and a new Globite case for books etc. as (canvas) haversacks and leather ‘school bags’ were not permitted. I caught the bus from Turner with my neighbour Mike Trevethan who was a ‘first day’ boy, so he knew how the place worked, and who was instructed to look after me all day. Our mothers had organised this between themselves!

I don’t have much memory of my primary school days other than the small bottles of milk (one third of a pint or about 200ml) provided by the Commonwealth Government for all primary school children. The milk was delivered fresh every day. That was OK in winter but in summer the milk was often in full sun by morning tea time and that was different story! I do remember lining up for the compulsory Salk polio vaccine injection to combat the poliomyelitis virus which was prevalent during and after WW11. We also had to have a compulsory Mantoux test as part of the Governments drive to eradicate tuberculosis from Australia.

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

Moving into the Secondary School was very different. I was not a particularly diligent student but began to get involved in and loved College cricket and rugby. I was fortunate to play First XI Cricket and First XV Rugby for the College and in 1963 I was privileged to be chosen as the College Captain and had my first exposure to Rugby refereeing.

I learned a lot during 1963. I enjoyed representing the College at civic functions, meeting visitors to the College and accepting a leadership role during a teacher’s absence, in the playground and in public on the busses or the walks to Manuka Pool etc.

During 1964-1966 I studied at the Burnley Horticultural College in Melbourne. I was the only interstate student and the only one who did not want to be employed in the Victorian Department of Agriculture! It was here that I was grateful that I had studied Latin at St Edmunds as it served me well in Botanical Nomenclature lectures.

In 1967 I returned to Canberra to a job in the Parks and Gardens Section of the Commonwealth Department of Interior. I was fortunate to be given minor managerial responsibilities almost immediately and exposure to the many operational areas of Parks and Gardens.

In mid 1970 when I was ‘head hunted’ by S R Margules and Associates, a Canberra based Landscape Architect and Forestry Consulting Practice, as a Clerk of Works to supervise and oversee the numerous Landscape Architect projects they had with the National Capital Development Commission. These included primary and secondary schools, major roads, entire suburbs, public open space areas, diplomatic missions, shopping centres, commercial buildings and some private commercial and residential projects.

In September 1969 I married Irene Fitzsimmons in Canberra. We have been blessed with five children and 13 grandchildren. Our two sons, Matthew and James, went to St Edmunds from Y5 to Y12 and both were College Prefects and played in the First XI cricket and First XV rugby teams.

In mid 1979 together with John Deverson and Paul Bombardier we established dsb Landscape Architects. We had two commissions: the rockery at the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the Bruce CIT. That was enough to get us started and a major early client was the Albury Wodonga Development Corporation. The practice is still operating in Canberra albeit with new owners and directors. Both Paul Bombardier and I retain a part time association with the practice mainly mentoring the young landscape architects.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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In 1972 I returned to my Rugby roots and joined the ACT Rugby Referees Association. I refereed more than 500 competition games in the ACT Senior and Junior Rugby competitions including 56 First Grade games and many Associated Southern Colleges First XV games. I particularly enjoyed refereeing on Wexted Oval at St Pats Goulburn where there was always a vibrating atmosphere with the cheering St Pats students crammed into the very small grandstand! For my wide ranging activities within the Association I was awarded Life Membership in 1996. In 2000 I was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for services to Refereeing.

From the beginning of my professional life I have been an active and continuous member of the Australian Institute of Horticulture and actively involved in its administration locally and at the National level. In 2012 I was elected a Fellow of the Institute.

In 1994 during Br O’Shea’s time as Headmaster I was invited to join the Board of the Edmund Rice Foundation and shortly thereafter, I became the Foundation Secretary and have retained the position since that time. The charter of the Foundation is to provide funds to the College for the education of boys who would not otherwise have an opportunity for an education in the Edmund Rice traditions. The organisation has had several names over the years and is now, and I hope permanently, known as the St Edmunds College Canberra Foundation. The Foundation is always looking donations and bequests for investment to enable it to continue its work.

Since selling my interests in dsb Landscape Architects in 2010 and maintaining good health I have been fortunate to explore much of the world with my wife, Irene and enjoy the physical and social development of our 13 grandchildren.

I am proud of my St Edmund’s education and have never hidden the fact that it is where I went to school.

When I started there were no formal outdoor sporting facilities. When I left the first version of Owens Oval and its turf wicket had been constructed but the LOWS fields had not yet been recontoured.

At St Edmund’s I had my first exposure to formal leadership responsibilities, an introduction to public speaking and the social graces of ballroom and more modern dancing, the importance of ‘team work’ and punctuality when leaving the College grounds for mid-week rugby, swimming and after school training.

I pay just that bit more attention when I see or hear Eddies boys in the street or public places and rarely do they let you down. I am always pleased to engage with them professionally or when they come to the house as tradies for maintenance repairs etc.

I could perhaps have been a better student but I have benefited from the Brothers’ education and the philosophy of the College Motto: Christus Lux Mea – Christ is my Light, has stood me in good stead for more than 60 years.

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Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Class of 1987 Profile Fred Zarb Staff Member I started my journey as an ‘Eddies Boy’ in 1982, a fresh faced and terrified Year 7 student. I stood humbled by the size of the quad and buildings, and the monsters that roamed the halls, Years 11 & 12. The days passed quickly with so much to do - preparing for classes, sport and new friends that I am still grateful to be in contact with today. To say the College has been life changing is not a cliché’, it happened to me and I have witnessed it for 23 years while teaching here. St Edmunds College has been guiding and nurturing young men for generations, and will continue so long after I have gone.

