Newsletter - Issue 2 - April 2021

From the Principal

There are always so many different things happening each week in a College and the last few weeks of term have been no exception as you will see from the many stories featured in this edition of the newsletter. 

The Awards Evening was a memorable night with an inspiring address by Tasmania’s Commissioner for Children and Young People and former Hobart College student, Leanne McLean. Leanne acknowledged the spectacular achievements of all the young people in 2020 and encouraged them to continue working hard and keep learning as they pursue their passions into the future.  Congratulations to the 265 students who were recognised for their academic, sporting and cultural achievements in 2020.  There were also several special awards which focused on attributes such as leadership, character, service to the community and personal excellence.  For the first time, the event was live streamed so that we could maximise the number of people joining in the celebrations.

The AGM of the School Association was held last week, and the 2021 Committee consists of:

• Chairperson                       Alicia Hutton
• Deputy Chairperson       Jennifer Poynter
• Secretary                             Wendy Irvine
• Committee Members     Belinda D’Souza, Janine Brookes, Warren Lashmar and Chris Simcox
• Staff Members                  Wendy Irvine and Peter Hicks

It was fantastic to see such a good turnout for our first meeting and I look forward to working with the new Committee and welcoming other parents to the meetings over this year. 

Enjoy reading about the many achievements of students in this edition of the Newsletter and I hope you all have a happy and safe Easter holiday!  

Tracy Siedler

Principal

Awards Evening for our 2020 Achievers

Following the disappointing decision to cancel Awards Evening last year, it was enjoyable to be able to properly celebrate the teaching and learning program at Hobart College and the outstanding sporting, cultural and academic achievements of staff and students over what was a very challenging 2020.

Whilst limited seating capacity, due to COVID restrictions, we were able to provide a physically distanced, socially connected evening and an opportunity to live stream the event to those extended family and friends of recipients unable to attend.

Leanne McLean, Tasmania's Commissioner for Children and Young People, gave the keynote address and connected instantly with the audience as she described her journey as an “ordinary” student from the “deep south” who made mistakes but how the two drivers of hard work and lifelong learning opened up possibilities for her.  She also spoke passionately about the rights of young people and the benefits of public education in teaching acceptance and tolerance.  She reminded us all about the important influence teachers make every day to the lives of students and in so doing, how that impacts on the future growth of Tasmania. 

Former Taroona High School student, Sophie Janes was announced as the Dux of Hobart College in 2020. Sophie was successful in receiving a highly competitive six-year cadetship with the Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance and will work for Treasury whilst also studying a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) part-time at the University of Tasmania.

The Alumni of 2020 were once again a high achieving year group with a remarkable 15 students named in the top 100 TCE achievers in Tasmania, 39 students achieved a Tertiary Entrance Score of 100 or above, 2 of only 29 students state-wide were honoured by the Governor in achieving TASC Awards for Outstanding Academic Achievement and 9 Hobart College students were selected from 23 VET students state-wide honoured by the Governor in achieving TASC Awards for Outstanding Achievements in Vocational Education and Training.

Many of our achievers are now in Year 12, continuing with their further education and training. Others have started undergraduate studies at universities around the country, while some have entered the workforce or are taking time to assess future pathway options. 

Whatever you are doing, we wish you every success in your future endeavours!

You can access our Awards Night photos via this link:

Harmony Day

Our first early morning breakfast for 2021 was held on Wednesday 31 March and what a successful lead in to a Harmony Day filled with activities celebrating diversity and belonging.

There were also lots of other events going on around the college including Wayne Brookes' Art lecture in the theatre, the Flowers and Bunnies exhibition in the Little Space Gallery and the Home Group activities including the Lion Dance, Origami and a Home Group kahoot.  

These celebrations have enabled us to end the term celebrating HoCo’s strong commitment to respecting diversity, providing a safe environment and sense of belonging for all!

Harmony Day Photo Gallery

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News from the Science area

Success for HoCo Science students

Congratulations to Ben Poortenaar, Chloe Harrington and Katie Johnson who have been accepted into the very competitive UTAS/IMAS Introductory Marine Biology course.  With over 200 high quality applications from across Australia and only 24 places offered overall, Ben won a scholarship to attend while Chloe and Katie won placements. A wonderful achievement!

Hobart College hosts CONSTAT 2021

Hobart College was privileged to host the annual conference of the Science Teachers Association of Tasmania on Friday 26 March (at the Sustainability Learning Centre) and Saturday 27 March (in the Hobart College Theatre and E Block). There were over 70 attendees from around the state representing all education sectors, plus numerous trade displays. The title of the conference was More From Less: Sustainability, Science and Design and we heard from ABC Science communicator Ann Jones, ABC Gardening Australia compere Costa Geogiadis and numerous other fascinating speakers. Hobart College’s equipment and facilities were looking fantastic and were much appreciated by all.

Thanks to students Emma Pursell, Aemelia Smith, Vincent Ling, Zhen Ma and Kate Poynter for spending Saturday helping out!

National Schools Constitution Convention (NSCC) 2021

Elijiah Hughes was successful in his application to attend the National Schools Constitutional Convention in Canberra.  Read his account of his experience below.  Congratulations Elijiah - a wonderful advocate for Hobart College.

"I was one of the lucky 5 who got selected to spend 24 and 25 of March being part of the NSCC across Australia. The schools from Tasmania that were represented included: Guilford Young College, Fahan School, Elizabeth College, Don college and of course Hobart College. Throughout the two days we were busy debating the question: Should our constitution have a new preamble (like a preface) that would recognise our history, our aspirations and the many peoples and groups that make up or nation? A consensus was reached Australia-wide that we should. We then spent the next couple of days, deciding the preamble and amending the chosen preamble. Throughout the two days I made friendships with the other people of the Tasmanian contingent, and we all really enjoyed being surrounded by like-minded people. Once the preamble was decided and amended, we all took part in a constitutional referendum, voting yes or whether we wanted the change. The result was 80% yes vote to a 20% no. We had a majority of yes’ in 5 of the 6 states and the referendum was passed. I had such a great time; the convention furthered my knowledge of Legal studies and I would totally recommend next year for any prospective applicants!"

Southern Tasmanian Student Leaders Conference 2021

Four Hobart College Student Leaders’ Program delegates attended the Southern Tasmanian Student Leaders Conference 2021 which was held at Huonville on 3 March.  

Together, with about 150 Year 6 – 12 students from as far as Swansea and Bruny Island,  our students participated in a wide range of leadership-building activities, bringing  fresh ideas and inspiration back to campus to share.

Pictured from left are Imogen White, Aemilia Smith and Yvette Cross. 

Success at the Lions Youth of the Year Competition

Congratulations to Mackenna Minstrell who has won her way into the State Final of the Lions Youth of the Year competition to be held in Launceston on 18 April. The competition involves an interview and a public speaking component. Mackenna won the Lions Club of Hobart Town’s competition and then went on to take out the Regional Final in Glenorchy on Saturday 27 March. Her speech titled, “The Hidden Genocide” dealt with the issue of Uyghur Human Rights. We wish Mackenna well in April.

VET Tourism treated to presentation from Alex Heroy - CEO Destination South

On Thursday 11 March  the VET Certificate II in Tourism class was lucky enough to meet, listen and talk to Alex Heroy, the CEO of Destination South.

Alex kindly gave up his time to visit the class at Hobart College to share his thoughts about Tourism in Tasmania, currently and into the future. The students found it interesting that Tourism visitation in the Hobart area had actually nearly returned to pre COVID-19 levels of 90%.

The class also discovered that Tasmania has been, and is being viewed, as a ‘safe pandemic’ State to visit for domestic travellers. This with the recently released flight subsidies to Northern Tasmania’s airports will help Tasmania’s Tourism Industry remain sustainable for the remainder of this year and into the future.

Performing Arts Launch

Thank you to all who came to watch our launch concerts last week!  The performers from the performing arts launch enjoyed a full house in the Mt Nelson Theatre performing to peers and students from our associated High Schools. They backed this up with a quality evening performance, giving all UTAS Music performers an opportunity to present a piece from their exam repertoire.  The concert also included a preview of Matilda - The Musical, a preview of Olinda Groove, vocal ensemble, dance class and this was headlined by the magnificent Hobart College House Band who entertained the masses with their jazz, latin, funk and soul set.   

The Olinda Groove launch on Thursday night showcased the creativity and talent from Contemporary Music and VET Music as they presented their best 2 songs in preparation for further industry events and the rock challenge. Audiences enjoyed a diverse range of genres from pop acoustic, indie, funk, rock and metal.  The night was headlined by Parklife who capped off a great night with their high energy rock show.   

The shows highlighted the enthusiasm and energy of the music department and it was great to see the diversity of high-quality performances so early in the year. This concert also gave opportunities for VET Music, Theatre Technical Production and Media Production students to be involved behind the scenes as audio operators, stage crew, camera operators, front of house and lighting.  Congratulations to performers and crew on producing these quality events. 

Performing Arts Launch Photo Gallery

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Olinda Groove Photo Gallery

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Hobart College Playgroup

Hobart College Playgroup is opening its doors in Terms 2 and 3 with students from the Working with Children classes running activities for children under the age of 5.  Playgroup provides Hobart College students with fantastic practical experience regarding children, their development and growth (as well as an opportunity for parents to either have some ‘down time’ whilst we take over for a while).  

Term 2 and 3 sessions will be held in the Playgroup room (D111) at Hobart College at the following times:

• Monday mornings: 9.00 - 10.30am
• Wednesday mornings: 9.00 - 10.00am
• Friday monrings: 9.00 - 10.30am

If you are interested in coming along, please contact Sheryl Scott for more information on 6220 3494.

Matilda - The Musical

Hobart College is delighted to be undertaking the award-winning musical Matilda - the Musical. It is based on Roald Dahl’s children’s novel Matilda, with music and lyrics written by prominent Australian Tim Minchin. Rehearsals are in full flight and we were lucky enough to be given a taste during our recent Performing Arts Showcase where Matilda and the orchestra performed Naughty. Performances will be on the 28 and 29 May, and 4 and 5 June. Watch out for tickets which will be on sale shortly.

Visual Arts

On Wednesday 31 March Dr Wayne Brookes returned to Hobart College to give his famous Art of Darkness lecture in the main theatre during Home Group.  His talk explored such questions as:

• Why, in a world full of beauty, do some artists seek out darkness in their work?
• Are they reacting to a darkness within or are they reacting to a darkness that they see in the external world?

Over 100 HoCo art students attended and loved it. The Art Production 3 students are now busily writing responses to this fascinating lecture as part of their course.

The annual Bunnies and Flowers art exhibition was held in the Little Space Gallery this term with students and teachers voting for their favourite piece.  Congratulations to following student artists:

1st place (shared winners): Mungo Jones and Poppy Robinson

2nd place: Avani Clarke

3rd place: Sunny Bosveld

Teacher Choice (shared winners): Elsie Seacroft and Evie Shipway

Recently the Tasmanian School of Art in conjunction with TMAG ran the Vibrance festival celebrating street art in Hobart which included guided tours of street art in Hobart and workshops . A workshop was also held at Hobart college for around 100 students from Visual Art Mixed Media, Graphic Design, Art Practice and Art Theory and Criticism students.

Students Excelling in Sport!

Congratulations to the following students on their achievments in sport this term:

• Caleb Kirkpatrick, Isabella Hippel and Zarion Simcox: State Under-age Athletics team to compete in Sydney in April
• Caleb Kirkpatrick: State Schools Futsal team
• Hamish Dalziel and Hugh Clements: TIS for Canoe Slalom and attending the selection trials for Australian Junior Canoe Slalom team over the Easter break.
• Beth Dobbie: State Hockey team
• Joshua Probert: Tasmanian Volleyball Academy 2020
• Sarah Glancy: State Gymnastics team
• Amber French and Jack Emery: State Trampolining team
• Oliver Butler: State U/18 Rugby team
• Katja Cook: Australian Rowing National Championships: Gold U/21 Lightweight 2000m Single Skulls, Bronze U/19 Quad Skulls, Bronze U/23 Light-weight Double Skulls
• Layla Hocking: Bronze, U/19 Quad Skulls at the Australian Rowing National Championships
• Patrick Robbie: Australian Rowing Championships
• Oscar Jenner: State U/18 Hockey team
• Maddy Straastma: State U/20 Basketball team and Women’s Chargers team
• Josh Hanigan: TIS Academy for Cycling
• Lourdes Gavaghan: National Level Gymnast
• Brumby Smalley: U/19 State Underwater Hockey team
• Liam Bosworth: Under-age State Water Polo team
• Jack Marsh: State Senior ALF Umpire.

The TAS Schools Orienteering Championships were held on 28 March. It was also the first selection race for the TAS Schools team to compete at the Australian Schools Championships in October this year. There are two more selection races.

Congratulations to:

Boys Open:

• 1^{st -} Niko Stoner 
• 3^{rd -} Ben Poortenaar
• 4^{th -} Will Whittington

Girls Open:

• 1^{st -}  Zali McComb

Tasmanian School Futsal Titles Success

Hobart College entered four teams in the Tasmania School Futsal Championships, held at the Tasmanian Futsal Institute, Goodwood on Thursday 18 March.

All players and teams represented Hobart College with pride, exceptional sportsmanship and a determination to win.

Hobart College Toasties made it to the nail-biting grand final against Elizabeth College 1. The Toasties were awarded College division runners up.

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent Tasmania at the 2021 National school Futsal Championships: Hamed Rezaie, Toby Fleming, Leo Dietz Sanz, Patrick Merch, Alastair Crane-French (Alfie), Caleb Fitzpatrick and Charlie McDonnell.

Congratulations to all students who represented Hobart College at this year's event. 

Festival of Voices

On Tuesday 29 June, Festival of Voices will host a Vocal Ensemble Concert at the newly refurbished Hobart College Theatre.  This concert will feature the young emerging talent from Hobart College and Associated High Schools.  We will showcase a variety of young solo vocalists who will be accompanied by members of the Hobart College House Band and vocal ensemble.  Expect a fun-filled night of diverse entertainment as our vocalists present songs which express their individual passions and personality.  

The night will conclude with a group piece, as our talented vocalists sing together in harmony.  This concert runs from 6:30 - 8:30pm.