Camp was an experience that we won't forget. The activities were beyond what we thought they were going to be. The scary activities were such an adventure. The food was great as every night we had dessert - jelly, ice cream and apple pie! The sound of the kookaburras laughing as they were waking everyone up from their sleep was a great way to start the morning.
Camp was a great way to build friendships as people helped each other through team activities and encouraged each other to beat their goals in a variety of frightening activities. The days went quickly. One day we enjoyed swimming in a rock pool from natural springs and we slid down the water fall into the freezing cold water. Year 7 camp was a fun way to start the first year of Senior School.
Leo Razack
While you were at school last week when the Gold Coast was experiencing its biggest rain event in years, we were camping at the top of Mount Tamborine in our super waterproof tents! It was a blast. It may have been a little wet, but we had so much fun. We scored some sunshine to pitch our tents and they were waterproof for the first couple of nights. But as we woke up in puddles on Thursday, we decided to move into the massive shed with everyone!
After recovering from the hilarity of our camp concert, we had stern word from Mr Sayer to settle us down for sleep, and unexpectedly while people were about to close their eyes there was a massive scream coming from the girl’s side of the shed. We were all wondering what on earth could it be. A frog in someone’s bag!
I am not sure we will ever forget waking up on Friday morning disorientated and surrounded by 135 other kids in sleeping bags. Then we remembered the funny night of House Plays the night before with the Laver Bachelorette, Starkey News, Veivers Murder Mystery, Franklin Talent Show and the inaugural Class of 2025 House Performance Champions – Andrews Love Island, where we learned of some very unlikely marriages. All these shows had us in stitches!
For the old Year 7s, we thought that the Year 6 dance was over. But no, we had a good old bush dance on camp, where to our horror we were told to find a partner of the opposite gender and link arms! But we all had great fun especially getting to act like three-year-old’s again and do the Hokey Pokey and Chicken Dance. What a relief the boys didn’t kill each other or poor Liv on the camera in the process!
Finally, one of the highlights for many of us was making new friends and welcoming our new classmates to Somerset. Thank you all for a great camp. Special thanks must be given to the Year 12 leaders for coming up on the wettest day, but most of all to our teachers and staff who made this trip possible.
Daisy Webber
Well Daisy was right about the rain. It really was very, very wet, but we soon forgot about it as we were surrounded by our friends and got to do some amazing activities. The giant swing, leap of faith, tree climb and giant ladder were all fantastic. They pushed us outside of our comfort zones. Personally, the leap of faith scared the living daylights out of me. I was so frightened thinking something bad might happen but the encouragement of my peers made it so much easier. Many students will agree with me that they could not have jumped off the platform, climb up the ladder or let go and swing without the support of others.
Apart from the rain, the encouragement from friends is what I will remember most about the camp. The bonds that we made will help us through the year when we work together in the school environment. Bike riding and archery were also lots of fun. During bike riding we got to explore a jungle like track with lots of greenery. It was lots of fun apart from the pouring rain hammering down on us. Archery was also great! We learnt how to use a bow and arrow and got to know a little bit about the sport.
Of course the only other important thing to mention is the food which was incredible...I mean edible. Sadly there was no bacon on the first morning. However, pancakes sure cheered everyone up the next day. As we headed back home to the Coast, we had a pleasant bus ride home just as the sun started to come out for the first time in days! Everyone was exhausted from camp and excited to get home.
Thanks so much to all the teachers, gap students and staff who made our camp a really enjoyable trip in some of the hardest conditions possible. Thanks also to the parents who washed our dirty, smelly, wet clothes. We all had a great time but it is nice to be clean and dry again.
Benji Liu
We started off Year 7 Camp waving goodbye to our parents in their cars as we headed off on the bus. In this moment our whole adventure was just beginning. Little did we know what we were about to encounter. At Mount Tamborine we unloaded all our suitcases and backpacks, as well as the tents. As soon as we were finished everyone picked their spot for their home for the week.
After we set the tents up, we all went to our first activities. Over camp we experienced some great team building activities like bush cooking, a survivor challenge, giant ladder, mountain biking, tree climb, the Leap of Faith, archery, bush hike, rock pools and of course everyone's favourite the giant swing. My personal favourite was the rock pools as I got to slide down the waterfall into the freezing water. On the first two nights, we did a walk to the glow worms and some bush dancing. Everyone’s favourite was definitely Hokey Pokey.
On Thursday we had extreme rain and activities were cancelled in the afternoon. Instead, we watched the movie Tooth Fairy. When it was night time, every house performed a play. In the end Andrews won but the other houses performed well also. That night we slept in a huge shed that could hold everyone including the teachers. The next morning everyone woke up dry.
