Edition 6 | Term Two, Week 2, 2023

Join us for an engaging session with drinks and nibbles to bust the myths about the IB Diploma. Learn about the benefits of studying the IBDP at Somerset!

Year 7s were fortunate to be part of a presentation by our alumnus, Councillor Hermann Vorster. Councillor Vorster outlined the processes that our Gold Coast City Council follows, to ensure our city is liveable. He also outlined the Council Plan and explained how each Division has an available budget to improve the liveability of its area. Constituents are encouraged to inform Council of areas in need.

The cohort has been studying the concept of ‘Liveability’ and using their understanding to make connections within their own suburb. Students were asked to identify an area for improvement by using the factors of liveability as criteria to evaluate their surroundings. Combining the task with skills learnt in Design, Media Studies and Art, they took a photo and annotated both the issue/s and possible solutions.

To engage in action, students wrote a letter to the Councillor of their Division stating their concerns and possible ideas of improvement with an attached, annotated photo.

The project proved to be a valuable exercise in being proactive and making connections in the real world.

Your age does not matter, everyone at any age can make a difference.

Congratulations to Camilla Guthrie (Year 9 Franklin) who was recently awarded the sash for Community Spirit from the Mudgeeraba Show Society. Camilla was chosen for her significant contribution to the local community through her work with the Mudgeeraba Girl Guides since the age of six, and other numerous roles as a volunteer. 

Camilla has supported countless community events including shows, street parties, formal processions, camps and damper stalls. She has also assisted with the Mudgeeraba ANZAC Service for a number of years and in 2023 held the prestigious role as Flag Bearer. She has a keen interest in the local area, in particular environmental initiatives and agricultural issues. She works at a local business and is part of a Mudgeeraba based riding school. She truly is at the heart of the Mudgeeraba Community!

As part of the Rural Ambassador team, you will see Camilla working at the Mudgeeraba Street Party on May 7 and also at the Mudgeeraba Show, June 23 to 25. She will also have the opportunity to visit other Queensland shows representing the district and develop her knowledge of agriculture and community issues.

Camilla is a wonderful ambassador for not just the local community, but also our College. Well done, Camilla!

The National Age Club Swimming Championships were held on the Gold Coast from 7 to 15 April 2023. The Meet is the pinnacle of age group swimming for Australia and features the best swimmers from around the nation in the highest level of Club competition.

Somerset had a great meet with some outstanding results as well as a great participation rate from both College students and the Somerset Swim Club. To qualify and race at this level of meet is a feat in itself and Somerset had a number of first-time swimmers as well as some more experienced swimmers competing over the week long meet with some very impressive results.

Somerset’s results were as follows:

National Age Champions

• Olympia Pope (14 Years) - 1st 50m Breaststroke, (QLD record of 32.24sec), 1st 100m Breaststroke 1st 200m Breaststroke, 1st 14G/15B 4x50m State Mixed Medley Relay
• Kyla Brown (16 Years) – 1st 50m Breaststroke, 5th 100m Breaststroke, 5th 200m Breaststroke
• Milla Jansen (16 Years) - 1st 15-16 years 4 x 50m Club medley relay, 2nd 13-17 years 4 x 100m Club, 2nd 15-16 years Club Freestyle relay, 2nd 100m Freestyle, 3rd 50m Freestyle, 4th 200m Freestyle
• Holly Hembling (15 Years) – 1st 15-16 years 4 x 50m Club medley relay, 2nd 13-17 years 4 x 100m Club medley relay, 2nd 15-16 years Club Freestyle relay, 9th 50m Breaststroke, 10th 100m Breaststroke