I graduated Year 12 in 1987 and left with great sadness, one adventure stopped and another about to take flight, the working world. Ten years within the Government as a fitter & machinist and then onto refrigeration and air conditioning. These jobs gave me the skills and opportunities to work with some amazing people, and help train some outstanding apprentices in their own right.

There are moments in your life that you look back on and are able to give yourself a pat on the back, for they are the events that make me who you are - Meeting and marrying Tessa who has been the one constant in my life, still married after 30 years; the birth of my children, watching them grow and mature into the fine young adults that they are; the birth of my grandchildren, which brings back fond memories of our own children and the impact they have on your life; the completion of my two trade qualifications and then being able to complete my Bachelor of Education degree years later and give back to the College that has given me so much.

St Edmund’s has had, in some way or form, a significant influence on myself and my family. From my grandfather James Brophy being here on the opening day as part of the official opening party, to having and uncle in the first class, first day, and cousins in every decade, myself and my brothers, as well as my son - There has been a Brophy or Zarb here for over 60 years.

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This College constantly surprises me in terms of the effect that the old boys have on the local community, from government to trades, doctors and lawyers, nurses, sportsmen, teachers and everything in between, the impact that St Edmund’s College has had on the Canberra community cannot be underestimated.

There are teachers and leaders of the College that have inspired me over the years for what they stood for, and the wisdom they imparted to me along the way. Icons of the College such as Br Wallace, Michael Maloney and Pat Doyle have influenced generations of young men to be better, to make a difference in the lives of others. The many headmasters that I have known over the past 23 years have all added to the fabric of this community. There have been moments that are remembered for different reasons, reasons that are difficult to express as to how they affect us. The loss of a current or an ex-student weighs heavily on a teacher, more so when it has been a long standing staff member, and in my time Dennis Moreau was that person. From being taught by Dennis in 1986, 87 to working alongside him all those years later, he will always be missed and remembered.

My involvement with College football and Capital Football from about 2000 till 2008 was an experience not to forget. From College Master in Charge of Football to delegate to Chairman of the Junior League in Canberra, I have seen massive changes to the game in Canberra and Australia, and the impact that football has had in this country.

Trips to Jindabyne, Queensland and the United Kingdom for the College are some of the most memorable times I have had the pleasure to experience, but Tuross will always hold a special place in my heart. From driving busloads of students down there over the years, to the meals, games, staff or a simple cup of coffee on the back veranda at daybreak overlooking the ocean, there’s something very special about Tuross that draws me back, even with my family, to experience what it is.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Academic Success 2019 Tim Bibbens Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning The 2019 St Edmund’s College graduating cohort was a diverse and successful group of students. Of the 77 young men who graduated in the cohort, all received their Senior Secondary Certificates at the end of their study at St Edmund’s. 41 of the 77 were awarded an Australian Tertiary Entrance Rank (ATAR). Of those who did not receive an ATAR, 14 students received a total of 24 VET qualifications.

All students who seek to earn an ATAR must sit the AST Test. Members of the graduating class of 2019 who sat the AST achieved 3rd highest mean in the previous 10 years. This translated into a 98.5 for the top ATAR in the cohort and it meant that for all students who were awarded an ATAR, 34 received a result of greater than 60. This represents 82.9% of the group. The median ATAR of 76.95 was the second highest in 10 years and 39% of students achieved an ATAR of >80, again the second highest percentage of students from the past ten years.

Award issued / Pathway Senior Secondary Certificate Tertiary Pathway ASBA Vocational Certificates (Certificate I) Vocational Certificates (Certificate II) RTO Qualifications (Internal and External) ANU Extension Program

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Number Issued

% of Student Population

77 41 14 7

100% 53.2% 18% 9%

17

16%

31

40%

3

4%

ATAR*

2019

Top ATAR > 90 > 80 > 70 > 60 Median Mean

98.5 7 16 27 34 76.95 76.01

* Australian Tertiary Admission Rank

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College Dux

John Larkin Class of 2019 Class of 2019 Life has changed more than I expected since graduating in 2019. It was quite exciting to start at the ANU studying Mathematical Sciences at the beginning of 2020. I am finding it rewarding to be studying subjects that I am passionate about. Although university is currently all online it is still possible to learn the course content, however I will enjoy going back to university in person and being able to meet new people.

I think this time during the pandemic has shown us why in-person education is important: it is not only learning that is significant but also the experiences that are connected with it.

John’s Dux speech Good Morning Mr Zavone, Mr Garrity, teachers, peers and their families from the class of 2019 and the students of St Edmund’s. My name is John Larkin and I began at Eddies in Year 4 in Mr Di Fronzo’s class.

It doesn’t feel like long ago that I was sitting up there in those seats and now I have the privilege of addressing the assembly.

In this time we will try to answer a question that I see as an important part of succeeding at school, or in reality succeeding in anything. The question is, “What does it mean to learn?” I think that understanding and appreciating why you come here for around 30% of your week is vital to becoming a better student.

