Service Learning Tour – Journeying into the Heart of the Matter

Over the last couple of years, senior boys have had the rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of Aboriginal history and culture in action through the Red Centre tours led by Science teacher and Head of Service Learning, Mr Mick Madden. This year, the 2017 Service Learning Immersion Tour promised to be more challenging than previous with a unique chance to learn from two experienced local aboriginal men who invited the boys to stay on their land and engage in a variety of activities that showcased their people and culture.

While it is possible to discuss in further and more elaborate detail the sights they saw and the cultural activities they engaged in, this tour, along with the many other Service Learning initiatives are never purely about the experience but the growth the boys undergo as they move beyond their comfort zones and see life from someone else’s eyes.

For many of the boys this was their first time in this part of Australia and their first time being exposed to Aboriginal culture. Many didn’t have any prior experience or exposure and were shocked to learn about the darker sides of white Australian history.

“It has changed my views completely” said Thomas Jordan (11/JN)

“The problems Aboriginal people face are huge – lack of employment, lack of education, and not much is really being done. Aboriginal people may have a regular day job, but in their own community, they have traditional jobs, and not a lot of time for each”.

Marcus Dadd (11/ME) agreed adding that going on tour helped him reconsider racial stereotyping and has given him a new cause to champion.

“It is up to us now to do all we can to change the current stereotype that surrounds aboriginal culture. We must make our voices heard so that they are treated fairly and in the same way as other Australians”, he said.

“The trip has cemented my knowledge of how old aboriginal culture is and it has provided an eye opener into the injustice that aboriginal people have suffered since white man’s arrival”.

Apart from learning about history, the tour also provided greater appreciation amongst the boys for their way of life as well as learn some important lessons in teamwork and collaboration.

“Moving the rocks at Johnny’s place was much more significant than it sounds. The teamwork and communication that the boys had whilst working together was admirable and brought us closer together as a group”.

Justin Raja (11/JN) agreed saying that he was amazed by how independent they were on each of the properties. 

“It really felt like we were making a difference in helping them”, he said.

From the Head of Stanmore

The African proverb suggests it takes a village to raise a child, and while it is true that the impact of the ‘village’ occurs over time there are undeniable moments where the village is at its best in shaping the child moving into adulthood. For the Newington College community, last week saw a series of those pivotal moments that evidenced the impact our village has on developing boys into men.  

It was a week that included our Founders Day Concert, and for the many Year 12s participating it was a night that again found them experiencing things for the last time as Newington boys. As I watched James Rosse (12/PR) take in the well-deserved applause after the Symphony Orchestra’s brilliant performance it was clear the significance of the moment had not escaped him. The Year 12s who like James have contributed so much to the music program were acknowledged on the evening for their contribution across the years and this helped make the night a special one. Yet it was those in the audience, the proud parents, who were also sharing that moment with their son as they no doubt began their own reflection on the time and energy they had invested over many years. The parents are a vital part of the Newington College village.

Perhaps the most tangible presence of our unique village, and the evidence of the enormous impact the collective has on our young men, is wrapped up in ‘Back to Newington Day’. This year I have had the privilege of coaching the 5^th XV and was fortunate to address them before their game against Sydney Boys High 2^nd XV, enabling me to capture first-hand what playing on ‘Back to Newington Day’ means to the boys. Many had said that as Year 12s they had been looking forward to running out together onto Johnson Oval, on this day, since the start of the season. This sense of expectation was not limited to the Rugby field; the excitement was tangible across all sports as the First XI Soccer and the Volleyball team found themselves playing in front of big crowds. Together with parents, the crowd had been swelled by another vital component in the fabric of our village, the` return of the Old Boys. As a coach I too was drawn into that moment. Whilst my job on the day was to prepare the boys pre-match I suspect I may have failed as my words may have fired the boys up a little too much, such was my enthusiasm. It is impossible not to feel that heightened passion on such a special day.  

The parents who were present at the Founders Day Concert were serving our community again at the ‘Back to Newington Day’.  To all the parents who helped make the day a success, whether on a stall or a BBQ, your efforts are very much appreciated.

As the year rapidly marches along, there will be many more final moments for our Year 12 students. They have experienced their final ‘Back to Newington Day’ as a student, they have played at that last concert, and that final winter fixture will soon be in the past. I encourage those Year 12 students, our young men of Newington, to reflect on those in our village who have shaped them from the boys they once were, to the men they have become. Once there is that recognition, they should take a moment to be grateful to those who have made that impact. 

Mr David Roberts
Head of Stanmore / Deputy Headmaster

Shooting Success

Two weeks ago our boys competed over two days at the GPS Rifle Shooting Competition, and on day one Newington took out both events contested. In the Rawson Cup they finished first after winning both stages, dropping one point from our eight shooters out of a possible 280. In the NRA Shield Newington finished first again. This shield was first shot in 1885 with Newington last recording victory in 1923.

On the second day the 2nds competed for the Premiership and Newington where dominant in winning by 10 points. The 1sts refocused for the Buchanan Shield, in which the final result came down to the last shooters of the day with Newington finishing just three points ahead of SBHS.

This meant that Newington was not only GPS Premiers but also GPS Champions. The last time Newington won the Premiership was in 1935. This year is the first time ever that Newington has won all three stages to become GPS Champions.

Congratulations to the boys who all showed excellent nerve and spirit to bring home such comprehensive results for the ‘New’ Rifle Shooting team.

