Game changers

Australia is currently alive with football fever, thanks in large part to Sam Kerr and the mighty Matildas. Australia’s round of 16 match against Denmark saw an audience of 2.29 million people across Australia’s capital cities, with a total estimated audience across all streaming platforms of approximately 6.54 million people – an incredible figure that surpasses the State of Origin and even last year’s AFL grand final. With such a huge number of people tuning in, it is astonishing to learn that the winners of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will only receive roughly 10% of the winnings earned by their male counterparts in Qatar in 2022. The argument from organisers and sponsors: that the women do not receive the same amount of attention.

If that isn’t enough to make you take pause, then consider this fact: the winner of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup – we are talking about the best team in the world – will earn $4.3 million USD for their efforts. Comparatively, teams who were eliminated in the round of 16 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup – teams that didn’t even make the quarter finals – earnt a staggering sum of $13 million USD each. With such a huge disparity between the prizes, it’s no surprise that the Canadian women’s team wore shirts embellished with the slogan “enough is enough” when they failed to receive any money at all for their match appearances in 2022.

How does such inequality still exist in professional sport? It’s hard to go from watching Barbie to grappling with this inequity. Are the women just not good “kenough”? If this World Cup has taught us anything, it’s that the quality of women’s football is outstanding. Just ask the 6.54 million people that tuned in to watch.

In the land of the Premier League, the Champions League and the home of Jamie Tartt, the pay gap between the salaries of men and women football players is a staggering -2,425%. If you’re asking yourself whether you read that correctly, the answer is sadly a yes. The average salary for a female footballer in England is $532,959. The average salary for a male footballer in England is $13,456,420. Do the women train less, play less games, not work as hard? The answer to all these questions is a resounding no. For those who play in the A League Women’s competition in Australia, many are required to have second jobs just to support themselves.

But it’s not just about the money! At the core of the problem is the lack of respect and recognition that is shown to women for the same contributions as men. It’s less advertisement deals, less grassroots investment, inferior facilities and reduced representative opportunities. Even at a local level, women’s football is not treated the same as men’s football. In 2022 there was a referee shortage in the area with priority and a higher pay rate dedicated to the men’s leagues. We’re talking inequality at just your run-of-the-mill local Saturday afternoon competition. If this is where it starts, how do we ever get it to change at the bigger end of town? Perhaps all spectators can do now is to keep on shining that spotlight on the issue and hope that it eventually sheds enough light to force some change.

Ava R, Year 10

A message from Mr Scott Bedingfield, Head of College

While the weeks are flying by, I would like to share this Welcome to Term 3 video message with you. I have enjoyed reflecting on how much has been achieved, as we lift our eyes to focus on plans and goals for the rest of 2023 and beyond.

Pin Oak, our student led publication, is something that we are very proud of at Oxley College. Students are at the centre of all that we do and giving them a voice is central to that. Excitingly, Pin Oak has a new look and feel; we hope this digital version is more user friendly and easier to read on the go. Delivering Pin Oak to our community this way still allows our students to be a part of the important writing, designing and publishing processes required for a publication of this size, but it will allow it to be enjoyed more easily across platforms.

I would appreciate any feedback you might have on this new way of sharing Pin Oak to be sent to office@oxley.nsw.edu.au.

Warm regards

Scott Bedingfield, Head of College

Demystifying maths with Maths Help at Oxley

Oxley’s Maths Help Program runs twice a week and is very accessible to students who want to extend themselves academically or instil more confidence in themselves in their ability and ultimately perform better in the subject. Maths Help is open to all ages and year groups in the Senior School, and most importantly, inclusive and able to cater for all abilities. Facilitated by our professionally trained staff at Oxley, who are passionate advocates for improving student learning and enhancing students’ ability to their full potential, Maths Help has personally allowed me to grow and consolidate my learning and has greatly improved my ability to navigate complex mathematical problems. I highly recommend more participation as it is truly a beneficial program that is personalised to you, which is difficult to acquire in a regular classroom setting.

I interviewed Mrs Gauchat and Mr Brett, two staff members integral to the Oxley Maths Department, so you can better understand the true benefits and inside tips on why Maths Help can be so beneficial towards your maths confidence and performance.

