It’s Time

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

Last Thursday was a spectacular day for Shore. The enormous spirit of the boys, both on the field and in the stands, in our Rugby fixtures against Riverview was remarkable. Hundreds of boys flocked to Northbridge after the school day ended to be part of the mass of Shore supporters. The First XV match swung through the afternoon until Shore prevailed through the desperation of sheer willpower and commitment. The same heart was seen in the Second XV. These aspects of determination and perseverance are lessons to apply to all of schooling and all of life. The sense of endeavour and the unity of belonging were immensely encouraging and revealed a strong culture of purpose and identity as part of Shore. This is tribalism at its best.

Shore’s Thursday, however, was by no means over. That evening I was part of a large and appreciative crowd treated to stellar performances by our boys in the Instrumental and Choral Concert. It is simply wonderful that Shore can excel in sport and music on the same day. This is testament to the range of opportunities at Shore and the manner in which all are fully supported and affirmed.

‘It’s Time’ was the catch cry of what became the Whitlam government as they displaced a long-serving coalition government 50 years ago. Some of our own staff have called time. The professional literature on school staffing speaks of the 15-year ‘wall’, where people become mobile, for a host of good reasons, after 15 years. It is indeed remarkable at Head of School level to ponder the number who leave their positions at the 15-year mark (or thereabouts). My longest stint in a school thus far is 12.5 years (after which I then did 12 years in another school). They were good innings. In my experience, every teacher knows deep within when it’s time. A certain transition happens in all schools. It is a reminder that there are seasons in professional careers and in life itself; as the writer of Ecclesiastes points out: “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”(Ecclesiastes 3:1).

In our current situation, two of our long-serving staff are moving on. They will be hugely missed and their wonderful service is very much appreciated. They are respectively our Head of Preparatory School, Mr Nick Saunders, our Head of Teaching and Learning, Mr John Tzantzaris. They have served at Shore in leadership positions respectively for 14.5 years and 15 years. 

Mr Saunders will leave his position at the end of this Term. Prior to his appointment as Head of Preparatory School, he was Deputy Head of Cranbrook Junior School, and previously was in a classroom teaching position in our Prep. He is also an Old Boy of the School and a great example of the excellent man a Shore education produces. His decision to leave stems from a desire to explore a new career direction while he has time in the length of his working life to do so. He will very likely take up some contract positions to assist us at Shore with various projects. 

During his tenure as Head of the Preparatory School, Mr Saunders has overseen several initiatives within the Preparatory School. He has been instrumental in developing the Learning Enrichment Department in the Preparatory School and ensuring that all students are given the support they need to be successful at school. Mr Saunders is deeply respected and loved by all those who work with him, have been taught by him, and have placed their children in his care/stewardship.

While we seek a permanent replacement, we are fortunate to be able to welcome our very experienced Head of the Northbridge Campus, Miss Natasha Mitchell, to act in the role from June 2023. During this time, Mrs Natalie Valenti, who currently does an excellent job providing Learning Support to students at Northbridge, will become the Acting Head of the Northbridge Campus. 

Mr Tzantzaris will leave his position as Head of Teaching and Learning at the end of this term to take up a promotional position as Director of Professional Growth at St Aloysius College where his two sons attend. He has served the School for the past 15 years; as Head of Teaching and Learning for the past two and Head of English for the preceding 13 years. In his role as Head of Teaching and Learning, Mr Tzantzaris has been instrumental in developing the Shore Teacher Expertise Programme which is a key partnership with the University of New South Wales. This programme seeks to professionally develop staff to ensure they continue to be expert practitioners in the classroom and are able to continue to provide outstanding support to boys of all gifts and abilities in their learning.

During his tenure as Head of the English Department, Mr Tzantzaris led a team of 20 English staff to deliver the best English results the School has seen in its history. He also developed the University of Sydney teaching partnership, which created a wonderful professional learning link for departmental staff and in turn ensured outstanding results for all boys in English. One of his key achievements at Shore has been ensuring boys have a love and passion for the study of English and literature. This has been a theme consistently highlighted by student feedback in regard to the English Department under Mr Tzantzaris’s tenure. An outstanding teacher in his own right, he will be fondly remembered by students past and present for his charismatic teaching style, humour and willingness to meet students outside of formal class time to provide feedback and improve their writing. He will be deeply missed by staff and students alike. We wish him all the best as he embarks on this new leadership opportunity at St Aloysius College. 

I wish all of our School community an excellent mid-year break, as this is the final edition of the Shore Weekly Record for this term. It will be good to reengage with all that Shore offers when we return in late July for Term 3.

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

Congratulations Toby Cochrane – Year 9

We are pleased to announce that Toby Cochrane,
in Year 9, has won the  NAIDOC 2023 School Art Exhibition – “For Our Elders”, for his portrait of
David Gulpilil.

Toby was the overall winner across all entries from Years 7 to 12. Toby’s artwork will be displayed on Level 2 of the Rocks Discovery Museum from 1 July to 31 August. The artwork will also be printed on marketing collateral for the event and displayed on flags in Darling Harbour.

This is an incredible achievement.
Congratulations Toby!

Shore Wins King of the Hill!

45 Shore boys raced up Sydney’s steepest hill for the annual charity event, the Humpty Dumpty Balmoral Burn. A special congratulations to relay team Jock Fenwicke, Cam Burnett, Matthew Hogg (Year 12) and James Bestic (Year 10) for coming 1st in the school event – Head of the Hill – with a blistering time of 6:37 mins!

This annual community event provides an ongoing opportunity for Humpty supporters to provide essential and often lifesaving medical equipment to hospitals and health services Australia-wide.

Thank you boys, for fundraising and running the hill of hurt to help sick kids!

Top image: Head of the Hill, winning relay team.

This Week We Thank

This week we thank the Pastoral Care Team, led by Mr Derek Champion, Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care. This team consists of 18 Housemasters and tutors, supported by our School Counselling Team and Mrs Kim Kane, EA to Deputy Head Pastoral Care.

