theStarPublished for the

Methodist Ladies’ College communityRegistered by Australia Post

Publication No. VBQ 6695

Volume 28 No. 2 November 2014

Ali Wilson Graduated MLC 2007, living in New York. HR Senior Associate at PwC New York.

world-ready women

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From the PrincipalWorld-ready women

I am delighted to be leading MLC as the College’s eighth Principal. I have been made to feel very welcome since arriving in April, and I have immensely enjoyed meeting and getting to know students, parents, staff, Old Collegians and members of the wider MLC family. Ours is a truly dynamic learning community, with an internationally respected culture of innovation and excellence in learning and teaching.

One of MLC’s key strengths is our provision of an education that equips students with the capacity to live and act as citizens of the world. From our many programs and partnerships that foster intercultural understanding to our delivery of the curriculum using the latest communication technologies, we are equipping our girls with the attitudes and skills to take their place in a globalised society.

Embracing ‘global citizenship’ is crucial in the 21st century, as technology facilitates the spread of ideas and opportunities to all corners of the earth.

International organisations such as the G20 and the UN are actively promoting global citizenship, recognising what can be achieved through participation in, and contribution to, the global community. From the UN’s International Day of the Girl Child, which raises awareness about all issues concerning gender inequality around the world, to World Teachers’ Day, which recognises that teachers are the world’s most powerful force for equity, access and quality education, international movements are underway to deliver a more promising future for the world’s citizens.

Naturally, the vital role played by schools in developing global citizenship has been gaining traction. The United Nations Secretary General’s Global Initiative on Education, Global Education First, calls on nations and their education systems to ‘promote respect and responsibility across cultures, countries and regions’ and ‘cultivate an active care for the world and for those with whom we share it.’ The campaign laments a lack of leadership on global citizenship but it is in this space that MLC is at the forefront. We are, for example, one of only five schools worldwide participating in a pilot program administered by the Council of International Schools (CIS) to become a CIS certified school. As part of this process, we have developed our own definition of global citizenship, which features four core behaviours fostered across all areas of College life: awareness, appreciation, understanding and responsibility (read more on page 2).

Having a global mindset is important for young people forging careers as economic, technological and demographic forces transform the way we live and work. Global businesses show us what’s possible, operating across numerous locations and within multiple cultural contexts. Analysts suggest that companies within emerging economies – many of which are in our region – will play a more prominent role than ever in providing employment and career opportunities for the next generation (research by the McKinsey Global Institute suggests emerging economies’ representation among Fortune Global 500 companies could jump to more than 45 per cent by 2025). Thus, education must prepare students to thrive in diverse communities and across varying cultural contexts.

Indeed, MLC girls are well placed to explore and understand the perspectives of different cultures. Our current student body includes girls from more than 20 different nationalities as well as many teachers from other nations who have chosen to make Melbourne their home. While visiting a Spanish class recently, I was privileged to participate in a cross-cultural activity that included perspectives from class members whose families originate from Columbia, China, India, Poland and Australia. MLC’s Boarding House enjoys a similar diversity of students from many nations and cultures and from rural and regional areas in Australia. I encourage you to read about how the supportive Tiddeman House environment serves to prepare students for their future as global citizens, on page 16.

MLC girls will continue to be inspired by past students who consistently achieve success across a myriad of fields, both locally and throughout the world. More than 1000 past

students currently live and work overseas and I recently had the opportunity to attend an MLC reunion in London. There, I was delighted to meet women engaged in a wide range of careers, among them Oxford University professor, Kylie Vincent (1993), award-winning architect, Emma Watson (1987), musician, Christine Tinker (Stevenson 1973), marketer and entrepreneur, Sarah McCubbin (1993), sports scientist, Megan Blackburn (1988), investment banker, Veronica Kaufman (2004) and many others.

Recent leavers or not, all present at the London reunion understood the value of combining a global outlook with a transferable skill set. This group of past students is indicative of MLC Old Collegians everywhere, who all epitomise the College’s new direction: they are ‘world-ready women’.

With ‘world-ready women’ as our new positioning – and the global citizenship theme of this edition of The Star – we are showcasing MLC’s College-wide emphasis on preparing young women for life in an interconnected world, where cross-cultural communication is a daily reality. These are exciting times indeed.

Diana Vernon, Principal

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We’re going digital

MLC aims to communicate with all members of its community in the manner that best meets their needs. The College is increasingly moving its communications to a digital format.

We are keen to know if members of our community would like to receive future editions of The Star as a digital edition or as a hard copy. Please advise us of your preference by returning the reply paid form on the front of the mailing sheet enclosed with this issue. You may also express your preference by emailing foundation@mlc.vic.edu.au and advising whether you are a past student, current parent, prospective parent, or friend of the College. Alternatively, please contact Maria Mercuri, Manager, Development and Advancement on +61 3 9274 6308.

Credits

Editor and project management Cathy Wever Communication Email cathy@cathywever.com.au

Editorial committee Fiona Hughes, Lou Kubicki, Maria Mercuri, Cathy Wever

Community news MLC Development and Advancement Office Email alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.au Telephone +61 3 9274 6357

MLC Development and Advancement Office and MLC Foundation Maria Mercuri, Manager, Development and Advancement Email foundation@mlc.vic.edu.au Telephone +61 3 9274 6308

MLC Admissions Fiona Hughes, Director of Admissions and Marketing Email admissions@mlc.vic.edu.au Telephone +61 3 9274 6316

Cover image

Ali Wilson Graduated MLC 2007, living in New York. HR Senior Associate at PwC New York.

To uphold the environmental values of the staff and students of MLC, this is printed on ‘Revive Pure Silk’ paper. This paper is certified carbon neutral and FSC 100% recycled. The pulp used is processed chlorine free and is manufactured by an ISO 14001 certified mill.

Contents

From the Principal ........................... 3

Introducing Principal, Diana Vernon .... 4

In focus: embracing language and culture .. 5

MLC’s international outlook ............... 6

A global qualification ...................... 8

Join a club with a global twist ........... 9

Global connections and opportunities ... 10

Staff spotlights .............................. 12

Environmental stewardship .............. 13

All the world’s a stage ................... 14

Boarders without borders ................ 16

Sport: participation and success ...... 17

MLC News .................................. 18

MLC’s Rhodes Scholars .................. 20

2014 Annual Foundation Dinner ...... 21

Parents’ Association news ............... 22

The Stella Argentea Society............. 23

OCC news .................................. 24

Forthcoming events ........................ 25

Community news .......................... 26

Where in the world are they now? .... 28

Reunions ..................................... 30

Reunion and OCC Branches dates .......32

MLC Community notices ................. 33

Update: Council of International Schools certification process

Developing global citizenship is a key focus for 21st century educators. Forming a clear understanding of what it means to be an internationally minded school that produces global citizens is important at MLC for a number of reasons. These include: that MLC represents over 22 nationalities, offers the IB Diploma and educates both local and international students.

At the end of 2012, the Council of International Schools (CIS) approached MLC as one of only five schools internationally, to be part of a worldwide pilot that develops protocols and processes to maximise the development of school students as global citizens.

Much has happened since it was announced in the April 2014 edition of The Star that MLC is striving to achieve Council of International School certification:

• Forty-three staff have undertaken the intercultural inventory that assessed levels of global competence and more than 50 MLC school leaders have been interviewed.

• A CIS orientation visit provided 27 recommendations to which the College must respond.

• An International Certification Group (ICG) was established including more than 30 students and staff.

• An MLC definition of global citizenship was developed after consultation with students, staff and parents (see below).

• Information sessions have been held in assemblies, through Parents’ Association meetings, MLC Banksia and MLC Marshmead briefings and whole College staff meetings. Regular updates are provided in the Link, Connections and The Star. A wiki page on myMLC has also been established.

• Extensive staff learning opportunities have been offered in 2013 and 2014.

Shortly after this edition of The Star goes to print, MLC will be visited by CIS to validate our application for Certification.

MLC International Certification Group supporting CIS Certification at MLC

MLC’s definition of global citizenship

Globally connected, infinitely local: Global citizens delight in the diversity of human experience and claim a share of responsibility for the state of the world as a whole. We know that local decisions can have global implications and believe that alleviating unnecessary suffering, wherever it exists, is the province of all humankind. We appraise cultural influences to know ourselves and others better, and are receptive to benevolent ideas from all sources: constantly seeking to improve our understanding of the world and the impact of our actions upon it.

awareness appreciation understanding responsibility [1] Principal, Diana Vernon. [2] Principal, Diana Vernon at the recent MLC reunion in London, with Sarah McCubbin (1993) (left) and Emma Watson (1987).

4 5Introducing MLC’s new PrincipalMeet Diana Vernon as she responds to questions posed by MLC students from across the College.

