Fideliter November 2014

November 2014

St Ma r y’ s Anglican Gi rls’ S ch ool PP Nu mbe r 100004440

FIDELITER

EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING

YO U N G W O M E N

Elizabeth Myles Library offers after-hours tutoring

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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

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CHAPL AIN’S REPORT

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EDUCATING GIRLS

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FROM THE FOUNDATION

8 ACHIEVEMENTS 10 SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS

Are you leaving a paw print that you’re proud of?

Strong female role model shows women can have it all Students break bread with prominent politicians New Parent Dinners a chance for parents to get to know the school Musical evokes laughter, tears, and a lifting of the spirit New library provides endless opportunities Students with a killer cause to whale about Leading researcher offers ocean of opportunities My LEAP Experience Artistic talent on show at the Senior School Art Exhibition The Oxford Experience Uplift Project Musicians perform in sites of significance Professional insight from Old Girls Living history

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23 JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS

Building bonds across the generations Winter Woolies Day Giving girls power to manage their friendships Girls’ turn to treat their grandparents Students connect to reading

28 OUT AND ABOUT 30 ARCHIVAL ANECDOTES 32 PARENTS’ SOCIET Y/ ST MARY’S AUXILIARY 33 OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION Old Girls’ Report

34 OLD GIRLS' NEWS AND EVENTS

Events and Reunions Breaking through the glass ceiling News from Old Girls OGA’s 90th Anniversary Events Calendar 2015

42 VALE 42 DONATIONS

COVER PHOTO

FIDELITER INFORMATION

Georgia Hirsch (’12), now studying at the University of Western Australia, assists Year 7 student Eva Kneebone after school in the Elizabeth Myles Library.

Fideliter is a publication of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School.

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please direct all correspondence to:

St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, PO Box 105 Karrinyup WA 6921 telephone: (08) 9341 9111 fascimile: (08) 9341 9222 email: stmarys@stmarys.wa.edu.au editor: Jo Johnson and Robyn Birkin design and production: Dessein

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT OLD GIRL, PROFESSIONAL WOMAN, MIGHTY SHARP INTELLECT, WIFE, GENEROUS BENEFACTOR AND MY FRIEND. THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT COME TO MIND WHEN I THINK OF LADY TREATT WHO PASSED AWAY ON 21 JULY 2014 AT THE AGE OF 100 AND SOME. ONE OF LADY TREATT’S PHRASES I RECALL WHEN SPEAKING TO HER ABOUT EMPOWERING GIRLS WAS “EDUCATION’S THE ONE”. IT IS INDEED. SHE SAID IT AND SHE LIVED IT. THROUGH HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO ST MARY’S, OUR GIRLS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO STAND ON TIPTOE, TO STRETCH THEMSELVES AND SEE NEW HORIZONS.

We believe that girls learn best in an all-girls environment. It is here that they focus on their studies, are exposed to teaching styles that reflect their approach to learning, develop confidence in themselves, formulate and articulate their opinions and become aspirational. This semester, the Junior School has focused on Girl Power – developing the skills and strategies to stand tall needs to start young. In the Senior School, our girls have heard from young Old Girls at breakfast sessions about future careers; enjoyed Lunch with a Leader, including the US Consul General Cynthia Griffin and Senator Michaelia Cash, who encouraged the girls to consider service to country as an exciting path to follow; focused on women’s health issues, especially through our annual fundraiser, Purple Bra Day and our new one, the Uplift Project; and taken initiatives to help free an orca and focus public attention on those held in captivity. And, on stage, we saw Little Women and who better than Jo March to epitomise a woman with a mind of her own and the determination to pursue her goals.

During Semester 2, the St Mary’s Foundation launched its first Annual Giving Appeal, focusing on raising funds to support e-books in the Junior and Senior School libraries, the new Archives, soon to be under construction, and a scholarship fund to help talented girls, who otherwise may not be able to do so, attend St Mary’s. The response so far to this year-long campaign has been very positive. As of 1 October, $91,311.00 has been raised from 112 donations. The campaign concludes on 31 December 2014 and our aim is to exceed $100,000 so that we can make an even bigger difference to the education we provide our students.

This is a big ask, but if reached, it would be a phenomenal result.

Be it $25.00 or thousands of dollars, every contribution makes a difference. Please join those members of our community who have already supported the St Mary’s Foundation's fundraising appeal.

We have all benefited from those who have given in the past and Annual Giving will continue this tradition.

1, Vicki Brimmell resigned from Learning Support and early in Semester 2, Dennis Rose retired from the Technology and Enterprise Department, to be followed by Gill Stabler from the Senior School library. I wish to thank all of these members of our staff for their contribution to St Mary’s, especially Carole Metcalf who commenced work in a very different library from our present one in 1989. Mrs Metcalf will retire at the end of the year.

In 2014, we welcomed Louise Tyson, former Head of Science, to our Executive team. She has taken on the new role of Dean of Teaching. Mrs Tyson has a well-established reputation in the school, inspiring a passion for science in our girls and encouraging their quest for science-related careers. She has also been recognised nationally, as one of two teachers in Australia to be acknowledged in the Centenary of Federation Teaching Awards in 2012.

Not surprisingly, research demonstrates that the role of the teacher is a significant key to successful learning. Mrs Tyson’s role will focus on pedagogy at St Mary’s and how it can develop into the best possible practice it can be. It is a lofty goal, but a crucial one, as we work to maintain a vibrant and effective learning environment.

Finally, our first foray into semi-paperless communication with parents saw the implementation of our Parents’ Portal. It has been taken up enthusiastically by most parents, and we hope that as the portal is further developed and this style of communication becomes second nature, it will be a valuable tool for our current parents.

The times, they are a changing.

Lynne Thomson Principal

Recently, there have been some staff changes. In Semester

OLD GIRL JOINS BOARD OF GOVERNORS CONGRATULATIONS TO AMANDA WILLIAMS (’94), WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS A NEW MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL’S BOARD OF GOVERNORS.

Since leaving St Mary’s, Amanda completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and then started as a graduate at PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1998, being named a Partner in the Private Clients group in 2011. Amanda has spent the last sixteen years specialising in assurance services with PwC, working across a number of different organisations including not-for-profit entities, family businesses and large, multinational-listed organisations.

Amanda’s client portfolio has seen her visiting abattoirs, mine sites, aged care homes and, more recently, livestock ships.

In 2006, Amanda married Drew Totterdell and she now has a two-year-old son, Tom. Amanda said she was delighted to receive the invitation to join the Board of Governors of St Mary’s.

“I have very fond memories of my time at school and having completed a recent tour, I am amazed at the new facilities and wish I could return as a student to experience it all again," she said.

"Unfortunately, my student days are no longer and I look forward to working with the school in a different capacity and continuing to build on the legacy of St Mary’s.”

Principal's Report

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CHAPL AIN’S REPORT VISITING THE AMIT Y FOUNDATION IN CHINA IN APRIL, LES CHIDGZEY, DEPUTY HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL, AND I TRAVELLED TO NANJING IN CHINA WITH ELEVEN YEAR 11 STUDENTS. OUR HOST WAS THE AMITY FOUNDATION, A PARTNER AGENCY OF THE ANGLICAN BOARD OF MISSION

The Amity Foundation is a non-government organisation (NGO) that delivers social welfare programmes, is involved in disaster relief in China and is a participant in international humanitarian and development aid. This trip presented us with a unique opportunity to gain insight into how NGOs work and co-operate with one another, and how they work with various disadvantaged groups. Amongst the many projects Amity engages in is the promotion and support of the education of girls and young women, which still lags behind that of boys especially in rural and remote areas amongst ethnic minorities.

If you have time to visit the Amity Foundation website (www.amityfoundation.org/eng/), you will be amazed at the wide-range of projects they are involved in and their skills in disaster management and relief.

Our group was a collection of individuals who had come together for a short adventure. An aim of education is to prepare students to be citizens of the world. Service learning programmes and social service activities encourage students to consider issues of social justice and to make connections with others outside of the classroom and indeed beyond the campus. Our trip certainly built trust, respect and love amongst the travellers.

Travelling to China with Chelsea Buckingham, Kaila Dempsey, Oriel Fisher, Emma MacBean, Manishaa Mukundala, Talani Newton, Li-Anne Ng, Megan Penny, Sarah Smith, Jasmin Walsh and Rebecca Whinnen proved to be one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in my life as a Chaplain. I have been on many school trips in Australia and overseas but this diverse group of individuals proved that they could maintain their uniqueness whilst living, travelling and working together as a team. They demonstrated that they were adaptable, good negotiators and fast learners. We had no Chinese language skills and needed to be able to order food, find our way around the neighbourhoods, give presentations in the school we partnered, shop, and hop on and off buses! The girls stepped out of their comfort zones to engage with adults, school children, people with disabilities and the aged, showing that relationships are built on listening, sharing, accepting and just getting on with the job in hand.

Travel does amazing things for young people, helping them with self-confidence, resourcefulness, social skills and the ability to empathise. Alongside this, there is the more concrete learning in geography, history and culture.

Some of the research into single-sex education suggests that girls are empowered to be more competitive and less averse to having a go without the presence of boys, all good skills to gain for leadership and some careers. Although Mr Chidgzey accompanied us, there was a definite buzz that: “We girls are doing this!” and “We can do this!”

Highlights of the trip were meeting the students with disabilities from the Home of Blessing and baking in their training centre, the Amity Bakery, which prepares them to work in bakeries and places like Pizza Hut. We also visited the aged care facility which is a new enterprise for the Amity Foundation where simple gifts of tiny koalas gave so much joy.

Speaking at Assembly in Term 2, Mr Chidgzey said; “Have you ever been mobbed by people wanting their photo taken with you? What would normally be a ten-minute stroll turns into a half-hour marathon as people queue to stand with you or with your group.

“Have you ever had people stop and stare and jab their family members in the ribs to get their attention as you walk past them?

“Have you ever had the opportunity to introduce the game of footy and teach the skills of kicking and handballing to a group of young adults with disabilities?

“Have you ever been in a bakery and cooked 100 tasty little cookies which you then get to take home with you?

“Have you ever had the opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of people who are less fortunate than yourselves?

“Have you ever been the first person in the world to offer a cracker biscuit, with a heavy coating of Vegemite, to someone who has never tried it before?”

It was an experience of a lifetime!

In July of this year, the Amity Foundation was granted consultative status with The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. Consultative status for an organisation enables it to actively engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as well as with the United Nations Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies in a number of ways. It is an important symbol of a non-governmental organisation being internationally recognised. We offer our congratulations to the Amity Foundation for achieving so much in just over 25 years.

The Reverend Geraldine Nixon School Chaplain

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Chaplain's Report

THE SCIENCE OF EDUCATING GIRLS EVERY WEEK OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I HEAR THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF PHRASES EMERGE FROM THE HUM OF ACTIVITY IN MY CLASSROOM: “THAT’S AWESOME”, “THAT’S SO COOL”, “COME QUICK, I’VE MADE AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY”, “I AM FRIGHTENED OF LIGHTING MATCHES” AND “CAN I COME AND SEE YOU AT LUNCHTIME TO GET SOME EXTRA HELP?” YOU MAY NOT THINK IT IS ALL THAT UNUSUAL TO HEAR THE WORDS “AWESOME” AND “COOL” PERCOLATE TO THE SURFACE WHEN A GROUP OF TEENAGE GIRLS ARE STANDING AROUND CHATTING. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT AN ACTIVITY IN A SCIENCE CLASSROOM, THOSE TYPES OF WORDS AND PHRASES ARE RARELY SPOKEN BY GIRLS IN A CO-EDUCATIONAL SETTING. INDEED, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT BOYS DOMINATE THE TEACHERSTUDENT INTERACTIONS IN CO-EDUCATIONAL CLASSROOMS. GIRLS ASK FEWER QUESTIONS AND ANSWER FEWER QUESTIONS THAN BOYS.

I have asked girls how they feel about boys receiving a much greater slice of the teacher’s attention and I was surprised and a little concerned to hear their responses. The girls liked the focus on the boys as it allowed them to do their own thing and be more relaxed in the classroom. As a teacher, this concerns me as I know that the quality and quantity of interactions between teachers and their students have a significant impact on a student’s learning. At St Mary’s, there is a great deal of trust between teachers and students and there is well-developed communication between the two groups.

In classrooms at St Mary’s, the girls ask lots of questions and they listen to each other’s questions. The voices of boys do not drown out the girls’ voices. Actively seeking help without fear of ridicule is the norm rather than the exception. This rich learning environment results in vastly improved learning outcomes for girls.

Another significant advantage in attending an all-girls school such as St Mary’s is that we know and understand our target audience very well. We recognise issues that are particularly important to consider when educating girls. Boys often have a very ‘can do’ attitude whereas girls are more likely to worry about whether they are good enough or smart enough. Girls can have a greater fear of failure than boys. At St Mary’s, we have the opportunity to address this in a very explicit way.

Girls will often say to me, “I have heard that Chemistry is really hard”. My response is a phrase that I use most weeks of the school year: “We do not have to be frightened of hard.” Our school culture embraces the idea of striving to do your best. For some students, this might be making the Year 10B Basketball team instead of the A team. For some students, 55 per cent on a Maths test is a significant achievement whereas for other students 80 per cent would represent their best effort. In an effort to drive home the fact that failure is not a disaster, I often tell my classes the story of how I failed my Semester 1 Chemistry exam in Year 11. The girls are initially horrified but I assure them that, for me, it was a good thing. It made me ask myself good questions such as: “Why did I fail when previously I had always

excelled in Science tests?” and “What would I have to have done to pass?” Experiencing that failure taught me to become a better student. I suspect it also made me a better teacher.

At St Mary’s, we encourage our girls to try lots of different things, to challenge themselves and learn about their own personal strengths and, hopefully, not to agonise over their perceived weaknesses. Our classrooms are often collaborative because girls generally like to work in groups. One of my favourite memories about group work in Science, that highlights for me the special nature of educating girls in an all-girls school environment, happened in the last week of the school year in 2013. It was in a Year 7 Science class where we were building and testing solar-powered cars. Earlier in the year, we had abandoned race day due to poor weather conditions and decided that we would finalise the project in the last week of the year after all other work and assessments had been completed. For the whole week, the lab was a hive of activity, there was no sense of relaxing as the year was almost over. I overheard one young lady remark to a fellow member of her group, “I am so glad we are doing this now, I feel so much smarter now”.

Louise Tyson Dean of Teaching

Educating Girls

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FROM THE FOUNDATION 2014 ANNUAL GIVING THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS SO FAR

Earlier this year, we launched the 2014 Annual Giving ‘Will you be a part of our story?’ campaign. Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who has chosen to support us and participate in this initiative, the first Annual Giving in more than a decade. The response has been inspiring and, through your generosity, we will be able to:

yy establish an E-Library for all students, which will be launched in Term 1 2015 yy better develop the Archives Heritage Centre which will house our school records, photos and memorabilia and provide a multifunction Heritage Room for teaching, displays, and Old Girls’ events. The centre will open in March 2015.

yy build our Scholarship Fund so that we may offer places to students whose families may not have the means for them to attend our school.

We have received gifts of all sizes, from tens of dollars to thousands of dollars, from parents, Old Girls, staff, past parents and friends of St Mary’s. Participation at all gift levels is the key to success of Annual Giving and we are thrilled that so many members of the community are playing their part in this chapter of the story of our school.

'WILL YOU BE A PART OF OUR STORY?' The more gifts we receive, the greater difference we can make to the opportunities, resources and facilities we can provide for St Mary’s students today and into the future. If you have not yet made a gift and would like to support any of the projects outlined above, there is still time to make a gift to 2014 Annual Giving. You can make a gift until 31 December 2014 by visiting www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/online-giving, by completing the Gift form which accompanies this issue of Fideliter or by telephoning Linzey Allinson, Community Relations Manager, on (08) 9341 9120.

Thank you for your support.

Ron Farris Chairman Board of Management of the Foundation

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From the Foundation

FOUNDATION RECOGNISES PETER MEAD In June this year, the Foundation named one of the roads at St Mary’s at Metricup ‘Peter Mead Road’ in recognition of the exceptional contribution made by Peter Mead, Director of Finance and Administration, to the development and maintenance of the property over the last nine years. We are grateful to him for his ongoing commitment to the operation of this wonderful facility for the benefit of all St Mary’s students.

BOARDING HOUSE ADDITIONS ARE WELL UNDERWAY This year, the Foundation is delighted to be supporting the development of the additions to the boarding house with a funding contribution of $1 million. The extension will accommodate an additional 20 boarders and provide an activity room for craft and cooking, and a classroom. Construction work has been progressing well and is due for completion late this year, in good time to welcome our boarders for the start of Term 1 2015.

THANK YOU TO THE CL ASS OF 2014 A huge thank-you to the Class of 2014 and their families for their generous Class Gift: the naming of a vine row at the St Mary’s at Metricup vineyard. We look forward to providing a complimentary bottle of Frankie’s Folly to you in 2018.

Since 2008, the Year 12 graduating class has left a lasting legacy of their time spent together at St Mary’s by naming a vine row at the St Mary’s at Metricup vineyard.

The Class of 2014 gift will help to build the St Mary’s Scholarship Fund so that we may offer places to students whose families do not have the means for them to attend St Mary’s.

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From the Foundation

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ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS YOUNG WRITERS FLOURISH WITH PEN YEAR 7 STUDENT FIONA NGUYEN IS A BUDDING YOUNG AUTHOR.

Fiona impressed the judges in the 2014 Children’s Book Council’s Make Your Own Storybook competition, claiming top spot in the Year 6 – 7 Picture Book category with her piece, titled Adrift.

Emily Spencer followed hot on her heels in second place with Charlie, while Chloe Anastas came in third with Melony.

The girls were invited to attend the Awards Presentation Ceremony during Book Week.

As the winning entry, Fiona’s storybook was displayed in the State Library during August.

St Mary’s was also well-represented in this year’s Tim Winton Award for Young Writers.

Amelia Hurst, Year 9, placed first in the Year 7 - 9 category.

In The West Australian Young Writers Competition, Year 8 student, Alice Walton, placed fourth in the Poetry and Prose section, while Lucy Long, also Year 8, was awarded third place in the Poetry section. Year 9 student, Estella Lee, also earned third place in the Poetry section.

From top (l-r): Fiona Nguyen, Emily Spencer, Chloe Anastas, Amelia Hurst, Alice Walton, Lucy Long and Estella Lee

(l-r): Lisa Nivbrant and Alice Yao

SHAUN TAN AWARD TOP RESULT IN ICAS ENGLISH YEAR 3 STUDENT SORIELLE SMITH RECEIVED A MEDAL FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND ASSESSMENTS FOR SCHOOLS (ICAS) ENGLISH. SHE ACHIEVED THE TOP SCORE IN WA.

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Achievements

YEAR 12 STUDENTS, LISA NIVBRANT AND ALICE YAO, WERE AWARDED FIRST AND SECOND PLACE IN THE UPPER SECONDARY CATEGORY OF THE 2014 SHAUN TAN AWARD FOR YOUNG ARTISTS.

The awards were presented by children’s book author and illustrator, James Foley, and City of Subiaco Mayor, Heather Henderson, at a special ceremony at Subiaco Library in July. Lisa’s acrylic paint piece, Swim, impressed judges with its eerie fluorescent lighting feel and the reflections on the surfaces of the water, winning her first place. Alice was awarded second place for her piece, Eclipse of the Moon, drawn entirely in pen and copic marker. The piece was praised by judges for its amazing detail and subtlety of colour.

(l-r): Hannah Jones, Tia Chitty, Ashleigh Hurford, Phoebe Blaxill and Andrea Acosta Vargas

NATIONAL HISTORY CHALLENGE FIVE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN NAMED AS FINALISTS AT THE STATE LEVEL OF THE 2014 NATIONAL HISTORY CHALLENGE.

Hannah Jones and Tia Chitty were successful in being named finalists in the Year 7 division.

In the Special Category awards, Ashleigh Hurford, Year 9, was named a finalist in the ‘Australian Wartime Experiences’ section, while Year 8 students, Phoebe Blaxill and Andrea Acosta Vargas, were named finalists in the ‘Asia and Australia’ category.

The National History Challenge is a research-based competition for students. It gives them a chance to be an historian, researching world history, examining Australia’s past, investigating their community and exploring their own roots.

To enter, students compiled individual research essays, museum exhibits and work in other formats. They were required to be historically accurate and use primary and secondary sources. Their entries had to relate to this year’s theme, ‘Changing Perspectives’.

The ceremony for the national winners will be held in Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday 2 December.

SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM MAKES HISTORY IN JUNE, THE SCHOOL’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM WON FIRST PLACE OVERALL IN THE INDEPENDENT GIRLS' SCHOOLS SPORT ASSOCIATION (IGSSA) COMPETITION.

St Mary’s won the coveted trophy for the first time ever, beating its nearest rival, Penrhos, by 102 points. The team put in an outstanding effort. Not only did a number of girls walk away with blue ribbons in their respective age divisions, but there was a sea of St Mary’s maroon in the top ten finishers.

Congratulations to Melany Smart, Hannah Jones and Jessica Ronan on each placing first, and to our Seniors team (Years 11 - 12) for winning its division.

ST MARY’S WINS THIRD CONSECUTIVE GRAND FINAL ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL CONTINUED ITS DOMINANCE IN THE TOP DIVISION OF THE FREO DOCKERS CUP, DEFEATING ST BRIGID’S COLLEGE IN THE TITLE DECIDER ON 29 JUNE.

It was the school’s third consecutive grand final win, having claimed victory in Moore Division in 2013 and now 2014. Prior to that, St Mary’s was promoted to first division after winning the White Division grand final in 2012.

The team went into this year’s decider in a strong position, having conceded just one point in the round games.

The final score was St Mary’s 2.4.16 to St Brigid’s 0.7.7. Taniesha Quince was named best player for St Mary’s.

Team manager, Tes Lynch, said the victory was particularly sweet for the team’s outgoing Year 12 players, and for coach, Old Girl Emily Johnston (’10), who led St Mary’s to their win.

The Freo Dockers Cup, co-ordinated by the West Australian Football Commission and the Schoolgirls Advisory Committee, is for girls in Years 10-12.

Achievements

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ARE YOU LEAVING A PAW PRINT THAT YOU’RE PROUD OF? YEAR 8 STUDENTS HAVE BEEN LEARNING HOW TO SHINE AND REACH THEIR POTENTIAL.

They have participated in the ROC Teen experience with educator, Claire Eaton. Ms Eaton’s message for the girls was one of being Resilient, Optimistic and Confident (ROC).

Ms Eaton visited the school in Terms 3 and 4. She spoke about friendships, understanding self and positive thinking.

She highlighted that, each day, 80 per cent of our thoughts can be negative.

“Some of these thoughts might be about homework, or our family, or the future. They might be about our weight,” she said.

“And whether you’re thirteen or 43, how you think about this stuff affects your life. We must actively choose our thoughts and make them as positive as can be.”

Ms Eaton challenged each girl to be a loyal, caring friend to her classmates. She asked: “What impression of yourself do you leave upon others each day? Do you leave a positive paw print behind you?”

Ms Eaton facilitated two very successful presentations about friendships and, according to Head of Year 8, Pamela Underwood, the girls took away plenty of skills and techniques to improve their relationships - both with themselves and with others.

“One of the biggest and most challenging concepts for teenage girls to understand is the part they play in the success, or lack of success, of a friendship,” Ms Underwood said.

“Empowering teenage girls in their exploration of this concept can help them to be more responsible for themselves and the part they play in all relationships – the good, the bad and everything in between.”

Ms Eaton was a teacher for two decades. She has been a tutor at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, a mentor with the Department of Education and Training WA and a deputy principal. She was recently nominated for the 2014 Pride of Australia Medal, and was runner-up in this year’s International What’s On 4 Junior Awards.

Above: Grace O’Meehan, Georgia Elliott, D'arcy Cobley and Amy Whitfield with Claire Eaton

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Senior School News

“... women can achieve great things in their careers while maintaining a healthy family life”

STRONG FEMALE ROLE MODEL

S H O W S W O M E N C A N H AV E I T A L L IN MAY, POLITICS AND LAW STUDENTS MET CYNTHIA GRIFFIN, THE UNITED STATES CONSUL GENERAL BASED IN PERTH.

Ms Griffin conducted an hour-long presentation, which was attended by around 50 students from St Mary’s, Scotch College and Churchlands Senior High School. She spoke about her role in Western Australia, and students were invited to ask questions.

Society and Environment teacher, Alison Harris, said much of the presentation looked at comparing the Australian and American political systems.

“Ms Griffin spoke about elections, the structure of the parliament and the voting systems,” Ms Harris said.

“The Year 12s were able to gain valuable insight from the meeting.

“As part of their studies, they look at how each of the two systems upholds or undermines democratic principles, so they had plenty to take away on that topic.”

Ms Griffin began her diplomatic career almost two decades ago at the American Institute in Taiwan, where she served as Commercial Attaché. She has since held postings in Thailand, Senegal, Kenya and, most recently, Washington, DC. She assumed the position of US Consul General in Perth on 29 July last year. As such, she maintains contact with senior Australian officials, both state and federal, within the Perth consular district, and keeps the US Embassy and Washington informed of important political, economic and other developments affecting US interests.

Originally from Connecticut, Ms Griffin is fluent in Mandarin, Chinese and French languages, and proficient in Thai. She has tertiary qualifications in Chinese and Asian Studies. Ms Griffin also has two daughters.

“As with many of our guest speakers this year, Ms Griffin is proof that women can achieve great things in their careers while maintaining a healthy family life,” Ms Harris said.

Above: US Consul General Cynthia Griffin and Geoff Smith from the Australian Federal Police with Year 12 students.

Senior School News

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STUDENTS BREAK BREAD WITH

SOME OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S MOST PROMINENT POLITICIANS HAVE SHARED THEIR WISDOM WITH THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS AT ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL.

Five political figures have addressed students this year as part of the school’s Lunch With a Leader series.

Society and Environment teacher, Alison Harris, who co-ordinated the lunchtime programme, said it had broad appeal.

“But our girls were equally as impressive with their interactions and their questions. They have so many good ideas, they’re passionate and they’re concerned about the world they live in.

I would love to see some of them seriously consider politics as a career.”

State Minister for Police, Liza Harvey, offered a thought-provoking presentation on women’s interests.

“It has not only given our Politics and Law students examples to use in their exams, but has allowed them to hear first-hand what it is like to have a career in politics and, particularly, what it’s like to be a female politician,” Ms Harris said.

“It might surprise you to know that in Western Australia, we’ve got a very big gender pay gap between women and men,” she said.

“It has been highly valuable for the girls to see that women can have a family, as well as command these really high positions in parliament.”

“There are women and men doing the same jobs, and women are being paid less for doing exactly the same thing for exactly the same years of service.

Ms Harris said the programme involved strong male and female role models from across the political spectrum.

“My advice to you is that, when you go out into the workforce, you need to really understand your true value in the workplace.”

“We had a great balance of inspiring leaders in Australian politics, all of whom were vivacious and engaging speakers,” she said.

Ms Harvey then urged the girls: “We need more women in leadership roles, we need more women in executive positions, and we need more women right through government. That’s my challenge to you. Go for broke.”

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Senior School News

PROMINENT POLITICIANS

Senator Michaelia Cash, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, the also touched on this, addressing students as “the future leaders of Australia”.

“If you are interested in pursuing a career in politics, know what you believe in and know what you stand for,” Senator Cash said.

“Sometimes you wake up and think, ‘it would be so easy to just say yes or no’. But that’s not what we’re elected to do. We’re elected to make the tough decisions and the right decisions.”

Each guest spoke about their entry into politics and their career, before fielding questions from students on everything from asylum seekers to same-sex marriage to the WA shark cull.

Member for Warnbro, Paul Papalia, a former Navy clearance diver, described his atypical entry into parliament.

“It is important to bring people from diverse backgrounds into politics,” he said.

“There are a lot of cookie cutter politicians out there, who’ve come from the same sort of background. Normally, they join a party at a reasonably young age, volunteer within the party, and work their way up from there.

