Held at the Convention Centre on Saturday night, the Year 12 Principal’s Ball was a night that will stay with the Class of 2024 forever. Beginning with a whole-room rendition of the Nutbush at the request of Mr Tom Hodkinson, the evening was filled with friendships, good food and fun times.

The 2024 Year 6 student leaders were announced at the Junior Years Assembly yesterday afternoon. Congratulations to the 11 students who were chosen to lead Rostrevor’s youngest learners this year: 

• Captain | Sebastian Conhye 
• Vice-Captain | Harry Isaac 
• Arts Captain | Anthony Cerracchio 
• Identity Captain | Jesse Chung 
• Sports Captain | Davis Slater 
• House Captain - Barron | Kai Langeluddecke 
• House Captain - Egan | Oscar Taddeo 
• House Captain - Gurr | Harrison Duke 
• House Captain - Murphy | Henry Crowe 
• House Captain - O'Brien | Charlie Pezzetta 
• House Captain - Webb | Riley Fadamullah 

It was a pleasure to meet some of our community’s newest students on Tuesday. Students new to the Middle and Senior Years in 2024 were invited to attend a pizza lunch on the Front Lawns, an event which both welcomed them to Rostrevor and served as a way for staff to check in and hear about their transition to their new learning environment. 

Disclaimer: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this story contains the image and name of an Indigenous person who has died. 

This year we welcomed Thanasi to Rostrevor’s Reception class. Thanasi is the great grandson of Old Collegian and Sydney Swans FC player, Elkin Reilly (’56). A prominent member of the Rostrevor community, Elkin’s name features on the change rooms under the Pavilion, and he also featured on the 2023 Reconciliation Round guernsey. Elkin’s son Lance Reilly (Thanasi’s grandfather) is also an Old Collegian from the Class of 1982.  

On Wednesday, Thanasi was involved in the launch of the Yunga Panyapi Program. The name comes from the local Kaurna language, with Yunga meaning ‘big brother’, and Panyapi meaning ‘little brother’. The new initiative will see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the Junior Years spend time with and receive mentorship from their Rostrevor ‘big brothers’ from the Senior Years. The Senior Years mentors also benefit from the program, strengthening their leadership skills as they take on a position of responsibility. 

Congratulations to Year 10 student Arjun Malhotra who was awarded a place on the Campbelltown City Council Youth Advisory Committee. Arjun progressed through two rounds of interviews, including one with the Mayor, and is now among a small number of volunteers who will assist Council to develop and run youth projects and to provide recommendations on matters relevant to local young people. 

Arjun was also recently accepted into the South Australian Student Representative Council (SA SRC), which is a body of 150 students from across the state. Through workshops, meetings and events, the SA SRC aims to provide students with the resources and skills needed to contribute to positive change making in their own communities.  

“At the SA SRC, I'll be collaborating with other like-minded individuals and representing the College community and the wider student community. There is a Summit on 22 March 2024 at the Adelaide Festival Center, where I'll get to meet other SA SRC members and the Commissioner for Children and Young People South Australia. There are six campaigns in the SA SRC, which each focus on their own areas of desired change. I am part of the Diversity Audit Tool campaign, which looks at diversity in schools. I am really passionate about multiculturalism, so this aligns well with me,” - Arjun. 

Well done to new Year 7 student Isaac Anderson who was recognised in the House of Assembly by John Gardner MP this week for receiving a Morialta Citizenship Award. Listed alongside Old Collegian Jack Haddad (’23), Isaac was acknowledged as one of only a few students in the electorate who received the award for his outstanding service to his community. During his first seven years at school, Isaac has acted as a student representative from Years 1 - 6, captained his SAPSASA Netball and Basketball teams in Year 5 and 6, been selected as a House Captain, volunteered at the canteen and as a ‘Learning Leader’ where he assisted in a Year 1 classroom among many other accomplishments.  

Rostrevor’s Agriculture Farm has been a hive of activity in Term 1, with Year 11 Stage 1 Agriculture students harvesting grapes from the on-site vineyard and beginning the winemaking process. The Year 7s have been charged with caring for the batch of 20 baby chicks in residence as they monitor their growth over the next few weeks, which will eventually be raised to point of lay hens. Reception and Year 1 students were lucky to have these chicks visit their classrooms this week at just three days old! The Year 10s have built and are maintaining hydroponic systems, growing a variety of herbs and vegetables to sell to staff and students when they mature.