What made you first interested in maths as a subject? 

Maths was always my favourite subject to do at school. In primary school, I loved counting and the times tables and measuring things. I remember doing long walks around the oval with the trundle wheels was always fun. 

There was also an art teacher who showed us lots of geometric patterns and we made them with nails and string, but our maths teacher explained it was all numbers and how it could be found in nature in the centre of sunflowers and cool places like that. 

In high school, I loved learning new things about maths like trigonometry and calculus. They seemed oddly logical even though initially they were hard to understand, I think I had a good teacher who made it fun.  – Mrs Gauchat

I have always liked Maths. It just made sense to me. That doesn’t mean to say Maths has always been easy for me… some topics can be hard. But the great thing about Maths is that it makes you think, and problem solve a lot! Yes, it can be a challenge but as the President of the USA, John F. Kennedy, once said ‘We don’t do these things because they are easy. We do them because they are hard.’ Humans love a challenge; it’s part of our DNA, and Maths can, at times, be a challenge. But that’s why it interests me so much. It can be beautiful and rewarding once you understand it. You just need to stick with it and not give up! The reward is much more than the effort involved. – Mr Brett

What do you think the benefits of Maths Help is from the perspective of a teacher and how do you think students could get more involved? 

It is hard to have enough time to do maths. We really need it every day and so Maths Help is great for catching up on the extra work that we don’t have time for in class, but also to ask questions without feeling embarrassed or rushed by the whole class listening. Maths Help is also available to everyone so if you are in Year 8 you might end up finding there is a Year 10 or 11 student that can help you just as much as your teacher can. – Mrs Gauchat

Maths Help is awesome! Whether you come at lunch on Wednesday, or Thursday morning before school, you will always see one of your favourite teachers in Room 5 just waiting to be of assistance to anyone in Year 7–12 who needs help understanding their Maths work. One great benefit of Maths Help is that it gives you the opportunity to work on your Maths in a quiet environment for an extra hour every week. That can add up to a whole lot of extra ‘Maths hours’ over the course of a term, or even a year. Just imagine the improvement in your Maths results by committing to an extra hour each week of Maths. Your parents will be happy, your teachers will be happy, and, most importantly, you will feel a real sense of achievement. All you need to do is… drum roll… turn up to Room 5! – Mr Brett

What inspires you to teach?

It sometimes feels like it is getting harder as fewer students choose to keep going through the higher levels of Maths when it is no longer compulsory but watching students who struggle initially and then when they finally access the learning and enjoy the result it is so rewarding. I love solving problems even if they are hard and take a long time to figure out and seeing students persevere with challenges and eventually arrive at a solution or at least a place of contentment is very inspiring. – Mrs Gauchat

I love teaching. I enjoy being in the classroom, using my years of experience to teach the best way I know how to help my students understand and achieve to the best of their ability. I never expect everyone I teach to be the best, but I always hope that I can help my students to do their best and realise their full potential! It is not always an easy job. Some days can be hard for sure; however, it truly is a very rewarding profession. I would like to think I have inspired every one of the students I have ever taught to love Maths… but the reality is a little different. What I do hope is that each of my students leaves my class at the end of the year with a more positive attitude towards Maths, a greater sense of achievement in themselves and their ‘Maths abilities’ and, maybe, a greater love for the subject. – Mr Brett

So there you have it! I hope the benefits of Maths Help have been illuminated, and I strongly urge you to take part so you can achieve your best within this complex subject, and ultimately be involved in one of Oxley’s generous academic opportunities. Maths Help is accessible during Wednesday lunch time (1:00pm-1:45pm) and Thursday morning (8:00am-8:45am).

Sami B & Issy H, Year 11

Snowsports

Congratulations to the Oxley Snowsports team, who recently competed in the 2023 Subaru Northern NSW and QLD Interschools Snowsports championships.

GOOD LUCK to the members of the Snowsports Team who are competing in the NSW Snowsports Championship in Perisher from Monday 21 – Friday 25 August.