“For me, that’s not what happened. After many years in the defence force, my path into politics was very rapid.”

Senator Rachel Seiwert from the Australian Greens offered insight into party policy.

“For depth when debating policies on paid parental leave, for example, I’ve got policy documents from years ago that I can go back to,” she said.

“The Palmer United Party, because they’re new and because they’re a collection of individuals, they don’t have that policy depth. It makes it difficult for them to anchor their beliefs.”

Lunch With a Leader also featured a presentation by Dr Martin Drum, a political expert from the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle. He spoke about university courses, especially those suitable for Politics and Law students.

Senior School News

13

NEW PARENT DINNERS A CHANCE FOR PA R E N T S T O G E T T O K N O W T H E S C H O O L IT ISN’T OFTEN THAT PARENTS OF A SCHOOL SIT DOWN TO DINNER WITH THE PRINCIPAL, OR EVEN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS, YET THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT NEW PARENTS AT ST MARY’S HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO EACH YEAR.

In late July, St Mary’s hosted the New Parent Dinners, an opportunity for new parents to get to know the school a little better.

Upon arrival, parents were treated to welcome drinks (Frankie’s Folly, of course), before being seated with fellow parents, members of staff, members of the school’s Executive and Board of Governors, as well as the Foundation Board of Management, St Mary’s Auxiliary, Parents’ Society and Old Girls’ Association.

Our MCs then introduced the members of our staff present at each dinner with interesting (and often humorous) facts about their careers and past lives. Guests were treated to a delicious two-course meal, catered for by the school’s Head Chef, Eric Barlette, and his team.

During the course of the evening, parents also had the chance to hear from Principal, Mrs Lynne Thomson, as well as an Old Girl.

Over the three nights, the school heard from Cairo Leicester (’13), Danielle Dodd (’11) and Clare Twigger (’09), all of whom provided parents with an insight into the opportunities that await their daughters.

It is always wonderful to see so many new parents come to these dinners, prepared to make new friends and enjoy an evening immersed in the St Mary’s culture.

Above: Parents’ Society Representative, Tim Kelleher (top right) and Danielle Dodd (’11), guest speaker (bottom right), chatting with parents.

MUSICAL EVOKES LAUGHTER,

TEARS, AND A LIFTING OF THE SPIRIT

FOR GENERATIONS, READERS OF ALL AGES HAVE BECOME ENTWINED IN THE STORY OF LITTLE WOMEN.

The timeless favourite was brought to the stage in August as this year’s Senior School Production.

The musical, based on the classic American novel of the same name written by Louisa May Alcott, was performed in the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre across three days in August.

Based on Alcott’s childhood, Little Women follows the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up in America during the Civil War. Jo leads the way as an independent, determined and focused young woman, who makes sure that her hopes and dreams become reality.

The tale of the March family is a compelling one and even more so for a girls’ school. It deals with issues as relevant today as when the story was written.

The Senior School Production was filled with glorious music, delightful dancing and astonishing performances from every member of the cast.

Musical Director, Stephanie Nicholls, was particularly brilliant as she worked on a powerful score with the musicians and singers. Staff involved in the production were exceptionally proud of the girls, none more than Head of Drama, Jane Moore.

Top left (l-r): Eloise Orr, Amber Kitney, Indiana Scanlon, Elana Mulvay and Olivia Keating Left (l-r): Stephanie Tang, Eleanor Finnie, Lucinda Nicholls and Katherine Carey

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Senior School News

NEW LIBRARY PROVIDES

ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES

Above: Jessica Perring (’12) assisting Year 10 student, Indiana Scanlon in the library

IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE IT OPENED, THE SENIOR SCHOOL LIBRARY HAS EVOLVED INTO AN INNOVATIVE, INSPIRING PLACE TO LEARN AND GROW.

Named in honour of one of the school’s most respected headmistresses, the state-of-the-art Elizabeth Myles Library was opened in August 2012. Aside from its stunning interior, modern facilities and panoramic views, the library provides an ever-growing number of opportunities for students to maximise their study potential.

The library is open Monday - Thursday (8.00am - 8.00pm) and Friday (8.00am - 4.00pm) during term-time. Students are eagerly utilising the facility and its growing number of resources. They are able to access the intranet and internet, as well as an extensive library catalogue of print and multimedia materials.

The newest addition to the library’s offerings is the introduction of nightly tutors. From Monday - Thursday, two tutors are available to assist students with their studies and the use of the facilities.

According to Senior School teacher-librarian Joanne Pengelley, students have embraced the initiative and are now benefiting exponentially in the classroom.

“Students can access one-on-one assistance with their studies across all subjects and year levels,” Mrs Pengelley said.

“We offer tutoring in English, maths, languages, the sciences, music, history - you name it.

“Tutors are also available to assist the girls with research techniques and study skills. In addition to this, we also have

staff coming in to provide the girls with extra support if they need it.”

The library also offers Study Skills Seminars for students and their parents.

These sessions assist students in the development of sound study strategies for the future, and offer advice on developing realistic and time-efficient study routines and stress management. They also include instruction on effective research, and finding and analysing sources.

Situated in the centre of the Senior School campus, the Elizabeth Myles Library is a busy hub of learning activity. As well as being an educational asset, it is a place for students to develop their love of reading in a comfortable environment.

Mrs Pengelley said students were actively using the library to pursue intellectual and leisure activities.

“We have a strong reading culture here at St Mary’s, and we have a lot of girls coming into the library at lunchtime and before and after school to read. The new library has been designed to include an inviting reading area, as well as study pods for individual and group learning,” Mrs Pengelley said.

The space is welcoming, light and air-conditioned. It plays host to special events and notable occasions such as Book Week, National Library and Information Week and guest author talks.

Parents can arrange for their daughter to have dinner in the boarding house if she is staying in the library after hours.

Senior School News

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ST U DENTS WITH A

KILLER CAUSE

TO WHALE ABOUT THEY’VE

NETWORKED

WITH

WORLD-

RENOWNED WHALE EXPERTS, CONTRIBUTED TO INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND, NOW, MARINE SCIENCE STUDENTS AT ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL HAVE DRUMMED UP $2500 FOR A KILLER CAUSE.

The money was raised through the screening of Blackfish, a documentary about the many issues associated with wild creatures being held in captivity.

Most of the funds will be donated to the Orca Network to aid the long-running campaign to release an orca, Lolita, from captivity. A portion of the money raised will also be donated to the Science Department at The School of St Jude in Tanzania.

Close to 300 students and their families turned out to support the cause. The screening of the documentary, held on Tuesday 9 September, was followed by presentations from the co-founder and president of Orca Network, Howard Garrett, and renowned blue whale expert, Associate Professor Michael Williamson.

Student co-ordinators, Emma Lynch and Tess Lyons, organised the night as a result of a school expedition to the United States last year, where they investigated marine animals in the wild and in captivity.

A number of prizes, donated by the Australasian Diving Academy, were raffled on the night.

Above: Associate Professor, Michael Williamson with Year 12 Marine and Maritime Science students

LEA DIN G RE S E A RCH E R O F F E R S

OCEAN OF OPPORTUNITIES

ST MARY’S BOASTS ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOL MARINE SCIENCE PROGRAMMES IN AUSTRALIA.

Not only is it one of just a handful of schools to offer the master diving programme within the school curriculum, but it enjoys a long-standing relationship with one of the world’s leading authorities on blue whales and humpback whales.

Little research has been done in this region, and St Mary’s students receive certification from Wheelock College for making this contribution to global research.

Associate Professor Michael Williamson of Wheelock College, Boston, instructs and advises students on marine science and marine mammal research techniques. Most recently, he visited the school to support the student-led Blackfish fundraiser and to attend camp with Year 11 students, who were conducting whale research in the waters near Metricup.

Associate Professor Williamson is responsible for the WhaleNet website, which gains more than a million hits each month by young whale watchers from 140 countries.

Each year, students from St Mary’s contribute to the MICSPIX database, which manages the matching and storage of marine animal photo identification data. The school has been using the programme to match southern right and humpback whales off our south and southwest coasts, thereby tracking the migration habits of these awesome creatures. Students also collect water samples of the whales’ environment.

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Senior School News

This research is accessible to scientists worldwide.

Driven by his extensive involvement in marine science and education, he founded WhaleNet in 1993 to excite students about maths, science, the environment and technology.

WhaleNet enables teachers and students to access satellite tracking data of whales and other marine life carried out by research organisations, and provides opportunities for students to virtually tag, track and monitor the travels and habitats of marine animals.

“The programme is expanding my involvement to include more student instruction and more research experiences with the students,” Associate Professor Williamson said.

MY LEAP EXPERIENCE LEAP…

LEADERSHIP,

EXCELLENCE,

ACCELERATING, POTENTIAL. IN JULY THIS YEAR, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE AWARDED A SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND THE LEAP PROGRAMME. THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP

PROGRAMME

IS

HELD

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UCLA) AND WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY.

ST

MARY’S

BECAME

INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAMME FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, SO BEING THE FIRST ST MARY’S GIRL TO ATTEND WAS BOTH EXCITING AND CHALLENGING, AS I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

Flying halfway around the world with a group of other like-minded high school students from Perth was a great opportunity to create new friendships, and be challenged to move out of my comfort zone. A wonderful teacher from Mercedes College accompanied us on the trip. The main focus of LEAP is to educate and help young people from around the world to gain the skills to achieve their personal and professional life goals. It is a programme co-founded and run by Dr Bill Dorfman, a dynamic and visionary American philanthropist.

The week-long programme embedded in me the importance of self-belief and motivation.

It opened my eyes to the many ways in which you can achieve your own goals. I learnt countless life skills, such as how to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way, how to communicate effectively, how to tackle difficult situations with confidence, and how to speak in front of a crowd with ease. Many of these skills and techniques have been implemented in my life already. Being surrounded by 400 young people from all around the world including Africa, America, Australia, France and Israel was a great way to learn about different cultures as well as discuss common issues. I found it very refreshing to gain new outlooks on life, as I listened to others’ perspectives on various issues from other cultures and backgrounds completely different from my own.

Associate Professor Williamson is Harvard-educated in oceanography and marine mammal biology. He is an Associate Professor of Science at Wheelock College, where he has taught marine biology, oceanography, physical science, ecology, and mathematics courses since 1988.

The Society of Marine Mammology, the Marine Technology Society, the Massachusetts Marine Educators, and the National Science Teachers Association are just some of the organisations with which he has been associated.

He counts animal welfare, education and children among the causes he cares about, and says his aim is to do meaningful work and help to improve our working knowledge of factors that influence our lives.

The 400 participants ranged in age from 15-24, and were split into two groups: one for university students and another for high school students, though both groups interacted throughout the week. On arrival, we were separated into smaller groups of around ten students. Each group was assigned a coach who became both our mentor and friend throughout the week. It was with this group that we did most activities. Every day consisted of highly interesting interactive workshops and lectures, with a huge range of motivational speakers, such as Jonathan Sprinkles, Andy Thibodeau and Rob Waldman, to name a few. They spoke to us about important aspects of life, such as time management, public speaking, self-motivation, commitment, self-belief, and leadership.

The workshops were made enjoyable, intellectual and interactive, which made it easy to learn and engage in each and every lecture throughout the week. Being surrounded more than 200 American students, who seemed to thrive on dancing and singing to loud music in between lectures, taught me the importance of stepping outside of my comfort zone and learning through experience.

I believe the programme has helped transform my perspective on various aspects of life.

I believe I have become a more self-driven, positive thinking, and confident person, who is making an effort to change my dreams into goals.

LEAP taught me how privileged I am to live in Australia! I learnt how important it is to embrace other people’s differences and how each and every one of us can make a difference to other people's lives. I hope that many other St Mary’s girls get the opportunity to experience all that LEAP has to offer.

I thank St Mary’s and Mrs Thomson for this life-changing experience.

Julia Tatlow Year 11

Senior School News

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Senior School News

ARTISTIC TALENT ON SHOW AT THE SENIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION MORE THAN 250 GUESTS, INCLUDING SPECIAL GUESTS, CURRENT FAMILIES, OLD GIRLS AND GRANDES BELLES SAW DANNATT HALL TRANSFORMED INTO A THRIVING HUB OF ARTISTIC TALENT FOR THE ANNUAL GRAND OPENING OF THE SENIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION ON SUNDAY 7 SEPTEMBER.

Guests sipped on St Mary’s very own wine from Metricup, Frankie’s Folly, while they made their way around the hall, viewing artworks of students in Years 7 – 12.

Principal, Lynne Thomson, Head of Art, Keryn Cooper, and Art Captain, Sierra McDowell spoke, before introducing guest speaker, Sue Girac. Sue is currently completing her PhD in Visual Arts at Curtin University. As part of her studies, she worked with a number of St Mary’s students when they were in Year 7, some of whom have continued their studies in Art and are now in Year 12.

One of the highlights of the Senior School Art Exhibition Grand Opening is the Wearable Art Parade, where girls who have created wearable art pieces showcase their work in a choreographed parade. This year’s theme was ‘Around the World’ and featured stunning pieces that drew inspiration from almost all continents across the globe, including Asia, South America and Africa.

The Art Exhibition was then open again on Monday and Tuesday for current students and other members of the school community to view.

We look forward to seeing what our creative minds come up with next year!

Senior School News

19

THE OXFORD EXPERIENCE FIVE ST MARY’S GIRLS WERE GIVEN THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD IN ENGLAND DURING THE JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

We participated in the Broadening Horizons course, which offers students aged 16 - 18 the opportunity to live and study in a college of the University of Oxford for two weeks.

We lived at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. We had two classes each morning, and an afternoon workshop on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Choosing the courses we wanted to take was an exceptionally difficult task - there were just so many options! We were able to choose three subjects from the 23 options available. This allowed us to pursue our interests, or to try out something new. Between the five of us, we managed to cover a wide range of subjects such as Classical Civilisations, Experimental Psychology, Journalism, English Literature and Mathematics.

Each morning, we left the college at 9.00am, bound for what the counsellors called our “fun, fun lessons” - despite what some people may be thinking, they weren’t wrong!

The classes were very focused on being interactive, and each day was different - one morning we were acting out Greek plays, and the next we were creating DNA sequences from beads.