The House system is the foundation of our approach to pastoral care, and the Housemasters’ excellent work plays a vital role at Shore.

The Pastoral Care Team create, organise and facilitate many different experiences and initiatives, including our Building Good Men programme, the Building Connections partnership with Queenwood and Roseville, school camps, and Wellbeing Week in Year 10. Students also engage with external expert speakers in wellbeing on important topics such as digital resilience, respectful relationships, and mental health literacy.

Thank you for taking such good care of our students’ emotional and social wellbeing while helping them to engage with Service learning.

.  

Term Dates 2023 – 2024

‘Back to School’ vouchers at the Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop can now receive Service NSW ‘Back to School’ vouchers so that parents can receive discounts for uniform purchases.

To do this, parents will need to make their purchases in person. Unfortunately, we are not able to process the vouchers online.  

This is a friendly reminder that the most recent vouchers expire on 30 June 2023.

The Uniform Shop is open during Term time –  Monday to Thursday, 9.30am to 4.30pm. 

American Tea

Save the Date: Friday 8 September

Friday 8 September will mark the 85th year of the iconic Shore American Tea event.  Our Parent’s Association volunteers are already hard at work planning this massive community event across the Shore Campuses, and we need your help!  

Parent Businesses Welcome to the External Shopping Market!  

Shore families receive a 50% discount to rent a stall at the American Tea Shopping Market. This year we have our first Old Boy stall from BackWall Shoes in Crows Nest, selling his products at the event. If you or a family member have a product to market and sell to the Shore Community, please get in touch with us at AmericanTeaExternals@shore.nsw.edu.au as soon as possible.  

Thank you! 

Wendy Smith, Jason Cheers and Prue Wade 
2023 External Stallholder Market Team 

Please Donate to the American Tea Silent Auction!  

 This year the auction effort is being run by the Year 7 Silent Auction Team. It is the largest component of the Tea’s fundraising initiative, with all donations made by the Shore Community and all profits going towards important School initiatives that benefit our boys and girls. 

For more information on the event and how to donate, please see the 2023 Silent Auction Info Package – https://bit.ly/3NgMiYs or email the Year 7 Silent Auction Team at AmericanTeaAuction@shore.nsw..edu.au. 

For all things American Tea, please stay updated via the American Tea Lampada page.

Looking forward to hearing from you!  

Kristy Borgonah, David Cambridge and Candace Rutka 
2023 Silent Auction Team 

Shore Rough Edges Sleep Out

Service learning is a significant and essential element of our student’s education here at Shore. Burrell, Mathers and Emery Houses are proud to be supporting Rough Edges in their work with Sydney’s homeless and marginalised people. Shore has a long history of serving at Rough Edges, with many boys from the four boarding houses currently working each Friday night to help serve food, engage with patrons, and volunteer their time.

The students from Burrell, Mathers and Emery will be showing their commitment to Rough Edges Cafe by participating in the Shore Rough Edges Sleep Out on Saturday 17 June. 

Rough Edges Cafe is located in Sydney’s inner city suburb of Darlinghurst a place where community happens for people experiencing homelessness and marginalisation.  

Rough Edges receives no funding from the government and sustains itself via donations to finance their service. They have seen an increase in the number of attendees through their doors due to the change in weather and COVID-19 restrictions, which has placed immense pressure on the existing volunteers and Team Leaders. Therefore, we will be relieving some stress by continuing to serve within the Café and hope to raise vital funds through the sleepout and other efforts later in the year. We have created a fundraising site where you can show your support and donate now.

It is a privilege to be able to work with Rough Edges and we are hoping as a community we can show our support to Rough Edges and the students participating by donating now. 

Huw Blood
Head of Service Learning

Chaplain’s Chat

Have you ever thought about how valuable and loved you are? Of course, we could answer this question in a number of different ways. Our value on the sporting field might be seen in how we perform and influence the outcome of a game. Some might see their value in the classroom by how well they perform in an exam. Some in our society, unfortunately, see our value purely in terms of economic output and what we can produce. Certainly, our families see us as valuable and loved simply for who we are and being part of the family.

But what about God? We might sometimes wonder how God views us and whether we are valuable and loved. Sometimes we might try and assess this question based purely on how a day has worked out for us or after a difficult period in our life. We might even go so far as to think that a good day must mean God loves us, whereas if things didn’t go to plan, then maybe God has it in for us. And yet, as we look to Jesus, we are reminded of the one who has loved us so much and thinks we are so valuable that he was willing to put others before himself and die for us. As Mark 10:45 reminds us, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” In God’s eyes, we are valuable and loved. Irrespective of our particular stage in life or even the day we have had, we can look to Jesus to confirm his love for us. His death on the cross confirms this!

Rev. Anthony Benn
Chaplain

Choral Evensong Service

6.00pm | Wednesday 19 July | School Chapel

All staff, parents, Old Boys and students are welcome.

Enquires: Rev. Anthony Benn 9956 1129 abenn@shore.nsw.edu.au
Parking will be available on-site with entry via Hunter Crescent.

CRU Camp

On the King’s Birthday long weekend last week, 52 Shore boys and 60 girls from Abbotsleigh combined to form Shabbots. Shabbots is the annual CRU Camp with the two schools and was held at the CRU campsite at Galston Gorge.

The weekend away was a wonderful time of encouragement for all involved. The theme of the weekend was ‘A better treasure’ and had its basis in words from 2 Corinthians 4 and 5. We were reminded that even though we may often feel weak in things that we do, “we have this treasure in jars of clay.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) The treasure that we have is the good news of Jesus. Along with some insightful talks, there were discussion groups, some very enthusiastic singing, lots of free time for a range of wide games and a wonderful theme night around the idea of a treasure hunt. As part of the weekend, we were also encouraged by the return of some Old Boys who shared their School experiences and how their Christian faith has continued to shape them after their time at Shore.

One of the great strengths of the Shabbots Camp is the wonderful leadership of the students. The students from both schools prepare and lead most of the weekend away, and it is extremely exciting to see them put their hard work of preparation into action. We look forward to next year’s camp and our continuing partnership with the girls from Abbotsleigh in working together on this wonderful camp.