I think like most people I started by googling the word learn and I found something pretty interesting. The word ‘learn’ has origins meaning ‘to follow or find the track’. I think this definition is quite symbolic; we come to school to follow and find the track, a pathway leading into the future for our life. All of us are currently on a path, some of you may have an idea where you want this path to lead but many of you may not know what you want to do, and that is totally fine. My advice to you is to find something you are passionate about and work as hard as you can to become better at it. You will probably have more than one thing that you are passionate about, and that is all the more exciting. As long as you are pursuing something that you

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love, something that you are passionate about, whether it is sports, music, drama, academics or writing, you will succeed in it.

Something that I think many people in this hall have felt at one point or another is the struggle to understand where they will use what they learn at school in everyday life. Many people think that if you are not planning to become a Mathematician, then what is the point of learning how to add fractions? What is the point of knowing the difference between a prime number and a composite number? What is the point?

I answer this by saying that everything you do at school to learn is important and beneficial because you are improving yourself. For example, even if you are not planning to become a Mathematician, studying mathematics at school improves your reasoning and your problem solving, and that can only be beneficial to you. Even if you do not plan on becoming an author, English will improve your ability to interpret and communicate ideas. Striving to be better, even at subjects that you may not enjoy, will always be beneficial as it will open up so many paths and give you so many different, exciting, unique and wonderful opportunities.

All the resources you need are right here at St Edmund’s. You all have teachers who are dedicated and committed to this college, your college. I know that without the help of all the teachers that I had from Mr DiFronzo, Ms Roche and Mr Rutter in the Junior school right through to my college years with Mr Foskett (who always had the greatest science experiments), Mr Bibbens (with who we could simultaneously discuss literature while having a magnificent time), and Ms Leffers (who is extremely dedicated to teaching us the Japanese language and culture, and I will always remember the great food we would cook in class).

I would also like to thank Mr Taylor for being an amazing Japanese teacher. I found that in any situation when I was unsure about an assignment, my teachers would always be more than happy to help.

I believe it is important to be involved in co-curricular activities in the college. These activities help to make lifelong friendships and I certainly found that the more I participated in college co-curricular life, the better I was at focusing in school. I would particularly like to thank Ms Thomas and Ms Kerin for their dedication to the college concert band. If anyone here plays an instrument or is thinking about learning then it is something that I would highly recommend.

We are so lucky at this school to have tutors who we can see and talk to on a day to day basis. Thankyou Ms Brown and Ms Meulen for the great times in tutor group, it was always a wonderful start to my day. Finally I would not be giving this speech for you today without the guys who are here from the class of 2019.

I think it is true that we helped push each other to work harder and harder everyday while still being able to enjoy our time at school. St Edmund’s offers a unique environment where you can learn and work hard while still enjoying yourself and that is so important.

Remember that you all have the potential to learn and strive for what you are passionate about, and St Edmund’s provides an excellent environment for this. For the young men sitting before me, good luck for the future in whatever you decide to pursue, remember to become involved in College life and to never, ever stop learning.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Old Boys and Friends

Matt de Jongh President, Old Boys and Friends Association The Old Boys & Friends Association (the Association), was established in 2015 with the primary objective to bring the Eddies community together. Since 2015 the Association has grown, and now hosts and cohosts three annual events to bring the Eddies community together, and these annual events are the Blue & White Ball, Heritage Round/Reunion Day and Golf Day. The Blue & White Ball was held in May 2019, and was therefore in Semester One. The second of the Association’s three events was the Heritage Round – Reunion Day which is always held at the Eddies v Marist rugby home game, and this year was held in August. The Association encourages old boys to hold their class reunions on this day as well. The day kicked off with an old boys Mass in the morning followed by a morning tea and tour of the college. This year also provided an opportunity to officially open the new electronic Association scoreboard on Owens Oval, and this was officially opened by old boy John Barilaro and blessed by old boy Bishop Pat Power. The 1st XV also wore special heritage jerseys which had the names of all 1st XV players since 1954.

The third and final of the Association’s annual events is the Golf Day and this was held in November and was attended by a record number at the Queanbeyan Golf Club.

For further information on the Association our website can be found through the College website, or look us up on Facebook. You can sign up online as a member for as little as $30 a year, and importantly a portion of funds raised by the Association is donated to those in-need through the College Foundation.

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BUILDING FUND The St Edmund’s College Building Fund enables the community to make a direct contribution to the refurbishment, maintenance and development of infrastructure at the College.

Like many independent schools, St Edmund’s depends on the support of the entire community – school fees and government grants alone do not support new capital projects, major maintenance and restoration of existing buildings, or the ongoing support and enhancement of the College’s scholarship programmes.

As our current focus, we have identified our classrooms as an area of need in terms of refurbishment in order to provide our young men with appropriate learning spaces that are conducive to learning in a comfortable, flexible and engaging environment.

We would like to provide our students across the College with learning spaces which: •

can be adapted to accommodate learning modes and technology

•

create opportunities for students to learn independently and in groups

•

support collaborative learning and teaching for students and teachers

•

provide optimum learning conditions that are aesthetically appropriate

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE 1. Go to our College Website.

2. Find ‘Links’ at the bottom of the page.

3. Click on ‘Online Payment’ then find ‘Building Fund’ on the drop down menu.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

“All gifts support our future, and whether large or small, gifts are greatly appreciated and assist the College’s vision to deliver contemporary educational and learning facilities” Page 31

College Foundation

Grant Jones President, College Foundation I consider myself very lucky to be part of a family with a long association with St Edmund’s College, dating back to the 1970’s with my dad David attending as a student and graduating in 1975. I then had the same opportunity to be a student at St Eddies and graduated in 2005, followed by my brothers Bradley in 2007 and Ryan in 2009, not to mention a number of extended relatives that have also have the privilege to call themselves and ‘Eddies Old Boy’. My closest friends are those I went to school with and I really do think it is a unique experience that St Edmund’s creates that mean friendships for life are formed there.