Oxley Students competing in the NSW Snowsports Championship Team

Brayden Anstee
Harper Anstee
Cora Bedingfield
Lucy Bedingfield
Elliot Bryden
Henry Burton
Phoebe Burton
Felix Chamley
Molly Davis
Eva Duffy
Hamish Gardner
Nicola Gardner
Albert Herrmann
Abi Hunt
Daphne Hutchison
Sophie Hutchison
Harrison Kirsch
Rocco Perrotta
Matteo Perrotta
Salvatore Perrotta
Euan Shedden
Rory Shedden
Phoenix Sparke
Chilli Sparke
Sapphire Sparke
Camille Vild
Rosie Vild
Gabi Von Sperl
Alexander Wines
Elijah Winn

Achievements – Oxley out and about

Congratulations to Sienna Bellis (Year 12) who has been appointed Captain of the NSW Equestrian Team.

This is well deserved recognition of Sienna’s experience and leadership in equestrian and we wish her and the NSW Team the best of luck as they prepare to go to Nationals!

In Week 5, 12 Oxley students travelled up to St Luke’s for an E-Sports tournament called The Fuse Cup playing Rocket League. They performed exceptionally well as a team, with every pair making it through their heats. Congratulations to Freddy Florida (Year 7) and Will Kennedy (Year 7) on their overall second placing. Freddy was also chosen by the organisers to win the MVP badge for showing great sportsmanship on the day.

Congratulations to the following students who participated in the 2023 Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee:

Ava Stocks, Teddy Blom, Cassius Black, Charlie Halloran, Elena Clarke, Elodie Ahern, Evelyn Hammond, Greta Saviana, Mariella Vlahakis, Ollie Coram, Pixie Hanson, Sophie Chalmers, Luca Sicari, David White, Lisa Mussett.

Luke Suttie (Year 11) recently won Best Craftsmanship at the Oz Comic-Con Australian Championship, in Canberra. Luke 3D printed this incredible Ironman suit as a part of his Year 10 Personal Interest Project. PIPs are one of the suite of Oxley Distinctives, where students are given the opportunity to explore a subject area they are passionate about and dive deep into it throughout the term – as you can see with outstanding results.
He will now compete against other State winners for the ultimate title of Oz Comic-Con Champion of Cosplay!

Annabel Arnot (Year 10) recently competed at the NSW Swimming SC Country Championship where she successfully came away with two top ten finals, two state times and PBs in all her races – including a 7-second PB in the 200m Breaststroke placing her 19th in Australia in her age group.

Congratulations to Phoenix Sparke (Year 11) on his National Open XC bronze medal in the 15km event. Only days before, Phoenix came 2nd in the Under 18 Male Individual event and 1st in his Sprint event. Chilli Sparke (Year 10) placed 6th in both the Under 18s Female Individual and Sprint events.

Duke of Edinburgh: Leah Halstead and Spencer Lewis (Year 12) have completed their Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. They are invited to attend a ceremony with The Governor General later in the year at a special Gold Awards Ceremony.

Cross Country: Well done to Amelia May (Year 11) who over the season has achieved 3rd at NSW Athletics Cross Country State Champs and 1st at NSW Athletics State Cross Country Short Course Championships making her eligible for Nationals in Canberra in August. Milo Shepherdson Woodhead (Year 7) also came 8^th in the NSW Cross Country event.  

Junior School Assembly Award Recipients – so far this Term

Congratulations to these Junior School Students for their outstanding efforts.

Term 3 Week 1

Eli Winn, Samsara Pout, Addison Umoren, Sophia Bagnall, Charlie Officer, Charlie Hammond, Charlie Halloran, Juliet Nissen, Hamish Williams, Max Wines, Rose Hurst, Hudson Ahern, Eddie Sheer, Henry Perkins, Evan Callan, Andy Clothier, Evelyn Hammond, Noah Elvy Mourd, Hadley Morgan, Lucy Bedingfield, Abi Cullen, Tom Pierce, Quinn de Haas, Naomi Robertson, Gabriela Johnson, Juliet Nissen, JJ Pierce, William Perkins, Sophia Houghton, Charles Webb-Sear, Archer Aleksandric, Harry Noonan

