The Link - August 2021 by Yarra Valley Grammar

ISSUE NO. 68 AUGUST 2021

Ringwood, Victoria

A CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL IN THE ANGLICAN TRADITION – EARLY LEARNING TO YEAR 12

Contents From the Principal

2021 Student Leaders

Class of 2020 Dux Assembly

Official opening of the Fine Arts Building Yarra Foundation news

4-5 6-11

Yarra Old Grammarians news

12-27

Yarra Community Groups

28-33

YOG Profiles

34-37

Reunions

38-39

Creatathon

From the Archives

Celebrations

42-43

Vale

44-45

Help us Reconnect

Yarra’s Night Market

Calendar of Events

ISSUE NO. 68 AUGUST 2021

Board Members Mr Andrew Hirst

Chairman

FRONT COVER

Reverend Denise Nicholls

Vice Chairman

Photography by Red Book Photography

Dr Mark Merry

CEO/Principal

EDITOR

Ms Jane Macneil Company Secretary/ Corporate Services Manager

Lisa Dell’Orso +61 03 9262 7700 lisa.dell’orso@yvg.vic.edu.au

Ms Carrie Edwards-Britt Mr Michael Fung

DESIGN

Mr Greg Hicks

Air Drawn Industries www.airdrawn.com.au

Mr Hamish King Dr Larissa McLean Davies Mr Brad Peake Mrs Nicole Stevens-Warton

From the Principal Welcome to the latest edition of The Link magazine which is a journal of life at the School and tells us of the great work of the Foundation in continuing to keep our families, past and present, connected. The events of the past two years have served to remind us of the importance of connections and the precious nature of community. It has also demonstrated how internet communications can augment but never replace physically gathering as a school community. Fortunately, as The Link shows, amid the disruptions of the pandemics school life goes on. There has been plenty on at Yarra in the first part of 2021. The first big events at the School were the opening assemblies where we were able to rejoice to be back together, appoint our student leaders; and where we could celebrate the efforts of our Year 12 Class of 2020. Considering the vagaries of the 2020 school year, our Year 12 Class did very, very well and I congratulate them and their teachers for such a great outcome.

In Term 2 we opened the much anticipated Fine Arts Building which sits next to the Science and Mathematics Building on Kalinda Road. The building was officially opened by the Governor of Victoria, The Honourable Linda Dessau AC and Dedicated by His Grace Dr Philip Freier the Archbishop of Melbourne. This is truly a spectacular building featuring three storeys of dedicated art classrooms, gallery space and workshops for the Design in Wood classes. A special feature of the building is the Art Gallery which is available for student and community works. The show on right now is of student work from across the School including a piece by Sophie Yang (YOG Class of 2020) who won third prize in the state Top Arts Competition. This piece was selected from over 1300 submissions…extraordinary!

I am delighted to report that the Board of the School has given its approval to begin planning for a new Junior Primary Centre to cater for our Prep to Grade 2 students. All being well, we hope to begin construction at the beginning of 2022. More of this in a later edition of The Link. All of us at Yarra were delighted to hear that two Yarra Old Grammarians had been selected in the Australian Olympic team competing in Japan. We wish Josh Simmonds (YOG 2013) and Brendon Smith (YOG 2018) all the best at the Tokyo Olympics. I wish the Yarra Valley Grammar community the very best for the second half of the year. Dr Mark Merry Principal

Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity. Aristotle

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2021 Student Leaders The Commencement Service for the Secondary School was held in the first week of term in the George Wood Performing Arts Centre. This was an opportunity to welcome our students and staff back and commission our student leaders for 2021. Dr Merry spoke to the students about the importance of finding inspiration because an inspired person achieves more, enjoys more and contributes more by seeing life as a series of possibilities and opportunities.

The success of the school year is determined by the willingness of students to participate, contribute and lead by example and inspire others. Congratulations to the following students on their appointment:

SCHOOL CAPTAINS Blake Matheson

JUNIOR SCHOOL CAPTAINS

Lauren Dickins

Taylor Priestman Amara Crotty

MIDDLE SCHOOL CAPTAINS Noah Cameron Tilley Stoney

Congratulations also to our 2021 prefects, office bearers and House captains who all will contribute invaluably to the School community.

Class of 2020 Dux Assembly The annual Dux Assembly was held in February to acknowledge and congratulate those students who had achieved ATARs over 90 in the 2020 VCE year and to award the major academic prizes for the year. Presentations were made to students who achieved individual study scores of 40 or above and the Dux of each subject was acknowledged. Our award winners were honoured with a certificate from the School and a number of prizes were presented by the Chair of Yarra Valley Grammar, Mr Andrew Hirst (YOG 1988). We were joined by students, parents, and friends of the School to congratulate these remarkable young adults on their achievements in their academic year.

GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS Every year, we consider the students whose contributions to the School community have been outstanding. The criteria include superior academic excellence, commitment to musical or sportive activities, cultural events and leadership. The General Excellence awards for 2020 were presented to Stephanie Brennan, Naomi Jones, Benjamin Kyval, Eric Liu and Felicity Xu.

MARGARET DENNISTON CLARKE AWARD This award is presented each year to the Year 12 Student who best fulfils the conditions of the Rhodes Scholarship. Scholastic achievements are judged by performance in school work as shown by grades achieved and

by results on the external VCE examinations as reflected by the ATAR score. Other contributions in cultural pursuits, sport and leadership are judged after consultation with teaching staff that are well placed to make such judgements. The Margaret Denniston Clarke Award for 2020 was presented to Benjamin Kyval.

OSSY GREULICH MEMORIAL AWARD This Languages award is dedicated to a student of excellence who achieves highly in Languages other than English in their final academic year. The 2020 Ossy Greulich Memorial Award was presented to Benjamin Kyval.

PRESENTATION OF DUX The term Dux refers to the most academically successful student in a school or division of a school. Our Dux for the academic year 2020 achieved amongst the very top students in the state. He also obtained Subject Dux and General Excellence awards and Academic prizes. The School Dux for the academic year 2020 was Eric Liu with a perfect ATAR of 99.95.

CERTIFICATES OF EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE WITH STUDY SCORES OF 50:

ACADEMIC PRIZES 2020

YEAR 11

Business Studies (Ernst and Young) – Xavier Konynenburg

Mathematical Methods – Luke Sammann

Art and Design (Atelier) – Jamie Rennie

Biology – Alexandra Culican

Digital Technology (Ernst and Young) – Jack Bartusch

YEAR 12

English – Zitian Lim and Eric Liu

Legal Studies – Stephanie Brennan

ealth, Outdoor, Food & PE, H – Mackenzie Stoddart

Chemistry and Physics – Aditya Gandhi Psychology – Naomi Jones Specialist Mathematics and Chemistry – Benjamin Kyval English – Zitian Lim English – Eric Liu Psychology – Sophie Yang

Humanities – Naomi Jones and Sophie Yang athematics (Ernst and M Young) – Benjamin Kyval Performing Arts – Naomi Jones Science (Ernst and Young) – Aditya Ganghi

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Official opening and dedication of the Fine Arts Building On Friday 21 May, the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC officially opened our new Fine Arts Building which sits prominently on Kalinda Road next to the Science and Mathematics Faculties. His Grace, Dr Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne also joined us to Dedicate the building. The official opening ceremony held in the George Wood Performing Arts Centre and the Dedication was a great celebration as the new facility provides our community with many more opportunities. The visual arts are an important part of our school curriculum which values creativity and originality in student work. Increasingly, education is about the student’s capacity for independent learning, and the new building provides both

expansive classroom and work spaces as well as breakout areas where students can work singularly or in small groups. The ground floor of the three-storey building is dedicated to Design and Technology in the area of wood with workshops and machine rooms. There is a fine tradition of wood sculpture and furniture making in the School. The new facility also provides a dedicated art gallery for the display of student and

community works. This is consistent with the School’s philosophy that we are a community resource enjoyed at times by the wider community. The George Wood Performing Arts Centre, the John King Sports Complex, the indoor swim centre and the playing fields are all made available to community groups during the course of the year attesting to the fact that Yarra Valley Grammar is not just located in Ringwood but is also an important part of the local community. At the moment we have a show which celebrates the work of our young artists from each of the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools. Their artistic skills are

quite extraordinary, including a large piece produced by all Year 7 students working with our artist in residence. I acknowledge and thank our choristers and musicians whose skills have been evidenced once again during the opening service. It is uplifting to spend the day surrounded by the energy, enthusiasm, skill and creativity of our visual and performing arts program. Dr Mark Merry Principal

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Foundation news

President’s Report As we slowly get back to normal (whatever that means), I have been able to reflect on the year that was. This has seen me gravitate to the things that are certain in my life, the things I can depend on. I see Yarra Valley Grammar as one of those things that parents can rely on. What an amazing job the teachers, Executive, Board and volunteers have done to keep our School in such a successful position.

I for one, am very grateful that Yarra is as strong today as it has ever been.

I sincerely thank them for their commitment to securing such an amazing school.

The other group that need our praise are all the parents, both current and from years gone by, that have enabled Yarra to be in such a strong place. Parents who have donated time and financial support to the Yarra Foundation today and in the past, continue to help keep the School where it is today and where it will be in the future.

I wish you and your families’ good health and look forward to getting back to normal. Gary Pratt President, Yarra Foundation

Yarra Foundation Video We, the Yarra Foundation, protect and nurture our Yarra Spirit. We are a group of proud current parents, past parents and Yarra Old Grammarians (YOGs). We are passionate about fast tracking the School’s development and bringing Yarra’s future to today. To view the video, please click here

We welcome you to join us to have fun and to benefit all in our community.

Contributions Marshal and Paula Adam Mark and Cathy Allan Ritchie and Samantha Appleby Sumit and Gonika Arora Paul and Melissa Ashby Rohan Atherton and Meghan Butterfield Matthew and Linsey Atkin Brad Baker and Susan Dalton George and Julianne Bakogiannis Hartegh Barmi and Ling Zhang Les and Bronwyn Barnes Naomi and Paul Baulch Matthew and Heidi Bell Radha Bezawada and Karishma Makubhai Harry and Antonina Blackburn Nadeeja Bom and Suwani Bomiriya Louise and Graham Bradtke Anthony and Helen Braham Sharon Brearley Roberts and Craig Roberts Nick Brooke Gavin and Kerry Brown Rosie and Richard Brown David Bryant Andre and Isobel Burger Paul and Carol Bury Manar Bushnaq and Wissam Al Azzah Nicky and Stefan Callow Janet Calvert-Jones Phil Champan and Angela Wood Cherry and Qiulin Chen Gang Chen and Bo Li Jason Chen and Heang Srey Shounan Chen and Laura Gai Wenjian Chen and Meiyong Li Meihong Chen and Zhaohui Li Ken Cheng and Kelly Ding Wing Sze Cheung Vinse Cheung and Kevin Lai Renwei Chu and Lily Meng Ashley and Rebecca Clarkson Geoff and Julie Cope Marcel Cote Mawson Croaker and Lucy Martin Peter Cui and Jing Chen Gideon Culican and Alison Greenway Mark and Sarah Dare Bryon and Ramona David Chris Davies and Bronwyn Leigh Ravi Delpagoda and Chayanika Pingamage Yaohui Deng Lianhui Deng and Qingning Zhang Aekta and Niraj Desai Stephen and Wendy Dickins Ross and Libby Didier David Diep and Ban Mieu Pengcheng Ding and

Na Bai Craig Doreian and Tina Barrington Wayne and Jill Douglas Carrie Edwards-Britt and Steven Britt Mark and Angela Eichler Jeremy and Olga Elia Chris and Peter Elsworth Haozhong Fan and Yulei Tang Mark Farrugia and Anastasia Sideris Diana and Peter Fayle Chris and Kylie Fenelon Tony Feng and Yuan Liu Brett Ferris Tony and Andrea Filardo Callum Fitzgerald Richard and Wendy Forrester Ronnie Fu and Katherine Wang Junjie Fu and Qi Lin Jacqui and Ian Garbett Jim Geng and Helen Huang John and Desi Georgiou Steven and Sandra Gilbert Mark Gooi and Sui Hoon Khor Matthew and Amy Graham Dominic and Sandra Gregory Ben Gu and Yunxia Yang Fu Tang Guo and Sarah Liu Divya Gupta Rhys and Simone Haag Martina and Jason Hammerstein Song Han and Haixia Shi Zijing Hao and Huiqun Liang Matthew Hardy Kylie Hardy Darren and Dianne Haycraft Lisa He and George Mitanis Linshan He and Melody Zeng Douglas Hewitt and Yi-Hsin Li Gerry Hobday and Amy Zhou Gary Hogan Anthony Holah and Monique Du Chateau Anthony and Stephanie Holman Michael Hotton Richard Hu and Kailin Yang Shengwei Hu and Yigong Xiao Zhen Hui Hua and Ping Li Juan Huang Junbiao Huang and Chunhong Zhang Jon and Lesley Hubbard Nic and Sascha Hughan Shane and Joanne Hume Jeremy and Laura Hunt Todd and Sam Ireland John and Helen Jacobe Tony Jiang and Cathy Liu John Jiang and Pearl Yang Yanyan Jiang and Weiqiang Zhong