Rev. Anthony Benn
Chaplain

Confirmation 2023

For Year 10 Boys and Above

If you wish to be confirmed in the Shore Chapel in 2023, please apply to Rev. Benn abenn@shore.nsw.edu.au before Wednesday 21 June. 

The first meeting will be held on Thursday 20 July, at lunchtime in the Christian Studies Centre Room 21-3-4.

The Confirmation Service will be held on Sunday 27 August at 9.00am.

For all enquiries and to apply, please contact Rev. Benn at abenn@shore.nsw.edu.au

Library Hours and Holiday Study

Library Hours on the last day of Term

Please note that the Senior Library will close at 12.30pm on the last day of Term on the 22 June. No loans will fall due during the holidays, so the boys are encouraged to borrow books for holiday reading before the end of the Term.

Holiday Study in the Library

The Shore Senior Library will be open during the upcoming School Holidays for Year 12 boys. Students are strongly encouraged to come and use the Library’s resources, get help from Library staff, and avoid possible distractions. A half-day Holiday Workshop combined with a three-hour study session in the Library has proven successful for boys in previous years.

The Library will be open throughout the holidays, Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.00pm, except for the professional development day on 17 July.

Boys are not required to wear their uniforms.

Study Centre End of Term

The last day of Study Centre for Term 2 will be Friday 16 June. The free tutoring sessions will start again on Day One of Term 3, 18 July. 

Please note that the Study Centre timetable changes occasionally as teachers’ Co-Curricular commitments change. It is always best to check for the most up-to-date version of the timetable on Lampada.

Holiday Workshops

Holiday Workshops will be offered from Thursday 22 June to Year 12 boys for the upcoming break. These have successfully provided boys with a structure that complements their individual study programmes.

Each three-hour Holiday Workshop session will cover important HSC topics in that subject. A mix of strategies will be used to maximise learning: revision lecture, structured tutorial and discussion. Workshops will generally be limited to a minimum of seven and a maximum of approximately 20 boys. A fee of $70 (including GST) will be charged per (three-hour) workshop, representing excellent value compared to externally run HSC lecture courses. Boys are encouraged strongly to make good use of the workshops and are expected to stay until the end of each workshop.

A selection form will be handed to each boy in Year 12 and is to be returned to Ms Ducrou, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Headmaster – Academic. Boys may choose as many sessions as they like. Every attempt will be made to accommodate all boys, but it might be necessary to restrict the number of boys in a particular workshop, depending upon demand. This will be done on a first-come, first-served basis.

Charges will be made to the next fee statement on a no-refund basis.

A list of all workshops is now available through the School’s Lampada portal.

Boys will not be required to wear school uniforms.

Boys are not encouraged to drive to school for the workshops. However, if they do drive, they are not allowed to park on school property under any circumstances.

We hope each boy will participate in the workshops, which, according to boys in the Classes of 1999 to 2022, contributed well to their success in the HSC exams.

Mr I M Middleton
Assistant Director of Studies

Term 3 Progress Meetings

Notice to Year 8 and Year 10 Parents

Year 8 Progress Meetings:
4.00pm to 7.00pm Monday 24 July via Zoom

Year 10 Progress Meetings:
4.00pm to 7.00pm Monday 31 July via Zoom

· Full details will be emailed home.
· Boys are expected to attend.
· No Co-Curricular activities for students who have Progress Meetings.

Mr Stan Werakso
Staff Professional Co-ordinator

Holtermann Columns

The Plagues of Exodus

Scientific Theories for Egypt’s Historic Disasters

J. Y. Gao

BIBLICAL MIRACLES HAVE LONG BEEN HELD AS PROOF OF GOD’S DIVINE INTERVENTION ON EARTH—THE TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT ARE PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS EXAMPLES OF GOD’S SHOWCASE OF POWER. These miracles would have been negligible and insignificant to atheists and a secularising world were it not for their historical accuracy. It is precisely a repeated uncovering of archeological evidence aligning with biblical stories that have kept both the secular double-guessing, and the religious looking to reaffirm their faith. 

In light of growing scientific capacity, alternate narratives that explain these miracles have been formed; this article will explore the specific plagues of Egypt, and offer a secondary voice to the dominant Christian narrative. 

Tectonic movements around Egypt have long been under the study of geologists and archeologists alike, and may provide the catalyst, a starting point, for a scientific explanation of the ten plagues. 

First Plague: River to Blood

In 1984 and 1986, two lakes in Cameroon, Lake Monoun and Lake Nyos respectively, turned red. Due to a shift in tectonic plates, gas pockets trapped in the ground caused high concentrations of dissolved iron near the bottom of the lake to mix up to the surface. When the iron came in contact with the oxygen at the surface, a reaction formed iron hydroxide (rust), leading to the redness of the lakes. Water becomes devoid of oxygen and filled with carbon dioxide, meaning all living things die. Fish, as a result, float to the surface and rot in the sun, as described in the Bible. This could provide an alternate explanation to the bloodied Nile of Exodus; if so, this event would set in motion a chain of events similar to that of the Bible.

Another explanation posits that the red appearance may have been caused by a red algae bloom, which contains a toxin that accumulates in shellfish, poisoning animals that feed on them and passing the effect up the food chain. 

Greta Hort, a Danish scholar, proposed the redness to be an effect of particles of soil suspended in water during the Nile’s annual rise in July. Millions of organisms called flagellates, originating from Ethiopia, may have caused the water to lose oxygen, resulting in the death of fish.

Second Plague: Frogs

An alternative explanation for the second plague, the infestation of frogs, could be related to environmental changes that made the river uninhabitable. Frogs, being amphibious creatures, would have left the water to seek a more suitable environment. This phenomenon is not unique to Egypt and has been observed in various locations, where “raining frogs” have been reported during tornadoes and waterspouts.

Third, Fourth, Fifth Plagues: Lice, Flies and Bacteria

The lack of clean water resulting from the first two plagues might have led to the infestation of lice, flies, and bacterial epidemics among humans and animals. Historical records indicate that outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as Rinderpest, have caused significant animal mortality in the past. These factors could provide a scientific basis for the description of the third, fourth, and fifth plagues. The New York Times reported this disease to have spread through Asia and reached Africa 5,000 years ago.

Sixth Plague: Boils

The boils described in the sixth plague could be explained by the presence of stable flies carrying anthrax. An article published in the National Library of Medicine explains that “Anthrax…affects animals and humans, inducing pulmonary, gastro-intestinal, or cutaneous symptoms, including a boil-like skin lesion. . . . Outbreaks are most common in areas characterised by alkaline, calcareous soil, and in warm environments with periodic episodes of flooding.” Another possibility asserts that the boils may have been caused by the increased carbon dioxide in the air caused by the gas leaks, which reduces circulation to the skin.

Seventh Plague: Hail

The volcanic island, Santorini, north of Crete in the Aegean Sea, erupted 3,500 years ago. The Institute for Atmospheric Physics in Germany proposed that the volcanic ash may have mixed with the thunderstorms above Egypt, resulting in an image of fiery hail depicted in the Bible. World History Documentaries explained that small fragments of ash may have formed a nucleus that resembles hail.

Eighth Plague: Locusts

Siro Trvisanato, a molecular biologist, suggests that the weather disturbances resulted in higher precipitation and humidity. World History Documentaries offer a similar explanation: a disturbance in weather caused locusts, common in that part of the world, to land. Rising temperatures after the hailstorm may have caused temperatures to rise, and locusts to rise with it.

Ninth Plague: Darkness

The giant ash cloud of Santorini’s eruption, measuring 40 km high and 200 km across, would have made its way to Egypt and engulfed the people in “palpable darkness” (Exodus 10:21—Majority Standard Bible translation). Professor Jean Stanley of the Smithsonian Institute discovered Santorini ash in the Nile Delta. 

Tenth Plague: Killing of Firstborns

At Lake Nyos in 1986, after it had turned red, 1,800 villagers were found dead, having shown no signs of struggle. The carbon dioxide buildup in the lake had swept across the ground, being heavier than air, and suffocated the population in their sleep. A similar event may have happened in Egypt. It was tradition that firstborns slept on low beds close to the ground, whilst their other siblings slept on balconies and rooftops. At the same time, the Israelites, sitting up at their first Passover meal, did not feel a thing.

An article published in the Clinical Microbiology Review reveals the algae bloom proposed earlier releases mycotoxins which are poisonous to humans. Moreover, grain contaminated with these mycotoxins may have caused many firstborns to die early, as firstborns might have been the first to pick the grain.

Centenary Cup Retained

The First XV Defend The Bridge

F. A. Loxton

EVER SINCE LAST YEAR’S SHORE VS RIVERVIEW FIRST XV CLASH, WHICH BROKE A SIX-YEAR DROUGHT OF WINNING A GPS MATCH, THIS YEAR’S FIRST XV GAME AGAINST RIVERVIEW WAS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED. Shore was as hungry as ever to get the win once again. With the fixture set to be played at Northbridge, a ground on which Shore are undefeated this year, with much support from the Blue and White Army, the match was set to be a memorable one, with 25 minutes proving to be just enough time to make it from School to the Hawker stand before kickoff at 3:15pm.

A true army of Shore boys showed up to support the First XV, fiercely outnumbering Riverview, whose school day did not finish until 3:30pm. Backed by what was most probably the loudest crowd in years, Shore started strongly, scoring and converting an early try from a brilliant dummy from Hugo Orpin. It was clear from the outset that the boys were fired up, fueled by their loss the previous week and inspired by the gripping atmosphere. 

However, Riverview were determined, showcasing a brilliant backline that was dominant early, led by Captain Liam Grover. With the forwards contest looking to be evenly matched, Riverview looked to attack through their five-eight, Joe Dillon’s high ball, proving a huge challenge in the wet conditions. Hugo Orpin was equally matched to the challenge, managing field position well, limiting Riverview’s chances to utilise the speed of their outside backs.

Strong maul defence saw Riverview miss a chance at a rolling maul try, before Shore struck again off the back of a 50-22 from flyhalf Ben Whatley. James Warner was the try-scorer, who has proved himself as one of the leading try-scorers in the competition, with the First  XV’s rolling maul continuing to challenge the best defences in the competition, and Hugo Orpin converted once again. By this point, the First XV looked to have silenced the strong Riverview outfit, and the Blue and White Army could not be happier about it.

However, as all great sides do, momentum swung as quick as a blink, as Riverview scored quickly off a rolling maul and once again just before half-time, through a 60 metre run from Liam Grover. This made the half-time score 14-10, with Riverview failing to convert two tries in the corner.

The opening 20 minutes of the second-half were a back-and-forward battle, with neither team giving in, before Liam Grover received a cunning offload from Joe Dillon, providing Riverview with their first lead of the match. What followed was territory conceded by Riverview, and shortly after a missed penalty goal, Henry Connick scored in the corner to steal back the lead.

Another lead change saw winger Tom Hartman score in the corner for Riverview, off an overlap, as they looked to steal the game. Yet in the game’s dying moments, Marshall Le Maitre crashed over in a pick and drive in front of the posts to see Shore take a six-point lead, much to the excitement of the Blue and White Army. And, despite Riverview’s efforts on Shore’s line in the final moments, a knock-on saw the First XV gain their first win of the season before the long weekend.

Ultimately, to say the match was suspenseful would be an understatement, and the men of the Shore First XV certainly do deserve much praise for their efforts. And, with an undefeated King’s side to be played at Northbridge tomorrow, it is encouraged that every boy gets out and joins the Blue and White Army in the Hawker Stand.

A Birthday Fit for a King

The Relevance of Modern Monarchy

P. P. Zhang

THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT SAYING THE WORDS “KING’S BIRTHDAY” THAT FEELS SLIGHTLY AMISS. Unless you were born before 1952, the year in which Queen Elizabeth II took the throne, for many Australians, last Monday marked our inaugural King’s Birthday long weekend. Despite the King’s actual birthday being on the 14 of November 1948, Australia, being the constitutional monarchy it is, follows the British tradition of celebrating on the second Monday of June each year. Historically, the tradition began with George II in 1748, who felt that his actual birth month, November, was too cold to have a celebration. For many of us, the long weekend is an excuse to simply have an extra day off school or work, with little thought given to the monarchical origins of the holiday. Unlike other public holidays such as Good Friday and Boxing Day, most businesses will still remain open, albeit some with reduced opening hours. The significance of the holiday is further diminished by its inconsistency across Australia: Queensland and Western Australia instead choose to celebrate in October and September, respectively. 

This again raises the extensively debated issue of whether Australia should sever its ties with the United Kingdom and become a republic. Currently, Australia, along with Canada, New Zealand and other countries across the Asia-Pacific and Caribbean, are all under the control of the British monarch. But what does the term constitutional monarchy exactly mean? 

Essentially, the King is still the Head of State, but not the Head of Government, meaning that he does not participate in making political decisions which are instead implemented by the Prime Minister. By contrast, the President of the United States, a federal republic, is responsible for both of these roles. The extent of constitutional duties end at the approval of new governments and, in some countries, approving legislation and appointing officials. But the monarch is not even directly responsible for this; instead, he or she elects a Governor – General to carry out these duties. Therefore, the monarch’s powers are, for the most part, symbolic. In the past, the monarchy has been seen as a foreign nonpartisan figurehead that ensured stability and unity within Australia. However, in the modern era, Australia’s ties to the United Kingdom have been dwindling. Economically, Australia’s largest trade partner by far is now China, which is also one of our largest sources of immigration and tourism. On the other side of the coin, Australia’s military dependence is primarily on the United States, however, we still have undeniable involvement with the motherland, such as through the AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) partnership. 

If Australia were to become a republic, it would essentially remove the King’s power and dissolve the Governor-General’s office. We would then be obliged to either a bipartisan style of government, like the United States, continue with our prime minister and have a president as a powerless figurehead, akin to Ireland, or a combination of the two in a semi-presidential system, echoing countries like France and Russia. Barbados is the most recent country to sever ties with the United Kingdom, doing so in November 2021, making them the fourth Caribbean country to do so. The leaders of Jamaica, Belize, and Antigua and Barbuda have also signalled their intention to leave the monarchy. However, their position is slightly different to ours, with the primary reasoning being the desire to break the ongoing legacy of the transatlantic slave trade and the implications of the connection between the colonised and coloniser. 

Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has been a longtime supporter of Australia becoming a republic, along with the rest of the Labor Party, the Greens, and some of the Liberal Party. A referendum on the issue was held in 1999, and despite early polls signifying strong support for Australia becoming a republic, 55% of voters voted against it. In recent years, poll results for the issue from a variety of sources have revealed vastly contrasting opinions, with support ranging from 40% to 62%. For the referendum to be passed, at least two-thirds of the population need to be in support of it. While these statistics are not conclusive by any means, it’s safe to say that many Australians simply are not affected enough to care, with the existence of more pressing issues in society consuming our attention.

Like the benefits of a republic, the harms are quite marginal, and most occur in the form of logistical changes such as currency reformation and other minor amendments. Losing an extra public holiday is never good news, but Australia will likely rectify it with an Independence Day of sorts. Even if we decide to become a republic, the constitutional change would still take up to two to three years to become active, so in the meantime, we may as well keep enjoying our time off on each second Monday of June.

Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse Part 1

The Annoyance of Cliff-hangers

E. O. Milne

IF THIS MOVIE COULD BE DESCRIBED IN A SINGLE WORD, IT WOULD BE ‘FORESHADOWING.’ From the beginning of this wild plot, there were so many moments where I noticed coincidences from the first Spider-Man movie. For example, the music in the movie; the Miles Morales theme has the repeated group of notes, but if you play them backward, they play the theme of the Prowler. The Prowler was one of the main villains in the first movie, but the importance of the character in this movie takes shape in Miles himself. We uncover that the spider that bit Miles was never meant to be in his universe. The spider that breached the Multiverse came from another universe. However, its arrival in our universe resulted in the Spider-Man from the universe it originated from never existing. Consequently, while Miles became Spider-Man in his own world after the previous Spider-Man’s demise, the universe where the spider originated remained without its hero. This left that world vulnerable and exposed to the forces of evil.

This ponders the question: Was the Miles we know meant to become the Prowler? 

Moving on from that, the plot of this movie was everything the audience wanted. It had all our favourite versions making their way to or back to the screen of the beloved character. As well as having the idea of a spider society, a place where all the spider people could meet and tackle the breaches in the multiverse.

With this concept, if you’re invited to this place, you are given a wristband that enables you to enter another universe at will, without experiencing any glitches during the transfer. This solution effectively resolves all the problems presented in the first movie and indicates the vast potential for numerous possibilities in this second instalment.

Now although the plot of this movie was mainly based around the internal wars of the Spider-Verse, they did set up a greater villain for the second part of the movie known as Spot. This is a man who was genetically modified to have many spots all over him which are portals.

At the beginning of the movie, this character seemed to be a ‘side villain’. Someone that Miles would defeat before moving on to a greater rival. But due to Mile’s dismissal of this character’s authority, the scientist begins to experiment. He realises he can not only teleport to various places in the universe, but he can move between all the universes with ease. This means that as the plot carried on, the villain slowly became more powerful, and now at the end of the movie, we were left with the one thing I loathe most, a cliff-hanger.

With so many different stories happening at once by the end of this movie, we were not given the slightest idea of which way the stories were going to go. The writers built the tension up with questions like, is Miles going to save his dad? Is Spider-Man 2099 going to stop Miles? Are the Spider-people going to stop the Dot? Is the Miles version of Prowler going to kill our Miles?

The questions go on for so long and at the end of the movie, as the credits played, the looks and cries of the audience were a representation of the pain we all felt. As annoying as the questions were, it most definitely means that the second part of this movie is going to be worth the wait. Or at least we hope.

Caffeine: (Let’s Be Honest, We All Need It)

Every Miracle Demands An Explanation.

E. X. Tan

AS A SOCIETY, WE HAVE BECOME DEPENDENT ON CAFFEINE. In Australia, 75% of people drink coffee daily. Twenty-seven percent of Australians feel they need it to get through the day. We all use the substance to varying degrees, and most of the time, it is perfectly safe. 

After watching our parents and teachers consume multiple coffees each day it really makes you wonder what this miracle maker we call caffeine truly is, and what kind of effect does this stuff really have on our bodies.

The origin of humanity’s use of caffeine is highly contested. Different historians claim various populations as the first to consume caffeinated beverages, from ancestral coffee substitutes in Ethiopia to guarana consumption among Amazonian tribes. However, it is widely agreed that caffeine became integrated into cultural practices in Ancient China with the development of tea. From there, it spread rapidly across civilizations as a valuable trading commodity during Western colonisation. In 1819, German chemist Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge isolated caffeine from coffee beans, and research into its properties and effects continued into the 20th and 21st centuries.

In 2023, approximately 90% of adults consume caffeine in some form every day, a figure driven primarily by the 2.25 billion individuals that consume coffee on a daily basis.

How Does Caffeine Work?

Caffeine is a natural stimulant. The stimulate works within the the central nervous system by blocking adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that promotes sleepiness and relaxation. By blocking these receptors, caffeine disrupts the normal signals that induce sleep, resulting in increased wakefulness.

Caffeine has three main effects:

1. Inhibition of Sleep-Promoting Signals: Blocking adenosine receptors interferes with the transmission of signals that promote sleep, keeping us more awake.
2. Increased Neural Activity: By blocking adenosine, caffeine allows other neurotransmitters like dopamine and glutamate to exert more stimulating effects, enhancing mood and cognitive function.
3. Increased Blood Flow: Caffeine causes vasodilation, widening blood vessels and improving blood flow to the brain and body. This enhances physical and cognitive performance.

Caffeine offers more than just increased alertness and improved performance. When consumed in moderation, it can boost metabolism, aid weight loss, suppress appetite, and potentially reduce the risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart issues. However, consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can have negative effects, including dehydration, gastrointestinal issues, and compounding existing cardiovascular conditions.

The recommended maximum daily intake for caffeine is around 400 mg (equivalent to four to five regular coffees). It’s important to note that the body can develop tolerance to caffeine over time, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effects. Prolonged use can also lead to withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, and irritability.

So what’s the verdict? Let’s be honest here, no matter what I tell you, there is absolutely no chance that anyone reading this article is going to quit caffeine.

As I’ve found out for myself, caffeine is an absolute lifesaver. When used correctly, it’s a tremendous tool to improve your physical and mental performance. Still, it’s important to always remember to check your dosage and not to become overly reliant on its effects to get you through the day. Remember, fellow HSC students and overworked Shore parents/staff, sleep is still the best solution.

A Mighty Conclusion

An Insight Into The Intercollegiate Regattas For The 2023 Season

L. D. Banks

IN LAST WEEK’S EDITION I GAVE A REPORT ON THE HEATS AND SEMIFINALS OF THE INTERCOLLEGIATE ROWING ASSOCIATION (IRA) CHAMPIONSHIPS. With Princeton’s climactic and unexpected defeat of Yale in the semi-final, the Varsity 8 was geared up to be a tight field. Similarly, in the third Varsity division, there had been no clear frontrunner all season. California (Cal) had been somewhat dominant on the West Coast, whilst the Eastern field was exceptionally level. Furthermore, the day also recorded California winning in the Varsity 4+ division, an exciting beginning for a strong program.

The day began with the third Varsity. The start was fast, with a confident Harvard crew and California crew fighting for an early lead. In true Californian style, the Cal crew blasted out to an early lead at the 500m mark. This would have been an unfamiliar position for the equally fast-starting Harvard crew, but they had not given up yet and were not allowing Cal to make any further margin. Through the 1000m mark the field was dead level, with all of the crews within a three-second margin and Cal specifically having a two-second margin over Harvard, meaning the remaining five crews were packed into a one-second spread (which is about a third of a boat length). 

Through the third 500m, Harvard laid down their push, moving back on California, decreasing the margin to within less than a second, and crushing the spirits of the third-place Washington crew at the same time, pushing them out to a three-second gap. Throughout the final 500m, it appeared that the wheels of the Californian crew were coming off too soon. With 200m to row, it appeared that the Harvard crew were in the lead, but with one final lactic push, the Cal crew surged through the line recording an 0.38-second margin on Harvard. In 3rd place was a fast Washington crew, followed by Dartmouth in fourth, Yale in fifth, and Brown in last place.

In the second Varsity 8, the race was over at the 500m mark. California recorded a blistering 1:21 time at the 500m mark. In rowing, the notion of ‘breaking clear water’ is a nearly always irreversible margin. Clear water is determined by the point when one boat gains such a lead that the stern of the boat, and the bow of the boat behind are no longer overlapping when viewed from the side. Once a crew breaks clear water, it provides a significant psychological advantage over the opponent, and is very rarely overturned. Given California spent a ridiculous amount of energy in the first 500m, the mental boost from gaining this clear water advantage is what ultimately kept them striding out, and prevented the opposition from mounting any major pushes. As a crew who follows California, it is hard to tell if they are a significantly superior crew, or if they spent too much energy early on. Even if it is the latter, it is difficult to tell, and by increasing the margin, it only reinforces the idea that the leading crew is superior more and more. Coming through the middle thousand and into the final 500m, there had been very little movement. As the second-place Washington crew only made up 0.3 seconds from the 500m to the finish, the Cal crew won in style. 3rd place was recorded by Yale who mounted a large, but insufficient push to the line in the final 500m mark. 4th place went to Harvard, 5th to Dartmouth and 6th to Brown.