Term 3 Week 2

Charlotte Jones, Bella Horne, Alessia Sicari, Clementine Blom, Em Hunt, Aurie Ashbolt, Thomas Meijer, Grace Webb-Sear, Jordan Pope, Lily Bennett, Elliot Hansen-Burns, Dylan Atkinson, James Fussell, Amalia Mouatt, Stella Bacon, Harry Smith, Matilda McCarthy, James Fox, Annabel Bertollo, Flor Alia Pereira Merlini, Nico Herriott, Teddy Blom, Ava Stocks

Term 3 Week 3

Nico Herriott, Flor Alia Pereira Merlini, Harper Anstee, Edison Feller, Barclay Ryan, Finn Kean, Elliot Hansen-Burns, Charlotte Bentham, Robbie Arnold, Charlie Halloran, Nina Zelunzuk,  Archer Aleksandric, Tilly Arnold, Ben Cadden, Oliver Barton, Charlotte Carney, Leo Rodgers, Magnus Rasheed, Chloe Motycka,  Oliver Chesham, Sebastian Rahme, Claudia Smith, Andy Clothier, Bailey Fox, Max Godresse, Charlotte Bullick, CC Goff, Yorke Dunlop

Term 3 Week 4

Tilly Arnold, Darcy Jones, Sophie Albert, Alexander Cascun-Henry, Harry Tait, Jasmine Rainey, Fearne Pearce, Isaac Choo, Polly Pemberton, Lexi Seehusen, Harland Ashbolt, Florence Meijer, Jack Malouf, Zoe Choo, Xavier Burrows, Harry Meyerson, Ian Phillips, Isobel Chapman, Alexander Saviana, Raphaela Abreu, Rhodes Feller, Tom Evans, Aston Edwards

Senior School Athletics Carnival Champions and Results

The last day of Term 2 saw the Senior School Athletics Carnival run. Congratulations to Dobell as the winning House on the day, the Age Champions and those who set new Oxley records.

Under your radar: Niger’s quiet coup

Whilst banners of Barbie, Trump and the war in Ukraine continue to grace our headlines, a crisis is unfolding in Africa. Whilst we as a nation rally behind the Matildas, millions struggle to identify with the shattered pieces of their democracy. For a country of 25 million people, the news of a major government shift is criminally under-reported. This crisis is the coup taking place right now in Niger.  

On July 26^th the country’s presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum, and their commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani proclaimed himself the leader of a new military junta. A junta is a military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force, and this regime is just one in a long line of coups taking place across the continent. Over the last five years, there have been ten coups in Africa, with countless more attempts. This political instability is a trend that has been present since the official end of imperialism. Yet neo-imperial or neo-colonialism (the economic colonialisation still present in today’s society) continues to deplete Africa’s resources and widen the commercial gap between developed and developing nations. The USA functions as an important example of this as they have accumulated the largest network of treaties and contracts by utilising the power that comes with the world’s largest economy. Through financial aid and trade agreements, neo-imperial powers are able to influence governments and economies throughout their empires.

Whilst the great economic powers of the world grow through their influence on other nations, a cry for democracy within developing nations falls on deaf ears. Kwame Nkrumah – the first president of an independent Ghana warned of how “African state sovereignties can be reduced to mere ‘flag independence’ by external policy interference and economic control”. This concept is incredibly prevalent in Niger. As one of the world’s poorest countries it receives nearly 2 billion dollars a year in aid; yet this assistance has failed to lift the Nigerien economy out of poverty and reinforce democracy. Instead, the first democratically elected president in the country’s history has been removed from power and is currently being held hostage by a new junta.  

As the situation continues to unfold, tensions rise between Niger and its neighbours. The junta is calling upon the Nigerien population to mobilise against Ecowas (an African council similar to NATO) and has called on their neighbour, Chad, to support their new government. The attempt for recruitment and the mobilisation of the army in support of the junta risks a regional war with Nigeria.  

This truly is a crisis, yet awareness is incredibly hard to come by. Why should articles detailing each minor affair of celebrity life overshadow the struggle for liberty in our media? Many countries struggle for the liberty that we often take for granted. It is our responsibility to demand more from our media and more from ourselves so that we can be informed and raise awareness about these significant world events.

Will Barnett, Year 11  

Introducing: Celebrity Scoop

Feminist icon Lizzo has been accused of sexual harassment and fat shaming.