Ciao from World Languages Week

Term 3 began with a bang with the inaugural World Languages Week, culminating in World Languages Day and the Language Poetry Evening and Showcase on Thursday, 20 July.

The whole school was invited to participate in language and culturally-based Scavenger Hunt all around the school. The language boys were involved in a wide range of activities running in our classes across the week from eating German cake to Chinese dumplings and French croissants to a pétanque competition and Chinese calligraphy and paper cutting. The Latin boys undertook Roman engineering challenges and online travel around the ancient world. The senior Greek and French students experienced the delights of French and Hellenic cinema, while French students viewed the Eiffel Tower through Google Cardboard’s virtual reality before constructing their own Eiffel Towers. Others experimented with languages from around the world. We also placed a focus on indigenous languages at part of our celebration of NAIDOC.

On World Languages Day on the Thursday of that week we welcomed the esteemed actor, William Zappa, who performed his enthralling show about Homer’s The Iliad for Latin students and boys from Drama and English. Year 11 Italian ventured into the kitchen for an Italian cooking class, whilst the Spanish students were treated to a flamenco dancing show and lesson. Chinese students gathered in the Tupou College Centre at lunchtime to show their fancy footwork in the ‘Apple Dance’.

That evening, nearly 130 finalists competed in the Language Poetry Evening and Showcase and we congratulate all of the participants for their amazing renditions of poems in six different languages. During the evening, families were able to visit displays of work from each of our languages, getting their passport stamped and receiving a little Italian treat as a reward for their travels.

Congratulations to the following poetry winners:

Chinese

• Felix Wild (7/FL)
• Alexander Lynch (8/FL)
• Oscar Bell (9/ME)
• Liam Pidcock (10/MA)
• Rohen Wong (11/LE)

French

• Joel Goh (7/KL)
• Alexander Palmer (8/MA)
• Nicholas Bulley (9/LE)
• Samuel Perivolaris (10/MO)
• Jack Alscher (11/FL) and Angus Mackie-Williams (11/PR)

Italian

• Matteo Lannan (11/PR)

Latin

• Aiden Carter (7/MO)
• Rohan Gandhi (8/KL)
• Alexander McEvoy (9/FL)
• Nicholas Malakonakis (10/ME)
• Linus Griziotis (11/FL) and Geordie Maclean (11/KL)

Modern Greek

• Jack Cambouris (11/KL)

Spanish

• Jock Ferguson (11/KL) and Alexander Humphreys (11/JN)

Founders Concert 2017 – The Traveller

As well as being evocative of memories and emotions, music is a passport that entitles the listener to travel under its protection, to and from cultures and countries, heritage and history. Music is a powerful symbol and its sounds can be very diverse, but also emblematic, of our planet’s humanity.

So it was fitting that our passport was actually our program to Founders Concert 2017. It listed a musical itinerary entitling ‘The Traveller’ to cross borders accompanied by the Chamber Strings into Tchaikovsky’s Russia in Tema Russo; to traverse the multitude of regions speaking Bantu languages in Africa with the Combined Preparatory Choir and in Abiyoyo to feel the stomping in world music rhythms of Kusimama, encouraging us to stand tall on the earth with hope and acceptance, beside our youngest voices.

Travel and music can both open our eyes to uncomfortable realities in the world’s cities, which can be places of poverty and loneliness. Ralph McTell’s Streets of London, performed ‘in the round’, almost under a street lamp, created a sympathetic contemporary duet to remind us to stop and really see the ‘others’ we meet in our travels.

What is interesting in the work of many 20th Century American composers and arrangers is that the origin of their music has a foreign heritage, yet it is infused with the freedoms and positivity that a land of new hope brings to travellers and immigrants. Such examples were in the program’s inclusion of the Celtic Appalachian Jig, the Spanish flamenco influence in Alfred Reed’s El Camino Real and the ‘middle-eastern’ swing in Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol’s Caravan.

Most famously though it is perhaps Antonin Dvorak’s New World Symphony that most embodies ‘The Traveller’ and the Finale to Symphony No 9 was a fitting conclusion to Founders Concert, performed by our Symphony Orchestra. It followed the Head of Music, Mr Mark Scott’s, acknowledgment of the wonderful contribution to music-making that the Year 12 of 2017 have made during their travels here.

So just as Neil Armstrong took a recording of New World Symphony to the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission, we too hope our boys will take with them Newington music experiences to share with the many other travellers they meet.

Football Tournaments

IBC Cup

The 2017 IBC Cup took place in the beautiful campus of St Peter’s College, Adelaide. The tournament lapsed in 2016, but St Peter’s Sports Administrator, Matthew French performed miracles to resurrect the competition, with perennial contenders Brisbane Grammar School, Canberra Grammar, Newington College and hosts St Peter’s vying for the title.

Newington had an excellent opening day win against 2015 champions St Peters, with an emphatic 3-0 win courtesy of two wonderful finishes from Jarrah Lindhout (12/KL), whose second goal in particular was a brilliant piece of invention scoring with a header in the most difficult of circumstances.

A superb solo effort from Christian Yamine (11/MO) gave the scoreline a fairer reflection of the quality of football exhibited on a heavy surface on a rain-sodden day. Brisbane defeated a gallant Canberra 2-0.

