Online gaming: pros and cons

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Advice heading into the holiday break.

As Term 3 draws to a close, all of our students are excitedly looking forward to two weeks with more free time and less structure. Many young people are drawn to online gaming as their key activity during this time, which certainly can raise concerns for parents and carers about the amount of screen time our children are having each day.

Online gaming does have some positives for children. It helps young people remain engaged with their peers, learn to navigate complex social situations, and problem solve using creative thinking skills. Indeed, we utilise digital technology in many of our classrooms to complement other learning strategies, as it helps students be prepared for life in the 21st century and develop skills in inquiry and discovery.

However, there are downsides to online gaming as well. We are often concerned with the amount of time young people spend online, often at the detriment of time spent outside or socialising face to face with peers. Gaming and internet addictions are emerging issues for young people, as is concern about exposure to inappropriate content. Psychologists are continuing to explore these issues and the best ways to proactively address these challenges.  

It is important for families to work together to achieve a balance between the online world and real life. I recommend reviewing the Online Safety Contracts we provided to families at the start of the year to determine if any of the expectations need to change. The latest School TV module also provides a lot of relevant information about online gaming and its positives and downsides.

During the school holidays, encourage your children to enjoy the sunshine and life outside of technology, as well as some time using devices.

Enjoy your break, and we look forward to seeing everyone back at the start of Term 4.

Andrea Fernandez
College Psychologist R-12

Parents and Friends in action

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Great family events and getting ready for summer.

Disco Fever
Mercedes Parents and Friends Association were thrilled to host the Junior School Disco, which was a huge success for our children and for raising funds that will support projects and initiatives at Mercedes College. Thank you to our dedicated volunteers who help deliver these fun events, creating great experiences for our children - helping with coordination, supervision, and catering. It was great to see such a strong show of teamwork.

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Save the date!
The next big event our MP&FA will host is the Christmas Picnic. Pop Sunday 13 November in your diary and be ready for a great family day out!

Held in the afternoon, this is an event for the entire Mercedes College community, with delicious eats, activities, competitions, and even the jolly  man himself. And if you're a youner child, be sure to 'lucky dip' - all donations greatly recieved. Donations can be dropped off to the Reception desk in Strathspey House (open 8:30am to 4pm during the holidays) with thanks in advance from the Association.

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Summer uniforms at discounted prices
If you have a surplus of summer uniform pieces that are no longer needed, dontate them to the Second Hand Uniform Shop.

With the changeover in uniform coming for Term 4, donations of clean, good quality items that could benefit another family are welcome.

If you're after some new pieces (those growth spurts can be surprising!), the Second Hand Uniform Shop will be open on Friday 14 October (just prior to Term 4), from 10am to 11am in Strathspey House. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Christine Kenny and Jo Cowain
Co-Chairs MP&FA

Maintaining a strong, connected community

By

Familiar faces on campus and a breakfast opportunity.

Old Scholars return for College Tours
We're always delighted to welcome our Old Scholars back to Mercedes College, and recently we caught up with several who joined us for a College Tour with their children. It is heartening to know that past students remain fond of Mercedes College and value the education they received and wanting it for their own families.

Pictured: Matt Byrne (Class of 1993) and, L-R, Amanda Langton (nee Bugg, Class of 2005), and Romana Panagopoulos (nee Borowicz, Class of 1997).

With more College Tours in Term 4 and beyond, you can refer friends and family to our website where they can find out more and book a Tour.

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MOSA Week events
More than 80 families at Mercedes College include Old Scholars, and we believe this is something special to celebrate. That's why on Wednesday 26 October we're hosting a breakfast for them. If you are an Old Scholar with children currently enrolled at Mercedes College, please book to join us at this free event. We'd be delighted to see you!

Our Mass and lunch for Old Scholars of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and a Playdate and College Tour for Old Scholars with toddlers is also scheudled, so be sure to keep in touch and stay connected.

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Anne Morse
MOSA Executive Officer

The end of an era

By Stephen Heuzenroeder

Farewelling our Class of 2022 Mentors.

This Term we met a bittersweet milestone: the official farewell of our Year 12 Mentors from the Student Mentoring Programme as they set off on their final studies and examinations. It amazes me that the year has moved so quickly; it seems like just yesterday that they were eagerly waiting to meet their matched students.