If you were anywhere near as shocked by these allegations as I was, chances are you have also had an internet deep dive into the allegations, but for those who don’t have the time (or, frankly, stamina), here is an overview…

In a lawsuit filed on August 15, 2023, three of Lizzo’s tour dancers have accused the singer of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment through sexual, racial, and religious harassment. The lawsuit alleges that Lizzo criticized a dancer’s recent weight gain, pressured one dancer to touch a nude performer at a club in Amsterdam, subjected several dancers to an “excruciating” 12-hour audition, made false accusations that they drank while working, and pushed her Christian beliefs upon other performers.

The dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez name Lizzo, her production company (Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc), and Lizzo’s dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, as defendants, seeming to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, as an advocate for body positivity and self-love. The suit claims that Lizzo created a hostile work environment, subjected her dancers to false imprisonment, and interfered with their prospective economic advantage.

The lawsuit seeks damages covering emotional distress, lost wages, and attorneys’ fees. Lizzo has spent the majority of 2023 on tour, with legs in North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. She wrapped the Australian section of her tour, which the Guardian described as full of “spectacular, celebratory joy”, last month.

HOWEVER. This deeply confusing, emotional roller coaster ride has spiralled further into madness.

Lizzo has come out on “X” (nee. Twitter) outright denying all claims. She states “These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing… My character has been criticised.”

Lizzo’s response has garnered much attention, claiming that “these sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.” Many fans are unsure of who to believe, and many more are outraged at Lizzo’s lack of apology amongst the lengthy, 4-page apology consisting of Notes App screenshots. However, considering the serious nature of the allegations, chances are, the result of this controversy may lie within the legal system meaning that an apology on Lizzo’s part could constitute an admission of guilt, leaving her and her team culpable to pay up in damages.

It remains to be seen how this lawsuit will play out in the legal system, but one thing is clear: Lizzo’s public image as a feminist icon has been severely tarnished. While the allegations are still unproven, the fact that they exist at all is a blow to her reputation and to the movement she represents. Only time will tell what a case such as this will do to the movement for body positivity in the music industry, and beyond.

Anouk Hakewill, Year 10

Introducing: The Style Section

This July, many fashion houses released unique Ready-To-Wear, Menswear, Womenswear, Fall and Spring collections.

Fendi has come out with an extraordinary Fall 2023 couture collection exhibited in Paris featuring 37 looks including floor length gowns, pant suits, and mini dresses; long sleeve, short sleeve, and no sleeve garments all featuring unique materials like fur, velvet and silk topped with embellishments and worn with extravagant jewellery and clutches. Since 2020, Kim Jones has been the creative director at Fendi, a job that was formerly occupied by the late Karl Lagerfeld. His collection partnered with Delfina Delettrez, a Fendi Jeweller, and saw a luxurious set of eveningwear designs partnered with her 30-piece jewellery collection with distinctive diamond pieces.

After Balenciaga’s controversial start to the year, they have come out with a minimalistic approach to a 2023 Fall collection: a seamless 59-look collection of blacks, blues, reds, pinks, greys, and gold bringing the collection to a close with an armoured dress. The first look was a replica black velvet Cristóbal Balenciaga Haute Couture dress which was originally ordered by Grace Kelly herself; a beautiful, chic collection.

The maximalist show that was the Patou Spring 2024 Ready-To-Wear collection ranged in colours and patterns. We saw 39 womenswear looks that had the Parisian chic aesthetic paired with the chaotic nature that Jean Patou brings to each of his collections. Not only was it an exciting collection, it was also a sustainable one, in which 70% of fabrics were recycled or sustainably sourced – even skipping plastic for glass.

Finally, with an iconic entrance into the fashion world was the Spring 2024 Louis Vuitton Menswear collection, Pharrell Williams’ debut collection since becoming Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Creative Director. Pharrell Williams is an American record producer, singer, rapper, songwriter and now fashion designer; he produced an incredible menswear collection that was colourful, proportioned, and an exciting look to the future of Louis Vuitton. The show took place on the oldest bridge in Paris, Pont Neuf, accompanied with a choir and viewed by some of the biggest names in the world.

June/July has been filled with incredible fashion moments, many more than those named here. 2023 is sure to have many more iconic collections released very soon.

