The month of September sees our winter sports come to a culmination. Participants from junior sports grounds and courts to our elite national sports experience in what is promoted as “finals fever.” What on any other day is ‘just a game’ takes on greater emotional investment, and even as spectators, we ride the highs and lows of the game. For the lucky few, there is immense enjoyment in the result, whilst for the others, it can be heartache. For me, the intrigue lies in watching the players adapt and respond to the adversities presented. Injuries, skill errors, big moments and players combatting their own internal voices all add to the theatre of sport.
It is often spoken about the life lessons that we can take from sports, and the most valuable, I believe, is watching how athletes overcome failure. Sport constantly provides us with examples that prove that failure isn’t fatal, setbacks are tolerable, and adversity can help us be stronger in sport, work, and life. We will all face similar challenges in our lives, and the key is to approach these situations with a positive and flexible mindset. Research suggests that those who can recognise that failure as an opportunity for learning tend to be less anxious, less angry, and less depressed in general. Our views about the situations we find ourselves in are within our control, which has important implications. The lesson to learn is that we are in control of our perceptions, and we can learn to react in ways that are helpful for not just performance but also well-being.
If you are one of those who are still involved in finals or have a connection to a team still in finals, I encourage you to look past the final score and marvel at the way that players take adversity head-on and the resilience that is displayed every second that the game lasts. While the victors may receive the spoils of trophies and other accolades, the vanquished actually walk away with much more than woe and are better for the experience of the challenge.
Oh, and just for the record, Go the Swans!
Craig Thomas (Dean of Parresia)
ACC ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
St Stephen’s Carramar had a successful day at the ACC Athletics carnival. After weeks of after school training the day finally arrived. After an early start with breakfast on the go we arrived to the stadium. The results reflected our consistency of performance throughout the day and will secure our place in the same division for next year. There were many successes celebrated throughout the day. Many students scored PB’s, placed in their events and excitingly we had 2 age group champions. Please join me in congratulating our Open Girls Champion – Kayla van den Heever and U14 Boys Champion – Mitchell Callcott.
Stephanie Ransom
Yr 7-10 BADMINTON
St Stephen’s Carramar entered 8 teams into the Badminton WA tournament for Yr7-10. All teams put up a great fight. One team was successful on the day going through to the semi-finals. Overall it was a great day!
Steph Ransom
LIBRARY NEWS
This term at the Collinson Library our secondary students have been invited to attend Maker Mondays during lunch times. We have kicked off with how to knit and crochet, with students coming from a variety of year levels to learn some new skills and have a laugh. Some students are learning for the first time and are focusing on how to use the needles. Other students are working away on existing projects and are even teaching some of our other students what to do! Our numbers are growing every week and more students are always welcome. See our students from last week below- although these numbers have since doubled! We are supplying all of the knitting and crochet materials, so please come along if you are interested.
Emma Cornell (Teacher Librarian)
PROPEL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Last Thursday, students in our Propel Leadership Program went to Time’s Up Escape Rooms to test out their problem solving and negotiation skills. I am pleased to report that the three teams were able to make it out in time!
Mr Thomas
LIBERATED CREATIONS
A compilation of Carramar Secondary students’ writing has been published in a book titled ‘Liberated Creations’, and officially launched at Carramar’s Library. The book features Year 8-12 students’ creative work that was submitted for assessment or written as part of English lessons in 2021. ‘Liberated Creations’ was inspired by the idea of sharing students’ written work that may otherwise only be seen by their teachers – liberating these creations. The launch included special readings by some student authors and year level awards in recognition of students’ work. Copies of the book will be available in the Carramar and Duncraig Libraries soon.
LEAVERS SHIELD
Carramar Year 12s put teachers to the test during the annual Leavers Shield competition, with students competing against teachers in traditional sports including volleyball and netball, as well as the all-time favourite card game UNO (testing the strategy and game plan of all players!). Staff had a flying start with wins in badminton, volleyball and netball, only to have students make a spirited comeback winning UNO and basketball. Congratulations to staff, winning 3-2 to take the overall Shield for 2022!
NEW WEBSITE
Check out our new-look St Stephen’s School website which launched recently! Featuring information about learning, care, extra-curricular activities and more, as well as latest news and Alumni stories, the new website is easy to navigate and showcases all of the opportunities available to students at St Stephen’s School. Visit
https://www.ststephens.wa.edu.au/Special thanks to Alumni Alan Jennings (Duncraig ’93) and his team at
Key2 and Carramar Class of 2018’s Callum Smith and his crew from
Csmith Photography for their work on the project.
IT’S IN THE BAG 2022!
Each November Share the Dignity donate thousands of bags to women in need. Each bag is filled with essentials and gifts to help women, teenagers and new mums in crisis or emergency accommodation.
Over the past 5 years our Secondary girls have been collecting and packing these bags.
WE NEED YOU to help make 2022 our BIGGEST year and beat our previous bag record of 130 bags!
Please consider donating your pre-loved handbags or pop into your local Salvo’s and grab a bag from there. We also want those unopened toiletries hiding in the back of your bathrooms. Most importantly, we need sanitary products, unopened pads and tampons, cups or underwear. Women shouldn’t have to choose between feeding themselves and their children or buying sanitary items.
Student’s can drop donations to the Charis photocopier room. Donations close 15 November.
More information can be obtained from the following link: https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/itsinthebag
Lesley Nation
FUSION EXHIBITION 2022
