What's happening in the College?

• Visual Arts:  Readymade Remodelling!
• Visual Arts:  Smart Expressions - HSC Artworks 
• Science:  National Youth Science Forum 2020
• Chess
• Languages:  Chinese New Year Parade in the Junior School
• Public Speaking & Debating Information
• Senior Resource Centre News:  Breakfast & Booksigning with Richard Glover on Wednesday 13 March AND Manga Workshops at Willoughby Library
• Duke of Edinburgh/Outdoor Education - Adventurous Journey

Visual Arts: Readymade Remodelling!

Our Year 9 Visual Arts class have been studying the theme of Man and Technology and creating sculptures using different mediums and methods. We were given seven old keyboards that, instead of been thrown out or destroyed, were used to make our own sculptures.

We used the power of our imagination, creativity and a lot of hot glue. We ripped open the seven keyboards and worked on creating amazing things such as trees, robots, hands and many more. We used our materials well and thought about how the keys could make something.

Through studying (Australian Sculptor) Robert Klippel’s work, we were able to create works just like his, using scrap materials, turning the keyboards into amazing artworks. The keys were a major part of some of the works but some of us thought outside the box and used the other parts of the computer, which is exactly the sort of thing Robert Klippel did. We spent three lessons working on these sculptures to make them as good as they are and we are all very proud of our works.

Written by Tristan Williams

Photography by Harrison Pierides and Marco Locascio

Visual Arts - Smart Expressions

Smart Expressions opened last Thursday and will continue until 17 March 2019. The show features HSC art works from Chatswood High, Glenaeon, Willoughby Girls, Mercy College and St Pius X College and is on at the Willoughby Council Art Space on Anderson St and the Council Chamber Foyer in Victor Street. St Pius has works from six students:  Nicholas Biviano, Brodie Cullen, Edwin Harjono, Angus Growden (Art Space) Jonathan Stewart and Jack Moran (Council Foyer).

The opening night was well attended by students and their families from St Pius X College who came to see the works and enjoy the positive audience responses. The Willoughby Mayor, Councillor Gail Giles-Gidney, congratulated Nicholas Biviano and Brodie Cullen for being accepted into the National Art School.

Curator Cassandra Hard Lawrie said the students were most helpful in organising the show which had a new format this year and hopefully the program will continue to grow.

Other art news…if you haven’t seen the Hermitage Collection at the Art Gallery of New South Wales this is the last week. Here’s a tip – go at opening time (10 am) and make your way to the last room first to enjoy the Modern greats on your own.

Mr Mark Anderson - Visual Arts Coordinator

Science: National Youth Science Forum 2020

Attention Year 11 Science Students:  National Youth Science Forum 2020

Do you love science, or technology, or have a drive to find solutions to problems and fix things? Are you constantly asking Why? How? Why not? Do you see yourself working in a science-related field and would like to know more about science initiated study and career paths?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you should think about applying to attend the NYSF Year 12 Program.

Eligibility:  To apply for the NYSF Year 12 program, you must:

• be in year 11 in the year you apply, to attend the following January,
• be an Australian citizen or resident, and/or studying full-time in an Australian high school, and
• be considering pursuing a university degree at an Australian university to study science, engineering, technology, or a related discipline.

For more information go to: https://www.nysf.edu.au/programs/year-12-program/

Please see Mrs Schuster if you are considering this.

Mrs Joanne Schuster - Science Coordinator

Chess

Chess training is now in its third week and our numbers are looking good. If any student wishes to play Chess this year, but have been unable to attend training, can they please ensure they have communicated their intention to either Ms Ramsey or Ms Dempsey.

Specialist Coaches from Sydney Academy of Chess conduct the training sessions in D1-3 from 3.30-4.30pm each Monday. The chess competition season does not begin until Term 2; however, teams will need to be formed and entered soon.

So if you wish to extend your strategic thinking skills then sign up for chess … the game of Kings!

Ms Denise Ramsey and Ms Janelle Dempsey

Languages:  Chinese New Year Parade

The Junior School celebrated Chinese New Year on 22 February with a parade during the Friday afternoon assembly. The parade began with Chinese New Year music as the boys danced through the hallways of the Junior School. Year 6 students performed a cleansing ritual, parading through the classrooms wearing dragon costumes, playing drums and cymbals, focusing especially on the corners of the classrooms, which in traditional Chinese culture is believed to cleanse the rooms of evil spirits that dwell in the corners of the rooms.

Year 5 boys joined the parade waving hand-made lanterns through a welcoming corridor of Year 6 boys. During the assembly a representative from each Year 6 class presented a speech on Chinese New Year, and red packets were exchanged along with “gong xi fa cai”. The parade continued with Year 6 boys singing the Gongxi Gongxi song, to which the entire junior school had the opportunity to join in with the singing.

The following Year 6 boys were commended for their efforts and enthusiasm in delivering such an excellent performance with the parade: Jordan Papastamatis, Ronan Earle, Bryan Shon, Alexander Davies, Justin Kup-Ferroth, Jasper Ghannoum, Jake English, Liam Stamatis, Dylan Murphy, Eugene Kim, Anthony Parissis, Matthew Sissons, Ethan Auer, Julian Johnson, and Hamish Tooher.

A special thanks to Mr Cummins from the Performing Arts Department for preparing the seamless transition of music and to Mr Cunneen for the wonderful photography.    

Ms Leanne Ho - Language Teacher

Public Speaking & Debating

Information from Mrs Waterson can be found in the document below.

Mrs Michele Waterson - Public Speaking & Debating Convenor

Senior Resource Centre News

Breakfast & Book Signing with Richard Glover

Meet Richard Glover in the Senior Resource Centre on Wednesday 13 March from 7.30 am – 8.30 am, enjoy a light breakfast and hear all about his latest book The Land Before Avocado.  Don’t miss out - details & RSVP can be found below. 

The event is titled 'Books Blokes & Breakfast' but all are welcome!

You’ve read it, now draw it:  Manga

Manga is one of our library’s most popular genres with titles such as Attack on Titan, Naruto, Toriko and One Piece in constant demand.  Manga fans and budding artists over the age of 15 will be excited to learn of this invitation by Willoughby Library to a series of drawing workshops by the celebrated illustrator and graphic artist, Matthew Lin. The workshops from 2-3pm on Saturdays have a weekly Manga focus. For example, Session 3 teaches you to draw chibi characters.

Matthew’s tips and techniques are guaranteed to improve your drawing skills, RSVP here  

Mrs Karen Keighery - Senior Teacher Librarian

Duke of Edinburgh/Outdoor Education

Adventurous Journey:  On the weekend, 26 of our students completed a three day hike in the Brisbane Waters National Park. The students left the College on Friday afternoon and travelled to Woy Woy station. The first night was spent camping at the top of Mt Wondabyne. Day two the students hiked 20km to Piles Creek. The hike concluded on Sunday afternoon at Wondabyne station.

Highlights included a swim at the waterfall on Kariong Brook, Aboriginal carvings, crayfish in some of the rock pools, drinking from puddles, an awesome cable bridge over Piles Creek, rain, leaches, spending time with mates, carrying 6 litres of water, cooking in the rain, eating in the rain, setting up camp in the rain, more rain, more leaches and a final swim in the Hawksbury River at Wondabyne station!

Congratulations to the students who completed this hike for their Bronze or Silver Award and a big thank you to Mr Andy Darbin for his enthusiasm, time, patience and overall assistance with this activity.

Mr Paul de Silva - Outdoor Education Coordinator