The second game against Canberra was a veritable “Jekyll and Hyde” performance with a sumptuous Newington first half performance building up a 4-0 lead with goals from Kallen Ferrero (12/LE) (2), Hunter Karam (11/PR) and Christian Yamine (11/MO). The second half saw a flurry of changes and the performance levels never reached the heights of the opening period. Canberra scored a deserved consolation goal, our only concession of the Tournament, while Canberra to their eternal credit showed a remarkable “phoenix” like progression from previous tournaments, giving every school a competitive match and finally securing a 1-1 draw against Brisbane in their final match. Congratulations to all involved at Canberra Grammar School, the other real winner of the week.

The squad knew that a win against Brisbane in the final match would see Newington College lift the IBC Cup for the fourth time, cementing the College’s reputation as the most successful School in IBC Cup history. The boys produced a sensational performance of controlled aggression, a ferocious will to win, scintillating football and two first half goals from Kallen Ferrero (12/LE) and Hunter Karam (11/PR) to earn a 2-0 lead. The second half incredibly ended with no further goals despite a cavalcade of chances, strikes, hitting posts, with the Brisbane goalkeeper standing, single-handedly, in the way of the marauding hordes of “black & white” players.  At the match conclusion, the boys were naturally elated with winning silverware again this year, having previously annexed the 2017 GPS Firsts Plate yet again after four matches.

The post match presentation ceremony at the Da Costa Hall attended by all the teams, parents and coaches was an impressive affair and Newington College not alone took away the coveted IBC Cup, but also Player of the Tournament, Ellis Bellos (11/JN) as well as garnering 4 places on the Team of the Week, Sam Hochuli (12/JN), Carlo Ottavio (11/ME), Ellis Bellos (11/JN) and Kallen Ferrero (12/LE). Our Captain Jacob Nastasi (12/PR) lifted the Cup to great cheers. Elmore Alexander (12/FL) and Andrew Wang (12/FL) also captained the team for a game each, where Newington College made a special plaque presentation to each school in honour of the Tournament and the hosts.

Matthew French conducted a fascinating tour of the College as we were shown Australia’s oldest classroom, “The Big School Room” as well as the Memorial Hall and the hallowed “Silent Corner” in the Quad, an evocative and spiritual tribute to St Peters boys lost in combat in the Great Wars,  and the vast expanse of 88 acres which makes the Adelaide College such a visual masterpiece.

The boys had frequent trips into Adelaide city, and yes, it’s true, it really is the “city of churches” but a beautiful metropolis with wide avenues and a beguiling mix of old Australian architecture and modernity. The Table quiz was a nerve-wracking affair with only one point separating winners Mitchell and Jarrah and Liam from the rest. While Christian Yamine single handedly preserved our honour taking on the Canberra FIFA champion to record a 3-0 win to send them packing!

The boys were excellent with terrific camaraderie evident throughout.

Special thanks to coaches Brian Baker, Hussein Mansour and to our own tour de force Administrator Ed Summers for all his organisation, and of course to St Peters, where the food was excellent, the common rooms for downtime fitting the bill just right and the accommodation to the boys liking.

Roll on IBC Cup 2018 in Canberra where we will return to defend our title.

Kanga Cup

Imagine playing eight matches at 70 minutes each, two a day in some cases, losing three squad members early in the tournament and relying on 13 players (including two goalkeepers) for most of the tournament. Imagine playing in the Premier Division of the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest football tournament, the Kanga Cup, against undefeated club teams at the highest levels in their States. Imagine getting to the final of that tournament with 13 year olds striving to contribute to most of those 560 minutes. Imagine the heartbreak with the game on a knife edge at 2-2 against Adelaide United (Premier League leaders in South Australia, unbeaten in 18 months) and losing a very late goal to succumb 3-2.

That was the desperately unfortunate experience of a superb group of Newington College Year 7, 8 and 9 boys in Canberra as we returned from last year’s double team entry to play in the highest competition available. The boys were “winners” all the way, exhibiting all the traits that Newington College fosters, bravery, resilience, hard work, unity, growth, respect and ultimately enjoyment despite the heart wrenching denouement of the tournament.

Every player must be commended for their efforts from Jean-Paul Gonios (8/MA) and Connor Gonios (7/MA) to Max Bell (8/KL), Stefano Ottavio (8/ME), Oscar Swan (8/FL), Jack Newton (9/FL), William Creighton (9/LE) ( who doubled up as goalkeeper, left back, left winger and scored in the 2017 Kanga Under-14 Cup Final ), Aiden Mostofi (8/JN), Peter Dendrinos (8/MO), Harry Eaton (9/JN), Gaelen Dorigo (8/ME),  Apostolos Tatsis (8/MO), Joe Reilly Makovec (8/MA), Ben Clark (7/MA) and Dylan Foreman (8/ME).

Special thanks to Coaches Neil Jablonski and Christian Scardilli and Ed Summers, Logistics Manager. A great week for the boys, an unforgettable experience and proud memories to reflect back on. Thanks too to all the parents who supported the boys throughout. The staff gave the boys a comprehensive week of sport, fun, education (the AIS Tour) and travel. Not a bad way to spend your Term holidays!

Mr Brian McCarthy
Director of Football

What is “Digital Fluency”?

At Newington, the use of educational technology is regarded not only as a necessity, but also as a contributor to the development of key skills for our boys to be effective digital citizens. For some students, the responsible and ethical use of the Internet is not something that they consider to be important.

