“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24-25
Dear families and friends of St Edmund’s College,
Whilst the core purpose of a school is its teaching and learning program, I am sure we all agree that a strong activities program outside of the classroom is of enormous benefit to students. An activities program helps students build social, emotional and physical skills and allows for the development of personal and interpersonal qualities.
Last week a number of our students participated in a Duke of Edinburgh Program event near Wee Jasper. Students and staff braved the very wet conditions to participate in a four-day hike. My thanks to Ms Tanisha Elliott, Mrs Marinda Venter and Mr Nathan Metcalfe for leading our students on the expedition and my thanks to the students involved for immersing themselves in the program with vigour and spirit. Joining the hike was Nick Odgers (Class of 2021). I must also congratulate Nick for winning the 16-19 years category in the 2022 Australian Aquathon Championship in Townsville (consisting of a 1km ocean swim and a 5km run).
This week we have Year 10 students attending their Urban Challenge Camp in Sydney for three days, Year 5 students attending their annual camp at Tuross at the beginning of the week and Year 4 students at Tuross at the end of the week. We also have the popular Father-Son Camp at Tuross on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is the first year in which we have run the Urban Challenge Camp for Year 10. The Urban Challenge provides the ultimate real-world experience where small teams, each with a teacher and Urban Challenge guide, embark on an unfolding adventure through Sydney and surrounds to complete urban-flavoured activities, clue chases, meal preparation and much more along the way. Each team member has a functional role that contributes to the running of the team and everyone must work together to take responsibility for the team’s money, transport, timings and meals. This sounds like a great opportunity and experience for our Year 10 students. I hope all of our students attending camps this week not only enjoy the camps but come back having learnt something about themselves and having grown in some way. (Year 7 students will attend their camp next week, held over from Term 1 due to Covid restrictions at the time).
Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 will join a large number of male staff in endeavouring to grow moustaches for the Movember fundraising event this term. Movember is an event which raises awareness and raises funds for mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Prostate cancer is a situation very close to me as my grandfather died from it many years ago, and it has been a part of my life for about the last ten years. I have been successful in controlling it for the last few years through medication and surgical procedures, but I know this is certainly not the case for a large number of men. Movember is a fun event for a very important cause. Here at St Edmund’s, we start the Movember event early so we can finish it early (in time for the Year 12 graduation events, where our participants can be back to normal for those very important graduation photos!). I would encourage you to please support our participating students and staff in their Movember activities.
I received an update last week on the issue of the school traffic zone for Canberra Avenue. Currently the matter is still with the Standing Committee on Planning, Transport and City Services. We will update you on the result once we receive a response.
Prayer for World Day of Food
October 16th is World Food Day proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (F.A.O.) of the United Nations, to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us remember those who do not have bread for today.
May we willingly share your generous provision,
with all who hunger and lack adequate nutrition
in our own communities and across the globe.
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us stand in solidarity with those who risk their health to provide our food.
May we cry out for justice in the food industry,
for all workers exposed to toxic chemicals and pesticides.
For farmworkers not paid a living wage.
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us remember our bodies are God’s holy temple.
May we not eat too much or eat unwisely,
and destroy our health,
or deplete our planet’s resources.
Lord give us today our daily bread.
Let us remember we are all part of God’s worldwide community.
May we work together to steward the world God has created,
recognising our responsibility as caretakers and neighbours,
and joining in the celebration of God’s good creation.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea