03 Mar 2015

Here Comes the Sun – Solar Panels at Newington

As some may know, over the past year the College has significantly improved its green profile. One of the many initiatives which was pushed for by the Stanmore campus’ Sustainability Committee and implemented by the entire College was the installation of solar panels.

Currently there are solar panels installed on both the Concordia Centre and the Taylor Sports Centre, and there are plans to roll this out across all three campuses. We have a system that produces up to 108kW of electricity at one time and has so far generated over 57.6 MWh of electricity – enough to offset over 100 tonnes of CO2 (a remarkable contribution from a school community). This fact alone demonstrates the impact of student action; and how as a community we can support the planet and lower costs in the future – actions that embody the entirety of sustainability.

To stay completely up to date, you can view the amount of energy being produced at any time here.

Sustainability Committee

Academic Excellence Assembly 2015 – ‘If not me, who? And if not now, when?’

Inspiration, determination and hard work was personified on Wednesday 18 February as boys, staff, parents and members of the Newington community gathered in Centenary Hall to welcome back and celebrate our top academic achievers from the Class of 2014.

With three IB Perfect Score recipients, 10 HSC All Rounder ‘Premier’s Award’ Recipients, 18 students who achieved 99 or above and 14 students receiving nominations with five inclusions in the HSC showcase exhibitions INTECH, ARTEXPRESS and ENCORE, the stage was quickly filled with proud Newingtonians.

Erol Gorur (ON 2014), Michael Gribble (ON 2014) and Matthew Han (ON 2014) were among the last to take their position on the stage as they were named joint winners of the Hardy Medal having each achieved the Perfect IB Diploma score of 45/45, equating to an ATAR of 99.95.

However, they were not the only recipients of the elusive Perfect Score in the room. Traditionally, the Year 12 Dux of the current graduating cohort returns to address the school at the Academic Excellence Assembly each year. Often they will either shed light on their study and experience after they left school or offer some words of advice for those about to embark on life beyond College gates. This year’s guest speaker was Ben Adler (ON 2009), the first and other Newingtonian to have achieved an IB perfect score of 45 in the room. He is currently a student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Ben gave a tour de force speech mixing self deprecating humour and introspection with philosophy and a call to action. He began his address reminiscing about his final year at Newington.

“Twelve months before my final exams, I put up two sheets of paper on the wall above my desk. On one was the number 45. And on the other were the words ‘I am the author of my life’. Which means, with every choice we make, we are writing a book, and the point is to try to write a book that we would be proud to read,”  he said.

However, getting good marks did not sum up the whole story. He said for him leading a good life is not that different to getting good marks because it’s about being accountable, taking responsibility and having the courage to empathise and stand up against dangerous stereotypes.

“These days, I ask myself questions first asked by a rabbi 2,000 years ago – ‘If not me, who? And if not now, when?’ This is exactly what Ghandi meant when he said “be the change you want to see in the world.”

To read Ben Adler’s full speech, please visit SPACES.

 

Founders Hospitality Centre Opening

Top Australian restauranteur Mr Neil Perry (ON 1975) returned to the College for the official opening of the new Founders Hospitality Facility. The occasion marked the official preview of the new kitchen as well as the formal introduction of Food Technology into the academic curriculum at Newington. College Council member Mr Phil Holey (ON 1970) introduced Mr Perry at assembly speaking about the influence and contributions Mr Perry has brought to the Australian food industry, as well as his work with OzHarvest, the Starlight Children’s Foundation, Canteen, Camp Quality and more.

In Mr Perry’s address, he shared with the boys the philosophy of ‘care’ – a mantra that he urges all his staff members at Rockpool to practise. He explained that ‘care’, which can be shown through somebody’s work ethic, diligence and sense of responsibility, is the secret ingredient behind a successful team and a high quality product. In particular, care displayed through a meaningful relationship between chefs and waitstaff, suppliers and growers, and diners and restauranteurs is the fundamental principle behind social and environmental sustainability.

While being the new home of Food Technology, the new Facility will also allow boys to witness some of the behind-the-scenes work of Alliance Catering – the school catering company. It is a great opportunity for boys to learn more about their community as well as explore other avenues when thinking about future careers.