Having the chance to experience this for myself and the opportunities it has created in my life since school is what inspires me to be part of a team that form the St Edmund’s College Canberra Foundation Board. It is the Edmund Rice tradition to give boys from any circumstances the opportunity to a quality education and the work that we do that helps the College offer this chance for families to send their boys to St Edmund’s who otherwise may not be able to do so.

The Foundation started it’s life known as the ‘Edmund Rice Foundation’ in the 1980’s, it then for a period changed to the ‘St Edmund’s College Scholarship Fund’ and in recent years to its current name which we feel better reflects the purpose of the fund.

There is no doubt that we need to do work to raise the profile of the Foundation and we are looking at opportunities on how we can do that with the College and with the Old Boys and Friends Association and I thank them both for their support in that. If you or a family member is in a position to help us we would love you to get in touch through the website.

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Inspired by the charism of Edmund Rice the St Edmund’s College Foundation (the Foundation) was established to give financial assistance to marginalised or disadvantaged families so that the cost of educating their sons would be alleviated.

Since its inception in 1988 the Foundation has supported the education of hundreds of young men at St Edmund’s College in Canberra.

The Foundation’s aim is to: •

Support families who are experiencing financial barriers that may limit their ability to provide an Edmund Rice Education for their sons.

•

Provide appropriate fee relief to ensure the boys have the quality education that they deserve.

•

Support families who have been affected by tragedy during a time of crisis. The Foundation will look to offer support where possible so students are able continue their education at St Edmund’s College without disruption.

HOW TO DONATE Please contact the College on 02 6295 3598 and ask to speak to our Finance Staff.

“Your donation to the Foundation will enable families in need of help in educating their sons having a lasting legacy that will benefits generations to come”

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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UK Football Tour 2020 Klara Manenica Head of Mulrooney House

During the summer holidays, St Edmund’s College embarked on its first ever overseas football tour. With the weather fine and mild in Manchester we set off immediately for Etihad Stadium. Other activities included a premier league game at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Norwich City and a match against Manchester Grammar School. The match was significant as it was the first ever game of football played overseas by an Eddies team.

After leaving Manchester we stopped in at Sheffield to stay at Mt St Mary’s College and played our second match. This was the first football match that Mt St Mary’s have played in over 100 years, due to rugby and field hockey being the main sports.

We made our way south to Liverpool for a stadium tour of Anfield stadium, home of Liverpool FC and then on to Birmingham for a tour of Villa Park, home of Aston Villa FC. One of the highlights of the tour was a visit to St George’s Park for a professional training session with two England FA coaches and full use of the facilities used by the England football team.

From Birmingham we stopped in Wales for two days and played two matches against Welsh schools.

Whilst in London we attended the West Ham v Everton match at the new Olympic stadium as well as visiting Emirates Stadium, Tottenham Stadium and Wembly Stadium. Our final matches were against Fulham Boys School and Epsom College. Our visit to Epsom College was a pinnacle of the tour with a professional coaching session with Rob Seale, former Chelsea FC coach.

The tour was a huge success. It was a once in a life time experience for all of the boys and will no doubt hold them in good stead for the next few years of football at St Edmund’s College.

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First XV Grand Final 2019 Neil Roberts First XV Head Coach

The 2019 ACTJRU Under 18 Division One Grand Final was the culmination of 8 months of hard work by the coaches, players and parents. By the end of an exciting and action packed day, St Edmund’s College had won senior grade championships in 1st, 2nd and 3rd divisions. In fact, the three senior grades had only lost 1 game all year.

The day started with the 3rd XV coming back from several tries down in the second half to secure an amazing win, with winger Seb Bellas scoring 2 superb individual tries late in the game to win. Final score SEC 27, defeating Marist 22. Amazing scenes ensued as the boys celebrated with their school mates on the hill to get the premiership ball rolling.

The 2nd XV, also undefeated all year, played club side Wests, who had dropped down from the Division one competition. In a closely fought game, the 2nd XV were crowned worthy champions, winning 28-26, with Lachlan Davis playing a dominant game. That made it two from two with only the 1st XV game to come.

Viking Park was packed with players, supporters and parents as the culmination of the season was about to start. The 1st XV had not lost a game in 2019, but with a last minute win against Marist in the Heritage round in August, Marist were going into the game with some confidence. On paper, the Page 36

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SEC team was stronger across the field, but the pressure of the Grand Final is a great equaliser. Captain Jed Stuart who had led the team magnificently all year, led the team onto Viking Park through a loud and boisterous tunnel led by Nathan Hackett and his drum.

As expected, the first 20 minutes was an arm wrestle with Marist exerting some early pressure and converted some penalty points. However, it was then a matter of allowing the SEC 1st XV to dominate territory and on the scoreboard. Winger Daniel Shaw scored a great try after a well worked scrum move and this relieved some pressure; with the game then became freer flowing. Clay Webb scored an individual try from 50 metres out and Willie Mariner performed well as goal kicker.