Studying Art and Architecture was especially remarkable.

The lessons were spent wandering the streets of Oxford, admiring the rich architecture that fills the town.

However, the most interesting part of each subject was the debates. The multicultural make-up of our groups made for fascinating discussions. Each class included students from Croatia, Pakistan, Switzerland, Belgium, Indonesia, Finland, Dubai, Turkey, and the list goes on! As a result, everyone had their own unique perspective on topics such as terrorism, the state of the world economy and the environment.

The Oxford Experience was not only impressive in terms of its academic opportunities, but also for its social aspect. We had the chance to spend two weeks with so many amazing people from such a vast variety of places, and this was a large part of why the experience was so memorable. Not only did we learn about different cultures, but we all gained life-long friends, with whom we shared some great memories.

From the James Bond Ball and our classes, to The Lion King and every minute in between, we truly had an unforgettable experience at Oxford.

Serena Russell, Ella Barton, Crystalle Parsons, Sophie Patterson and Olivia Webb Year 11 students

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Senior School News

l-r: Crystalle Parsons, Ella Barton, Sophie Patterson, Serena Russell and Olivia Webb

UPLIFT PROJECT STUDENTS AT ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL ARE KEEPING ABREAST OF THE NEEDS OF WOMEN IN DEVELOPING NATIONS.

Earlier this year, students gave a donation to the Uplift Project, which collects new and second-hand bras and sends them wherever they are needed. The school community rallied together to collect more than 500 bras.

The bra drive was organised by Hackett House Community Captain, Emma Brand.

“Supporting a charity is part of the role of a Community Captain,” she said.

“I wanted to find one that didn’t necessarily want funds, but wanted something reused or recycled.”

Since 2005, Uplift - with help from Intimo and Rotary - has sent 750,000 bras to communities in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Bali, Kashmir, New Zealand and Australia.

The organisation tries to ensure they get to the women who need them without compromising their dignity.

“For women in disadvantaged communities, bras are rarely available or unaffordable. A new bra, if available at all, can cost 10 - 30 hours’ wages,” Emma said. “The bra a woman gets from Uplift is often the only one she owns.

“Being an all-girls school, it’s good for us to have awareness of the issues that face women around the world.

l-r: Community Captains Emma Brand, Courtney Dodd, Sophie Longmire and Stephanie Tang, and House Prefect, Abbey Luke

“The priority for women in developing nations is food and education for their children, so to spend money on buying a comfortable bra is at the bottom of the list.”

As part of the month-long drive, Emma delivered a presentation to the Senior School at assembly. She said the feedback on the charity drive was all very positive.

“A lot of girls have said that it’s a very interesting charity, not one that they’ve heard of before,” Emma said.

“For the past few years, our Community Captains have organised fundraisers where we just have to bring in a few dollars. But that hasn’t always been embraced by the rest of the House.

“By doing the bra drive, we’ve got the girls talking about the charity and its work. We’re not only doing something useful for women who don’t have access to the things we do, but we’re also raising awareness.”

You can find out more about the Uplift Project at www.upliftbras.org.

MUSICIANS PERFORM IN SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE WHEN THE HALE ST MARY’S CANTATE CHOIR AND CAMERATA ORCHESTRA TRAVELLED TO EUROPE IN JULY, STUDENTS WERE FORTUNATE TO SING AND PLAY IN VENUES THAT HAD BEEN FREQUENTED BY THE LIKES OF MOZART, BEETHOVEN AND BACH.

The musicians, singers and string players spent close to two weeks touring Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, performing as part of the Summa Cum Laude Festival and gala celebrations.

In Vienna, students visited Schönbrunn Palace, the Vienna Opera House, St Stephen’s Cathedral and Haus der Musik Museum.

The highlight of their time in Vienna was the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival. The group spent four days taking part in various sections of the festival, including competition and concert performances. The culmination of the festival was the winners' concert, followed by a gala celebration.

Held at the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the gala was a chance for the 1400 people who took part in the festival to kick up their heels.

The choir and orchestra had the privilege of performing in many famous and beautiful venues. These included the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, which is the home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and MuTh, which is the new concert venue of the Vienna Boys Choir.

Opposite page: Chloe Anderson and Rebecca Bushell

The tour group also travelled to Salzburg in Austria. As well as being Mozart’s birthplace, Salzburg was the backdrop for the well-known musical, The Sound of Music. The students were delighted to stand in the exact place where the song “Do-Re-Mi” was sung, and to take in the beauty of this part of Austria.

From Salzburg, the group made its way to Leipzig in Germany, taking in a short visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. The students were respectful of the significance of this important historical site.

In Leipzig, the group was fortunate to attend a performance of a Bach Cantata in the same church where Bach played the organ when he lived in the city. There was also a visit to St Nicholas Church where the peace movement to bring down the Berlin Wall began.

The final stop on the tour was a visit to Prague in the Czech Republic. The short time the students had in this city was spent sightseeing and performing their last concert of the tour with a band from Munich in Germany.

Senior School News

21

LIVING

HISTORY

BY YEAR 11, MANY STUDENTS HAVE READ ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST IN BOOKS, THEY’VE WATCHED DOCUMENTARIES ON THEIR SCREENS, THEY MAY HAVE SEEN FILMS ABOUT THE TIME.

Above: Jolie Hewitt, Claire Avery-Jones, Julia DeLorenzo and Emily Kirton with Hetty Velrome

However, in August, they were privileged to experience history in the flesh as Holocaust survivor, Hetty Velrome, shared her incredible story of struggle and survival.

Ms Velrome was born in 1930. Her family was living in Amsterdam when the Second World War broke out. In 1943, her family was rounded up by the Nazis. She was separated from her parents and sent with her brothers to the Children's House within Belsen concentration camp.

“She weaved into her story that she knew of Anne Frank, that they’d been in the Children's House at Belsen together,” said Head of Society and Environment, Mike Turner.

“She’s an illuminating woman. The girls were able to listen to her and imagine how things were for her. By building empathy, they better connect to things they may have read or seen before. It is rare to have someone alive today who has lived through that experience, and who can share it.”

In 2013, students were fortunate to listen to the story of Holocaust survivor, Ken Arkwright.

“I think they would have empathised in a different way with Hetty, than with Ken,” Mr Turner said. “This was quite a different experience for them. Ken was harboured by a family, whereas for Hetty, she was a girl in the Children’s House at Belsen.”

Ms Velrome spoke to a full Lecture Theatre. The accomplished author also stayed for afternoon classes.

“She did an extra session with our Year 7 and Year 11 History classes,” Mr Turner said.

“How beneficial it is for the girls to hear from someone who experienced the war first-hand.

“And she has that extra credibility of being an author. Some of our girls have read her books, so they know of her.”

Ms Velrome described the hardships of life during the war.

“An example she used was the food she found,” Mr Turner said.

“The family thought they had found a piece of meat, and they were all so excited to eat it. When they were finally hidden away and able to eat it, they found that it was just a dirty sponge.

“These sorts of insights are always interesting. We have access to so much information online, and not all of it is reliable, so it is highly beneficial to learn from a living, breathing source.”

Mr Turner said the presentation was particularly useful to students studying Modern History and Religion.

“We have our trip to Europe next year, so it fits in well with that too. We will be visiting Auschwitz. I think the girls will connect to the trip more now that they have listened to Hetty,” he said.

Ms Velrome visited the school as part of S & E Week which took place from 4 - 8 August and featured a wide array of activities and guest speakers.

PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT FROM OLD GIRLS ST MARY’S WAS THRILLED TO WELCOME BACK TEN SUCCESSFUL OLD GIRLS AS SPEAKERS AT FIVE PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT EVENTS FOR YEAR 11 AND 12 STUDENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. THESE EVENTS PROVIDED OUR STUDENTS WITH A GLIMPSE INTO A VARIETY OF CAREER FIELDS, AND HELPED THEM PLAN THEIR FIELD OF STUDY IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OUT OF THE SCHOOL. EACH INDUSTRY-THEMED BREAKFAST FEATURED AN OLD GIRL CURRENTLY STUDYING AT UNIVERSITY, AND ANOTHER CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY.

Thank you to Emma Elliott (’11), Tina McLoughlin (’09), Aislinn Kowald (’11), Elizabeth Fenn (’06), Megan Coxall (’09), Siobhan Wilkins (’10), Tinika Sivertsen (’10), Ashleigh Carter (’06), Tayla Carruthers (’11) and Lara Diepeveen (’07).

These Old Girls braved the cold, early morning starts to offer our students invaluable real world insight into university and work life. Presentation topics included marketing and communications, commerce, finance, occupational therapy, science, medicine, health science and physiotherapy.

We look forward to hosting these events again in 2015.

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Senior School News

Left: Old Girl speakers Megan Coxall (’09) and Siobhan Wilkins (’10) presented Occupational Therapy information and opportunities to students

BUILDING BONDS ACROSS THE GENERATIONS THE YEAR 6 COHORT HAS BEEN BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND BUILDING BONDS WITH THE ELDERLY.

Earlier this year, the girls participated in the Kids Who Give WA initiative, which celebrates outstanding acts of care and kindness by young Western Australians. Their project, titled We Love Our Grandies, was about spending time with the elderly people in their neighbourhoods.

“To include all of the girls in our year group, we asked them to think of one way they could make a difference for the elderly,” said student organisers, Anouk Pope and Lani Stewart.

“We were so excited with all the acts of kindness that took place. We’ve learnt that we have the power to make someone’s life better, even with a simple smile or a conversation. It’s the little things that can make such a difference.”

Gardening and baking were just some of the girls’ tasks. They also played bingo with the residents at the Amana Living aged care facility in Karrinyup.

Head of Junior School, Helen Adams, said interacting with different age groups was beneficial for the girls.

“It is important that they can communicate with not only their peers, but with people their parents’ age, and with the elderly.

By getting involved in initiatives like this, the girls develop communication skills that prepare them to go into any social situation and cope.

“The girls see that elderly people aren’t scary. And it works both ways. Elderly people get to see how delightful and caring these children are. It breaks down barriers.”

Above: Year 6 students with His Excellency Malcolm McCusker and his wife, Tonya McCusker.

The student-led initiative also encouraged the girls to develop a sense of community.

“It’s about getting out of your comfort zone and giving your time and energy without the motivation of a reward,” Mrs Adams said.

“Being generous with your time is a concept we try to emphasise throughout the school. We hope that then, as the girls go through life, they will be the ones who give their time to the organisations and groups they are involved in.”

In June, We Love Our Grandies was recognised by the then-Governor of Western Australia, His Excellency Malcolm McCusker.

The girls were invited to attend Government House on Friday 13 June, where they presented their project to Mr McCusker and his wife.

WINTER WOOLIES DAY FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR, STUDENTS IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL PARTICIPATED IN WINTER WOOLIES DAY.

The charity drive took place in Term 2. It not only supports the less fortunate, but it raises awareness of the prevalence of homelessness.

Deputy Head of Junior School, Les Chidgzey said Winter Woolies Day developed the girls’ awareness of the world outside their own, adding that it was a practical way for students to get involved in their community.

“Whenever we do any sort of fundraising, there’s always an educational element to it. The girls learn about what we’re doing and why. We’re very mindful that it’s not nameless and mindless, and that the girls aren’t just handing over $2.00,” he said.

“We hope the girls learn that, when they do something, it shouldn’t be about getting something back. It’s about giving your time and energy purely to help another person.”

Students each donated an item of winter clothing. Then, for a gold coin donation, they were able to wear their woolliest winter wear to school on Winter Woolies Day. As a result, bags and boxes filled to the brim with socks, gloves and beanies were donated to Manna Inc. Manna Inc provides hundreds of evening meals for the homeless in Perth, and also runs a breakfast programme for underprivileged children in schools.

“We are lucky that we have such a generous community,” Mr Chidgzey said. “The donation was quite timely. It had been so cold, and a lot of the homeless lining up for a meal were asking for extra socks and gloves.”

Mr Chidgzey said Winter Woolies Day raised awareness that people in the community were really struggling.

“And not just those in other countries, or in Russell Square,” he said. “Sometimes, people in our own neighbourhoods are living in poverty.”

l-r: Claire Craig and Jessica Arnold

Junior School News

23

Clockwise from top: Cinzia De Mattia and her mum Daina; GirlPower workshop; Isabel Spratling and her grandmother Marj Gerloff; Dion and Amelie Seragusana; GirlPower display; Julianne Allbeury with daughter Sophia Larsen

GIVING GIRLS TO MANAGE

THE GIRLPOWER PROGRAMME AIMS TO EMPOWER GIRLS WITH STRATEGIES TO FORM POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS.

It inspires young girls to love themselves, while also teaching them how to manage their friendships.

Programme facilitator, Deb Perich, came into the Junior School at the end of Term 2, telling students that friendships aren’t perfect and that every friendship - and every friend - is different.

Ms Perich asked: “If I like vanilla ice cream and you like chocolate, can we still be friends? Of course we can. An important part of a healthy friendship is respecting that we like different things.”

24

Junior School News

Head of Junior School, Helen Adams, said the programme has been very successful, and has helped the girls acknowledge that friendships change.

“It has taught the girls that it is fine for their friendships to change, and that if they don’t want to play with someone today, it doesn’t mean that friendship is over,” she said.

The programme has been reinforced in the classroom. Each class has created a piece of writing that is now on display outside the canteen. Students are able to read other people’s points of view on healthy friendships and what it means to be a good friend.

POWER

THEIR FRIENDSHIPS The GirlPower programme also taught the girls a common “language” to use when talking about friendship issues.

“Already, we have heard the girls using their GirlPower language in the playground to resolve their friendship issues,” Mrs Adams said.

A key element of the GirlPower programme has been to teach students the difference between normal conflict and bullying.

“We strongly believe that GirlPower’s focus on teaching the skills to develop healthy relationships, starting at a young

age, enables them to form healthy, positive relationships with one another and often prevents issues such as bullying,” Mrs Adams said.

As part of the GirlPower initiative, parents of girls in Years 1 - 6 were invited to attend the Fuzzies and Friends workshop (Years 1 - 2) and the Language of Friendship workshop (Years 3 - 6).

They learnt strategies to help their daughters put out “Friendship Fires”, and how to empower them to stand up for themselves.