As a gesture of thanks for their commitment to the Programme during possibly the most difficult year of their schooling, Mentors were treated to a pizza lunch and reflected on their experiences, enjoying a video montage of time spent in their roles and the wonderful connections they have made.

Mrs Anne Morse, in her role as MOSA Executive Officer, shared a story of an Old Scholar who, although challenged by dyslexia, has gone on to achieve her dream of executive producing movies with some of the best in the business. This Old Scholar attributes a lot of her resilience and self-belief to the support she received from her mentors at Mercedes College, showing that even if it seems like a simple gesture, mentoring can have life-long effects.

Students are invited to return as a community mentor after school and, in the meantime, we wish you all the best of luck for your coming exams and life beyond our College gates.

If you're interested in volunteering as part of this programme, please contact me via SEQTA or email sheuzen@mercedes.catholic.edu.au.

Stephen Heuzenroeder
Student Mentoring Programme Coordinator

2023 College Captains

By Michael Francis

Students and educators have voted on our student leaders for 2023.

After a rigorous election process, our 2023 College Captains have been announced.

Congratulations to Eamon Sibly, Chloe Tarasenko, Isabella Barton, and Lachlan Fox.

Again, an incredible group of applicants who were highly engaged in the process, presenting themselves with confidence, humility and grace.

All four Captains are excited about their appointment and looking forward to working with our community in the year ahead.

Further announcements about our other 2023 student leaders to follow in Term 4.

Michael Francis
Head of Senior School

Circle of Friends wine offer

By Michael Francis

Feel-good specials.

Mercedes College recently hosted a Sip and Support fundraiser for Circle of Friends, a national charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees.

To support this event, Sevenhill Cellars provided a discounted offer, with $20 donated to Circle of Friends from orders, helping them continue their important work.

The event was a great success, and Sevenhill has extended their offer to our wider College community.

As we end our 2022 Mercy Week, this is an opportunity to extend our generosity to this charity, who work locally with the Sisters of Mercy to support refugee families in our community. In particular, this initiative supports the education of young people on temporary protection visas.

Download an order form, and return orders to mfrancis@mercedes.catholic.edu.au. Orders will be delivered to the College for you to collect.

Michael Francis
Head of Senior School

College Leadership

New investments and commitment to loyalty

By Andrew Balkwill

Exciting times at Mercedes College.

Term 3 has been action-packed and the campus abuzz with learning in and outside the classroom, complete with Year level camps, retreats, celebration of the Arts through performance and exhibition, and the College’s 25th trip to Mimili in the APY Lands.

Student attendance has been steady, mindful of cold and flu season, with learning on track across our Junior, Middle and Senior Schools, and exams on the horizon for our Year 12 IB and SACE students.

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Investing in play
Construction of our new high performance Arts and Sports precinct is on track, and we’re hopeful of more carparking opening up on campus next Term, with further investment allocated to improve our the play experiences of our Junior School students.

New play equipment will see them climbing, stretching, bouncing and swinging their way to stronger, healthier bodies. Incorporating feedback gathered from our educators, our preferred design has been lodged with the City of Mitcham for development approval.

This $250,000 playground upgrade features a range of equipment that complements our existing nature play areas and open spaces, with interactive elements catering for our new learners in Reception through to Year 5.

All the activities on offer will develop children’s sensory skills as well as support fine and gross motor development. Design flexibility also means we can add, or move items, as needs change.

The play spaces on offer across our campus are rich, with nature play and open spaces, as well as quiet areas where children of various ages, stages, energy levels, and interests can play.

Subject to development approval and weather, our learners will be climbing on new equipment from Wednesday 1 February 2023 – the start of Term 1 next year!

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Mercy Day Mass
It’s taken 18 years, but today Mercedes College students returned to St Francis Xavier Cathedral in the city to celebrate Mercy Day Mass.

And what a delight it was to see the Cathedral filled with Mercedes College students from Reception to Year 12 wearing their uniforms with pride as we came together to celebrate the legacy of Catherine McAuley, reflect on the Mercy Key of Loyalty, and announce our two prestigious awards: the John Fanning Justice Award and Mercy Award.

Each of us has our own understanding of what it is to be loyal, and this year, as a community, we know that it’s not a blind allegiance or form of tribalism, rather a place of unconditional love and faith: central to living with the spirit of Mercy and accepting others for who they are; supporting them without judgement and being a constant, faithful and steadfast friend.

