Country To Coast Sapphire Coast Anglican College Newsletter

College Principal's Address

Finishing Strong!

One of my all-time favourite pop songs is the 1992 Grammy Award-winning ‘Losing My Religion’, by American ‘alternative rock’ band, REM. How ironic then, at 11:15 am, on Friday, 11th April, as I jumped into my car (parked right outside St John’s Anglican Church) at the conclusion of the Primary School Easter Service and Hat Parade, to hear those beautiful opening bars of mandolin from their biggest, worldwide hit.

The preceding two hours had been an absolute joy to behold, with every picture here worth a thousand words, and so many positive impacts; expected and otherwise.

Far from losing our religion, the warmth of the welcome from the Anglican Parish Council, with Ross Williams and Rev, Mandy Wheatley in the vanguard, and the beauty and serenity (at least until 400+ very excitable students, their family, staff, plus all manner of others arrived, and the church bell began to toll) of St John’s could hardly have failed to deepen the Christian faith of believers, or make those without wonder a little about exploring the concept more closely. As always, our Primary Christian Studies teacher, Kirsty Kurilowicz, had the congregation in the palm of her hand (with a paint brush in the other!).

To quote a very kind message from a parent of three SCAC students,

‘Having faith and a moral compass is more challenging than ever; this event gave children and adults alike an insight into what Good Friday and Easter is all about; not just a holiday, chocolate and rabbits!’.

To have as our VIP guests a group of senior citizens who had visited the College earlier in the term was a particular treat, and once again, lovely feedback followed:

‘This morning, I was visiting Hugh Cunningham RSL LifeCare, as a Pastoral Carer, and was told many stories of joy regarding their visit to St John’s, Bega for the SCAC Easter Hat Parade and Service.

One lady talked for nearly half an hour about her experience. She said she was crying tears of delight and happiness! To listen as they regaled me with treasured memories of their experience was a treat’.

If all this wasn’t proof enough that SCAC maintains its momentum all the way to the final siren, those very same students, plus their Secondary counterparts, then made the most of the glorious autumnal weather to participate in the inaugural P and F Colour Run fundraising extravaganza (you may have noticed if you are the person in charge of laundry at your home!).

And for the final time, parent feedback says it almost as well as the pictures:

‘Big thanks to P&F for Colour Run! What a lovely thing to do on the last day of term. I was on the far side of the oval with a water pistol for the Primary session, and every kid who ran past had the biggest grin!

Yes, it was a BIG day to conclude Term 1. Thank you to all those who made these really extra special moments possible; a cast of dozens who are such a blessing on our community.

‘Losing my religion’, is actually an expression from the Deep South of the United States that means, broadly speaking, to lose one’s temper, or to feel frustrated and desperate – a story told in song by REM. How much further could these SCAC school days experiences be from that?

I cranked up the radio and sang, at the top of my voice, and no doubt entirely off-key, all the way back up the Princes Highway! The very first line might have been written just for us:

‘Oh life, is bigger; it’s bigger than you’.

David Proudlove | College Principal

Year 10 Camp

At the end of Term 1, Year 10 students from Sapphire Coast Anglican College headed to Sydney for a five-day cultural excursion that blended learning, laughter, and plenty of walking!

Monday, 31st March

Excitement was high as students boarded the coach and travelled north to Golden Grove in Newtown, which served as the home base for the week. The evening wrapped up with pizza and a celebration of Sarah’s birthday.

Tuesday, 1st April

The group began the day at the Central Synagogue in Bondi Junction for a Holocaust education session. Students listened to Lucy Chladek, a Holocaust survivor born in Budapest, Hungary, who shared her story with grace and honesty. She concluded the session with advice about mental health and having the courage and strength to ask for help.

In the afternoon, students explored the Australian Museum, diving into exhibitions on natural history and different cultures. Later that evening, an impromptu train trip and nighttime walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge with Mr Trevaskis offered a magical view of the city, arriving just in time for some fireworks!

Wednesday, 2nd April

Students hit the ice at Ice Zoo in Mascot, where they skated alongside professional figure skaters mid-practice. Afterwards, the group headed to the Art Gallery of NSW to take in both the regular collection and ARTEXPRESS, an inspiring showcase of selected HSC Visual Arts bodies of work featuring a sibling of Year 10’s Emily Iodice.

Dinner in Chinatown brought a new flavour to the day before students capped off the evening with a performance of Annie at the Capitol Theatre, complete with stunning sets, toe-tapping tunes, and a very enthusiastic Year 10 with an unnamed student saying “I didn’t hate that as much as I thought I would.”

Thursday, 3rd April

The group embraced the harbour once again, taking the ferry across to Taronga Zoo for a morning spent meeting wildlife from across the globe. From there, they dived into the underwater world at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium and then soared above the city at the Sydney Tower Eye observation deck. Concluding the Sydney experience was dinner and shopping in Pitt St Mall with some entertainment from the locals!

Friday, 4th April

Tired but full of memories, Year 10 made the journey back home ready for some rest and grateful for a week of unforgettable experiences. Thank you to the staff who attended, the students for an enjoyable week, and parents and colleagues back in Bega for the support!