Page 1 SACOSA · 2020. 9. 17. · someone else. Steve Jobs eloquently said “our time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” We will spend our lives trying

Page 1iSSUE 41 - 2020 53 Wakefield Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000 / 82173200 / http://sacosa.sac.sa.edu.au/ Page 1

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Newsletter2020

SACOSA

Old Scholar Rhaneela Punitham (2005-2014)

Thank you, Vice Chancellor, and thank you to the families, friends and academics who are here to celebrate this day with the graduating cohort, one of the most significant days of our lives.Today, I want to talk about 4 topics to mirror my 4 years at university, and the main lessons I learnt each year. During my first year of Uni, I spent as much time in my classes as I did rushing around campus trying to find them, and the prospect of not having a teacher to remind me every day when assignments were due brought about a stress that, at the time, was unparalleled. But one of the hardest parts about my first year of university, was making friends. I tried every icebreaker in the book in those coveted first 10 minutes of every hour, attempting to bond with the peers sitting next to me about how excited I was for engineering pub crawl or how amazing Danijela's outfit was that day. Sometimes I got a blank face in return, but other times I ended up making a friend that I would keep for life.

Old Scholar (2005-2014)Rhaneela Punitham graduated from

Adelaide Uni with a Bachelor of Health Science, Majoring in Maths and Computing last year. Below is a

copy of her inspirational valedictory address on behalf of all the graduates at her graduation ceremony.

Continued on next page...

"Meeting new people is always a little bit scary, but it's also one of

life’s greatest gifts."

"If the graduating class passed around their phones, added each other on

LinkedIn and scrolled 30 years into the future, I guarantee we'll all be doing

incredible things with our lives."

. ST ALOYSIU

S CO

LLEG

E .

18

80 -2020 . CELEBRATIN

G 140 YEARS


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Meeting new people is always a little bit scary, but it's also one of life’s greatest gifts. Being able to have meaningful conversations with people is one of the most beautiful parts of being a human, and I hope that as we go forward in our careers and our lives in general, we don't let the fear of rejection stop us from making friends.The second lesson I learnt was to throw myself into every opportunity possible, and the third lesson was to do this without the fear of failure. Everyone experiences failure, not getting the grade you wanted for an assignment, not getting the job that you applied for, but it’s through these failures that we learn. Being able to reflect and improve defines an extraordinary person and we have the ability to be extraordinary if we chose it. Someone very wise once told me that the fear of failure can often be one of the greatest inhibitors of success. If the graduating class passed around their phones, added each other on LinkedIn and scrolled 30 years into the future, I guarantee we'll all be doing incredible things with our lives. We will struggle, we will question the decisions we make, and we will sometimes fall short of our goals, but we shouldn’t let that stop us from taking up every opportunity to try new

things, even if we think we aren’t good enough, because I can guarantee you, that you are. The fourth lesson I learnt was to run my own race. In this day and age it’s easy to compare ourselves with others, and we may fall into the trap of spending too much time trying to be like someone else. Steve Jobs eloquently said “our time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” We will spend our lives trying to figure out who we are, what we want and how to forge our own path. But if we focus on being the absolute best version of ourselves, we’re running our own race and we’ll always be winning. I’d like to take the time to say a few quick thankyous. To Danijela Menicanin, Corinna van den Heuvel and Mario Ricci. Thank you for your incredible support and mentorship over the last 4 years, but more importantly thank you for your friendship. I would like to finish this address by congratulating the graduating cohort for the achievements that brought you here today. Today is about you, and how you threw yourself into the opportunity of running your university race without the fear of failure, and you built friendships with the people sitting next to you. I hope that everyone in this hall today, leaves with the mindset of a graduate; to find your passions, to define your goals, to follow your dreams and to make the choice to be extraordinary.

Post school Pathways

Enrolled Name: Zali KakkoYears at SAC: 2010-2015

News since leaving SAC:After graduating from SAC at age 17, I moved interstate by myself to study a Bachelor of Life Sciences at the University of New South Wales. Since moving to Sydney I have been involved with the university lifestyle extensively. I boarded on campus for my first three years where I volunteered as a residential assistant. In this role I provided pastoral care for students and took on a role or leadership. Since leaving the college campus I have remained involved by working for the Philanthropy team at UNSW Sydney.

In my role here I have been fundraising for the President and Vice Chancellor’s Equity Scholarship and ASPIRE, an outreach program targeted to encourage indigenous and rural communities to consider tertiary education as an option. Currently, I am finishing my final term of University and looking forward to my future. I plan on completing a Masters Degree in Education (Primary) and eventually working as a teacher in rural communities. Alongside this dream, I hope to specialise in special needs and utilise my knowledge of Psychology in a school setting. Thank you SAC for always inspiring me to chase my dreams and live on with mercy.Zali Kakko 2010 - 2015

Rhaneela is currently working for KPMG, in the IT & Cyber Security Unit.

"Being able to reflect and improve defines an extraordinary person."