The Well-being program in Term 3 has been designed by Teaching and Learning Librarian Ms Lily Young  with the guidance of the Head of Students, Mr Bob Meakin, to address what fluencies are needed for digital citizens. In doing so, it helps define what the term ‘digital citizenship’ and ‘digital fluency’ means.

‘Fluency’ derives from the word ‘flow.’ When we think about being ‘fluent’ in any context, it refers to being flexible, accurate, efficient, and appropriate.* The purpose of the Digital Citizenship Mentor program is to allow students to develop and use a specific set of skills in an online world. Topics in the program include social media, technology and wellbeing, and digital organisation.

As Mentors, the program is used to facilitate student learning in such a way that encourages boys to effectively find and use information, respectfully use intellectual property, assess credibility and relevance of information from media in all formats all with one aim – to develop an academic digital footprint. The program has resulted in students and staff sharing the many ways for using technology to safely learn, work, and play, whilst infusing it meaningfully in the learning environment.

Click here to read more about Digital Fluency.

Modern History Tour – What you don’t learn in Textbooks

These winter holidays 40 boys and 5 staff had the privilege of spending the holiday period travelling across Europe exploring several places which bare relevance to the history courses in Civics, Elective, HSC Modern and IB History.
 
“From the Romanov’s lavish Winter Palace in St Petersburg, to the French and German trenches at Verdun, to the haunting remains of Dachau Concentration Camp, boys saw things which will add immeasurable colour and depth to how they understand modern History” said History teacher Mr Alex Fisher.
 
The trip kicked off in Russia where the tour group spent four days in Moscow and St Petersburg. The boys visited several sites relevant to both the Russian Revolution as well as the Soviet Union’s existence during the Cold War. Highlights included the Armaments Museum in Moscow and a visit to the world famous Hermitage Museum at the Winter Palace, which was stormed by Lenin and his Bolshevik supporters on the eve of the Revolution. 
 
For Year 11 student Jack Alscher (11/FL), going to Russia was a highlight of the tour. “For all of us, before going on tour, we had understood Russia to be this hostile, different, second world country, but after spending a few days in both Moscow and St Petersburg, we began to realise just how wrong we were”.
 
He adds, “What was most impactful for all of us, was the more we were immersed in the country and interacted with locals, the more we understood that Russia is just like any other country – people were not “bad or good” in the same way people in Australia aren’t “bad” or “good.” People were willing to hope, to dream, to believe in a better future – what we hear on the news about Russia isn’t indicative of the entire population. And that realisation was definitely a highlight of the tour”.
 
After Russia, the Black and White brigade then caught a very early flight to their next destination, France. After a full day taking in the sights of Paris, they headed north to Amiens and the battlefields of the First World War. Outside this beautifully quaint canal town on the Somme River are several very tangible remnants from the War, some boys even managed to collect a few of them!
 
It was a very sombre and humbling experience to be there on the 101st anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and visiting the British, German and then Australian graveyards proved to be a very emotional experience said Newington teacher, Mr Justin Verco.
 
“The boys all were able to gain some form of empathy with these young men not much older than them who had travelled across the other side of the world to give their life for their country”.
 
The tour’s next stop was the French stronghold of Verdun. A central focus of attack for the Germans during the War and again, littered around this beautiful town are the pockmarks of shells, trenches and artillery that still scar the earth. 
 
Harry Quinn (10/KL) said about his impression of Verdun “Upon entrance of the memorial, there were tomb-shaped structures filled with unknown soldiers’ bones which was an eye opening experience”.
 
“Being on this tour, and seeing the places upon which our ancestors fought in such rough conditions makes me appreciate what they did and what their office was like for years”.
 
After France, a bus commanded by an ever cheerful and willing driver Louis, headed west to take the touring boys and their esteemed teachers to Germany. The New team were to spend ten days in this diverse, forward-thinking nation with the first stop being the beautiful old university town of Heidelberg, very much a town still stuck in a time warp. The city featured an imposing medieval castle overlooking the market town and ancient bridges below.
 
The boys then traversed across the country to the capital, Berlin – a modern, functional and vibrant metropolis very much reinventing itself after a torrid history during the 20th century. Their visit was essentially split in two; Berlin during the second world war and Berlin during the cold war. Visits to the Luftwaffe headquarters, the remains of Hitler’s bunker, Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall and the impressive Stasi museum gave the boys a great insight into how much the city had been through since the 1930’s.
 
They then then ventured south to visit the Bavarian cities of Nuremberg and Munich. Another beautifully kept medieval town, Nuremberg’s visit included seeing some of the preserved Nazi parade grounds as well at the courtroom where several key Nazi figures were tried for war crimes after the War. The walking tour through the buzzing city of Munich also highlighted the important role the city played in the rise of Nazism.
 
The last stop of the 2017 Modern History tour was the picture perfect alpine city of Salzburg. With a first day scheduled with plenty of free time, the boys’ experiences varied from visiting Mozart’s birthplace to shopping in the city centre to being lead on a Sound of Music tour by Mr Justin Verco himself who confesses to being the most enthusiastic about Roger and Hammerstein’s musical.
 
The following days were a great way to finish the tour with a visit to the Hohenwerfen castle and the Ice Caves nestled deep in the foothills of the alps on a brilliantly sunny day gave all and sundry some fantastic background vistas that should be adorning iPhone, iPad and computer wallpapers for many years to come. This was followed by a visit to Hitler’s Eagle Nest and the Nazi stronghold of Obersalzburg, again set amongst breathtaking (albeit foggy on this day) scenery.
 
