Twenty years can be a long time I am sure but it seems like only yesterday that I walked into Somerset College on 17 February 2003.
Somerset is a very different place now to the institution I entered then – when students still wore boaters!
So much has changed and been built:
So much has been achieved by so many – true team work has made Somerset the success it is today.
We have all had the opportunity and the capacity to have a positive influence and make the Somerset Experience bigger and better!
As said, a lot has changed but many important things have not!
I did visit Somerset at some stage between 1983 and 1986. All I remember are muddy tracks, portable buildings and rough wooden fences. It was a giant leap of faith to send your children to Somerset in 1983.
Even if was not until 2009 that the last of the portable buildings were removed.
One element of College life which has improved markedly for students has been our Service programme. I have been delighted to see this growth. Service has always been an important part of my life both as a student and throughout my working life. It has been an honour and a privilege to have been able to serve at Somerset and see our College grow to be one of Australia’s pre-eminent independent co-educational schools. We should all feel proud of this.
Please take time to reflect on this and look around you to see all that has been achieved through, and in some cases, despite our efforts. It really has only been since my retirement was announced that I have taken the time to reflect on this. It has been time well spent.
We can all be proud of our achievements because we can all make Somerset better.
I have had many challenges to overcome at Somerset, three spring to mind:
It must be time to leave!
Another successful Storyfest Giving Day was held this term with more than $120,000 raised for literacy programmes.
In 2022 the money raised from our first Storyfest Giving Day went towards the following:
Moving forward, we will be following up delivering a two day writers festival in Longreach this year as well as stepping into Lismore region (invited by them) in partnership with a bookshop to offer activities for schools impacted by floods.
We will also take our On the Road programme into the Scenic Rim region and we are investigating regional festivals in St. George and Emerald for 2024.
We will continue to support local schools and this year, out of the 38 sponsored schools, 20 were local, that attended the Festival.
We’ve also been able to put books into baby bags at various hospitals, ensuring babies receive their very first book from Storyfest. We’re looking to expand that project into the new Tweed Hospital and if we can, get into Gold Coast Hospital!
You can watch how Storyfest is helping, HERE.
With a total of 23 teams representing our school, Somerset College debaters showcased their exceptional skills and unwavering determination as they competed in the preliminary rounds of the Gold Coast Debating Competition this semester.
Both new and returning debaters embraced the challenge of a wide range of thought-provoking topics this season. Junior Division students from Years 7 and 8 argued the intriguing dilemmas such as "Early birds are better than night owls" and "Disney movies give children unrealistic expectations in life”. Our older students grappled with profound subjects including "Monarchies are still relevant" and "People's actions matter more than their intentions” in the Intermediate A and Open A competitions. Many of these topics were analysed and argued under a significant time constraint, with preparation times ranging from nearly two hours to just one hour before students were expected to debate.
Impressively, 13 of our teams won the majority of their debates, securing a spot in the upcoming finals season in Term Three. These debates will now continue as elimination rounds, with all teams aiming to compete at the Gold Coast Debating Grand Final at Bond University in Week 6.
Congratulations to all these students on the outstanding calibre of your debates this season. The exemplary skills shown throughout all divisions is a perfect demonstration of the dedication you all have to this craft, and the Somerset Debating Programme continues to grow and thrive due to your efforts.
If you are interested in being involved in the Debating Programme, look out for notices in Semester Two for opportunities including the Gold Coast Primary Schools Debating Competition and the A.B. Paterson Public Speaking Competition.
WorldWrights has been creating images and videos of realistic physics simulations, leveraging the powerful Alienware computers in the College’s Esports precinct.
Our members have been learning to use the professional 3D software, Blender to create realistic physics simulations.
Some projects included:
These fun introductory lessons are a good way of getting students interested in what else the software is capable of and potentially encouraging them to discover these capabilities for themselves in their own free time.
I am excited to continue mentoring these budding 3D artists into learning a powerful and budget-friendly creative outlet every Thursday afternoon in Rudkin 1.
The Year 2 cohort were very excited to display their new skills they have been acquiring during the Strings Programme recently. Parents and Prep friends were invited to the Roberts Theatre to observe students proudly play their violas, violins, cellos and double basses.
The concert was a wonderful way to celebrate the commitment children have demonstrated towards practicing their instruments. What a joy it was to see their faces light up as they performed on the stage.
A special thank you to Mrs Moffatt, Mrs Hopkins, Mrs Yuki and Mr Keczan who are their dedicated Strings teachers.
Students commented, “I felt proud”, “even though I was nervous, I was a risk-taker” and “I felt happy and excited playing my instrument”.
Year 2 friends will continue to master their craft for the rest of the year, ready for another concert in Term Four.
Congratulations, Year 2 Maestros!
Celebrating our Junior School's success in the Readers Cup Competition, organised by the Queensland Branch of the Children's Book Council of Australia, our dedicated students achieved an impressive fourth place out of 24 Gold Coast schools.
The challenge involved reading five designated books and facing challenging questions related to them, showcasing their knowledge and passion for literature. It was an enjoyable and memorable experience that fostered friendships and inspired their peers to embrace the joy of reading. We are incredibly proud of our students' achievements and remain committed to nurturing their love for literature.
Team members include (photographed in the first image from left to right) Evan Li, Emma Zhu, Hannah Sun, Miranda Shum, and Anni Lu.
In IAS we were given a ‘clay tablet’ that the Sumerians used to write on using the cuneiform language but, instead of clay, it was shortbread dough.
We learned about how cuneiform impacted on the lifestyles and situations of the Sumerians. For example, it might be used for trading when they had to trade for different products, such as crops and materials, in which they would need to write down the number of crops they had for harvesting. They might've also used Cuneiform for writing down their laws and rules, daily events and even astronomy.
Cuneiform was created because it was the easiest and most effective way to communicate in writing, by using symbols, made up from the wedge-shaped symbol. ‘Cuneus’ means wedge in Latin. We made the wedge-shaped symbols by using the side angle of a chopstick. We wrote some cuneiform symbols on our tablet and in the end, had a reward to eat them!
A big thank you to Mr Bassingthwaighte for visiting our class and our Chef Mr Furlong for recreating a Sumerian Clay tablet for us to experiment with the cuneiform system.
In this week’s episode of Spartan Stream, we see results from the lunchtime Race that Stops Education, highlight Spartan success in climbing, gymnastics, basketball and equestrian and we tally final premierships from APS Season 1 sport.
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