I encourage everyone in our community to think of Mercy as a verb and find ways to support those less fortunate that ourselves; to be welcoming, genuinely inclusive, caring and respectful.

The keys given to us by the Sisters of Mercy, who in the footsteps of their founder Catherine McAuley established our College in 1954, are there for all of us to use, every day, when we make decisions about what to do, and how to do it.

2022 Mercy Award
Today in recognising a member of our community who inspires us by their actions, we announced Commissioner Helen Connolly as our 2022 Mercy Award recipient.

Helen advocates for the needs of others as South Australia’s Commissioner for Children and Young People. She has held this role for five years, drawing on a depth of experience gained in policy, planning and senior management positions within the community services sector, with a focus funding and delivering the best possible community services.

A respected leader and social change advocate, Helen is passionate about working with children and young people, making sure they are heard, engaged and central in how services are planned and delivered.

Like the more than 1,000 students in the Cathedral this morning, she attended Mercedes College, learning from her teachers and embracing the values central to our school.

Recently, our Year 2 to Year 6 students wrote her a postcard – to ‘Tell Helen’ about the best things about being a kid, plus their hopes and any worries for the future.

Helen will use this information from you and other children, so that schools can make their best better.

Since her appointment as the inaugural Commissioner, students of all ages have been sharing their views, thoughts and experiences with her, and in turn improving the lives of all South Australian children.

And our Year 11 student, Sanna Sandhu, is part of the Commissioner’s SA Student Representative Council that is further empowering young people’s contribution to decisions that affect them.

Helen Connolly, thank you, for everything you do for the children and young people of South Australia, and congratulations.

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Andrew Balkwill
Principal

Junior Journeys

Reflecting on an amazing Term

By Kellie Osborn

A Term filled with shared experiences.

Springtime reflection
Spring is a time of both subtle and significant change. It's nature's most glorious and apparent illustration of new life and growth. Just as flowers bloom and are at their very best, we too can seek to become the best versions of ourselves as we prepare for Term 4 and enter the home stretch for the academic year.

This spring break is a perfect time to pause, relax, and reflect on our achievements. With a sense of self-achievement, we can be inspired to even greater pursuits moving forward.

During Term 3 our Junior School students did much to reflect on. Whether involved in Learning Conferences, assemblies and student leadership roles, visits from grandparents, or excursions for Units of Inquiry, every year level has a wealth of experiences from which to draw achievement.

Our Year 4 classes, for example, made a number of Service Learning visits to Brownhill Creek. In Year 5 students began their PYP Exhibition Process. Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 students received visits from their Year 12 buddies, and everyone had a ball at Book Week Parade and the Junior School Disco.

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Appreciating our networks
As well as reflecting on our own achievements, this time of pause is an opportunity to appreciate the rich opportunities we enjoy at Mercedes and acknowledge what we might sometimes take for granted.

A sincere thank you to our parents, grandparents, and friends who enrich our community through their presence and active involvement in school life. We continue to be grateful for every contribution that enhances our rich and diverse school culture.

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Celebration of the Sacraments
At our Junior School assembly in Week 10 we congratulated students who have received their First Sacraments. These students received their Reconciliation, Confirmation and, finally, their First Holy Communion Sacrament. Together with their families, they have been preparing with the Emmaus Parish and the St Paul of the Cross Parish. We are so very proud of them and wish them all the very best as they continue their spiritual journey.

St Paul of the Cross	Emmaus Parish
Lelia Ying (Year 4) Alexis Cuevas (Year 3) Maya Nazzari (Year 4) Scarlett Nazzari (Year 4) Isabella Nazzari (Year 3) Ortensia Primavera (Year 6)	Sophie Sach (Year 4) Isabella Capurso (Year 2) Amelia Ciplys (Year 6) Lincoln Ciplys (Year 4) Isobel Fitzgerald (Year 6) Olivia Morton (Year 4) Elijah Bronicki (Year 3) Elessia Coscarella (Year 7) Matteo Coscarella (Year 4)

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Year 4 Netball Champions
This week our Year 4 netball girls won their Grand Final against Unley Primary School! Congratulations to this hard-working team and their coach Cath Hicks on a fantastic end to your winter sports season.

Back row: Emily Hicks, Makaidie Mitchell, Charlotte Marold, Annabelle Hosford, Lucy Coligan, Lelia Ying, Sophie Sach. Front row: Olivia Morton, Eliza Voight, Susannah Moretti, Eve Drabsch.

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Rest well and stay safe over these school holidays.

Kellie Osborn
Head of Junior School

Middle Moments

Excitement of camps

By Ben Dray

Our Year 8 and Year 9 cohorts reflect on their experiences.

Year 8 Camp
In Week 8, our Year 8 cohort attended Aquatics Camp on the Murray River. Students had the opportunity to develop a greater sense of self, and explore opportunities and activities in the great outdoors. Below is a reflection from one of our students.

"Year 8 camp was an exciting experience that I would repeat any chance I get. We learned about water safety and participated in many activities that helped us to grow our skill set. We went all the way to Murray Bridge and stayed in tents at the Murraylands Aquatic Centre. Some activities such as sailing taught us about teamwork and how we needed to work together to successfully pilot the sailing boats. Kayaking and canoeing also taught us about teamwork because the better we worked together, the faster we went and the better the experience was.

We were also pushed to get out of our comfort zone and try something new. I tried knee-boarding and it was brilliant, and the same thing happened with water-skiing. I tried it so that I could at the very least say I made an attempt and I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. At the end of the day there were lots of fun activities that you could do before bed, or you could go straight to bed for rest. The activities helped us to relax before bed and connect with our peers."
Grace Brereton, 8TN

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Year 9 Break Free and Being Boys Programmes
Our Break Free and Being Boys Programmes are opportunities for students to bond and learn in a safe environment alongside same-gendered peers. This Term both groups went on camps and below are some reflections from students.

"The Being Boys camp held at Douglas Scrub was an amazing experience for all the boys in Year 9. We enjoyed getting out with nature and away from technology, setting up camp in tents, a three-hour solitude, team building exercises, bouldering, cooking our own dinner and breakfast, campfires, paintball and much more. I felt I learnt a lot during the three-day camp, about myself and the people around me."
Lakai Randall, 9AH

"Being Boys is a great programme because it makes you feel like you to get to know the other boys and you feel like they’re in the same situation as you in many ways. The camp happened at the end of the course and was a chance to get around the fire and talk with each other, show a different side and to listen. I really enjoyed spending time with friends, learning about what they are going through and what they hope to do in the future. I learnt that to get of your comfort space is healthy, to express your feelings and not worry about others judging you." 
Zedekiah Fielding, 9LJ

"I enjoyed setting up my cabin with my group as it made me feel closer to them, and over the camp I got along with them. I learnt new things about my group members and they learnt new things about me. Socialising with the other groups was also fun, especially when we did the paintball." 
Yoli Ruciak, 9LJ

"In the sessions, I enjoyed getting to know my group as well as spend time with them while we got prepared for camp in Week 9. Every week one pair from each group had to bring food for their individual groups. I enjoyed getting to know Ms. Hartley (our group leader) as we got to see a different side of her, which was fun because we don’t see that side of her in class."
Emma Newton-Webb, 9LJ

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Term 4
I wish all students and families a safe and relaxing term break and look forward to seeing everyone in Week 1 of Term 4 ready to go for an exciting finish to our academic year.

Ben Dray
Head of Middle School

Senior Stories

Mimili Trek takes flight and more

By Michael Francis

Special achievements and experiences.

2022 STEP Trek to Mimili
After a long wait, a well prepared group of students and staff, led expertly by Mr Steve Wasilewski, travelled to the Mimili community and continued a 25 year-long connection. Without fail, those who made the Trek returned with a heightened understanding of Indigenous culture, and a determination to share their understanding with peers. This Trek experience has once again inspired another group of young people to explore their cultural understanding at a deeper level and take these lessons into their future – truly a legacy of inclusive education.

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Year 10 Work Experience
Congratulations to our Year 10 students who engaged in rich learning beyond the classroom during their recent work experience. Work experience provides a taste of life after the classroom, and can help clarify career directions.

Together with recent subject selection counselling, research conducted as part of the Personal Learning Plan subject, and the opportunity to hear from tertiary institutions throughout Term 3, our Year 10 cohort is well positioned to construct a considered path to their future studies and experiences beyond school.

Our thanks to the many members of the community, parents and MOSA members who support this programme.

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Student success
We congratulate Harry Silvestri (10NG) on his football success after being invited to represent the best young footballers in the state at a national event in New South Wales, and we look forward to your continued success!

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Year 12 Graduation
Today marks the final day of lessons for our IB Diploma students as they begin preparations for their final examinations.

Early in Term 4 we will celebrate our full 2022 Graduating Class with a Graduation Ceremony at the Adelaide Convention Centre and, later in Term, via the Graduation Ball. We look forward to marking these occasions with families in the coming weeks and wish every student success as they complete their secondary school education.

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Michael Francis
Head of Senior School

Director of Mission

The blessings of Mercy Week

By Therese Wilson

Mercy Week culminates with Mercy Day Mass and Awards.

Mercy Week Activities
In keeping with tradition, Week 10 of Term 3 is Mercy Week; a time to reflect on the values of Catherine McAuley and founder of the Sisters of Mercy, who opened our College in 1954. Further to the reflections held in Religious Education studies, students participated in some fun, inclusive activities around the campus.

Our Junior School took off on a Fun Run, lapping the Main Oval all the way down to the Rose Garden and back again. On Tuesday, despite the drizzling rain, our Senior Justice Leaders put on a very popular sausage sizzle and craft sale, raising money for Mercy Works, and the busking around the Junior School on Thursday was a popular diversion, offering music, song, and even improvisation.

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Mercy Day Mass
This year, with tempremental weather patterns threatening our big day, Mercy Day Mass was celebrated at St Francis Xavier Cathedral, and it was beautiful.

Our College community and invited guests were respectful and reverant as Father John Shanahan and Deacon Andrew Kirkbride led us through this special occasion. Our 2022 College Captains MC'd the event, and several students participated in readings - some in different languages - the Entrance Procession, and Offertory Procession, and in our choir.

As an extension to the Mass we celebrated two special awards: the John Fanning Justice Award, and our 2022 Mercy Award.

John Fanning Justice Award
Four finalists were acknowledged for the John Fanning Justice Award: Abigail Ranford, Charlotte Sorell, Sannawar Sandhu, and Grace McGowan. All  these young women were nominated for their demonstration of qualities that embody the legacy of the late John Fanning, namely being fair, firm, kind, honest, and compassionate. Congratulations to all of you for achieving this great honour.

The 2022 John Fanning Justice Award was today presented to Charlotte Sorell by John's son Josh Fanning. Charlotte, a Year 12 student, is very active in our College community and so recognised for leading with and demonstrating the represention, action, and promotion of the true lived experiences of our Mercy keys. She is a life-long leader, having been a committed Social Justice Leader since Junior School. She selflessly looks out for peers and is never shy to put her hand up to help.

Congratulations Charlotte.

2022 Mercy Award
Our 2022 Mercy Award recipient is former scholar, and South Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People, Helen Connolly.

Helen is advocate for the needs of others, like our student cohort, and highly respected South Australian leader. She has developed a Student Representative Council to ensure young people are engaged and heard, and central in how services are planned and delivered. One of our finalists for the John Fanning Justice Award, Sanna Sandhu, sits on that Council, demonstrating that living the Mercy keys at Mercedes College continues to produce passionate, and compassionate, members of society.

While surprised to learn she was our 2022 recipient, Helen shared today that the accolade gave her an opportunity to reflect on her time at Mercedes College, and how the values instilled continue to  guide her decisions and path in life to where she is now, an active voice for children and young people of the South Australia.

Congratulations Helen.

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Therese Wilson
Director of Mission

Good Sports

2022 Winter Sports Awards

By

Congratulations to our high achievers.