A big thank you to members of the ONU, Architect Mr Ray Hudson, Mr Perry and hospitality industry professionals Mr Keiran Tosolini (On 2001), Ms Alex Herbert, Mr Grant Hilliard, Ms Janet Santwire, Con Dedes (On 1987) and Kerrie Dedes for coming along to this special event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Ian Hickie talks about ‘Mental Capital’

If you want to prosper socially and economically – to have a cohesive and functional society – your citizens have got to be collectively right in their heads, said Prof Ian Hickie at the first Ethics Centre public lecture for 2015.

Prof Hickie is the CEO of the Brain and Mind Research Institute at Sydney University and has been a social advocate for youth mental health issues and well-being for more than 20 years. He is also a father of a 22 year old economics major and open to new ideas. He began his lecture by talking about how  his daughter introduced him to an an academic paper called the ‘Mental Wealth of Nations’ and the concept of ‘Mental Capital’ coined by the UK Government Office of Science to chart the big set of challenges that governments face as a result of mental health issues.

While fiscal realities are not often referred to when discussing well-being, the concept of ‘mental capital’ is used to describe the value of lived experiences, education, training, mentoring, co-curricular and social interaction to produce socially wired and cognitively smart citizens who are responsive and can adapt to challenges.  As we live in a time that preoccupies itself with fear of ‘the other’, anxiety and uncertainty said Prof Hickie, having better ‘mental capital’ ensures a greater chance of survival.

“Staying engaged socially contributes a lot to the preservation of ‘mental capital’ across your life span, but the big issue in development is to make sure that as many of our young people and citizens get there in the first place to reach their full potential – and my main message is that it’s not over at nine months, it’s not over at one year, it’s not over at school, it isn’t over at 14 and in fact it isn’t over at 17 and 18 or when you graduate,” he said.

In fact, in Australia 40 per cent of disabilities are disabilities involving the brain or can be categorised as neurological disorders. The big peak age for boys and girls to develop a mental illness is 10 years old and many do not get treated until they reach their mid twenties when “a small anxiety turns into a big depression, and a substance abuse problem tomorrow, if left untreated.”

“There is this interesting thing over in boys – girls may not know this, but boys are actually more sensitive and more vulnerable…There are more boys with learning difficulties and neuro-mental difficulties that continue throughout their whole life and  that could go on to develop into other mental problems that they take with them throughout life that could have social and other consequences.”

Unfortunately, “young people are entirely aware of the problem but they do not find that the product that we are selling very attractive,” said Prof Hickie. As a result of this there have been an emerging set of pro-social internet tools targeted towards young people to help them get treatment.

The rapidly changing, highly personalised and mobile nature of technology use among young people has been a field of research that Prof Hickie has been involved in as a way to engage effectively with young people who need help.

“Younger people today are not intrinsically part of all these things on a daily basis. So the possibility to mentoring and connection outside of the family is just not there in any kind of way, which comes back to the role of social media and technology,” he said.

The suicide prevention website Reach Out and mood tracker website MoodGYM are two examples of how pro-social technology can be accessed by youths. Prof Hickie said,”People who are stressed actually talk to people over the internet and use these media forms to seek help in a really productive way. So all those who want to regulate it and shut it down and stop it –  it’ll be good if we think, ‘hang on a sec, this is one of our principle ways of actually connecting with people who are  in distress on a daily basis'”.

An underlying contributor to building ‘mental capital’ is the power of institutions like schools and universities to sustain support, meaning and structure for young people as they wade through the difficulties of adolescence and young adulthood. Prof Hickie mentioned the findings of the latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report that outlined the issue of productivity among young people who are not in education, employment or training as an area of concern and suggests that in order to remain mentally healthly, young people need to alternate between education and experience. In addition, physical health and a sense of independence can contribute to better mental health.

“To be really mentally healthy, you require what appears to be opposite things – one is to be very autonomous – have control and feel like you have control over your own destiny – if you loose control over your own destiny your mental health tends to deteriorate very quickly.” 

In relation to alcohol and substance abuse, he said that alcohol was about the best substance to knock off brain cells that researchers know of.