The second half started with Marist capitalising on some poor lineout work and once again the game was in the balance. A dominant scrum led by Remsy Lemisio and Xavier Ward resulted in more penalty points until Willie Mariner crashed over the line, followed by a great individual try to Marquis Mack to seal the game, with Eddies winning 32-15. Daniel Shaw was named Man of the Match in a great team effort.

The result was a great reward following a great deal of hard work by all players, starting with the pre-season camp at Tuross 6 months earlier. Jed Stuart led the team with dedication, and a greater group of fine St Edmund’s men you will not find. Thank you to Assistant Coach Denzil Fox, Manager Tracey Brown, Mr Pat Langtry with his technical work earlier in the year, Sid Davis and our physio Ben Mortimer for his care of the boys.

A great result and a fitting end to one of the best senior rugby years in the College history.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Basketball Trip 2019 David Mead Head of Clancy House

In December 2019 St Edmund’s College Basketball club embarked on its 7th tour of the USA. Our Three week tour started in Chicago with many of the boys experiencing America for the first time. This was also where we played our first game, experiencing what American basketball was like. The first game was played against Old St Mary’s School. Whilst in Chicago the boys experienced home stay with families from the school and visited many icons such as Millennium Park and the cloud gate and watched the Chicago Bulls play the Toronto Raptors at the United Centre.

After 4 days in Chicago the group headed to Stratford, Canada. Again the boys experience homestays for two nights and attended school. A number of the boys got to relieve Maths class with Mr Redfern. We won both our games against Stratford High. On the way to Toronto we spent the day at Niagara Falls.

From Toronto we flew to Washington DC. Here we went to all the major tourist attractions such as the White House and Lincoln Memorial. We played against the Washington DC International School. These games reached a higher level compared to our previous opponents. During our stay in Washington we visited Georgetown University and attended a College NCAA basketball game We then travelled by coach to Philadelphia to visit the 76’s training facility and go outlet shopping.

From Philadelphia we travelled to New Jersey to play against St Johns High School. We lost both games but had a lot of fun. This left our total win lose record to 6 from 12. The last part of the tour was in New York City. We visited all the famous sites and went to NBA and Ice hockey games. Overall the three weeks were jammed packed with playing games, visiting the most wonderful places. I hope the boys take back to Canberra what they have learnt by playing basketball in the USA.

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Community Profile

Sarah Kelly President, Karinya House When I reflect upon my life living in Canberra, one word comes to mind, community. Whether I am referring to past work experience, raising a family, the world of fashion or the charity sector, all of these places have afforded me a great sense of community. This sense of belonging and contributing breathes life into my days giving it purpose.

Seeking a career as an actress and singer, I attended business college and obtained a Diploma in Business and Administration. This was to support a life in theatre. But with these qualifications, as fate would have it, my career went in the opposite direction. I began working in the area of security and intelligence. I worked for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) both in Canberra and London and the British Ministry of Defence in London, during the Iraqi war. This work encouraged me to see the world through a different lens. It also afforded me the experience to then build on this time with further employment in intelligence and government for some years in Canberra - my “former life”.

I returned from overseas to work in Canberra with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (International Division) then on to Parliament House (two Minister’s Offices) The Hon Bob McMullan (Arts) and The Hon Peter Cook (Industry) and the then Prime Minister (The Hon Paul J Keating). After the labor government was defeated, I then began work within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for my final stage in government employment (policy and administration). International politics and policy have always been a passion and I look back so fondly to the opportunities I had to work with leaders and legends in this field. Even today I hear them speak on media platforms still influencing foreign policy in our region.

Then came a shift of gears and another community emerged. Marriage and motherhood. I married “an Eddies old boy” and that’s where the term originated for me. Dominic proudly went to St Edmund’s in Ipswich, Queensland and so when it came time to school our sons, William and Ambrose, it was a given that

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the Kelly tradition would remain and so began our wonderful journey with the St Edmund’s community of Canberra. I have always felt a sense of great pride being a part of the St Edmund’s family and be witness to the dedication of its teachers. Parenting and schooling definitely has its struggles and frustrations but St Edmund’s has been there to support and guide with their fundamental philosophy of liberating education and adapting to the needs of each student.

Not only did study and rugby now figure in our lives, it then combined with another aspect of community for me. St Edmund’s support of the charity work of Karinya House, Home for Mothers and Babies - supporting pregnant and parenting women that are vulnerable and living in crisis. l am continually inspired by the challenges that are faced and overcome by the women we walk alongside at Karinya. I began my journey on the Board of Karinya House when pregnant with William (now 16). Introduced to the vital work of Karinya House by my sister, a midwife volunteer, the then President, Melinda Tankard Reist invited me onto the Board. We knew of each other from Parliament House days. Little did I know the impact this would have on my life to date. To speak of community is almost the definition of the work Karinya House does. I have been humbled to be associated with this loving charity for so many years and have witnessed the positive change and sense of hope for so many women in crisis. A social conscience, I believe, is a fundamental and inherent part of our human connection. The support and generosity of St Edmund’s and St Clare’s College (where our oldest child Edwina, went to school) speaks to a social conscience that I feel is a vital part of education. I raise awareness of this to students often at school charities assemblies, remarking that thankfully, St Edmund’s is teaching this important value with leadership in such crucial formative years.

