media archive

TAS Boys give Service to Fiji Orphanage

Continuing a tradition started around a decade ago, a group of 20 students from The Armidale School, New England Girls School and PLC Armidale took part in a community and Christian service project at St Christopher’s Orphanage, Suva, Fiji. During their visit to the orphanage, which is run by an Anglican order of nuns, the group painted dormitories, made wooden tables and gave lessons to the orphans.

“We did evening prayer every night which included singing songs and hearing different stories from the Sisters,” said Jack Simmons of Tamworth.

“We also had ‘buddy time’ is where we would just chill with the buddy we were teamed up with.”

While they may have taught the locals something about Australia, they also learnt a lot about themselves.

“We have convinced ourselves that we need stuff to be happy but they have virtually nothing and are twice a happy. We take everything for granted. Our parents always say that we are so lucky when we complain about not getting that phone or that outfit, but now we all understand what they mean now, and know how lucky we really are.”

Trip co-ordinator Chris Spencer, the Head of English at TAS, said the pilgrimage is a transformative experience for those who attend, and is true Christian service in action.

“The students experienced a different cultural environment and gained a better understanding of themselves by learning to consider the needs of others,” he said.

Grant strengthens Japanese understanding

As part of the national Becoming Asia Literate: Grants to Schools (BALGS) initiative, TAS has secured a $20,000 Federal Government grant which will be used to help fund study tours to Japan and foster sister school relationships with Tezukayama Gakuin Elementary School (TEZ), Osaka, and Meitoku Senior High School, Koichi, Shikoku.

Tezukayama is a large independent primary school of around 700 students in one of Japan’s largest cities. An exchange between TAS Junior School and TEZ started in 1997, with TAS the most recent host, in August. A group of a dozen TAS students will visit TEZ next year.

Meanwhile for some years a student from Meitoku has attended TAS for a 12 month period - a relationship to be reciprocated over the 2011-2012 Christmas holidays by a visit from a group of year 10 TAS students who will board at the school and enjoy a week-long homestay with host families, who come from all over Japan.

In addition the funding will help subsidise a separate cultural visit by 12 year 9-10 over Easter, visiting TEZ, taking in the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima, and seeing for themselves the glory of Mt Fuji.

“It will increase the exposure of Japanese within the school and enable students to experience the Japanese culture beyond the classroom and strengthen existing links with two Japanese schools,” TAS Japanese teacher Allan Moore said.

“Asia’s influence with Australia is increasing and will only become more important, so it is a valuable experience for our students to be able to travel to Japan.”

Chair of the NALSSP Reference Group, Sid Myer, congratulated the 191 schools successful in the latest round of BALGS funding.

“These schools have created some very innovative programs to support the achievement of the NALSSP objectives,” Mr Myer said. “Their enthusiasm in helping to prepare Australians for the demands of the future is to be highly commended.”

Kathe Kirby, Executive Director of the AEF, said the recent announcement demonstrated a growing commitment of government and school communities to Asia literacy, a commitment strongly supported by business.

Photo: Students from Tezukayama Gakuin Elementary School (TEZ), Osaka, entertain TAS Junior School students during a visit to Australia in August.

18 NOVEMBER, 2010

Students break records in 111km canoe classic

FOUR Armidale students set two new class records in the 34th 111km overnight Hawkesbury Canoe Classic last weekend, despite rainy and windy conditions which forced organisers to pull many boats in early.

Angus Trenerry and Tim Pearson affix a torch to their canoe before the start of the event. The pair went on to win the MJRec2 class.

The Armidale School students Ben Brunckhorst, of Armidale, and Levi McKenzie-Kirkbright, a boarder from Sydney, came home first in the Junior Long Rec 2 class in a time of 13 hours 11 minutes, bettering by 42 minutes the previous record set by Simon Pain and Lachlan Shaw of TAS in 2005.

The pair was part of a team of 66 paddlers from TAS, New England Girls School and Presbyterian Ladies College Armidale who competed in the challenging event, in which paddlers canoe overnight rom Windsor to Brooklyn along a 111km stretch of the river to raise money for bone marrow research.