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Enrolled Name: Katherine-Anne SortiniYears at SAC: 2006-2014

News since leaving SAC:Katherine-Anne Sortini (pictured on the right) is an old scholar from 2014. Once leaving SAC, she studied at Flinders Drama Centre for four years gaining an Honours Degree in Creative Arts (Drama). She is now working as a professional actor and we are thrilled to announce that she is currently playing the part of Nancy in the State Theatre production, Gaslight. Katherine-Anne is also running an acting workshop with the senior Drama students here at SAC to explore the intricacies of acting and modern acting techniques. Recently, she was at SAC performing the South Australian Playwrights Theatre’s production of Bordertown during the 2020 Fringe.

Katherine-Anne Sortini (2006-2014)

To all responsible Facebook users:

Become a fan of the official St Aloysius College

Old Scholars Association

To do this, simply search ‘St Aloysius College Old Scholars

Association’, choose the one with the logo as shown in the image on the left and click ‘Like’. You will then be able to view all recent posts, relevant links and photos and you’ll be kept up to

date with old scholars' achievements, upcoming events and more!

We are always looking for more to share, so if you have an event, story or item that may be of interest to old scholars please send us a message and we will get the word out!

Through the SAC LinkedIn, graduates can connect with

other SAC Old Scholars on a professional platform.

If you'd like to be contacted as a guest speaker at school and/or be able to host a SA work experience

student, get in touch with us!

STAY CONNECTED WITH


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a tale of hoPeThree years ago, at the age of 23, old scholar Maddie Kelly (Class of 2011) boarded a plane bound for Arusha, Tanzania, and began working in the School of St Jude. Here she writes about her experiences, including the impact of COVID-19 on the local community.Tanzania. Arusha is a bustling town near the slopes of Mount Meru. Therein lies the School of St Jude, an institution providing 1800 of the community’s poorest and brightest young people with free, quality education, where I’ve now worked for more than three years.

The school’s founding director, Gemma Sisia, originally hails from Armidale in New South Wales. She has been transforming lives since 2002, when the school gates first opened. Gemma built her dream of fighting poverty through education with generous help from swathes of volunteers, most of whom were Australians and many were teams of Rotarians.

Angela, then aged 20, was a volunteer teacher. Her first class had three students – that’s because Gemma, at the time, could only find three sponsors.

Things have since changed.

Today, donors and sponsors from around the world fund the project, operating on an annual budget of approximately AU$7 million. Ninety per cent of funding comes from Australia

Angela is now Gemma’s deputy director. The pair oversees approximately 300 staff, just seven of whom are foreigners, including myself.

The school has successfully weathered many storms…perhaps that’s thanks, in part, to its namesake, St Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes.

The school currently faces its biggest challenge yet – addressing COVID-19. Annually, Gemma travels to Australia for a promotional tour. I join her to assist with logistics and fundraising. This year, bans on public gatherings and border closures forced us to cancel the tour and

GRATEFUL: One of the parents with a COVID-19 Family Care Package distributed by the School of St Jude in April.

return immediately to Tanzania.

During transit back to East Africa, Tanzania’s first case of COVID-19 was announced and the Tanzanian Government closed all schools for an indefinite period.

I then entered a 14-day period of self-quarantine, and realised the depth of my connection to Arusha and its people.

When out for village walks, I pause to reflect on my surroundings – a moving postcard. Children freely roam and play, the smell of chapatti wafts from charcoal stoves. I’m often followed for miles by the same, protective, limping dog.

Then, there’s another side. The view of crippling poverty. Mud houses, underfed

In April’s final weeks our staff gathered to perform a mammoth operation: assembling and distributing COVID-19 Family Care Packages to students. Our yellow bus fleet criss-crossed several regions distributing the packages. Many families are suffering job losses and wage cuts. Our care packages included staple foods, soap, hand sanitiser, bleach, study packs and exercise books.

We launched a mini-appeal to fund the packages. Unfortunately, St Jude’s has lost donors and sponsors due to financial hardship this year, though it was heartening that many were willing to support this initiative.

Separately, I launched my own challenge: Chop the Mop for St Jude’s. I had tresses of thick, curly hair, reaching my waist. I vowed, if I raised AU$5000 for the school, to shave it off. I’ve so far reached AU$3500 but decided to bare my scalp regardless. You can still donate to the GoFundMe campaign at this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/shave-for-st-judes

In times of hardship, we rely on stories of hope. The School of St Jude is testament to the notion that, indeed, no cause is hopeless. In the end, we are a universal family, here to serve each other.

Ms Maddie KellyST ALOYSIUS COLLEGE OLD SCHOLAR & FORMER SOCIAL JUSTICE COORDINATOR

children, barrow wheelers and beggars.

I see these people, and then, I think of St Jude’s students.

When watching them play and learn in smart, blue uniforms, it’s easy to forget that they, too, come from destitution. That, if it weren’t for St Jude’s, they might be begging in the street.

"If it weren’t for St Jude’s, they might be

begging in the street.