St Edmund’s has been a part of the Karinya House story since 2013 and I extend my warmest gratitude to Ms Bridget Cusack for partnering with us. The total fundraising support to date is just over $20,000! This financial contribution is coupled with the boys help at working bees, generous parent donations and beautiful gifts and hampers. It is so important that the boys understand and recognise the work that we do - how pregnancy affects a woman’s life but also the life of the father of her child and how love, respect and responsibility plays into that relationship.

In the midst of motherhood and charity work, with the support of my husband and children, I then truly engaged with a lifelong passion - fashion. I entered another community - the fashion world. It all began with a win of Fashions on the Field on Melbourne Cup Day in Melbourne in 2009. From this opportunity, I

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then founded Fashion Empire (Australia) which focuses on race day styling, writing fashion articles, emceeing fashion events and attending fashion weeks here and overseas. I also was integral in the formation of Fashfest here in Canberra, being a member of the panel that selected the contributing designers over four years.

These experiences culminated with my chance meeting of the iconic New York Times street style photographer, Bill Cunningham, during New York Fashion Week in 2015 and 2016. Introduced by his colleague at the New York Times, we began a fashion friendship and Bill gave up his front row seats for me. I attended Vera Wang (next to Vogue editor, Anna Wintour), Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta and Givenchy. It was Givenchy’s first fashion show in New York and thousands attended. Kim Kardashian and Kanye held up the the show for an hour! Upon their arrival they were photographed and I happened to be in the background of that photo. Bill went on to photograph me in his office at the Times and this photo was published in his column “On the Street” for the New York Times that September of 2015.

The art and beauty of the fashion world has always captivated me. Not until my 40s did I see a truly tangible way to make my love of fashion a career. All that I have done to this point, has led me back to the true knowledge that following your passion will not only bring you happiness, but can bring success in all its forms. This belief I endeavour to foster with my three children.

The Edmund Rice tradition speaks to the unwavering devotion and faith of the Blessed Edmund Rice. The teaching faculty, along with the support of family and community, instil respect that our Eddies boys are fine, strong, intelligent men that hold respect and equality in their hands. The hope is to manifest the four pillars of the Edmund Rice tradition - liberating education, gospel spirituality, inclusive community, justice and solidarity. Pillars for a great school community and pillars for a life of fulfilment.

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Class of 2007 Profile Josh Reid

I’m an Old Boy from the class of 2007. Since leaving school I have dedicated my time to the property industry. I lived in the UK in 2008 and travelled through Europe before returning to Canberra to commence my career in real estate. Joining Peter Blackshaw Real Estate in Manuka, I quickly established a reputation for going above and beyond for my clients and providing real advice, which can be hard to come by in the industry. After seven years, I was approached by Colliers International to join their residential business focussing on new land estates, development sites and project marketing. Having been involved in some of Canberra’s most prominent sales, my highlight is selling the suburb of Denman Prospect to Canberra Airport Group for $242m in 2015. Now in my twelfth year in property, I am a Director of Colliers International and have been involved in over $1.3 billion worth of transactions.

My passion outside of property is golf. Starting at the age of 12 and taught by my Nan, I am recognised as one of the districts best golfers. Captaining Royal Canberra’s Pennant Team and the ACT Golf Team, I can honestly credit my leadership qualities to his time at St Edmund’s. I fondly remember some key teaches like Phil Hawke, Terese Kitney, Leigh Pirie, Leanne Gair, Carlos Sorrentino and Neil Roberts all having a significant impact on where I am today.

I re-engaged with the College through the sale of a property on behalf of the St Edmunds Foundation in Ngunnawal. I then joined the College Foundation as a Board Member. The Foundation has taken huge steps over the past years and with the guidance of Old Boys Grant Jones, Paul Scholtens and Matt Matt De Jongh will continue to assist the College and its students into the future. I have also been instrumental in bringing Old Boys back for the Careers Night and have had two students reach out for work experience.

I am still a Queanbeyan boy and enjoy spending time with my girlfriend Emily, Mum, Nan, sisters, brother in laws and niece.

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Anzac Day 2020

Donella Walker SOSE & English Teacher The St Edmund’s ANZAC Commemoration Service may have been held in absentia, however, this gave us the opportunity to “stand at the end of our driveway” and embrace an even wider audience, sharing the spirit of the occasion with our whole College community via a video link.

The commemoration included captain’s address by Sam Gibson, Acknowledgement of Country and prayer from Officer Cadet Gabrielle Walker, the Ode from ADF student, Pearce Bullpitt-Troy, principal’s address

by Mr Joe Zavone, guest speaker LTCOL Adrian Walker, and a special message from Commodore Tim Brown, Director General Submarines. Our commemoration reflected upon the ANZAC values of mateship, courage, sacrifice, loyalty and resilience. This was especially poignant given the challenges of 2020 which compelled students, staff and community to negotiate a rapidly changing social environment.

Mr Zavone, reiterated the words of former Prime Minister Paul Keating, who said that from all of disaster of the Gallipoli experience, we were given a legend … belief in fundamental qualities in human beings facing extraordinary adversity in events over which they have no control.

“That is what we commemorate on Anzac Day and that is what we embrace as a war memorial school and a proud Catholic school.”

LTCOL Adrian Walker, delivered the message that the ANZAC spirit is a mirror we can look into in times of challenge and see the how the reflections of our past shape us now and in the future.

“ANZAC Day 2020 has a very different feel for all of us. St Edmund’s students and community are in the honoured position of sharing the ANZAC spirit and values of mateship, courage, loyalty, and resilience.

Now is the time to build on those as, in the current climate and the uncertain times that lie ahead of us, you may have to make unexpected sacrifices. Know that if you do, you will be up to the challenge because of the spirit that lives inside each one of you.”

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Pelican: Semester 1, 2020

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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NT Mission Trip 2019 Michael Monagle Assistant Principal - Mission and Identity “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers what you say, the way you live, in your love and your faith.” 1 Timothy 4:12 St Edmund’s has been visiting Darwin and surrounding region for the last 9 years and has built some very strong bonds with a number of communities. The College has been leading retreats for schools and it is with great pride that when our Pelican emblem is recognised in many regions that we are welcomed into the communities with open arms. There is no mystery that the success of the mission has been down to the simple decision to go each year and to keep developing the relationships that we have made. Over the years many students have worn the mission t-shirt and for that given year they are the custodians of this experience. Each student has enriched the trip in their unique way and has shared their gifts and talents.

A big thanks to our team for 2019 Hayden Pepper, James Tually, Justin Teng, Alister Hobson, Symon Refuerzo, Henry Scheckenbach, Lachlan Bradshaw and Mr Masters.

The week compromised of running retreats at St John’s College Darwin, O’Loughlin College Darwin and visiting St Francis Xavier College in Daly River. The boys did a fantastic job leading retreats, building rapport with the students that they encountered and shared their understanding of faith. Our boy’s authentic witness very quickly broke down any nervousness or anxiety that the students that we ministered to might have been feeling. The students also helped out with some numeracy lessons and played in AFL games with stu-

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dents from Maningrida and Tiwi Islands at the Michael Long Learning Centre in Darwin. A truly blessed experience where our boys learnt about the concept of deep listening or ‘Dadirri’.

Dadirri means inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. It is a ‘tuning in’ experience with the specific aim to come to a deeper understanding of the beauty of nature. Dadirri recognises the inner spirit that calls us to reflection and contemplation of the wonders of all God’s creation.

We pray that each day we may deeply listen to the needs of the people that we interact with, that we listen to our own thoughts and conscience and that we are open to listening to Gods call in all that we do.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Class of 1973 Profile Don Jeffery

After my time at Eddies, I went on to pursue studies at UNSW, graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) in 1978. From my college life and the civil engineering cohort, I made many lifelong friendships and we recently held our 40th reunion of the graduating class.

Upon completing my degree, I commenced a Management Cadetship with the Readymix Group (a producer and supplier of concrete and concrete products) in 1979. Over 12 months of training, I had the opportunity to travel and was exposed to a number of facets of the Readymix business, including quarrying concrete, marketing and commercial operations throughout Australia. Some of my most memorable assignments included spending January 1980 in Nillabubbica, a remote camp halfway between Broome and Derby, WA on a project sealing the highway, as well as time at Kulgera in NT, 400kms from Alice Springs, on a mobile crushing plant producing ballast for the Adelaide to Darwin railway line. At the completion of my training, I managed quarries and crushing plants throughout Western Australia, including Mt Newman, Woodside’s Northwest Shelf Gas Project near Karratha, and Bunbury in the south. Managing teams of 30 employees at remote locations with lots of logistical challenges at the age of 25 provided a great foundation for my future career.

In 1982, I was selected to manage an operation in China. The quarry was in the Shenzhen Economic Zone and transported construction materials via a conveyor system across the border into The New Territories in Hong Kong. These were very early times in the opening up of China to Western investment. At this time, Shenzhen had a population of Page 50

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400 000 people – I recently visited the city and it now has a population of 18 million and is a thriving commercial centre. In the early ‘80s The Touch Base Policy still existed in Hong Kong. Under this arrangement, any person who escaped from mainland China and managed to cross the border, which was guarded by the People’s Liberation Army (China) and the Gurkhas of the British Army, and arrive at the Kowloon Post Office was awarded Hong Kong “Belonger” status. After living in China for 2-3 weeks at a time, I certainly looked forward to 3-4 days of R&R in Hong Kong. I met Malcolm Fraser, the Australian Prime Minister at the time, when he visited the quarry operations at Woo Shek Kolo.

I transferred to Readymix USA in 1983 and managed a number of their assets in South Carolina and Georgia. Highlights of my time in the United States included attending The US Masters in 1984 and 1985, as well as the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans, where my brother Alan was an Australian representative. I had a number of visits to New Orleans, including a very memorable Mardi Gras.

I returned home to Australia in 1986, and after a short period working on the Toowong Village construction project in Brisbane, I returned to WA and worked in management positions across the mining industry.

Christine and I were married at St Edmund’s College Chapel in January 1988 and our first daughter was born later that year, growing up among the red dirt on site at Labouchere Gold Mine in Meekatharra, WA. I went on to become the manager at Mt Morgan’s, halfway between Leonora and Laverton, about 300km north-east of Kalgoorlie. This mine was located on extensive underground workings from the gold boom of the late 1880s to 1920s. In the years 1990-91, it was the eighth highest producing mine in Australia, producing in excess of 120 000ozs of gold, which in current gold prices is worth over $200M. As an interesting fact, a tonne of gold is 32 000ozs and would fit in the volume of a beer carton.

Over the next 20 years, I enjoyed many more successes in my career and a number of interstate and overseas moves with the family, culminating in my appointment as President of The Emeco USA operations based in Houston, Texas. We returned to live in Canberra in 2007.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Besides travel with work, I have been lucky enough to travel extensively throughout the world for pleasure.