“The most challenging part from midnight onwards as we were alone, it was raining, it was dark and the finish was still 50km away,” Ben said.

Steven Broun of Armidale helps son George before setting off in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic.

Lorne Gurney of TAS and Sarah Barker from NEGS also established a new record in the Mixed Junior Rec2 class of 15:36. Others to come first in their class were Angus Trenerry and Tim Pearson who were first in the MJRec2 class (14:17); Brittany Sisson and Georgia Diebold (PLC) first in the LJRec2 class (15:03) and Camilla Elliot and Lexie McCullagh (NEGS) in the same class.

The fastest male doubles from the contingent were Angus McDouall and Archie Campbell, and Rod and Cam Banks both with times under 12:30 with Rob Adams achieving the fastest single in a time of 12:29. Father and son pairing of Will and Josh Moloney also recorded a respectable time of 12:56 leading home six father- and-son entries.

While only two of the contingent’s 36 boats withdrew from the race, only 25 boats made the full distance, the remainder being stopped by race organisers at the 98km checkpoint, due to the adverse weather conditions between there and the finish.

Isabel Carey and Emilia Sedgwick of NEGS warm up after their 15 hour paddle.

Fifteen hours later, George Broun and Joss Guyer (of Armidale) cross the line.

Supporting the Armidale schools’ contingent were landcrew made up of more than 75 parents, staff, and friends. TAS had the single most entries in the event, which it has supported for more than 30 years. Students from Duval College, UNE, also took part.

“The event involved all members of the TAS community from Board members to students, parents and staff, and was a positive and unifying experience for all,” contingent organiser and event veteran Peter Hall of TAS said.

Crossing the line is Amanda Robins, the fastest single female paddler in the TAS contingent.

(photos by Tim Hughes)

TAS cricket tour promises summer success

OPEN cricketers from The Armidale School (TAS) have set themselves up for a good summer following success at a pre-season tour against three Sydney GPS schools, winning two games while a third was washed out.

After a week of rain, it was luck that the first game, on October 6 against Sydney Grammar School 2nd XII, even went ahead. The pitch was very wet but the teams were able to play a 25-over game after lunch. Sydney Grammar won the toss and batted and lost wickets at regular intervals. They were all out for 101 in the 25th over. The pick of the bowlers for TAS were Peter Gourlay one for 7, Andrew Patrick three for 19, Jack Scifleet two for 11 and Luke Webster two for 7. At the crease, after a steady start, Luke Webster (43 retired) and Sam Hutton (27) put on a 60 run partnership in quick time to put TAS in a winning position, passing Grammar’s score in the 17th over but continuing to bat out the 25 overs. Hutton, in only Year 9, was playing against boys two years older. TAS ended up with six for 155 with Andrew Patrick making the other major contribution of 22 not out.

The second game, set down for the following day against Scots College, was washed out. TAS continued its form in the final game of the tour, against St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill 2nd XII on October 8.

TAS Cricket master Allan Moore said it was encouraging to see the new players in the team performing so well in the first game of the season. “Despite the bad weather, the pre-season tour was a success with two victories out of two and every player making a contribution to the team. I believe this team has the potential to be successful in the local Armidale competition, and also against other school boy teams.” This was reflected in last week’s game against Uralla third grade, when Harry Guest scored 149 not out and took five wickets for four runs. The last 5 balls he faced were 6,4,6,4,6.

TAS pre-season cricket team: back row l to r: Mr Steve Webster, Harry Guest, Toby Crothers, Sam Webster, Nick Boulus, Jock Armstrong, Alex Finney, Peter Gourlay, Mr Allan Moore (MIC TAS cricket)
Front: Tom Walsh, Sam Hutton, Matthew Wykniet, Jack Scifleet, Andrew Patrick

Nigel Brennan - Address to guests at Valedictory Lunch

I have worked in lots of different professions and been fortunate to travel extensively over the years. It wasn’t until the age of thirty that I actually found something that I loved and was passionate about, that being photography and the media. Not only did it allow the advantage of travel but it gave me a chance of challenging peoples perception through the photographs that I took of issues that are important to me.

