Trinity
TRINITY TALK IS A NEWSLETTER FOR ALL PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES ISSUE 3 – MAY – AUTUMN 2021
Trinity College wins the Hamer Cup (see page 4)
MR DARREN O’NEILL
| PRINCIPAL
Striving for Personal Excellence Welcome and greeting is an important part of any community and when joining Trinity, it is an integral part of welcoming your son into our community. In Term 1 we were able to experience and celebrate the very special tradition of piping in those students joining our school for the first time at our special Welcome Assembly. Whether welcoming the students starting Year 4, the many commencing Year 7, or other year groups, all new students are welcomed in the traditional Trinity way. A Piping Ceremony is steeped in tradition and is symbolic of recognising ones arrival and honouring their presence. It was a lovely moment enjoyed by students, staff and the parents present. It is important that as a school seeking to be inclusive and welcoming, that such an invitation to join our community is always apparent and always respectful. This assembly also provided the opportunity to acknowledge our various academic award recipients – both current students for their achievements throughout 2020; and our recent graduates who were inducted into the ‘97 Club, in recognition of their achievements in the WACE Examinations.
During the assembly, I had the opportunity to address all students on the importance of striving for excellence and appreciating the example of others who achieve greatness. Whether excellence is measured externally and recognised with certificates, medals, awards, trophies or grades, or whether our excellence is internally measured in terms of achieving our personal best and having the intrinsic satisfaction of knowing you have truly given your best effort, striving for personal excellence should always be our aim. Personal excellence emerges at the end of a wellworn path of hard work, determination and a clear vision. All things that are achievable! I believe it is important for every Trinity student to examine their own sense of personal leadership and this is a theme that I have emphasised consistently when addressing our boys. Leadership is about influencing others and making a positive difference through our example. Leadership is about action and the effect they leave on other people. Importantly, leadership is about each and every one of us as individuals. Of course, leadership is about much more than these characteristics, and our special Assembly allowed us all to reflect more
deeply about authentic leadership and need for all students to find their own way to lead and give back to their College. This was emphasised further by our Head Prefect, who gave a wonderful and inspiring address about the privilege of formal leadership and his aspiration for all Trinity students to be ‘Men for Others’. “The leadership of a college such as Trinity, cannot be left in the hands of just 16 men. It requires an army of men, who consistently role model what it is to be a Trinity man and who are never afraid to act when it is needed. Today therefore, offers the opportunity to every one of you in those stands seek the opportunity to be a leader, and to not be afraid to grasp it if the opportunity presents itself. Every time you get on the sports field, give it everything. Every time you get in the classroom, work as hard as you can. Every time you get the opportunity to perform, make it the greatest performance you have given. That goes for every one of you boys sitting here today. Make the most of every opportunity this year brings. Every time you don the three crowns, do it with pride. Every time you walk through those gates, be Men for Others. Every time you get the opportunity to represent TC, bleed the blue and green. Give the best of yourself in everything you do. Give the best of yourself to Trinity.” As we move into Term 2, we hope that you enjoy our latest edition of Trinity Talk and I would personally like to extend a special thank you to those families who attended our recent Open Day in March. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
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A BUSY START TO THE YEAR
OPEN DAY 2021
After a delayed start to the year, we welcomed back students, both new and old to commence the academic year. Following 2020, a year where we saw many College events, sporting fixtures and programs halted, it has been great to see many of these student and family favourites returning, including our Quarry Concert and the Head of the River regatta.
On Wednesday, 24 March Trinity College warmly welcomed more than 350 people to our Open Day. Over the two sessions, families had the opportunity to come along to hear from Principal, Mr Darren O’Neill, our student leaders and explore the College facilities.
