Thank you to everyone who came along to the A.B. Paterson College Foundation Luncheon on Thursday, 23 March and made it the incredible success it was.

So many wonderful faces graced the event, from Old Collegians to past staff, board members, founders, current parents, along with many other special guests.

Attendees were treated to a Talk Down Memory Lane by Alan Rickard - College Founder and Patron, Brian Stafford - College Founder, Kelvin Hutchinson - College Founder, Dawn Lang - College Principal from 1994 - 2011, and Bill Cunnington - Head of Junior School from 1991 - 2007.

Guests also enjoyed a delicious three-course meal, with many winning some incredible raffle prizes, kindly donated by sponsors, donors, and supporting businesses.

An additional thank you goes to the A.B. Paterson College Foundation's Platinum Sponsor - Computer Alliance, Gold Sponsor - The MBA Partnerships, and Silver Sponsors - Bond University and BBC Digital, for being the reason this incredible fundraising event was able to go ahead.

Nearly two weeks ago on 17 & 18 March, a small group of Year 11 and 12 students were fortunate to attend the very first Gold Coast Youth Summit at Sea World Resort. Just over 200 young leaders around the local community and neighbouring schools gathered to share their aspirations and voices and express the power of youth change. It truly was the most incredible and inspiring event to be a part of!

The purpose of the Gold Coast Youth Summit was aimed at encouraging Australian youth that are capable of igniting change in their own future to share their voices. We were brought together to discuss the most pressing issues facing not only ourselves and our local communities, but our futures. Over the course of two days, we explored topics such as mental health, equality and education, environmental sustainability, social justice, and youth activism. As such, we heard inspiring speeches from some of the most influential individuals that are passionate for creating change and motivated to inspire change in others. All these individuals shared one common characteristic; all were faced with significant adversity in different ways, but it is from their resilience and determination that creates their power to make change.

While hearing a plethora of passionate speakers, one particularly stood out to me, Tim Sharp and his mother Judy Sharp. Tim Sharp is an Australian artist who was diagnosed with autism at a very young age. He beautifully uses his unique sense of humour to share his voice through colourful art. One lesson that Tim has taught me is no matter how or when, you must always express your voice to express who you are.

From amazing opportunities like the Gold Coast Youth Summit, the youth of today are provided with a platform to express their voice that has the power to create change. Young people have unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas that can challenge the traditional 'status quo' and drive innovation in areas such as equality and inclusion, the stigma surrounding mental health, and environmental sustainability. By amplifying our voices, we can positively influence decision-making, policies, and social norms. As such, it will be our voices that have the power create our future.

“It’s about creating opportunities for youth of all cultures, identities, and abilities which is of the highest importance for the future.”- Moncrief MP Angie Bell

Cate Ellwood | Year 11 Student

Seventy College students are currently having the experience of a lifetime on the 2023 H.E.A.R.T. (Humanities, English, Arts, Renaissance and Theatre) Tour. The first country they are visiting is beautiful Italy, and it appears that the students are having a fantastic time exploring the sights, savoring the food, and immersing themselves in the country's rich history.

Next on the list - a trip to Pompeii!

It's only March, and it's already been an amazing year in the pool for our Brumbies.

Last week, 11 students attended the South Coast Regional Swimming trials, and we are thrilled to announce that nine of these students gained selection in the South Coast team to swim at the State Championships.

Congratulations to Max Anderson, Sara Bulmer, Alexandra Mair, Ivy Sun, Tyler Walmsley, William Wang, Sean Weng, Toby Zhang, and Joshua Hibberd for their selection in the South Coast team.

In addition, Sean Weng and Ivy Sun were recently named Age Champions at the Gold Coast Swimming Championships, another outstanding achievement.

Congratulations to our swimmers!

Nathan Burgess | Director of Activities

The Aussies – Surf Lifesaving

The 2023 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships were held in Perth, Western Australia at Scarboro SLSC over the last week. The Aussies is an annual event where members from Australia’s 314 Surf Clubs come together to compete in more than 480 beach and ocean events.

