Wellbeing
End of Year Attendance
Parents/carers are reminded that attendance at Speech Night and Prizegiving on Thursday 1 December is compulsory for all students. Requests for Leave after Friday 25 November will only be considered if they are extraordinary circumstances; students who are absent on Thursday 1 December due to families taking unapproved leave will be issued with a consequence such as a Community Service.
Meet the 2023 Student Leadership Team- Year Prefects Edition
Damon Chidiac
What is your leadership portfolio?
Year 5 Prefect
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I am extremely excited to welcome the new Year 5 student body and to support them in adapting and settling into their first year at St Patrick’s College. I’m keen to create a positive foundation for the boys, through establishing friendships and activities that ignite a sense of brotherhood. I look forward to being an approachable mentor, sharing my knowledge and experience to facilitate social interaction and spiritual connection amongst the Year 5 cohort and wider SPC environment.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
When I started at St Patrick’s College, I played the saxophone and from this developed exceptional respiratory control. I was able to hold a note on a single breath for 2 minutes.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
The song ‘The Nights’ by Avicii is an ode to living life to the fullest. The song is about being yourself, working hard and chasing your dreams to ultimately “live a life you will remember”. Avicii emphasises the idea of learning through overcoming obstacles and always remembering the good times. The song resonates with me and mirrors my personal ethos.
Vittorio Marando
What is your leadership portfolio?
Year 6 Prefect
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I’m excited to act as a voice for the younger students of the College, and all students as a whole; to let their messages be heard and improve their College life. Year 6, for me, was one of, if not, my favourite, years of schooling, and I’d like that to be the case for the Year 6 boys over the following year. I’m excited to give the boys in Year 6 an enjoyable final year of Junior School and prepare them as they move on into the Senior School.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Rather than resorting to playing games as a way of disconnecting from my studies, I much prefer going on relaxing drives, while listening to music on the radio. I find that through this I can get my mind off school more effectively than if I were to play games. I feel as though this may be surprising to most people as the most common (and understandable) way people are able to relax these days is through social media and gaming.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
‘Mortal Man’ by Kendrick Lamar, is a song that I find very relatable and summarises my values as a person. The song itself focuses on having the right people around you, that will stick by you through thick and thin, supporting your decisions regardless of whether they agree or not. Once the song has concluded, there are multiple poems that are read out by the artist, one of which expresses his vulnerability and how it is ok to deal with adversity but doing it the wrong way may be harmful. The same poem also explores the beauty in unity and peace, and how it should be actively advocated for. Another explores the importance of letting the “butterfly” within, which can be likened to the light within, break free and shine onto others; using your gifts God has given for the better of others.
Salvatore Ierardo
What is your leadership portfolio?
Year 7 Prefect
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
I am most excited about assisting the younger men of the College in their transition from Junior School to Senior School and guiding them through the first year of a new chapter in their schooling. I mainly look forward to hearing the boys ask for my help, knowing I am someone they can rely on and trust. I plan on spending a lot of time getting to know the young men, building a strong relationship with them to boost their courage for later years along the track, providing them with full confidence to carry out any activity they desire.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
During the first COVID-19 lockdown I had a lot of time to spare and was wasting it on playing video games and eating unhealthily. So, to fix this problem I committed to eating a clean diet and going to the gym five times a week to stay healthy and fit. By the end of lockdown when we all returned to school, I ended up losing 15kg which boosted my confidence in who I am. By this time, I realised the saying is true, “Once you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything”. So, to this day I have continued to carry out these practices and commit to everything I do to get it done right, and I have never felt better.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
A theme song I would use to describe my life would be ‘Life is a Highway’ by Rascal Flatts. I initially heard the song from the 2006 movie Cars, my all-time favourite movie. But now when I listen to the song and understand the lyrics, it describes life as anything you want it to be, you create your life and make the decisions which guide your path. The song has impacted my life as it taught me how important it is to not only create memories but also live life to the fullest.
My favourite lyric from the song is “There’s not much time left today”. To me this line of the song expresses the use of utilising every second in the day and not waste time as there is no time to waste.
Antonio Laggis
What is your leadership portfolio?
Year 8 Prefect
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
As the Year 8 Prefect, I am eager to inspire the boys to immerse themselves in the College and to share my individual experiences so far. Year 8 serves as a training ground for the senior years, and I am hoping that during this time the boys create memorable experiences that they take with them into their future. I anticipate gaining the boys trust and promise to be there for them whenever they need a chat or if they ever need anything. I am looking forward to sharing my enthusiasm and willingness to put others before myself. I am also blessed to have the opportunity to work with the respective Year Ambassadors to develop initiatives that can educate their cohort in self-reflection, while also building a sense of comradery and enjoyment for the boys. Hopefully, 2023 will go down as the year where the boys will create a cohesive unit that can remain strong for their future years at the College.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
I do my best to be active especially if I am stressed out and feeling the pressures of study and school. This might entail shooting a basketball because it enables me to escape the stressors of my life and enter another zone.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel. This song has a special meaning for me as it motivates me to improve especially when I feel pressured or incapable of completing a task. It inspires me, provides me with motivation, and demonstrates to me that love and determination can triumph over all challenges The line, "ain't no mountain high enough," serves as a motivating factor to climb the "mountain", which helps me deal with the demands of school and fosters my own inner strength.
Maxwell Toniato
What is your leadership portfolio?
Year 10 Prefect
What are you most excited about in your leadership portfolio?
Getting a chance to work with the boys in Year 10 to make a great year out of 2023. Year 10 has its challenges, but I am hoping that the boys can learn from my experiences which could help them in Years 11 and 12.
What is something about you that others may be surprised to know?
Whenever I’m having a bad day or I just want to escape from the pressures of life, I will go outside to my driveway, put in my air pods and start playing some basketball. This way I can get away from everything and just have some time alone and focus on improving myself. I really enjoy this because it gives me a chance get some shots up and listen to the music I like.
What would be a good theme song for your life? Why?
‘It’s My Life’ by Bon Jovi. In the song, it speaks about making the most of your life and making sure that you’re working hard. Lines such as, “I ain’t gonna be just a face in the crowd, you’re gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud” really speaks to me because I don’t want to be remembered as someone who just stands there idly as everything goes on around them. Instead, I want to be known as someone who stands out and doesn’t just blend in with everyone else.
2023 Student Leadership Team