Junior School News

25

“The bond between grandparents and their grandchildren is very special. Not only do they spoil us, but they are our history; they help to shape our identity and share with us a wealth of wisdom.”

GIRLS’ TURN TO TREAT THEIR GRANDPARENTS THE TABLES WERE TURNED WHEN STUDENTS SET OUT TO SPOIL THEIR GRANDPARENTS DURING GRANDPARENTS’ DAY IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL.

Around 500 grandparents and great-grandparents visited St Mary’s in September.

they help to shape our identity and share with us a wealth of wisdom.”

The day began with an hour-long concert. Students from all year levels performed for a full house in the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre.

Mrs Adams said there was an increasing number of grandparents involved in the school.

Afterwards, the special guests were served a scrumptious afternoon tea by the St Mary's Auxiliary. Grandparents were then invited into their granddaughters’ classrooms.

Head of Junior School, Helen Adams, said the day becomes more popular each year.

“The bond between grandparents and their grandchildren is very special. Not only do they spoil us, but they are our history;

26

Junior School News

“There are a lot of families where both parents work, so the girls’ grandparents may do the pick-up. Some also do canteen duty,” she said.

“Grandparents’ Day is always something the girls look forward to. It is one way for the girls to show their appreciation for everything their grandparents do for them.”

STUDENTS CONNECT TO READING READING IS A GREAT WAY TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE AND INSPIRE IMAGINATION.

The annual celebration of reading, Book Week, was held in August. The theme for 2014 was ‘Connect to Reading’.

“Being read to helps to develop a love of storytelling. We underestimate how powerful that can be.”

Head of Junior School, Helen Adams, said students embraced the week-long extravaganza with enthusiasm.

Outside of Book Week, each class gathers regularly to read novels together.

“It’s one of those things that the girls absolutely love,” she said.

“Book Week is all about encouraging the girls to read.

“Reading in the classroom is invaluable, and helps to entice the girls to read more broadly. It exposes them to a range of genres and authors,” Mrs Adams said.

“We have a strong reading culture here at St Mary’s, and we have a significant reading programme to support it.”

Teacher-librarian, Felicity Letch, organised a host of activities and events, including a book fair, a visit from author Danny Parker and the much-loved Book Week Parade.

A highlight of the week was the staff play. This year, Junior School teachers brought Blossom Possum to the stage.

At lunchtime each day, Year 6 students read to girls in the younger grades.

“The girls brought along their favourite books to share with whoever wanted to listen. A lot of the staff also did the same thing,” Mrs Adams said.

Mrs Adams said the students who were using sophisticated language in the classroom were learning it from books.

“Girls who read more tend to have more advanced writing skills. Someone who reads avidly has the ability to use different writing styles. They can develop their ideas beyond the literal.”

Mrs Adams said the school suggests a number of strategies to encourage girls to read.

Year 6 students keep a reading log which parents sign every night. Year 5 students are involved in a book club, where they can share what they’ve been reading and discuss their thoughts with other students.

Junior School News

27

OUT and

ABOUT HEAD GIRLS’ BREAKFAST Lynne Thomson, Di Casserly, Ian Chidgey, Wendy Chidgey and Rebecca Watts, along with former Head Girls, enjoyed a lovely breakfast at Lake Karrinyup Country Club. It was a wonderful opportunity to share stories and reminisce.

Above: Chelsea Smith with her mother, Tracy

Above: Emma Lynch with her mother, Tes

p YEAR 12 MOTHER-DAUGHTER HIGH TEA There was excellent support from the Class of 2014 for the inaugural Mother-Daughter High Tea, held at the Duxton Hotel Perth on Sunday 7 September. The girls enjoyed a well-deserved break from their study routines with their mothers, with good company and plenty of delicious finger food.

q ST MARY’S AUXILIARY SPRING LUNCHEON Welcoming the start of Spring, it was all about the floral frocks and fancy hats at the annual St Mary’s Auxiliary Spring Luncheon, held at Lake Karrinyup Country Club on Friday 29 August.

Below: Sam McKay and Felicity Beasley Above: Clancy Bradshaw (’12), Stephanie Potts (’07) and Lianne Leung (’13)

Above: Kylie Giles (Wheeler ’97), Carissa Kanakis (Psaros ’02) and Sophie Wiegele (’10)

Above: Head of Year 12, Rebecca Watts and Tessa Lim, current Head Girl

28

Out and About

Below: Angie Powell and Tarryn Wright

WHOLE SCHOOL EUCHARIST u The school was once again fortunate to welcome The Most Reverend Archbishop Roger Herft AM, along with other special guests, to the annual Whole School Eucharist. The celebration was held on Tuesday 12 August to mark the Feast of St Mary.

Right: Chapel Prefects, Sarah Bott and Elle Leask with The Most Reverend Archbishop Roger Herft and School Chaplain, Reverend Gerry Nixon

q OLD GIRLS AND GRANDES BELLES VISIT THE SENIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION GRAND OPENING Close to 100 Old Girls and Grandes Belles visited Dannatt Hall to view the varied and spectacular artworks on display from our current students. It is wonderful for our girls to receive such support for their work from the St Mary’s community.

Above: Year 12 student, Alice Yao with her parents

Above: Cairo Leicester (’13) with her sister, Year 10 student, Eden Leicester

Above: Brianna Slate, Georgie Richardson and Kimberley Stone

t ST MARY’S ON THE ROAD The school has had a busy couple of months, visiting our families in regional, interstate and overseas locations. Since the last edition of the Fideliter, we’ve been to Katherine, Darwin, Karratha, Dowerin, Newdegate, Mingenew, Dalwallinu and Esperance, as well as Singapore and Jakarta.

Whether at field days or family functions, St Mary’s is always well-received and looks forward to meeting many more of our current, past and future families outside Perth next year.

Above: Brittany Moxham (’05) and her fiancé, Leigh Cover, in Karratha

Above: High Tea in Jakarta with Sonam Nandwani (’08) and Ekta Topandasani (’03)

Below: Hayley Martin (’06), Bronte Pember (’09), Emily Jasper (’08) and Courtney Fowler (’06) in Karratha

Below: Tina Campbell (far left) and Lynne Thomson (far right) catching up with Old Girls in Singapore

Out and About

29

THE LOYALTY OF WOMEN 1921 WAS A GROUND-BREAKING YEAR FOR WOMEN IN AUSTRALIA WHEN, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A WOMAN ENTERED THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT.

It was also the year that the Rector of St Mary’s Church, The Reverend Charles Lawrence Riley, founded our school in the St Mary’s Church of England Parish Hall in Colin Street, West Perth. The Parish Hall not only housed the first assembly hall and classrooms for the school, but earlier in the year had been the venue where Mrs Edith Dircksey Cowan had launched her campaign speech to run as a candidate for the Member of the Legislative Assembly in the seat of West Perth on 22 February 1921. She was running against the sitting State Attorney General, and was one of the first women to stand for Parliament in Australia. Surprisingly, she did not focus on these huge obstacles but on the issues she was passionate about: women, children, health, education and social welfare. To her surprise, she was elected.

‘I never thought I would win. I worked hard, and my committee supported me loyally, as also did my husband… It was the loyalty of women to a woman that won the election for me, and it is in no way a personal success. It is a victory for them.’ 1 1 Born on 2 August 1861 at Glengarry near Geraldton, Edith Cowan was the daughter of Mary Eliza Dircksey Wittenoom daughter of the Colonial Chaplain, John Burdett Wittenoom - and Kenneth Brown, son of a pastoral colonial family. When Edith was only seven years old, her mother died in childbirth in 1868. Her stepmother died in 1876 and her father was publically tried, found guilty and hanged for her murder.

Edith had been boarding at a school in West Perth run by the Cowan sisters, and finished her education with Canon B.G. Sweeting, a previous Headmaster of Hale School. At the age of 18, Edith was married to the brother of the Cowan sisters, Mr James Cowan, the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Happily married and with four children surviving infancy, Edith never forgot her childhood experiences, and devoted her adult life to more than 45 social causes, including establishing organisations that would change the lives and rights of women and children:

yy founding member of the Karrakatta Women’s Club yy active in the Ministering Children’s League and House of Mercy for unmarried mothers

yy campaigned for the creation of the Children’s Court, later among the first women appointed to the Bench of the Children’s Court

30

Archival Anecdotes

Above: Mrs Edith Cowan and the Rev C.L. Riley, 1921

yy founding member of the Children’s Protection Society yy founding member of the State Women’s Service Guild yy helped create the Western Australian National Council of Women

yy founding member of the Co-Freemasonry in WA and first

woman member of the Church of England Social Questions Committee and Co-opted member of the Church Synod

yy served on the North Fremantle Board of Education yy founding secretary of the advisory board for the new

women’s hospital (later King Edward Memorial Hospital)

yy one of the state’s first female Justices of the Peace yy founding member of the Country Women’s Association yy travelled overseas before and after WWI to observe social conditions, legislation and organisations relating to the welfare of women and children

yy volunteered with the Red Cross during WWI, for which,

together with other community work, she was recognised with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1920

yy Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Western

Australia 1921 – 1924, instrumental in the passing of legislation including the Women’s Legal Status Act 1923

Amongst this extraordinary level of community commitment, Edith Cowan found time to be on the founding Board of Governors of the Church of England Girls’ School, St Mary’s West Perth. She was on the Board as a representative of the St Mary’s parish and attended meetings even through her time as a Parliamentarian.

TO A WOMAN

– MRS EDITH DIRCKSEY COWAN OBE ML A

Edith Cowan served on the St Mary’s Board for eleven years until her death on 9 June 1932, aged 71 years. She is remembered for her achievements and level of commitment to the community with the construction of the Edith Cowan Memorial Clock in 1934, a memorial footpath plaque for the state’s 150 years celebration in 1979, the federal electoral seat of Cowan created in 1984, her portrait on the $50.00 note and the naming of Edith Cowan University in 1991. Edith reflected:

Above: St Mary's parish and school hall 1921-22

At the very first meeting of the Board on Saturday 30 July 1921, Edith was one woman amongst five men, a ratio that would be admired in a ‘start-up’ Board in contemporary times. The Board decided on the governing constitution, name of the school and established a competition amongst the students to decide upon the school badge, colours and motto. Edith Cowan put forward the prize money for the best motto and ‘Fideliter’ was chosen by the Board.

Mr John Henry Maxwell Lefroy presented Isabel Greig, a tenyear-old student, with the prize money for all three parts of the competition.

‘Women legislators can generally assist in improving the conditions of the women and children, but when their lot is bettered, that of the men must also advance.’ 2 It was this inclusive approach that she will be remembered for, as well as the remarkable year of 1921 when she stood for all of us and spoke as the first woman in an Australian Parliament.

Stephanie Neille Archivist

1 The Daily News, Saturday 14 March 1921 2 The Daily News, Wednesday 28 December 1921

Archival Anecdotes

31

PARENTS’ SOCIET Y AS ANOTHER YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE, IT IS ALWAYS FUN TO LOOK BACK AND SEE THE PHOTOS OF OUR DAUGHTERS AND SONS ENJOYING THE MANY VARIED, CHALLENGING AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES THE YEAR HAS PRESENTED.

Thank you to all our St Mary’s teachers and staff for another wonderful year. Additionally, thank you to our parents for your ongoing support of the Parents’ Society. This support enables us to continue to contribute to the fabric of the school community in many ways.

One of the Parents’ Society’s aims is to share funding throughout the school as equitably as possible. In 2014, we provided funding for reading books, a climbing frame, furniture, posters, wetsuits, gym equipment, resuscitation mannequins, a parent workshop and, of course, the Sundowner and school fee lottery.

Our Terms 1, 2 and 3 lottery winners for 2014 were the Backshall, Ward, Andrews, Bradbury, Bleakley and Bourke families.

Each family won $1250 towards their school fees and all were pleasantly surprised.

Special thanks to Mrs Thomson, Mrs Adams and the entire Parents’ Society committee for their contributions and commitment to both the committee and the school throughout 2014.

Finally to all the girls and families graduating from St Mary’s in 2014, we wish you a life full of adventure, health and fulfilment.

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

All the very best, Tanya Hazelden President of the Parents’ Society

ST MARY’S AUXILIARY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR VERY WARM WELCOME WHEN I TOOK ON THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT. I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE'S SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM.

As with all areas of the school, we have been very busy. The highlight to date has been the well-attended Annual Luncheon, held this year at Lake Karrinyup Country Club. We had two fabulous guest speakers, Angie Powell and Liz Dickson, who spoke about the things we can learn from Disney stories and nonviolent communication respectively. As a result of the luncheon, we raised more than $5000. This tremendous effort requires special thanks to Dawn Rudduck, Bev Jackson-Hooper, Daina De Mattia and Yvonne Hannam, who worked tirelessly on the organisation, and also to all the parents, who kindly contributed to the raffle prizes, as well as our very generous sponsors.

I encourage all parents to get along to one of your year group’s events and meet some of the other fabulous parents. As the end of the year is approaching, you might also like to consider taking on this role next year.

We are looking forward to the end-of-year functions and everything that goes on in Term 4 and hope that you have found our activities a service to your family.

Tarryn Wright (Jackson ’92) President of the St Mary’s Auxiliary

What will we do with these funds? Every year, we provide a Music Bursary worth around $3000 to allow students in the school to continue with their music studies. If you are a Junior School parent, you might have enjoyed a morning tea provided by the Auxiliary after your daughter's assembly presentation. In the Senior School, we have also contributed to boarding house furniture requests and outdoor furniture in the grounds for all Senior School students. We also receive requests from various departments in the school to help with equipment costs and these are considered at our meetings.

The Year Representatives have been busy organising some very interesting functions including mother-daughter high teas, father-daughter laser games and, of course, the ubiquitous coffee mornings to name a few. The Year Representatives’ role is to help provide activities that will promote the building of the school community. They are also a great source of information about the school and up-coming activities.