Ella and Jessica Crispe (Year 9) won the 2 Person Rescue & Resuscitation (R&R) section. 

That is their second consecutive Aussies gold medal in R&R, however this one was even more special with the girls scoring a perfect score of 10.

The girls also competed in the Cameron Relay and placed 9^th Overall.

Well done girls!

Little Athletics State Championships

The McDonalds State Championships is the final major competition in the LAQ calendar. Athletes from all corners of the State take part in this annual event in the hope of becoming the State Champion in their chosen event. This year the event was held in Townsville over the last weekend.

Please see below a summary of results from A.B. Paterson College Students at the event

• Max Durie: Discus – 6th place Personal Best
• Mitchell Cutajar: Discus – 9th place
• Aiden Papworth: Javelin - 13th place and 1500m Walk - DQ
• Caitlin Papworth: 1500m Walk – 5th place

Well done, Max, Mitchell, Aiden and Caitlin!

Matt Stopel | Acting Head of Wright House

The students of A.B. Paterson College have immersed themselves in the A.B. Metaverse and taken advantage of the many resources and learning experiences available to them.  

There has been a plethora of 3D prints created, robotics, Makey Makey, green screening, stop motion and podcasting to name a few.  

Students have enjoyed Prep Buddy sessions, links to English and Maths sessions and various lunchtime events.  There has even been new signage on the wall of the space to make visible the learning and technologies available to our students.

The Metaverse will continue to develop throughout the year as further technologies are added to the space.  Students should look forward to a permanent Podcasting station and access to film making, LEGO and various robotics.  

Here's to... more to come in Term 2!

Beth Claydon | Head of Digital Literacy & STEAM

Year 1 students have been honing their computational thinking skills and working on their understanding of how robots can be programmed to function under the direction of we ‘humans’.  The Sphero Indi is a new device purchased by the College and is a robot for early learners that is driven by colour and sensors within the device itself. 

The Sphero Indi is the most approachable entry-level learning robot and inspires imaginative, play-based learning by empowering students to design and build their own mazes while creating opportunities for students to learn the basics of coding, solve problems and nurture computational thinking skills. With Indi’s onboard colour sensor, young learners can communicate instructions to Indi by placing colour tiles on the floor that tell it what to do and where to go (and how fast!).

Year 1 started their coding journey with the Beebots and Bluebots and have now transferred this knowledge to the Sphero Indis.  

It has been an exciting term and a wonderful learning experience for both staff and students.

Year 1 Teachers | Amy Rainey, Ruth Bradley, Natalie Pierron and Jana Kubaska

Ordering food is synonymous with overseas travel. For students in Year 9 Japanese this term, they learnt how to group food on a Japanese menu based on key ingredients (rice, noodles, meats) and the types of items that are provided free of charge in Japanese dining establishments. One of the new learnings for the cohort was that a meal with the word “don” in it, is a meal which contains rice. Students had to put their knowledge to the test by being able to request in Japanese, one serving of their preferred “donburi” meal. They also needed to request in Japanese some chopsticks and napkins.

The meals were delicious, and most students seemed to be able to get the food from their bowl to their mouth with their chopsticks. However, some students did request a fork to ensure they didn’t starve to death. For the students who are travelling on the Japan Tour at the end of Term 3, the urgent need to practice eating with chopstick became very apparent. When your sons and daughters say their Japanese teacher have set the homework of going to Japanese restaurants and eating with chopsticks for the holidays, we weren’t joking!

いただきます

Sue Walduck | Director of Teacher Development and Effectiveness 

“Waku Waku” in Japanese means “exciting”. This term, the Year 7 students learnt about some of the exciting things that teenagers in Japan do in their daily lives. One aspect of the course were the sports and hobbies that are usually available in schools.