“If you want to go to university and do something really well then you need to say to binge drinkers  – this is basically the quickest way to knock off not just brain cells but your capacity to remember things and do things like the HSC on an ongoing basis”, he said.

“So the problem for us is that if you remember me saying things about brain development and the frontal lobe developing around the age of 15 and 16 years old, then you’ll understand the dangers of starting to drink at that age as well”.

Many thanks to Prof Hickie for kick-starting the first Centre for Ethics talks for 2015. If you would like to find out more about the upcoming talks check out the Centre for Ethics Insite here.

Larking Brothers Compete in Australian Championships

Henry Larkings (9/FL) was crowned 2nd overall at the 51st Sabot Sailing Australia Championships in Townsville.  The event was held over six days with more than 70 of Australia’s best junior sailors vying for the Australian title.

Thomas Larkings (8/FL) the 2013-2014 National Junior Champion, also competed and in his first season in the Senior Division. He came 27th.

Clean Up Australia Day 2015

Sunday 1 March  saw the 25th anniversary of Clean Up Australia Day, and as we have hosted an event for numerous years, the Sustainability Committee ran this year’s event with great results. Over 120 boys gave up their Sunday morning to clean the streets around the College.

Mr Parkin and Mr Pyne lent excellent helping hands and distributed maps, information sheets and stickers, to ensure everyone knew how to effectively carry out the day. The morning was also an opportunity for us to begin using our stylish new Sustainability logo, designed by Adam Chew (12/MO).

logo_sustainability

For several hours, groups weaved through their assigned zone, collecting every bit of rubbish in sight. By the end of the morning, we had collected and deposited over 100 bags of rubbish, leaving the streets around Stanmore just that bit cleaner!

Clean Up Australia Day is an excellent nationwide initiative run that not only gives up an opportunity to tidy up the living space we inhabit, but also to raise awareness and set in motion positive habits, and care for our environment.

Ashan Karunagaran (12/KL)
Sustainability Committee

Hamlet

The Senior Drama Production of Hamlet produced by Sport for Jove Theatre Company debuted last Thursday 26 February at Newington College to a full house.With three scheduled performances over three consecutive nights, it was astounding to see Centenary Hall full to the brim each night as audience members sat on desks to watch the two hour reinterpretation of the Shakespearean classic.

See below for a snapshot of the action!

 

Biology Students Roar and Snore at Taronga Zoo

Year 12 IB Biology visited Taronga Zoo to learn more about the conservation of species. Our focus was on the study of the Tasmanian Devil, an endangered animal affected by a transmissible cancer-causing face tumour. During the excursion, we learnt about the nature of the disease, as well as the intensive, global effort in place to preserve the Tasmanian Devil through breeding programs. We gained a deeper understanding of the importance of conservation and mechanisms in place for the protection of the Devil.

There are many organisations in Australia and the world whose aim is to preserve and protect plant and animal life for future generations, and it is our duty to become educated in sustainability. During our visit, we interviewed members of the public to gain insight into how the Zoo is perceived and what its role in conservation is –  having conducted this research we can say that the majority of the public thought they were doing a pretty good job.

Our excursion was an overnighter so we got to see the feeding of Sun Bears and Tigers firsthand, along with a Tapir – a pig-like mammal with a snout. At night, the nocturnal animals put on a great show so we heard all sorts of sounds we would have otherwise missed during the day , such as  the roaring of big cats at twilight. Thankfully, we slept among animals in cages and displays. The excursion also gave us a taste of life behind the scenes at the Zoo. We got to see rescued animals being nurtured back to health, and learnt about the sheer amount of work that needs to be done before and after opening hours.

The trip was also a wonderful bonding experience for my peers and I, and has definitely been a highlight of my time at Newington. I would love to thank Ms Bustamante, for without her, this amazing excursion could not have happened, and I would also like to thank Mr Cosgrove for giving up his time to spend a night at the Zoo with us. We all enjoyed the experience and I hope other boys get to go on this excursion in the years to come.