As we welcomed new families to the Trinity community in 2021, we have begun looking to 2022 and beyond with our student interviews commencing for the 2022 and 2023 intake. For those families who have not yet heard from us, please be assured we will be contacting you shortly and for those still considering enrolling, applications are still being accepted with spaces available for Junior and Secondary School intake. Application forms can be found on the Trinity website. Our 2022 scholarships tests and music auditions have also been underway, with students expected to be notified of their outcome in late May. Trinity is proud of the variety of different scholarships and bursaries we offer to help support families and students with their education and we were pleased to receive several applications for each of the 2022 categories. A big thank you to all the families who attended our Open Day in March. It was our largest attendance to date for an Open Day at Trinity. To us this highlights that many families are taking the time to really consider and understand their options available for the future of their sons’ education. If you have any questions about applications, scholarships, intake interviews or the College then please call us on 9219 1121 to discuss or arrange a personal tour. Warm regards, Petra Spencer and Brooke Hornbuckle Registrars
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Following the tour, families were offered light refreshments in the Sports Centre where they could speak to other Trinity parents and staff. For many of the boys who attended, it was clear the virtual reality room and the art room were fan favourites, with the rowing shed capturing the imagination of what might be. Attending an Open Day provides an opportunity for both parents and their sons to see the College in action and to explore all the facilities and programs that are on offer. Our Open Day tours are student-led, providing prospective parents and students the opportunity to ask those “what is attending Trinity really like?” questions.
TWILIGHT TOUR
Trinity will be holding an intimate Twilight Tour on Thursday, 20 May at 4:00 pm. The tour is expected to last for 1.5 hours and will consist of a welcome address from our Principal, Junior School Head Boy and Secondary School Head Prefect, a student-guided tour, concluding with refreshments and a Q&A session with teaching staff. To book, visit www.trinity.wa.edu. au/enrolments/tour-trinity/collegetwilight-tour
A Fresh New Look for TC Café! Over the past few years, considerable thought has been put into revitalising the Trinity College canteen with a fresh new look and enhancing the menu to incorporate a wide variety of balanced, age-appropriate and nutritious options. The Trinity College canteen has been central for many years in supporting the nourishment and health of our students and staff but on the first day of term in 2021 we finally got to unveil our newly branded and refurbished TC Café.
Operated by the Compass Group subsidiary, Chartwells, the TC Café provides plenty of wholesome fresh food and refreshments, including barista-made coffee, freshly cooked meals, baked goods and other healthy options.
WHAT TO DO AFTER SCHOOL? One of the common questions we receive from parents is “does Trinity offer any after-school options for the boys?”. The simple answer is yes and they are all included as part of your school fees. A large array of co-curricular programs and activities are available for students but here we talk about just a few that are on offer:
HOMEWORK CLUB Homework Club is offered as an after-school option for all Trinity College students. Open from 3:15 pm to 5:00 pm Monday to Thursday afternoons, students can study or complete homework in a quiet, safe and supervised environment as well as enjoying a delicious hot chocolate. There is a member of staff on duty every day who is available to help with homework and ensure the students are looked after.
CHESS CLUB Trinity has quite the Chess Club with many of our students consistently performing well in tournaments. Held during lunchtime and after-school in the Junior School Library, this club is a popular co-curricular option for many Trinity students across all year levels.
CAMP CRAFT Our Junior School boys have been learning some new outdoor recreation skills in this exciting new co-curricular program.
BACK TO SCHOOL VIDEO SERIES
Learning to put up a tent can be difficult, but this program teaches the boys how to confidently put up a tent, how to read maps and how to use a two-way radio as well as tie knots, learn basic camp cooking, first aid and more!
At Trinity, we acknowledge that commencing at a new school can be a daunting experience for both students and parents. Recently, we asked some of our newest students about their first impressions of the College as part of a ‘Back to School’ video series. What we got was a series of honest (and sometimes adorable) responses. You can view the videos on our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/fkJzpcbEzJE.
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Head of the River First held in 1899, the Head of the River rowing regatta is the last rowing event of the Public Schools Association (PSA) calendar. Steeped in history, Trinity has been competing in this event for more than 50 years with the TC Spirit always on display, not only amongst the rowers who are competing but through our whole TC community. Ahead of the regatta, Junior School students are treated to a special Rowing Assembly where they witness the passion of the TC President of Rowing, Mr Peter Torre (’89) as he explains the importance of each position on the boat, introduces the rowers and announces the two deserving winners of the sought-after TOBA Junior School Award for TC spirit. At this years regatta, Trinity did not disappoint, again securing the Hamer Cup following an impressive seven from 12 race wins.