On Tuesday this week, the Year 7s took a deeper dive into the martial arts found in Japan and were shown the way of the sword by Mr Jace Lee from Axis Jiujitsu. Mr Lee took the students through some sword protocols for meetings, first usage, and for clearing off the blood of the enemy! They then did the ‘Samurai walk’ and practiced holding a squat to build leg strength. Possibly the most important message of the day came from Mr Lee’s stories on how his love of the martial art led him to work as a stunt double and how this has enabled him to travel all throughout Asia and work locally through Movie World with some of the biggest names in Hollywood like Jason Momoa in Aquaman and High Jackman in Wolverine.

We hope that the students could see that learning a language is not just about words but can be about cultural practices like marital arts and how employment can come from many different interests.

Sue Walduck | Director of Teacher Development and Effectiveness 

Reflecting back on our recent flamenco incursion, I can confidently say that it was an authentic learning experience that ignited our students' inner fires. As Spanish language and culture were the focus of our Year 7 and 9 Term 1 topics, the flamenco workshop provided a perfect opportunity to delve deeper into the rich cultural heritage of Spain. 

Señor Diego Perez from Flamenco House Brisbane, who came with years of experience and hailed from numerous prestigious flamenco companies and schools, started by providing us with a brief history of the art form. Students were fascinated to learn about the origins of this passionate dance style and how it has evolved over time. 

We then witnessed demonstrations of various props used in flamenco such as hand fans, manila shawls, and tailed skirts. Señor Perez's ability to showcase the intricate movements with these props was truly impressive. 

Students were then taught basic flamenco techniques, including posture, turns, movement of the hands, arms, and zapateo (footwork). It was a great opportunity to practice our Spanish language skills as the instructor primarily used Spanish during the workshop. 

A sincere "muchas gracias" to Señor Perez for sharing your knowledge and passion for flamenco with us all.

"I thought that the event was really engaging and interesting because of what Señor Perez taught us about the history of the dance and where the props came from." - Hrishi Modi (Year 9)

"It was a really great incursion. We learnt a lot of new things in a really fun way. It was really interactive, engaging and I had so much fun." - Reetliv Rayar (Year 7)

"I enjoyed the dancing. My most favourite bit was watching the long skirt twirl around. It was really fun." - Tobias Hand (Year 7)

Michelle Barriga | Teacher of Languages

Overall, the flamenco incursion was an incredible experience that left a lasting impression on our students. It not only deepened their understanding of Spanish culture but also helped them develop a newfound appreciation for the art form.

Over the last two weeks, our Year 2 students cooked and tasted the Japanese style of rice balls called Onigiri. This activity was a culmination of their study of the unit 'Japanese Food' and was an excellent opportunity for them to get familiar with Japanese food.

Thank you to the Year 2 parents, Mrs Crawford, Mrs Harvey and Mrs Whiteley, who assisted with the events, demonstrating their Japanese culinary skills and making sure all students were actively engaged.

Michelle Barriga & Yoko MacDonald | Year 2 Japanese Teachers

From the cute animal cafes to culturally enriched themed restaurants, Japan is home to the crazy, yet very cool, café culture. This term, students in Year 8 Japanese have been discovering the amazing experiences you can have at a variety of cafés in greater Tokyo. Many of these cafes don’t just offer a unique dining experience, but also provide a range of entertainment, or even the opportunity to purchase a unique souvenir from their themed gift shops!

One of the key learnings for the cohort was the use of plastic food displays outside the establishment to entice customers to enter, and the importance the Japanese hospitality industry place on the presentation of food. In essence, the meals served must be a close resemblance of the one advertised. During the term, students were shown images of the ‘perfect parfait’, and as part of their authentic learning experience, were able to try to replicate the art of assembling their own during their final class of the term.