How has your career impacted your outlook on life? Tara Jadwani-Bungar, Year 10 I am an optimist and an enthusiast by nature and I feel very passionately about providing an outstanding education and opportunities for girls. I have always thoroughly enjoyed my work and it contributes to my positive outlook on life and what can be achieved. Over the years I have undertaken different roles in schools and feel very blessed that I wake up in the morning incredibly excited about going to work. Ultimately, I hope I can make a difference to students’ lives in the way that I lead MLC and the decisions we make as a staff team.After being at MLC for a short period what is your impression of College? Bridget Barnes, Year 9 MLC is every bit as impressive and exciting a place of learning as I hoped it would be. There are sensational opportunities for all the students and, quite genuinely, there is ‘something for everyone’. What would you like your legacy to be at MLC? Vicky Paracki, Year 9 To ensure that MLC is recognised for being the best school in the world, ensuring that MLC students leave here inspired to be the citizens that the world needs and inspired to make a difference in the future. What kind of experiences do you think are important for girls to have in order to become strong women of the future? Vivienne Lynch, Year 9 I think it is important for girls to be

encouraged to take risks in their work and risks in the co-curricular activities that they try. All too often girls are shy about trying new things, in case they don’t succeed. But if you don’t try, you never grow.What, in particular, made you apply for/accept the role of Principal at MLC and the big move to Melbourne? Kali Druzca, Year 12 The reputation of MLC was a strong factor in my accepting the post. The decision to move to Melbourne was relatively easy because I have a long standing family friend who lives in Melbourne and her son is a godson of mine. While I may be on the other side of the world from my family, I’m still speaking the same language, I wear the same clothes, eat the same food and can Skype and Facetime my family and friends very easily! So I don’t feel as far away as I am. What is your favourite thing about MLC? Chloe, Year 3 The students!What motivates you? Ruby Giolekas, Year 8 Wanting to do the best that I can, using the skills and experience that I have, to make a difference to MLC and all the people involved in the MLC community.Do you find the education systems in England and Australia similar or different, why? Ping Qu, Year 7 Good teaching and learning is the same all over the world and there is an increasingly robust body

of educational research which schools the world over are using to inform and develop their practice. In all schools we need to inspire students to enjoy their learning, prepare them to do the best they can in their exams and provide them with a range of opportunities to discover their strengths and their passions. The exam systems in Australia and England are different, however a good education cannot be measured purely through exam results.What do you think sets MLC apart from other schools? Nieve Powell, Year 8 Its size, its innovative initiatives over the years and the range of educational opportunities that we can provide. Why did you want to become a teacher/principal? Kaylin Acklin, Year 7 I was a governor of a tough school in inner London and saw first-hand the challenges and the lack of ambition in so many pupils. I wanted to be able to inspire them and to help them learn and to be more positive about their futures. I didn’t set out to become a principal, but kept being encouraged to take on more responsibilities, and one role led to another and finally to being a principal.Who is your biggest inspiration? Charlotte, Year 6 I don’t think that there is any one person, but I was fortunate to have some very inspirational teachers – so I am sure that subliminally they provided me with the inspiration to become a teacher.

Commissioning of Principal, Diana Vernon

MLC’s eighth Principal, Diana Vernon, was commissioned at a special ceremony held in the College Assembly Hall on the afternoon of Sunday, 26 October. In the presence of more than 550 members of the MLC community including current and former Board members, Old Collegians, parents, staff, students and friends of the College, Principal, Diana Vernon was officially commissioned into office by Rev Sue Withers representing the Moderator Mr Dan Wootton, who was overseas.

During the ceremony, students from a range of year levels presented Diana with symbols including a Bible as a symbol of faith, a globe as a symbol of internationalism, the MLC silver star as a symbol of the traditions of the College, history books representing and documenting MLC’s long and rich history and a

Banksia marginata tree in recognition and acknowledgement of the traditional custodians on the land on which MLC sits.

One student from each of Junior School, Junior Secondary School, Middle School and Senior School, as well as one member of the MLC staff, delivered heartfelt messages of welcome to Diana on behalf of their peers and colleagues.

Other highlights included performances by several talented musicians: Old Collegian and opera singer, Lisa Robinson (1994), the MLC Chamber Choir and the Senior Piano Trio.

The Commissioning of MLC’s eighth Principal, Diana Vernon. (L – R): Chair, MLC Board of Directors, Louise Adler AM; Rev Sue Withers; 2015 Senior Prefect, Evelyn Konstantopoulos; Principal, Diana Vernon; MLC Chaplain, Rev Janet Munro.

Language learning at MLC

Vital in the quest for global citizenship

While recently visiting a Year 7 French and Chinese classroom, a prospective parent whispered to me ‘observing these classrooms makes me want to learn a second language!’ He went onto admire the spontaneity with which our students used the target language to express everything: from answering the teacher’s questions, to asking a classmate to lend them a pencil, to asking for help. It was natural, it was simple, and more importantly, it was effective. This is what language learning looks like at MLC.

Our current language offerings include Chinese (first and second language), French (immersion and second language), German, Japanese and Spanish. Our courses are offered from the Foundation years all the way to VCE and within the International Baccalaureate.

MLC language teachers will tell you it is impossible to ignore culture when teaching language. The challenge lies in understanding why it is important to learn how others live and how we can exchange and share each other’s ideas, beliefs and behaviours.

Teaching culture is not the same as teaching intercultural understanding. The latter deals with the affirmation that cultures are in constant flux. If we only teach students about culture, they remain bystanders and are unlikely to make any connections between themselves and cultures different to their own.

Global citizens can engage in critical thinking and in meaningful conversations around how cultures work together to stay alive in contemporary social contexts. The plasticity of culture is what makes it accessible and fascinating for students. It brings people together not because of the culture itself but because of the rich discourse arising from its evolution.

Berni Moreno, Acting Head of Languages

[1] Year 10 students (L – R): Jessie Li Tan, Madeline Green and Kelly Zheng at a viewing of Belle et Sebastien for the French Film Festival. [2] Year 9 students sample Japanese cuisine at the Samurai Japanese restaurant on Glenferrie Road.

In focus: embracing language and cultureJapanese video stars

Congratulations to all the Year 9 Japanese students who created a video for the ‘Where Can I Take Japanese?’ JLTAV (Japanese Language Teachers Association of Victoria) video contest 2014.

MLC students won first place for their video Unforgettable Memories, about two MLC graduates who work for Japanese companies and look back on their memories of attending a friend’s wedding in Japan.

The students worked together to create the story, write scripts and play a role in one or more scenes in the video. This project was not only about using the language but it also promoted intercultural understanding by learning about Japanese wedding ceremonies and receptions. MLC’s beautiful Japanese garden was a perfect location to record the wedding reception scenes.

Miho Okano, Japanese Teacher

Year 9 students involved in a wedding scene from MLC’s winning entry into the ‘Where Can I Take Japanese?’ JLTAV video contest 2014.

Asia in focus in Year 6

In Term 3, Year 6 students enjoyed learning about Asia. We completed book reports, produced our own travel guides and researched interesting facts about Asian countries. Reading Chinese Cinderella and Sadako expanded our knowledge of China and Japan. We also read traditional folktales and even wrote our own folktale. One of the highlights of the term was our visit to the Chinese Museum, where we learnt about traditional and modern Chinese culture. We then enjoyed a delicious Chinese lunch at the Dragon Boat Restaurant. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our learning. Rebecca and Isabel, Year 6 students

I loved learning about the Chinese dragons, which parade at the Moomba Festival and during Chinese New Year celebrations. It was interesting to learn that these dragons are made in a village in China that is renowned for creating dragons. They are very decorative and take a long time to make. The longest Chinese Dragon in the world is 5.5km long! Milly, Year 6 student

I loved learning about the Chinese marriage rituals. Learning about another culture makes you appreciate differences and similarities. Gillian, Year 6 student.

[3] Year 6 students, Olivia (left) and Holly at Melbourne’s Chinese Museum. [4] Year 6 students, Piper (left) and Lily visiting a Chinese grocery store in Melbourne’s Chinatown.

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MLC’s international outlookOur globally focussed curriculum

‘The heart of global education is enabling young people to participate in shaping a better, shared future for the world.’ www.globaleducation.edu.au

Providing a global education at MLC promotes positive values, assists students to take responsibility for their actions and helps them to see themselves as global citizens who can contribute to a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.

At MLC the focus on producing students to function capably and competently as global citizens is a priority. Defining ‘global citizenship’ and assessing MLC’s performance against our definition has been an invaluable experience for our community. It is also one that will continue to exercise the mind and heart of the College into the future.

Alma Tooke, Acting Director of Curriculum

How are global perspectives fostered in MLC classrooms? Several Heads of Department provide an insight:

Mathematics provides both a framework for thinking and a means of symbolic communication that is powerful, logical and precise. While the utility of mathematics in various occupations is well known, mathematics also has a fundamental role in enabling cultural, social and technological advances and empowering individuals as critical citizens in contemporary society. Linda Shardlow, Head of Mathematics

Through the study of Science, students are exposed to a wide variety of experiences that endorse the aims of a global education. It is driven by course content which introduces, explores and questions the theories and works of people throughout the world and in history. Scientific issues and their surrounding ethics are discussed in a global context, promoting diversity and understanding. Anne-Marie Williams, Head of Science

The prime mission of all humanities subjects is to develop an understanding of the world and the people in it, across time, place and space. In History this means ensuring that we recognise, explore and understand the history of different countries and cultures across the globe. Geography and Politics similarly have a deliberately global focus with an emphasis on environmental and social problems and how we respond to these. Robyn Ryan, Head of Humanities

Home Economics and Hospitality education takes an action-oriented, empowerment approach which enables students to build capacity for critical and creative approaches to decision-making, related to the fundamental needs and practical concerns of individuals and families, both locally and globally. Global education in Home Economics takes into consideration an ever-challenging environment and issues such as food security, emotional health, sustainability and a widening poverty gap. Chris Wintle, Head of Home Economics and Hospitality

Global Citizens Week

Prep – Year 2 students celebrating Global Citizens Week this year enjoyed an international dress up day and parade as well as the opportunity to investigate three countries in particular: Greece, Indonesia and Russia.

Reflections on MLC’s international outlook

Being part of the MLC community reminds me, every day, of a lesson that I hope my students will take away with them as they embark on life’s journey: the most and the least we can ask of ourselves is to be, and to become, our personal best. Thuthi Vartazarian, Teacher, Languages

Having travelled extensively and taught many different students from a diverse range of countries, I have found that what is not normal for one person is totally normal for another. It may even be considered “yummy”. Being part of a diverse and internationally minded learning community such as MLC means that our own “normal” becomes bigger, broader and so much more acceptable…even more “yummy”! Vicky Manos, Teacher, Home Economics

Students from diverse backgrounds have taught me about their cultures, religions, traditions and customs and have inspired me to travel to new countries. Working at MLC has also allowed me to work with Indigenous Australians and learn more about the customs, traditions and history of the first Australians. Lucy Stronach, Teacher, Junior School

Intercultural familiarity is such an invaluable part of my marriage, my IB teaching and my lovely learning community – MLC. Yingmei Missen, Teacher, Languages

[1] Thuthi Vartazarian, [2] Vicky Manos, [3] Lucy Stronach and [4] Yingmei Missen.

Above and below: Prep – Year 2 students participate in an international dress up parade as part of Global Citizenship Week 2014.