YEAR 7 BECOMING BROTHERS CAMP The Year 7 Becoming Brothers Camp held at Trinity’s Outdoor Education Centre, Camp Kelly is a three day, two-night experience for Year 7 students to be introduced to the many traditions and expectations of being a Trinity College student. Through activities such as raft building, paddling, hiking, the low ropes course and night activities, students are able to build the skills of positivity, teamwork and patience, all whilst establishing stronger connections with their fellow peers, the big brothers (Year 11 Senior Ministers) and their Pastoral Care Group Teacher. For many of the boys, the camp is their first overnight stay away from home but soon becomes an experience they will never forget, and will no doubt serve as a positive moment in their Trinity journey!
STUDENT REFLECTION I am here to reflect on my camp experience and give you an insight into the Year 7 camp. My most enjoyable moment was when we finished building our raft. We put it in the water, and it started floating. When we started, we thought that our raft couldn’t compare to the others, but we worked hard and won. This experience taught me that teamwork is the key to success. At camp, everyone gained a lot of experience. I learnt that everyone is important to a team and hard work is the best way to succeed. The senior mentors were very helpful and were always there to help us and the teachers. It was great to get to know them and listen to their advice. Thank you to all the staff for making camp so great. Royce – Year 7
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Quarry Concert After a hiatus in 2020 due to lockdown restrictions, the Quarry Concert was back for 2021. Held at the Quarry Amphitheatre in City Beach, this concert remains a favourite amongst students and parents. With a balmy Sunday evening setting the scene, the Trinity College Music Department and students displayed musical excellence in a concert described by many parents as ‘simply mesmerising’. Featuring music students from across Middle School and Secondary School, the concert also brought together Trinity and Mercedes College students as they showcased their musical and vocal talents under the stars.
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Cricket with a Difference The TC Spirit was on show as the under 12s cricket team played against the Venetians, West Australia’s blind cricket team. The Venetians team comprises of players, men and women, aged 15-70 years whose vision ranges from zero to 70 per cent. With both teams putting on a fantastic display of skill and sportsmanship, the Venetians took out the competition with the final score being Trinity 5 for 105 defeated by Venetians 153 all out. Post-match the WABCC (West Australian Blind Cricket Club) passed on their thanks to Trinity College, with the boys receiving the following testimonial from the umpire. “This group of young men are a credit to your school. They showed exceptional sportsmanship, both when batting and fielding. They adapted to the blind cricket rules without fuss and always performed in the spirit of fair play and inclusion.”
HERBERT EDWARDS CUP Trinity College ended the reign of Applecross SHS, taking home the boys division Herbert Edwards Cup, a cup that dates back 75 years. Five Trinity College boys recently competed in the SunSmart Schools Tennis Classic with more than 1600 students from across 61 schools competing in the month-long competition. After finishing on top on of all their groups, our Trinity boys went on to win the quarter and semi-finals without dropping a match. In the final against Wesley College the team won three out of four single matches and then topped it off with a win in the doubles, earning them the Herbert Edwards Cup.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO TRINITY
KEEPING IN TOUCH
Another question we often get asked is about the transport options available to Trinity students. For some of our newest students, we understand it may be a nerve-wracking experience the first time they head to the College on their own. We therefore decided to create a video outlining all the different transport options available to ensure all students have a safe and happy trip.
Please inform the College if your family or contact details change. Should we not be able to reach you, your child’s future enrolment could be affected. Call 9219 1121 to update all information or email registrar@trinity.wa.edu.au
The ‘All Roads Lead to Trinity’ video is available to view at https://youtu.be/kAZJ5DCObOE
Check out the latest Trinity updates on:
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www.trinity.wa.edu.au
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