Juliette Johnson, Year 10

The world behind a garment

When was the last time that you purchased a piece of clothing? Did you ever think about where it came from? Or perhaps who was a part of manufacturing it? Well, believe it or not, there is a world in just a piece of clothing.

Many processes are involved in producing a cotton t-shirt – and the first of these many processes is cotton farming. It is extremely different from what it used to be in the past, as machinery and technology are used nowadays to harvest the cotton rather than slaves labour. When the cotton has been collected by the machine, it is then sent to factories where machines turn the cotton fibres into fabric.

The fabric is then transported to garment factories around the world – including Bangladesh, the world’s third largest producer of clothing. Four million people in Bangladesh work for the textile industry, where they must work long hours to manufacture some of the largest fashion brands. However, these employees do not receive fair wages and their work conditions are unsafe. These issues are controversial about whether we should purchase ‘sweatshop’ clothing.

When a clothing item is complete, it is then exported to countries around the globe in a shipping container, and after this, the garment is put in the shop for sale, when you see it and buy it. And this is how a piece of clothing gets to you.

So, when you do consider purchasing a new T-shirt or a pair of jeans, think about it: there is an entire world in this product. There is a chain of people who farmed the material for it, transported it, or even suffered unsafe work conditions to just manufacture it, and every one of their lives connects to ours.

Ruby Cochrane, Year 7

Word of the Week

Barbillion

[bar-BIL-yun]

As we all know by now, Barbie has taken the world by storm. But beyond the wave of pink it has brought back into style – Fred Astaire really was a visionary upon reflection – so too has it brought the start of a new era. Barbie has achieved the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film directed by a woman. Ever. Just recently it passed the 1 billion mark in profit, well on its way to becoming the biggest film of the year. Whether you love or hate the franchise Barbie is a film for the history books, now coining its own term to signify such a momentous achievement: Barbillion. See the reviews page for our brilliant reporter’s opinions.

Violet FitzSimons, Year 10

Oxley has a podcast!

Put simply, the O.C. Weekly is AMAZING. Brought to you by the brilliant Anouk, Liam and Harry, this podcast keeps you up to date on the many goings-on around the world, pop culture, sport and much more! It also includes weekly announcements that shine a light on the achievements of fellow students and inform us about upcoming events in our College. This podcast will be greatly appreciated by people that find the news too depressing, giving them something to listen to on those Monday homework nights. With insightful perspectives from some of Oxley’s most charismatic and brightest (including teachers!) and relaxing music in between, this is one of the best podcasts you will ever listen to, and I highly recommend it to any senior Oxley student and/or pop culture fan.

The dynamic trio have now released their first ever episode ‘Excelsior Ad Astra’; here they talk about the WNBA, the Hollywood strike and present an exclusive interview with our own Head of College, Mr Bedingfield. So get out your Air Pods, open up Spotify right now and start listening!

Thomas Clark, Year 10

Romeo and Juliet: a fresh take on a classic story

Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespeare’s all-time classics, explores the themes of love, tragedy, and destiny. Last week, our Year 9 class went on a trip to the Seymour Centre in Sydney to see the play live. It’s part of our current study and ended up really solidifying our understanding of the story. 

The play turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The characters felt very real, and some characters were split into multiple, their lines shared, making it seem like more friends were all together having a lively conversation. The actors’ emotion brought the story to life, so it was easy to follow even if we missed some words. 

The setting of Verona, however, was interestingly set in the 1950s/60s, giving it a more modern Italian take. The staging was simple, with just a few props, but they cleverly transformed them for different scenes, like turning blocks into beds or using washing baskets for street scenes. 

The most unique element was that the story was told from Benvolio’s perspective. It began with an old woman showing a photo of Romeo and Juliet, and then she told the story. It was very eye opening, reminding us that (spoilers!) Benvolio was the only survivor from the group of friends. 

I have seen the ballet, two films, and other recorded productions. Overall, this version was one of the best I’ve seen. It brought a fresh take and left us all with a far better understanding of this classic story.

Emily Byrne, Year 9

Have you seen Barbie yet?

Barbie is shaping up to be the most iconic movie to premiere in 2023. After gaining $1 billion at the global box office on its release, it is on track to become the biggest movie of the year. Fans from around the globe dressed up in all pink to show their anticipation for this movie. The director of Barbie, Greta Gerwig, is the first female solo director to direct a film that went on to gross $1 billion. The movie itself, somewhat unexpectedly, is deep and complex. The marketing surrounding this movie was incredibly nuanced; behind every pink poster promoting a seemingly fun movie, fans were surprised to encounter the deeper message and underlying themes of feminism.

Barbie displays the growth of a girl to a woman. ‘Barbie Land’ is an exploration of being young and naïve, protected from the realities of the world. Barbie’s “real world” seems to be completely opposite to the world we envisioned. As young girls, we were empowered by Barbie’s range of occupations, taking on workplaces women wouldn’t and couldn’t have dreamt of 70 years ago in our make-believe worlds we created for our Barbie dolls, just like Barbie Land. I think Barbie is an important movie for everyone to watch, not just for the comedy of Ryan Gosling’s Ken and Michael Cera’s Alan. I hope everyone has the chance to see this movie – definitely one to watch.

Juliette Johnson, Year 10

Titanfall 2

You are a Pilot. The true dominant force on the battlefield; graceful yet deadly. To you, walls become flanking points. To you, entire armies pose little challenge. Yet the true factor that makes you a force to be reckoned with is your link with a Titan, a mechanised mech/robot that can literally take on entire armies. You can only be stopped by overwhelming force… or an equal.

Yes, this sounds awesome, but the reality of the situation is this. The enemy known as the IMC (Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation) is on the verge of creating a planet-destroying weapon known as ‘The Fold Weapon’. You are part of an army of freedom fighters known as the Militia who only control 25% of known space. Your name is Jack Cooper, Rifleman, and you are about to be deployed on the IMC planet Typhoon. The operation goes seriously wrong, and all you have is a used jump kit, a cloaking device, a couple of weapons and a critically damaged Titan by the name of BT-7274. The two of you are all that stands in the way of the annihilation of freedom. There are many challenges ahead… and the IMC never rests.

Titanfall 2 is an action-packed first-person shooter game that always keeps you on the edge of your seat. With your jump kit, you can cross entire landmasses without ever touching the ground. Your cloaking device enables you to camouflage easily, allowing you to perform some stealthy takedowns. And of course, you can pick a Titan, each one completely different from one another. Be the close quarters RONIN Titan or be the long ranged NORTHSTAR. Destroy the puny humans with the epic firepower (and I do mean firepower) of the SCORCH Titan or wipe out enemy Titans with the ION Titan’s epic lasers.

Gear up… and stand by for Titanfall!

Thomas Clark, Year 10

A timeless classic: The Outsiders

The Outsiders, written by S.E Hinton (1967), is a coming-of-age story that I recommend to anyone in high school. The novel is about societal status, growing up, self-discovery, and disobedience. The novel is narrated from the perspective of Ponyboy, a 14-year-old who along with his two brothers, Sodapop, aged 16 and Darry, aged 20, just lost their parents in a car accident. Pony and Soda are permitted to remain under Darry’s guardianship if everyone behaves correctly. The plot revolves around the rivalry between two gangs. The Greasers live on the poor side of town and take care of each other’s needs. They are dependent only on one another as they struggle to survive in poverty and chaos. The other gang, the Socs, are rich, spoiled kids that come from good families. The Greasers often view life as unfair due to their circumstance, making them feel like outsiders looking in, as they observe the “perfect” lives that the Socs live. This class divide leads to violence as the Socs pick fights with the Greasers to show their power and intimidate them. Ponyboy realises fights are useless and that there are much more important things in life, like watching sunsets…

Chloe Stephen, Year 9

The Last Thing He Told Me: a gripping mystery

Mystery. Suspense. Drama. ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ by Laura Dave; a gripping mystery about a newlywed who discovers her husband’s entire identity is a lie.  

Owen Michaels is about to be arrested for securities fraud when he vanishes, leaving his new wife Hannah in charge of his teenage daughter, Bailey. When Hannah tries to track him down, she learns that “Owen Michaels” has never existed. She’s been married him a whole year, and she doesn’t even know his real name. 