James Peppercorn (12/PR)
Year 12 Biology Student

 

A Meeting with the Mentor

On the first day of Term 1, parents of all boys in Years 8-12 were invited to attend meetings with their sons’ Mentors to connect them in a formal way with their primary carers at school. The interviews allowed the parents and boys to receive feedback on last year’s final report and set some goals for the year ahead. Other relevant family issues were covered which allowed each Mentor to gain helpful insight into the boy’s family life. Issues such as effort levels, co-curricular involvement, Service Learning options and an outline of the well-being focus for the year, were discussed.

The anecdotal feedback from parents was overwhelmingly positive with many enjoying the very personal connection with their son’s Mentor. The boys also enjoyed the experience and were allowed to outline their goals for the year within a realistic and supportive framework.

The Mentor structure at Newington has been in existence for many years with the Mentor in Year 8 travelling through school life with the boy all the way to Year 12. This allows a more personal relationship with the family and significant support that is both sustained and detailed, allowing the boy to flourish. The title ‘Mentor’ is quite deliberate as opposed to ‘homeroom teacher’ or ‘tutor’. Mentoring allows a more personal relationship that is focused on the whole boy and not just his academic or administrative needs. Between Year 8 and Year 12, a great deal of change occurs and this growth needs careful personal management in an age-appropriate way. Mentoring can also be a powerful personal development tool. It allows and encourages boys to be themselves and be honest about their goals, strengths and struggles. The term ‘Mentor’ also suggests a partnership, a sharing relationship based upon trust and respect. The Mentor often asks questions of their boys; challenges them and their thinking on a range of issues.

The Mentor is often an advocate for the boy when dealing with other teaching staff. They are able to personalise the situations and put some demanding school-based issues into a personal and relational context. The concept of Mentoring at Newington is ‘boy-centred’. It reflects our desire to really know our boys and help them grow in their own personal way so they can become young men of good character.

In many work situations, mentoring has proved to be hugely successful and the Newington model is an adaptation of that. The other key issue for young men is that good mentoring is a protective factor against issues such as mental ill-health. Professor Ian Hickie from the Brain and Mind Institute at Sydney University spoke to Prefects from several schools and addressed our parents in our Ethics Centre lecture last week where he highlighted the strengths of good mentoring, especially for young men. The knowledge that support is ever-present with a measure of accountability is hugely significant in reducing risky behaviour and feelings of social isolation. Research shows that boys and men do not often seek help in the area of mental health and to have a critical friend, a mentor or partnership with an adult who can guide them, is priceless.

The Mentors at Newington are teachers of academic disciplines who are also professionally developed in their role of mentoring teenagers. They often cover sensitive topics and guide the boys in decisions from careers to their social life. The well-being of the boys is our primary focus at Newington and the highly relational nature of the Mentor allows well-being to flourish in our young men as we work in partnership with our parents.

Mr Bob Meakin
Deputy Head of Stanmore (Students)

 

Time to get Vaccinated

Vaccinations for Years 7, 11 and 12

NSW Health as part of their school program are offering the following

Year 7

  • HPV vaccine in three doses – last year Newington College had an 80 per cent uptake of this vaccine
  • Diptheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (Whooping Cough) booster – One dose brought forward from age 15 years in Blue Book
  • Varicella – One dose – not required if you have had Chicken Pox previously or if you have had a previous vaccination for Chicken Pox.

Consent forms have been given to each Year 7 student. If you wish for your son to be vaccinated, please complete the form and return the form to Mentors. Please see me if you require another form.

The dates for Year 7 vaccination are March 9, May 4 and September 7. If your son is absent on any of these days, the nurses will ‘catch them up’ at the next visit. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me or if your son is particularly nervous please let me know.

Years 11 and 12

  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccine – One dose – not required if you have documented history of two previous doses.

Parents are advised to check their Blue Books or Plunket where it may be written as Priorix or MMR. This vaccine was offered at 1 year and 4-5 years. Forms have been distributed and can be returned to me or to the box at the sign in desk in the Rae Centre.

The date for vaccination is May 4 but the nurses will collect the forms at the March visit. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Reach Out Australia

For those who missed Prof Hickie’s wonderful talk last week here is the link to the free Recharge app he mentioned. This has been developed by a group including Reach Out Australia. It is a personalised six-week program that helps improve your general health and well-being by helping you organise your sleep pattern.

Sleep Hygiene and Tips

I have also included a fact Sheet on sleep tips – important for everyone but especially for those doing exams and assessments.

Sister Margaret Bates
College Nurse

 

 

Letter from Mena Camp, Egypt

The March 1915 issue of The Newingtonian contained a letter sent by Clive Kaeppel from the AIF’s Mena Camp in Egypt. As The Newingtonian noted, ‘It gives us peculiar pleasure to insert his letter, the first communication we have received from our Old Boys who have gone to the front.’

Clive describes how he had spent Christmas — ‘the most rotten one I ever spent’ — on outpost duty in the desert. In their free time, he and his mates explored the nearby Pyramids, with Clive climbing to the top of the Pyramid of Cheops. They also went into Cairo, just 10 miles away, on leave days. Clive’s letter contains vivid impressions of the city and its inhabitants. Through another Old Newingtonian, he was introduced to an Italian family, with whom he could have a cup of tea and a hot bath, which, needless to say, is a great treat’, when he visited. You can read Clive’s letter in the digitised copy of the March 1915 issue in the Archives SPACE or on the College website.

While many former Newington students are known to have enlisted soon after the outbreak of war, Clive Kaeppel was the first we know of who enlisted while still at school, on 24 September 1914. He had been preparing for the entrance examination for the Military College, Duntroon, and, as The Newingtonian reported, ‘gave good prospects of being successful.’ He played in the Newington 1st XV in 1913 and 1914 and was a member of the College Cadet team that won the Commonwealth Championship in 1913.

While in Egypt, Clive was wounded in an encounter with Turkish forces and was invalided back to Australia. Thus, he missed the Gallipoli campaign, which may have been a reason for his re-enlistment as soon as he had recovered. After six months in England, he joined the AIF in France, where he was severely wounded in the fighting at Polygon Wood on 20 September 1917. He lingered until 24 October and was buried in Rouen. A brass tablet was erected in his memory in the Prescott Hall. Along with 28 other memorial tablets, most from the First World War, it is now in the Chapel Walkway on the left side of the College Chapel.

Mr David Roberts
College Archivist

 

Sport Report

Athletics

Boys from all sports across all year groups are invited to attend the running/speed/power sessions held on Wednesday afternoons. Boys should gather on Buchanan Oval at 3:20 PM near the swimming pool. Boys will need to wear their PE uniform and runners. The session will finish at 4:45 PM.

These sessions are designed to increase the students’ reaction time, acceleration, speed, power and technical abilities. This will be achieved via the implementation of technique drills, medicine ball throws / medicine ball accelerations and acceleration hill runs over a distance of 10-40 m.

Training for the Athletics season will commence on Monday 16 March. The training schedule will be posted on the Athletics SPACE.

Cricket

Newington 1st XI players Saahil Parekh (12/MO), Jordan Gauci (12/FL) and Fergus McKenna (12/JN) have been selected to represent the AAGPS Cricket 1st XI in Tamworth, March 9-13. Congratulations boys and all the very best for the Tournament.

Rowing

This Saturday will see all AAGPS schools head out to Penrith for the 2015 Head of River Regatta. Newington will be represented by over 45 boys in seven crews. The boys have been training hard since September 2014 under the guidance of Mr Partridge and the Rowing coaches. We wish all boys and coaches the very best for Saturday.

Water Polo

Congratulations to the Newington 1sts, 2nds and 16As for winning their respective 2014 – 2015 Premierships. All three teams went through the season undefeated. Well done to Mr Moar and coaches for their time and effort this season. To the boys who showed character across the season, they were rewarded for their hard work and commitment to their team mates.

In mid-February, a number of Newington Water Polo players travelled to Tamworth to compete for their club teams in the NSW U14s State Water Polo Championships. In the ultimate match of the Championships, Sydney University (with a strong contingent of Newington boys) took on Cronulla. At the end of the match it was Year 9 student Jack Rudkins (9/MA) who left with a big grin on his face having scoring a State Championship Gold medal with his team winning 5 goals to 2.

Well done to all Newington boys who played in the tournament