In the Varsity 8, there were no such theatrics, just as I predicted the Californian crew laid down the law. Being the former crew all season, repeatedly demonstrating their technical prowess and unmatched racing confidence and execution, the Cal crew walked out to an early lead. The positions hardly changed as all of the crews geared up a maximal effort to push through the line. The Washington crew began to make a small move in the last ten strokes, but they ran out of water before making enough ground to be within contesting distance for the championship. The final standings were Cal, Washington, Princeton, Yale, Syracuse, and Northeastern.

With victories in the Varsity 4+, third Varsity 8+, second Varsity 8+, and Varsity 8+, Cal became the first program to execute a clean-sweep in the men’s heavyweight division ever in the history of US Intercollegiate Rowing. This marks a momentous occasion for US Rowing, and the Californian Program, with back-to-back National Champs in the Varsity 8, going undefeated for two seasons. The second Varsity also went undefeated this season, and the Varsity 4+, who only races occasionally, also went undefeated. A very well-rounded season for Cal, and a promising season for some previously more dormant programs such as Princeton, and Syracuse.

A Milestone for a Champion

Lance Franklin Plays His 350th Game

P. P. Zhang

A Milestone for a Champion

LAST THURSDAY, AFL SUPERSTAR, LANCE “BUDDY” FRANKLIN, PLAYED HIS 350TH GAME AGAINST ST KILDA FOOTBALL CLUB, JOINING AN ELITE CLUB OF PLAYERS WHO HAVE REACHED THE MILESTONE. The 36-year-old is often regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and the greatest forward of his generation, kicking 1,059 goals in his career across 350 games and two clubs. Franklin was drafted to Hawthorn Football Club in 2005, as their 2nd pick and 5th overall, before being offered a nine-year $10 million deal in 2014 by the Sydney Swans. The milestone is a huge achievement for any player, but considering Franklin’s past injuries and setbacks, is all the more significant. In history altogether, only 22 players in the VFL/AFL (Victorian Football League/Australian Football League) have played 350 games. 

The match in the primetime slot on Thursday Night at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) was highly anticipated, as Sydney was eager to cause an upset against the high-performing Saints. Not only was it special due to Buddy’s milestone, but also because it was the Swans’ Annual Pride Game, with specially designed jerseys to captivate the experience. 

The game started relatively uneventfully, with St Kilda youngster Mattaes Phillipou recording the only goal in the entire first quarter, with Sydney kept completely scoreless. The second quarter saw a major improvement, with five straight goals going to the Swans to shift the momentum in Sydney’s favour. This included two goals from Buddy, causing the crowd to become increasingly frenzied as he increased his overall goal tally. The Saints managed to claw their way back, resulting in the Swans holding a minor lead of nine points at the half-time break. The second-half was a seesawing affair, with Sydney’s lead reduced to just a kick at the final break. Crucial Swans defender Nick Blakey suffered a head injury in the third quarter, and although he passed his concussion test, was kept off for the rest of the game due to a toe injury. Unfortunately, the Saints dominated the last quarter to snatch a 14-point victory over the Swans and ruin the “Buddy party”. 

The man of the evening was kept relatively quiet for the rest of the night, ending his 350th game with just two goals from the first half and seven disposals in total. The Saints continue their surprisingly strong form this year, with this performance placing them 5th on the ladder and equal 3rd in points. On the other hand, the Swans’ premiership curse seems to be getting the better of them. Following their significant defeat by Geelong in the Grand Final last year, the Swans have lost seven games this season, and won just five. This places them 13th on the ladder, their worst performance in recent years, making the prospect of finals unlikely with less than half the season left to play. 

For Lance Franklin, kicking two goals during the night saw him achieve yet another milestone. Early last year, he reached the 1,000-goal mark in Sydney’s win over Geelong in Round Two, becoming just the 6th player to do so. The famous image of fans flooding the SCG is undoubtedly etched as one of the greatest moments in sporting history. His two goals against St Kilda moved him up to 4th spot on the all-time goalkickers list at 1,059 goals, behind Tony Lockett (1,360), Gordon Coventry (1,299) and Jason Dunstall (1,254). Compared to current players, Franklin is completely clear, with the next highest being Richmond star Jack Riewoldt, who sits 300 goals behind him. In his career, Franklin has been his club’s leading goalkicker on 13 occasions, been selected for the All-Australian team eight times, won the Coleman medal four times, given to the player who kicks the most goals in a season, and won the Goal of the Year Award twice. Buddy also remains the only Indigenous player to surpass the 750-goal mark. The only apparent challenge left is for Franklin to win the Premiership with the Swans, having done so twice with the Hawks in 2008 and 2013. 

While this season is likely to be Buddy’s swansong, he hasn’t completely ruled out playing in 2024 at the ripe old age of 37. Whether he does or doesn’t is irrelevant to the legacy he leaves behind, not only as a player on the field, but also a supporter of Indigenous rights and men’s mental health, having struggled with depression in the past. Because when he does retire, Buddy Franklin will undoubtedly and deservedly join the Swans Hall of Fame, among other Bloods legends like Bob Skilton and Adam Goodes.

Year 10 Careers in Science

PART 2  

R. R. Jiang

Two weeks ago, we covered the first of two Careers In Science events, where our Head of Science, Victoria Hunter, invited Old Boys to talk with Year 10 students about their career highlights in the fields of Science.

The first presenter was Mr Evan Bailey (’11), a PhD student in developmental neuroscience at UQ. He works on the genetic modification and development of brains in animal embryos. Most of his work consists of bioinformatics: the application of tools of computation and analysis to capture and interpret biological data in computer science. His presentation revolved around life in university, research labs, and the social aspect of it all: “hanging out with a bunch of other nerds”. It was really interesting to have an insight into the frontlines of scientific research and development, and it was definitely an engaging topic area.

Next was Mr Jason Carr (’04), who began as a hydrogeologist building dams and sustainable development for GHD, ranked 16th in Financial Review’s annual top 500 private companies in Australia. Later, he received an executive MBA in entrepreneurship and began a startup company Arbiter integrating autonomous robots for monitoring, automation, and human input for Defence and space. It was interesting seeing his career shift from geology to entrepreneurship and how much science is involved in modern-day businesses every day. For anyone looking to learn where science can get you in the future, this was a good presentation to whet their palate. 

