CLASSclass of OF 2017 2017 1 PASSION TO POTENTIAL arden anglican school 2 “THE ‘CLASS OF 2017’ HAS EXHIBITED LEADERSHIP IN ALL SORTS OF AREAS, AS WELL AS THEIR HEART FOR COMPASSIONATE SERVICE, AND THEIR ABUNDANT CREATIVITY. ” class of 2017 3 MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL At Arden we see students as unique individuals and seek to nurture them academically but also holistically. Of course we were thrilled with the School’s 2017 HSC ranking as 62nd in the State (you can see more of these details in our recent HSC Results brochure). However, ultimately our aim is to prepare our students for life beyond school, as citizens who courageously use their gifts and a willingness to use their God- given strengths in the service of others. In these pages you will also see where our graduates are heading, by following their passions in the arts, seeking to give a voice to minority groups, protecting our environment, or harnessing technology for the good of others. A number are taking a gap year, undertaking internships with church groups Welcome to our first ‘Class of’ publication, where we have the or beginning apprenticeships. I’m proud of the diverse fields opportunity to celebrate the strengths and broad achievements they are entering into: a result of Arden’s wish to know and of our departing Year 12 group. At Arden, we celebrate each support each individual and to encourage them to follow their student, taking care to discover and nurture an individual’s strengths and passions. unique interests and talents. The Class of 2017 are a rich, diverse To the Class of 2017, I wish you all the best. group and in these pages we hope you will get a sense of the highlights of their time at the School, what was important to them, and the lasting impact of an Arden education. Each Year Group will have its own flavour. For the Class of 2017, we recognise the leadership they have exhibited, as well as their heart for compassionate service, and their enormous creativity. Mr Graham Anderson Many of our students challenged themselves by undertaking Principal one or more Major Works for their HSC and we’re particularly proud that ten were nominated for HSC Showcases—a testament to the excellence they achieved, and the support they received from staff and family. arden anglican school 4 class of 2017 5 SCHOOL LEADERS’ REPORT “EVERYDAY HEROES” ‘We can be heroes’ was the motto the 2017 Prefect Team As a Prefect team we also celebrated Valentine’s Day by selling created for our term of leadership. Being a hero can be applied roses and serenades, with all funds going to our chosen charity. to all areas of life and so, in all our activities throughout the The day was filled with love and happiness and everyone year, we encouraged the Arden community to join us in being got involved, demonstrating that every individual can be an everyday heroes. everyday hero. Being a hero can be an elusive concept but we modelled our The 2017 leadership team agreed that our chosen charity would hero on the example set by Jesus Christ, giving students a goal be The Extra Mile Project. Arden has had a long partnership to strive for. We believe heroism is not accomplished through with The Extra Mile Project, an organisation serving rural accolades, but rather it is achieved through the creation of and disadvantaged communities in Vietnam and Cambodia. character. All the funds we raised during the year went to the Year 11 Cambodia and Vietnam Mission Trip to support the work We wanted to encourage students to be heroes of The Extra Mile Project. It has been a privilege to see the or ‘heroic’ in their consideration of others. limitless extent of this community’s passion and generosity. We reinforced the hero message in all of our activities. Our We would like to encourage you all to continue to be heroes, main fundraiser was called ‘Hire a Hero’ where we auctioned wherever life takes you. off Prefects for a day of service. The aim of the day was not to suggest that Prefects were heroes but to encourage everyone Charles Barnett and Grace de Rijk to respect and serve each other, two important Arden values. 2017 School Captains We raised $4,020 which was an amazing result and we were so happy that the whole school got involved in the day. arden anglican school 6 INFLUENCED AND INFLUENCING KATIE TURNER During her HSC, Katie Turner’s favourite subjects were her Asked about something she won’t miss about school, Katie English Extension subjects, “ultimately bringing to fruition says won’t miss walking up and down the stairs in the Essex my passion for literature and analytical thinking.” She is now buildings, and across the road: “it was a PDHPE lesson in studying a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (Secondary: itself!” Humanities and Social Sciences) at The University of Sydney, majoring in English and English as a Second Language. She Katie found a positive influence in the teachers is “excited at the possibility of potentially teaching kids from she had at Arden. “I’ve felt known at Arden every a broad spectrum of life, and being able to be a positive day since Kindergarten … teachers at Arden have influence on their future.” a great way of being able to understand students’ “People nurtured and supported me, and took the time to needs and treat them with kindness and respect,” understand me … not just as a student to teach, but as a she says. person.” She also sought to be a positive influence on others as a Prefect. “I think the best thing about being a Prefect was having the ability to make a difference,” she says. “I think the biggest difference was making people excited and interested in school and social justice and their individual passions.” class of 2017 7 experience faith personally. Crusaders was particularly encouraging and a good place ANDREW VON STIEGLITZ THE to make strong friendships. PROGRAMMER EXTRAORDINAIRE Andrew is planning to undertake a Bachelor of Digital profile Business at Macquarie University. Not surprisingly his DORA BENN favourite subjects at Arden were Industrial Technology: Multimedia Technologies (ITM) and Software Design and DORA BENN Development. What are your plans In Year 11 Andrew created a 2D platformer game, representing for the future? Arden when he was nominated for an award by the University Taking a Gap Year. of Wollongong. He was also nominated for an award in the Favourite subject computer Student Game category of the ATOM Awards in at school? Melbourne. English because it is a subject As well as going on a Music Tour to China in his HSC year, that reveals the way people a highlight of his time at Arden, Andrew decided to take on see the world. I AM INTERESTED IN DOING the challenge of a Major Work. Designing an application for Most inspiring VOLUNTEER WORK, his tablet “pushed me to my programming limits” he says, Arden moment? INSPIRED BY particularly because he illustrated and composed the music Fundraising for Cambodia DISCUSSION WITH for the app as well. Making the HSC Distinguished Achievers and Vietnam, seeing the way List in Industrial Technology, combined with his Major Work/ students worked together to LIKE-MINDED other experiences, helped Andrew to realise that he was achieve a common goal. INDIVIDUALS IN good at programming and game design and this has in turn THE SOCIAL JUSTICE influenced his career aspirations. Did you feel ‘known’ GROUP. at Arden? I definitely felt valued as an individual at Arden. My Tutor, was the most influential teacher. She would regularly check up on the students under her care and take time to listen to them and value them. How did Arden influence you to be more service-minded? Arden helped me realise how many problems there are and it pushed me to make an effort to create change. How did Arden encourage you in your faith? Arden was a safe and nurturing environment to have faith. The teachers cared for and encouraged students to explore the Christian faith and arden anglican school 8 works which was time consuming and sometimes seemed to be never ending. Favourite team? I was in the Touch Football Team in Year 11 and Year 12 profile which was fun as I had never played Touch Football before. TIM DODD What are your plans for the future? Bachelor of Information TIM DODD Technology at Macquarie University. I want to use my interest in multimedia to make a difference. What was your most triumphant moment at Arden? THE BEST THING Receiving two showcase nominations for WAS HAVING A SMALL GRADE WHERE ALL my Industrial LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! Technology: Multimedia THE STUDENTS KNEW Technologies (ITM) and EACH OTHER AND BUILT FOR GEORGIA LAVERCOMBE Design and Technology STRONG FRIENDSHIPS. major works. SMALL GRADES ALSO Georgia’s time at Arden helped her to discover a passion for What is your ALLOWED FOR A BETTER CLASSROOM the performing arts. She appeared in a number of external favourite saying? productions, including Nick Enright’s, Blackrock, as well as Wherever you go, LEARNING EXPERIENCE Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible. She also loved the “spontaneity go with all your heart. THROUGH MORE of what happens on stage” at Theatresports. Georgia wants Best piece of advice a INTERACTION AND to become an actor and is beginning an Advanced Diploma teacher at Arden gave you? COLLABORATION. of Screen and Media at the Academy of Film, Theatre and Throughout my time my Television (AFTT). ITM teacher encouraged and Choosing to go into a highly competitive field, Georgia’s pushed me and the entire favourite quote comes from AA Milne’s Christopher Robin: class to perform to a high “You’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, standard.