Achievements &
Excursions

Touch Football

ASC played a round of 20 finals game against Balgowlah Boys High. In a highly competitive match, ASC boys stood up strongly against a very well drilled, athletic side.

Ultimately the Balgowlah Boys took the win but ASC managed to score 3 tries.

Dallas Kelly scored 1 and assisted Morris Collins and Noah Foote to score a try each. The fourth try was a spectacular dive try by Morris.

Thanks to Armidale Rams for allowing us to use their facilities and to the Armidale Touch Football association for organising excellent referees.

Big thanks to Jaiden French for his coaching skills.

ASC Agriculture excursion

UNE Farming Futures. Had a fantastic day at UNE where Year 9 Ag students got to hear from a number of industry people around future Ag education and careers!

Our students were terrific and had a great day!

Mr Fisher

Da Vinci Excursion

On Monday 24th July, eight Year 7 and eight Year 9 students travelled down to Sydney by train with Ms Ahern and Mr Lane for the Da Vinci Decathalon State Finals at Knox Grammar School. Our students worked hard throughout the competition day in some incredibly challenging tasks in the fields of mathematics, cartography, general knowledge, ideation, engineering and other areas. Unfortunately we were not placed in the top three but we were pleased to be one of the highest ranking Public Schools in the competition. We also had the opportunity to undertake some sightseeing around Sydney. We had fun experiencing all the practical activities at the Powerhouse, catching Sydney public transport and seeing the Queen Victoria Building and other scenic places. We ended the day at Hyde Park Barracks to learn more about the experiences of the convicts and Aboriginal people in colonial Sydney. We returned by train on Thursday after a very tiring but enjoyable time away. Our students are to be commended for their exemplary behaviour and attitudes while representing our school in the community.

Let's Hang It exhibition!

We are pleased to announce that three of our students were finalists in NERAM's Let's Hang It exhibition!

Congratulations to Micha Wilson, Alisa Bjorkander, and Michi Takayama for their outstanding work and participation in this event.

We are especially proud to congratulate Micha Wilson for taking out the top prize in the Junior Secondary division of the competition! This is a tremendous achievement, and we are thrilled to see our students' hard work and dedication recognized in this way.

Well done to all of our students who participated in the Let's Hang It exhibition, and thank you to NERAM for providing such a wonderful opportunity for our young artists to showcase their talents. We look forward to seeing more great things from our students in the future!

Archie Todd is a superstar.

Archie Todd has had another successful Youthrock performance.

Archie won the Regional Award and another day of recording at a professional studio.

Well done Archie on your great achievement.

Netball

Well done to the U15 netball team who participated in the NW Netball Gala day in Tamworth. They won 3 out of their 4 games & all played amazingly.

The North West Athletics Trials were held on 28th July in Tamworth. We had 19 students competing on the day and many of our students were successful in gaining selection for the North West Athletics team. A huge congratulations to all our students who competed.

Congratulations to the ASC girls who represented the North West region at the NSW CHS Gymnastics Championships in Newcastle this week! All were wonderful representatives of North West and ASC.

A really big congratulations to Fia Wallace for coming 4th in Hoop in the Rhythmic gymnastics competition and to Chloe Brennan who claimed a GOLD MEDAL for her Vault in the Artistic gymnastics competition!! This is an amazing result and we are very proud of ALL of our talented gymnasts.

Sophia-Rose Markham – Armidale Secondary College | Top 50 Year 11 & Year 12 Trailblazer 2023

Congrats Sophia-Rose making it into the top 10 Trailblazer 2023!

What are the Trailblazer Awards?

The Trailblazer Awards celebrates Year 11 and Year 12 students beyond their ATAR, recognising those who have overcome personal challenges and used their final year of school to positively impact their community.

Our Trailblazers will have the opportunity to build their personal brand and profile as a future leader, learn how to successfully apply for Early Entry, Scholarships, Co-Op, and Cadetships Opportunities, and so much more!

Find out how Sophia-Rose navigated their senior schooling differently throughout 2023!

Introducing: Sophia-Rose Markham

Category: Social Impact & Change
School: Armidale Secondary College
State: NSW
Career Aspiration: Social welfare and impact industries to create better wellbeing and life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Achievements

Participated in The Premier’s ANZAC Memorial Scholarship and Schools Spectacular, showcasing talent and dedication.
Engaged in the ABCN Accelerate Program, receiving mentoring and leadership training to become an active member of her cultural and geographic community.
Attended the NSW Selective School’s Sky Story Symposium, developing confidence, leadership skills, and cultural knowledge as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student.
Actively involved in leading Aboriginal Dance workshops with Black Mountain Public School, fostering cultural connection and providing opportunities for networking and role modelling.
Assisted the Aboriginal Education Team at her school with the “My mob and me” program, supporting Year 7 girls in staying connected with their culture and making positive physical and mental choices.
Developed strong communication skills through public speaking engagements, including debating, serving as an MC at the ABCN Leadership Summit, and adapting her communication style to teach dance to younger students.

What makes Sophia-Rose Markham a Trailblazer?