32

Parents’ Society/St Mary’s Auxiliary

Above: Jackie O'Malley, Anita Collova and Barbara Atzemis

OLD GIRLS’ REPORT WITH THE 2014 YEAR COMING TO A CLOSE, WE LOOK BACK AT THE EVENTS HELD THIS YEAR AND THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR OLD GIRLS TO RECONNECT WITH THE SCHOOL. THIS INCLUDED OLD GIRLS’ DAY, TWO NETWORKING EVENTS, THE ST MARY’S SENIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION AND REUNIONS, AS WELL AS OLD GIRLS RETURNING TO THE SCHOOL AS COACHES, UMPIRES, TUTORS, AND AS SPEAKERS AT ASSEMBLIES AND THE NEW PARENT DINNERS.

The OGA Committee is now looking forward to 2015 which will be the 90th Anniversary of the St Mary’s Old Girls’ Association.

We have a number of special events planned to celebrate this milestone and hope to connect with as many Old Girls as possible. Old Girls’ Day will be held on a Saturday in 2015, in response to the feedback from the OGA survey carried out earlier this year which suggested that there are many former students who would like to revisit the school but are unable to attend on weekdays.

Another event suggested by many members has been a boarders’ reunion held in the boarding house. This is being organised for September 2015. I expect many of the boarders in the early years of the Karrinyup campus will be surprised at the facilities and the level of comfort that the girls now enjoy!

St Mary’s leavers from 2007–2013 are invited to a Sundowner in February. We are very keen to give our younger members opportunities to maintain and renew school friendships.

OGA MEETING DATES FOR 2015 All Old Girls are welcome to attend our committee meetings.

Meetings are held in the Seminar Room in the Administration Building from 7.00pm on the following Tuesdays: 9 June 11 August 8 September

10 February 10 March 12 May

10 November

2015 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING You are invited to join the OGA Committee for the 2015 Annual General Meeting.

If you have changed your email or postal address, please update your details through the OGA website at www.stmarys. wa.edu.au/oga, or the Fideliter cover sheet, so we are able to send you details of events and other notifications.

Please contact us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au if you would like to attend.

Details of our anniversary events can be found on Page 41 of this issue of Fideliter. They will also be available on the OGA website and advertised by email, on Facebook and in future Fideliters. I look forward to meeting new faces at these functions throughout the year.

OGA Committee members whose term expires and may seek re-election in 2015 are:

Thursday 19 March 2015, 7.00pm

Bronwyn Barnes (Cooper ’84)

Jane Gillon (Fisher ’70)

Bree Buxton (’98)

Hannah Jago (’07)

Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81)

Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81)

Margaret Jago (Parker ’72)

President of the Old Girls' Association

Necia Drazevic (Moffet ’87)

Julie O’Meara (Grose ’81) Peta-Jane Secrett (Hogg ’98)

Any Life Member of the Association who would like to contribute to the Association at committee level is invited to contact the President, Jane Crisp, on janecrisp@iinet.net.au

2015 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OLD GIRLS ST MARY’S OFFERS A NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR

DO YOU KN OW A

OLD GIRLS STUDYING AT UNIVERSITY ACROSS THE

REMARKABLE OLD GIRL?

DISCIPLINES, AND APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2015 AWARDS ARE NOW BEING SOUGHT.

Fay Bailey Scholarships in Science, Engineering and Law for students commencing their third year of a Science, Engineering or Law degree.

Esmee Byatt Scholarship for Medicine for students commencing their fourth year of a medical degree at the University of Western Australia.

Deborah Cook Scholarship for Nursing for students commencing their second year of a nursing or midwifery degree.

Helen Judge Art Award for students commencing their second or third year of an art-related degree.

For further information about how to apply for these scholarships please visit www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/ogascholarships-and-awards or telephone (08) 9341 9120.

Applications close on Friday 27 February 2015.

THE

OLD

GIRLS’

ASSOCIATION’S

WOMEN

OF

DISTINCTION AWARDS CELEBRATE AND RECOGNISE THE MANY AND VARIED ACHIEVEMENTS OF ST MARY’S OLD GIRLS.

Nominations for the 2015 Awards are now being sought from our Old Girl community.

If you know an Old Girl who has achieved or is achieving something remarkable in her career, her community, in the arts or sport, we would love to hear about her. Please contact Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81), OGA President, on 0403 182 152 or Linzey Allinson on (08) 9341 9120. You can also email us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au.

Old Girls' Association

33

OLD GIRLS’ NEWS AND EVENTS OLD GIRLS REUNITED IN LONDON MANY FOND STORIES WERE SHARED EARLIER THIS YEAR BETWEEN OLD GIRLS CURRENTLY LIVING IN LONDON.

They gathered for a reunion with Principal, Lynne Thomson, who hosted a breakfast at Caravan Restaurant and Bar on 18 July. She said she was thrilled to learn about the Old Girls' lives and careers after St Mary's.

“The diverse range of industries and positions held by our Old Girls in London demonstrates the power of our Old Girls’ Association network and the importance of staying connected,” Mrs Thomson said.

“Our Old Girls are enjoying corporate life at a number of multinational companies in London, such as the Financial Times, Goldman Sachs, WorleyParsons, Deloitte, Herbert Smith Freehills, Giorgio Armani, Menkind Stores Limited and Microsoft.

“In addition, some of our Old Girls are gaining experience in the public sector. They have proven to be valuable employees at Leeds City Council, Docklands Light Railway and the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.”

Other St Mary’s graduates are studying at prestigious institutions including the University of Cambridge and Christie's Education. As successful entrepreneurs, a number of Old Girls have launched their own businesses.

SCHOL ARSHIPS IN 2014 BEQUESTS

CAN

MAKE

AN

ENORMOUS

DIFFERENCE TO THE LIVES OF ST MARY'S GIRLS.

For the first time this year, Old Girls entering their third year of an Engineering, Science or Law degree were able to access additional assistance through the Fay Bailey Scholarship.

The late Miss Fay Bailey (’40) served as a member of the Old Girls' Association between 1952 and 1990, and was a long-time and generous supporter of the school's Foundation.

Three outstanding Old Girls received scholarships in 2014 as a result of Miss Bailey’s generous bequest. They were Aislinn Kowald (’11), Thisuri Jayawardena (’11) and Leishae Burke (’11).

Aislinn is studying a Bachelor Engineering (Chemical) and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) at Curtin University. After graduation, she will pursue employment within the oil and gas industry, aiming to travel and work internationally.

Thisuri is studying a Bachelor of Science in an Assured Pathway to Medicine at the University of Western Australia.

Leishae is studying a Bachelor of Forensics (Forensic Biology and Toxicology) and Bachelor of Science (Molecular Biology and Biomedical Science). She said the scholarship demonstrated that, even after graduating, St Mary's helps its students.

Above: Jessica Gethin (Walker ’97) with Amelia Peachment

HALE ST MARY’S CAMERATA ORCHESTRA REUNION The Hale St Mary's Camerata Orchestra celebrated 20 years of rehearsing and performing together at a reunion concert and sundowner event. The Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre was full of music, laughs and stories as Old Haleians and St Mary’s Old Girls reminisced.

"St Mary’s was always supportive of me as a student and this scholarship shows that the support provided extends to Old Girls too,” she said.

Similarly, Old Girls have benefited from the Esmee Byatt Scholarship, named after one of the founding students of St Mary’s. In 2014, it was awarded to Erin Bock (’10).

Erin is currently completing her fourth year of a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the University of Western Australia.

“It is an honour to be a part of the legacy of such a generous Old Girl,” she said. “Medicine can definitely be a challenging course, and the scholarship means that I can keep up with my studies while still making the most of community opportunities.”

Sophie Wiegele (’10), Angela Xu (’10), Yasmin Soliman (’10) and Lena Baars (’10) were awarded Esmee Byatt bursaries.

Additionally, the 2014 Deborah Cook Scholarship for nursing was awarded to Laura Fleury ('12). Mrs Cook was a registered nurse and served in the Middle East during World War II as a Nurse Lieutenant.

Miss Bailey, Mrs Byatt and Mrs Cook each made generous gifts to St Mary’s in their wills.

34

Old Girls' News and Events

Above: Melanie Caldwell (McKnight ’94) in her Fremantle boutique

NETWORKING EVENT FOUND THE RIGHT BALANCE Peta Slocombe (Bennett ’88) offered an inspiring presentation with practical strategies for raising a family and keeping your career on track at the Professional Networking Sundowner in May. It was wonderful to offer this event to a diverse group of guests including Old Girls, daughters of Old Girls and current parents of St Mary's students, who all face the same challenges as working mothers.

The event was kindly hosted by K&L Gates and Old Girl, Annabel Anderson-Nicholls (Maitland ’94). Thank you to Peta for offering a dynamic and interactive presentation full of practical advice and information.

Above: Speaker Peta Slocombe (Bennett ’88) with Old Girls, Ashleigh Gillon (’98), Bree Buxton (’98), Jane Gillon (Fisher ’70), Suzanne Kelly (’80) and Paula Connell (’12)

PROMOTING OLD GIRLS’ BUSINESSES Talented Old Girls, Freedom Garvey-Warr (Garvey ’94), Melanie Caldwell (McKnight ’94) and Jo Bevis (Wheatley ’84), were the first business owners featured on the Old Girls’ Facebook page.

St Mary’s has an impressive smorgasbord of talented Old Girls who run their own businesses. The ‘Business of the Month’ post on the Old Girls’ Facebook page will feature a different Old Girls’ business each month.

Please contact oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au with your business details to be added to the feature list. You can visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ StMarysOldGirls now to Like us and keep updated with the latest OGA news.

NEW HEAD GIRL HONOUR BOARDS UPDATED After many months and a lot of hard work trawling through the Archives, we have updated our Head Girl Honour Boards.

With new information uncovered, we have been able to produce a complete and final board which is proudly displayed in the Administration Building. This rewarding process is a great example of the crucial role the Archives plays in preserving the history of our school, and why this year’s Annual Giving appeal is seeking donations to support the development of the new Archives Heritage Centre.

Right: The updated Head Girl Honour Boards on display in the Administration building

CHRISTINA KATSIMBARDIS ('98) STARS IN ST MARY'S MUSIC NIGHT A spectacular performance by St Mary's Artist-in-Residence, violinist Christina Katsimbardis (’98), contributed to the success of this year’s St Mary's Music Night. The concert showcased the high level of musical maturity in the senior ensembles of the school. It featured musicians from the Hale St Mary's Camerata Orchestra, St Mary's Senior Strings, the St Mary's Chorale, Hi Fidelity, the Hale St Mary's Cantate choirs, St Mary's Big Band and the Hale St Mary's Concert Band.

Old Girls' News and Events

35

BREAKING THROUGH FIONA HARRIS (’77)

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BARRINGTON CONSULTING GROUP FOR THE PAST EIGHTEEN YEARS, FIONA HAS BEEN A PROFESSIONAL NONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ADVISOR TO BOARDS IN RELATION TO GOVERNANCE AND PERFORMANCE MATTERS. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE CHAIRMAN OF BARRINGTON CONSULTING GROUP.

Having no burning ambition to be anything in particular, my subject and career choices were largely driven by the philosophy of keeping your options open.

So in Years 11 and 12, I did the hardest subjects I could to maximise my alternatives for university. At university, I chose Accounting because I had done well in Maths – under the misapprehension that there was a connection between the two! Of course, the maths in Accounting is not complex, but I figured that doing a Commerce degree could lead you down a very broad range of paths.

My next decision led me to Chartered Accounting – again because of the optionality. It was a good choice as it introduced me to a range of businesses in a variety of industries and allowed me to combine work with travel. The most surprising thing to me when I joined KPMG was the large number of young people within the organisation, because of the pyramid structure. It was a great social environment with many fun people and, most importantly, it had a merit-based culture.

I stayed with KPMG for fourteen years, working in Perth, San Francisco and Sydney. When I left, I was pregnant with our first child, and was looking to do something that would fit in with having a family. I decided to pursue being a company director. Starting out in health insurance and superannuation, I have since progressed through wine, gambling, utilities, iron ore, copper, property and oil and gas in Australia, Finland, Cameroon, Congo, the United States of America and Papua New Guinea.

The beauty of being a non-executive director is that there is no such thing as a typical day. My current board positions involve a lot of travel, so I could be touring Bunnings warehouses in Queensland, visiting oil fields or wind farms in the US, or flying around PNG in a chopper and visiting aids clinics or hospitals in local villages.

Alternatively, I could be in a board meeting or in Perth catching up on reading and emails and meeting some of the many people who are looking to expand their networks.

If I could offer any advice to current students, it would be not to assume that the gender equality fight has been won. In WA today, women still earn on average 24 per cent less than men. This is almost as bad as the 1970s, when there was actual legislation that said that women could only be paid 75 per cent of what the men got!

In addition, our society is still based on a (possibly unconscious) cultural belief that a ‘good mother’ is with her children - setting up men with a good excuse, and working women with massive guilt!

I would encourage young women today to grab opportunities that come their way, and to ‘go adventuring’. By doing this, you will develop your self-confidence and realise that you can be self-reliant - attributes that will stand you in good stead, whatever path you choose.

FAITH NICHOLS (BRAYBROOKE ’69)

FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, COMESTIBLES

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT MRS HARTLEY OR MRS SYMINGTON COULD HAVE PREDICTED THE DIRECTION THAT MY LIFE WOULD TAKE - OR MAYBE THEY COULD?

36

Being a scholarship girl, it was expected that I was to be a high achiever, but hormones put paid to that, and I took the ‘easy’ route of languages.

I fell into my career as a result of a seasonal gig spent trout fishing, grouse shooting and cooking in Scottish Highlands.

In 1969, the career options open to women were nursing, teaching or secretarial work. I had experience in the professional stream, but not the commercial stream, meaning I was not fit for the third option.

Neither of the other two appealed to me at all. And foreign affairs sounded far too much like hard work!

Upon my return to Perth, I had no qualifications and office work was impossible to find, so I took on the role of ‘salad girl’ at Miss Maud and discovered a love for the production of food.

Old Girls' News and Events

Above: Faith Nichols with Year 12 student, Aideen Myles

THE GL ASS CEILING MEREDITH CAMPION (STOATE ’79)

PARTNER, ALLEN & OVERY

I AM A PARTNER AT ALLEN & OVERY, A LAW FIRM WITH 44 OFFICES IN 30 COUNTRIES. A CAREER IN A GLOBAL LAW FIRM PRESENTS AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES

TO

CHALLENGE

YOURSELF,

WORK

AS

PART

OF

AN

INTERNATIONAL TEAM AND TRAVEL. WHILE IT DOES REQUIRE COMMITMENT (AND OFTEN LONG HOURS), I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND IT TO BE INTERESTING, REWARDING AND EVEN FUN.