Age	Most Valuable Player	Coaches Award
Badminton
Open	Joshua Brown	Violet Hille
Basketball
6 Gold Camels	Bennett Dickson	Orestes Corolis
6 Green Camels	Charlie Coligan	Joshua Hicks
Middle C	Charlie Kelly	Montgomery Rutteman
Middle B	Jared Cenko	Carl Khouri-Revell
Middle A	Angus Renfrey	Amitej Singh
Open C	Matthew Ziesing	Noah Wahabzada
Open B	William Goss	Thomas Potter
Open A	Lachlan Fox	Luke Burton
Cross Country
4 Female	Holly Wotton
4 Male	Samuel Alcorn
5 Female	Lucy Everett
6 Female	Maggie Robinson	Portia Cook
6 Male	Christopher Cowain	Bennett Dickson
Intermediate Female	Summer Hudswell	Annabel Hage
Intermediate Male	Sam Glasson	Thomas Alcorn
Senior Female	Alexis O'Mahony	Ella Densley
Senior Male	Noah Chlanda
Football
4-6	Joshua Hicks
Middle 1 Female	Zara Downes	Summer Hudswell
Middle 2 Female	Emma Fox	Zoe Bassiliadis
7 Male	William Catinari	Jed Thompson
8 Male	Oliver Dixon	Sebastian Nichols
9 Male	Gabriel Patterson	James Nussio
Open Girls	Violet Patterson and Sophia McArthur	Grace Kemish
Second XVII	Xavier Conway	William Griffin
First XVII	Patrick Hall	Harry Faulkner
Hockey
Open	Holly Goode-Smith	Cameron Niblett
Netball
6	Maggie Robinson	Mabel Hille
7C	Chloe Toogood	Clementine Scott
7B	Finlay Ashmead	Juliette Moretti
7A	Saskia Kellaway	Isabella Martiensen
8B	Cara Dalzotto	Paraskevi Hannan
8A	Ava Barton	Lucy Pfitzner
9C	Gemma Griffith	Madison Ash
9B	Bridie Roesler	Teagan Trigg
9A	Layla Timbs	Annabelle Keane
10C	Abigail Furness	Emma Ielasi
10B	Matilda Barter	Laura Seach
10A	Ava Heggie	Jordan Moulding
Open 6	Sophie Drewe	Alice Golding
Open 5	Charli Faehrmann	Maisie Aitken
Open 4	Amelie Fenwick	Kiara Cenko
Open 3	Harriet Milne	Sabrina Turner
Open 2	Sophia Giannaros	Emily Seal
Open 1	Millie McCarthy (offence) Georgina Harvey (defence)
Soccer
5-6	Bennett Dickson	Henry McPhail
Middle B Male	Thomas Alcorn	Hunter de Bruin
Middle A Male	Maximos Kafetzis	Lachlan Estrella
Open A Female	Madaleine Box	Claudia Paterson
Open B Male	Xavier Nichols	Daniel Cramond
Open A Male	Jordan Lewis	Jack Dawson
Softball
6	Jordan Cumberlidge	Ruby Barter
Table Tennis
Open B	Matt Yee	Cameron Niblett
Open A	Isabel De Rosa	Edmund Lee

Good Sports

Celebrating outstanding winter sports

By Tamae Ninos and Josh Archer

A change of seasons.

Conclusion of winter sport
Winter sport season has ended with thanks to our students for their positive participation as well as their families who support them, and our wonderful coaches and volunteers. Thank you for your service to our students.

Earlier this week at our presentations, we celebrated award winners across our Middle and Senior School sports teams. Congratulations to those deemed Most Valuable Player or received a Coach's Award, and congratulations to ourstudents who support their teammates, and are excellent sportspeople.

You can find all the recipients in From the Sports Desk. 

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Summer sport
Summer sport kicks off Week 1 next Term and we look forward to seeing everyone get involved in the next season.

It is important that every student shows their committment to their team by arriving to training and games punctually and in the correct uniform for their sport.

Please use the Stack Team App and are in the correct ‘Access Group’ to receive the relevant information.

We look forward to more sport!

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Student Achievements
Congratulations to Claire Warburton (Year 11) for being selected to represent South Australia as part of the 17 Years and Under Softball team competing in the School Sport Australia Softball Championships. Claire has also recently been selected in the State U18 Girls Softball team that will complete in the National Championships in Perth in January 2023. Well done Claire on these incredible achievements, your Mercedes College family is extremely proud and wish you the best of luck at these two competitions.

Meanwhile, Paris Needs (Year 10) has been selected in the SA School Sport's Up to 18 Years Girls Soccer team. To qualify for this team, Paris had to have high attendance at school and complete numerous trials so it is a truly hard-earned achievement to be selected. She played in Sydney last month against all states and her team came fourth overall, the highest achievement for SA in 22 years. The tournament was highly competitive, with nine Junior or Young Matildas playing for New South Wales and five playing for Queensland. Paris said “We had a great time playing and bonding with girls from all over South Australia and I was lucky enough to have played with my sister, Hayley, too.” Congratulations Paris, we are all very proud of your achievements.