The Yarra Foundation would like to thank all Yarra Community members who have made contributions towards Yarra’s future. This includes donations made to Yarra Foundation’s Building Fund as well as the Hearing Unit Scholarship Fund, Library Fund and Education Support Fund. Please note that the following list of donors is not complete as several anonymous donations were also made. Antony Jiang and Ying Wang Chen Jin and Joyce Yuan Tristan and Zoe Jolly Anthony Jones and Megan Rothwell-Jones Bo Ju and Xin Gong Cameron and Fiona Jury Peter Kapoglis Andrew Keleher Darren and Robyn Kelly Steven Kepper Mohsin Keyi and Kairunnisa Sulaiman Boon Hong Khoo and Emily Chung Gerard and Tracey Knight Yung Kwan and Sau Cheung Fion Kwok and Pui Wong Sheila Lau and Bryan Chau Linh Le and Michael Truong Feng and Jinchun Li Zhaohui Li and Meihong Chen Jinlin Li and Mengjun Wu Nick Li and Nancy Zhao Yang Li and Song Zhang Zen Li and Tracey Su Chuan Li and Yvonne Yu Zhi Jun Li and Zhi Min Tan Henry Liew and Violet Guo Yuguang Lin and Bin Huang Dong Lin and Bonnie Zhao Shi Zhong Lin and Li Hou William Lin and Winnie Gu Chao and Hongwen Liu Billy and Lina Liu Gang and Ying Liu Meilan Liu Jeffrey Liu and Jillian Zhou Chao Liu and Li Du Jian Liu and Jian Li George Lu and Amber Liu James and Kim Lucas Mathew and Alison Lundgren Robert Luo and Julie Bie Fermo and Meghan Lusi William and Suzette Lyall Neville Lyngcoln Kexin Lyu and Zixuan Li Andrew and Bridie Macdonald Jo Mackenzie-King Sudantha Maduwa Guruge and Asanga Hewa Amarappulige Sean and Johanna Maguire Nagendra Mallireddy and Kalpana Yanamala Bob Mao and Lily Sun Joe Marino Stephen Marlow and Cathy Hainslin Andrew and Suzanne Marshall Mel Martin and Karyn Simes-Martin Scott Mathews and Sue Barclay Jason and Catherine McClintock Patrick and Sutasinee McGuigan

Andrew and Alicia McIntosh Ralph and Jennifer McKnight Ian and Anne McLeod David and Amber McNulty Darren Meade and Joy Luati Lily Meng and Renwei Chu Mark and Manuela Merry Julia and Rodney Minett Kim Mizzi Andrew Molnar and Samantha Dummett Clifford and Frederica Morrison Steven and Lyndsey Muir Guy and Sharyn Murray Allan and Christine Nalder Nishant and Shivani Nehru Desmond and Shirley Ng Rochelle and Damien Nicks Maria and Vas Niksic Joshua Noakes and Caitlin Derham Martyn and Cindy Norman Peter Nutting and Patricia Metlika-Nutting Yasir Obaida and Noor Alfahham AG Oldham Estate Scott and Anne Palmer Rajeev Patel and Akanksha Choubey Shiv Patel and Bina Dedaniya Scott and Nicole Patterson Brendan and Julie Patti Rod and Suzie Penaluna David and Cherry Peng Yuanwei Peng and Teng Zhang Jonathan and Sharon Perry Frank and Vicki Petkaris Kiem Pham and Thy Tran Jeffrey and Helena Pickering Amy Pitt George and Roberta Polites Srikanth Poondi Sridharan and Anuradha Raghavasimhan Gary and Trisha Pratt Clint and Simone Priestman Lou and Melissa Primavera Justin and Natalie Pryor Han Qiang Qi and Jing Wang Zhiguo Quan and Dexiang Zhong Amir Rahighi Grant and Leanne Ralston Ryan and Jessie Ran Matthew and Blaire Redgrove Jacob and Brianna Reed Arash Rezazadeh Niavarani and Tammy Bahrami Farahani Campbell Rivington Peter and Jacqui Robinson Jenny Rolleston Darren and Vanessa Rowse Emma Russell Daniel Ryan and Hiroko Ito-Ryan Kon Samulis and Filomena Ciavarella

Pardeep Sandhu and Guneet Cheema James Saretta and Samantha Delaney-Saretta Heather Saunders and Jenny Patterson Andrew and Jennifer Schiller Jean-Guy Schneider Trevor and Lisa Scott Indy Sehra and Champa Adnani Peter and Joan Selby Smith Kuga and Bamini Selladurai Mohamed Shalaby and Dina Khalaf Lixin Shang and Amy Zhu Rahul Sharma and Renuka Vaiude John and Pam Sharwood Colette Shaw Lei Shen and Li Lin Kwong Hang Shi and Angela Wong Alan Shi and Kun Yang Vincent Shi and Panda Chen Babak Shirzadi and Neda Naji Sicheng Shuai and Ying Qian Paul Simkin and Kate Milkins Michael Simpson and Simone Simpson Harry Singh and Harleen Kaur Jingxuan Song and Shu Tang Shawn Srivastava and Seema Gupta Frank Sun and Jean Xu Bin Sun and JinTao Ma Michael Sun and Linda Qi Edwin Sung Gary Tang and Sheena Lu Yin Tang and Yuan Zhang Kai Tao and Qiyang Li Nguyen Thang and Huyen Phung Kylie and Guy Thomas Nicola Thomas Bec and Blair Thomson Yi Tian and Xuelei Qiu Stephen and Heather Tiley Giuseppe Tirella and Grace Italia Neville and Holly Tivendale Andrei and Katerina Tour Luan Tran and Maggie Tran-Law Michael and Nicole Turner Ranil Uduwela and Charitha Ranasinghe David and Jennet Ure Fred van den Hout and Linda Craven Benjamin and Tia Vella Neil and Lauren Venter Suraj Vijayan and Sadjany Suraj Simon Waldren and Simone Zanon-Waldren Matt and Anne Walsh Shuo and Natalie Wang Dennis Wang and Flora Zhang Weiyang Wang and Heping Hu

Michael Wang and Jing Lu Xuan Wang and Xiaoyun Li Peter Warton and Nicole Stevens-Warton Helen and Chris Webb David Wei and Emmy Xu Therese and Raymond West Rod and Heidi Williams Melissa Williams Justin Williams and Anna Barlow Paul and Rachel Willson Joshua and Holly Wilson Michael and Kylie Withers Mark Wohlers and Victoria McNeil Stephen Wong and Caroline Lim JJ Wong and Megan Tsen Paul and Francesca Wood Susanna and Shannon Woodall Jingwen Wu Daniel Wu and Diana Dai Yin Wu and Zhi Ying Tan Yaoqing Xie and Wilson Wang Jie Xu Frank Xu and Anita Goenawan Sean Xu and Cathy Tong Yongqi Yan and Yanhong Deng Tiehu Yang and Linling Li Wei Quan Ye and Ai Hao Tan Hongbing Ye and Ying Li Haixia Yin and Lili Lu Martyn and Kelly Young Jin Yu and Joyce Jin Jianwei Yu and Lanfeng Gao Sihe Yuan and Jianhua Ding Gao Zhan and Cecilia Jingyan George Zhang and Cathy Chen Heng Zhang and Fan Wang Jian Zhang and Felicia Zhou Qiao Zhang and Huaping Shi Yong Zhang and Janet Ji Steven Zhang and Limin Zhong Zehong Zhang and Sunny Shen Andrew Zhang and Tracey Luo Jie Zhang and Xiangya Liang Jue Zhang and Xuesong Li Yangfei Zhang and Yi Kong Dan Zhao and Eugenie Chen Weiqiang Zhong and Yanyan Jiang George Zhook and Li Zhou Kelly Zhou Minhua Zhu Fan Zhu and Laiyan Zeng Yarra Old Grammarians

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Foundation news

2021 Mid-Year Appeal Yarra’s Mid-Year Appeal 2021 was a chance for people to show their gratitude for the many ways our School helps the community. Especially in the past 18 months, Yarra and our community groups have been there for families, students, staff and many others in the wider community. Yarra’s annual Mid-Year-Appeal was our chance to show our support back to our great School and it raised $15,000.

Every dollar raised makes a difference, with Appeal funds directed to Yarra’s 20 in 20 vision to raise $20 million over 20 years. In this way, the community came together to enhance our Yarra Spirit for current and future generations. Yarra is grateful to you for showing your spirit. Thank you!

Yarra’s Gratitude Day On Tuesday 15 June after the lockdown, the power outage and the long weekend, everyone returned to campus. There was a lot to be grateful for: seeing friends, face to face learning, warmth, electricity, connectivity… the list goes on. We took the opportunity to ask our students and staff to take part in a whole School Gratitude Day, reflecting on what they were grateful for in the wider community and specifically at Yarra. There were a lot of very heartfelt messages written.

To view our short video from Yarra’s Gratitude Day, please click here

Baldwin Circle Providing Yarra Valley Grammar with financial support in these times can be challenging but there are other ways to show your appreciation to such an amazing school. By allocating something in your Will you will be joining the Baldwin Circle which provides the Yarra Foundation with certainty into the future. It is with these sorts of commitments that we can ensure that the Yarra story grows stronger and stronger. Remember that students finishing Yarra today, benefit from a stronger Yarra in the future. Join me in becoming a member of the Baldwin Circle. To find out more about the Baldwin Circle please go to www.yvg.vic.edu.au/bequests Gary Pratt President: Yarra Foundation

Swim Centre Water Fountain IMPACT OF GIVING The Yarra Foundation recently donated money to allow the purchase of a drinking fountain in the new Paul Sadler Swimland facility on site at Yarra. Gary Pratt, Yarra Foundation President and Carrie Edwards-Britt, Yarra Foundation Board Member were delighted to meet with Yarra Valley Grammar’s Director of Sport, Andrew Parkes and Swim Captains, Emily Baulch and Harvey Lanigan. The water fountain has proved a popular addition to the new swim facility and the Yarra Foundation would like to thank those members who specifically donated to support this project.

Yarra Foundation Short Video Community participation is what matters most at Yarra Valley Grammar. Our story is your story. Our community is your community. Our impact is your impact. Our action is your action. Come join us at the Yarra Foundation.

To view click here

The Yarra Foundation would like to thank Leilei Xu for all her work in coordinating the filming of this video.

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Foundation news

A conversation with the Prefects of 2021 The Yarra Foundation recently had the pleasure of engaging with the Prefects of 2021, interviewing them about leadership and their own personal contribution to school life. A large part of what we refer to as Yarra Spirit is about giving back, connecting, and contributing. We recognise this group as one who contributes to this Yarra Spirit, the essence of what makes Yarra special, and we felt that sharing some of their thoughts with past Yarra Families would be enjoyed. These are just some of the responses.