Year 9 students, Wendy Jia (left) and Edith Chen during a Food and Design elective class.

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A global qualification: the International BaccalaureateMixing with IB students from all over the world

The IB Diploma is an internationally minded education program focused on developing the learner as a global citizen. The IB course encourages students to be: communicators, thinkers, risk takers, inquirers, reflective, knowledgeable, balanced, caring, open-minded and principled. The 2014 IB World Student Conference was centered around delegates using all of these traits while engaging with global issues. Year 12 student, Yue Pan, attended this conference and shares her experience:

What was the highlight of the conference? I enjoyed meeting and getting to know IB students from many nations including Mexico, America, China, New Zealand, India and Fiji. With so many people from all over the world, I met many with similar interests. It was also very interesting to see how the IB is taught differently in different schools/countries.

What did you do at the conference? We had lectures from speakers in different fields including education, sport

and research. We also heard university-standard lecturers speak on leadership, advertising, business and media.

All the student delegates were split into GAT (global action team) groups and each group included students from many different cultural backgrounds. The groups were asked to start their own CAS (community, action, service) project to promote diversity. Our group developed a Facebook page and made a song and a video focusing on the subject of animal welfare.

Major themes of the conference were diversity and global citizenship. How did the conference approach these themes? What did you learn about them? We had lectures on refugee issues, racial discrimination in Australia, unethical cultural practices versus the importance of tradition etc. One of the most memorable was a Brazilian speaker’s talk regarding the financial gap between different classes and how less advantaged classes are exploited. Her examples generated a lot of debate.

New perspectives: IB learning in action

A unique aspect of the IB Diploma Programme is that, in addition to studying six subjects, students are required to complete a 4000 word extended essay, explore the theory of knowledge (TOK) and participate in a range of activities focused around creativity, action and service (CAS). CAS encourages students to engage in the arts and creative thinking, develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and form connections with their local community through social service.Servants Community Housing operates affordable accommodation and safe housing for those on low incomes in Hawthorn, Canterbury and Kew. It aims to offer a structure in which individuals from all paths of life, whether it be mental illness, relationship breakdowns, loss of employment or substance issues can live in comfort and safety while also experiencing a strong sense of connectedness and being part of a community.

This year, we have been fortunate to be able to get involved with the Servants community and to be a part of its narrative project writing team, which includes students from schools across Melbourne. Our task has been to interview members of the Servants community and record their story for publication in an anthology

that will capture residents’ individual, unique and often raw accounts. As part of our contribution to the project, we have recorded the story of a man named Jamie; an incredible person who has suffered hardship and many challenges throughout his life. Listening to his story we marveled at the way he overcame his struggles with grace and resolution.

We have taken so much away from being a part of this project. Through it we have discovered that by helping individuals there is the potential to make a meaningful contribution, even if on a small scale, towards a better community.

Joy-Helena Ferrari and Justine Sammut, Year 11 students

Year 12 student, Yue Pan (front row, second from right) with fellow delegates at the 2014 IB World Student Conference.

Junior School language clubs

Japanese

The Japanese lunch club is a vibrant and fun learning space for students in Years 5 and 6. The club provides the opportunity to learn the language and culture of Japan through a range of authentic, hands-on cultural experiences such as craft making, role-plays and Japanese cooking. Recently, students participated in manga drawing incursions which inspired them to explore aspects of Japanese popular culture. Through focusing on specific elements of Japanese culture, students can make comparisons with Australian and other ethnic cultures, giving them some insight into what it means to be a global citizen. Through their involvement in Japanese Club, students are able to better understand different ways of looking at the world and learn to value their own place in a global context. Hisae Hatigan, Junior School Japanese teacher

French

Junior School French Club provides Years 5 and 6 students with the opportunity to engage in activities that explore different parts of French culture. Over the past few terms, we have explored the world of French fashion. Our main focus was ‘haute couture’ and we designed and created miniature Chanel-inspired dresses. We then moved on to creating a French fashion magazine. We included advertisements, fashion advice, editorials, an advice column, biographies of fashion houses and designers, and even blurbs about our creations! Michelle, Year 5 student

Some members permanently reside in Australia and some are here only to study at MLC, but all are committed to spreading the ideals of internationalism. Throughout the year the ISC holds a number of key events to provide an opportunity for students to learn more about our diverse student population and the countries they come from, the festivals they celebrate and the languages they speak.

ISC events celebrating Chinese New Year, International Women’s Day, International Children’s Day, and Diversity Week, and the committee’s staging of the Multicultural Talent Show enable all MLC students to learn about and embrace other cultures. The ISC supports a World Vision Sponsor child, a young girl in Ethiopia, to whose welfare all the proceeds of the above mentioned events contribute.

In conjunction with conducting festivals, the ISC also holds and supports curriculum-based events to raise awareness of global connectedness. These include the Year 8 International Forum, the Senior School International Assembly and the Year 11 International Food Fair.

The ISC also welcomes and supports newly arrived international students into the College. Members of the ISC Executive present at the ‘new international student orientation’ session each term to outline the Committee’s role within the College and to assist them with their transition into their new environment. The ISC also creates opportunities to interact with local students, to share cross-cultural stories and to generally assist all MLC students to become citizens of the world and enthusiastic members of our cosmopolitan school.

Marcia Hohmann, International Student Co-ordinator

[1] ISC members selling bags of lollies and sharing their stories with Vice Principal, Margaret Horton during International Women’s Day celebrations. [2] Decorating the ‘MLC Global Girl’ with cultural images during Diversity Week celebrations. [3] Junior School Japanese Club students (L – R): Angela, Megan and Lucy.

Join a club with a global twistInternational Student Committee

The International Student Committee (ISC) includes international Senior School students who come from many countries.

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Global connections and opportunitiesEuropean Choir Tour

After a year of hard-work and rehearsals, 37 girls headed off on the European Choir Tour. Our first stop was stunning Amsterdam – a city filled with bikes and amazing historical experiences. We visited The Van Gogh museum and were inspired by Anne Frank’s house and story. After our first performance in the English Reformed Church of Amsterdam, with its beautiful blue painted roof, we were off to Paris by train.

Paris was everything that we had imagined. We had marvellous opportunities to perform our songs in La Madeleine and Notre Dame, where we found that the acoustics beautifully reflected the emotions we wished to convey through our music. We strolled down the Champs Élysées – the smiles on our faces almost as big as the macaroons we ate – before boarding the overnight train to Germany.

While in Munich we performed in one of the most picturesque local villages, named Ohlstadt. We then headed to Salzburg, stopping at the beautiful, mist-wrapped Neuschwanstein Castle on the way. Our next stop was Vienna, where we participated in the Summa Cum Laude competition at the Musikverein and the Haus de Musik, coming third in our category. Throughout this competition we learnt so much about music and met so many inspiring people from across the world who also played music just like us, in bands and orchestras and sung in wonderful choirs. Our final performances were in Slovakia.

Those of us on the European Choir Tour will never forget the remarkable time we had, with so many chances to perform in spectacular venues, as well as the opportunity to meet international friends and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Emily Ditchfield, Year 11 student

Exchange opportunities at MLC

During Term 3, MLC was once again host to a number of exchange students from a range of different countries. Junior Secondary School students enjoyed looking after students from our partner school in Hong Kong. This cultural exchange enables all students to learn more about each other’s culture and traditions through the shared experience of family and school life.

Students in Years 10 and 11 hosted students from our two partner schools in France – Paris and Grenoble. This reciprocal exchange provides opportunities for language enrichment as well as the chance to gain a greater understanding of cultural differences and similarities. Likewise, students studying Japanese or Spanish at MLC have the opportunity to participate in a reciprocal exchange with our partner schools in Tokyo and Madrid.

In addition to those individual exchanges, MLC was also host to a group of visiting students and staff from our partner schools in Tokyo, Japan and Shanghai, China. The visiting students were hosted by MLC students and participated in a range of MLC-organised activities and excursions. Specialist lessons such as ceramics, cooking and PE enriched all our overseas visitors’ experience at MLC. A number of overseas students were also able to participate in the Athletics and Swimming Carnivals and hence immersed themselves in the House spirit that exists at MLC. Experiences such as these strengthen our relationships with our partner schools overseas and enable us to offer a wide range of exchange opportunities to our students. Students who participate in such exchange programs not only enhance their language skills and their cultural understanding of their host country but also become more self-confident and internationally minded.

Michaela Plumb, Exchanges Co-ordinator

European Choir Tour students perform at La Madeleine in Paris.

Year 11 student, Lani Trevena with her host French exchange student, Jeanne, at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

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Students on this year’s European Choir Tour enjoying the famous sights of Paris.

Junior School connections in Vietnam

The crowded, bustling streets of Hanoi greeted twenty enthusiastic Junior School students as they arrived at their first stop on a ten-day tour of Vietnam, which focuses on exploring the diverse culture and foods of Vietnam from the north to the south. Students visit significant cultural sites and historical places in Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City including the beautiful Ha Long Bay and the Mekong Delta in the south. Yet the events on the itinerary that have the most impact on students are the visit to the KOTO (Know One, Teach One) restaurant in Hanoi and the Loreto Foundation in Ho Chi Minh City – both organisations with which MLC Junior School has a longstanding relationship.

Fundraising for KOTO is one focus of Junior School social service activities and monies raised go towards training street kids to work in the hospitality industry, not only in Vietnam but all over the world. Established 14 years ago by Jimmy Phan, KOTO has now trained more than 800 graduates. During our visit to the training centre, MLC students presented the trainees with ‘bags of love’ they had put together, containing basic living essentials. The trainees’ appreciation was overwhelming, but the best was yet to come when both groups came together to share their stories. The KOTO trainees were keen to practise their English and share their backgrounds with the MLC students and both groups instantly connected with one another.

The quiet, historic port of Hoi An was the next stop on the itinerary, then on to Ho Chi Minh City, another bustling but more orderly metropolis, where the second focus of Junior School fundraising is located. The Loreto Foundation provides education for students with special needs. This visit we were welcomed into the Sunrise School, which educates students from 6 to 16 with Down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy. MLC students brought loom bands and bead kits to use with the Sunrise students. The rapport was instant and the satisfaction and delight when a loom band bracelet was completed was evident in every classroom.

MLC students returned to Melbourne with a new understanding of life in Vietnam and how different it is from their own lives. The tour not only enhanced students’ global knowledge but also contributed to each of them developing a greater social awareness of another culture.

Jenni Casey, Year 6 teacher

[1] The Years 5 and 6 tour group at the Sunrise School. [2] Year 6 student, Janika makes loom bands with students from Loreto. [3] Year 6 student, Emily shares stories with KOTO trainees in Hanoi.

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1MLC’s international partner schools

FRANCE Cité Scolaire Internationale, Grenoble and Lycée de Sèvres, Paris

HONG KONG Diocesan Girls’ School

JAPAN Gakushuin Girls’ Junior and Senior High School, Tokyo

CHINA High School Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai

SPAIN Gredos San Diego, Madrid

TANZANIA The School of St Jude

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Prue Short Year 6 Teacher

The desire to become a teacher began when Prue Short was still a primary school student herself.

“Even in grade two I would tell my parents I was going to become a teacher when I grew up! The reality is even better than I imagined. Every day is different in education, especially at MLC where there’s always something innovative happening.”

As one of four Year 6 teachers, Prue works closely with her Junior School colleagues to develop an engaging program for girls in their last year of primary school.

“Every teacher here is a passionate and dedicated professional. We work as a really cohesive team, supporting one another and drawing on each other’s unique strengths. In Year 6 our overarching aim is to ensure all the girls have a wonderful, positive final year and feel confident in themselves as they move into secondary school.”

A constant joy for Prue is the enthusiasm MLC students show for learning.

“When a topic is presented to the class they just run with it and develop ideas and directions that are even bigger and deeper than I could imagine! It’s inspiring to work with such engaged learners.”

“I think MLC really prepares students for life in the 21st century. The program we offer is very diverse and every student is able to find her niche. I want my students to believe in themselves, have meaningful connections with others and feel connected to their community.”

Prue loves the supportive all-girl environment at MLC.

“The girls are very nurturing of one another and show genuine empathy and compassion. They are also very aware of the world around them, and interested in giving back to their local and global communities. I feel fortunate every day to be part of an amazing team of students and staff in the MLC Junior School.”

Lars Andersson Head of English

Lars Andersson’s love of the English language began in his native Sweden.

“Even as a school student, I always loved reading and studying English writing and writers. This is what drew me to an academic study of English literature at university and also what inspired me to train as a teacher.”

Moving to Australia to complete his PhD, Lars taught English at a number of schools in Melbourne before joining MLC in 2010.

“As Head of English I oversee the curriculum and drive continuous improvement in teaching and learning across the faculty. The way English is taught is evolving. There is more of an emphasis now on explicitly teaching syntax and grammar as well as looking at how texts position audiences to view ideas and issues. The modern English curriculum also fosters a global outlook. Through texts from a variety of cultures, students learn that concepts such as truth and beauty are culturally relative and importantly, they begin to see that there are multiple ways of viewing the world.”

“MLC has a very dynamic learning culture. I feel lucky to lead a faculty of passionate educators who are committed to developing professionally. I also find the students inspiring – they are interested in learning, opinionated and expressive.”

As a department, MLC’s English teachers regularly conduct student surveys to obtain feedback and inform their pedagogy and practice. Lars believes students benefit from being actively involved in their own learning.

“In the English department we have student representatives participate in our curriculum planning from Years 8 – 12. Students are very keen to be involved and to take some ownership over the coursework. As teachers, we want to hear their views on how we can make English more relevant and enjoyable.”

Berni Moreno Acting Head of Languages

When she joined MLC in 2006, Berni Moreno says she “quickly felt this was a place I wanted to make a commitment to. I felt I could easily pair up my own values and beliefs around what constitutes a good education with those of the College.”

“When I started at MLC it was to look after the Spanish department, which was very small at that time as Spanish was only offered through the International Baccalaureate (IB). It has been rewarding to be part of the growth of the department since 2010, when the College decided to offer Spanish from Year 9.”

Berni has held a number of leadership roles at MLC including IB Co-ordinator, House Co-ordinator and her current role as Acting Head of Languages.

“I oversee the curriculum of all languages other than English, from Foundation to Year 12. I try to demonstrate the importance of learning a language to everyone in our community. It’s not just about being able to communicate, it’s about having the ability to tap into other cultures and understand their perspectives about life.”

“We use a number of ‘authentic texts’ in language classes, including current media articles. It’s not all about learning from a textbook these days. It’s more relevant. At MLC the languages teachers are very passionate and dedicated. We are a very collaborative team and we constantly learn from one another.”

Before training as a teacher, Chilean-born Berni and her family lived in Spain, where she worked as a musician (flautist). She experienced a very international upbringing, living in a number of countries during her childhood including Chile, Australia and The Philippines.

“I have always had to learn new languages and learn to live successfully with others. I think these are important skills and I love that MLC has a global outlook towards education.”

Staff spotlights

Changing behaviours at MLC Marshmead

Spending eight weeks at MLC Marshmead is a life-changing experience for many students, who bring new attitudes and lifestyle behaviours home with them.

My time at Marshmead was three years ago, yet the knowledge I gained through living within a virtually self-sustaining community has influenced my life so much ever since.

When presented with the exciting role of Environmental and Sustainability Prefect in 2014, I was keen to build on the existing attitudes and practices of the MLC community. Even though MLC Kew has increased its sustainable practices over the last few years, there is still progress required in the areas of waste management, temperature control of buildings and energy conservation. Thankfully, there is a dedicated and enthusiastic group of staff and students keen to drive these changes – the Green Team. This environmental action group meets monthly to discuss ideas and events that can be implemented to increase awareness and appreciation of sustainability and the environment.

Already in 2014, the Green Team has held two Earth Hours, both of which had significant participation from all year levels. Just one power-free hour saved the College 563kWh of electricity, equivalent to 16,602 carbon dioxide balloons. We also have successfully converted the MLC Print Centre to 100% recycled paper – a change that has a massive impact on the environment given the quantity of paper we use. The Green Team also hopes to introduce a more accessible recycling system, convert the many halogen lights around the College to LED and hold several more environmental awareness events.

Every little decision we make – a substitution, switching-off or consuming differently – will impact future generations and the one world we share. Edie Kaehne, Environment and Sustainability Prefect

Marshmead teaches us how to achieve total sustainability through environmental, community and personal behaviours. As Marshmead is so rural, we are ‘off the grid’ meaning there is no way of receiving power from a main power source. Instead we generate our own power. Each house has a large solar panel that we move throughout the day to capture the most

sunlight. We record how much energy we use versus the amount of solar being produced each day.

All of Marshmead’s water is collected off the roofs of the houses and is filtered in large water tanks so it is safe to drink. We also grow all our own veggies and have chickens, cows and sheep.

Marshmead made a strong impact on me and after many weeks of trying to persuade my parents to get chickens I finally got the ‘yes’ I had been hoping for. We fenced off a section of our yard and made a chicken coop. My three chickens, Henrietta, Sugar and Spice have had a massive impact on my family, as they have dramatically reduced our food waste and in return we get fresh eggs every morning.

Marshmead was an amazing learning experience and I hope I can continue to achieve sustainability in my home and encourage others to do the same. Bridget Henry, Year 10 student

[1] Year 6S canoeing – the balance of working together. [2] Year 7 students participate in a local community service project, reviewing and collecting predator images. [3] Year 6 students investigate water quality. [4] Students in a Cluster Waste class practise the effective waste reduction practice of composting. [5] Kiera Goerke (left) and Michelle Ton explore alternate energy sources in a Science Technology lesson.

Environmental stewardshipDeveloping environmental awareness at MLC Banksia

MLC Banksia provides unique learning experiences which are salient to the provision of a holistic 21st century education. Students in Years 5 – 8 who attend MLC Banksia camps each year participate in a tailored, sequential program that allows them to build skills, confidence and valuable environmental awareness.

The MLC Banksia curriculum provides action, experimentation and dialogue for challenging, practicing and embedding ideology that engenders greater awareness and meaningful decision making about the environment we all share.

MLC Banksia programs are unique in their curriculum-based design, but also that for many students they may be the only means by which they are provided with lived experiences in and about the environment around them.

Learning experiences that develop a young person’s relationship with the natural environment can be as simple as revisiting a place of profound beauty such as the Ninety Mile Beach, or paddling across a mirror perfect expanse of Lake Victoria. The connectedness of such experiences stimulates a sense of responsibility towards the natural landscape.

The sequential curriculum and commitment of the Education Outdoors teaching staff at MLC Banksia provide the beginnings of a student’s deeper relationship and interpretation of the natural landscape as well as the foundations for environmental stewardship to be further developed at MLC Marshmead.

Nick McConachy, Director, MLC Banksia

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Honk! Jr

Honk! Jr is a very colourful and big musical based on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of the ugly duckling. Full of many lively songs and great choreography, this heart-warming story follows a poor ugly duckling, who after being bullied by his dad, siblings and the rest of the farmyard, just wants to be normal and like everyone else, but little does he know that being different, he might just turn out better!

The whole process started off with many eager JSS thespians trying out and giving it their best. The rehearsals were very busy, eventful, lots of fun, and certainly paid off for all of the cast and crew. As the big day came closer and closer, and all the costumes, makeup, props, and sets were put in, there was a lot of the excitement in the air. Finally, when the big day came, on 20 August, everything was in hand and a flawless performance was delivered.

Diversity and being yourself is something greatly treasured at MLC and Honk! Jr was a great way of showing that. I’m sure that Honk! Jr was a highlight of many of the company’s year and the poor ugly duckling who turned into a dazzling swan amazed the audience with his great message to be optimistic and yourself.

Esther Glaspole, Year 8 student

Into the Woods Jr

It was with great excitement that 75 Year 6 students performed the musical Into the Woods Jr in late August.

Based on the Brother Grimm’s classic fairytales, Into the Woods Jr re-tells the tales of Rapunzel, Cinderella and Jack in the Beanstalk with a theatrical twist.

We started rehearsing in Term 2. Every Thursday after school we were thrilled to come together to work with Ms Skate and Mr Royal. Working through the script we learnt about all the characters and how they related to each other. We loved learning the songs, lines and dances.

Opening night arrived quickly! As we slipped into our costumes and our make up was applied we chatted excitedly with each other. It was hard to believe that all our hard work was going to be seen by our family and friends. The performance was a huge success and we couldn’t wait to do it again the following night.

Thank you to all the teachers for all their help, thank you to our parents and families for supporting us throughout rehearsals and finally thank you to the Junior School community for coming to watch us perform! It was a very memorable event for all Year 6 students.

Roshni and Milly, Year 6 students

All the world’s a stageMelbourne Recital Centre Concert

More than 700 people were entertained at September’s MLC Melbourne Recital Centre Concert. While this is a biennial event on the MLC calendar, this year was the first time this concert has been held at the Melbourne Recital Centre, a world class music performance venue. It was a magical evening with students performing beautifully, and while there may have been a few nerves they didn’t let it show.

Over 300 MLC students performed from Years 3 to 12, playing all types of orchestral and contemporary instruments. The music performed ranged from contemporary jazz band to traditional fine music performed by choirs, bands and orchestras. A concert like this does not just happen, it is the result of the commitment of the students and their families, the energy of the Music Department and the support of the MLC community who attend these fabulous events. After weeks of rehearsals and practice, not only as individuals but as sections and a group as a whole, it was all worthwhile as the evening was a truly amazing event.

[1] Into the Woods Jr cast and crew. [2] Year 6 students, Paris (left) and Ellen play the Witch and Rapunzel in Into the Woods Jr. [3] (L – R): Claire Shaw, Madeline Green, Jennifer Yao and Isabelle Goh perform in the Melbourne Recital Centre Concert. [4] Honk! Jr: Jilly Permezel (right) applies ‘warts and all’ make-up to the Bullfrog, played by Hannah Ruthven. [5] Honk! Jr ducklings (L – R): Ashleigh Weine, Esther Glaspole, Rachel White and Natalie Wallis.

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MLC boarders enjoy the opportunity to form friendships with peers from across the globe. (L – R): Runn Augsornsri (Year 10), Kali Drucza (Year 12, Boarding House Head Prefect), Anna Li (Year 12), Elaine Xu (Year 12) and Taylah Cubillo (Year 10).

Boarders without bordersThe global citizen has the ability to move between countries and cultures with a deeper knowledge of engagement than the person who is destined to remain a tourist enjoying the cultural contrasts only. The latter has its merit of course and is an important first step, but living and working with people from all over the world brings with it a personal experience and understanding that goes well beyond the wonder of the visitor.

Boarding at MLC is the immersion program for global citizenship.

In my office is a sculpture of a ‘friendship ring’ with people standing in a circle around a candle which unites them all with warmth and light, their arms outstretched embracing each other. It is significant of Tiddeman Boarding House with our diverse population yet shared living while at school at MLC. With hands out wide, Tiddeman Boarding House embraces so many boarders from around Australia and the globe. We love every minute of this experience and the knowledge that we are open to all cultures.

Global citizenship is not the future, it is now and our boarders understand this. They made their decision several years ago to reach out for such a journey knowing that it will open up countless opportunities in the future.

I will let our boarders speak for themselves about living and learning at MLC so far from home…

Year 11 boarder, Samantha Kwan from Hong Kong says: ‘Boarding at MLC means embracing different cultural barriers through friendship. I don’t limit myself to the norms.’

Boarding House Prefect, Anna Li from Guangzhou, China says: ‘The Boarding House provides an opportunity for boarders from different cultures to live under the same roof, and become close friends with each other.’

Our Boarding House Head Prefect, Kali Drucza, an Australian from Kathmandu, Nepal shares her thoughts ‘I love interacting with such a variety of girls each day, all of whom have different value systems, day-to-day habits, and future goals. Boarding means I am able to unite with all and expand my friendship horizons, breaking barriers that would normally exist; living with someone allows you to learn so much more about a person. I can’t wait to visit all my friends in ten years time and discover where their future has taken them!’

We really live as ‘boarders without borders’; it is the making of true global citizenship.

Cynthia Beer, Director of Boarding

Sport: participation and successMLC swimmers win 14 years in a row

The MLC swimming team continued their tradition of success this year by winning the GSV Division One Championship Carnival at MSAC for the 14th year in a row, this time by 91.5 points. They have never been beaten in GSV competition. Ashleigh Gould and Kate Brooks won three individual events each, Monique Beckwith and Adelaide Wood won two individual events each and ten of the relay teams also came first. Although this continued success creates pressure for the students, it also drives them to work harder to ensure that the tradition continues. There is real competition for places in the swimming team, which means that students feel a sense of achievement when selected. At the same time, we endeavour to include as many students as possible in the team to spread the workload and to maximise participation in the sport. The senior students take an active role in mentoring the younger students to help them feel part of the team and to understand how the GSV swimming season works. This is particularly important for Year 7 students, who are often new to the school and unsure of whether they should try out for the team.

Garry Shipp, Teacher, Physical Education

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MLC Stars netball

The MLC Stars netball program is designed for beginners to advanced players who want to develop their skills and knowledge of the game, while maintaining a sense of fun and enjoyment. The program aims to develop teamwork and good sporting behaviour. We have approximately 220 participants in MLC Stars from Years 5 to 12. This equates to 23 teams! Each team trains once per week and participates in the Boroondara Netball Association with matches played at Macleay Park, North Balwyn. This year, our teams have battled hard throughout Season 1 with a few teams being stretched in higher divisions compared with previous years. Despite this, we had nine teams make it through to the finals with four of these going through to the grand final. It was a tough day, but we came away with one of our teams winning their Grand Final and the remaining three giving their all and coming away runners up. Season 2, known as the ‘spring fling’ season is short and fun and a great way for players to keep developing their skills, get some fresh air and still have some competitive drive to do their best to play off in the Christmas finale at the end of the year.

Kim Callcott, MLC Stars Netball Manager/Head Coach

Student rowers represent Australia

Year 12 students, Bec Joyve, Maddie Bernard and Elise Franetic represented Australia in the Junior Women’s Eight (U19) crew this year at the Junior World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Following their selection, the girls had three months of intense training to prepare them to race on the world stage. The crew made the A-final, a great achievement in itself, and took out fifth place, knocking off the USA eight in the final, who had beaten them in the repechage earlier in the week.

Alison Crowe, Senior Rowing Co-ordinator

Gymnast shines in Glasgow

When I was invited to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games it felt unreal. It didn’t really sink in until I was sitting on the plane with my MLC coach, on the way to Glasgow. I soon found myself in the Athletes’ Village, the place that would become my home for three weeks and change my life forever. I really enjoyed meeting other athletes from different sports and nationalities, and seeing old friends. The training sessions were enjoyable and inspiring but hard work. The opening ceremony was magical; walking around the arena with the rest of the team was surreal. The Hydro, where the competition was being held, was completely packed and there were cameras everywhere. I could not count how many judges there were, but as soon as I stepped onto the podium ready to compete, I found myself doing what I love the most. I was really surprised and honoured to make the All Around Finals. Shaking hands with royalty and coming across Usain Bolt was a highlight but above all I will always treasure the opportunity to compete in Commonwealth Games finals. Like everything in life it has a beginning and an end but it is the journey in between that gave me the most incredible memories.

Stella Savvidou, Year 12 student

[1] Year 7 student, Samantha Schlicht competes at the 2014 GSV Division One Championship Carnival; [2] MLC Stars netballers in action; [3] Commonwealth Games 2014 gymnast, Stella Savvidou competes in Glasgow; [4] Year 12 rowers compete in the 2014 Junior World Championships in Germany.

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18 19The colour of House sport Once again it was another exciting year for House Athletics, with the use of the fantastic facilities at Lakeside Stadium for a big day of athletic talent and House spirit. The sun shone and so too did the students with not only their sporting abilities but their enthusiasm and support for their House. Students were able to participate in a range of track and field events as well as a number of novelty games to keep everyone entertained. This year also saw the introduction of House art with the theme ‘paint the house’. Students worked together to design and make a banner to support their House in art rooms set up on the day. A successful day finished off with the 8 x 50m Staff and Captains relay with House teachers showing they will give anything a go. Congratulations to Nevile – House Athletics champions for 2014.

Guide Dogs Victoria visit In keeping with MLC’s long-established commitment to social service initiatives, each year students from Years 5 – 12 raise funds for a charity of their choice. The students select the charity they would like to support and are encouraged to engage with, learn from and support it via fundraising activities. One group of students this year chose to work with Guide Dogs Victoria and were fortunate to also have a visit from representatives Pam, who is vision impaired, John, a volunteer puppy raiser and Jake, a guide dog in training. The students gained an insight into the work of Guide Dogs Victoria and how they assist vision impaired people to live productive, happy and independent lives. Pam shared her story and told how the services of Guide Dogs Victoria – which includes providing her guide dog – have improved her quality of life immensely; while John outlined the individual training each guide dog undergoes. The students also had the opportunity to ask questions, which provided greater insight into their chosen charity.

Relay for Life At this year’s Hawthorn and Albert Park Relay for Life – Cancer Council events, MLC students raised a total of $20,524.74 for Cancer Council Victoria. Over the past six years alone MLC students have raised in excess of $70,000 by participating in the Relay for Life event. 2014 was the 10th year MLC students have been involved in the Relay for Life event in Hawthorn and the Albert Park event was added to the 2014 calendar. A total of 147 Middle School (Years 9 – 10) and Senior School (Years 11 – 12) students participated in the Relay for Life in teams, along with a further 20 students who volunteered to assist in the setup and pack down, as well as helping out on the registration desk and the Cancer Council merchandise stall.

Senior School students blitz Ethics Olympiad A team of Year 11 MLC students participated in this year’s International Ethics Olympiad, competing against a team from Austin-East High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, using Skype technology. This was a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect and interact with students internationally. The Olympiad itself is similar to a debate, but requires students to prepare and present positions on different ethical cases. They worked closely as a team, and without notes. On the day the team did not know which position they would need to present, and also had to respond to questions from the other team and the judges. Judges included philosophy students and a university lecturer. Our team did a fantastic job in this new territory. They worked solidly as a team, and they presented their position and responses with exceptional poise, eloquence and intellectual sophistication. At the end they were declared the winners of the debate by the judges.

Staging a Play In Year 10, students are given the opportunity to select from a number of elective subjects including ‘Staging a Play’. This subject provides an opportunity for students to be engaged in all aspects of staging a production for a public audience. The focus is on creating a culture where production values are paramount as well as having the opportunity to develop performance and acting skills. This unique program offers a wonderful learning experience for students beyond the classroom. Students can be involved in the following areas: acting, stage management, set design, front of house, publicity, costume and make-up design, lighting and sound design and operation and dramaturgy. The subject culminates in two performances in Betty Jackson Hall. This year’s production of Half an Idea by Bob Larbey was warmly received by the audience.

National MoneySmart School MLC Junior School recently became one of the first schools in Victoria to become a National MoneySmart School. This program was run through the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which is responsible for improving the financial literacy of Australians at all life stages. Through this program students learn how to manage money and become smarter consumers and will continue to be introduced to the financial principles of planning, saving, spending, donating and investing. As part of the program Year 2 students were involved in a financial literacy unit about profit, loss and fundraising. Students designed and created bead bracelets, learning how the cost of materials affects price and profit. They purchased beads to make braclets and then sold their bracelets to other students. They calculated the total cost price of the bracelet using a variety of mental and written strategies, and calculated the profit for each bracelet. This was an enjoyable and practical learning experience for the students and one that they can use day-to-day.

MLC NewsNational da Vinci Decathlon competition Several students in Years 7 and 10 attended this year’s national da Vinci Decathlon competition held at Knox College in Sydney, with all students doing remarkably well. The da Vinci Decathlon involves challenges in ten different disciplines, with an emphasis on problem solving, number patterns and logic puzzles.

The Year 7 team were bronze medallists overall and were also awarded individual certificates in the following disciplines: Code Breaking (1st), Science (2nd), Philosophy (2nd) and General Knowledge (3rd).

The Year 10 team were the gold medallists and were also awarded individual certificates in the following disciplines: Code Breaking (1st), Philosophy (1st), Creative Producers (3rd), English (2nd), Engineering (1st), General Knowledge (2nd) and Cartography (1st).

Both MLC teams were recognised and praised throughout the competition for their intellect, integrity, engagement and teamwork. It was a demanding four days both academically and physically but the students maintained their focus, enthusiasm and support of one another throughout.

Senior School students connect with St Catherine’s residents A senior student tutor group this year, as part of their commitment to social service, chose to work with St Catherine’s Aged Care Facility. Rather than just raising funds for the organisation, the students decided they wanted to do something more personal and invited eight elderly residents to join them for lunch at the Terrace Restaurant.

Principal, Diana Vernon joined the students in meeting the residents from St Catherine’s and was very impressed by how solicitous and supportive the students were of their guests’ needs.

The luncheon was very successful with both the students and residents from St Catherine’s thoroughly enjoying their afternoon. The laughter around the table captured the essence of what this day was all about. The students chatted with their guests as they shared stories and memories of school and even talked about the footy. It was a real celebration of youth and experience.

Supporting our friends in Thailand In June, the 2014 Prefect Body hosted the Prefect Trivia Night to raise money for the Senior School charity, Baan Tharn Namchai Orphanage in Thailand. The girls worked tirelessly for months leading up to the event, and it was certainly worth the effort. With a full house, the atmosphere was buzzing. The trivia competition was fierce but equally so was the bidding on the silent auction. We had almost one hundred items ranging from sporting goods to homewares, clothing to food vouchers and children’s toys to beauty products. The evening was a huge success, raising a magnificent total of $9,896! The orphanage was founded in the wake of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami that left many children without homes and without families. Today, the orphanage supports around 85 young at-risk children from six months to 20 years of age, saving them from a life of tragedy, poverty or abuse. The money raised from the 2014 Prefect Trivia Night will go directly towards ensuring the orphanage is able to continue caring for and supporting the needs of these children. Angie Hu and Ali Dunwoody, Deputy Senior Prefects

Pilot Light Following on from the success of last year, the second annual Pilot Light was presented in late June by MLC Friends of Art in The Star Plaza and Centenary Building forecourt. These areas were transformed into a spectacle of light and movement with projections of student artwork, animations and lighting installations. The Assembly Hall was utilised as a blank canvas onto which the students’ art was projected; there were skeleton dancers and strobe lights. The result was a stunning showcase of artwork across all the different year levels at MLC. In addition to the art element, the evening was a celebration with a BBQ, coffee cart, cake stall, drinks and music. It was a wonderful evening for the MLC community.

[1] Years 7 and 10 students who competed in the 2014 da Vinci Decathlon competition; [2] The very successful 2014 Prefect trivia night; [3] Year 12 student, Georgina Burke, chats with a resident from St Catherine’s over lunch in MLC’s Terrace Restaurant; [4] Pilot Light 2014; [5] The colour of the 2014 House Athletics carnival; [6] Year 10 students, Laura McFadzean (left) and Eilidh Miriklis perform in Half and Idea; [7] Year 2 students created bead bracelets as part of their involvement in the MoneySmart Schools program.

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MLC’s Rhodes Scholars

A Rhodes Scholarship offers a unique and prestigious opportunity to study at the University of Oxford. Here, MLC’s four Rhodes Scholars reflect on the impact of the experience and the ways it has shaped their careers, outlooks and mindsets.

Joanna Monti-Masel (1991)

After leaving MLC I became a scientist, using my skills in maths to make a difference to biology. After a BSc

from the University of Melbourne and a year backpacking around the world, I had the privilege of heading to Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship for my DPhil. The UK was then gripped by fear of new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob or ‘mad cow’ disease, so I did my thesis on mathematical models of how the ‘prions’ responsible for these diseases can replicate despite having no DNA or RNA. Long incubation periods make experiments slow, so during my postdoc at Stanford, I was too impatient to wait for more, and moved on to new challenges. Eventually I focused on the question of why evolution works at all. After all, if you make random changes to a computer code, it seems astonishingly unlikely that the program will run better; why isn’t this true for random changes to DNA? I am now an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Life as an academic has a poor work-life balance. But rather than a boring day job with hobbies on the side, my academic career tracks my changing interests. Right now I am fascinated by the tension between the relative ‘arms race’ sort of competition, versus competitions subject to some absolute standard, such as racing against a clock. I am currently writing a popular economics book on this theme, as well as doing more technical mathematical biology work.

Kate Robson (2001)

During my time at MLC, I was lead cellist of the orchestra, School Pianist and founder of the Keyboard Festival, and studied a wide range

of subjects from French to Biology. I went on to combine my passions by pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Music at the University of Melbourne, while residing at Ormond

College and immersing myself in its arts/music community. As well as still being a keen musician, I am currently a nephrologist in training, medical historian and educator. I was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 2007 and, after completing my medical internship at St Vincent’s Hospital, I moved to Oxford University to undertake a research-based Masters in History and Philosophy. My research focused on the evolution of chronic illness care in the nineteenth century, exploring the ideology and infrastructure which have informed our modern-day approach to chronic disease. While at Oxford, I also helped steer a health policy education program for medical students, and continued to pursue my passion for music, playing in chamber music groups and orchestras, and singing in Christ Church’s 13th century cathedral as a member of the college choir. I returned to clinical practice at St Vincent’s Hospital in 2011 and have embarked on advanced training in nephrology, caring for those with chronic kidney disease, those undergoing dialysis and transplantation. I am also an award-winning teacher and mentor to medical students, and cellist in Melbourne’s Corpus Medicorum orchestra. I plan to continue to draw on my experience in medical humanities and my engagement in the global community, in order to shape the best holistic care for patients living with chronic illness.

Sanya Smith (1993)

After finishing Year 12 at MLC, I undertook a double Science/Law degree at Monash University and had completed the Science component when

I decided to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship. My six years at MLC gave me the confidence to believe I could give anything a go and this was pivotal to my decision to submit an application. I completed a BA (PPE) at Oxford and found the learning very rigorous. The tutorials were all either one-on-one with a tutor, or very small groups of just three or four students. Compared to the large lecture halls I had come from back in Melbourne, it was a totally different experience! Yet the academic rigour has proven very useful in my working life, particularly my study of economics, which I use every day. Returning to Australia, I completed my Law degree at the University of Melbourne, then undertook a gap year in Indonesia. Now, working in Geneva as a legal advisor and senior researcher for non government organisation, Third World Network, I have visited many parts of the world and seen first hand the challenges facing societies with limited access to basic services such as water, power and public healthcare. I believe as a global citizen I have a duty to give back to communities less fortunate. I feel the confidence instilled in me at MLC has helped me develop

my career. I have never felt daunted by the prospect of working in another country, or giving presentations. I look back on my years at MLC and appreciate the dedicated teachers, the tailored approach to learning and the opportunity to have a go at anything, from rock climbing to advanced maths to public speaking.

Karen Lockett-Yeung (1987)

I arrived in Oxford as an overwhelmed Rhodes Scholar over twenty years ago, having completed a Law/Commerce degree

at Melbourne Law School and survived six months as an articled clerk in a major commercial law firm. There was little time to digest the reality of my new home – Magdalen College (an old, traditional and breathtakingly beautiful college) for the pace was fast and furious. Despite completing my degree successfully, I had struggled on occasion to absorb the discussion that swirled around me in class. The extraordinary calibre and diversity of my fellow students from around the globe was perhaps more stimulating than the formal, academic side of Oxford life. Within this cosmopolitan community it was particularly liberating to call myself “an Australian”, without being met with the response, “no, but where are you really from?” which I had encountered growing up in Australia as the daughter of ethnically Chinese parents. I went on to become an Oxford Don myself, aged 25, completed a DPhil and worked hard to forge my academic identity before taking up a Chair in Law at King’s College London in 2006 where I am now also Director of the Centre for Technology, Ethics, Law and Society. My time at MLC gave me the confidence to believe it was worth applying for a Rhodes Scholarship, however slim my chances of success. Yet living overseas does not qualify me as a global citizen. Only if and when we, as a global community, can provide meaningful assistance to the millions who are struggling to survive in appalling circumstances can we regard ourselves as truly global citizens: demonstrating our shared concern, shared fate and shared responsibility for others within a global polity.