We ended with Mr Richie Hodgkinson (’08) and Mr Tom Mackellar (’00), who both work at Lendlease. They highlighted how crucial it is to think critically and analytically about everything, and to make plans to solve problems that will inevitably arise in the process. They showed us their life story growing up and highlighted how although chemistry was more enjoyable, they found that they used physics more in the field. Then we saw some projects they had completed, such as the Salesforce Tower at 180 George St.  It was simply invigorating to see how much physics is used in the real world.

Thank you to all the presenters who contributed to this inspiring event. 

ISC AFL Round 6 – Saturday 3 June 2023

Article from 3 June 2023

During last week, First XVIII player Mitchell Dettman from Year 10 played in the NSW All Schools Boys 15 Years and Under AFL Championships representing CIS. The other associations involved were Combined High School (CHS) and Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC). For the first time ever, CIS won the premiership with Mitchell Dettman as the leading CIS goal scorer with four goals across the two days. Well done!

Last Saturday, our First XVIII were up against the top-of-the-ladder team, Newington. A team full of Swans Academy and representative players, our goal was to worry about our own game and not the scoreline. Although the scoreline does not read very well, in actual fact, we were very proud of our efforts. To score three goals and compete the way we did, putting together passages of play that were Division 1 standard, our boys should be very proud of their efforts. This was the final round of the in-season competition. Next week is the first of four weeks of finals. First up, we play against 4th place, Cranbrook. If we lose this game, we get relegated to Division 2 and play the remaining three weeks against their top teams. The match is being held on a Friday night which the boys are looking forward to. Good luck!!

Shore Intermediates are enjoying their time down in Division 2 with another comprehensive victory. With a slow start to the match, the boys came out firing in the second quarter to take the lead and extend with a 26-point victory. Goals were shared around with many players getting on the scoreboard.

Our Junior Division 2 team are going from strength to strength with another dominant display. This moves them to equal top of the ladder with four wins and two losses alongside Waverley and Trinity. However, Shore sits on top with their stronger percent win calculation. Thomas Hamilton kicked his way to another five goals, now moving him to the equal leader with Aidan Kurtis as the Golden Boot with 15 goals.

Unfortunately for the Junior Division 3 team, Redlands ended up with less than the minimum required to start an official match, forcing them to forfeit and give our boys the automatic win. Our coaching staff and boys were great in offering our players to them to even up the teams and play a friendly scratch match. The Redland players they had were quite strong and were able to provide a very competitive match for our boys.

This weekend is the King’s Birthday long weekend, so no games are on. The following week, as mentioned, First XVIII are playing a Friday night match, along with the Intermediate’s also playing a Friday night game. Enjoy the weekend off, and be ready to go for round seven.

Top image: Shore Intermediates vs Cranbrook – Hugo Flatman

Mr G Tesoriero
MIC of AFL

Cross Country

CIS Cross Country Championships, Horsley Park, 8 June 2023

Shore was well represented this year at the CIS Cross Country Championships, with 15 Shore lads donning the GPS colours for a gallop around the International Equestrian Centre, Horsley Park. There was no horsing around, though, as all were keen to course well at this new venue. It proved to be a fabulous change from Eastern Creek Raceway, with many more spectator opportunities.

Cam Burnett and Jock Fenwicke, two of our senior stallions, were the first to race in the 18 years race which followed soon after the 18-year-old fillies. Cam surged to the front and raced alongside an athlete from Cranbrook for the duration. Cam pulled on the reins a little toward the end of the second lap and finished a very comfortable 2nd to progress to the NSW All Schools Championships early next Term. Jock, the Walcha Wizard, looked to be chased by a filly as he started his second lap – not surprisingly, he also had a super race and finished a very commendable and pleasing 17th.

Lachy Brown, Ryan Gilmour and Jesse Cochrane were next to the course and were very jumpy at the barrier – I was surprised the marshal didn’t need to help them settle. They bolted at the gun, and both found themselves at the front of the field. That is where Lachy remained for the duration and did all he could to break a season-long rival from St Josephs. It appeared Lachy had the win with 500m to go, yet the flat, fast finish to the line suited his opponent slightly more, and he was able to reel Lachy in, getting his nose in front at the post; Lachy hot on his heels in 2nd. Super racing! Ryan had another stellar race, also. He possibly did a little too much work at the start, yet regained good momentum to finish strongly in 16th. He’s my tip to progress to All Schools next year with another season of competitive Cross Country under his saddle. Jesse had possibly his best run of the 2023 season so far, as he was 33rd in a tough field.

James Bestic and Daniel Becker followed soon after in the 16 years race. James had a difficult race with a sore hoof, no doubt a visit to the farrier was required. However, he tenaciously hung in for a grimacing 23rd. Daniel should be pleased with a solid 47th.

Thomas Gray debuted and really seems to enjoy going for a canter. He looks set to continue to improve and should be pleased with a commendable 51st, always mindful that it is not easy to get to CIS in the first place.

Hugo Stewart, James Warren and Benjamin Frantl lined up in the 14 years race. Although racing proved tough for the three, they tenaciously dug their heels in, finishing in 39th, 57th and 63rd respectively.

Going was also tough for the next three Shore lads, as Toby Ward, Thomas Capes and Archie Watson all raced in the 13 years race. Despite running exceptionally well, it was no ‘hay day’ for Toby as he missed a spot on the CIS team by three places as he was 13th. Thomas impressed in his first trot at CIS as he was 39th and Archie also did well to be 47th in another super tough field.

Josh Nieland was our last competitor in the Secondary Schools 12 years race. The field was surprisingly strong this year, and Josh found the going a bit tough, finishing 55th. However, he finished strongly and made all us fans very proud of his effort. He certainly does enjoy his running and will no doubt continue to improve.

Back to Rydalmere for the Cranbrook/Knox Relays tomorrow!

Good running,

Mr M Spratt
MIC Cross Country