WE BEGAN BY ASKING THE STUDENTS WHAT MADE THEM YARRA PROUD? Coming to school every day into a warm and welcoming environment makes me feel so proud to be a part of the community. (Blake) Running out on to the sports field in my Yarra colours is, for me, what makes me feel Yarra Proud; the feeling of knowing that you are representing your school. (Zach) To be part of a community that is so well-respected and dedicated in the mission to provide young people with the facilities to achieve not only a great education but also develop individual skills that are personal to each and every student. (Mustafa)

The profound sense of belonging that I feel at Yarra. The school culture nurtures you and cultivates your interests to provide a holistic educational experience in which we all have our special place – teachers, parents, students alike. The connections I have made within the Yarra Community punctuate a highly positive journey at Yarra, and one where I have been able to grow and mature as an individual and as a student. (Thomas) The fact that everyone gets along and has a great time with anything that is thrown in front of them, and most people won’t complain when a task is given out, but instead they will embrace it and work together. (Matt)

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF BEING A STUDENT LEADER IS? Ensuring that everyone feels they are valued. (Alannah) Being able to provide a voice for the thoughts and opinions of our peers around us. It also allows us to gain insight into what needs changing or reforming, and how we can aim to work with the staff collaboratively and make each day at Yarra better for everyone. (Indy) Accepting your responsibility and not being afraid to voice your concerns. It is also listening to other students … and making a positive change. (Sadie) Be approachable, helpful, and active. Be humble, always seeking advice and listening to any suggestions. Spread positivity. (Frank) Setting the standard for the rest of the school, being a role model for the younger kids to look up to. (Judson)

WHAT ATTRIBUTES DO YOU ADMIRE IN OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS? Courage to stand up and voice their opinions, particularly when everybody else struggles to. (Zach) I admire humility in other leaders. People who are willing to present themselves as a human being rather than a perfect leader. This not only makes you want to follow them, but it allows you to form strong connections. (Blake) The ability to listen and act and separate their own opinions to help another person reach what they want to. (Sadie) Their capacity to speak out and acknowledge changes that need to be made to maintain being a progressive school that follows the changing world around us. The quality of having a voice is most important to me. (Ruby) Those who are humble and put others’ needs above themselves. (Alannah)

THIS GROUP IS NEARING THE END OF STUDENT LIFE AT YARRA. WE ASKED THEM WHAT ADVICE THEY WOULD GIVE TO THOSE BEGINNING THEIR YARRA JOURNEY. The conviction of other leaders, in pushing for positive change at our school, which has been difficult given COVID. But even so, there are individuals, especially a number of the female leaders who have been pushing for a firmer pursuit of gender parity. (Alan) It is amazing that other leaders can bounce ideas off each other and collaborate in such an engaging manner. (Jack) Being confident and always willing to share their thoughts with the group. (Frank) Leadership, ability to represent the ideals and values of other students. (Lachy)

Take every opportunity that is presented to you and never say never. (Nicholas) Make the most of all the opportunities, be it academic or extracurricular, that Yarra has to offer. We are incredibly lucky that the Yarra community allows us to explore our interests and passions. At the end of your time at Yarra, you will want to feel like you made every day count. (Zach) Enjoy the time with your friends as it goes very quickly, and you will soon realise just how much fun it all is. Also, do not pass up opportunities just because others aren’t taking them, you never know when a small decision might change your life for the better. (Blake) Yarra offers such a wide array of activities and pathways for students that will truly enrich

your educational journey at Yarra. It is with this can-do attitude that you can really flourish at Yarra. Your time here only lasts for so long as a student. By seizing these opportunities you develop memories and friendships which define a positive learning experience at Yarra and stay with you for the rest of your life. (Thomas) Find your group of people. Do not be disheartened if it takes a while. (Caleb) Yarra allows so many opportunities to discover our passions and discover who we are, may that be in drama, music, sport, debating. We are privileged to be able to have all these opportunities and avenues a lot of people don’t, so it’s crucial we don’t take them for granted. (Indy)

I want young girls like myself to know that they have a place in male dominated subjects such as physics and to not let gender imbalance prevent them from learning what they love. (Ruby) Focus and study hard, make sure you have a good understanding of your own time management and enjoy it. (Judson) Make good use of the excellent learning resources as much as you can, do not be afraid to approach a teacher or staff member when you need help. They are all very helpful and friendly. (Frank) We thank the students for taking the time to respond to our questions and look forward to publishing more responses in future publications. Chris Elsworth Yarra Foundation

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Yarra Old Grammarians news

President’s Report This has been an exciting year for YOGs for two reasons: 1) We’re back into face to face events again (at least, as much as we can be) 2) We’ve launched our new strategy, increasing our focus on careers for both YOGs and current students. 2021 will go down as the year of reunions. All the reunions that couldn’t occur last year are now occurring this year, in addition to the regular reunions. Double the catch ups – always very popular! We are working at securing the dates and the venues needed, so stay tuned if you have not yet been notified. The reunions are simply one of the most popular YOG events on the calendar, with overwhelmingly positive feedback afterwards. Make sure you don’t miss out! The Annual Golf Day was held in April, and this year it was held at The Metropolitan Golf Club. This event was rescheduled a few times due to COVID, but that did not dim the enthusiasm of YOG golfers to attend and we had a bumper crowd. This golf day has been a mainstay

in the YOG calendar for some years now, and just keeps getting better! The event was a sell-out, and our Premium Sponsors came to the party: 2Construct, Fuji Xerox, Higgins, Interleave Australia and Prime Super. We were also particularly delighted to get event sponsorship from five YOG companies: Fieldmans Waste Management (Dylan Mansfield, YOG 2005), Jellis Craig Whitehorse (Stephen Le Get, YOG 1986), Lilydale Safety Wear (Rod Penaluna, YOG 1990), MGI Golf (Carrie Edwards Britt, YOG 1999) and Steadfast Freight Management (Rob Drew, YOG 2000). Once again, so great to see the camaraderie amongst YOGs from many different years. If you’d like to find out more about this sensational YOG event,

go the following link to see pictures and video of the day: www.yvg.vic.edu.au/YOGGolf We were lucky enough to support the Good Friday Appeal again this year, with YOGs forming teams to go out to the community for donations. Kitted out in their YOG t-shirts, caps and pins, they were a collecting force to be reckoned with. The YOG Footy Club is also supported by the YOG Association and is a fabulous way to stay in touch with your old Yarra mates or make new ones. The club has both men’s and women’s teams so contact them at president@yogfc.com.au if you would like to join or just find out a little more. Come and have a kick with us!

“This golf day has been a mainstay in the YOG calendar for some years now, and just keeps getting better!” As always, we love hearing about what YOGs are up to. As well as the two Olympians (see articles on pages 18 – 21), here are a couple of other examples: • Congratulations to Aiden Begg (YOG 2020) who has been selected by Collingwood with pick 18 in the 2021 MidSeason Draft • Brendan Reilly (YOG 2010) is the founder of WURLEM. WURLEM believes sharing the importance of mental health awareness is a top priority. Their goal is to affiliate WURLEM with mental health networks and to inspire feelings of self-worth and greatness in all of their followers. To learn more, visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/wurlem Our increased focus on careers is progressing well. It has truly been a strategy that is jointly developed and supported by YOGs and the School Executive. We already contribute to our current student body through the Work Experience program, Year 12 Mentoring, Speed Careering, and YOGs coming back to give presentations/talks to students. As an example, this year, our Year 9 students were

joined by freelance illustrator and graphic designer, Julia Laskowski (YOG 2008) and Victorian Cricketer, Sam Harper (YOG 2015), who presented about pursuing your dreams and goals in your career. This year, we have also launched an exciting new initiative, Career Bytes. These are 2 to 3 minute videos of YOGs talking about the Year 12 subjects they studied, their tertiary education pathways, career journeys and key learnings. We already have several up on our website. Students can access these based on their interests. Think about yourself back in Year 11 or Year 12 and how you were thinking about certain careers, how useful would it have been to have access to people that had already done it? We ask all YOGs to please reach out to make your own Career Byte. We are also developing the initiative of YOG Uni Catch Ups, where Yarra’s Year 12 students have the opportunity to meet up with a current Uni student who is also a YOG, on campus at the Uni to ask questions and have a look around. Please contact me if you are interested in being involved.

The careers platform of our strategy is one of the most rewarding and effective ways that YOGs can both contribute and benefit. There are lots of activities in play, so please keep an eye out for them, and get involved. The YOG community is enormously rich in experience, and diverse in terms of community, geography and life stages. I encourage you to connect with the huge YOG community to not only continue to benefit from your association with your school, but to provide experience and inspiration to other students, both past and

present. The first place to start can simply be an email to me on the email address below. It could be something or someone you are looking for, wanting to contribute to YOG or you have a great idea we can implement. You can also contact the School through email, phone, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. I look forward to seeing you at a YOG event sometime soon. Andrew Gaythorpe President, Yarra Old Grammarians (YOG 1982) E: yog@yvg.vic.edu.au

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YOG Speed Careering 2021 In July, the Year 10 and 12 students had the opportunity to talk to Yarra Old Grammarians and to inquire about the subjects and careers they may be thinking of going into. This day was a wonderful opportunity for students to gather a further understanding of how the final years of their schooling will play out and tertiary studies to follow. Students found that this day helped them further their personal objectives for their careers to come. The YOGs who came to talk to the students gave wonderful advice and insight into how the workplace will be for them. The dedication these YOGs showed by coming back into the school and passing on their wisdom to future generations is greatly appreciated by both students and staff at Yarra. We would

all like to thank the YOGs for their commitment to the school spirit and community. In all, this was a valuable experience for students and helped the Year 10s gather ideas about their tertiary studies and how they’re beginning to shape their future careers. Charlotte Eichler Year 10 Student

Our sincerest thanks to the below YOGs who came back to School for the morning:

NAME

PEER YEAR INDUSTRY

Jonathon Adam Tamie Adams (nee Graczyk) Cameron Agars Carrie Edwards-Britt Nick Buttner Matthew Carson Anna Curry Michael Gardner Andrew Gaythorpe Bentleigh Gibson Luke Gillies Victoria Goddard Eloise Grace (nee Gentle) Dwight Hodge Jeremy Irvine Kirsten Jackson Anna Johnston Emma Jury Michael Letson Dr Emily Macvean (nee Tunks) Sophie Manning Dylan Mansfield Siobhan Murphy Charlotte Peak (McDonald) Rod Penaluna Nick Read Eliza Schwab Andrew Shaw Christopher Spring Stephen Stoyan Chris Street Penny Swan Paris Taylor Mitchell Williams Michael Wines

(YOG 2006) (YOG 2005) (YOG 1990) (YOG 1999) (YOG 2001) (YOG 2004) (YOG 2004) (YOG 2001) (YOG 1982) (YOG 1997) (YOG 1999) (YOG 1981) (YOG 1994) (YOG 1994) (YOG 1992) (YOG 1987) (YOG 2012) (YOG 2018) (YOG 2006) (YOG 1997) (YOG 2016) (YOG 2005) (YOG 2012) (YOG 2013) (YOG 1990) (YOG 1991) (YOG 2014) (YOG 1983) (YOG 1989) (YOG 1997) (YOG 2010) (YOG 1990) (YOG 2009) (YOG 2010) (YOG 1997)

Digital Medicine Education Business (Entrepreneur) Law Health (Physiotherapy) Veterinary Health (Psychiatry) Business (Supply Chain) Business (Events) Business (Retail) Business (Entrepreneur) Media Business (Entrepreneur) Business (Management) Artist Finance Music Engineering (Civil) Health (Psychology) Medicine Sustainability Engineering (Aerospace) Police Business Police Health (Beauty) Architecture Construction Business (Sales) Business (Risk Mgt) Business (Marketing) Law Finance Business (Marketing)

If you would like to view all the photos from the event please visit the YOG Gallery page on the School website. If you would like to be part of this event in 2022, we are trying to once again attract YOGs from a wide variety of fields and would love to hear from you. Simply fill out your details online here.

Careers in the Curriculum Following Term 1 studies of Body Systems in Science, in late March, our Year 8 students were treated to a presentation by MICA Paramedic, Jonathan Haines (YOG 2002). Jonathan spoke about life as a paramedic, the pathway he took to get to where he is now and he

answered lots of interesting questions from the students. It is great that our Yarra Old Grammarians are able to help us with careers information directly connected to the curriculum – it really helps to bring our curriculum alive!

Conversations that Count Our Year 11 and 12 students were delighted to be joined by some of our recently graduated YOGs earlier this year for Conversations that Count. The YOGs shared their experiences of university life, giving some great insight and advice. Conversations that Count is a recent initiative by YOGs as we expand our ability to immediately support our current students with their upcoming career/ pathway decisions.

The Year 11s also received their very popular YOG stress balls. Our sincerest thanks to the 2020 YOGs below for their support at this year’s conversations: Steph Brennan Evan Chen Ella Hawley Naomi Jones Ben Kyval Eric Liu Brandon Romeo Josh Taylor Felicity Xu

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Legacy Series – Oglethorpe Family Martine and her family

Martine Oglethorpe nee Ireland (YOG 1990) is one of a small group of women to first attend Yarra Valley Grammar. Beginning Year 11 at Yarra in 1989, girls were not accepted throughout the entirety of the school until 1995. However, Martine relishes the fact that her involvement in the school was amplified due to the small female cohort. “Coming from an all girls’ school prior to Yarra, I found I was able to participate (and make the teams) in many more sports,” she explains. Other than volleyball, athletics and cross country, Martine enjoyed learning to ski at her very first trip to the snow led by the school, even later pioneering the girls’ ski team with friend Felicity Scott (YOG 1990). “We snow ploughed our whole way down the mountain on competition day, but we didn’t come last!” she laughs. Martine believes the opportunities provided by the school to herself and her fellow students were beneficial in a multitude of ways. “It helped foster a healthy balance between the achievement, competition and other types of success, with the importance of community, relationships, and feeling a sense of belonging and acceptance,” she says.