Overall, the boys gained a wealth of knowledge from seeing the places and spaces that had only previously been represented and imagined in the classroom.

While it’s a major undertaking to take 40 boys on tour in Europe for three weeks said Mr Fisher, the maturity and curiosity of the boys made the experience worthwhile, 
“We were so pleased with how the boys engaged with the tour. Every day we had a student presentation on piece of locally significant history. Students made connections between reading and research they had done and asked wonderful questions. They especially impressed us with their reflections on the designs of museums and memorials we visited”, said Mr Fisher.

A big thank you to Mr Fisher, Mr Ruddock, Mr Verco, Mr Kenny and Miss Christian for their enthusiasm, wealth of knowledge and care. 

“History isn’t just a textbook, limited to knowledge that’s only gained for the purposes of inserting it into an essay – it has important relevance for our entire lives”, said Jack Alscher on reflection.

“That was the most important message I took out of going on tour”.

Update from Languages: IB Italian Results and more

Year 12 Italian IB Italian ab initio Success

We are very proud of our Year 12 IB Italian boys who just received their results for the final exams they sat in May. After just 15 months of learning the language, they achieved excellent results, with four boys receiving the highest grade of a 7 and 77 per cent of the boys receiving the top 3 grades.

Well done gentlemen!

Exchanges

This term we welcome Mario Aler and Juan Roman who are joining us on exchange from Seville, Spain.

Language Perfect World Championships

In May we participated in the week-long Language Perfect World Championships. Newington boys answered just under 267, 000 questions that week and were ranked 42nd in NSW out of 242 schools and 253rd in the world out of 1,302 schools.

Forty six boys gained certificates and we would particularly like to congratulate William Sun (7/LE) for answering a staggering 19, 193 questions, placing him in the top 0.2% of the 350 000 competitors from around the world and achieving an Elite Award certificate.

Congratulations to all of our participants.

UK Cricket Tour

This year’s UK Cricket Tour combined some of our budding cricketer’s favourite things – friendship, camaraderie and lots and lots of cricket. Travelling around the UK for a little over a fortnight, B&W caught up with some of the touring boys to hear what they got up to, and if they have any tips for boys thinking about going on tour in the future.

1. What was the highlight for you during the Cricket Tour and why?

My highlight of the tour was the Tonbridge Cricket Festival because we were privileged enough to play against some of the best schools throughout England (both Tonbridge and Millfield) and South Africa (St Andrews). It was also a great chance to meet new boys from overseas and develop more friendships – Ben Leung (10/KL)

2. Tell me about how the tour has changed the way you think about Cricket/Sport

The tour changed the way that I viewed cricket because it showed me the traditional ways of playing the game, and by visiting such historical places I learnt how the game has changed over time and how it could change into the future – Clancy Barrett (10/JN)

I think about a cricket game in a broader sense, in that I learnt to adapt to different conditions each game. This has taught me to be more adaptive to cricket situations, and I feel this has made me a better cricketer. I think thinking about cricket 24/7 and practicing and playing each day, has made me train better – Benjamin Higgins (10/FL)

3. What was the most valuable part about the tour that you don’t think you could’ve learnt here?

The most valuable part for me was being able to analyse how I played one day, and work on it in training later that day, then go out and put it into practise the next day. It meant that I could learn skills sooner than if I had been playing one game a week – Clancy Barrett (10/JN)

 I think the mateship and respect for teammates are things that we couldn’t have learnt here because we basically lived together for two weeks so we formed great friendships that made us enjoy ourselves more and play better cricket – Henry Cain (10/LE)

4. What would you say to someone if they asked you for advice on whether they should go on the tour or not?

Definitely go it is one of the best experiences of your life and spending 3 weeks overseas with 20 mates and playing the game you love is a once in a lifetime experience and you will definitely regret not going. – Callan Pratt (10/KL)

A big thank you to Mr Ross Turner, Mr Matt Holgate and Mr James Walsh for preparing a tour that was such a success. Until next time! 

Look after your Mind this Exam Season

The HSC and IB years can be a stressful and anxious period. The pressure students experience can be so consuming it blocks out any view of the outside world. Study stress and anxiety can be alleviated with a holistic approach to study that incorporates activities to look after mental health.

In collaboration with the Newington College Counselling Support Team, the Library has collected a variety of print and electronic resources that students can use to ‘find a balance’ during this time.

The Looking After Your Mind webpage contains links to apps, websites, online support portals, and face-to-face programs, focussing on the following themes:

• Looking after yourself – managing stress
• Sleeping well
• Managing study
• Getting support

Resources are also displayed in the Library, along with materials for colouring and origami – tactile mindfulness activities that are great to do during a ‘study break’ to encourage well-paced and focused study sessions. 

The Library team wishes all boys the best of luck as their final exams approach.

Keep up to date with what’s happening in the Library by joining the Library SPACE.

The lowdown on Internet Addiction

This month on SchoolTV, Child Psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is getting into the nitty-gritty of Internet Addiction – what it is, how do you know when you are addicted, and what you can do about it. Below are some tidbits to help you get the conversation started with yourself and your son about time you spend online.

What is Internet Addiction?

Internet Addiction is classified by behaviour that changes as a result of time spent online. There isn’t a number of hours that will diagnose someone with internet addiction, but, there are a set of behaviours that we can look out for to identify someone who might be struggling.

What are some behaviours that indicate Internet Addiction?

Constant checking of your smartphone

How many times do you check your smartphone for messages and updates? Do you find yourself passively looking at your phone during a slump in your day or when you are procrastinating? Are you conscious of when you do this?

General Behavioural Changes

Have you noticed any change in your sleeping patterns, social habits, diet or interest in activities that are not based around a screen?

Internet addiction happens in bedrooms and at all times of day but it can affect people’s lives at work, or at school.

Pornography and Gambling

There is research to show that people who access online gambling and porn sites and become addicted to them are not necessarily those who would have these habits in real life. Internet porn and gambling is a lot more ubiquitous and hence pervasive to healthy relationships and attitudes. Again, these are habits that may develop behind a closed door that can affect people’s lives at work, school and with others.

How can the internet be addictive?

Escape is a big part of why the internet is addictive. Escape can be through creating a better online world for yourself and belonging to a different community. In a game, you can become a great warrior with respect, power and recognition. The elusiveness of virtual communities is in their ability to provide a sort of wish fulfilment and a portal out of boredom and idleness. It’s a welcome distraction just at the right time that can turn into a bad habit.

The internet and the various social media platforms and communities and sites operate like a novelty machine. We are amused, stimulated, and entertained through a simple action of scrolling down and refreshing. Neurologically speaking we can become addicted simply because it activates the reward circuit in our brain, and that’s how we get hooked.

Want to find out more?

Log onto SPACES to access SchoolTV

Thank you

Back to Newington Day 2017 was a huge success with the Community coming together on the biggest day on the community calendar.

With a Community support network of over 350 Volunteers throughout the day serving over 1,000 sausages, 2,000 bread rolls, 8kg of coffee beans, 2kg of fairy floss sugar, 70 litres of ice cream, 65 punnets of strawberries and 1,200 eggs, it was a giant day all round.

Our Wyvern and Lindfield prep school boys and P&F associations also embraced the day, bringing the ever-popular Pass the Ball competition and the Bike’n’Blend – where you pedal to prepare your very own smoothie.

The Marketplace surged with stallholders showcasing elegant clothing, soothing teas and flowers of every colour.

A big thank you to all who attended from the P&F Association. 

We can’t wait to welcome you Back to Newington Day in 2018!

Brothers donate football boots to Zimbabwean schoolchildren

On the June 28, my brother Oscar Tentij (7/LE) and I went to Sizinda Secondary School, a small village school on the outskirts of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe to donate football boots that we had collected from donations (through a charity called ‘it starts with soccer’) at Newington and at local clubs amassing to more than 50 pairs.

Zimbabwe is a very poor country as a result of an extreme level of corruption as well as mismanagement of the country’s resources and schools. Sizanda isn’t a city school nor is it government-funded meaning that when Sizanda play the better funded city schools in the tournaments – organised by ‘it starts with soccer’ – they are intimidated by the fact they have to play barefoot against teams with studs.

All is not doom and gloom, however. Zimbabwe spends the world’s highest percentage of overall budget on education, a commitment recognised by UNESCO as having a positive impact on children there.

When we arrived at our hotel in Victoria Falls, we met Nyika, the organiser of the charity and talked on the rooftop with the mist of the falls floating over the trees. He explained the importance of the charity and how it relates to the education of the students. It does this by creating a common ground in which the children can relate to (i.e. you need to practice dribbling, just like you need to practice to read).

We then gave the boots to the Sizanda football team with the boots ordered by size. We had enough to give the entire team boots and the boots that were left over were given to Nyika to be given to the other local clubs. After this, of course, we had a game of football on the sand pitch just outside the school.

”We thank you a lot for giving us the boots. We can use (the boots) often in school and we can leave the boots for the next generation that are coming through the school. We thank you a lot” said Perfect Simbanda.

With a Newington representative on each side (both of whom were tremendously outclassed by the local children) the score ended up at 1-1 (Goal scorers were Experience Muchimba and Perfect Simbanda) with not even the penalties able to separate the two teams.

You may be wondering why give these boys boots, why not give them food and money. Doug Brown, the founder of ‘it starts with soccer’ told me a story after we bumped into him while visiting the Falls. “I met a girl… living in a tiny house and who wakes up at 5 o’clock every morning and walks several hours to school. When she gets back home, its dark and she needs to use a torch to study, and she can only do that when batteries are available. Soccer is her one escape”.

Finn Tentij (10/LE)

Start of Rifle Shooting at Newington

The wonderful achievements of our Rifle Shooting teams, reported elsewhere in this issue, highlight Newington’s long involvement in the sport. Indeed it is one of our oldest organised sports, dating back to 1869, the same year that Rugby and the Cadet Unit started at Newington.

The start of Rifle Shooting was a direct result of the establishment of the College’s Cadet Corps in August 1869. The new Corps received surplus military weapons: smooth-bore carbines for the younger Cadets and Enfield rifle-muskets for the older boys. Both were muzzle-loaders: loading involved a precise and complicated drill that required careful training.

Rifle shooting matches were quickly organised. The first recorded match took place in October 1869, against a team from Camden College, a Congregational school at Enmore. The Newington team won with 241 points to Camden’s 220.

The most celebrated match of this early era was against the Royal Marines of the visiting HMS Galatea at Silverwater in October 1870. The Newington boys defeated the Marines — ‘all crack picked shots’ — by three points. The Galatea’s Captain, Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh, was reported to be greatly embarrassed, as he had ridiculed the 18^th Royal Irish Regiment, whom the Newington boys had defeated two months earlier, for being beaten by ‘mere schoolboys’.

Newington won its first inter-school competition, the ‘Schools’ Challenge Bugle’, part of the NSW Rifle Association’s competition, in 1875. This became the Schools’ Challenge Shield, in turn becoming the NRA Shield, which was adopted by the AAGPS in 1905. Between 1887 and 1913, Newington won the NRA Shield seventeen times. Newington won the Rawson Cup, instituted in 1905, six times between 1905 and 1911. Newington’s coach during most of this period was the indefatigable Sports Master, Charles Buchanan: in 1913 the GPS Challenge Shield was renamed the Buchanan Shield by the AAGPS in his honour.

This period was the ‘golden age’ of Newington Rifle Shooting. For all their achievements, however, the teams of that era never achieved the clean sweep of the three Firsts trophies and the Seconds competition achieved by our teams two weeks ago.

Mr David Roberts
College Archivist

Newington’s 8th Tonga Tour

Our 8th Annual Tour to Tupou College took place during our the last school holidays. Mr David Roberts, Ms Rebecca Grubb, Mr Lukes Gilles and Mr Cameron Quince were joined by an eclectic group of Newington boys from Year 9 to Year 12. Everyone participating in the tour signed up with a purpose: to spend nine days at Tupou College, Tonga.

Our students all signed up as Service Learning participants and seven boys toured with the sole reason of serving their brothers at Tupou College. Other attendees included music participants and the Under 15 Rugby boys who had the opportunity to train and play both alongside and against their new found friends at Tupou College.

For the staff, this tour was about exchanging ideas. Mr Roberts worked with Senior Tupou College staff, including the principal Reverend Atiola, Reverend Fonua and Reverend Paongo on improving options and content of the subjects offered. Being Mr Robert’s first trip to Tonga, he said he had heard much about the school, but he had to be there to understand the rhythms of the day at Tupou College in order to better advise them on timetable constraints and how a new curriculum could be successfully implemented.

In the music rooms, Ms Grubb worked with the Head of Music, Eloni Nau and their newly formed Stage Band and various other music groups and programs within the Music Department. She found the experience particularly memorable because of the strong connection music has to community and tradition in Tonga.

“We learnt that the beautiful and intricate nature of the Tongan language has been preserved through singing which involves everybody, every day in powerful, impromptu performances of hymns and songs. Invited to sit in at Tupou’s outstanding ensembles, we observed that the students approach their music making with discipline, passion and respect, rehearsing for long hours aiming for perfection”.

With Rugby being a big part of both Newington and Tupou College, it was only natural for Mr Giles to run a number of coaching clinics for staff and students while abroad.

“What has really stayed with all of us is the goodwill of the Tupou college community; that a side so ferocious on the sports field define themselves not through these endeavours but through compassion, humility and charity with everyone they meet. This I hope impacted and remains with the touring party for the rest of their lives as a lesson that regardless of the means of our circumstances we can all be good people”.

Meanwhile, Mr Quince worked with the Technology Department to improve the delivery of their Graphics, Construction and Industrial Technology classes.

Our touring party arrived at 1:30 AM on Thursday, 6 July to be greeted by the Principal and numerous teaching staff and students, despite it being the middle of their school holidays.

Our first few days were spent unloading our tenth 20ft shipping container, painting a newly built house for a soon to be appointed staff member, and our music and rugby tourists getting to know their new friends and colleagues

We spent Friday night catching up with families of Tongan Old Boys at our annual reunion dinner at Vakaloa Resort including the Head of the Tongan Branch of the ONU, Steve Finau ON 1966 and many other Newington parents. Our boys enjoyed some traditional and not-so traditional dances and also took to the stage themselves to help entertain the local crowd.

We were fortunate enough to join the Tupou College boys at the international rugby fixture that was a World Cup Qualifying match. Ben Volavola ON 2010 played #10 for Fiji and helped steer his side to victory over Tonga in a match that was sold out. Fiji won by 14 to 10.

Our Sunday Chapel Service was a great introduction to the Methodist culture of Tupou College which was followed on by a Tonga feast and afternoon of rest.

Sunday night provided four of our musicians and Ms Grubb with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform for The Queen of Tonga at the Heilala Festival in front of a crowd of 8,000 which was to be streamed live online alongside the Tupou College Band and Choir.

You can see the streamed performance here: https://blogs.newington.nsw.edu.au/tupou/.

When school resumed in Tonga for the local boys, it did for our boys too who attended lessons alongside their Tupou College brothers for the next three days. It was a unique chance for them to live as a Tongan and a good way to end what was an enriching whirlwind tour.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

“Your Father in heaven . . . causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45)

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children…  No hardship seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:7 & 11).

The focus during Chapel throughout Term 3 continues along the theme of addressing some of the probing questions put forward by the students from back in Term 1. The responses to such questions are never designed to be definitive or indisputable, particularly because the truth is only found when one decides to search for themselves.

There’s no doubt that the presence of evil, the reality of hardships and the finality of our lives can be complicated and confronting, especially when it relates to us personally. When we experience the hardships of illness, loss of someone we love or being disadvantaged by an event out of our control, we may wonder why God would allow such things to happen, especially to ‘good people’. It often makes no sense to us and brings into question how a loving, all powerful God would not choose to intervene, and for some reason allowing bad to exist.

