Year 7

Week 8 – Athletics Carnival and the Race to Finish Term 2 – Ready, Set, Go!

‘The Love Song of Redlands and a Racetrack’*

Let us go then, you and I,
When Term 2 is spread out against the sky
Like a student energised on a racetrack;
Let us listen, to Redlands’ heartbeat,
From lessons in seats
To restless nights on home learning tasks
And assessment submission for feedback and marks:
Beats that build to joyous expression
Of unbridled enthusiasm
On track and field, always with a question …
Oh, do not ask, ‘What is it?’
Let us go and Athletics Carnival revisit.

*Adapted from T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’

Let us go back to the end of last week. To Thursday 8 June. The calendar event we had all been waiting for – the Athletics Carnival. Time to dust off our joggers, find a bright yellow, red, green or white shirt, and get ready to hit the track (or field) for the Athletics Carnival!

And what a joyous expression of unbridled enthusiasm it all was. This year, students were encouraged to move beyond wearing just their Redlands PE uniform and instead dress in their House colours. From the start, Yr 7 showed their joie de vivre, arriving at school covered in House colours and then using stick on jewels and making zinc patterns across their faces to ensure there was no doubt which House they were proud to be part of! Needlessly to say, there was a lot of important posing across the day!

And then came the races! The forecast had called for rain, but it was all sunshine and smiles (until about 2:30pm…), and this led to some excellent competition. Yr 7 involvement was high with a huge number of students competing in not only the 100m and 200m races, but also the 400m and 800m. The queue for Long Jump was so long, it had to be seen to be believed! Even this Year Advisor got involved and gave the Long Jump a go, before later racing in the Staff versus Student race (unfortunately or perhaps fortunately depending on where you were sitting, the students were the victors).

It was wonderful to see students engaging in events competitively and others getting involved simply for the fun of being part of it all, across the day.

In addition to the wonderful participation, there were some exceptional results. A HUGE congratulations goes to our Yr 7 Age Champions.

And, a special congratulations must be extended to Liv Law who not only became the Junior Girls Division Champion but also broke a collection of records on the day.

• 1500m in 4:56.47 (the previous record was 5:22.24!)
• 800m in 2:26.04 (the previous record was 2:36.91)
• 400m in 1:03.25 (the previous record was 1:05.14)

I wonder what records the cohort might break next year?

FUSE Cup

As many know, the school has offered eSports as a cocurricular club this year. As part of the Thursday lunch club, eSports ran the Redlands Cup, a Mario Kart tournament with each of the 25 student members competing. This was used as a practice for the FUSE Cup – a Sydney Region tournament.

The FUSE Cup tournament was held last Thursday at St Luke’s Grammar School with 60 students from local region competing. Redlands took 14 students to form 3 teams of 4 with 2 reserves. The students competed in races and time trials to determine who progressed to the next round. In between races, students were involved in a series of lessons and practical activities including positive gaming culture, physical exercise and digital wellbeing, with the underlying values being integrity, strength, inclusion and teamwork.

Of the 12 students competing, Connor Price finished in 2nd Place – losing the final by a mere single point! The winner, a student from St Luke’s, will now get to compete in the National Final on the Gold Coast in October. Overall, Redlands dominated the tournament with 3 semi-finalists, 2 finalists and 1 second place overall. Congratulations to all the Yr 7 boys who were selected on the team: Henry Richardson, Andrew Budden, Connor Price, William Auty, Henry Campbell, Ari Abe-Apostolou (sick on the day), Lucas Keall, Joshua Freer, Jason Gong, Morgan Besley and Zach McHattan.

Foundation Day Assembly

Following the excitement of the Athletics Carnival and the FUSE Cup, Yr 7 and Yr 11 were invited to attend the School’s Foundation Day assembly, where Redlands celebrated 139 years as a school. Former Redlands student Emeritus Professor Merilyn Sleigh (graduate of 1964) shared with students stories of her time at Redlands and how her education here offered her a pathway to great personal career success.

Thank you to Ina Guan and Grace Walker-Barker who both led the assembly in singing, and Aaron Oh and Liv Law who read out student reflections from past Redlands alumni.

Push for Better Mental Health Challenge comes to Redlands

On Wednesday, the founder of the ‘Push for Better’ Push-Up Challenge, Nick Hudson, visited Redlands to speak in the Years 7-9 Assembly. He explained the history of this charity initiative and praised the School’s positive response and involvement. Redlands are working hard through their push-up targets and appreciative of any support.

Join or Donate Here

A Fun and Relaxing End to the Week

After a busy week and with a bit of lovely sunshine, students Olive Ross-Sampson and Matilda Hugman, and also Nico Thompson, Ben Farrant, Erol Jackson, Zac Purdy and Nic Gorman were showing us all how to make the most of the wonderful surrounds of Redlands, using the time at lunch to relax, recharge and get ready for the last periods of the day. 

I also want to applaud Alba Martin-Gomez whose creation of a wonderful, cheery Mushroom fun guy (fungi) has given a lot of smiles to everyone who has seen it. Well done!

Key Dates and Upcoming Events

• Week 8: Senior Music Festival (Friday 16/6)

A wonderful night of music performance; this year, under the theme Like a Variation.

• Week 9: Police Liaison Officer Workshop for Yr 7 (Tuesday 20/6)

External presenters will discuss with students their rights and responsibilities under the law.

• Week 9: End of Term (Friday 23/6)

Other Notices

Irregular Writing Competition

The Redlands Newspaper club, including Yr 7 members Lachlan Carter, Buddy Miller, Angus Goodall, Olivia Law and Aimee Kang, are holding an exciting competition – ‘worldviews, interviews and reviews.’ Students are encouraged to submit article of 200-300 words on one of the three topics for the chance to win a $20 voucher from Chargrill Charlies. The competition ends this week!

More information can be found on the Irregular Website on Pulse.

Winter Woollies Appeal – A Message from our Yr 12 Leaders

This a friendly reminder to please raid your closets and share the warmth as part of the Yr 12 Winter Woolies Appeal. Gather gently used or new coats, sweaters, scarves, gloves, and hats that you no longer need. Every piece of Winter Clothing donated will help someone stay snug during the cold months ahead. Yr 7 are asked to bring all Winter items down to the Student Services Centre foyer and place in the yellow bin, before the end of Week 9.

As part of the Winter Woolies Appeal, next Thursday morning, before school, there will also be a delightful Hot Chocolate stand right outside the front gate run by our Yr 12 Winter Woolies Group Leaders. This heart-warming initiative aims to support the organisation, Rough Edges. Rough Edges is a dedicated Australian-based charity that extends a helping hand to vulnerable and marginalised individuals, particularly those grappling with homelessness, addiction, or mental health challenges. Their unwavering commitment revolves around assisting those living on the streets in the Kings Cross area of Sydney. Indulge in the comforting embrace of our delectable Hot Chocolates. For just $4.00, savour the velvety richness complemented by a heavenly swirl of cream and a delightful marshmallow. Alternatively, you can enjoy this delightful treat for $3.50 without cream, ensuring there’s an option for everyone’s taste.

Don’t miss this opportunity to join the Winter Woolies Appeal, where a simple cup of Hot Chocolate, or the donation of a blanket can become a catalyst for positive change and support for the homeless community. Let’s come together, share warmth, and make a difference in the lives of individuals facing tremendous challenges.

Mr Jimmy Tod-Hill
Year 7 Advisor
jtodhill@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9908 6462