Senior School

GPA Improvers Years 8 to 9

The following students in Years 8 and 9 were recognised in last week’s Headmaster’s Assembly as our biggest GPA improvers from Semester 2 last year to the end of Semester 1 this year. They have also achieved strong learning behaviours in all their subjects, which of course is essential to any sustained improvement and success.

Year 8

• Fraser Chapman
• Leo Donghi
• Fred Evenden
• Harrison Fluck
• Henry Germon
• Neil Hu
• Arin Jadhav
• Shoubhit Jain
• Justin Packenas
• Cameron Smee
• Alexander Thornton
• Ryan Thum
• Joe Welsh
• Dylan Wu

Year 9

• Riley Anderson
• Lachlan Barry
• Conrad Campbell
• Kian Chapman
• Thomas Evans
• Cristian Faull
• Flynn Schmidt
• Byron Stapleton

Richard Wheeldon
Deputy Headmaster

Headspace Viking Run

The fourth annual Viking Run was held on Friday, with well over 550 runners, walkers and volunteers from St Margaret’s and Churchie coming together on The Flat for an afternoon focused on physical and mental health. Each year, students make suggestions on how to promote wellbeing within the community. This year saw the addition of Matthew Li’s food truck (powered by Miso Hungry), support from the YRNA Fun Run crew through Noah Monahan and the successful setting of a new Australian record for the most people running in Viking helmets, with 454 helmets making the 400 m trip! When the Viking Run began in 2021, it was designed to encourage participants to slow down, do something novel and spend time speaking with one another. Reaching this record attempt four years later is humbling and shows how the community has embraced the event. Federal Member for Griffith Max Chandler-Mather and Councillor for Coorparoo Ward Fiona Cunningham attended in support of the effort.

The strength of the run lies in the number of staff and student volunteers who get involved, and we are grateful to the bands, audio technicians, marshals, barbecue crew and the staff who lined the course to make sure it was a success. In particular, staff members including Dave McDermott, Jack Franklin and Ben Harbottle assisted behind the scenes, while crowd control provided on The Flat by John Callie, Jack Cawcutt, Ben Hugheston-Roberts, Mitch Rosenlund and Tom Wilson over many years has ensured this event runs smoothly and safely. The current tally being donated to Headspace Woolloongabba is our best ever, with around $5,300 already banked.

Clayton Kelly
Director of Service

Buzzing books

Written by Hillary Year 11 student James Lee.

The Hillary Charity Initiative aims to collect and donate books to underprivileged children in Vanuatu, Timor-Leste and Fiji to enhance their educational opportunities and foster a love of reading. Hillary would like to collect books suitable for children of all ages, focusing on educational and entertaining content. Hillary plans to continue this service in the coming years to provide ongoing educational support to children in these countries. The collection period started on Monday, Week 6, and will finish at the end of the term. If you have any old books collecting dust, please kindly donate them to the collection boxes located in your respective housemaster’s office. Through active participation and effective communication donation, you can help make a significant impact on the learning of these children.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Symposium

On Wednesday 8 August, some of our Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students attended the Anglican Schools Commission Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Symposium. The symposium is an inaugural event where the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, elders and key educational leaders gather to discuss the issues confronting remote education and the challenges of studying in an independent school away from home for Indigenous students, their families and communities. Jayden Ah Boo was asked to introduce one of the key guest speakers, Josh Apanui an Indigenous lawyer. Isaiah Missen had a didgeridoo lesson with world-renowned didgeridoo player David Williams. Isaiah played his didgeridoo while the St John’s Anglican College choir performed the National Anthem.

Kelly Jackson
Senior Learning Support Coordinator

Theatresports Grand Final

We are calling all boys of Churchie, families, staff and community members to come and support both our junior and senior Theatresports teams in their quest for the Youth Theatresports Championship title. Come along to see Churchie teams battle it out with schools from all across South East Queensland in an exciting improvisational showdown. If you enjoy comedy, theatre, light-hearted fun, quick wit, physicality and cheering on the blue and grey, this is the event for you!

Tickets can be purchased here: Youth Theatresports Grand Final 2024 | La Boite

Issy Mowen
Theatresports Coordinator

National Science Week

Join us for an exciting National Science Week filled with activities, competitions and educational fun! Here’s what we have planned:

Science show

Don’t miss the highlight! At the end of each show, enjoy some delicious handmade ice cream straight from our experiments. Bring your lunch and your friends.

Dates: Tuesday 13 August and Thursday 15 August
Time: Lunchtime
Location: Stanley and May Smith Science Centre forecourt
Presenter: UQ Science Ambassadors and Dr Mikhai

Year 7 science meme competition

Create the funniest and most creative science-related memes that are appropriate. Prizes will be awarded to the best three memes.

Submission: Submit them via this JotForm by Friday 16 August at 3 pm.

Spaghetti bridge building competition

Join us for a challenging and fun Spaghetti Bridge Building Competition. Put your engineering skills to the test and see whose bridge can hold the most weight!

Date: Wednesday 21 August
Time: 7 am
Location: Stanley and May Smith Science Centre (SC02)
Organisers: UQ Science Ambassadors and Morning Scholars Group

John Martin
Head of Faculty (Science)

Viking Café volunteers

We welcome mums and dads to volunteer at our tuckshops. Please contact the Tuckshop Volunteers Coordinator for more details if you can spare some time during the term to help in our busy tuckshops.

Viking Café volunteers: please email VikingCafe.Coordinator@churchie.com.au