Around the School

Year 10 & 11

Kate Fitzsimmons visited O’Connor and spoke to students in Year 10 and 11. Her message was very powerful and encouraged our students to make a choice. They can live happier, healthier, more resilient lives—no matter what!

Kate is a teen resilience specialist and youth motivational speaker, Kate Fitzsimmons has chosen to turn devastating adversity—from the crippling grief of losing a beloved sister to the self-loathing that fuelled a terrifying eating disorder—into a brawny backbone. Now, she spearheads a charitable foundation in her sister's honour and travels the country, teaching teens how to transform serious challenge into rocket fuel for a great life. For more information go to www.katefitzsimons.com

Let’s Hang It! 2018

Congratulations to Kaitlynn Turley on her selection into the 2018 University of New England Schools Acquisition Art Prize “Let’s Hang”. This is a hotly contested competition with over 530 entrants from across the area out of which only 66 are selected to form the final exhibition. The exhibition will open at NERAM on Friday July 27th with the winner announced and prize giving ceremony starting from 6pm.

This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary talents of students of all ages. The opening night also provides opportunity for the general public to have their say selecting a people choice award on the night.

The exhibition will be on display from the 27th of July till the 12th of August. Well worth a look!

Day for Girls

Maria Alkhouri, Emily Wooster, Carmela Brown and Neve Crotty helping with the Days for Girls Assembly Day on the weekend at O’Connor. These kits are being transported to Laos by Cath Redden. We look forward to hearing about their journey soon.

Birthing Kits

Where did our birthing kits go???

BKFA Birthing Kits packed by you and your group go to women living in and facing the most challenging of circumstances when they give birth. One kit can mean the difference between life and death.

You'll be pleased to know that we distributed kits to the following field partners in June.

Thank you so much for your support.

Vicki Channon

Z Club

Yr 12 Fundraiser

Our Year 12s organised a fundraiser for drought relief. It was a head shave/leg wax that many students participated in on Founders Day. Please help if you can.

https://www.gofundme.com/o039connor-2018-drought-relief

Year 11 PDHPE

Yr 11 PDHPE visited the Exercise Science Labs at UNE today to do some physiological testing related to study we had been completing at school. The students participated in a range of tests including Lawson Fittler competing a really tough VO2max, achieving an outstanding result.

No Ordinary Hero

O’Connor Catholic College’s entry No Ordinary Hero is a finalist in the NOVA Employment 2018 Focus On Ability Short Film Awards.

Celebrating 10 years this year, the Focus on Ability (FOA) Awards is designed to encourage filmmakers to focus on the ability of people with disability.

More stories:

This year’s FOA competition hit a record number of 297 entries, including 131 school entries and 63 international films.

Following successful screenings last year in New Zealand, New York and Zimbabwe, this year the competition received entries from a record number of countries, 26, including Pakistan, Iran, Tunisia and Hong Kong.

Eight O’Connor students who either have a disability themselves, or have a close family member with one, participated in the planning and filming of the documentary.

Watch No Ordinary Hero: