Lilo and Stitch: are Disney live-actions worth watching?

With the live-action Lilo and Stitch coming to theatres on the 22nd of this month, we have all been anticipating, will the live action compete with the original? Usually, the answer to this is no, yet the climax of the live actions always has us hoping it might meet our standards, but no matter how close it comes to perfection, us viewers find something to critique. Are we too harsh on these live actions, having to hold up in comparison to the original nostalgic Disney movies, or should Disney accept that they should stop making live actions?

The Snow White movie from two months ago is the catastrophe that spread the worldwide hatred for live actions – the problem of these movies usually being the fashion, styling, actors, and a change in the storyline, destroying the timeless impact of the original movies. We all tend to romanticise these ‘vintage’ movies, gushing over the aestheticism of Aurora’s trip to the forest, Prince Charming’s dedication to finding his mystery girl, and Belle’s sunshine gold dress. Although, as our society is developing, shouldn’t we encourage the modernisation of these classics that are so outdated? I remember when the 2015 Cinderella made its entrance into the cinema, I was 10 years younger, yet I still remember when I watched it, not just because I spilled pink Fanta over my mum, but because I resonated with Cinderella and felt the story to be more realistic because the princess had come to life. I will admit, Lily James’s dress still makes me envious, along with her voice, yet I loved to see the adaptation of a movie I used to yawn to in my younger years.

These adaptations also allow a more diverse and inclusive environment, setting aside the discrimination set in the original movies, which are clearly stuck in their time considering the customs and traditions generalized in the 1900s. These Disney expectations were challenged when Halle Bailey took the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid around two years ago. Yes, she and the producers received extensive criticism for altering Ariel’s original appearance, but the anger of these people wasn’t justified considering this movie was produced for children, not grown adults sitting behind a computer insulting the adaptation of a movie they watched 30 years ago. Despite the backlash, I adored the film. Halle captured Ariel’s vulnerability and youth perfectly, supporting the role with her outstanding voice, and don’t get me started on Eric’s song, which melted my heart due to its additional depth to the pair’s relationship. Did I like it better than the original? I still can’t decide, yet for Cinderella I can definitely say they transformed boredom into magic.

However, the criticism didn’t shape Disney’s intention to continue their adaptations, as Lilo and Stitch isn’t the only film to be released, as How to Train Your Dragon also plans to make its debut on the 13th of June. I’ve never been too keen on either movie, yet you will find me with front row seats to both, expected a wave of nostalgia and maybe a few tears. How to Train Your Dragon is expecting similar opinions to the criticism of The Little Mermaid due to the difference of the appearance of Astrid, but I believe if you don’t want the movie to ‘ruin your childhood’ don’t watch it, the same thing I did with Snow White.

So, should you risk watching Lilo and Stitch with the constant comparison of the original and potentially shattered hopes of what the movie could have been? Definitely. We all watch bad movies and good movies, if it doesn’t meet your standards be proud you gave the movie a chance. Disney movies are meant for fun rather than provide aestheticism and originality, so don’t take it too seriously. Whether the movie doesn’t replicate the beauty of Lily James’s dress and vocals of Halle Bailey, it doesn’t need to win a battle against the original to prove itself a decent adaptation.

Lulu E, Year 10

‘De-extinction’: how we’re bringing animals back to life

Extinction is a topic no one wants to acknowledge, but it’s something that keeps happening year after year. Sadly, humans are the main cause of it: hunting and bringing new animals to the places they discovered.

Take the dodo for example, a small turkey-sized omnivore bird that lived on the island of Mauritius. It had no natural predators on the island, then humans came to the island, and they hunted the birds. The animals they brought killed the dodo birds one by one until there were none left. By 1662 the last bird was seen, and they were declared extinct.

Humans have carved their path through the environment, letting thousands of species go extinct. Although there was some hope as some species have been saved from extinction and are being found again, that won’t make up for the damage caused.

But this article wasn’t written to guilt trip people. De-extinction sounds like something straight out of Jurassic Park, right? Well, it’s been made possible by an American company called Colossal Biosciences. They have proved their abilities by creating the woolly mouse, a small species of mice with woolly mammoth genes.

This was made possible by something called gene editing, where they extract the DNA from the extinct animals’ remains and use the genetic structure as a base from the closest living relative of the animal. Using the base, they edit the genes to be as similar as possible.

Colossal’s most recent work and most impressive is the de-extincted dire wolf. This was made possible by pulling together most of the dire wolves’ genomes, the complete set of genes that make up an organism from ancient DNA, but you can’t clone an animal without living tissue.

So Colossal found the closest living relative in the gray wolf. The gray wolf shares 99.5 percent of its DNA with the dire wolf. They made 20 targeted changes to 15 different wolf genes, based on analysis of DNA extracted from dire wolf bones. Thanks to a surrogate dog mother Colossal says they have successfully de-extincted the dire wolf.

In the past 6 months, 3 pups have been born. As of April 2025, Colossal have announced the pups Remus, Romulus and Khaleesi to the public. They now live in a special sanctuary with 24/7 top veterinary care. Due to the base genes of the gray wolf and the original size of the dire wolf, the pups will grow to be 25 percent larger and have the biggest bite force of any canine. Releasing dire wolves back into the wild can help the environment by keeping prey populations under control.

But not everyone agrees with the pups. Geneticists are saying that they are not a true dire wolf but simply just an edited gray wolf with dire wolf DNA. Despite the debate it was an amazing achievement for the company and while they won’t be trying dinosaurs any time soon, they will be trying to bring back more creatures. What could this mean for the Tassie tiger, the dodo bird, and other possibilities waiting to happen?

Sophie H, Year 8

Staff Spotlight: Miss Sara Aitken, Head of Visual Art

This month, Ruby C (Year 9) shone the spotlight on Miss Aitken, Head of Visual Art

How long have you been teaching at Oxley?

 I have been teaching at Oxley for about 4 years and absolutely loving it here.

What inspired you to become an Art teacher?

I was inspired by my own art teachers and I still have many friendships with some of my teachers.

What do you believe fosters creativity?

Stepping outside your comfort zone and taking risks when learning. I believe that failure fosters creativity because as artists we need to strive to be different and to strive to push beyond.

Who are your favourite artists?

My most loved artists are Yayoi Kusama, Frida Kahlo, Kathryn Del Barton, Mylyn Nguyen and the classic artists such as Picasso, Monet and Da Vinci.

What is your favourite exhibition that you have attended?

My favourite exhibition that I attend yearly is Sculptures by the Sea and Vivid. These exhibitions are visited by thousands of people every year and always push the boundaries of art in new forms. I love the support from the community and having an understanding about working on different surface areas.

In the area of Visual Arts what do you specialise in?

I have dabbled in a lot of areas my favourite area is drawing but I have specialised in Photography. I hope to bring a little more knowledge and learning about Photomedia to the Oxley Community as it is an ever changing medium and constantly pushes boundaries.

Have to ever exhibited your own art works?

I have exhibited my own works at gallery spaces but have not exhibited in a while. I use social media now to advertise and show my works.

Why is Visual Arts such an important subject and especially-an important subject for students at Oxley?

We are lucky here at Oxley as we have inspiration all around us. There are so many community members who are artists and are happy to help the younger generation appreciate and learn from the arts. It is an important subject to learn and foster creativity and to create learners who think beyond the norm. It is especially important for various reasons including mental health reasons and this ensures that students will learn these skills that they have for life to ensure when they are faced with challenges that they can easily be overcome. It instils the value of courage in our students to try new and exciting ways to create art.

What opportunities does Visual Arts subject offer Oxley students?

Students are given the opportunity to be involved in a range of exhibitions and competitions here at Oxley. We run Visual Arts Club and Content Creating Club which is all part of the Visual Arts connection here at Oxley. We also offer lunchtime sessions with students with some 1 on 1 help to guide them into a new way of thinking. We also offer the opportunity to work with artists to develop skills and visit practical exhibitions where students are able to learn new skills.

Since Oxley is now a Round Square school, will there be any overseas trips to look at art around the world?

Europe! This is an obvious consideration to be part of the Europe trip where students will visit galleries including the Louvre where the Mona Lisa is kept. This is where many scholarships take place where students have the option to be part of beyond their schooling. Japan is another choice where students can value from looking and connecting to schools and be part of the Visual Arts from a different perspective.

What are your plans and direction for future art making at Oxley?

Photography is my passion, and I want to build the elective choices here at Oxley College for the benefit of our students. I want to include Traditional Photography with the potential to run a dark room space. My dream is to keep pushing the creativity into community and connecting with artists locally. Building the recognition of Visual Arts is so important for creating innovative and creative thinkers which prepare students for the developing world.

The Oxley Artery

Welcome back to the Oxley Artery! 

Creativity continues to take place in the Visual Arts classrooms at the College! This term, as a part of their assessment task, Year 10 Visual Arts students have been doing a ceramics unit, in which they have produced a “Meal for an Artist”. They have chosen a particular artist – such as Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo, and Georgia O’Keefe – and have designed and constructed a two or three course menu based on their artists style, intentions, and techniques! Here is an insight into some of the amazing and outstanding ceramic pieces that these students have created!

By Ruby C (Year 9)

Sustainable designs

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to people, and it is shaping the future of design. Designers are coming up with more innovative creations to repurpose materials, transforming waste into stylish, functional, and eco-friendly products. Here are 5 unique designs.

Soy Sauce Lamp – Designed by Heliograph, founded by Angus Ware and Jeffrey Simpson. The lamp was created to raise awareness about single use plastics in this case the individual soy sauce packaging. The lamp itself is made form 75% recycled ocean bound plastics, helping to repurpose waste that would otherwise pollute marine ecosystems.

Each purchase of this lamp contributes to 2kg removal of plastic from the ocean.

Banish Pens – Developed by Banish, founded by Lottie Dalziel in Australia. These are refillable pens giving discarded bottle cap lids a new purpose.  Made through the Banish Recycling and Diversion (BRAD) program their mission is to educate, empower and inspire sustainable change, by making everyday items more ecofriendly.

Nike Shoes – Made from 90% recycled plastic. This is part of Nike’s Move to Zero campaign with a goal of reducing their carbon footprint. The shoe incorporates recycled polyester from plastic bottles, repurposed rubber, flyknit fabric and leftover manufacturing materials to make sustainable footwear.

Espresso Cup – Invented by Julian Lechner. Made from discarded coffee grounds with biopolymers, natural resin, waxes, oils and wood fibres, resulting in durable and biodegradable cups. invented by Julian Lechner.

Denim Bomber Jacket – Designed by Daniel Silverstein. His company name is Zero Waste. Daniel aims to promote zero-waste fashion. The jacket is made from 100% pre-consumer textile scraps including leftover denim fabric from cutting rooms that otherwise would have been thrown out into landfill. His goal is to create sustainable clothing while reducing fashion waste.

Supporting these brands or making similar eco-friendly choices, will create a positive impact on the environment.

Chloe S, Year 11

The Pin Oak Crossword

This month’s crossword has been compiled by Emelia S (Year 8)

Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to Charlie K (Year 10) who was part of the Illawarra U16 Rep Team who recently played at the NSW State Championships, and were crowned NSW Country Champions! This is a huge achievement and we congratulate Charlie on the hard work and dedication it has taken to get to this level.

Congratulations to all the students who represented Oxley as part of the IPSHA team at NSW CIS Cross Country this week, including Ruby R, Charlotte K, Hugo F, Harry K, Harry G and Patrick B-L.

Year 8 Visual Arts Excursion – Ngununggula Regional Gallery

We are thrilled to share the highlights from the recent Year 8 Visual Arts Excursion/Incursion to the Ngununggula Regional Gallery in the Southern Highlands. The day was filled with creativity, learning, and inspiration, making it a memorable experience for all involved.

On Tuesday, 13th of May, our Year 8 students embarked on a journey to explore the world of visual arts. The day began with a visit to the Ngununggula Regional Gallery, where students participated in engaging workshops that aligned with our school curriculum outcomes. These workshops provided students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in artmaking, using diverse and relevant sources of ideas, concepts, and subject matter.

After the gallery visit, students returned to Oxley College for a 2-hour artist workshop with Caroline Zilinsky. Caroline’s expertise and passion for art inspired our students to push their creative boundaries and explore new techniques. The workshop was a fantastic opportunity for students to interact with a professional artist and gain valuable insights into the world of visual arts. The students thoroughly enjoyed the day, expressing their excitement and appreciation for the hands-on learning experiences.

Many students highlighted the workshops at Ngununggula and the artist session with Caroline Zilinsky as the most inspiring parts of the day. The excursion not only enhanced their understanding of visual arts but also fostered a deeper connection to the world around them.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the staff and parents for their support in making this day possible. Your involvement and encouragement are invaluable to our students’ educational journey.

