Wellbeing
With the end of the academic year next Tuesday 5 December, I take this opportunity to wish all students and their families a safe and peaceful Summer holiday break. I trust everyone has a holy Christmas period enjoying time with loved ones and friends.
My sincere thanks are extended to the many members of the Wellbeing Team - the Year Coordinators, Student Wellbeing Coordinator, Counsellors, Head of Vocational Education and Careers, College Nurse and Student Services Officer - who have worked tirelessly with both students and parents/carers during the year to support the boys under their care.
I am looking forward to seeing students return refreshed and ready to tackle all that 2024 will have to offer. For students who are moving on to new schools or post-school options, I wish them all the best as they begin a new phase in their lives.
During the course of this year there have been a number of initiatives and occasions whereby our students, parents and carers have had the opportunity to develop a greater understanding of online safety and responsible use of social media.
I recently received an online article from Kirra Pendergast where she reflects on recent trends of adolescent social media use and some tips for parents/carers in guiding their children through the complexities of social media platforms.
I commend the following article to your reading over the coming weeks:
The Escalation of Online Aggression Among Teens and Tweens Post-Covid (safeonsocial.com).
Robert Simpson
Director of Wellbeing
Co-curricular and House Prefects
In this week’s edition of the Prefect Profiles, we have those that are mostly responsible for leading involvement and College spirit, the Co-curricular and House Prefects.
Christian Coorey
What is your leadership portfolio?
Co-curricular (Sport) Prefect for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I’m excited about promoting and encouraging increased participation in co-curricular, particularly sport. I have made great memories playing sport, and I’m looking forward to encouraging everyone to create memories of their own that will last a lifetime.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Something that others will be surprised to know is that I am a massive American football fan and wake up most Monday mornings before school to watch the games. I go for the New York Jets and am involved in a few NFL fantasy leagues.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
My preferred way to unwind when I get home from school is to go for a run. It may only be 10 minutes, but it allows me to relax and shift my mindset from school before I do any work.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A good theme song for my life would be "White Flag" by Bishop Briggs. I listen to it while exercising and it reminds me of the desire to keep going and never give up, no matter the struggles we come across.
Elijah Tan
What is your leadership portfolio?
Co-Curricular (Cultural) Prefect for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I’m most excited about being able to promote the co-curricular aspect of college life more towards the student body, especially the cultural side and showcasing the wide range activities the school has to offer from performing arts to social justice and debating. I’m looking forward to encouraging everyone to get more involved and create memories that will last long after school just as I have.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Something that others may be surprised to know is that I’m a huge Lego fanatic. In rare moments of free time, I love to put some Netflix on and build a Lego set, my largest of which is the current largest Lego set, The Eiffel Tower with 10001 pieces, standing at about 150 cm tall, taking around 3 days to build.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
My preferred way to unwind is to take my dog out for a walk or spend time with people I enjoy being around whether it be friends or family. Putting headphones in and queuing the playlist helps me dissociate from any stresses or pressures school may cause and being out with mates even for a short time gives me a chance to have a break and enjoy myself.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A good theme song for my life would be "I’m Still Standing," by Elton John. The song often repeats the lines, ‘I’m still standing after all this time. Picking up the pieces of my life.’ It talks about resilience and being able to bounce back in times of hardship, something I really value in my own experiences.
Aiden Elias
What is your leadership portfolio?
Berg Captain for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I am looking forward to lifting the college spirit and bringing a sense of pride and excitement within my house. I am also excited about the opportunity to win the college cup and create a legacy for Berg.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Many people would be surprised to know that I am super big movie nerd, and I love watching all types of movies, especially Star Wars, Creed and DC. I also love watching the NBA.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
My preferred way to unwind is just either gaming with my mates or lying outside by the Pool in the sun.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
If my life had a theme song, it would be "Heaven Can Wait" by Michael Jackson. The soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics beautifully mirror the chapters of my journey. The song's theme of embracing love, cherishing the present, and finding joy in the simple moments resonates profoundly with my outlook on life
Ethan Harb
What is your leadership portfolio?