I’m sure most of you will know my story and what occurred to me in Somalia.

In August 2008, I travelled to Africa as a freelance photographer. I wanted to highlight the humanitarian and food crisis as well as the war that has ravaged the East African nation for nearly two decades. On the fourth day our plan was to visit IDP camps outside Mogadishu, all seemed to be going well until we were ambushed.

For the next 462 days I was held hostage by a criminal gang in Mogadishu, for thirteen months I was held in virtual isolation and for the last ten months shackled after a failed escape attempted. During this time I suffered both mental and physical torture, sleep deprivation and survived on a starvation diet. There were a number of times were I thought I was going to be killed by our captors. There was also times when I thought about taking my own life, the feeling of helplessness and depression taking its toll. The mental anxiety and stress that I was put under, I hope you will never have to experience or endure, my believe in humanity was sorely tested during my fifteen months of captivity.

The main reason I am here today is because of my amazing family, they paid the ultimate price not only having to raise money for the ransom but having to burden fifteen months of hell that my decisions and actions caused them. Your actions have consequences, the things you say and things you do actually effect other people so you shouldn’t be to flippant, it’s a trait you tend to have when you’re younger. Consider the consequences and be alert to the things that are happening around you. I’m not saying you have to miss out on the fun of life but take your life direction and decisions and the consequence of these a little more seriously.

What happened to me was an unpleasant experience in my life. People often ask if I could go back and change the course of events, would I. My answer is always no, not only because I believe that things happen for a reason, but it has taught me so much and made me think about the things that I value, the whole experience has altered my life forever. I guess in some respects I’m incredibly lucky as I realize now that I have a second chance at life. I think to many people float through life and get to the age of sixty and ask where did it go. I know at times I have done this in the past twenty years, I thought life was a bit of a breeze, just wonder from one thing to the next with no real direction.

My experience has changed my thinking and has been my wake up call. I used to have these grandiose plans that now seem so unimportant, instead I now savor the simple things in life, to spend time with friends and family and take some time for myself. I guess what I have taken from my experience is the importance of family, friends and community, without these things you really have nothing. Unfortunately you don’t get to choose your family but I know I wouldn’t swap any of mine.

You will have made friendships whilst here, some of these will last a life time, hang onto them they are extremely precious and rare.

I guess my one piece of advice to you today is the importance of networking. It was something I used to hate doing but since coming home I have realized its significance. Nobody likes to have to press the flesh but you have to learn to sell yourself because no one else is going to do it for you. Its how you make your mark on people, such a simple thing of talking to someone can open the most amazing doors in your life.

You’re entering an important part of your life, you come from privileged backgrounds with a fantastic education behind you, don’t waste it, you only get one chance to leave your mark on this world. Life moves at an incredibly frenetic pace, don’t get caught up in the whirlwind. Be kind to each other and don’t be blinded by success or money so much so that you trample over someone else. Take time to enjoy it, like a Cuban cigar or a beautiful woman. Don’t feel pressured to make a choice about what you will do with your life right now. If it means taking a gap year or three to travel, or working for a while and having some fun, then do it, but make sure you go back at some point and study. Go out and live a little, go and discover who you actually are and go and make some mistakes, you’re only young once.

Ladies and gentlemen I ask that you be upstanding, I would like to propose a toast.

To the Leaving year of 2010, I wish you the greatest success and a prosperous future, may your goals and aspirations come true.

Nigel Brennan congratulating Mitch Maguire

National honours for TAS polocrosse player

Harry, 17, a Year 11 student at The Armidale School, was the only New England member of the eight-person Australian Mixed Under 19s team which made the tour at the invitation of South Africa. The team, which included Harry’s cousin Lucy Grills from Albury, played three games, losing the first 26-18 but winning the second 24-23 and the third, 24-22.

Riding South African thoroughbreds was different to what the players were used to.

“They were a large step back from the horses here in Australia,” he said.

The competition also varied. “Their girls in the mixed competition were not very good and our girls put it over them, but their boys were very good with great ball skills and very tough,” Harry said.