My advice to students is to: 1.

Follow your passion. Before pursuing a career in law, I studied languages and taught French and German for four years. I loved studying languages and spent time in both France and Germany. Although I didn't appreciate it when I decided to study law, my languages have been very beneficial to my legal career as I have found myself negotiating mining agreements in French in francophone Africa.

2.

Women can have it all. While it is clear that the gender inequality gap still exists (approximately only 20 per cent of partners in law firms are female despite female students making up the majority of students at law schools), I have always been treated equally and indeed, strongly supported to achieve my goals. While studying law as a mature age student, I had two of my three children, and have worked full-time throughout my legal career, a choice that I made and am happy with. However, a career in law allows flexibility for working mothers. Increasingly, women have been able to make their own choices, and some of my colleagues work at home and part-time, while retaining the ability to do challenging work and progress their career.

“Working in kitchens? Why don’t you get a real job?” I was asked these questions countless times when I was starting out. Then, the 1980s brought along the likes of Stephanie Alexander, Gay Bilson and Maggie Beer - all inspired amateur, ‘self-taught’ cooks, who were making a real contribution to society through their efforts and commitment to excellent food.

I executed my first external catering event in September 1981.

And the rest was history.

I have been a part of Perth’s events and hospitality scene for the past 33 years. Through sheer hard work and determination, I have created an excellent reputation for fine catering and event planning with COMESTIBLES. In October, COMESTIBLES provided catering for 1050 guests at the opening of the Fiona Stanley Hospital and for the welcoming of the new Governor of WA, Mrs Kerry Sanderson, at Government House. In November, COMESTIBLES will prepare a sit-down meal for 600 guests at the Wesfarmers 100th Year celebration.

3.

Feel confident to step out of your comfort zone. Eleanor Roosevelt said: "Do one thing every day that scares you.” I advise you to take on challenges and not be overwhelmed by them. While not scared, I still feel challenged each day, but in a very supportive and collaborative environment.

Challenges occur throughout your life and you should embrace them.

4.

And lastly, seize the day. Make the most of every opportunity. I feel very privileged to have had such a wonderful school education at St Mary's, which provided me with the opportunity to accept challenges and pursue a fulfilling career. No matter what career path(s) you choose, make the most of it!

A significant career highlight was catering for the Royal Garden Party in 2011, which won favour with Buckingham Palace!

Working as a waitress has been stereotyped in the past as a means of earning money while studying. I view it as an opportunity to learn some of the most important lessons in life. It doesn’t matter what career you ultimately choose in life, everyone needs to develop service skills: the ability to listen, to anticipate your colleagues’ needs and to work as part of a team.

These days, the hospitality industry is really beginning to find its feet. Universities now offer undergraduate degrees in Event Management. It is an amazing path to success and one that is not necessarily acknowledged or rewarded. Regardless, the future of this industry is an exciting one.

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NEWS FROM OLD GIRLS NATASHA SASSE WATT (Kulbach ’62) has recently sold her home in Virginia USA and has purchased a smaller one, all on one level. She is very excited about this move and the next phase in her life. She welcomed her first grandson in 2013.

She now works part-time for the Winchester Frederick County Convention and Visitors Bureau as a travel counsellor. Having travelled a great deal, she is very happy with the variety of visitors they have from all over the world. She is especially happy when she has Australians come and visit this charming and historical city in Virginia.

EILEEN COLEMAN (’67) will be performing in the musical Kiss Me, Kate in November and December at the Marloo Theatre in Greenmount.

To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit the website www.marlootheatre.com.au.

NARELLE DODD (Just ’87) has returned from the Hockey FIH Masters World Cup with gold after her team won the championships. The tournament was held in The Netherlands, welcoming about 70 national teams with more than 1000 players. Playing right half-back, Narelle saved two goals in the final, ensuring her team's victory and confirming the event as the most memorable moment of her sporting career so far.

GAIL ELSON (’94) was presented with the St John Ambulance WA Event Health Services Volunteer of the Year award in August 2013.

COURTNEY WEAVER (Pitman ’97) married Michael Weaver in a ceremony at the South of Perth Yacht Club in February 2013.

They welcomed a daughter, Abigail Grace Weaver, on 4 April 2014.

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EMMA PEARSON (’97) has recently moved from Germany to Switzerland to be with her husband, after completing her ninth season of singing opera in Staatstheater Wiesbaden.

On leaving Germany, she was awarded the honorary title of Kammersangerin (Ks) by the state of Hessen. It is usually a title given to opera singers after a lifetime of service to their art form. They said she earned this by taking on the most difficult German roles, like Mozart’s Queen of the Night, Strauss’ Zerbinetta, Alban Berg’s Lulu, Shchedrin/Nabokov’s Lolita and Hilda Mack (a decrepit madwoman) in H W Henze's Elegy for Young Lovers. She is the first Australian and youngest opera singer to receive this title.

KATHERINE RANNEY (’05) will be starting an MBA programme this year at the Wharton School of Business and Harvard University Kennedy School of Government in the United States.

HANNAH JAGO (’07) has been invited to participate in an exhibition in Milan and was one of 150 contemporary jewellers selected from around the world. The exhibition will be held in December and then continue online for a further twelve months.

EMELINE NEWBON (’08) moved to London in January 2013 and spent the year travelling around Europe. Emeline is now working in marketing and sales for a luxury boutique travel company.

SOPHIE RAYNOR (’08) is currently studying a Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Arts at Notre Dame University and has recently won The Heart Award, which is given by the university in recognition of a student who has engaged with projects that have issues of social justice, reconciliation and community.

Sophie is part of the Oaktree Foundation and is the 2014 coordinator of the 'Live Below the Line' campaign, which raises money for scholarships, renovating schools and teacher training to provide quality education for thousands of young people in East Timor, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea. She also volunteers for a number of other organisations, including Legal Aid, where she gives her time on a weekly basis and the Indigenous Services section of the Central Institute of Technology, where she provides tutoring for indigenous students.

LISA GUO (’10) I recently graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA in Economics.

It was when I started studying in Cambridge that I truly understood the value my time at St Mary’s. I spent three years as a boarder at St Mary’s, and this experience gave me the confidence to step out into the world and pursue my dreams. I enjoy Cambridge for the fact that it attracts the world’s brightest minds - the spark of wisdom when they clash is breathtaking. However, that also means that sometimes you have to work twelve hour days. In Cambridge, there is a common saying that sleep, socialising and study is an impossible trinity – one cannot have them all at the same time. I think Cambridge provided with me the ability to overcome hardship and a willingness to pursue excellence under any conditions. It is indeed terrifying to have to compete with the duxes from high schools around with world on a daily basis. However, the satisfaction of being praised is also enormous. I hope that after my Economics degree, I will work with a non-government organisation (NGO) and make the world a better place.

SINEAD SPENCER (’08) is currently studying a Masters in Arts (Applied Linguistics) at Curtin University. She is also studying French and has completed a Spanish course. Sinead was the recipient of a Postgraduate Equity Scholarship in 2014.

AMY STEINEPREIS (’08) has completed a Bachelor of Arts (Joint and Cognate Honours) at the University of Western Australia, majoring in English, French and Italian. She was awarded a number of prizes throughout her time at university, including the annual J A Wood Memorial Prize for the most outstanding graduate in Law, Business, Arts, Education or Architecture; the Sir Harold Bailey Award for the most outstanding graduate of the Faculty of Arts; and the Katherine Moss Prize in English Literature for the best Honours dissertation in English Literature. She has also received the Prize for Excellence in Joint (English and Italian) or Cognate (French) Honours and the Margarete Bello Prize in Italian Honours. Amy has recently returned from New York where she presented her Honours thesis at New York University and has also had the opportunity to present her literature papers to universities in England and Canada.

Amy is currently studying a Master of International Journalism at UWA and has especially loved the experience of writing for the Perth International Arts Festival, and being the editor of The Vanguard, a newspaper produced by the Masters’ students. She will intern at a news organisation before she graduates in early 2015, and will continue to pursue her studies of the humanities next year.

NATASHA HARRISON (’11) Since graduating from St Mary’s in 2011, I have been lucky enough to realise my ambition to travel and experience a plethora of different places and cultures. It began when I took a Gap year after school, and was accepted into the Westover School Exchange Programme. St Mary’s arranged for me to travel to Conneticut in the United States to participate in the programme.

Before beginning my exchange, I worked as a secretary in a barrister’s chambers in Perth.

I also spent two months in Europe with various groups of friends and family.

I then landed in Connecticut, where I would attend Westover School for four months. I made great friends, and was able to experience a different culture from my own in a different school environment.

Upon returning home, I began a Bachelor of Science at the University of Western Australia, majoring in Zoology and Psychology, but still took every opportunity I could to travel. During the mid-year break, I went to Kenya and volunteered with KCC Slum Project, helping to educate and support children from the KCC Slum in Naivasha, Kenya.

I returned home to finish my year at university in Perth before setting off again, firstly to Europe to visit my St Mary’s school friends, who were on university exchange, and then back to America to visit my Westover friends. I came home through Mexico where I taught English at a local primary school with Ellie O’Grady, also from the Class of 2011.

While in Mexico, we decided to spend four months volunteering in Africa. We started in Morocco, teaching English to a group of women aged 18 - 60 from a local women’s centre. There was a significant language barrier, because not only was French a second language for Ellie and me but it was a second language for the women also, their first being Arabic. Many of them couldn’t write in the English language but they were enthusiastic and persistent. We then travelled back to Kenya to check in with KCC Slum Project (http://kccslumproject.org), where we started a fundraising campaign for the new primary school they are building next year.

After Kenya, Ellie and I went to Madagascar where Ellie taught English and I focused on forest conservation and the study of the local lemur populations. We finished our trip in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, where we volunteered on a private game reserve dedicated to protecting the last eight black rhinos in the area.

All of these volunteering programmes were organised through the International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), which has a great world network of volunteer placements of all shapes and sizes.

Opposite page, clockwise from left: Emma Pearson as Hilda Mack in Elegy for Young Lovers.

Copyright: Martin Kaufhold.; Narelle Dodd (Just ’87); and Amy Steinepreis (’08)

I am now lucky enough to be continuing my degree on exchange at Boston College in Massachusetts. The exchange has been organised through the University of Western Australia.

These adventures have all been made possible by working hard, lots of saving and the support of my wonderful parents. I would highly recommend a Gap year or any travel adventures for people who are unsure of what they want to do, or just need a break.

Old Girls' News and Events

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RACHAEL VIERAITIS (’12) After graduating from St Mary’s, I spent seven months volunteering as a teacher in rural Malawi in southern Africa. My time in Malawi was spent at Hara primary school and Sangilo nursery school, teaching local village students aged from 3 - 19 years old. The nursery school was the size of a small backyard storage shed, and made of mud and clay bricks. It had open windows, timber roof panels and the luxury of a tin roof! There were 173 children registered at this nursery school when I first began teaching, but this number quickly grew throughout the months to more than 300. As you can imagine, fitting such a large group of kids into a tiny space proved difficult, and therefore most of my time teaching was spent outside on the dirt with a piece of chalk, a board and an incredible amount of imagination and patience. Working in such an under-resourced environment meant I was forced to learn these skills very quickly.

In the afternoons, I would teach Standard 8 (the last year of primary school in Malawi) at the local school in Hara. I remember walking into a tiny, dimly-lit classroom to see about 90 faces staring intently back at me on my first day. Some of these kids had never seen a white person, or ‘mzungu’ before, and so my first lesson was spent trying to introduce myself and explain about my life back in Australia. I brought along a few pictures of my home which, by our standards here, is a modest house. To these kids, however, it wasn’t just luxury; it was a completely different world. I remember one student asking me: “But Madame, why do you need

that?” He was pointing at the electric garage door at the front of my house. Still to this day, I am trying to answer that question.

While I was in Malawi, I worked alongside Determined to Develop, an organisation that aims to empower the people of Malawi to implement sustainable, community-driven solutions that promote human advancement.

I got to know not only the programme’s volunteers and overseas contributors, but also the local people engaged in working towards a better future for their country. I shared the joy that came from the installation of the village's first water tap - which meant only a five-minute walk to fresh water as opposed to 40 minutes - and also the doubling in enrolments at the Sangilo nursery school. The teamwork and understanding between the chiefs and local village people and everyone at Determined to Develop was something I was proud to witness.

It was the most incredible and life-changing experience of my life so far, and I would love to be able to give other young people the opportunity to experience and learn the things I did. Being immersed in such an incredibly different culture opened up my mind and gave me a huge amount of perspective. It teaches you to never take anything for granted and to seize every opportunity.

I encourage anyone considering community service to visit their website (www.determinedtodevelop.org) and get involved.

ALIZANNE FINNEMORE (’13) I travelled to Japan last August to compete in iGeo (the International Geography Olympiad) after performing exceptionally well in the national competition.

It was a fantastic experience. It was so strange to be totally immersed in a culture that is so different from ours in Australia, and I am still amazed at how many people live in Japan.

We flew into Osaka four days before the competition so we could explore the city. We spent the first two days discovering the wonderful shopping opportunities that Osaka offers and simply wandered the streets to see what we could find. Although we didn’t venture inside, we were surprised at the large number of karaoke bars on each street. The lights at night were amazing too.

One of my favourite parts of my time in Japan was a day trip to the traditional Japanese capital of Nara. We spent the day wandering through the Japanese gardens before having lunch in the smallest restaurant I’ve ever seen - I think it was only about three square metres!

Then it was time for the actual competition. Our tour leader, Kath, surprised us with tickets on the lightning-quick bullet train to Kyoto - though the train only reaches top speeds on its overnight trips.

When we got to Kyoto, all the other teams were arriving and everyone was so friendly. We introduced ourselves and went into a large dining hall where a local brass band welcomed us, and the competition was declared open. It was such a big event for Kyoto that the opening ceremony was broadcast on the local television network! We were in bed early that night, as the competition started the following morning.