On Tuesday, our Middle and Senior Years First Nations students headed off-campus to te University of Adelaide for Kaurna Day, an event to immerse in and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture. There was plenty to explore and discover, such as community stalls, performances by First Nations artists from the Centre of Aboriginal Studies in Music, student presentations and collaborative information sessions facilitated by Wirltu Yarlu. Highlights included musical performances by Shellie Morris, Tilly Tjala Thomas, and Corey Theatre as well as participating in a silk painting workshop with Temaana from Kumarninthi.  

The day concluded with a School Social at Loreto College. Students were welcomed with an amazing Welcome to Country, followed by a talk from guest speaker Marlon Motlop.

Held at Rostrevor College during the Term 1 Holidays, the clinics are designed to develop players’ skills in a fun, safe and exciting environment inclusive of all abilities. The clinics are open to boys and girls from the wider Rostrevor community in Years 1-10.  

Bookings are essential. BOOK HERE

The sun was shining for Rostrevor’s Junior Years students today at their annual Swimming Carnival! Swimming lessons in the first few weeks of Term 1 proved useful as students powered their way through the College pool. Congratulations to Barron House who finished champions, Sebastien Conhye, Liam Connolly, Xavier Conhye and Noah Ozga who all tied for the Brother James Meaney Memorial Cup for Most Outstanding JY Swimmer, as well as our Years 3-6 age champions: 

• Year 3 - Gold - Noah Ozga | Silver - Layke Williams | Bronze - Hugo Wilson 
• Year 4 - Gold - Xavier Conhye | Silver - Peter Pishas | Bronze - Angus Hehir 
• Year 5 - Gold - Liam Connolly | Silver - Tyler Kovesy  | Bronze - Will Saber  
• Year 6 - Gold - Sebastien Conhye | Silver - Cooper Shaw | Bronze - Fergus Pennington 

20 members of the Rostrevor Swim team made their way to the SA schools Years 7-12 Swimming Championships (B Grade) at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre on the Tuesday this week. All competitors did well in their races with a number of swimmers achieving personal bests. For Tom Braunack and Jack Fillmore, this is their last competition, and we thank them for their swimming years at the College.   

A number of our younger students had not competed at this level before and stepped up to meet the competition head on. The final results saw Rostrevor College coming third in the boys schools section. Coach Jack Meyers ('19) had this to say about the event: 'A great achievement boys, especially our Year 12s who have represented us very well over the years'. 

Congratulations to Year 10 boarder Jarrah Reidy, who was awarded the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools Blue Round medal for the First XI cricket match against Westminster on Saturday. The Blue Round aims to promote mental health awareness amongst school communities. The Blue Round medal is awarded not necessarily to the best player for the match, but the best teammate - the player who most demonstrates College spirit and mateship. Despite being bested by a strong Westminster side, the Rostrevor First XI finished the season minor premiers and will host the Semi-Finals this weekend.

Well done to both of Rostrevor’s Middle Years B Touch Football team who won their match against St John’s Grammar on Wednesday. Their best players were Luca Marinelli and Levi Jarman. The Middle Years A team were narrowly defeated by Marryatville High School, with their best players being Xavier Lehmann, Donnie Mittiga and Zane Kidd. 

Students in Years 7-12 are encouraged to come along to the free Squash Come and Try Day on Tuesday next week. Students hoping to be involved with Rostrevor’s Squash team or who would simply like to learn more about the sport are invited to attend. Thank you to Squash SA for running this event. No experience or equipment necessary. 

• When: Tuesday 5 March, 3:30pm 
• Where: Rostrevor College Handball Courts 

Who is ROCA?

The Rostrevor Old Collegians’ Association (ROCA) gives Old Collegians the opportunity to remain connected to the College and their Rostrevor brothers for life. Through the three pillars of business, sport and life, ROCA helps to support members’ personal growth and lifelong relationships.  

Ensure that your son is signed up as a ROCA Life Member in Year 12, and that he remains “Connected for Life”. To learn more about ROCA, view the flier HERE.  

- Angelo Piantadosi (’82)  
  ROCA President