Around the Senior School
Visual Arts HSC Showcase Evening
From Mr Andrew Orme‑Smith
Head of Visual Arts
It was wonderful to see such a huge turnout at this year’s event, despite the chilly evening. It is always gratifying to see the results of creative minds, and this year was no exception. The DPA provided a fitting venue for work of a very high standard, with diverse concepts and forms.
Personal stories were well represented, which probably accounts for the individuality of work on display. For example, two drawing works could not have been more different. Jessica Thompson’s intricate drawings of childhood memories featured lovingly rendered pets, friends, and flowers. Also imbued with love, but drawn with impressive emphatic looseness, Sophie Luelf’s portraits recounted the different outlooks on farming by the generations of her family.
Photography also featured, from Carrie Smith’s impulsive snapshots of family interactions with animals, and Liv Warner’s moody narrative of city and bush living. Isobela Montagliani’s evocative paintings and photographs were loaded with nostalgia for Italy, while Phoebe Spora also looked at Italian heritage, but used enticing lino prints in the colours of the Cinque Terre. Lino printing was also used by Kymarni Astill, but her long, expressive horizons depicted an altogether different landscape.
Jess Taylor made a homage to wide horizons too, painted on a stretched wool bale. Charlotte England made an ambitious mask, mounted onto a printed background, both decorated in Aztec patterns. Felicity Knox’s intricate drawing of Billabong Creek and photograms of old bottles conveyed a strong sense of place, as did Liv McColl’s ode to a road trip to Cape York that left a big impression.
Bonnie Leighton used a similarly impressive range of techniques and materials for a beautiful tribute to the “Beauty and the Brawn” of her grandparents’ life on the land. Zoe Stevenson also created a heartfelt narrative with old family diaries and photographs used for mixed media works based on her Pop’s connection to the family farm. Milly Tink tackled the topical issue of domestic violence, but in a mature and restrained way to create a very thought-provoking work.
Mhairi Wyllie looked at the impact of access to water for swimming in remote rural areas through her exquisite watercolour paintings. In contrast, Lillian Armstrong’s sculptures of mushroom people, swathed in robes of hand-dyed fabric and adorned with hints at the medicinal and traditional properties of the mushroom type, had a great impact. For those totally mystified, the exquisite little booklets at their feet offered artfully conveyed information.
Olivia Volkofsky also had an intriguing work, naively drawn childhood memories taking an autobiographical direction with an engaging narrative.
Finally, Daisy Wakem’s screen-printed table setting created great hilarity at the expense of her long-suffering family with witty idioms telling a funny story about family idiosyncrasy!
Overall, the Showcase this year was a wonderful celebration of the hard work and dedication of all involved. The students, of course, but also a huge effort by people in the background, including Matt Thomas, our tireless technical assistant and artist in residence, along with Framing Marvellous and Frame Effect. The Visual Arts team and parents completed the team effort.
A huge thank you also has to go to the wonderful musicians who played on the night, and the drama students who entertained with such flair! Hospitality catered the evening with a constant stream of delicious food. A huge thank you to all!
History Scavenger Hunt
From Ms Brooke Mortimer, Academic Staff
As part of their Year 9 Elective History unit on local history, students have been exploring how we preserve and interpret the past through oral histories and archival materials. This unit encourages students to think critically about the ways in which stories are passed down, recorded, and remembered within their own communities.
A highlight of the unit took place on Monday, 11 August, when students participated in a hands-on history scavenger hunt around the school grounds. Using copies of historical photographs sourced from the school’s archive, students were challenged to locate the exact spots where the images were originally taken. This engaging activity not only brought the past to life but also deepened students’ understanding of how physical spaces evolve over time and how archives serve as valuable tools for connecting with local heritage.