“The atmosphere of the school as a student was always one where you felt supported both emotionally and academically, but never felt unnecessary pressure. I think this culture has continued, and I love the focus on students’ wellbeing as a priority, as well as the encouragement to try new things and take advantage of the many opportunities.” Graduating from Yarra in 2017, Martine’s eldest son is the first of five boys, with her second son graduating shortly after, in 2019. She currently has a son in Year 12, and her two youngest sons are set to begin Year 7 in 2022 and 2024 respectively. “All up, there could be Oglethorpe brothers (and their mullets) there for 16 years,” Martine jokes. Martine’s fondest memories of her time at Yarra Valley Grammar are the friendships she made, along with the social gatherings she attended. Many of her closest friends are also past students, and Martine’s children are now friends with some children of those she went to school with. Her favourite teachers included English teacher Ms Gist, PE teacher Mrs Carroll, Accounting teacher Mr Gooden and English

Martine (second from right) and friends.

Literature teacher Mr Lawley. “I must also include Mr Hocking, who continued to inspire my love of history, although I still cannot bring myself to call him anything other than Mr Hocking when I see him around the school,” Martine reflects. Though over 30 years have passed since she was a student, Martine believes that Yarra hasn’t undergone any drastic changes. “Aside from the many more buildings, I really don’t think a lot has changed; certainly not in the opportunities, ability to make good friendships and feel supported by teachers,” Martine says. “Sometimes when I am picking up my boys or walking around the school, it really does feel like it was no time since I was there as a student.” Martine was inspired to enrol her children at Yarra with the hope that their schooling experience would be as enjoyable as her own. “It was really just because I loved my time at Yarra; I had loved the feel, the opportunities, the community and friendships. I wanted that for my boys,” Martine says. A strong Humanities and English Literature student, Martine went on to complete a Bachelor of

Arts at Monash University. Following the completion of a Diploma of Education, Martine was a secondary humanities teacher for a number of years, before working at Channel 10. Martine has also completed a Masters in Counselling, and is working as a mental health educator with Headspace. Martine also currently runs her own digital wellbeing and online safety business, aimed at educating parents, students and teachers. Martine’s message to current students is to enjoy your time at school, but to recognise when things become overwhelming and seek support. “Focus on looking after your wellbeing, nurture the relationships you have formed and make the most of the opportunities that come your way,” she says. Much like her advice to students, Martine’s hope for the future of the school is that it continues to maintain a strong focus on students’ mental health and happiness. “I hope that there is a continued focus on the wellbeing of young people in order to put them in the best possible position to not only achieve any goals they may have, but most importantly to be resilient and confident young people who feel supported, who know that their voices matter, and who are able to thrive in a supportive environment,” Martine says. “In essence, it is about continuing to live up to the motto, confidence to achieve.” Elle Cecil (YOG 2016)

Legacy Series – Pellegrino Family Yarra’s culture of support and encouragement is something that has stuck with Ross for years.

(L-R) Ross’s eldest child Gisella, wife Rosa, Ross himself, and youngest child Anthony

Ross Pellegrino’s (YOG 1992) relationship with Yarra Valley Grammar began as a Grade 5 student in 1985. An all boys’ school at the time, with the exception of girls in Years 11 and 12, Ross spent five years as a student at Yarra. Though the introduction of girls to the school was a big deal at the time, Ross believes that it was an extremely beneficial change. “Being a co-ed school provides more confidence, inclusion and understanding for students,” he says. “The atmosphere hasn’t changed; Yarra has always made students feel comfortable and offered so many opportunities for everyone to find what they like.” Ross graduated from Box Hill Technical College in 1992 and has gone on to build a successful career as a motor mechanic. From working with his family’s business, Pellegrino’s Fresh Fruits, to racing cars with Peter Brock and at Bathurst’s famous Mount Panorama, Ross has worked hard to ensure a bright future for his family. Ross’s fondest memories of his time at Yarra include participating

in athletics, cross country and swimming. After attending Yarra with his four brothers, Ross and his wife Rosa made the decision to send their two children to the school, beginning in ELC. When their eldest child began ELC in 2007, Ross’s youngest brother Philip was completing Year 12. This decision is one that was a result of Ross and his brothers’ own experience at the school. “I had a very positive and enjoyable learning experience while I was a student at Yarra.” “Having a second generation of our family go through Yarra is pretty special. The school becomes a big part of your life when your children start at four years old and leave at 18,” Ross says. Ross’s children have followed in his footsteps, participating in a range of extra-curricular activities including music ensembles and sporting teams. Ross’s youngest child is currently completing Year 11, while his eldest graduated in 2020 and

“The school has always been very good at encouraging students to always give everything their best no matter the outcome. This has been something that I have found to be an excellent stepping stone; that and having belief and confidence in yourself.”

Ross in Grade Five (1985)

is currently working for the school as a sports coach. As a middle school student, Ross and his brothers were taught by Di Greenway, who years later would go on to teach his eldest child in the Junior School. “My children have enjoyed being a part of the Yarra community; they have made some lifelong friendships and great connections with their teachers,” Ross says. Ross relishes his connection to the school and enjoys attending school functions, especially when given the chance to catch up with Andrew Hocking. “I’m pretty sure he was a student teacher when I was at Yarra! We always have good banter,” he laughs. Since his own departure from the school, Ross believes that students’ capacity to learn has expanded exponentially. “There is so much more that the students can access now with so many advancements in technology, and just the way kids learn and how they are taught,” he says.

Ross explains that as a parent and a member of the skilled trade industry, he envisions even more doors opening for students in the future. “I would like to see the school encourage more hands-on subjects that will provide work and job opportunities for the kids that want to pursue trade-based jobs,” he says. “So many changes have occurred since I left but having my children there has also given me and my family a chance to see all the new additions over the past 14 years. We look forward to seeing what comes next!” When asked what advice he would give to current students, Ross’s message is simple. “Enjoy your school years, make the most of every opportunity that comes your way, have fun with your mates and remember that the doors are always open at Yarra Valley Grammar to welcome you back.” Elle Cecil (YOG 2016)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Elle Cecil (YOG 2016) completed her Bachelor of Communication, with a Major in Journalism, from Deakin University in 2021. She is assisting YOGs to kick-start the YOG Legacy Series. Elle’s next plans are to enjoy her career working as a journalist, meet some interesting people and break some big stories along the way.

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Olympic Qualifer Josh Simmonds (YOG 2013) Josh Simmonds first picked up a hockey stick in primary school at Yarra Valley Grammar. He, together with some friends, nominated hockey as their Friday afternoon sport choice one day. The next few Friday afternoons were spent learning about the game and playing together, under the watchful eye of Grant Allison. So much did Josh and his friends enjoy and excel at hockey, they were invited to a trial session at Doncaster Hockey Club, where Mr Allison himself played and was heavily involved with the teams.

Josh explains that team members could elect to receive a phone call or an email about their status on the Olympic team.

Josh spent plenty of the summer practicing with friends and joined the Doncaster Hockey Club’s Under 11s team for the following winter season. This was just the beginning of Josh’s hockey career.

“The email was sent out right on 10 o’clock, so I was sitting there refreshing for ten minutes before,” he laughs.

Now, at 25 years old, Josh is headed to the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games as a member of the Kookaburras; the Australian Men’s Hockey team. Between 2016 and 2017, Josh’s main focus was to make the Kookaburras team. Josh made the national team in 2018 and has been based in Perth ever since. “The Kookaburras squad is 27 athletes that live and train in Perth, and that’s where the Olympic team gets picked from. I guess when I made the team in 2018, my goals shifted to making the Olympic team,” he says.

On the morning of Friday 11 June, Josh sat down at his computer.

Upon finding out he had made the Olympic team, Josh was ecstatic. He and his fellow Olympic teammates celebrated and discussed their excitement over lunch that same day. However, due to COVID regulations, Josh was forced to celebrate with loved ones over FaceTime.

was permitted to maintain his training and fitness in Melbourne, although not at full capacity. “I pretty much got the last flight out of Perth to Melbourne, and then stayed there for most of last year,” he says. “We got permission to train, but we weren’t able to have any contact, so training was obviously limited.” Towards the end of 2020, Josh received a travel exemption to return to Perth, but couldn’t begin training until he had completed 14 days of hotel quarantine. He then finished the year in Perth before returning to Melbourne for the festive season, and upon his return to Perth, was required to complete another 14 days of isolation following a small outbreak in Melbourne. Josh says the combination of travel and quarantine took a toll on him as a professional athlete. “It was pretty tough, and pretty debilitating for your body.”

Being separated from his partner, family and friends wasn’t the only struggle Josh faced living in Perth during COVID.

However, Josh remains confident in the regulations and safeguards that will protect him and his team when travelling internationally for the Olympics, including the team being fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Josh is aware of the requirement to quarantine for a further 14 days upon his return from Japan, joking that by now he is used to it.

At the beginning of 2020, when Australia started experiencing its first series of lockdowns, Kookaburras players returned to their home states as training was shut down. As a member of the Victorian Institute of Sport, Josh

Prior to the eased state of restrictions, the Kookaburras went over 400 days without an international match. This is something that Josh says was of concern to the team as most of hockey’s top teams are

“The impact of family not being able to visit, it’s pretty tough… once I get back to Melbourne after the Olympics I won’t be travelling for a while,” Josh says.

Image: olympics.com.au

European, and they weren’t able to play practice matches or determine the other teams’ standards. “In saying that, we’ve been able to just live and breathe our own hockey here and train every single day. We’ve definitely gotten a lot better because of it,” Josh says. “When we’re not at the ground doing reviews or training, we’re recovering and getting ready to go for the next day. It’s pretty full on,” he says. Josh credits his Kookaburras teammates and coaching staff with sticking by each other through both good and bad times. “There’s ups and downs. My least favourite thing would probably be tough times with injuries or non-selection. It’s a pretty high pressure environment, being in a squad like this. If you don’t make the team or you are injured, there’s nowhere really to hide. but obviously you have your team members there to help you,” he explains. As a professional athlete, Josh balances the physical side of his training with a strong emphasis on mental clarity and focus. He explains that while he used to feel nervous before a game, goal setting and positive self-talk has been instrumental in his success. “I normally have two or three points I just talk to myself about before the game, but they are to do with the training and what

Image: Hockey Australia

“Yarra gave me a lot of opportunities and developed me not only as a student but definitely as a person.” I’m doing well. It fills me with confidence that I’ve got the ability to be there. That pep talk before the game refocuses me and takes the nerves away,” he says. Crediting his work with the Kookaburras, Josh explains that instead of falling back to any unfavourable habits in a high pressure game, he has instead been able to revert to his team-trained habits. Much like decorated tennis player Rafael Nadal, Josh is also quite particular about his pre-match routine. “I like my drink bottles to be in the right spot, square on the bench. I always like to touch the centre line before we walk out, that’s always been a kind of superstition of mine.” Though heavily involved at a high level of hockey as a young person, Josh still maintains his love for the game by enjoying the fun side of it. “I’ve seen a lot of kids not necessarily get burnt out but get sick of playing the sport. They take it too seriously and forget the fun aspect of it,” he says.

Explaining that he didn’t make the Under 15s or Under 16s state hockey team, Josh persisted with his training and has seen great success ever since. “If I’m the only Victorian here, that means that no one from that Under 16s state team that I missed out on has then gone to this level. Enjoy your friends. You can make lifetime friends, especially out of hockey as a team sport like this. Don’t beat yourself up and make sure you enjoy the fun moments.” Josh speaks highly not only of his current coaching team at the Kookaburras, but of all the junior coaches he has played with, especially those at Doncaster Hockey Club, where he is still involved. As well as his hockey network, Josh’s family and friends play a crucial role in his success as a sportsman. He is full of praise and appreciation for his partner, Chloe, who he says makes a big commitment to regularly get on a plane and visit him in Perth. Josh is also deeply appreciative of his parents, Craig and Rochelle, for their unwavering

support and continued encouragement. “Mum and Dad obviously gave me a lot of opportunities to do junior, state and national tournaments, which cost money. As a young guy, this gave me the opportunity to become better,” Josh explains.

“Mr Wallace was probably one of my favourite teachers at the school.” As well as Adam Wallace and Grant Allison, Josh also credits former Head of Boys’ Sport, Bryan Harper, as having a significant impact on him at the school.

“Over the last few years, they’ve helped a lot with me living interstate and moving away from home.”

“Bryan Harper shaped and helped me a lot, not only as an athlete but as a person,” Josh says.

Some of Josh’s closest friendships came through sport at Yarra Valley Grammar. A student at the school since Prep in 2001, Josh made many lifelong connections and valuable memories.