On Friday we packed up the tents and loaded all our belongings on to the buses. Then we went to go and have our last meal at camp, burgers. After lunch we boarded the buses and headed home. On the Veivers and Franklin bus we watched the funny but lovable Mr Bean. Unfortunately the DVD glitched and kept restarting from the start. We never saw the end. Eventually most people fell asleep from a busy week at camp. When we arrived everyone was happy to be home and see their parents again. We unloaded the buses. Then headed home from a rainy but fun week on camp. I am not sure about anyone else but I will definitely remember this camp.
Jamison Webber
The House Plays Festival runs over two evenings on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 of March at 6.00pm, with Friday being the adjudication evening.
Our adjudicator cannot wait to see what surprises our Houses have in store for their audience. The festival promises two evenings of laughter, acting prowess and the possibility of staff cameo appearances!
Tickets for the House Plays Festival are selling fast through the events page of the college website. Come along and support your House!
In 2002 Somerset College had outstanding success. Reaching the rank of Semi-finalist were last year’s Year 12 students Mackenzie Quiggin (Biology), Kevin Song (Chemistry and Physics), and Year 10 students Anna Hori and Nada Wilson (Biology). Congratulations to all of these budding Scientists!
A few words from Anna and Nada…
"Science has always been an integral part of our Somerset Journey. From the wonderful days of Year 7 Science with Mrs Walker to the thrills of being able to do all three sciences in one year, Somerset has always fostered a culture of scientific appreciation. As a result, being recognised for a scientific investigation at a National level through our achievement in the BHP Foundation Science and Engineering Competition truly solidifies the wonderful efforts that our teachers put into us, their encouragement and support is incredible. Whilst we are truly very happy with the effort and commitment, we put in to achieve our result, none of this would have been possible without the amazing mentorship and tireless effort of Mrs Wylie, Head of Science.
We are given so many opportunities to grow as young scientists and we are truly appreciative of all the time and energy all our teachers put into us to gain such experiences and achievements. It is undeniable that we were elated to see that the hard work had paid off, and that we had achieved so much as some of the youngest students in the Senior College to be awarded as semi-finalists in this prestigious national science competition. We look forward to extending our scientific knowledge and involvement in the future."
I have always been interested in Marvel and DC characters and am an avid fan of both franchises. I am particularly interested in art, and being able to draw many characters from the movies as well as replicating props seen on the silver screen. In previous years, I have created replicas such as the Infinity Gauntlet and Thor’s Stormbreaker. For my Personal Project, I was keen to learn a new skill in sculpture that would enhance my ability in replicating items from film.
I have chosen to sculpt the Joker as his character emulates my chosen Global Context of Identities and Relationships and the subset of mental health. It is quite compelling that both Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix have both won Academy Awards for portraying the troubled villain. I chose Heath Ledger’s portrayal for my sculpture as he began the trend of highlighting the extreme end of mental conditions that raises awareness in modern society.
I have spent many hours over the holidays getting the sculpture to the point where I am about to mould the piece over the next week. It has been a journey of learning so many new techniques. From working with clay when sculpting the eyes, the mouth and ears, to spending countless hours texturing the skin- adding in pores and folds, it has been a very rewarding experience.
I still have a number of processes to work through but I am extremely satisfied with the results so far.
When children read stories (or are read to), they begin to understand the story from the perspective of the characters involved. When they start seeing the world through someone else’s eyes this allows them to develop an understanding and respect for the experiences of others.
With this in mind, we have been carefully selecting new resources for our Junior library collection with stories that feature themes of kindness, compassion and empathy.
Encouraging an empathetic mindset when reading with your child is as simple as asking “What if”:
We also support our Junior School Wellbeing Programme by sourcing resources and stories about gratitude, resilience and forgiveness, and there will always be a place in our collection for the silly and funny books that make children laugh and make story times so much fun.
We are passionate about supporting the development of our student’s literacy through the power of reading and we will continue to carefully select a variety of books that nurture every area of their development.
In the Primary School Division, Declan Newman and Liam O’Nuallain competed. Having one of the toughest and biggest divisions with 88 players, it would prove to be a challenge. The boys had one of the hardest pools, with some high-quality players finishing fourth in their pool. Still, a great achievement to have competed against some of the best players on the Coast.
Luke Shirley and Jack Newman competed in this year’s Middle School division for years 7 to 9. Jack and Luke have competed in this event many times and for the third time, they came out on top. Finishing first in their pool, they made it all the way to the finals to beat Trinity Lutheran College in a tight match, winning 6 to 5. Trinity has an extremely strong team, which makes it an outstanding accomplishment for these boys. Well done Jack and Luke!
