St George's Superstars

Ms Lynda Lane, Teacher

Generosity comes from the heart - and few examples capture that spirit more than the actions of St George's Science teacher Ms Lynda Lane.

Combining exceptional (and remarkably speedy) crocheting skills with a genuine desire to serve others, Ms Lane has handcrafted a woollen blanket that will soon provide warmth and comfort to someone experiencing homelessness in Perth.

Earlier this year, Ms Lane collected unfinished crochet squares and spare balls of wool from members of the school community, determined to transform these individual pieces into something meaningful.

The project was inspired by a Year 9 Beliefs & Values initiative in 2024, during which students created a blanket that Ms Lane later completed. This week, St George's has once again teamed up with Dhamesh Patel, owner of Game City Café next door to 50 William Street, to help find a recipient. The café has a long-standing pay-it-forward tradition and strong connections with people living on Perth's city streets. 

The 2024 blanket was gifted through the café to Michael, whom Mr Patel says remains deeply attached to it and still stops by Game City from time to time for a pay-it-forward coffee. Having built relationships with many people experiencing homelessness in the city, Mr Patel already has the perfect recipient in mind for Ms Lane's latest creation. Thank you, Ms Lane, for weaving together community and compassion.

Lawson, Music Captain

A special shout-out to Year 12 student Lawson for sharing his passion for Auslan with our school community. This week, students and staff heard from Lawson, who has been formally studying Auslan at TAFE since last year.

"What really motivated me to learn Auslan is because I have a high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss," he explained. "Which basically means I can't hear high frequencies very well. For example, sounds like SH, F and S. But this speech isn't about me; it's about a language that most Australians have never given a second thought to, even though it's been part of this country for nearly 200 years."

As part of his presentation, Lawson explained that Auslan has its own regional dialects and was only officially recognised as a community language in 1989. He also challenged some common misconceptions.

"A lot of people assume there's one universal sign language that everyone around the world uses. Well, there isn't," he said.

"Every country has its own sign language: Auslan in Australia, BSL in Britain, ASL in America and so on. They're all completely different languages. Just like spoken languages, they developed independently within their own communities and cultures. Did you know that ASL, American Sign Language, is actually closer to French Sign Language than it is to Auslan?"

Lawson concluded by teaching the audience how to applaud in Auslan, with students and staff enthusiastically responding in sign as a mark of appreciation for his informative and inspiring presentation.

Juliette, Arts Captain 

Congratulations to Year 12 student and Performing Arts Captain Juliette Andrews on her acceptance into the prestigious Diploma of Musical Theatre at Brent Street Sydney. 

This highly regarded two-year full-time course provides intensive training in singing, dancing and acting, preparing students for professional careers within the performing arts industry. Entry into the program is highly competitive, making Juliette's achievement a testament to her dedication, talent and commitment to her craft.

Throughout her time at St George's, Juliette has consistently demonstrated a passion for performance and a willingness to embrace new challenges both inside and outside the classroom. Coincidentally, last school holidays Juliette visited Brent St as part of St George’s Sydney Arts Tour. 

While she is still considering her plans and pathways beyond Year 12, being offered a place in such a respected and competitive training program is an outstanding achievement and reflects the high calibre of work she has produced throughout her schooling. We are incredibly proud of Juliette and wish her all the best as she explores her future opportunities. 

Emily, Year 8

Give us an E-M-I-L-Y. It's destination Canada for Year 8 cheerleading enthusiast Emily Saunders fthese school holidays. Emily was selected to represent Perth Magic All Stars at the prestigious Association for International Allstar Cheerleading tournament in Montreal in July. The event brings together some of the top cheerleading teams from across the world. Participation provides athletes with the opportunity to perform at an elite level, develop teamwork, resilience and leadership skills and represent their sport on an international stage. Well done, Emily — what a superstar achievement!