National Age Medallists

• Sebastine Du Preez (18 Years) – 2nd 50m MC Breaststroke, 2nd 100m MC Breaststroke
• Zahri Jarrett (14 Years) – 13th 50m Freestyle, 3rd 200m Freestyle, 11th 100m Freestyle, 2nd 13-14 years Club medley relay, 6th 13-14 Club freestyle relay
• Jessica Melo (13 Years) – 2nd 13-14 years Club medley relay, 11th 50m freestyle, 11th 100m Backstroke, 14th 50m Backstroke, 11th 100m Freestyle, 6th 13-14 Club freestyle relay
• Jamison Morgan (17 Years) – 3rd 50m Freestyle, 5th 50m Backstroke, 11th 100m Freestyle
• Lacey Strachan (14 Years) – 2nd 200m Breaststroke, – 2nd 13-14 years Club medley relay, 4th 100m Breaststroke, 4th 50m Breaststroke,
• Matilda Grimson (14 Years) – 2nd 13-14 years Club medley relay, 6th 13-14 Club freestyle relay

National Age Finalists (including A and B finals)

• Annabelle Aulert (15 Years) – 19th 100m Fly
• Bessie Dear (16 Years) – 11th 50m Breaststroke
• Jada De Gelder (13 Years) – 6th 13-14 Club freestyle relay
• Ciara Fay (17 Years) – 16th 100m Breaststroke
• Sasha Henrison (15 years) – 4th 50m Breaststroke, 12th 100m Breaststroke

National Age Competitors

• Aveline Rounsley
• Nina Ciolli
• Cady Daniels
• Jada De Gelder
• Charlotte Gavenlock
• Amelia Hart
• Isabelle Sly
• Charlie Henrison

Across the week, standout swims came from Milla Jansen and Olympia Pope who have been selected in the Australian Team for the 2023 World Junior Championships in Netanya, Israel from the 4 to 9 September 2023. This is a great reward for their performances and we wish them well in their preparation for this big event.

In addition, Kyla Brown recently swam at the New Zealand Open Swimming Championships placing fifth in the 200m Breaststroke and sixth in the 100m Breaststroke overall. Being only 16 years of age, this is a great achievement and opens the possibility of international competition in the coming years.  

Well done swimmers on these impressive results. The weeklong meet requires the support from coaches, parents and families to ensure swimmers race at their best and these results clearly show Somerset has displayed great character in supporting the swimmers to achieve their best.

The Queensland Schools Swimming Championships for both Junior and Senior School students was held in Brisbane at the end of the Term One. The is a week long event beginning with Junior School events and then followed later in the week by the Senior School Athletes.

There were many Somerset College students as well as swimmers from the Somerset Swim Club selected from the South Coast Regional Swimming Trials to compete at the State Championships. Across the week, there were some impressive results from many swimmers.

State Champions

• Kyla Brown (17 Years) - 1st 50m Breaststroke, 1st 100m Breaststroke, 2nd 200m Breaststroke, 4th 13-19 200m Medley relay
• Makyra Melo (11 Years) - 7th 200 IM, 2nd 100m Freestyle, 3rd 50m Butterfly, 1st 50m Breaststroke, 5th 100m Butterfly, 2nd 50m Freestyle
• Bessie Dear (16 Years) - 1st 13-16 years Freestyle relay, 1st 13-16 years Medley relay, 5th 50m Backstroke, 2nd 50m Breaststroke
• Leny Grigor (14 Years) – 1st 200m Butterfly, 2nd 400m IM, 2nd 200m IM, 2nd 13-14 200m Medley relay, 2nd 13-14 200m Freestyle relay, 6th 50m Butterfly, 10th 50m Freestyle
• Matilda Grimson (14 Years) – 1st 100m Backstroke, 1st 200m Backstroke, 4th 50m Backstroke
• Holly Hembling (16 Years) – 1st 50m Breaststroke
• Sasha Henrison (16 Years) – 1st 100m Breaststroke, 1st 15-16 years 200m medley relay, 1st 15-16 years 200m Freestyle relay, 2nd 50m Freestyle, 4th 100m Freestyle
• Zahri Jarett (14 Years) – 1st 200m Freestyle, 1st 400m Freestyle, 1st 100m Freestyle, 1st 13-14 200m Freestyle relay, 3rd 50m Freestyle
• Summer Johnston (13 Years) – 1st 50m Freestyle, 2nd 100m Backstroke, 5th 100m Freestyle, 6th 50m Butterfly, 2nd 13-14 200m Freestyle relay, 1st 13-14 200m Medley relay4th 50m Backstroke
• Jessica Melo (14 Years) – 1st 50m Backstroke, 1st 13-14 200m Medley relay, 1st 200m 13-14 Freestyle relay, 5th 50m Freestyle, 7th 200m Freestyle, 8th 50m Butterfly, 3rd 100m Backstroke, 4th 100m Freestyle
• Olympia Pope (15 Years) – 1st 100m Breaststroke (Qld State record), 1st 13-15 200m medley relay, 1st 50m Breaststroke, 1st 200m IM, 1st 200m Breaststroke (QLD State record)
• Chelsea Strachan (13 Years) – 1st 200m Breaststroke, 2nd 100m Breaststroke, 4th 50m Breaststroke
• Lacey Strachan (14 Years) – 1st 100m Breaststroke (Qld State record), 1st 50m Breaststroke (Qld State record), 1st 200m Breaststroke, 2nd 200m IM, 1st 13-14 200m medley relay
• Cohen Tarrant (13 Years) – 1st 100m Breaststroke, 1st 50m Breaststroke, 1st 200m Breaststroke, 1st 13-14 200m medley relay
• Max Truman (13 Years) – 1st 200m Backstroke, 1st 13-14 200m Medley relay, 3rd 200m Freestyle, 5th 50m Backstroke, 6th 100m Butterfly, 2nd 400m Freestyle 4th 100m Backstroke