The Visual Arts Team

Oxley Equestrian Update

The Oxley Equestrian Program has enjoyed a busy and rewarding Term 2, with students participating in a range of events that highlight their dedication, growing skills, and the strength of our equestrian community.

On Sunday 18 May, a group of Oxley riders ventured out on their own horses for a trail adventure through Penrose State Forest, led by Charlotte Berry, Oxley parent and owner of Highlands Equine Trail Adventures. The trail offered a relaxed and scenic environment that encouraged team bonding among students and a deeper connection between horse and rider, all while taking in the natural beauty of the Highlands. Ella Fin, our Year 12 Equestrian Captain, played a key role on the day, offering guidance and encouragement to younger riders and helping to foster a strong sense of camaraderie. We thank Charlotte and her team at Highlands Equine Trail Adventures for this opportunity.

A week later, on Sunday 25 May, students took part in a Jumping and Dressage Training Day at Sutton Farm, with expert coaching in dressage from Sophie Artup (an Oxley alumna) and in jumping from Dee Bennett. Once again, Ella Fin supported and mentored younger team members, helping to make the day both productive and inclusive. A huge thank you also goes to Kathryn Blissett, owner of Sutton Farm and former Oxley parent, for generously hosting and supporting the event.

We are also thrilled to celebrate Jake Parbery, an Oxley student, who delivered outstanding performances at the 2025 Sydney CDI held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. His impressive results highlight Jake’s dedication and skill in dressage, and we congratulate him on his success at this prestigious event.

Looking ahead, we are thrilled to see many of our equestrian students preparing to compete at the NSW State Interschools Championships, taking place from Monday 14 July to Friday 18 July 2025 at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Oxley riders will be competing across a variety of disciplines, including show jumping, dressage, combined training, and more. Families and friends are warmly encouraged to come along and support our students as they represent the College on this prestigious state stage.

Upcoming events include a Dressage Training Day with Mel Parbery on Sunday 10 August, and a return to Sutton Farm for another Jumping and Dressage Training Day on Sunday 9 November so don’t forget to save these dates in your calendars and keep an eye out for further information and registration.

Equestrian at Oxley continues to thrive, thanks to the passion of our students, the support of families and professionals, and a deep love for the sport and the horses at its centre.

If you would like further information about Equestrian at Oxley please contact Equestrian Coordinator Georgie Ridehalgh.

Sport for Jove

On Friday 16 May, a passionate group of drama students travelled to Wollongong to compete in the Sport for Jove Shakespeare Competition.

Sport for Jove is an award-winning theatre company based in NSW, dedicated to celebrating the works of William Shakespeare. Their annual Shakespeare competition invites students to be active and encourages creativity through drama, dance, music composition, and performance.

Since February, the groups have worked hard, selecting, refining and crafting their pieces, creating performances that reflect months of hard work, dedication, creativity and passion. These students competed across four categories: dance, music composition, duologue, and ensemble scene. We are thrilled to announce that all four entries were awarded first place on the day, an amazing achievement against the tough competition, securing all our performances a place in the state finals on June 1 at the Seymour Centre.

As Drama Captain, I worked with the groups alongside Ms Hitchcock and Ms Pascoe to help refine, block and elevate their performances in preparation for their competition. This experience of supporting a talented group of students was so rewarding. I was lucky enough to travel down to Wollongong with them on the day of the event and watching the groups bring their pieces to life on the stage after months of hard work was truly amazing.

Our talented performances were:

Ava R and Banjo C (Year 12), who delivered a powerful duologue from Othello.

Ava S, Ollie R, and Liam H (Year 11), who brought energy and wit to their ensemble performance from The Taming of the Shrew.

Chiara S and Eliza-Grace B (Year 12), whose heartfelt dance was inspired by King Lear.

Josselin W and Allegra M (Year 11), who impressed the judges with an original music composition inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The groups were beyond excited to be selected for the State Finals, with a strong sense of pride and accomplishment. It was so encouraging to see how well the judges reacted to all the groups dramatic choices.

We are so proud of our students’ creativity, dedication, and artistry. We wish them all the best of luck this weekend at State Competition!

A special thank you to Ms Hitchcock and Ms Pascoe for all the work they put into helping the students with the competition!

Arkie F, Year 12

Professor Peter Greste Speaks to Oxley Students

Foundation Night Gallery

Junior School Assembly Awards

Term 2, Week 5

Term 2, Week 7