On July 24-25, Harry played in the NSW under 21s side against Queensland at Grafton, winning two of three matches. This was a return series which was held in April in Warwick QLD where he was captain , however the side lost all games. He is picked in New England under 21s zone side to play next month, and then the boots are off until 2011, when he hopes to make the NSW under 21s team to contest the nationals in Queensland – considered by many to be the pinnacle of polocrosse in the world – in 2012.

Harry, who was the second youngest in the team, says he has riding “for as long as I can remember” and continues a polocrosse tradition rich in his mother’s family. Two years ago he was selected as captain of the NSW Mixed Junior team which won the national titles at Perth, having been undefeated in the championships. Earlier this year he traveled to Ballarat, Victoria and played in the open Under 21 side. Harry was the youngest in the team being only 16 when he was selected, but the team lost to Queensland in the final.

Members of the team that played in South Africa came from southern NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.

Student honoured for Olympic ideals

Nick das Neves-Jones of Armidale was presented with the Australian Olympic Committee’s Pierre de Coubertin Award at the school’s Year 12 speech day on September 24, recognising his efforts.

In the water, Nick was this year’s TAS under 18 swimming runner up champion, represented the school at regional level, and also played in the school’s water polo team which competed in the UNE-Ex Services mixed adult competition.

He played in the school’s First VIII basketball team for two years, and was captain this year.

He was captain, also, of the TAS First XV rugby team, and was in 2009 selected in the NSW A Schoolboys team. Meanwhile on the track, he was the 18 years runner up athletics champion this year.

Nick said he was honoured to receive the award, and said a high point was being selected to play rugby for NSW schoolboys.

He said participation in sport builds character because you have to train to achieve something.

“Being in a team means you are playing for a group and not just yourself, so you are with a group of people who become your friends - and when you are playing for the school you are part of the traditions and history of the school.”

TAS sportmaster Dick Hodgson described Nick as a worthy winner who was not only talented across a range of sports, but was a fine leader.

“He is a very keen and determined young man who loves being involved in a lot of different sports. His sportsmanship was always an example to others, whether it be ensuring he shook the hand of opposition players after a match, or expressing concern for any injured player, whatever side they are on,” he said.

“He also encouraged his peers to get involved in off-season strength and conditioning programs to help reduce injuries during the season and organises regular ‘war’cry’ practices for the whole school. He is certainly a worthy recipient of this prestigious award,” Mr Hodgson said.

School debaters punish politicians for lying

Two teams from each school entertained adjudicators and spectators at PLC with their respective arguments - and if logic was ever in short supply, there was no shortage of manipulated absurdity and showmanship, including props, to provide humour and spectacle.

“While it is unconventional to have props in debating, I was witness to seeing one selastic dispenser, one sock puppet, one large cardboard box, and two torches, while the other adjudicator was confronted with a large garden pitchfork,” TAS debating master Jeremy Nash said.

The girls won three of the four set debates, while the boys won an impromptu debate.

The TAS Debating Club will officially farewell the boys at a get together including parents, friends and debating peers from PLC and NEGS, at which the TAS year 9 teams will debate the topic, “that year nine is cruise-y”. Later in the year the TAS inter-house debating competition will be held along with the Clemson Cup competition for public speaking.

Headmaster's letter to The Australian

While the formal agreement between Julia Gillard and the Australian Greens signed on September 1 makes no mention of education or schools funding, any intrusion of the Greens’ stance on schools’ into Federal government policy will certainly undermine, for regional Australia, the very social and economic sustainability they claim to champion.

Recognising the vital role of the independent school sector, Prime Minister Gillard earlier this year committed to extending the current school funding arrangements by 12 months, and the current capital grants program until 2014. However to be enacted, it is likely to need the support of the Greens in both houses – putting Greens MPs at odds with their party’s commitment to attack independent schools with a blunt instrument.

According to their website, key planks of the Greens’ policies include reducing funding across the board to 2003-2004 levels; ending the current arrangement for recurrent funding to non-government schools by the end of this year at the latest, and “ensure the viability and diversity of existing public schools is not endangered by the development of new private schools” – essentially preventing new independent schools from setting up even if there is a desire for them.

Such ideology makes naive assumptions, in particular about regional Australia and the millions of people who live here.