State Medallists

• Meggie De Chhimba (10 Years) - 3rd 100m Breaststroke, 4th 50m Breaststroke
• Annabelle Aulert (15 Years) – 3rd 200m Butterfly, 4th 100m Butterfly, 10th 50m Backstroke, 2nd 13-15 200m Freestyle relay, 5th 50m Butterfly
• Danny Baxter (13 Years) – 9th 50m Butterfly, 4th 100 Butterfly, 2nd 200m butterfly, 2nd 400m IM
• Cady Daniels (16 Years) – 3rd 200m Butterfly
• Charlotte Gavenlock 14 years – 3rd 50m Backstroke, 2nd 200m Backstroke, 2nd 100m Backstroke
• Isabelle Sly (16 Years) – 2nd 200m Butterfly, 6th 100m Butterfly

State Finalists

• Knox Anderson (11 Years)
• Levi Anderson (12 Years)
• Leo Herbst (11 Years)
• Elanor McGrath (12 Years)
• Kasia Pitura (12 Years)
• Tori Strachan (10 Years)
• Joshua Cimini (17 Years)
• Zarah Farrington (14 Years)
• Ciara Fay (17 Years)
• Amelia Hart (13 Years)
• Martin Hembling (14 Years)
• Charlie Henrison (13 Years)
• Skye Laube (17 Years)
• Aveline Rounsley (17 Years)
• Tristan Song (18 Years)

State Competitors

• Isla Booth (11 Years)
• Lachlan Talbot (11 Years)
• Noah Campbell (10 Years)
• Mia Drury (11 Years)
• Domonic Fletcher (12 Years)
• Keanu Schaffer (14 Years)

From these very impressive results, a number of the students have been selected to represent Queensland at the National Championships to be held in Sydney in August this year. The final makeup of the Team is still to be published, while many automatic selections have been made. 

Well done to all on your results!

A Cross Country Camp held on Somerset grounds recently, saw more than 60 Year 4 to 12 students attend.

The focus of the day, which ran from 8.30am until 12.30pm, was to educate and inspire our aerobically fit students into using good practises and implement these practises into their respective training programmes.

The day consisted of a variety of physical exercises such as; track-based interval running, cardio-boxing, resistance training in the gym as well as educational content including nutritional options pre and post-race and appropriate recovery practices including ice baths and water based recovery techniques. The students were treated to a healthy morning tea and lunch to complement what they had learnt throughout the morning.

My thanks to all the staff who contributed to the successful running of the 2023 Cross Country Camp.

Our Somerset College Junior Girls have won the Football Queensland School Futsal Regional Championship.

In the first week of Term Two, Football Queensland organised the first edition of the School Futsal Championships, in two divisions. The schools could nominate their best students to represent their school in the Juniors (combined team from Year 7, 8 and 9) and the Seniors (combined from Year 10, 11 and 12). 