This week also saw award presentations for the Sports Association for Adelaide Schools (SAAS) and we had three students recognised at this event. Congratulations to Charlie McArthUr (Year 12), who received the SAAS Division 2 Football Medal as the best player in the competition as judged by the umpires across the season. The Golden Boot was awarded to Jah Arnold (Year 11) as the highest goal scorer across the SAAS league in Division 1 soccer, and Joe Ianniello (Year 11) was selected on the Team of the Year as a Right Back in Division 1 SAAS soccer. Congratulations to all of you for this city-wide recognition.

Finally, a big congratulations to the following students for being selected for three SANFLW Development Squads. This is a great achievement and we wish them all the best of luck.

West Adelaide FC	Sturt FC	North Adelaide FC
Edie Davies (Year 7) Zara Downes (Year 8) Poppy Lea (Year 8) Rosie O'Neill (Year 8) Kiara Pierce (Year 10) Lily Braddy (Year 10)	Annabelle Phillips (Year 8) Georgia Emes (Year 8) Millie Park (Year 9) Coco Taylor (Year 10) Sophia McArthur (Year 11)	Saskia Kellaway (Year 7)

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Tamae Ninos and Josh Archer
Secondary Girls and Boys Sport Coordinators
 

ARTStanding

Variety is the spice of life

By

Highlights from Visual Arts, Drama, and Music.

Thanks Dr B!
At the end of this Term we bid farewell to our Learning Area Leader, Dr Loretta Bowshall-Freeman. Through her time at Mercedes College, Loretta has been instrumental - pardon the pun - in all facets of the Music Department, as a true R-12 Music Teacher and taking a variety of music ensembles. We wish her the best of luck as takes up a position at Flinders University until 2024.

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IB Diploma Programme Art Exhibition
We recently had the pleasure of showcasing the works of our five visual arts IB Diploma Programme students in a special exhibition curated by the artists. Each exhibition, by Annalise Psevdos, Georgina Harvey, Isabel Pena Negrette, Isabella Shakib, and Olivia Sampson (all Year 12), featured up to seven works, exploring diverse themes of water, human connections, grief, mythology, and intimacy.

At the opening event students were congratulated and inspired by Old Scholar and professional glass blower Emma Klau, who shared her history of working in visual arts and the importance of creativity to inspire others. Senior music students Maisie Aitken and Raff Raschella (both Year 12) added a sense of occasion with a live performance as well.

We wish our students the best of luck on their results for these incredible works of art.

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Mercedes Drama Company presents Merry Madness
The Mercedes Drama Company consists of students from Year 6 through to Year 12 and is an extension programme designed to provide the immersive experience of delivering a full-scale production.

This Term the Company presented Merry Madness, a short comical show based on the tale of Robin Hood and, with two sold out performances, it can certainly be considered a hit! The show was littered with clever puns, humorous songs, and uninhibited comedic gold from a great cast of students.

Congratulations to the Company for working together to produce such a successful production.

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Alive with the sound of music
Term 3 was certainly abuzz with music, and since our flagship event CONVERGE in Week 6 our music department has continued to flourish.

Our students as always have embraced every opportunity to practice their performing skills, from a lunchtime guitar concert in the library, to mini instrumental concerts in the Strathspey Parlour, Our Year 12 Arts Leaders even coordinated lunch time karaoke in the lead up to Mercy Week.

By far the biggest achievement in recent weeks for our music department was to represent Mercedes College at the Catholic Schools Music Festival. This major event, held over four nights at the Festival Theatre, features performances by choirs and soloists from Catholic schools around the state. Students audition for the opportunity to perform, and our students made us very proud by being invited to two of the event evenings.

Pianist Katarina Samaras (Year 12, featured image) performed a magnificent solo rendition of Ballade in G Minor, Op 118, No. 3 on the opening night, to much praise. Then, on the second evening, our Festival Choir performed as part of the 350-strong primary school combined choir, and were supported by Vocal Jazz, who performed A Place By The River.

This achievement is no small feat, and we are thrilled for our students that they have had the opportunity to perform on the main stage of the Festival Theatre to massive, and appreciative, audiences.

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Thank you to all of our music families for your continuous support and encouragement of your children. Your attendance at performances, transport to and from rehearsals, and overall cheerleading does not go unnoticed.

There is plenty to set our sights upon for Term 4, so stay tuned!

Lauren Vilanova
CEA Music Coordinator R-12