Negotiations between the three so-called regional Independent MPs and the two major parties who wished to form minority government, rightly put regional Australia back in the spotlight. So often overlooked in policy debates, it is a place where more than a quarter of Australians live, are educated, and work.

However, regional Australia can only suffer if its independent schools are threatened because educational opportunity and diversity are narrowed.

Already making huge sacrifices for their children, parents who may no longer be able to afford an independent alternative but want a choice for their children will be forced to move away from their one-high-school towns, to larger centres or the city.

Further, a narrowing of educational choice and diversity will only lessen the attraction of the regions to the professionals already in such short supply. The already-critical doctors’ shortage will be placed on life support and teachers, regardless of philosophical persuasion, will be harder to find. Independent schools hold a valued place in regional Australia, not only as economic entities in their own right, but as providers of choice in lifestyle that is so critical to the attractiveness of living away from the city. Consequently, a threat to independent schools driven by new sympathy for the Greens agenda will impact more in regional Australia than in the metropolitan areas.

All this is hardly a recipe for a vibrant, diverse and inclusive regional Australia that can help take population pressures off overcrowded cities.

Educational equity for regional Australia means having equal access to the full breadth of school choices - government, catholic and independent - and surety of government funding arrangements is critical for maintaining this.

Depriving regional Australians of such opportunities will only increase social inequity, not help to overcome it.

MURRAY GUEST

Music program gives Armidale students great opportunities

Internationally-acclaimed jazz musician and organist Warwick Dunham is spending two terms working with music students from The Armidale School (TAS), New England Girls School (NEGS), PLC Armidale, Duval and Armidale High Schools as part of NECOM’s Jazz Musician in Residence program.

Mr Dunham, whose musical pedigree includes studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the Royal College of Music London and the Vienna Academy of Music, spends the equivalent of a day a week at each school, developing ensembles, giving private improvisation lessons, and he also conducts jazz jam nights.

At TAS for instance, he helps year 11 and 12 students with their composition coursework and analytical skills, accompanied their performances and assisted with the development of their repertoire.

“Warwick has also worked closely with the TAS Senior Jazz Combo, The TAS Jazz Band and The TAS Junior Stage Band. His involvement within the extra curricular music program, which includes being organist at regular assemblies and chapel services, has been hugely valued by students, parents and fellow staff,” said TAS Director of Music Nik Glass, who believes the Jazz Musician in Residence program as being very valuable to the wider community.

“Our students need role models, especially within Armidale's cultural framework, and this program provides this opportunity. I see the conservatorium's work as reaching out to students who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience music as the most valuable – and the scope of NECOM’s programs, from early childhood upwards, reinforces the idea that music can and should be developed and supported as a lifelong process.”

Mr Dunham, who somehow manages to find the time to occasionally perform with the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras, believes the program is a wonderful opportunity for all Armidale students.

“The improvisational nature of jazz helps students develop creatively as well as structurally and technically – they’re not just following the set patterns given to them by teachers,” he said. “We’ve now got self-sustaining ensembles in the schools that weren’t running six months ago.”

“Per capita, Armidale is surely one of the most musical centres in Australia – and NECOM would have to be one of the most active regional conservatoriums, working with schools, individuals and music teachers, the way that it does.”

There are also personal benefits: Mr Dunham and his partner Francesca live on a property just out of Armidale where they breed horses, “and that’s an opportunity I certainly wouldn’t have in the city”, he said.

Former NECOM director Corinne Arter said while other conservatoriums focus on instrumental and orchestral work, NECOM supports a range of programs to students.

“The beauty of it is that we’re not in competition with the community. There are huge advantages in terms of harnessing community activities so we are able to put our energy into areas of weakness, and also buy instruments,” Ms Arter said.

“Each school has its own set of needs and the program tailors to suit that.” Unlike other regional conservatoriums, NECOM allows any musical educator who wishes to educate under the NECOM banner. Funding for NECOM is derived from the Department of State and Regional Development, private foundations, and tuition and workshop fees.