In the Secondary School’s division, Marcus Ibsen and Maito Yamaguchi competed for Somerset. Also finishing first in their pool, they made it to the Semi Finals to face The Southport School for a spot in the final. Maito and Marcus competed extremely well, but narrowly lost to TSS, ending their run at this year’s Inter School Challenge.
Well done to all of our players at this year’s event and also thank you to the parents for assisting in getting players to and from the venue!
Out of 28 entries, Somerset had 11 players enter, which was the highest out of any other club who participated in this event. Already that was an amazing achievement for Somerset.
Coach Lachie Yarwood and Luke Spanner with Paxton Stewart after winning the tournament.
In the Boys draw, we had four boys make the top 10. These players were Elijah Hadikusumo, Paxton Stewart, Zhander Griffiths and Kush Veeramachaneni. Paxton Stewart, being one of the youngest to compete in the event for the boy’s division, was able to win the tournament. This is Paxton’s third Red Ball tournament he has won. An amazing accomplishment for him to be proud of.
We also had some amazing results in the girl’s section with Matilda Thompson placing fourth. This is one of our best results so far in the Girls section of the draw. Once again, an amazing accomplishment.
We would like to thank all of the parents who were able to make this event possible, and also our student helpers in the Senior School who assisted in umpiring, and setting up the event in order to make it an amazing day for not only the players, but also the parents.
This is an impressive achievement for the Spartans, particularly as all of our boys are born one year below the other players in the league.
After finishing the Football Club grading games on Saturday morning, the boys made their way to Robina to play the Futsal Semi-Finals. Our opposition came with their strongest side. In their team they have Somerset Student Liam Seymour playing. Liam scored the first goals of the games against his classmates. In the first half we conceded 4 more goals.
In the second half we improved our game and our hard work was rewarded with a great goal by Alex Pourre. The Spartans didn’t reach the Grand Final but they can be proud by reached the semis in their first year of Futsal.
Congratulations to Harper Loon, Benedict Thompson, Alex Pourre, Paxton Stewart, Zhander Girffiths, Henry Pevy and Connor Miller-Martin.
If any questions, please contact the coordinator of Football and Futsal: mdekruijf@somerset.qld.edu.au
Somerset had five State Title winners being Ky Codd, Cameron Donovan, Sebastian Du Preez, Ava Usher and Maya Zunker. In addition, both James Roberts and Bessie Dear won silver medals in their events whilst Ky Codd, Hayley Bendl and Bessie Dear also won bronze medals.
Of the 26 swimmers who competed, 17 Somerset Swim Club swimmers placed in the top 10 going through to race in finals for their main events.
Congratulations to these swimmers and the coaches Ashely Callus and Chris Uquhart supporting our swimmers through the event.
The camp provides aspiring athletes with crucial knowledge, information and training they wouldn’t get otherwise. Embarking on a camp is always exciting, yet there was a lot of anticipation for what was to come. The athletes were met with a well-deserved dinner and an early bedtime for the 8-kilometre beach run that took place the following morning. After a steep and long journey to Lennox heads, the triathletes and Cross Country athletes went their separate ways. The triathletes hit the road and did some essential bike skills, learning vital techniques about hill climbing, gear changes and road safety.
While the XC team went through a stretching session with Coach Mark. Before lunch we all came together for a Heart Rate monitoring versus exercise intensity seminar where we learnt more about the training we do and capabilities of the body. A short bodyweight and strength and conditioning session were held allowing athletes to put their skills in action!
The athletes were in need of a nice cool break where we discovered staying on a paddleboard just wasn’t for us. After the break, the triathletes went over some videos watching elite athletes perform race strategies and manoeuvres, and practices executing those manoeuvres ourselves in the lake which marked the end of our first long and vigorous day.
Refreshed from a dip in the tea tree lakes, the XC athletes headed to the open grass fields to complete a never been done before technique session. We were lucky enough to have coach Mark Ladbrook take us through some tips and tricks on our running technique. With Mark’s expertise and the help of a buddy to critique our 60-metre run-throughs, we were able to focus on the little changes that make a big difference to the way we run. We then put these new skills to the test in a 3-kilometre run around Lake Ainsworth. Tired and sore from the early morning and long run, all athletes challenged themselves both mentally and physically to make it to the finish line. Exhausted from the hectic day, the triathletes and XC runners reunited for dinner and a full cinematic experience of Frozen. It was early to bed for everyone as we prepared our bodies for yet another early morning.
The following day the triathletes were up just as the sun rose, and hit the roads once again, this time with more speed. The bike riding, we did was faster and covered more distance with an aim to improve our power and stamina on the bike. While the triathletes were on the road, the XC athletes hit the sand. At the beach we went for a time based tempo run set our own pace. After a quick debrief and chat with the coaches, the bus arrived. It was a bitter-sweet departure from the Lake Ainsworth recreational camp site that morning. We were sad to be leaving but also ready to rest our legs and rejuvenate for school on Monday.