Through this experience, students developed skills in historical inquiry, observation, and interpretation. They also gained a greater appreciation for the role of archives in preserving collective memory and the importance of oral history in capturing personal and community narratives that may not be found in written records. The scavenger hunt sparked curiosity and conversation, helping students see their school environment through a historical lens and fostering a sense of connection to those who came before them.
80th anniversary of KWS Cadets and Victory in the Pacific Day
15 August marks the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. “VP Day” – or Victory in the Pacific Day – was commemorated around Australia, being the official end to hostilities between Australia and her allies, and Japan in 1945.
The day was celebrated in Orange with a street parade featuring the newly-formed Wolaroi Cadet Unit. Formed in June, the 51-member corps - under the command of teacher Captain F P Young - trained hard to ensure they were up to marching in formation on the auspicious occasion. In October that year, some of the NCOs participated at a training camp at Holsworthy barracks learning skills which set up the Wolaroi Cadet corps for the future.
Wolaroi Cadets, 1945. This was the year the Corps was established.
Banjo Paterson Award Winner
Ebony Inman (Yr 11) recently won the ABC Radio Children’s Award which is a part of the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards. This is an Australia-wide annual competition that was established in 1991 to honour Banjo Paterson. This year there were over 300 applicants across the three categories with applicants from Sydney, Queensland, and Victoria. I have attached a photo of Ebony from school and below is the one where she won the award and it was presented by Orange Mayor, Tony Mileto. Read her story below.
Exchange Report
Each year students in year 8 can participate in a national exchange with another Round Square school. In 2025, 17 students will be participating in the program, which runs throughout terms 3 and 4. Students live in a family environment during their stay. Students have joined us from Scotch College in Perth and Newcastle Grammar in Newcastle already and their KWS hosts will shortly be heading west and coastal for their adventure.
Below is a summary report from Joanie Tink about her recent adventure to Westminster School in Adelaide. She and Lola Short travelled to the school together, flying without parents the first challenge!
"I applied for exchange to try something new, to see how it was in other parts of Australia and expand my horizons from the small country town I live in. I was nervous about many things, including what it would be like at the house, having a whole new family for two weeks and going to a brand-new school.
I enjoyed exploring Adelaide, seeing the city, and the ocean, as well as the breath-taking views from the hills, there was so much to see and take in. The school was amazing as well, seeing how different it was and making new friends along the way, I have many unforgettable memories from this exchange that I will cherish forever.
During exchange, I went through challenges like adapting to a completely new environment, cancelled flights, and missing home. From these challenges I learnt how to be more resilient and grow from the challenges that I faced. To anyone else going on exchange my advice would be to take every opportunity to try something new that you can, meet new people and take things day by day."
Kate Anderson
Mad Mugs!
The Anderson Centre Café, staffed by Year 11 Hospitality students, is looking for mug donations.
As we run a minimal waste Café, we use mugs for all our drinks. These have a habit of disappearing into classrooms and staffrooms, so we are looking for replacements!
Do you have a draw or cupboard full of mugs you no longer need? Please donate!
Debating
Congratulations to our Debating Team who won the Mayor’s Cup earlier this month!
Students Milo Mages, Chamara Fernando, Roise Hedley and Abby Cunial were joined by Councillor Frances Kinghorne, Mayor Tony Mileto and Councillor Melanie McDonell for the event.
A special mention to Milo Mages, who was awarded the Kerry Parkes Memorial Trophy for Best Speaker.
Well done to all involved!
Yr 9 Market Day
The Year 9 Commerce Junior School Market Day was held on Tuesday Week 5 as part of the Subject’s assessment on running a business. Each group has already created a business plan, partnership agreement, and pitched for a loan before selling their products. Most stalls offered sweet treats like cookies, rocky road, waffles, and some creative items such as handmade keychains. It was exciting to see how different groups promoted and sold their products, using signs and deals to attract customers. The junior school students came well prepared to spend and with generous appetites. The money raised is going to charity, which made the event even more meaningful. Overall, the day was fun, successful, and a great learning experience.
