For the students of Ross House, 2019 has been a very industrious and successful year. At the beginning of every school year, the Ross House Student Leaders challenge every student in the House to be the best they can be in all areas of College life. The students of Ross House continue to rise to the challenge and it is important that we acknowledge some of the impressive accomplishments of our young men:
Semester 2 Habits of Mind Awards:
Year 7: Dusty Piper - Ian Brusasco award
Year 8: William Duffield - Patrick Donovan award
Year 9: Hassan Raza - Steven Cook award
Year 10: Chad Oehlman - Stephen Daley award
Nudgee College Awards Night recipients:
Spencer Green, Seoirse Mitchell, Elfie Piper, Antoine Roberts, George Coorey, Dusty Piper, Jacob Johnson, Paddy Townsend, Joe Wilson, Ben Gunter, Leigh Chui-Clark, Cooper Corcoran, Zachary Manitta, Joseph Picone, Declan Townsend, Lastus Auakai, Mattias Dahlstedt, Owen Mitchell, William Svenson, Ben Weber, Harry Arnison, William Clarke, Ethan Irvine, Dean Kenny, Isaac Babao, Noah McFadyen, Hayden Bygott.
Championship Teams:
Track & Field: Jacob Johnson (U13 Champion), Nicholas Bembrick, Oliver Patterson, Elfie Piper, Dusty Piper, Sean Watkins, Jack Gunn, Luka Moore
Best Team Man Awards:
Basketball: Piers Parker 6A
Rugby: Isaac Babao 16E
I am always proud of the willingness of the Ross House Students to have a go at any challenge put before them. Regardless of the activity, we always turn-up in numbers and give it our best. Led by our Prefects and Seniors, the Ross House students put together a great performance and placed 1st in Showcase which was the final Inter-house event of the year.
Term 4 saw many Ross students continue to be involved in the College’s Social Justice program. It never ceases to amaze me how some young men rise to the challenge of standing in solidarity with those people in our community who are in need. Students ran a BBQ in the Junior and Senior School to raise money for our new House Charity which will support a community in Papua New Guinea that some of our Year 10s visit through the College’s Immersion Program.
Ross House is very proud of the calibre of its leaders and this year our House was led extremely well by our Prefects: William Clarke, Ethan Irvine, Dean Kenny and Campbell Lewis. Our Junior School Big Brothers: Dean Kenny, Luke Wright, Zane Kirk and Josh Tomlinson did a fantastic job in helping our new Year 5 students settle into life at Nudgee College and ensure our Year 6 students enjoyed their year. Hayden Bygott is to be congratulated for being such an excellent role-model and College Captain this year. This year’s Seniors will be remembered for their strong leadership of the House, unique personalities and the way they taught the younger students that being in Ross House means serving the House. We wish our Year 12 students all the best as they leave Nudgee College as a student for the last time. They will be missed. Next year will see the Nudgee College Student Leadership Team consist of another Ross House man in Lastus Auakai, who will be a 2020 College Vice Captain. This is a great acknowledgement of his service to the College and vote of confidence by his peers. The Prefects for Ross House next year form a strong team made up of Isaac Babao, Mattias Dahlstedt and Ben Weber. The Ross boys in the Junior School are in good hands with a fantastic group of Big Brothers to look after them in Ben Brandt, Lachlan Carmody, Owen Mitchell and Morgan O’Dwyer. I am confident in the future of Nudgee College and Ross House with these fine young men leading the way, supported by a great team of 2020 Seniors.
I would like to acknowledge the efforts of our PC Tutors who are terrific mentors and a day-to-day presence in the students’ journey through Nudgee College. A huge thank you to Mr Peter Kropp (Ross 1), Mr Brendan McGuinness (Ross 2), Mr Karim Sedour (Ross 3), Mr CJ Massingale (Ross 4), Mr Dave Fraser (Ross 5), Ms Sue Minor (Ross 6), Mr Dave Fletcher (Ross 7), Mrs Heather Hume (Ross 8) and Ms Sharon Williams (Ross 9).
It has been a privilege to be working with the young men of Ross House and their families again this year. I look forward to 2020 and the challenge of motivating and supporting our students to be the best they can be.
Mr Michael Byrne
Ross House Dean