From catching up with my daughters who were working in England and Europe, to playing golf, which became one of my passions upon retirement, and attending various racing carnivals or following The Wallabies tests. I have experienced Christmas in an Igloo in Finland to see the Northern lights, walked the Cinque Terre in Italy and spotted the Queen at Royal Ascot.

My generation of the Jeffery family has seven members. All of us attended St Benedict’s for primary school, and either St Clare’s or St Edmund’s for secondary school. I remember my father Tom Jeffery would assist in working bees at St Edmund’s, helping to establish the ovals and infrastructure of the current college grounds. He also assisted with establishment of Australian rules as a college team sport. My mother, Barbara Jeffery, was one of the volunteer tuck shop ladies, contributed to library works, and made costumes for class plays and musicals.

Sport was a big part of our lives. I played cricket, Aussie rules, basketball and rugby. At a recent catch up with Graeme English, a Brother at St Edmund’s, he produced a diary for the U13s winning a local premiership. I participated in the rowing team, and every cross country race, athletics meet and swimming carnival was compulsory and eagerly anticipated. I found that whilst studying, and during my professional life, persistence, determination and teamwork were key characteristics for success – many of these attributes were developed during my time at St Edmunds.

In recent years, I completed four Oxfam Trailwalker events. These are endurance fundraising events where teams of four competitors walk 100kms through some tough terrain. Physical and mental toughness combined with persistence, determination and teamwork are required to be successful. We walked continuously for up to 28 hours to finish the course.

I have been President of the St Benedict’s conference of Vinnies for 10 years. I work with a dedicated team of volunteers to help our local community. I was invited to join the society by another Eddies old-boy, Ron Van Meurs. We are very grateful for the contribution to our fundraising efforts by the staff and students of St Eddies and their ongoing commitment to Vinnies.

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Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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Class of 1993 Profile Neil Roberts Staff Member

I graduated from St Edmund’s College in 1993 and in this year I was also fortunate enough to have been the First XV Rugby Captain, the First XI Cricket Vice Captain as well as a College Prefect. Following my time at Eddies I went on to study a Bachelor of Education: PE Secondary at the University of Canberra, graduating in 1998.

My fondest memories of St Edmund’s College include: •

My time at St Edmund’s definitely shaped me as a person and allowed me a great grounding in my life outside the College. Many great friends, memories and mentors throughout my time.

•

Playing on Owens Oval on a school day was a great tradition

•

Sausage rolls in a bun

•

Dragon boat parties in 1993

•

Winning the 1991 Under 17 AFL Grand Final

•

Any trip to the Pines at Tuross - such a privilege to have such great facilities

•

Mr. John Papahatzis and Mr. Simon Brown were the two teachers and coaches that gave me the most guidance, support and showed me tough love when I got too big for my boots

•

NZ Rugby tour of 1993 was a great time on and off the field

•

One of greatest overall memories was the pride we had in our uniform and the school in general. We felt a great sense of belonging, a trait which I see each year on Old Boys Rugby day.

After a post university gap year to Hereford in the UK, playing rugby and teaching at a small country school, I returned to St Edmund’s College to teach PE and Human Movement from 1999-2009, where Mr Max Green gave me my first coaching role, with the mighty Under 14 D team. From 2005-2009 I coached the First XV Rugby team, winning 4 ACTJRU grand finals, all undefeated.

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In 2009, I left St Edmund’s to work in the UK, to become Director of Rugby at Kings College School, in Wimbledon, London. If I had my time over I would have approached the role (in the early days at least) much differently, due to the fact that KCS was a very academic school (voted the best school in the UK twice in the last 5 years) and rugby was not natural to them. Having said that, it was a great challenge and I thoroughly enjoyed my time. KCS was a world away from SEC regarding academic pressures and expectations and it was always tricky balancing the need to prepare your First XV with their extreme academic expectations. I met some excellent people, coached some amazing players but more importantly the high standards expected in all areas of the school lifted my expectations of myself.

In 2013 the First XV achieved 6th place in the country with 13 from 16 wins and we were runners up in the Rosslyn Park National 7s. It allowed me to travel around Europe, with the highlight my visit to the World War 1 Battlefields of France and Belgium. It was very moving and remains an interest of mine. Sailing around Croatia, visit to Munich beer halls, the Colosseum in Rome, road tripping around America, camping in Cornwall and two rugby tours to South Africa were also my highlights.

In 2017 I returned to Canberra to be closer to my daughter and was offered a contract for the remainder of that year. In 2018 I moved to the Junior School as a Year 6 teacher and will remain in the position until Term 4 2020. I love being in the Junior School even though I said before that I don’t know how primary teachers do it! I was honoured to be given the First XV coaching role in 2019, where we were undefeated premiers in 1sts and 2nds, and the mighty 3rds also won the Grand Final. The 2019 First XV are such a fine example of what we are trying to achieve here at Eddies.

I love teaching at Eddies and being a part of the Eddies community. We are in a good place and only getting stronger. The most rewarding aspect of the job for me is seeing the transformation of boys into fine young men, even if some of them are a bit rough around the edges, but that’s what we love about the place.

Vibrant Spirit. Strong Character. Tailored Learning.

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A Catholic School in the Edmund Rice Tradition ABN 45 551 557 285 • RTO 88014 • CRICOS 00639E