The competition included a three-hour written exam, a day-and-ahalf fieldwork exam and an hour-long multiple choice exam. It was tiring but fun. Everyone got along so well and it was definitely a trip I wish I could relive.

ASHLYN GILLESPIE (’13) has been accepted into the Navy as a Marine Technician Submariner and is currently preparing to begin recruitment training.

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Old Girls' News and Events

EMILY LAW (’13) has been awarded a 2014 Gerald G Hatch Scholarship in recognition of her outstanding achievements. The scholarship is open to students (children of Hatch permanent employees) who plan to commence undergraduate studies at a university in the year in which the scholarship is awarded.

Applicants are assessed against a range of criteria including field of study, academic excellence, extra-curricular involvement, and initiative. Emily is currently majoring in Chemical Engineering and Music at the University of Western Australia. She would love to develop new technology and designs and is very passionate about the environment, and her commitment to supporting more sustainable and efficient workplaces and communities. Emily has been recognised for excellence in her academic studies, music and other extra-curricular activities.

ELIZABETH LONG (’13) was selected as a finalist and part of the national Little Big Shots screening for 2014 for her short film inspired by German Expressionism, The Translation. The film is about a mad scientist who wants to create the ideal human in her own image.

JEMIMA MORTIMER (’13) was selected as a finalist for the recent Media Perspectives evening. This annual event showcases the best films from Year 12 Media Production and Analysis students across WA. Her experimental film, Jemima Mortimer, was screened to a packed house of more than 400 patrons at Event Cinemas at Greater Union Cinemas in Innaloo. Jemima’s film was well received by the audience and was definitely a stand-out in terms of techniques and aesthetic appeal.

OGA’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS CALENDAR 2015 MORE INFORMATION FOR ALL EVENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN 2015, BUT PLEASE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST NOW ON THE FIDELITER COVER SHEET OR BY CONTACTING US AT OGA@STMARYS.WA.EDU.AU OR TELEPHONING (08) 9341 9132.

YOUNG OLD GIRLS (’07-’13) REUNION

ST GEORGE’S CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT SERVICE

Thursday 12 February 2015 Matisse Beach Club, 148 The Esplanade, Scarborough

August 2015 St George's Cathedral, 38 St Georges Tce, Perth

Save the date and make sure we have your current email address to receive your invitation to our ‘Young Old Girls’ event. This reunion will be a great chance to catch up with friends while the sun is still shining, and renew school friendships.

St Mary’s families and Old Girls and their families are warmly invited to attend this traditional service of carols by candlelight to celebrate the Festival of St Mary at St George’s Cathedral.

The Choir of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, under the direction of Lynette Taylor, choral specialist, will sing. The service is suitable for children aged five and over, and will be followed by refreshments.

OLD GIRLS’ DAY Saturday 28 March 2015 St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School We are excited to offer our first weekend date for Old Girls’ Day next year, which will be held on Saturday 28 March 2015. We look forward to celebrating Old Girls’ memories of their school days and presenting our collection of stories – funny, sad and all in between – that many of you have shared. This year will be particularly special for those who left St Mary's in 1945, 1955, 1965, 1975 and 1985 as it will mark anniversaries for these classes. We look forward to welcoming back Old Girls from every decade to celebrate, catch up and learn more about the wonderful facilities now offered to students.

More information will be available in January 2015, or please email us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au or telephone (08) 9341 9132.

OGA 90TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER Saturday 15 August 2015 Save the date to celebrate the 90th Anniversary Dinner of the OGA and the presentation of the Women of Distinction Awards. The awards celebrate and recognise the many and varied achievements of St Mary’s Old Girls. Nominations for the 2015 Awards are now being sought from our community.

If you know an Old Girl who has achieved or is achieving something remarkable in her career, her community, in the arts or sport, we would love to hear about her. Please contact Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81), OGA President, on 0403 182 152 or Linzey Allinson on (08) 9341 9120. You can also email us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au.

OLD GIRLS’ BOARDERS’ REUNION Friday 25 September 2015 St Mary's Anglican Girls' School Boarding at St Mary’s created strong friendships that spanned across class year levels, so we are thrilled to offer an opportunity for all boarders to reunite at the evening sundowner event next year. The event will be held in the Boarders’ Rec Room and tours of the boarding house will offer guests an opportunity to see the facilities and level of comfort that St Mary’s girls now enjoy.

OLD GIRLS’ COMMITTEE REUNION Friday 27 November 2015 Save the date to join everyone who has served on the OGA Committee over the years. You are invited to join the current Committee for a Christmas function in the evening, to be held at the school.

More information for all events will be available in 2015, but please register your interest now to ensure you are mailed details of these events.

90 OGA PRESENTS SCHOOL WITH VOTIVE BOWLS For the school’s 90th birthday celebrations, the OGA commissioned Perth metalsmith and jeweller, Philip Noakes, to design a special gift for the school community to use in the Chapel. At this year's OGA Day, two stunning copper votive bowls were presented to the school.

They are a wonderful representation of the family-orientated community at St Mary’s and are used for special events. But more importantly, the bowls offer a special focus for prayer for the girls whenever needed.

Principal, Lynne Thomson said the bowls will be used when our community light candles and say prayers for those we love and are concerned about or who have passed away.

“It is a very thoughtful and precious gift and we would like to say a big thank-you to the Old Girls’ Association,” Mrs Thomson said.

Above: The beautiful votive bowls in the Chapel

Old Girls' News and Events

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VALE IT IS WITH SADNESS THAT WE RECORD THE DEATHS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE ST MARY'S COMMUNITY: LADY TREATT (FRANKIE WILSON ’32, HEAD GIRL) 2 MAY 1914 – 21 JULY 2014

Lady Treatt was born Jessie Embleton Wilson on 2 May 1914 in Perth, the only child of Clara Embleton Wilson (Marshall) and Arthur Wilson, son of Frank Wilson CMG, twice Premier of Western Australia. At a very young age, Jessie decided she would like to be named after her grandfather and she would be known as Frank, which became ‘Frankie’.

Frankie’s early educational years were spent at PLC before she moved to the Church of England Girls’ School, St Mary’s, West Perth in 1924, now known as St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School. An intelligent, sporty and musical child, Frankie succeeded in almost anything she put her mind to, winning numerous prizes and awards including the Archbishop Riley Prize (Dux of Year 11) in 1930, Dux of the School in 1931, School Prefect in 1930 and Senior Prefect (Head Girl) in 1931 and 1932. Frankie excelled in basketball (now known as netball), athletics and pianoforte and received her Junior Certificate in 1929 and Leaving Certificate in 1931. She completed an honorary half year in 1932 to assist in leadership of the school and to prepare for university.

Frankie studied Arts and Law at the University of Western Australia (UWA), graduating in December 1937 with LLB, passing with Distinction in all Law subjects. She then travelled to England and Europe with her aunt, Miss Linley Wilson, a well-known dancer.

On her return to Perth in 1938, she took a position as an assistant lecturer in the Faculty of Law at UWA and completed her Articled Law Clerkship, being admitted as a Barrister of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in December 1940. She rose to become a junior partner in a private law firm and also conducted pro bono work through UWA, assisting indigent women and children with legal representation.

Work for the Department of Postwar Reconstruction took Frankie to Canberra, where she drafted legislation on many projects, including concepts of what would later become Legal Aid in Australia. After WWII, Frankie moved to Sydney and worked for the NSW State Public Service, where she would later meet and marry Sir Vernon Haddon Treatt KBE KC MM in May 1960. Frankie’s new life as the wife of a politician (Leader of the Liberal Party in NSW) and well-known public figure (Lord Mayor of Sydney), returned her to the days of being a small girl in Perth with a famous grandfather and a family involved in politics and service to the public. Frankie and Vernon shared a happy and fulfilling life together, particularly on their rural property in Locksley, Oberon NSW. Vernon passed away in 1984.

Frankie remained in Sydney, living an independent and vital life into her 100th year. She continued to be concerned about and involved with public issues, philanthropic ventures and causes. When asked recently about the important issues in life, she responded that, “education is the one!” Always one for practical and meaningful applications, two of her greatest recipients of philanthropy were the Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and her former school, St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School. The school has named The Lady Treatt Centre for Music and Dance and St Mary’s at Metricup: the Lady Treatt Centre for Learning and Leadership, in her memory.

Lady Treatt passed away peacefully in Sydney on 21 July 2014.

Obituary compiled by Stephanie Neille, Archivist, St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, with thanks to the friends and family of Lady Treatt and the University of Western Australia.

DONATIONS TO THE ARCHIVES THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING OLD GIRLS, FORMER STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY FOR SO GENEROUSLY DONATING TO THE ST MARY’S ARCHIVES. THANK YOU ALSO TO THOSE WHO HAVE ASSISTED MRS RONDA BECK WITH COMPILING ORAL HISTORIES AND COLLECTING STORIES, MEMORIES AND PHOTOS FROM THEIR TIME WITH THE SCHOOL..

Marilyn Johnston for her mother-in-law, Emma Johnston (Trigg ’23) Andrew Amos for his mother, Phyllis St Clair Amos (Simes ’30) Robyn Metcalf (Stewart ’66) and Ce Oxley (Jones) for Isla Jones (Saw ’31) Lorrie Maley (Rowledge ’33) Barbara Brockman (’36) Richard Gray for his father, Noel Mackintosh Gray (’38) Joan Winter (Lawley-Smith ’40)

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Margaret van Hazel (Altorfer ’41) Flora (Trilli) Bobone (Gamba ’42) Barbara Hurst (Cuming ’47) and Peter Hurst (’47) Rosemary Leslie (Wittenoom ’47) Barbara Brand (Green ’49) Valma Cearns (Davies ’51) Helen Campbell (Willis ’54) Fleta Lidbury (Natrass ’55) Judy Martin (Spark ’56) Wendy Toop (Fraser ’56)

Diane Porter (Wardle ’60) Keeva Verschoor (Wittwer ’62) Marlene Carter (’63) and for Carolyn Seale (’60) Gaye Anderson (’64) Susanne Harford (’64) Vicki Neil (Reader ’68) Dianne Rudeforth (Cook ’69) Gloria Burnett (Pethick ’69) Wendy Schulze (’73) and for Rita Castledine (Scott ’54)

PAULINE HUMPHRIES (OVERHEU ’40)

AMANDA MACKAY (FURLONG ’76)

5 JUNE 1922 – 3 MAY 2014

10 JUNE 1959 – 12 JUNE 2014

Pauline attended St Mary’s, West Perth, in 1936-7. After leaving school, Pauline trained at the Mount Hospital, graduating in 1944. She served in the Royal Australian Army Nursing Service (RAANS) in Sydney, and after discharge, worked in WA and Victoria.

In 1953, she married Robert Humphries and continued her nursing career in a large clinic in Moonee Ponds in Melbourne. Pauline regularly attended the Old Girls’ reunions in Melbourne. She is survived by her twin daughters and five grandchildren.

Amanda joined St Mary’s in Year 1, leaving in Year 12. After graduating, Amanda went on to obtain a Diploma of Art Teaching in 1979, which she followed with two years of teaching in Milan, Italy. She returned to Perth to continue her studies, graduating from the Nedlands College of Advanced Education with a Bachelor of Education (Art Major).

PAULINE AIREY (WRIGHT ’55) 9 SEPTEMBER 1937 – 4 SEPTEMBER 2014

Pauline attended St Mary’s from Year 9–11 and was a keen sportswoman, playing tennis, softball and basketball. Pauline married John and had two daughters.

SHIRLEY SHIPMAN (SCHIPP ’56) 23 NOVEMBER 1938 – 8 APRIL 2014

Shirley attended the Junior School at St Mary’s, West Perth, from Kindergarten to Year 7 in the 1940s and was a regular at Old Girls’ events over the years. She married Walter and had three children.

She then spent two years as an art teacher at the Maseru Preparatory School in Lesotho, Africa.

While in Africa, Amanda married Ian Mackay and had two daughters, Alexandra and Scarlett. On their return to Australia, she spent six years designing highly acclaimed clothes for Furlanda Clothing of Fremantle.

Amanda's first love was always Ian and her daughters, but art came a very close second. She was prolific and exhibited frequently at Rokeby Originals Gallery, the annual Bankwest Art Exhibitions, the MLC Art Exhibition, Hamelin Bay Winery and the University of WA Exhibition. Her great triumph was a two-week solo exhibition at the Moore's Building, Fremantle, in 2012.

In 2013, Amanda decided to create her own website to sell her art. When she was diagnosed with cancer in November 2013, the website became her great focus. She said the time spent creating it enabled her to forget her medical problems and immerse herself in her beloved art. Amanda finished her website, www.contemporarynudes.com, and it went live two days before she died.

Amanda died peacefully at home with her family around her, two days after her 55th birthday. Rest in peace, beautiful Mandy.

Helen Bolton (’76)

MARJORIE BUTLER (BOZANICH ’65) 10 MARCH 1947 – 27 AUGUST 2014

MISS ELEANOR WELLS

Marjorie attended St Mary’s, West Perth, from 1961-1964.

She married Keith and had three children.

27 JANUARY 1924 – 9 JULY 2014

Adrian Bowen for his sister, Felicia Bowen (’80) Fiona Wilkins (Arbuckle ’80) Bronwyn Barnes (Cooper ’84) McKenzie Pugh (Stewart ’00) Adam Locke, ‘The Stamp Guy’ stamp set specialist Anne Symington House Annette Samuel, former staff Richard Lefroy, descendant of the colonial Lefroy family – Lefroy House Ian Viner, former Chairman of the Board of Governors

Miss Wells, Senior Mistress 1981-1982 and Deputy Headmistress in 1983 served with the Women’s Auxiliary Australia Air Force (WAAAF) during World War II as a Radar Operator. After the war, she completed her degree at the University of Western Australia and then had a long teaching career in Australia and England.

Prior to joining St Mary’s, she was Senior Mistress of St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls.

John Lidbury, former architect for the school Lennie McCall, for the Royal WA Historical Society Lesley Cole, former staff and for her sister, Edith Hartley, former staff Ron Farris, Chairman Board of Management of the Foundation Susan Snowdon, former staff Wardle House Wendy Chidgey, former staff

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