Junior Girls

Coach Keita

Our Junior Girls Futsal team travelled to Upper Coomera to compete in the Football Queensland South Coast School Futsal Championship in April. The girls played exceptionally well, breezing through the pool stage with three straight wins against St Andrews Lutheran College, Calvary Christian College and Marsden State High School. 

The semi-finals saw the girls defeat Pimpama State Secondary College, securing a final against King's Christian College. Through tired legs they pushed on to their final 5 to 1 to secure the championship. 

Later in the term the girls will return for the School State Futsal Championship.

Congratulations to Arya Denzongpa-Bathols, Ari Thake, Natalia Zotti, Sarah Nickels, Livi Budd, Havana Lopez, Ellie Davies and Eliza Davenport. 

Junior Boys

Coach Jonno

The Junior Boys entered the championships with a very young team, in the first ever Football Queensland Futsal Tournament. The well organised event allowed the teams to play full games of Futsal. 

The boys had a tough pool, ending up with one win and two losses. They all worked hard and played for each other. Overall, the tournament was a resounding success. 

Well done Dash Robinson, Will Bittar, Nash Kennedy, Caspar Crampton, Eli Dirckze, Zac Mashall, Jacob Moir, and Jacob Kelly.

Senior Girls

Coach Harry

On Wednesday 19 April the Senior Girls prepared for competition. They had a tough draw starting off against the two strongest teams in the event. The result failed to reflect how well the girls came together and competed, however there was a great sense of enjoyment from the experience. 

After a couple of games together, the girls came up against a strong team in their final game and managed to beat them 11-nil. Each team player scored at least one goal! 

Considering it’s the first time the girls have played futsal together; it was a successful day. 

Well done to Sasha Henrison, Kate Roder, Georgia Daly, Lilli Hodge, Nikiah McNamara, Georgie Zerbst, Zara Ryan, and Emily Nickels.

Senior Boys

Coach Maarten

The Senior Boys were placed in a group with St Andrews Lutheran College, Marsden State High School and Hillcrest Christian College. 

First game kicked off at 8.30am against St Andrews. The Spartans had made their game plan to mark man on man. The result was a great game of Futsal. With two minutes to go, and down the team was down just one goal. Calling for a time out, the team revised a new strategy to get the equalizer but the side did not score for the remainder of the game.

Defeated by Regional Champions, St Andrews was a proud moment knowing it was almost a win.

In game two versus Marsden the Boys did not reach their level of the game and lost. A decision to leave the competition with a win came after game three against from Hillcrest. 

Well done, Braedan Murdock, Matt Leal, Hayden Goldsmith, Bongani Mhlanga, Joe Boone, Luke Shirley, Phoenix Crampton and Will Burns.

Somerset Chess has kicked off smoothly in Term Two after results from holiday competitions.

Recent Results from Somerset Players

DOEBERL CUP

Elijah Hadikusumo placed equal 9th with 5/7 in the Mini division.

GOLD COAST EASTER HOLIDAY PROGRAMME AND CUP

In the intermediate class Alex Lee was able to take out 3rd place in the weeks aggregate award.

For the Easter Cup event on the Thursday, Sanaaya Mapabandara took out third place overall on countback, she was =2nd with 6/7.

In D division, Taya Liu was able to take out second place, =21st overall, and had the third highest score for an unrated player on the day. Alex Lee was fourth in D division, missing out on third due to countback.

Other Happenings

The term has kicked off smoothly with many students in the Junior School receiving regular lessons from coaches. Lunch clubs for Year 1 and 2 students continue on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, whilst the Thursday morning Year 3 to 6 club is slowly growing. The Friday afternoon club is booming with around 40 players each week taking part.

There are many events coming up soon, with Inter-School events in the near future, along with the Gold Coast Allegro Championships, 21 May which includes a Junior Under QJ1000 division and an Open division. Also coming up soon will be the Gold Coast Junior Championships, the Queensland Junior Championships and the Gold Coast Open. Details for these events can be found on the chess page of Schoolbox.

For any questions around the Somerset chess program, please contact us via the new email, somerset@gardinerchess.com.au.