2014 Annual Foundation Dinner

More than 450 members of the MLC community filled the MCG Members’ Dining Room to capacity at the 2014 Annual Foundation Dinner.

Held on the evening of Thursday, 22 August, this year’s event was the first to be hosted by MLC’s eighth Principal, Diana Vernon.

Guest of honour was Peta Credlin, chief of staff to the Prime Minister, The Hon Tony Abbott MP. Speaking about women in leadership roles broadly, as well as reflecting on her influential yet demanding ‘behind the scenes’ role in government, Ms Credlin shared personal experiences and impressed upon those Senior School students present, the importance of perseverance, hard work, resilience and determination to succeed.

‘It was an absolute honour to be invited to attend the 2014 Foundation Dinner. The evening was a valuable chance for students to mingle with each other, but more importantly, to broaden our horizons and meet members of the MLC community who have pursued a multitude of diverse paths. Ms Vernon’s words resonated strongly with me as she celebrated the ‘empowerment’ of young women that MLC has so successfully facilitated, allowing us to be both global citizens and successful in whatever field we choose. Most importantly, she encouraged each and every one of us to define what success means in our own lives. Guest of honour, Peta Credlin reiterated this, when she spoke of her father’s humble upbringing and the values he instilled in his children. To some, success is raising a family, to others, it is finishing university and to others it is achieving the laudable title of being the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff. However, as I heard Ms Credlin speak, it became obvious that we should celebrate everyone’s achievements, and in particular, continue to support and strengthen women’s ambitions in the 21st century.’

Aditi Razdan, Year 12 student.

Save the date

Make a note in your diary. Next year’s Annual Foundation Dinner will be held on Friday, 21 August 2015 in the MCG Members’ Dining Room.

[1] Principal, Diana Vernon; Chair, MLC Board of Directors, Louise Adler AM; guest of honour, Peta Credlin; and Chair, MLC Foundation, Brendan Fleiter. [2] Members of the MLC community at the 2014 Annual Foundation Dinner.

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22 23Members share their story

As we celebrate ten years, ten of our members reveal what motivated them to make a bequest to MLC.

Margaret Leach (Bruce 1955)Margaret has been a supporter of MLC for more

than 24 years. “Dr Wood was an important influence on my life and his words ‘from those to whom much is given, much will be required’ have stayed with me. I feel it is important to lead by example. Past students who give back to the College inspire students of today and tomorrow to embrace a culture of philanthropy.”

Noelle Schollenberger (1946)Noelle retains many strong

friendships from her time at MLC. “MLC offered me the chance to overcome life’s adversities and prepared me well to enter the workforce. Living interstate I am not able to attend events at the school. Yet being part of the Stella Argentea Society enables me to stay in touch with developments at MLC while also rekindling happy memories of my time as a student.”

Peg Travis (Shaw 1943)Peg’s connection to MLC extends to her

grandchildren, four of whom attended the College, including one who is a current student. “I see giving back to the College as a way of saying thank you for my very good education and the pleasure it has brought me through life. I hope my contribution

helps secure the College’s strong future. I enjoy attending the annual Stella Argentea Society lunch and hearing of developments and upcoming projects at MLC.”

Ron and Val Cummins (past parents)Ron and Val’s daughter, Jenny,

spent 14 years at MLC and now has a rewarding and challenging career in IT. “I was fortunate to benefit from a scholarship to a grammar school in London,” says Ron. “This left me with an awareness of the importance of providing opportunities to young people who may not otherwise have access to a high quality education such as that provided at MLC. A spirit of philanthropy is vital in any highly regarded educational institution.”

Yvonne Phillips (Sherwood 1949)“MLC’s exceptional business diploma

course enabled me to step into a private secretarial role in my first year out of school,” says Yvonne. “The College embodied values shared by my parents: a belief in the common good and that it is better to give than to receive. I appreciated the strong sense of community at MLC and I believe it is important to support the students of today and tomorrow.”

Anonymous“As a past MLC student I feel a portion of my estate would be best used to enrich the lives of young women and give them opportunities they may not otherwise have access to. I am glad my support for MLC can be acknowledged and appreciated by the College during my lifetime. I enjoy membership of the Stella

Argentea Society and also attending College events such as the Annual Foundation Dinner. I like to see how philanthropy is benefiting today’s students.”

Betty Terrell (1942)Encouraged by her MLC teachers, Betty

attended university and successfully pursued a career as a scientist. “I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to MLC, without which I may not have been able to attend the school. Now, I feel it is important to make a contribution so that other students can enjoy such an opportunity. While I was a student we were always encouraged to think of others and help where we could.”

Emma Watson (1987)Emma attended MLC on a scholarship,

made possible by the generosity of benefactors. “Leaving a bequest to MLC seemed so appropriate and gave me an opportunity to say a proper thank you to my school, while allowing me to maintain another link with the College. While physical distance prevents me from attending functions, I enjoy being part of a group of people who, like me, have acknowledged in a tangible way the difference giving can make to the future of MLC.”

Kathy Hancock (Stephenson 1960) and Al Ebenreuter“I wanted to

include MLC in my will as thanks for a memorable time at the College,” says Kathy. “Al and I both enjoy Stella Argentea Society

events and it has been great to see membership grow significantly. The Class of 1960 is well represented in the Society and it’s lovely to maintain these contacts as well as forge new ones.”

Joan Wilkinson AM (1945) and Zillah WoosterAfter leaving

MLC, Joan Wilkinson went onto a successful career in nursing. Although not a past student, her friend Zillah Wooster saw, through Joan, the value of an MLC education compared to her own poor experiences as a school student. Both are members of MLC’s Stella Argentea Society. “The diversity of MLC’s student population broadened my horizons and inspired me to live and work in many countries, giving me an understanding of different cultures,” says Joan. “We both feel that bequests can help MLC deliver an education that equips students for success in life.”

Anne Hodkinson (Masters 1955)Anne is a founding member of the

Stella Argentea Society. “Leaving a bequest to MLC is a lovely way to keep in touch with the College. I like the idea of passing on the benefits of an MLC education to those who may not be able to afford it. Developing a strong spirit of philanthropy is important to the future of the College.”

Parents’ Association newsBoarders’ Parents

MLC’s wonderful Tiddeman House provides a home away from home for girls from all over the world and all over Australia. Boarders’ Parents’ meetings are held at the beginning of each term and provide an opportunity for boarding parents to connect with one another, meet with Director of Boarding, Cynthia Beer, and review ways in which our group can continue to contribute to providing additional opportunities for boarding students. As Boarders’ Parents convener I, along with Jenny Dev, international representative for boarding parents, also represent boarding parents at MLC Parents’ Association meetings. My daughters, Julia (2013) and Anna (current Year 10 student), have enjoyed my involvement in Boarders’ Parents, especially when they are living away from home. Boarders’ Parents raises funds to provide additional sporting, musical or recreational equipment for Tiddeman House students. The construction of a gym and the purchase of a beautiful piano are examples of purchases made by Boarders’ Parents in recent years. I have always enjoyed my involvement with the parents, staff and girls of Tiddeman House and Boarders’ Parent provides a wonderful vehicle for such involvement.

Karen Druitt, Convenor, MLC Boarders’ Parents

MLC Kayak Club This year MLC, which boasts the largest school kayaking program in Australia, celebrates 22 years of flat-water kayaking. About 70 girls from Years 7 – 12 participate in the program. The team trains on the Yarra throughout the year and participates in numerous races during the summer and winter racing season, culminating in the Australian Canoe Marathon Championships, with MLC usually featuring strongly in the medal tally. Parents and guardians of all MLC paddlers automatically become members of MLC’s Kayak Club. The main role of our Club is to facilitate co-operation and communication between staff, students and parents within the kayak community and to enhance the enjoyment and interest in kayaking at MLC. Through various social functions, the Kayak Club encourages families to be involved and develop friendships. Motivated by their daughters, several parents have embraced kayaking, and it is not uncommon to see parents paddling on the Yarra. Through our fundraising initiatives over the years, the Kayak Club has been able to assist with boat maintenance, subsidise entrance fees to the Murray Marathons and provide some financial assistance to international paddlers competing overseas. As the parent of an MLC kayaker I feel that my involvement in the Kayak Club has enabled me to contribute in some way to a sport my daughter loves and is dedicated to. I also value the friendships I have made with families over a range of year levels.

Susan Sloane, Convenor, MLC Kayak Club

Educating women of the world

After eight years as an MLC parent, my youngest daughter, Harriet, is about to finish Year 12. The world she is about to enter has changed since my eldest daughter, Isobel, started Year 7 at MLC in 2007. Acquisition of competencies to confidently engage in such a world has never been more important and my experience has been that this is one of the palpable strengths of an education at MLC. Observing Isobel and her MLC peers navigate the outside world with such conviction demonstrates this and while their Year 12 results were fleetingly important, how meaningful their education has been will play out for the rest of their lives. The College’s emphasis on global citizenship is an essential component of this education. It seems to me that my daughters’ time at MLC has facilitated their development towards becoming citizens of the world. Such women are informed, tolerant, flexible and willing to make a contribution. Experiences due to opportunities afforded by Marshmead, international tours and exchanges and the College’s emphasis on giving back and appreciating diversity have made an impact. While it may seem a long bow to draw, I also anticipate that my involvement with the Parents’ Association has also assisted in this sense. Making a contribution to the world starts with local communities and while having various roles in the PA over the last eight years has been very personally fulfilling, that time has hopefully provided a model for my daughters about the value of volunteering and participation. The MLC PA only survives through the efforts of hundreds of wonderful parent volunteers who make a huge contribution to the life of the College. The Convenors and Committees of the Special Interest Groups such as those profiled in this edition, add tremendously to a wide range of school activities. The year level liaisons aim to enhance social activities and a sense of community for other parents. As my time as a current MLC parent comes to an end, not only can I reflect on the growth of my daughters but I can also look back on my involvement with fellow parents in the Parents’ Association as an absolute highlight and privilege.