Coghlan Prefect for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I am most excited about collaborating with the other house prefects to create memorable house carnivals and strengthening bonds between boys within the College irrespective of year groups. Further, I look forward to developing additional sporting initiatives that will build and strengthen the college spirit and comradery amongst the boys.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
When I was born, my lungs were underdeveloped. I was placed into the Neonatal ICU for 2 weeks where my lungs were supported by a machine to help me breathe, and I was given medication to help my lungs develop.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
I find listening to music or meditating my preferred way to unwind. After a busy week of school, especially around exam periods, I find it effective to have some quiet time for myself and listen to music or meditate.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A song that relates to my life is "THANK GOD" by Travis Scott. The song reflects on life’s journey and the ability to overcome obstacles and be free of stress with the help of God. The song talks about living in the present moment and making the most out of life, as the chorus suggests a mindset of seizing opportunities and embracing life to the fullest “one life, live it, right now,” even when faced with adversities and grief as the following line says, “goodbyes, that’s life, fun times, for life”. Thus emphasises the importance of making memories with loved ones which is something I highly value.
Matteo Vaccaro
What is your leadership portfolio?
Crichton Prefect for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
The one aspect I am thrilled to experience is to have the vision to work alongside my fellow house captains to develop and promote the College Cup and overall involvement within the Co-curricular and carnivals, to ultimately develop the ongoing, unbreakable brotherhood and spirit within the SPC community.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
An interesting thing about me is my mother works for Qantas and I love travelling but have a huge fear and hate for flying.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
I have many hobbies that I use to unwind. These include going to the gym, playing football or fishing. These hobbies allow me to have time to myself and forget about all the stress and worries in my life and just have time to enjoy my own presence and clear my mind.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A song I can relate to is "Adventure of a lifetime" from Coldplay as I aspire to live my life to the fullest and enjoy the adventures I endure. A verse from the song also mentions “under this pressure, under this weight, we are diamonds,” which I personally feel relates to me as I am always talking and meeting new people and if you open yourself up to others you can understand everyone’s cool and unique values.
Nathaniel Sebastian
What is your leadership portfolio?
Hanrahan Prefect for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I am most excited to work closely with the boys in Hanrahan to hopefully create a lasting legacy for our colour house. I am also very excited to work with the other colour house captains and prefects to raise the school spirit, creating a more memorable experience not only for myself but for everyone in the school.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Something people may be surprised about is that my mum grew up in Dubai, and I have lots of family and friends there, so we try to visit them pretty often.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
My preferred way to unwind is to either go for a nice run around my area and listen to music, or to just lay on the couch and watch a movie.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A Song that would be a good theme song for my life would be "Slide" by Calvin Harris ft. Frank Ocean. It is a very chill song that reminds me of summer and being down by the beach and is a sure-fire way to get me relaxed and calm. It helps me to remember to live life by the moment and not to worry about things I can’t control.
Alex Conti
What is your leadership portfolio?
Hickey Prefect for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I am excited about continuing a strong Hickey culture that past hickey captains have instilled within the college. I'm looking forward to encouraging boys to participate in all facet's college life, building relationships and memories. I am also excited to lead the school carnivals and making this a joyous event for the year 12 cohort along with being good role models for the years below.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Some people may be surprised that I have really bad eyesight and am short-sighted, however, I have never worn contacts when I play sport.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
My preferred way to unwind is going out with my friends and socializing. This allows me to enjoy myself, forgetting about stress and creating memories. I really enjoy playing sport and have recently gotten into golf.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A theme song that represents me is "Life’s good" by Future and Drake. I chose this song for its title. It a world where there is constant suffering, I think it is important for us to be grateful for all the good things life has to offer and what we are grateful of.
James Kazzi
What is your leadership portfolio?
Rice Captain for 2024.
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I am looking forward to the opportunity to re-instill within the College the sense of college spirit and brotherhood which has united us for so many years. In aiming to reinvigorate the core of our College spirit, being our joint Catholic faith, I am excited to work with the other members of the SLT to make a lasting impact on the College.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Many people would be surprised to know that my older brother previously held this portfolio as 2019 Rice Captain, and I aspire to follow in his footsteps.
What is your preferred way to unwind?
My preferred way to unwind from the stress and pressure of school is by spending time with my loved ones. This allows me an escape by which the loud, boisterous environment of my home distracts me and relieves my stress.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A theme song representative of myself would be "Shosholoza" as it describes the sense of perseverance and dedication men must possess if they want to achieve their goals.