Students used ingredients such as frosty flakes, ice cream, fruit salad, fruit syrup, whipped cream, toppings and sprinkles to create their very own masterpiece. Parfaits are a very popular dessert on a cool café menu in Japan and judging by the collective happy faces of our students today, seemed to be a distinct hit with the Year 8 Japanese classes!

Cheyne Sandercoe | Head of Languages

Year 1 Japanese class students were very excited to make Teru Teru Bouzu weather dolls in class, which complimented our unit on the ‘Weather and the Seasons’ perfectly. For those hearing of these dolls for the very first time, Teru Teru Bouzu weather dolls are traditional Japanese dolls made out of white tissue or fabric that are hung up to bring good weather and to prevent rain. They are often made by children and can be found in homes, schools, and other buildings throughout Japan.

The name Teru Teru Bouzu translates to “shine, shine monk” in English. The dolls are said to have originated in the Edo period (1603-1868) and were traditionally made by farmers who prayed for good weather to ensure a successful harvest. 

The dolls are decorated with a face, usually with black eyes and a smiling mouth, and sometimes have rosy cheeks. A piece of string is tied around their necks so they can be hung up in a window or outside. 

Overall, Teru Teru Bouzu weather dolls are a charming and whimsical part of Japanese culture, representing the traditional beliefs of the people and their desire for good weather. 

Barriga Sensei was really happy to receive this message from a student via email.

"Good morning, Sensei, I know you said to me to hang up my weather doll and I wanted to let you know my wish came true." - Cameron Alexander (1P)

Here is to everyone's wishes coming true!

Michelle Barriga | Languages Teacher

To prepare for the upcoming Easter holiday, the A.B. Paterson College Libraries held an Easter Card Contest, where A.B. Paterson College students were invited to create an Easter card to enter in the contest – that could then be gifted to a lucky recipient over the holidays.

We had just under 60 entries that are true works of art! All entries will receive a yummy Easter treat – and our winners will also receive a gift certificate for the Scholastic Book Fair (Junior School) or a gift certificate for our Tucker Bag/Matilda’s Café (Senior School).

Thank you to everyone who entered their ‘Egg’-cellent cards. Happy Holidays from the A.B. Paterson College Libraries.

• 

  Emilio Gomez – Prep J
• Archer White – Prep J
• Amos Gao – 1P
• Finlay Kachel – 1P
• Parker White – 2M
• Ayami Paguti – 2L
• Scarlett Zhong 3M
• Harrison White 3M
• Anika Pillai Vinod and Emily Wong – 5L
• Zyaire Weir – 5W
• Grace McQueen – Year 9 (Lawson 4)

Stephanne Siberry | Head of Library Services

Soroptimist International has invited A.B. Paterson College students to take part in a Living with Nature Art Competition. 

The competition aims to create global awareness about the future relationship between humans and the environment through the eyes of younger generations. 

Cash prizes for each age category. Ages 7-12 will share their ideas through visual art. Ages 13-18 are invited to make a poster or video which addresses environmental concerns or gender equality linked to the UN’s SDGs. 

Watch the video below - Pick It Up by Matilda Grant

Competition closes Monday, 15 May. Please submit all artworks to Miss Daisy Ross by Friday, 12 May. 

For more information https://siseap.org/news/655-living-with-nature-art-competition.html

Please find attached the latest careers news from Head of Pathways, Jeanette Maxwell:

Please read - NEWS FROM THE CAREERS DESK: 22 MARCH 2023

CLOSING SOON! 

This is your LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS IN THE A.B. PATERSON COLLEGE FOUNDATION'S 2023 INSPIRE BUSINESS DIRECTORY. refer below for booking information.

The Inspire Business Directory provides business owners and employees with an opportunity to advertise their businesses to the wider College community.

The 2023 guide will be distributed to College families and will also be available via the College and Foundation websites, regular newsletters, and the College App.

Please contact Ben Ryan from ADV Collab to make your booking or to obtain more information.

Mobile – 0432 545 995
Email – ben@advcollab.com.au