The Jazz Musician in Residence program has run for two school terms this year and may again in 2012 if funding makes it a possibility. NECOM is also offering tuition to students elsewhere in the north, and has established a campus at Inverell, where last month the Armidale Youth Orchestra gave a recital to hundreds of people.

King of the Range

The competition was shot in clear breezy conditions over three ranges – 300m, 500m and 600m, with 10 shots to count at each for a possible total score of 150 to each shooter. Crothers’ got a total score of 147 with 11 centre bulls-eyes, and scored 49-2, 49-2 and 49-7 at each range respectively.

TAS also won the Prorak Trophy, a perpetual match between Sydney Boys High, NEGS and TAS. The TAS boys shot well and took out the competition comfortably in the end although at one point being under a bit of pressure by the ever-dangerous NEGS girls.

Other members of the TAS Gold team included team captain Jock Barnett of Delungra, Mitch Maguire of Dungowan, Hamish Turnbull from Ebor and Luke Styles of Dungog. For the competition they used Barnard action .308 rifles owned by the school.

“I was pretty lucky, and was stoked with my shooting,” Crothers said. “I had a good wind coach and managed to squeeze off each shot at the right constant wind speed.”

Crothers is an occasional starter with the Glen Innes Gun Club, though using shotguns and moving targets it is very different.

“I usually do all my training with the school at the Armidale Rifle Range and I attend the odd prize shoot at Warwick, Goondiwindi, Mungindi and Spring Ridge, but most practice is at home on the property (at Ilparran),” he said.

Economics Honours for Callum

Callum, in Year 11 at The Armidale School, gained a High Distinction in the competition which is run by the university’s School of Economics and Business. Last month UNSW Australian School of Business representative Nigel Stapledon presented him with $100 in prize money and a certificate at a gala presentation hosted by sponsors Pricewaterhouse Coopers headquarters in Sydney.

Questions in the Economics paper included Year 12 course work not yet covered by Callum, and from Business Studies, which he is not studying. Most of the 50 students present at the awards ceremony were from Sydney, with Callum the only one from Armidale.

“I enjoyed the ceremony as I had the chance to meet with the Pricewaterhouse Coopers sponsors and learn about careers and opportunities in economics and business,” he said.

“It was also good to hear firsthand from people studying and teaching economics at university.”

Callum said Economics is his favourite subject. “It teaches one to think in a different manner. I am also finding that it ties in well with other subjects I am studying, such as Maths, French and English. Economics also has many promising career paths,” he said.

Champion of Champions

Jock Barnet and U25 trophy.

Hamish Turnbull, who is representing NSW.

Outstanding Achievers

In a remarkable achievement Andrew Grigg, Year 12, has come first equal in the State in the 2010 NSW National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition. This comes after a third placing in 2009.

Andrew has an exceptional grasp of Geography and this achievement is a huge credit to him and his teacher Mrs Maureen Brown at PLC (combined class).

Will Stoddart - Trainee of the Year Finalist

Will made it to the top three candidates across NSW and QLD from a possible 260. He attended an award ceremony at Maitland where he was presented with a certificate and prize money of $500.

Will has subsequently been nominated for the NSW State Training Awards VET in Schools Student of the Year, where he has a good chance to proceed on to the regional levels.

Will is a school based trainee in Agriculture with a focus on Stock and Station Agent. He is employed through the group training company New England North West Group Training, a subsidiary of HVTC. His host employer is Jackson’s Livestock and Property of Guyra where he has excelled in livestock agent work over the past 18 months.

TAS’ trade training program has expanded since its inception in 2008 with 25 boys currently enrolled in a school based traineeship. Boys in Years 10, 11 and 12 can access a traineeship covering a range of vocations and trades including plumbing, building, electrical, hospitality, agriculture and automotive. With the development of the TAS Trade Training Centre at the old YCW site, vocational and trade training is set to further expand at the school.

TAS Master of Apprentices, Mr Brett Monley, said that the boys personal development is beyond all expectations whilst in the program. “Many boys seem to find their calling once they commence a traineeship. Employers like the idea of boys maturing at school and gaining formal part-time work before embarking on a trade career.”

TAS is grateful to the over 25 employers and companies that have supported boys in a traineeship.