AROUND THE COLLEGE & BEYOND

Child Refugee Novel Leaves a Heartfelt Impression on Our Year 7s  

As part of the Year 7 English program in Term 4, 7ENGB  studied On Two Feet and Wings by Abbas Kazerooni. This compelling true story recounts Abbas’s experiences as a nine-year-old boy fleeing war-torn Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War. Left to navigate a foreign world on his own, Abbas’s ordeal offers a poignant, child’s perspective on political upheaval, separation, resilience and triumph.

To end the unit, students watched an interview with the author and wrote heartfelt thank-you letters to him, reflecting on the powerful messages they took away from the novel. It has clearly encouraged the young men of Saints to value resilience, determination and persistence, while inspiring them to approach the world with a deep sense of empathy and understanding. Abbas’s story has helped them envision the future through a lens of social justice, kindness and compassion.

Students' thoughts

"I enjoyed your book so much because of how true and real it was. I just couldn't get my head around the fact that you were only around eight years old when all of those things in your book happened to you. Your story has helped me understand in depth how hard it is for a refugee to thrive once they have escaped war. It's made me wonder how I would have coped if it was me in the book." 

Ayman Abdalla

"The main message I have taken from your book was to keep moving forward. You had so many setbacks, but you kept moving forward. I think this was the key factor to your success."

Finn Bartlett

"I found that your book clearly raised the issues of war and that the newest generations shouldn't be sent out to fight just to lose their lives. When I read over the conflicts you faced, I felt quite sorry for you and thought about how cruel being in those circumstances would've been for you.

"Moving forward, the message I'm taking from this is that the world needs to be more mindful of who they send to war and that nations should try their best to stay content and away from the thought of war."

Max Belbin

"Your story has taught me about how nice people are especially people in the Middle East. It has raised my understanding that war is still going on today in multiple countries. I couldn't help but shed a tear when you were getting beaten up and when you had to leave your home. I wonder if Australia, or any other countries for that matter, are helping refugees of certain countries. These thoughts have really made an impact on my life."

Oliver Bosel

"While I was reading your first book, On Two Feet and Wings, I kept thinking to myself about how much bravery you must have needed to have to leave your parents and go to Istanbul alone. My favourite part is when you first meet Murat at the hotel. Thank you for sharing your story."

Charlie Browne

"The message I took from this book, was how different children’s lives are around the world and how everyone should be thoughtful of other people’s backgrounds. I will use this message to always be mindful of other children's perspectives, their lives and how they live differently to us."

Koby Craig

"Your book helped me understand what refugees go through everyday just to seek a better life.  With the information your book has given me, I now understand how persistence can be used in everyday life for the better."

Lopeti Huni

"I have learnt from your book that you should never stop trying and always keep pushing through the hard times. I am interested in whether you still have contact with Murat from your first book. 

"In the future, I will use this book as a confidence booster and will always remember you as the boy who never gave up."

Kayden Morrissey

"From the vulnerability to courage, to the kindness shown by the people who were around you; when reading this book, I felt as if I was in the same position as you were at such a young age. It has also changed my perspective on how even the smallest of kind acts can have the strongest, biggest and most powerful impact on a person, no matter what race, gender or age."

Javier Tabe

"As someone surrounded by the multicultural aspects of Australia, the constant reminder of immigrant life throughout your novel has made me more aware of alternative cultures. Not only does your novel outline the experiences of diverse cultures, but it also highlights the kindness of strangers and how the smallest things can have the greatest impact."

Ondrei Tolland

No Room for 'Boardom' in this Year 8 English Class  

This term, 8ENGB dived into the action-packed world of Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden, and compared the novel with its film adaptation. After exploring the story's key events, character developments, relationships and themes, the boys wrote a comparative essay.  With assessment over, they got creative with a hands-on project: designing a Tomorrow, When the War Began-themed Monopoly game.

The challenge was to bring the story to life through the board game, reflecting the drama, tension and friendships at the heart of the novel. Congratulations to Ben, Fischer, Jase, Isaac and Harry, whose game, Wirraopoly, was voted the class favourite! Their hard work earned each of them a bucket of Tolle’s famous hot chips as a well-deserved reward. 

Junior Students Achieve Impressive Results in the QAMT Comp

St Augustine's College proudly celebrates the outstanding achievement of our Year 7 and 8 students who took part in the Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers (QAMT) and University of Queensland regional competition. One talented team, made up of Shuntaro Sato, Cooper McIlwraith and John Cheneval, won first place in the regional round, demonstrating their exceptional skills and commitment to excellence.

Participants were tested across various challenging problem-solving scenarios, requiring mathematical proficiency plus innovative thinking and collaboration. The top spot earned them the honour of representing Saints at the state level where they competed against Queensland's best schools, further showcasing their talent and the College's tradition of academic excellence.

Mastering the Skills of Sharemarket Investing

Mr John Sorensen - Head of Humanities and Social Sciences 

The ASX Schools Sharemarket Game provides students with a simulated $50,000 to invest in the top 200 companies within Australia. More than 90 students in over 30 syndicates participated in the competition. While the games only take place for months, they give students a key understanding of the ebb and flow of the sharemarket and allow them to experience and review market impacts such as the effect of the Trump Administration.  

Game 2 was influenced by the US election and some syndicates adjusted the portfolios accordingly. Within Game 2 we had one syndicate enter the top 100 in Queensland with Cedric Ontolan and Kalani Williams of CK Invest obtaining 33rd position in the state and comfortably winning the St Augustine’s competition. Well done to Cedric and Kalani who obtained 1st position for the College and Hayden Coombs from Penny Stocks who obtained 2nd position.  

Despite some glitches from the ASX platform, St Augustine’s Game 1 was won by Zack Caltabiano of Mafia Capital and second place was awarded to Brock Caltabiano of Hopping Along Investments. Well done, gentlemen. 

It’s a Man’s Issue 

Mr Kris O'Farrell – Head of Year 11

Our Year 11 students recently engaged in a powerful session led by Dr Curtis Rayment, founder and Director of It's a Man's Issue, unpacking critical topics such as rape, consent and strategies to become proactive bystanders – values rooted in our goal of forming good Christians and good citizens. Dr Rayment’s ability to foster an environment of trust allowed our students to comfortably discuss challenging situations they may encounter. When asked if they had attended a party, most stood; when asked about parties involving alcohol, three-quarters remained standing, underscoring the relevance of these discussions. 

As parents, carers, educators and mentors, we share a role in educating our boys on these topics. Dr Rayment, a recent graduate from JCU Townsville and now practising medicine at Toowoomba Hospital, brought a wealth of experience to this session, which was strengthened by his humour, passion and ability to connect. His recent nomination for Young Australian of the Year reflects his commitment to addressing these issues, often informed by his own experiences at university and in rugby locker rooms. 

We extend our gratitude to the Year 11 parent who suggested this program and to all our caregivers for their continued support in shaping respectful, conscientious young men. Dr Rayment’s presentation has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on our senior students. 

Here are some comments from our Year 11s

"Hey Sir, I thought the speech yesterday was excellent in teaching and challenging the ideologies about rape and sex culture and informing us about how we as men can create change in society about these issues." 

"The line where he mentions most young men have attended more of their mates’ funerals then their 21st birthdays stood out to me."  

"He seemed to connect with us young men, gave us information on how to be safe and gave us statistics to show that the way men treat women is a true problem."

"He was very charismatic, held my attention the whole time; great sense of humour and addressed the necessary issues without being disrespectful or making anyone uncomfortable." 

"The presentation from Curtis really changed my perspective on consent through the staggering statistics that he discussed."

"The presentation was eye-opening. It allowed freedom of curiosity with a true depth of understanding from Curtis which allowed clarification about situations and the truth surrounding sexual experiences and harassment."  

"The It's a Man's Issue was very engaging and gave me an understanding of the issues surrounding males and sexual abuse and rape." 

A Saints Student Showcases CQU's MVP Program's Success

Well done, Evan Ung, in Year 10, on your recent interview about the MVP program during Sport and Exercise Sciences Day with the Cairns Taipans and CQU labs, highlighting study pathways. Thank you CQUniversity for offering such a great program. Evan was interviewed on WIN News https://bit.ly/4ftRGDb and Seven Local News https://bit.ly/4hOzw0w  (at the 7.08 mark).

Watersports at Saints

Throughout Term 4 our boys have been learning to safely free dive in the Saints pool and how to equalise in Herbie's Swim School pool to a depth of 4 metres. They have also learnt how to play underwater hockey and ended the term by having two sessions at Tobruk Memorial Pool where they used the Cairns Crays equipment.