Reference: Southern Cross - Living Catholic https://thesoutherncross.org.au/opinion/2020/07/01/school-of-st-jude-a-tale-of-hope/


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women of mercySAC old scholars appreciate the transforming power of a Mercy education. Thanks to all the current old scholars on staff who are inspiring the next generation of Mercy women!

. ST ALOYSIUS C

OLL

EGE

. 1880 -2020 . CELEBRA

TING

140

All St Aloysius College 140 Year Celebrations will be held in 2021

Further information on celebrations and dates to be provided. The SACOSA Choir will also resume when possible!


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congratulations!We congratulate Hannah Palmer (Class of 2018) on being awarded the United Nations of Australia (SA division) scholarship.

Hannah is studying an Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management at TAFE SA however her career in Hospitality began with work experience in Year 10, which led to casual employment whilst she was at school. Upon graduating from SAC, Hannah began working at Magill Estate Kitchen, combining work and study in a career she is passionate about.

a great story-teller

From her days at SAC to a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), Kate Conley RSM has always been a 'story-teller, a good friend to many, a community builder, a leader, a formator, a connector, an artist, a poet, a contemplative, an activist, a lover of life'. We congratulate Kate on this recognition of her work. If you would like to read more about Kate's story, head to tiny.cc/SACNewsletter.

https://www.sac.sa.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/Issue_10_19_%20June_2020_web.pdf


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Designs of the timesA desire to learn to sew led Renate Henschke to a career as a maker and costume and production

designer. She’s recently been collaborating with other Adelaide creatives and

Windmill Theatre on a new online series called Honey

I’m Home.

What triggered your interest in fashion and design?

I always admired my mum and her mother’s ability to make clothes, crafts and toys with ease. I spent a lot of my childhood in fabric stores and antique shops with mum making me feel fabrics for their quality and pointing out clever design details on clothing. I owe my eye for detail to her. I decided to study fashion at Marleston TAFE for personal reasons, to learn to sew – I never imagined it could turn into a career.

How did you segue from fashion to working in film, TV and theatre?

After studying in Adelaide, I moved to Dublin, Ireland, where I lived for 10 years and had the great fortune to work for a design agency. I designed and managed their production for a few years before setting up my own clothing label, Arms, in partnership with them. We had a good run for a few seasons and my designs sold in boutiques across Europe, Japan and online in the US. It was financially tough and creatively rewarding, but reached a natural end.

Throughout this time, lots of my friends were making short films and videos and I was always helping them out on the side. I decided to pivot my creative skills towards costumes for television and film. I was fortunate to live in Dublin when there were lots of opportunities to work on professional feature film sets in the costume department. I preferred working in a team and loved problem-solving, and my making skills were a natural fit. The rigorous feature film demands of costume details really appealed to me. I am a maker, so I love any opportunity to make or detail elements by hand.

What’s been your career highlight?

I’ve been very lucky to work on many excellent projects. One was Windmill’s first feature film, Girl Asleep, which was my first film job in Adelaide. It was a dream to work with the team and make designer Jonathon Oxlade’s visions come to life. I co-ordinated the workroom where we made all the fantasy costumes. Another highlight was designing the Adelaide-directed feature film Animals with collaborators and friends Sophie Hyde, Bryan Mason and the Closer Productions team. The film was shot in Dublin and so was a return to my second home. It was a joy to make such a beautiful film about genuine female friendship.

Tell us about Honey I’m Home...

This is a new online series I’m working on with my friends and creative comrades Jonathon Oxlade and Chris Edser. Chris suggested we team up with Windmill Theatre and apply for one of the Arts SA COVID-19 grants. We were delighted to receive the grant and are creating short animated episodes inspired by this strange time of isolation we have all been living through. We’re using a mix of illustration, sculpture and stop-motion animation to bring these sweet, weird and hopefully funny stories to the world. We can’t wait for people to see them.

Where’s your favourite local place to seek creative inspiration?

The Art Gallery of South Australia, the Botanic Gardens and the Museum of Economic Botany are constant sources of inspiration. If I need to clear my head, I have a favourite walking loop in Belair National Park.

This article first appeared in the July 2020 issue of SALIFE magazine. Since publication, the first two episodes of Honey

I’m Home have gone live – keep an eye on the Windmill website for more in the coming weeks.

"I spent a lot of my childhood in fabric stores."


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girl guiDes anD Brownies at sac

The first St. Aloysius Catholic Girl Guide company was formed in 1929. It was registered under the name of 2nd Adelaide (St. Aloysius’) Guide Company. This company was headed by Molly M. Gunson, Acting-Captain. There is very little information available concerning the history of the Guiding Movement at SAC, but in the 1967 Annual an article appeared regarding the school Brownies. We would be grateful to receive any information about the activities of SAC guides and brownies and any photographs as well.

Mr Neville StapletonARCHIVIST

An excerpt of the 1912 St Aloysius College Annual, known as the ‘Golden Wattle’.

Page 1 SACOSA · 2020. 9. 17. · someone else. Steve Jobs eloquently said “our time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” We will spend our lives trying

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