“Yarra gave me a lot of opportunities and developed me not only as a student but definitely as a person. I learned a lot from going to school at Yarra so I can’t thank them enough.”

A multifaceted sportsman, Josh began playing volleyball in Year 9 with some friends, coached by Adam Wallace. He notes that some of his fondest memories at Yarra revolved around volleyball tournaments with mates. “We were quite successful at it and won quite a few AGSV championships in year 10, 11 and 12 volleyball at the school, I loved doing it and was a bit of an escape away from hockey as another sport,” he says.

Josh and the Kookaburras begin their Olympic campaign against home country Japan on 25 July. Following the completion of his first Olympic Games in Tokyo, Josh is looking forward to spending the rest of the year with friends and family in Melbourne. At such a young age and with many great years ahead of him, Josh’s life and career so far has seen a whirlwind of life lessons, wonderful memories and success. Elle Cecil (YOG 2016)

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Olympic Qualifer Brendon Smith (YOG 2018) Brendon Smith’s love of swimming is a family affair. Graduating from Yarra Valley Grammar in 2018, Brendon is an accomplished swimmer and surf lifesaver with a long list of achievements to his name. However, the 21-year-old’s biggest achievement to date is making the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. At the Australian Olympic Trials in June, he qualified for the Men’s 200m Individual Medley, as well as the Men’s 400m Individual Medley with a new Australian record of 4:10.04. “After the race, my teammate came into my lane to congratulate me and told me I broke the Australian Record, I had no idea,” Brendon says. Smashing the Olympic qualifying time by more than five seconds, Brendon won Newcomer of the Meet and is now the fifth fastest man in the world in his event this season. “Straight after, all my teammates gathered around for a group hug and then I was allowed to go and see my mum in the corridor with my sisters Mikayla (YOG 2016) and Reidel (YOG 2020). It was a special moment.” Beginning with swimming lessons at age three, Brendon is a member of the Nunawading Swimming Club, where he swam with his three sisters, where his grandmother taught and where his dad was the club captain.

Brendon’s parents both competed in surf lifesaving at a national level and his grandmother was a swimming teacher for nearly 40 years.

drives 95 per cent of the time – but travelling in and out of the city in peak hours can get boring on your own, so I enjoy our time together,” he explains. Swimming and lifesaving at a competitive level since the age of eight, Brendon is no stranger to nerves before a big race. He says his family is always supportive and never put undue pressure on him to win.

“It was natural for the four of us to swim – we were always playing in the water,” Brendon says fondly.

“At a meet, our policy is we talk about anything but swimming. The only pressure then is coming from me and if you know you have done the work, any pressure is reduced,” Brendon says.

Brendon credits his family for their unwavering belief in him, as well as the sacrifices they make to cater for his career and success.

Explaining that he began to take swimming seriously when he was 15 or 16 years old, Brendon appreciated the support he received at school.

“My family support is amazing. I don’t know anyone that is lucky enough to have the same support I do. From my parents, siblings and even my grandparents who travel from New South Wales to all our state championships, national championships and even my international competition to watch and support me,” Brendon explains.

Admitting that his Year 12 studies were a struggle, Brendon qualified to swim with the Australian Swimming Team at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Fiji. He also qualified as a member of the Australian Surf Lifesaving Team in the same year.

“Living at home keeps me humble. My three sisters have also won Australian medals for swimming and lifesaving – I am just one of four.” “I am also lucky to have my sister Mikayla swimming in the same squad, so we can share the driving – to be honest she

As the school swimming captain in the Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria (AGSV) competition, Brendon says his education taught him more than just what he learned in classes. “It wasn’t until I went to university in 2019 that I realised how lucky I was at Yarra Valley Grammar with the extra assistance the school was providing and having things like a good laptop to take notes on,” says Brendon.

“Overall, being an athlete at school taught me many important life skills, with the most important being time management. You need to be able to be organised to fit everything into your day.” Now studying a Bachelor of Business (Accounting and Finance) at La Trobe University, Brendon studies part time to prepare for his post-swimming career. “I like my course at uni because I can do many subjects online which suits my situation. I will be spending many months overseas and when I am home my time is precious, so any time I can save by not travelling to and from uni is beneficial,” Brendon says. Swimming at such an elite level, it would seem that Brendon barely has time to think in between training and studying. “My time is extremely limited, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make to become the best athlete I can. I catch up with friends like Matt Higgins (YOG 2018) from school when I can, but I don’t go to places like nightclubs. I’m too tired!” With a total of nine swim sessions and three gym sessions a week, Brendon lives a jam-packed lifestyle. Sunday is his only day off as long as he doesn’t have a competition to attend. “Getting the right balance is always difficult for swimmers because of the time commitment to the sport. Many swimmers

“After the race, my teammate came into my lane to congratulate me and told me I broke the Australian Record, I had no idea,” Brendon says. 20

Image: Delly Carr, Swimming Australia

get burnt out because they don’t find a great balance,” says Brendon. Though not particularly superstitious, he always organises his swimming bag and indulges in a pasta for dinner the night before a race. When coming out to the pool for a race, regardless of the level of competition, Brendon always picks his mum out from the crowd and gives her a wave. Never underestimating the importance of a strong mental state, Brendon breaks down his goals into achievable tasks with differing timeframes. “I think the human brain is a major untapped source. Every athlete going to the Olympics is talented and will have worked hard to achieve,” Brendon muses. “Sometimes it’s the mental ability that makes the difference. In swimming, 0.01 seconds can be the difference between a gold or silver medal. It comes down to who wants it more and who is mentally stronger.” Focusing particularly on short and mid-term goals, Brendon’s immediate goals are to swim a personal best time in both his 200m and 400m Individual Medley events. “You must put faith in your ability. One of my favourite sayings is that ‘hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.’” Brendon’s mid-term goals include making the 2022

Commonwealth Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics. He also hopes to continue his professional relationship with Australian swimwear brand Funky Trunks. A sponsor since 2019, Brendon loves that he can combine his career and love of swimming with a business venture. “Funky Trunks have been amazing to me. This year they started sponsoring my sister, Mikayla, so it is a family affair,” Brendon says. Brendon represented Australia at the 2018 World Lifesaving Championships as the only Victorian in a team of 16 people. He ended up breaking two world records and winning a total of five medals. Brendon was also awarded Lifesaving Victoria’s Youth Athlete of the Year award in 2018. “I enjoy competing in surf lifesaving because it’s fun and I don’t feel any pressure. I love to race out in the ocean knowing that it’s not always the best swimmer that gets to win – they must also be able to run fast in and out of the water, along with an ability to catch and hold your breath on a wave,” he says. Brendon’s surf lifesaving allows him to have fun and to also give back to the community as a member of the Half Moon Bay Surf Lifesaving Club. “Every year I spend a minimum of 16 hours over summer as a volunteer lifeguard at Half Moon

Bay SLSC. The club has an extraordinarily strong tradition of team support and they have all been incredibly supportive in my swimming career. Go Mooners!” Having only turned 21 on 4 July this year, Brendon hopes that his young age will allow him to compete in more than one Olympic Games. He is confident in the organisers of the games as well as the Australian Olympic Team’s COVID plans to keep athletes and others safe. Brendon and the other Aussie Olympians spent two weeks in a COVID bubble in Cairns, with a strict testing regime. “All the Australian swimmers have been fully vaccinated, receiving their final jab the day after trials finished. This is to protect all the swimmers because if a swimmer tests positive all close contacts will be taken from the village,” says Brendon. “I’ve worked out that I will have had over 20 COVID tests before coming back into Australia!” In early July of this year, Brendon was retained by the New York Breakers professional swimming club, one of eight clubs of the International Swimming League (ISL). As one of only 15 swimmers chosen for the team, Brendon will star in the ISL’s third season in Italy, beginning in August and running for five weeks.

Brendon’s swimming idols include Michael Phelps of the USA, as well as fellow Aussie Rob Woodhouse. Since the 400m Individual Medley was added to the Olympics in 1964, there has only been one Aussie podium finisher in the men’s event. This was Rob Woodhouse’s bronze medal at the 1984 LA Olympics. “Since 2018, I have received the Rob Woodhouse Award from Swimming Victoria as the best male or female Individual Medley swimmer in Victoria,” Brendon says. “Last November I sat down and had a great chat with Rob Woodhouse over in Budapest. It was a huge highlight for me.” Emphasising the importance of truly enjoying what you’re doing, he urges others to always have fun with their sport or passion and not make it too much of a chore. Brendon also highly values his sleep and encourages other young people to do the same. Finally, he believes that setting achievable goals will make even the hardest of tasks possible. Regardless of the result, Brendon has undoubtedly done his family, his country and himself proud. Despite a gruelling training schedule, nothing can wipe the smile off of Brendon’s face. He’s done the work, and Tokyo awaits. Elle Cecil (YOG 2016)

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Yarra Old Grammarians news Sponsors Yarra Old Grammarians would like to thank the Premium Sponsors for the day listed below:

Annual Golf Day It was a fabulous start to 2021 to be able to hold our Annual Golf Day after two postponements from 2020. The event proved even more popular than ever as we sold out with almost a month to go! We had 120 golfers join us at the Metropolitan Golf Club in Oakleigh to compete for the coveted winner’s trophy. The Melbourne weather did not disappoint, with perfect conditions for a day of golf. We began with a delicious light lunch in the club rooms at this new venue for our annual event before heading out on the immaculate greens. It was lovely to have so many new faces joining us. The talented winners this year were Rohan Lawton (YOG 1993), Matt Laing (YOG 1993), Jack Harper (YOG 2012) and Bryan Harper (past Yarra staff member). With a nett score of 55.75 they took home a SureShot Laser each. Second place went to Scott Davis (YOG 1999), Dave Smith (YOG 1999), Andy Smith and Saf Marikar with a net score of 56 and they each took home

a new golf bag. Third place with a nett score of 56.5 was Cameron Box (YOG 1989), Daniel Ireland (YOG 1989), Bart Drew (YOG 1989) and Dennis Drew who will have enjoyed the Contigo Bottles and Golf Umbrellas. All of these stunning prizes were thanks to the generosity of MGI Golf. Our congratulations to all teams who put in such an amazing effort. Other winners on the day included Nick Maclennan (YOG 2013), Russel Kight and Arielle Cathcart who all took the lead for Longest Drive or Nearest the Pin on the elected holes to enjoy some Mac Forbes wines. All winners from the day also received gift cards thanks to House of Golf, Ringwood.

We sincerely thank all our sponsors for their kind generosity which helps to make this event such a success. To view all the photos from the Golf Day, please visit the YOG page on the School’s website. A big thanks to Paul Shire for his incredible work in capturing the many emotions of the teams. Next year we will return to the Metropolitan Golf Club on Monday 28 March 2022. We hope to see you there. Please sign up to receive notification of ticket sales at: www.yvg.vic.edu.au/YOGGolf

2CONSTRUCT FUJI XEROX HIGGINS INTERLEAVE AUSTRALIA PRIME SUPER And thank you to our Event Sponsors:

AMC COMMERCIAL CLEANING FIELDMANS WASTE MANAGEMENT INFRATECH ELECTRICAL SERVICES JELLIS CRAIG WHITEHORSE LILYDALE SAFETY WEAR MGI GOLF STEADFAST FREIGHT MANAGEMENT THE HOUSE OF GOLF, RINGWOOD VENTURA

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Yarra Old Grammarians news

YOG v First XI Cricket Match The game began with the Yarra Valley Grammar First XI bowling and the Yarra Old Grammarians batting. Blake Matheson opened the bowling and struck early by bowling Joel Gleeson (YOG 2013) for 15. The other opening batsmen, Jordan Goldsmith (YOG 2013) started positively, hitting some beautiful shots over square leg for boundaries, until Nicholas Bell got the ball in hand and bowled him middle stump with a slower bowl for 16. The YVG First XI was on top of the game until Randal McDonnell (YOG 1979) came to the crease and hit a solid 23 runs, boosting the YOGs’ final score to 111 off 22 overs. YOG team captain Michael Letson (YOG 2006) also offered strong support and contributed 21.

and Kanhai Patel they began to boost the YVG First XI total and started to show a good chance of winning. But when those two batsmen were dismissed, the YOGs started to push forward with their bowling. With the help of Tom Szabo (YOG 2011), Michael Letson (YOG 2006) and Randal McDonnell (YOG 1979) each taking wickets, they kept the YVG First XI to 100 runs from the 22 overs, allowing the YOGs to take the win over the YVG First XI. Kieran Rice finished with 22 not out for the First XI.