Sophia-Rose is a Trailblazer who has embraced numerous opportunities to make a difference in her school and cultural community. Through her participation in the ABCN Accelerate Program and the NSW Selective School’s Sky Story Symposium, she has gained valuable skills and insights into leadership and cultural engagement. At the ABCN 2023 Leadership Summit, Sophia-Rose took on the role of MC at a formal dinner, sharing her story and connecting with industry leaders from renowned Australian companies. These experiences have enhanced her ability to communicate effectively in various contexts and adapt to different audiences.

Sophia-Rose’s commitment to her cultural community is evident in her efforts to empower and inspire younger generations. She has led Aboriginal Dance workshops with Black Mountain Public School, introducing students to the fundamentals of dance while providing cultural knowledge and connections to role models. Additionally, Sophia-Rose has been actively involved in the “My mob and me” program, assisting the Aboriginal Education Team at her school. Through this program, she helps students stay connected with their culture and make positive choices for their physical and mental well-being. Sophia-Rose’s dedication to these initiatives demonstrates her strong sense of responsibility and passion for fostering cultural connection and empowerment.

Despite her achievements, Sophia-Rose has faced challenges, particularly concerning her mental health. Adapting to a more intensive workload in Year 11 has taken a toll on her well-being. Furthermore, maintaining a connection with her culture has been a struggle, leading to a sense of disconnect at times. Despite these challenges, Sophia-Rose remains resilient and determined to create positive change within her community.

Looking ahead, Sophia-Rose aspires to pursue a career in the social welfare and impact industries, with a specific focus on improving the well-being and life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Her leadership experience, strong communication skills, and cultural understanding make her well-equipped to contribute to these fields. Sophia-Rose is currently awaiting the results of her application for the Student Leadership Team and aims to become the school captain in Year 12, further solidifying her role as a leader and advocate for positive change.

Sophia-Rose’s dedication to empowering her community through leadership and cultural connection establishes her as a remarkable Trailblazer. Her involvement in various programs and initiatives highlights her commitment to making a difference in the lives of others, particularly within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. With her exceptional communication skills, resilience, and unwavering passion, Sophia-Rose is poised to achieve great success in her chosen career path and leave a lasting impact on her community as one of our Top 50 Trailblazers!

The Top 50 Year 11 and Year 12 Trailblazer Awards

The Trailblazer Awards aim to identify and celebrate students who use their final years of school to invest holistically in the skills and experiences that will maximise their own future opportunities and make a contribution to the future of our society.

Our winners for the Year 11 and Year 12 Trailblazer Awards have demonstrated initiative in volunteering for their school or community, have participated in co-curricular activities, and have held leadership positions within their schools.

Under 15's Basketball Gala in Tamworth

Competitive drive, maturity, classy skill and good sportsmanship were all on display in Tamworth on the 3rd of August, but enough about the teaching staff - let’s talk about the teams.

ASC took a busload of Under 15's boys and girls to compete in the Northwest basketball gala day at the Tamworth Indoor Sports Dome. 17 students and 3 staff travelled down to show those lowlanders a thing or 2 about basketball. Upon arrival our obvious charisma and class intimidated the opposition before we even took the court, again the air was thick with envy once our skill and fitness on the court were on full display.

To call it breathtaking would almost be an understatement such was the talent on display from the tablelands. A cruel twist of fate gave the boys a bye and then sent us in against Peel High without a chance to get our rhythm. Peel played well (though it pains me to say it) and a very tight, back and forth match ended with our valiant boys going down by a single point. We bounced (basketball pun!) back in our next 2 games and defeated Oxley and then Tamworth High by large margins. Now we needed to defeat Farrer, yes Farrer, that sporting hurdle which all local state high schools must find a way over. The boys played a fantastic game and had Farrer behind midway through the second half but sadly those agricultural types rebounded (again with the basketball puns!) and won it by a narrow margin. ASC boys were out of the running for progressing to the state finals. Sadness.

The girls meanwhile were finding success under head coach Amy Evans. A particularly impressive win in overtime against Tamworth High was the standout moment, Alexis Lockwood scored with 30 seconds to go to seal the win. They also defeated Guyra Central by a healthy margin. Unfortunately again the final game of the day was a loss and the girls bowed out from progressing further. More sadness.

A couple of the standout moments/performances are below.

Darnell stealing the ball weaving down the court and faking a taller defender out of his shoes before laying it in.

Will pulling approximately all the offensive rebounds and scoring well over 20 points against Tamworth High.

Ollie insisting on shooting a 3 when he knows his grouchy old coach hates them and doing a cheeky look towards the bench after it went in. Instantly benched.

Owen and Thinley finding ways to sneak near the basket and go unnoticed until they were scoring sneaky layups.

The girls team were noticeably impressive with their teamwork and willingness to share the ball, several of their opponents relied heavily on 1 or 2 players which made it noticeable when the ASC girls were scoring, it was often multiple different players.

A great day, many thanks to the venerable Mr Lacey for driving the bus down and refereeing and to Amy for coaching the girls at the last minute.

Well played all – next year!

Mr Joseph Forgeard