It’s worth considering a few key points in an effort to seek some answers to probing questions such as this;

1. Our perspective on what is ‘good’.
2. What value we place on eternity.
3. The purpose of hardship.

When Jesus was approached by a man, in Mark 10, who wanted to enquire what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, this man addressed Jesus as ‘Good Teacher’, to which Jesus replied ‘…only God is good…’ It is natural to make a judgement as to who is good and who isn’t, yet in God’s eyes no one is good by His standards. This may help change our perspective on the judgements we make, where ‘good’ and what encompasses the term ‘good people’ remains subjective; ‘…the same Sun rises on the evil and the good.’

Another thought is in regards to our view on eternity. If we believe the total of our existence is defined by the parameters of birth and death, then bad things become a whole lot more significant because they are a detriment to our brief tenure. Yet when the parameters of our life have no limits, trouble and hardship become momentary setbacks that will ultimately pass. Jesus himself faced the ultimate hardship in being nailed to the cross, yet with His focus being firmly fixed on rising from the dead, He endured the pain with the strength to know that it was fleeting.

Finally, the purpose of hardship, according to the Hebrews 12 verse above, serves as a discipline that is designed to train us, ‘producing a harvest of righteousness and peace’. We value the likes of patience, determination and courage, yet without hardship, such values wouldn’t exist. Harnessing challenging times strengthens us and produces a tenacity and resilience that enables us to overcome hardships, making us stronger people.

Rev Geordie Barham
College Chaplain

Sport Report

Athletics

The 2017 AAGPS Athletics season will start straight after the last weekend of winter sport. All information relating to training and dates of the Invitational meets will be posted on the SPACES Athletics page. All boys from Years 7-12 are invited to come along and see what they are capable of.

AFL

The inaugural AFL season at Newington will see the Year 9 and Year 10 team play their final fixture this weekend against St Aloysius, the winner of this match will determine the winner of this competition. Congratulations to all boys in the squad on the way they have played and conducted themselves this season.

Cross Country

Newington had four boys represent the CIS at the NSW All Schools Cross Country at the start of the term, all boys placed at the top end of the field, with Bailey Habler (7/MO) winning the U13 Division and Angus Beer (10/ME) winning the U15 division.

Matthew Dyster (11/FL) represented the AAGPS Cross Country team on Saturday against our friends from CAS, Matthew finished in 10^th position overall to ensure the GPS retained the trophy.

Football

In the first weeks of the term the Newington 1^st XI played in the CIS Cup Final. In a tough encounter Riverview scored a 1-0 victory to claim the title. Well done to Riverview and congratulations to all boys from Newington who took part in the campaign. Both teams are currently equal 1^st in the GPS 1^st XI competition with two rounds to go.

In other Football news congratulations to the U14 team who travelled to Canberra to compete in the Kanga Cup. After an exhilarating week of six Group matches, a semi final and the Kanga Cup Grand Final – a total of 8 matches and 560 minutes, the boys were denied in the final 5 minutes of a superb roller coaster decider as Adelaide City scored in that final climactic period to take the game 3-2.

Head Coach Neil Jablonski and Assistants Christian Scardilli and Ed Summers were full of praise for the boys’ magnificent performances, resilience and indefatigable spirit as they earned admirers throughout the Tournament. Considering their opponents, Adelaide City are an experienced club team, the scale of the boys achievement is extraordinary.

Rugby

Congratulations to Newington 1^st XV player Angus Bell (11/KL) who was recently selected for the Australian Schools Rugby team after a week of outstanding performances representing NSW Schools at the recent Australian Schoolboy Championships in the holidays.

Tummy Pains

Tummy pains are common in young people. Most cases are not serious and the pains go away without special treatment.

Common causes of tummy pains are:

• Constipation or irritable bowel
• Infections like gastroenteritis, kidney or bladder infections
• Food poisoning or food allergy or intolerance
• Appendicitis or bowel obstruction
• Period pain
• Stress or anxiety
• No apparent cause

Pains can develop very quickly or more slowly. Vomiting, diarrhoea or fever may occur.

General advice

• Encourage your child to drink fluids, especially water
• Sitting on the toilet may help to ease the pain
• Let them eat if they feel hungry – foods like toast, rice and banana
• A warm heat pack may help ease the pain
• Paracetamol may help. Do not give aspirin

Seek medical advice if your child has a high fever (more than 38.5C), has severe pain, does not want to move, is pale and lethargic, is frequently vomiting, not passing urine, has a rash or has had a recent injury.

Constipation is when someone has had fewer than two bowel movements in a week.

Usually due to:

• Not enough exercise
• Diet that doesn’t include enough water and fibre
• Stress
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Avoiding going to the bathroom
• Travel or change in daily routine
• Sign of a medical condition

General advice – drink more water and fluids, eat more fibre foods like oats, fruit, vegetables, wholegrain breads, beans and popcorn, get enough exercise and develop a regular habit of going to the toilet after meals.

Laxatives may be used on occasion but if required more regularly then please see a Doctor.

Common examples:

• Prune juice is a natural laxative, tastes better mixed with another juice.
• Liquid paraffin mixtures eg Parachoc soften the stool
• Movicol is a powder mixed with water
• Coloxyl with senna tablets stimulate the bowel
• Metamucil is a natural fibre powder and has a mild laxative effect.

Constipation often happens again so sometimes treatment needs to continue. It can be controlled along with a good diet, exercise and improvements in bowel habits.

Sister Margaret Bates
College Nurse