YVG First XI’s batting innings did not get off to a strong start, with Blake Matheson getting run out by a brilliant piece of fielding by Jordan Goldsmith (YOG 2013) at short mid-on. However, with a solid partnership from Nicholas Bell

A special thanks to Joshua Bernet (Year 10) for filling in for the Yarra Valley First XI team, and well played taking 2 wickets in his 2 overs with the ball.

YOG TEAM

STUDENT TEAM

Matthew Bell (YOG 1991)

Rhonan Appleby (Year 11)

Kane Church (YOG 2020)

Nicholas Bell (Year 12)

Joel Gleeson (YOG 2013)

Joshua Bernet (Year 10)

Jordan Goldsmith (YOG 2013)

Blake Matheson (Year 12)

Michael Letson (YOG 2006)

Kanhai Patel (Year 10)

Randal McDonnell (YOG 1979)

Thomas Pollock (Year 11)

Matthew Sealey (YOG 2010)

Nicholas Rule (Year 12)

Tom Szabo (YOG 2011)

Armaan Sandu (Year 11)

Matthew Wierzbicki (YOG 2012)

Matthew Waddington (Year 12)

Billy Wilson (YOG 2012)

Matthew Waddington Year 12

Kieran Rice (Year 11)

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Yarra Old Grammarians news

Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club It’s been a challenging year to date for the Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club. It started brightly as we announced Michael Vozzo as new coach for the club. Michael had an incredible career in the AFL as an umpire. He umpired 281 games including two Grand Finals in 2006 and 2008. Michael came to the club after Rob Drew stepped down after five years coaching the club in two stints.

Coming off a year disrupted, then cancelled, due to COVID-19 it was always going to be hard to get the attention of all the players. In the male program we struggled with numbers for the whole pre-season. On the other hand the girls continued to show strong numbers off the back of their 2019 premiership. Once the season had got under way we have had some strong wins. The girls knocked off the top team Melbourne Uni in

Round 5 and the male side smashed local rivals Aquinas in the first round. Unfortunately these highlights didn’t come often enough and all four sides are sitting outside the four. The club is rebuilding their list and would love to see some current Year 12 students from the school come down and have a kick and enjoy success with the club like so many past students.

We are looking forward to our Annual Footy Ball in July, which is sure to be a wonderful night for the club to socialise and raise some funds through our popular auction. Rob Drew (YOG 2000) Life Member, Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club

YOGs at the Good Friday Appeal On Friday 2 April we saw a record number of over 750 Yarra Valley Grammar community members head out to door knock for the Good Friday Appeal. This included students, YOGs, parents, staff and friends giving up their time to help raise money for the Royal Children’s Hospital. This event is held annually at the School, and has been a great way for our younger YOGs in particular to keep in touch with a community project they may have been involved with for many years.

Our total from the day was $48,693.79 which not only won us the Pied Pipers Trophy once again, it also set a new record!

Career Bytes We are very excited for our new YOG initiative, Career Bytes. A Career Byte is a short, two minute video of a YOG talking about their journey since School. They are easily searchable by students, YOGs and parents. You can search by industry, occupation, tertiary institution, tertiary course or Year 12 subjects studied.

The aim of Career Bytes is to provide short, sharp information on various careers in an easily digested format for both current students and young YOGs, whilst showing where different Year 12 subjects can take you. As an added bonus, they provide a way for YOGs to reconnect and contribute back to the School in a simple, but very meaningful way. With any new initiative we are always looking for as much help as possible! We would love to build up our Career Bytes to provide as much help for our students as possible before we launch to the student cohort. Please view some sample videos and submit your own by visiting www.yvg.vic.edu. au/career-bytes.

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Yarra Community Groups

Yarra Parents & Friends Yarra Parents & Friends (P&F) has a very important, varied role. We connect parents and fundraise for both internal and external projects. It offers our community the opportunity to get involved and also provides a social network that supports our children as they move through Yarra Valley Grammar. As we come out of our second lockdown this year with remote learning, we see the resilience and growth our children have developed with the challenges placed before them. We thank the amazing teachers of Yarra for their support and appreciate the efforts they go to in being adaptive. Since the last edition of The Link we have been able to offer a number of regular initiatives like our Second-Hand Uniform Shop which raised $5,854 last year. We would like to thank Jess Cameron for taking on the volunteer role of manager for the shop, filling in big shoes

from Cathy Hainslin. We would also like to sincerely thank all the volunteers that help out on a regular basis. Unfortunately, in 2020 we were not able to do our normal array of regular activities such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stalls and breakfasts. This continued with the MOPS luncheon, Biggest Morning Tea, Comedy night plus social parent functions all cancelled due to lockdowns. A big thank you to all the Year Level Representatives. Many have set up and maintained Facebook pages to communicate to all parents, particularly in the Junior School year levels, which have proven very successful and a great way to stay connected in such an isolated year. The Pavilion Café was also unable to proceed due to Saturday Sport being cancelled last year but we have managed to open for a number of Saturdays this winter before we were placed into lockdown again.

Thanks to Kathryn Goldsmith and Scott Cameron for taking this management role on. We were also able to support the Easter raffle for Junior School and raised $1,678.70 which was donated to The Royal Children’s Hospital. Other money raised via P&F is directly fed back into the school. Our regular initiatives include Middle and Senior school badges, Grade 6 Plaques, the Year 12 BBQ and lolly pots for seriously ill children. We also purchased a few extra items in 2020 due to COVID-19. We organised a message from Boy George to provide some comic relief for Father’s Day, cards and a poem for Mother’s Day, coffee mugs supporting Year 12s going through a particularly difficult year, and hand sanitiser for

every Yarra student. We also purchased Thank You cookies, student designed bookmarks and a display of gratitude ribbons for all the teachers and support staff to show our appreciation for all their hard work. We were very excited to be able to facilitate Lee Waters to do two timely zoom presentations to support parents and families during lockdown. Whilst COVID has caused us to change and adapt to doing things a little differently, it gave us the opportunity to try a few new fundraising initiatives. We introduced a Christmas Fundraising Drive and a Hot Cross Bun Easter Drive. Both of these were very successful and we believe can be built on moving forward.

Click here to view Boy George’s message

We cancelled our Second Hand Book Stall in 2019, and our Second Hand Facebook page, was utilised in its place. This has continued to prove a useful tool for parents. We were also able to donate $15,000 worth of books and stationary to the Les Twentyman Foundation. Excitedly, this year we have been able to hold more social activities. We held our Welcome Back to Yarra Picnic and had a record attendance of 835 people. On a perfect summer night, it was a great way to catch up with both old and new friends and share the Yarra Spirit. We have also been able to celebrate Mother’s Day, with Junior and Senior School Breakfasts and also the Junior School Mother’s Day stall.

Through this we were able to donate $11,602.43 to this year’s nominated charity, Big Group Hug, along with much needed winter clothing for families. We also held our Annual MOPS Luncheon at Rosebank North and enjoyed reconnecting with old Yarra friends. Please remember that every parent of Yarra Valley Grammar, past and present, is automatically a member of Yarra P&F. Should you wish to get involved you are always welcome to come along to our meetings either in person or via Zoom. Robyn McKinnell President, Yarra Parents & Friends

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Yarra Community Groups

Yarra Music After being unable to hold Food, Wine and Music in 2020, a record breaking 680 guests enjoyed this first music event of the year for 2021. Food, Wine and Music, the main fundraiser for Yarra Music, was a sell-out success! Ticket holders were treated to food packs and wine tasting, all held under tight COVID safe guidelines. It was a welcome relief for us as we initially started planning for the event through an online meeting under lockdown, and with a strong prospect of a restricted number of attendees. As the number of guests grew, and with COVID distancing guidelines changing, holding the event inside Foundation Hall was not possible, so a new location was used. This year for the first time, Food, Wine and Music was held outdoors in the south side section next to the entrance of the PAC. Volunteers helped put up marquees, wine tasting stalls, food and drink stalls, prepared carry bags containing the popular souvenir Yarra Music Wine glasses and arranged refreshments for the 330 student performers. Guests were treated to wine tasting from four local wineries, and for the first time were able to purchase bottles online. Our Silent Auction also featured over 40 items for online bidding, raising funds towards the purchase of big-ticket musical instrument items, while also 30

showcasing donated products and services from many local friends and businesses. New donors are always welcome to join our Silent Auction by emailing us at music@yvg.vic. edu.au. After the food and wine part of the event, all guests were delighted by an outstanding concert (the music part) provided by student performers and led by the Director of Music, Mr Scott Templeton. Holding the first half of the event outdoors meant that Yarra Music volunteers enjoyed a full moon whilst packing up the marquees and stalls. Yarra Music are proud sponsors of the annual Concerto Competition, which this year saw 11 talented musical students judged while performing a piece accompanied only by a piano. The winner was given the honour

to perform with the Symphony Orchestra later in the year. Also this year, we are looking forward to providing the annual Yarra Music Scholarship. This provides one year of tuition and instrument hire, awarded to a promising Year 7 student. Yarra Music also plan to support musical instrument purchases for the Junior School. A favourite event Jazz in the Café is to be held at the end of July and promises to be a fun night mixing fundraising with the talented jazz ensembles and performers. Benjamin Vella President, Yarra Music

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Yarra Community Groups

Yarra Drama Yarra Drama was thrilled to be back in action in May 2021, with our first event being the long-awaited Senior School production of Matilda the Musical. The show was a huge success and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who managed to secure tickets. Ticket sales were stronger than ever and for the first time in Yarra’s history for a school production we had to open the balcony level of the George Wood Performing Arts Centre. The show featured 27 very talented students including Timothy Coote (YOG 2020) who was able to return to Yarra to be part of the performance after finishing school last year. Supported by Yarra’s own band, each show was performed to live music, with props and back stage also produced and managed in house. The Yarra Drama group extended the Matilda theme into the foyer and kiosk which offered refreshments for the audience. With record sales, contributions will go towards enhancing the student and family experiences of future drama productions.

We look forward to supporting the Drama Department with two more 2021 school productions scheduled, Tuck Everlasting in August (Middle School) and Aladdin in October (Junior School). We hope to see many of you there! Follow us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/groups/ yarradrama Natasha Hopkins and Stephanie Holman Co-Presidents, Yarra Drama

Yarra Canoe & Kayak As with all other aspects of our lives, the 2020/21 Kayak season was a little unusual. Training at the end of 2020 was unable to go ahead and a short training season in February and March 2021 followed. Once it resumed, twice weekly training was well attended. Increased demand from over 45 students meant a full bus of enthusiastic participants enjoyed paddling on Lilydale Lake on Wednesday afternoons and the specific allocation of students to alternating sessions. Our advanced paddlers continued to develop on the remaining Friday morning sessions whilst light allowed. It was also great to hear students enjoyed the recently purchased

new TK1 kayak. We are fortunate to have two more TK2s arriving in time for next season. Despite a short training season, Yarra had a strong team of students participate in the 2021 Victorian Schools Marathon and Sprint Championships held at Lake Nagambie on a cool Sunday in March. With the support of Mr Hodges, Mr. Mannion and coach Rachel De Kretser, the students made

Yarra and spectating parents proud. All showed great sportsmanship and support for their fellow team members, with some taking out places in marathon and sprint events.

Kayaking is a wonderful outdoor activity for students and one where they can improve at their own pace and enjoy the company of students from other year levels.

On the day, the team was immensely successful bringing back 14 medals from our 10 competitors. This was inclusive of 4 golds shared amongst both students that are upcoming and those in their penultimate year of schools competition. We are really grateful to parents who came to support the event and the continued support of Mr Hodges and Mr Ratcliffe.

With increasing student interest we are also looking for a new parent representative for 2021/22 to support Brendan and Benjamin for the next summer season. Chrissy Wasley President, Yarra Canoe & Kayak

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Yarra Old Grammarian profiles

Tiana Koehrer, YOG 2014 PROJECT OFFICER, FIRST PEOPLES’ ASSEMBLY OF VICTORIA Tiana Koehrer joined Yarra in Year 7, only a few weeks after the devastating Black Saturday bushfires swept through Victoria. “Joining Yarra at that time was important for me – it was a defining moment. I arrived on my own but I ended up meeting a wide range of people and personalities. Everyone knew everyone in my year level and I’m still good friends with my Year 7 group.” Tiana remembers Year 7 camp being moved due to the bushfires and later the excitement of the Debutante Ball. She also remembers teachers who had an impact on her because of their unbridled passion for their subjects. “Being in philosophy classes with Mr Manning opened my eyes to the world. There were many interesting debates.” Tiana is a proud Yorta Yorta and Wurundjeri woman and since leaving school and studying Public Relations, she’s used her communication and organisational skills to work within Aboriginal communities. “I resonate with my Aboriginal culture and heritage. My grandmother is a Wurundjeri elder who is heavily involved in the justice system and I’m grateful that my family have documented our history and connections,” she says.

