Yarra Foundation news

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.

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 sincerely thank them for their commitment to securing such an amazing school. I wish you and your families’ good health and look forward to getting back to normal. Gary Pratt President, Yarra Foundation

To view the video, please click here

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

Contributions

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.

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 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

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.

To view click here

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.

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

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)

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) 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.

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