A special mention to all of the fabulous coaches that went of the camp with us. Glauber Correa, the head triathlon coach continues to push the athletes to their full potential, such a respected and knowledgeable coach. Mrs Smith who just came back from Year 7 camp was amazing with what she was able to do and help us with whilst looking awake and alive. Mr Thornton for being with us for every training session and helping us push ourselves. Coach Mark Ladbrook, Somerset’s new head of Athletics and Cross Country, who was able to provide us with great tips to improve our running and motivate us to always strive for success. And a huge thank you to Ms Opperman for working alongside all students through the whole weekend. This camp was a truly exceptional experience, which allowed all athletes to further develop their skills and improve the success of both the Somerset College Triathlon and Cross Country team.
It will be great to see all the athletes from the camp apply the skills and feedback they received from our amazing coaches to this year's Inter-House Cross Country Carnival. If you too have a passion for sport and running but weren’t able to make to this year’s camp, make sure you stay tuned at the start of next year to sign up for Cross Country and Triathlon Camp 2021!
“This is the best day of my life!”
While the presence of a professional Rugby League team coming at you in full pace may seem like a deterrent for some, it never phased our 1st XV Rugby Team who went about their training session on the field alongside them with little fanfare.
The Indigenous Team boasted a host of NRL Superstars with Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr (not Attoe-Carr) and Blake Ferguson among others. For our eight visiting students of the Clontarf Foundation and Murgon State School, seeing their heroes up close was a once in a lifetime experience for them. The players, recognising the opportunity to engage with the students literally gave their shirts off their backs as they provided a token of their own appreciation. After an action-packed morning of watching and training with the players, young Reuben from Murgon was heard saying on his departure, “this is the best day of my life.”
On Wednesday the team arrived and went through their training regime on the field and in the gym however it was an impromptu game of basketball with our students that provided a fitting end to their visit. While some of the players were finishing their weights, Latrell Mitchell, Nathan Peats, James Roberts and David Fifita were seen playing a game of “street ball” against our students. There were no cameras, no fans, no coaches or player agents telling them what to do, just a group of young men seeing an opportunity to play a game with our kids. All Stars in name, All Stars in nature!
We’re fortunate to have the calibre of sporting facilities to attract professional sporting teams, however these types of opportunities cannot take place without the leadership and support of our Headmaster, as well as the many staff who contribute. Special thanks to Mr. Brad Walker for organising the visiting students from the Clontarf Foundation whom we share a fantastic partnership with, Martin Furlong and his team for providing a wonderful breakfast for our guests, as well as the tremendous students and staff who support these types of initiatives.
For some, it may have been just another day at Somerset, but for others “it was the best day of their life.”
The exclusive Water exhibition explored the precious resource and aimed to spark conversations on the environmental and social changes faced by the world today, through major immersive experiences, to smaller-scale treasures by Australian and international artists.
The didactics for the artworks allowed us to understand the concepts behind the pieces and gave us inspiration on how to incorporate new ideas into our own work. It also helped us unpack the different elements in the art, a skill useful for the comparative studies and art exams that are coming up soon. This skill is also useful for the IB students who have been working hard on their Extended Essay on the subject.
This excursion would have not taken place if it were not for the efforts of Mr Keefer, Ms Scandrett and Mrs Coombes. Their optimism and enthusiasm made the whole experience possible.
Overall, the excursion was a success and gave insight into art in the real world and pieces that we might not have found by just browsing the internet.
We tend to define and understand our SELF on the basis of what we perceive our image to be. In this modern world, especially for teenagers, that image tends to be defined by the media to be what we look like. This often has a negative consequence as very, very few people can look as good as those who appear on our screens and glossy magazine pages – they’ve all been helped. If we define our SELF by that image it can be very destructive.
Fortunately, the message of being created in God’s Image has nothing to do with what we look like, but has everything to do with what (or Who) we are like. In this sense theologians for centuries have taught that being in God’s image has two parts.
Firstly, we are in His image, different to all living things, in the way we interact with each other. Being in God’s image means that we are moral, we are compassionate, we are just, we are forgiving, and we are loving.
Secondly, being in His image means that we are His representatives. In the middle ages, and certainly the Victorian era, statues were erected to remind people of who reigned or on whose territory people were. In the 1980s on the Gold Coast cardboard cutouts of police motorbikes and cars were placed on busy streets, and people slowed down as they passed them!
The implication for us, as being God’s image, is the question: what kind of God do we declare to the Somerset community, and our world, by the way we live our lives and the way we interact with others?
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