Tiana works in the treaty process with organisations and the state government. The end aim is to navigate agreements with Aboriginal traditional land owners on issues that can include water rights, reparation and language revival. “It is a big step for Victorian Aboriginal people and it is a complex process but Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people can benefit, share and learn about our culture, language and experiences,” says Tiana. Yarra’s motto remains firm inspiration for her, years after leaving the school. “To me it means seeing beyond the horizon, rather than just looking at what is in front of you. It’s about keeping moving ahead and I carry that with me. I also remember going to see the counsellor at Yarra to talk about careers, because I felt anxious –I didn’t know what I wanted to do then. He said ‘maybe the career you want to do doesn’t exist yet, so make up your own.’ That was one of the most important pieces of advice I’ve received.”

“Every opportunity you miss, leads you towards something better.”

Anthony Basford, YOG 1985 CEO EAST GIPPSLAND SHIRE COUNCIL “My experiences at Yarra are part of who I am and what I do today.” During devastating bushfires that ripped through East Gippsland last summer, Anthony Basford recalls a moment that brought home the enormity of the situation. “I vividly remember standing on a high point next to the Mitchell River in Bairnsdale and the whole sky was red. As far as I could see, the horizon was glowing as the fire burned. It was extraordinary to see,” he says. The Black Summer fires destroyed about 250 homes and burned about one million hectares of land but after some good rainfall, the paddocks are green once more. “People in East Gippsland are resilient and they value their connections to community. People love living here,” says Anthony. Anthony joined Yarra Valley Grammar in Grade 5 and has good memories of School Camps and Geography classes that allowed him to explore the great outdoors. “We went to Central Australia in Year 10. We travelled by bus and visited Uluru, camped, saw floods at Lake Eyre and flowers on the Birdsville Track…awesome.” This influenced his decision to study Environmental Science at university. After his degree, Anthony travelled and this remains a passion. He has explored Europe and America, and Easter Island and Alaska are on his wish list.

Anthony began his working life as a teacher in the UK where he helped children from disadvantaged backgrounds who were challenging the school system. When he returned to Australia a few years later, he moved to local government. In his current role as CEO, he oversees the bushfire recovery activities and the provision of support and amenities so communities can renew and rebuild. “Being a leader is a journey – we’re a collection of our experiences over time. Leading this organisation is a team effort and I’m committed to the job and to leading this organisation through some extraordinary times. COVID-19 has added another twist but the people in this area are very resilient.” The Yarra motto still holds relevancy for Anthony years after he left the school. “I’m an optimistic person and ‘no’ is not in my vocabulary. I once read a quote that said ‘while someone is saying that something can’t be done, someone else is doing it’. It’s important to have optimism. “I also think it’s important to do the right thing, even if that is hard. We all face hurdles but you have to get over them, move on and do what you want to do.”

“My experiences at Yarra are part of who I am and what I do today.”

Inspired by YAR R A

To hear Rev Paul Joy’s interviews with these YOGs please go to: www.yvg.vic.edu.au/podcast

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Yarra Old Grammarian profiles

Kristen Collins, YOG 1992 DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE MANAGER Kristen arrived at Yarra in Year 11 at a time when girls were only enrolled in Years 11 and 12. She had been at an all girls’ school since Prep so says her first day at Yarra was a culture shock. “I’ll never forget the first assembly in the old basketball stadium. We walked in and all the boys’ eyes were on us. But I never felt unwelcome,” she says. Kristen got involved in as many activities and interests as she could at school – from Drama and Debating to Music, Psychology and English Literature. “I loved debating. It gives you confidence to speak in front of people, helps you develop critical thinking and teaches you to think on your feet,” says Kristen. Kristen became School Captain, so her public speaking skills came in handy. The role also taught her some valuable lessons about leadership. “To me, good leadership is not about you as the leader, it’s bringing the best out of a team. You set targets and a strategy but it’s the team’s journey to achieving those things that’s important,” she says. “Leadership is like being a conductor – you have various parts of a business and they need to sing to the same tune.”

Kristen did an Arts degree and then travelled while she worked out her future career path. Her altruistic nature saw her lean towards international development work and she initially joined the International Development Division of an engineering company. She now works with a business working on multi-million dollar projects in the Indo-Pacific region. “International development tries to make the world a better place for as many people as possible. We might work on a large infrastructure project to improve water supply and sanitation, or improve roads to provide better access to education or healthcare facilities. “People still have poor or no sanitation so it’s important that the work continues, even in this COVID world. It’s a privilege to make a small difference in people’s lives.” Kristen says her time at Yarra gave her so many opportunities to go out into the world. “At Yarra, you could try things. It was all there for you and it was up to you to have a go. That mindset gives you quiet confidence to try things once you leave school. Yarra gave me confidence to lead a productive life and to chase dreams.”

“My two years at Yarra made a key contribution to my confidence to explore and grab opportunities.”

Jon Adam, YOG 2006 DIGITAL DELIVERY MANAGER Jon Adam dreamed of coming to Yarra when he was in primary school. “I went to primary school nearby and on the drive to school, I’d pass Yarra and saw the kids playing on the sports fields and I knew I wanted to come here. I knew this was the right place for me,” he says. Jon enrolled in Year 7 and immersed himself in athletics and soccer. “I loved going to the soccer pitch every Saturday morning with friends. It was all about being outside and spending time with my mates,” says Jon. Jon’s favourite subjects at school focused on creativity and included Visual Communication & Design (VCD), Photography, Woodworking and IT. He wasn’t as interested in Maths because he couldn’t see how, in the future, it might apply to his world, but he now uses Maths a lot in his day-to-day work. “I struggled with Maths because I could never see how it would apply to real world applications. But you have to get through it and I had fantastic support from teachers. “I always found English a bit of a challenge, too, but the more I did it, the better I became. I remember that in Year 11 I got a good score for an essay and I was astonished. But I attribute a lot of my growth during those years to being surrounded by passionate teachers.” After VCE, Jon studied Advanced Multimedia which combined Technology and

Design. He did a two-year advanced diploma at Swinburne and then an extra year of study, which gave him a degree plus plenty of hands-on experience and practical tools. He now works with major consumer electronic brands and services to understand customer issues and to design user-friendly digital solutions to help resolve those customer problems. In the past decade his team has grown from four people to 30 members. “Technology is an increasing part of our lives, but it is an aid. You still need someone to steer technology in the right direction,” he says. Jon has many happy memories of days at Yarra – from playing saxophone and displaying his discus-throwing skills at athletics events, to enjoying his daily peanut butter sandwich at lunchtime and getting his first part-time job at Hungry Jack’s so he could save for a new snowboard. He credits his parents for their willingness to make sacrifices so he could go to Yarra and take on board the school’s values. “I learned to be humble, to appreciate what I have and to always look to the future,” he says.

“I appreciate the opportunities I had here – otherwise I would not have been able to explore everything I’ve done.”

Inspired by YAR R A

To hear Rev Paul Joy’s interviews with these YOGs please go to: www.yvg.vic.edu.au/podcast

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Class of 1990 30 Year Out Reunion SATURDAY 22 MAY, BROOKE NICHOLAS PAVILION, YARRA VALLEY GRAMMAR

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Creatathon The online learning environment of 2020 encouraged us all to look for new ways to connect online. Creatathon was devised as a fun way for students and our Yarra community to use their creativity, imagination and problem solving skills to solve a number of challenges whilst staying connected and collaborating with friends and colleagues. Students, staff, parents and community members signed up as part of a team (3-7 people) or as individuals (and we helped create teams).

The event was held in 2020. We had 24 teams compete with over 90 participants submitting over 100 challenge entries. Our inaugural year saw two winners for the event – The Cement Heads and Team Average! We would like to congratulate everyone who participated, got creative, collaborated, stayed connected, contributed and were part of the amazing Yarra Creatathon Community.

A lasting gift In February, the School was delighted to receive a donation of some artwork from the estate of the late Lesley Jonas. Amanda Knox presented the paintings, by Pip Davey (YOG 1982) to Dr Merry and Ngaire Thomson, Head of Art, Design and Technology. Sadly, Lesley passed away in December 2019 after a long battle with cancer. Lesley had a long association with Yarra Valley Grammar, managing the Yarra Café, catering all Yarra events, working in the Food Tech department, as well as, with Amanda, running the Yarra Sports Food van on a Saturday morning. She was also a great supporter of the Yarra Fete and

was a keen purchaser of art, including these paintings, from the Yarra Art Show. The art is displayed in the recently renovated School House. The School would like to thank Amanda and the Jonas family for this gift in Lesley’s memory.

From the Archives Chris Lawson was appointed to Yarra Valley Grammar as Deputy Principal, Head of Junior School at the commencement of Term 3 in 2006. Prior to that time, he had served very successfully as Deputy Head of Malvern Campus, Caulfield Grammar School (1995-97) and as Head of Campus, Geelong College Preparatory School (1998-2006). Chris came to us highly recommended and soon proved very worthy of that recommendation. Staff and students alike found him personable, friendly and encouraging. Students often found him involving himself with their sporting, performance or playground activities. His colleagues appreciated his efforts to improve their teaching and to further their own career aspirations. Thanks in large part to his efforts, numbers in the Junior School grew considerably during his time here and a third stream was added to each of Years 5 and 6. In conjunction with the School Principal and architects, he was involved in planning the new building for

the Early Learning Centre which opened in 2009 and the Senior Primary building which opened a year later. Before his retirement at the end of 2020 he also undertook an interest in the planning for the new Junior Primary building. Chris completed his time at Yarra Valley Grammar at the end of 2020. We hope that he enjoys a fulfilling retirement along with the love of his life Jan, whom he met many years ago while training as a teacher at Ballarat College of Advanced Education. John Close Archivist

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Celebrations Babies

SAMANTHA (YOG 2003) AND BEN IND (YOG 2001)

ROB DREW (YOG 2000) AND CARLY

Samantha and Ben welcomed Chloe Montana Ind on the 15 August 2020. Chloe joined big brother Pacey to grow the family to four.

Rob and Carly welcomed Freddie Harrison Drew, their third son at the end of 2020. The now family of five has been settling in well together.

STEPH PANNACH (YOG 2002) AND JOSHUA

CAITLIN SIMMONDS (YOG 2010) AND ROB

Harry Pannach was born 8 April 2021. He joins big brother James to grow Steph and Joshua’s family to four.

Milla Grace Marks arrived in the early hours on 16 June 2021. Caitlin, Rob and Milla are all doing well as they settle in.

Weddings LINDA BURCHETT (YOG 2016) AND TIMOTHY JANCZUCK

SAM HARPER (YOG 2015) AND GEORGIA ROGERS (YOG 2015)

Linda and Timothy married on 12 December 2020. It was a beautiful day. Two fellow YOGS also joined them as part of the bridal party – Kaela Burchett (YOG 2018) and Emily Wookey (YOG 2016).

Sam and Georgia married on 10 July 2021 at the Torquay RACV Resort, a special day with family and friends. They then honeymooned in their favourite spot up the Great Ocean Road in Wye River.

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Ian Lee

Vale

Ian Lee, former Head of Music at Yarra Valley Grammar’s Junior School, passed away peacefully in his sleep on 26 September 2020 at the age of 90. Ian spent much of his working life at Yarra – from 1970 until he retired in 1992. For most of that time he was in charge of Junior School Music and was therefore involved in many Junior School productions, music nights and the like. We remember him as an involved and very friendly colleague.

Peter Lindstedt (YOG 1971) Peter passed away on 12 October 2020 after a battle with cancer. He was a knowledgeable, caring and considerate family man who earned considerable respect in his community. After graduating from YVG, Peter studied Medicine at Monash University, and after two years at Western General Hospital, moved to Bairnsdale as a GP to the GECAC Aboriginal Cooperative. Soon after he also established a private practice in Paynesville and served his community tirelessly and selflessly until his premature passing. Due to COVID restrictions there was only immediate family and close friends at his funeral, but the large number of people who viewed the live stream of the ceremony was testament to the great love and respect felt for Peter throughout the Bairnsdale district.

Daniel Christie (YOG 1984) After a short illness Dan died on 14 April 2021. The son of Les and Helen Christie, Dan was a student at YVG from Year 1 to Year 12.

John Lawrence (YOG 1972) Foundation student John died of prostate cancer on 19 December 2020. After his Yarra Valley Grammar years John took an honours degree in Arts at La Trobe University and later a Master’s degree in Health Sciences from Victoria University. He then took an active role in many health organisations. In more recent times his company,

J. Lawrence and Associates, took a role in designing, co-ordinating and promoting environmental education connected with new manufacturing projects. The company created and ran the Manufacturing Futures Competition.

An active sportsman, he captained the Hockey First XI for two years, playing as centre half. He also kept wickets and opened the batting for the Cricket First XI during those same two years. Dan was an excellent student, winning a Premier’s Award for gaining full marks in Accounting under the tutelage of the late Geoff Habben. At the University of Melbourne he lived at Queens College and graduated in

Accounting and then in Law. After university he first joined the firm of Purves, Clarke and Richards but then soon set himself up as a successful barrister.

Matthew Vaughan (YOG 1994) Matthew died on the 28 January 2021 after a long illness. Many of his former school friends attended his funeral. After finishing at Yarra Valley Grammar Matthew took a gap year before completing an Honours Degree in Social Science at RMIT. He then travelled extensively in the U.K. and Europe, finally landing in Turkey teaching English. Returning to Australia he then took a Master’s degree in English as a Second

Language from Swinburne and taught there for several years. 2012-2014 were spent teaching in Hong Kong and Nanjing where he became ill. That illness continued on his return to Australia although his passing in January came unexpectedly.

Robert (Bob) Newman O.A.M. Born in Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire and educated at Epsom College, Surrey, Bob Newman emigrated to Australia in 1946 as a seventeen-year-old. Here he became a forester, indeed a passionate forester, and his career in this field was to extend over a very long period of 65 years.

Jenny Rolleston Jenny Rolleston spent 24 years of her life as an incredible educator of deaf and hard of hearing students in Yarra Valley Grammar’s Hearing Unit, thirteen of those as Head of the unit. She led and guided the students, the Hearing Unit staff and the mainstream staff in the advancement of the students, in issues of deafness and in the latest teaching practices to enable the successful inclusion and integration of the students into mainstream education at Yarra Valley Grammar. She had an infectious smile together with a great sense of humour and wonderful laughter. She was involved with the Association of Teachers of the Deaf (AATD) and a member

of the Hearing Unit Steering Committee. She got the greatest pleasure out of seeing the Hearing Unit students achieving, whether it be when speaking at assembly or when performing their personal best on the sporting field or in an examination.

A good friend of Robin and Janet Clarke and of their family, he was, in 1964, brought into the School’s recently formed Council (now Board) which was planning to found a new private school in Melbourne’s outer east. He served on our Council until 1968 when his career took him to Canberra to live. That eminent career was to lead to the award of an O.A.M. for his services in a professional and administrative capacity to forestry. Also mentioned in

the citation of the award were his services to the community and, in particular, to the sport of rugby union. Bob’s enthusiasm for rugby union commenced at his school where he was awarded colours for it (and also for three other sports). In later life he remained very much involved in the sport and even sang in the Australian Rugby Choir. In later life he also returned to study and in 2018, at the age of 89, he was awarded his Master of Science from the Southern Cross University.

Jenny Rolleston was a totally committed educator of deaf and hard of hearing children, a true leader and wonderful colleague. After a long illness, which she bore marvelously well, she died on 25 October 2020.

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Help us reconnect Thank you to everyone who has already assisted us with our Help us reconnect campaign. As a result, we have successfully reconnected with many Yarra Old Grammarians but we still have more who are missing. We value our past student community and would like to keep everyone up to date on school news, events and reunions. If you are able to assist in contacting any of the following YOGs, please contact the Development office on 03 9262 7717 or email development@yvg.vic.edu.au Year First Name Surname

Year First Name Surname

1971 Rogan 1971 Andrew 1971 Robert 1971 Andrew 1971 Shane 1971 Robert 1971 Robin 1971 Philip 1971 Ian 1971 Mark 1971 Stephen 1971 Jeffrey 1971 Richard 1971 Andrew 1971 Chris 1971 Lindsay 1971 Peter 1971 David 1971 Andrew 1980 Richard 1980 Grant 1980 Roger 1980 Scott 1980 Sally-Anne 1980 Barbara 1980 Stephen 1980 Christopher 1980 Peter 1980 Timothy 1980 Stuart 1980 Mark 1980 Mark 1980 David 1980 Christine 1980 Scott 1980 Niki 1980 Chris 1980 Paul 1980 Sarah 1980 Philip 1980 Julian 1980 Dorianne 1980 Joanne 1980 Meredith 1980 Paul 1980 Tracy 1980 John 1980 Adam 1980 Grant 1980 Shannon 1980 Jonathan 1980 Simon 1980 Garry 1980 Richard 1980 Simon 1981 Gordon

1981 Simon 1981 Christopher 1981 Jeremy 1981 Christopher 1981 David 1981 Craig 1981 Wayne 1981 Ian 1981 Neil 1981 Kim 1981 Craig 1981 Timothy 1981 Timothy 1981 Robert 1981 Deborah 1981 Carol 1981 Wesley 1981 Andrew 1981 Stephen 1981 Lachlan 1981 John 1981 Nicholas 1981 Timothy 1981 Catherine 1981 Stuart 1981 Stuart 1981 Tracie 1981 Ian 1981 Sarah 1981 Richard 1981 Gary 1981 John 1981 Grahame 1981 Andrew 1991 Paul 1991 Gregory 1991 Sarah 1991 Lydia 1991 Adrian 1991 Ross 1991 Ashley 1991 Georgia 1991 Toby 1991 Robert 1991 Sara 1991 Jonathan 1991 Christopher 1991 Richard 1991 Adam 1991 Elizabeth 1991 Craig 1991 Michelle 1991 Angus 1991 Simon 1991 Jonathon 1991 Nicholas 1991 Susan 1991 Cameron

1991 Duncan 1991 Matthew 1991 Narelle 1991 Richard 1991 Simone 1991 Belinda 1991 Kym 1991 Nicole 1991 Benjamin 1991 Nerida 1991 Callum 1991 Jarrod 1991 Paul 1991 Kellee 1991 Grit 1991 Joanne 1991 Ian 1991 Simon 1991 Melanie 1991 Trent 1991 Justine 1991 Matthew 1991 Todd 1991 Rene 1991 Dawn 1991 Adam 1991 Lisa 1991 Nigel 1991 Baden 1991 Jacqueline 1991 Thomas 1991 Melissa 2000 Carson 2000 Scott 2000 Kyle 2000 Adam 2000 Ryan 2000 Simon 2000 Kimberley 2000 Lee 2000 Krystal 2000 Peter 2000 Matthew 2000 Justin 2000 Charlotte 2000 Christopher 2000 Michael 2000 Matthew 2000 Martin 2000 Christopher 2000 James 2000 Paul 2000 Christopher 2000 Andrew 2000 Robert 2000 Lawrence 2000 Abbey 2000 Kane

2000 Christopher 2000 Jason 2000 Sam 2000 Shane 2000 Christian 2000 Timothy 2000 Kevin 2000 Trent 2000 Daniel G 2000 Bradley 2000 Alexander 2000 Robert 2001 Jeanne 2001 James 2001 Eleise 2001 Kate 2001 Adam 2001 Eloise 2001 Peter 2001 Kate 2001 Jonathan 2001 Phillip 2001 Thomas 2001 Robert 2001 Che 2001 Felix 2001 Brianna 2001 Andrew 2001 Andrew 2001 Stuart 2001 Tim 2001 Ryan 2001 Nikolas 2001 Rachel 2001 Ian 2001 Graham 2001 Daniella 2001 Nicole 2001 Yann-Cedric 2001 Robert 2001 Jonathan 2001 Josh 2001 Scott 2001 Mitchell 2001 Wesley 2001 Simon 2001 Richard 2001 Jennifer 2001 Tamara 2001 Sheldon 2001 Renee 2001 Janelle 2010 Telford 2010 Rachael 2010 Nomeeta 2011 Brinton 2011 Matthew

Bayard Baylor Gunter Hoffman McDonald McEwan Metcalfe Noyes Page Petch Roberts Seymour Spencer Staples Teubert Wilkins Williams Williamson Wong Yen Adnam Angwin Atkins Baillie Bennett Braun Bridges Broadley Brown Bury Campbell Charleston Collins Cumberbatch Dew Dobson Dulics Dunn Farmer Fogden Gibbs Goldsworthy Graier Gray Hayward Heffernan Loebert MacDonald MacFie Mason McBride Metcalf Mitchell Neville Weymouth Young Blake

Caples Catterall Couper Darvall Fowler Fuller Funston Garbepgo Gilbert Gordon Griffett Ham Hampwood Harvey Hersey Jamson Jones Leggatt Lumb McPherson Mitchell Mitchell Moran Nicol Nicolson Patrick Pile Pomeroy Presland Probert Robinson Taylor White Young Adelerhof Ajani Allen Armour Atherton Bathie Bird Bradbury Bridson Brown Brown Burton Callow Carnell Carr Catherall Chipperfield Clayton Curry Delaney Dexter Donaldson Fisk Forbes

Freemantle Gilchrist Goodman Gordon Hancock Harris Harrison Harvey Howe Leggatt Macleod Martin Munro O’Hare Opperman Parry Provan Reid Ritter Rowe Ryan Scully Shattock Shoolman Smithson Stambanis Tatai Tester U’Ren Watson Westcott White Batty Bayliff Berean Brotchie Brown Dousek Ebsworth El-Saghir Farquhar Fiddler French Fry Fullbrook Gibbs Goode Hester Hiatt Horden Horn Houghton Langley Lawrence Martello Milford Mitchell Osborne

Partridge Platania Pope Sauvarin Stewart-Malpass Tillig Vowles Whiston Williamson Wright Wyness Zhuang Bardin Berry Britt Burt Cooper Crockett Crosthwaite Donchi Ebsworth Etherington Goss Harley Hickey Higgs Ho Horvat Howson Ireland Jacobs Kemp Lamshed Manassa Marler McCormick Napoleone Oliver Pauchon Petchell Reeve Stilwell Tenberge Thomas Thomas Van Gend Wallington Watson Whittington Wynne Xenophontos Yunghanns Bray Kertes Lakhani Bray Burns

Calendar of Events 2021/2022 All events are dependent on COVID restrictions.

2021 DATE

TIME

EVENT

LOCATION

Thursday, 19 August 2021

7.00pm

Class of 2020 Cocktail Function

Marvel Stadium

Saturday, 21 August 2021

7.30pm

Class of 2011, 10 Year Out Reunion

Holliava Bar

Saturday, 21 August 2021

7.30pm

Class of 2010, 10 Year Out Reunion

Holliava Bar

Saturday, 4 September 2021

6.30pm

Class of 2000, 20 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 4 September 2021

6.30pm

Class of 2001, 20 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 2 October 2021

6.30pm

Class of 1991, 30 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 9 October 2021

3.00pm

Class of 1981, 40 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 9 October 2021

6.30pm

Class of 1980, 40 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 16 October 2021

3.00pm

Yarra's Night Market and Cinema on the Oval

YVG

Saturday, 6 November 2021

6.30pm

Class of 1971, 50 Year Out Reunion

Brooke Nicholas Pavilion

2022 DATE

TIME

EVENT

LOCATION

Wednesday, 9 February 2022

1.30pm

YOG v First XI Cricket Match

YVG

Monday, 28 March 2022

11.00am

YOG Annual Golf Day

Metropolitan Golf Club

Friday, 15 April 2022

9.00am

Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal

YVG

Saturday, 25 June 2022

7.30pm

Class of 2012, 10 Year Out Reunion

TBC

Saturday, 23 July 2022

6.30pm

Class of 1992, 30 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 8 October 2022

6.30pm

Class of 1982, 40 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 29 October 2022

6.30pm

Class of 1972, 50 Year Out Reunion

YVG

Saturday, 19 November 2022

6.30pm

Class of 2002, 20 Year Out Reunion

YVG

To view more photos of YOG events featured in this magazine visit www.yvg.vic.edu.au/community-gallery Join us on Facebook by searching for Yarra Valley Grammar or Yarra Old Grammarians Follow us on Linkedin and join our closed group, YOG Connect @yarravalleygrammar @yarraoldgrammarians

www.yvg.vic.edu.au | ISSUE NO. 68 AUGUST 2021 | 49

Kalinda Road Ringwood Victoria 3134 Australia Telephone +61 3 9262 7700 Email development@yvg.vic.edu.au www.yvg.vic.edu.au ABN 44 004 584 552 CRICOS NO. 00356E

The Link - August 2021

Articles inside

Vale

Help us Reconnect

Celebrations

Creatathon and a lasting gift

From the Archives

YOG Profiles

Yarra Foundation news

Class of 2020 Dux Assembly

Yarra Community Groups

2021 Student Leaders

Official opening of the Fine Arts Building

From the Principal