Before Owen disappears, he smuggles a note to Hannah:  Protect her. Hannah realises this is about Bailey. As Hannah’s desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss, as a US marshal and federal agents arrive at her home, Hannah quickly realises her husband isn’t who he said he was; and that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity and why he disappeared.  

The relationship between Hannah and Bailey grows immensely over the course of the book and engages the reader to stay hooked on the book. This novel explores tropes such as fake identities and found/chosen family. These are common tropes; however, they are manipulated in a way that makes this book stand out. This book was published in 2021 and has recently been adapted by Olivia Newman on Apple TV+. The plot is fast paced, has twists and turns and packs an emotional punch. If you love mystery, suspense, and drama, this book is for you.

Lucy Anderson, Year 9

Feminism and potatoes: The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race

Old Oxleyan Melanie Tait’s original play, ‘The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race’, has been adapted into a feature film. It premiered on the 26^th of July and is now out on 10play. It tells the story of doctor Penny Anderson’s return to her childhood home of Appleton, where she is shocked to learn their world-famous potato race awards the women’s first place prize a fraction of the men’s prize. This feel-good, empowering movie inspires the viewer to be the person that speaks up against injustice and promotes the importance of working together for one cause. The Sydney Morning Herald described ‘The Appleton Ladies Potato Race’ as ‘a funny, compassionate, honest tale about feminism, culture clashes and potatoes.’

Melanie Tait was a part of the Oxley College class of 1997 and drew on her own life and childhood in Robertson as the inspiration for this film. She is an ABC broadcaster, playwriter and storyteller. Her hard work and creativity are truly inspiring to all. A few Oxley students got to take part in the film by being extras. This was a great opportunity for those wanting to go into acting and or filmmaking. The movie is a must-watch for anyone looking for a delightfully powerful film about creating change. Well done to all involved!

Eliza-Grace Bashford, Year 10

Senior School Athletics Carnival

Junior School Athletics Carnival

HSC Drama Performances

Week 5 saw family, friends and staff gather in Hoskins Hall to show their support and give the 2023 HSC Drama performance students the valuable opportunity to perform their group and individual pieces in front of an audience, before they head into their HSC performance exams in the coming weeks.

HICES Music Camp

Pin Oak Fair

Make sure you have this in your diary:

Oxley College Pin Oak Fair – Saturday 4^th November 2023

Oxley College grounds will come alive to celebrate 40 years!

Lots of fun for all our Oxley families and the Highlands community.

All the fun of a country fair including amusement rides – dodgem cars, slides and spinning teacups…market stalls….second-hand children’s books….’Sideshow Alley’ featuring hoopla, crazy hair and face painting…music performances….High tea….plants….clothing….lolly stall, fairy floss and lots of food!!

We need your help with some items that we require for the Fair

Sponsorship & Donation Opportunities

We have opportunities for businesses looking to sponsor our Pin Oak Fair through donating products and/or cash donations. Sponsorships and donations are incredibly valuable to us to help to reduce our costs of running the event and to maximise our fund raising. We will have a number of stalls at the Fair that will be run by parents for the P&F, these include a plant stall, BBQ, other food stalls, high teas, lolly stall and junior school games.  We have a list of items that we need donated for each of these stalls

We also have a variety of sponsorship packages on offer.  If you or your business can help, please contact our Sponsorship coordinator – Geraldine Hessey on 0411 314 261 or send an email to pinoakfair2023@gmail.com.

Art Show

We are excited to again include an art show, ‘Emerge’, as part of our Pin Oak Fair and we invite artists within our Oxley community to exhibit their works.  For further information on exhibiting please send an email to pinoakfair2023@gmail.com and our Art Show coordinator, Karyn Reynolds will send you the details.

Equestrian Day – come along!

OXLEY COLLEGE EQUESTRIAN DAY

Sunday 20 August 2023

We’re very pleased to report that sun will be shining this Sunday and our much anticipated Equestrian Day will be held at Bong Bong Racecourse. 

Donations of baked goods to sell at the Equestrian Day canteen would be greatly appreciated.  These can be delivered to Bong Bong Racecourse anytime from 8am this Sunday.

Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy the day.

All funds raised will be donated to Wombat Care Bundanoon.