Jen Dakis, President, MLC Parents’ Association

[1] Karen and Anna Druitt. [2] Susan and Madeleine Sloane. [3] Choirs and Canapés 2014.

Celebrating ten yearsYour bequest has the power to change the lives of MLC students

When they leave MLC, our students are ‘world-ready women’, capable of making a meaningful contribution to the global community.

At MLC, we are fortunate that our community of past students, past parents and friends of the College extends across Australia and the world, and that our alumnae are successful in countless fields of endeavour.

MLC’s bequest society enables members of this vibrant community to make a contribution to the ongoing success of the College, helping to change the lives of our current and future generations of students.

The College is indebted and honoured that, since its inception ten years ago, the Stella Argentea Society has grown and flourished. Any member of our community who chooses to leave a legacy to MLC is automatically a member of the Society and although each bequestor’s story is different, all share the College’s vision for educational excellence as well as a genuine interest in supporting the school’s ongoing success.

Your legacy bequest, no matter how large or small, will make a real difference to our students.

For further confidential enquiries please contact the Development and Advancement Office on +61 3 9274 6306 or bequests@mlc.vic.edu.au.

Choirs and Canapés 2014

Choirs and Canapés 2014 was a huge success, with more than 200 parents and friends enjoying a wonderful evening of music and food, held in the James Tatoulis Auditorium. Guests were served organic juices and delicious canapés while being entertained by small ensembles featuring students from Years 9 – 12. After an hour of informal entertainment and beautiful food served by very capable students, the audience moved to their seats and the official performances commenced. Singing is a very important part of the life of our College and our choirs showcase the vocal talents of our students. The audience was treated to performances by the Junior School Choir, Junior Secondary School Choir, Middle School Chamber Choir, Senior School Chamber Choir, Concert Choir and the European Choir Tour Choir. Many performances were accompanied by students, some were conducted by students and all present were extremely impressed by the breadth of talent as well as the dedication of the students and their teachers.

Judith Thomas, Convenor, Friends of Music

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Forthcoming eventsOCC networking events

The OCC’s popular networking event series continues, with two events scheduled for 2015.

Event one: Breakfast networking Monday, 25 May 2015 from 7.20 am – 8.45 am Venue: Ballroom 1, Sheraton Melbourne Hotel, Little Collins Street Guest speaker: Principal, Diana Vernon

Meet and hear from MLC’s new Principal, Diana Vernon as she shares tales and highlights of her career in education, including her experiences as a principal in her previous schools and her vision for MLC. Diana joined MLC as the College’s eighth Principal in April 2014, having previously been principal for seven years at the prestigious City of London School for Girls, and before that principal at Woldingham School in Surrey. Having initially established a career in corporate public relations, Diana was inspired to retrain as a teacher after serving as a Governor of a local, state sector, secondary school in London and witnessing the powerful impact education can have on the lives of young people. Diana’s decision to relocate from England to Melbourne typifies her broader outlook on life – she is motivated by new experiences, challenges and perspectives. Passionate about opportunities for young women and equipping students with the knowledge and skills to live as citizens of the world in the 21st century, Diana shares MLC’s aspiration that our students’ education should be broad and deep. A boarder herself as a young woman (from the age of 12) Diana has a particular affinity with the experience of boarding, to this day appreciating the tremendous opportunities as well as the ‘independence and a greater

tolerance of others’ she developed while she was a boarder in the UK. Hear more about Principal, Diana Vernon’s journey as well as her plans for MLC at the first OCC breakfast networking event for 2015.

Event two: Twilight networking Thursday, 15 October 2015 from 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm. Venue: To be confirmed

Old Collegians are invited to attend the OCC’s inaugural twilight networking event in October 2015. This will be an opportunity to connect with MLC Old Collegians achieving success across a broad range of industries in a relaxed environment. Further details will appear in the April 2015 edition of The Star.

OCC Annual Chapel service and lunch

Saturday, 18 July 2015 at 11.00 am Chapel service in Fitchett Chapel Followed by lunch in Betty Jackson Hall Guest speaker: Jill Sanguinetti (1961)

Hear from educational researcher turned author, Jill Sanguinetti (1961), as she recalls the MLC of the late 50s and early 60s. Jill’s recent book, School Days of a Methodist Lady, a journey through girlhood (Wild Dingo Press, 2014), was inspired by letters she and her sister, Margot, wrote home during their time as boarders at MLC. Loosely framed by the letters, the memoir features lively anecdotes of MLC school days, the boarding house, teachers, music, study, friendships, rebellions and her own struggle to survive and grow in that context. She describes the legendary Dr Wood and other great teachers of the day with humour and a wry critical edge.

She also reflects on the values and the anxieties she took into adulthood from her MLC years and her pathway to understanding and celebration.

Notice of the 110th Annual General Meeting

Tuesday, 17 March 2015 commencing at 7.00 pm.

The Annual General Meeting of the MLC Old Collegians’ Club will be held at Flockart Hall. Business to be conducted includes:• Confirmation of the minutes of the

109th Annual General Meeting • Election of Council• Adoption of the annual financial reportNomination forms for election to Council are available from the Secretary, MLC, OCC, 207 Barkers Road, Kew, Vic 3101.

Annual OCC Tennis Day

Sunday, 22 March 2015 commencing at 1.00 pm

The Annual OCC Tennis Day will again be held at the MLC tennis courts. The day is a relaxing and social opportunity for players of all ages and standards to dust off the cobwebs and sharpen their technique in a standardised round robin. Our Convenors are: Emma Plowright (Scott 1992) and Claire Endersbee (2009). Former players will automatically receive an invitation. If you have not previously played please contact the OCC Office so that your name can be added to the list.

Thank you! The OCC extends sincere thanks to Di Washfold (Gairns 1962) (pictured above) who was the founding OCC tennis convenor, commencing in the role more than ten years ago. Di has been passionate about bringing together Old Collegians of all ages, not only to play tennis but also to foster camaraderie and friendship.

65th Annual OCC Golf DaySave the date: this popular annual event will occur in September 2015. More details will be included in the April 2015 edition of The Star.

OCC newsFrom the President of the Old Collegians’ Club

From September this year, eye-catching and vibrant advertisements began appearing in the media featuring a group of active and happy MLC girls with the caption ‘MLC girls become world-ready women’. I believe ‘world-ready women’ sums up much of what we Old Collegians want for the girls and indeed for ourselves. MLC Old Collegians are making a difference and succeeding in their chosen fields all over the world and our old school is in good hands as it equips future generations of graduates with a rounded education with a global perspective.

In August this year the Club was saddened to lose OCC Patron, Joan Forster (1934). Joan’s many contributions to MLC as student, teacher, and Head of Junior School over 43 years were acknowledged at a special memorial service held at Fitchett Chapel.

Congratulations to Old Collegians who received Queen’s Birthday Honours this year and also to those who spoke so engagingly at the sell-out OCC networking breakfasts: in May, Viv Benjamin (2006), CEO of the Oaktree Foundation, and in October, The Hon Nicola Roxon (1984), former Australian Attorney-General.

Our Annual Chapel Service and Lunch on 20 July was a delightful and well-attended

event with guest speaker and former MLC Director of Music, Jane Elton Brown OAM (Elton 1955) sharing aspects of her career with us. A surprise appearance to honour Jane was made by international opera singer Lisa Robinson (1994).

I have had the privilege of attending a range of events at MLC this year and the quality of current students’ music, public speaking and performance in general is outstanding. I was honoured to be present at the 125th Anniversary Service of Auburn Uniting Church’s buildings and to hear a delightful performance by current MLC musicians at this event. The long walk taken by MLC boarders to this church every Sunday, rain, hail or shine, for decades until Fitchett Chapel was built in 1959, was acknowledged.

The Annual MLC Foundation Dinner was a great success and enjoyed by more than 450 members of the MLC community. More intimate was the Past OCC Presidents’ Lunch, which I had the pleasure of hosting and which was attended by Patron, Val Kerr and sixteen others. Everyone enjoyed hearing our new Principal, Diana Vernon, update us about current developments at the College.

This year we celebrate the Old Collegians’ Club’s 110th birthday and in September many

past students travelled down memory lane at MLC’s major exhibition of archival material spanning the Club’s 110 years. The display was excellent and wide-ranging.

The Year 12 Valedictory Dinner in October demonstrated how active and supportive the MLC community is and the OCC wishes each member of the graduating Class of 2014 a healthy and satisfying future as she leaves MLC as a ‘world-ready woman’, ready to take on the post-school world. Also in October Principal, Diana Vernon was officially commissioned as MLC’s eighth Principal and the OCC wishes her the very best as she leads the College into the future.

Wonderful reunions of Old Collegians continued throughout 2014, and other events were well-supported including another very successful OCC Golf Day in September. The OCC Council continues to work for all Old Collegians and for MLC, and I sincerely thank all members for their contribution and effort.

May MLC girls past and present continue to exemplify the reality that MLC students always have been, and will continue to become, ‘world-ready women’!

Elida Brereton (1961), President, Old Collegians’ Club

Star Chorale call to choir for Verdi’s Requiem 2015

The performance of Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, in the Melbourne Recital Centre, in June this year was a sell-out and received an enthusiastic reception from the audience. In 2015 we are singing Verdi’s Requiem in the Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday 26th July, accompanied by an expanded Zelman Symphony Orchestra, and with soloists from Opera Australia. We plan to form a choir of two hundred. If you would like to take part in this thrilling work, please contact secretary@starchorale.org. There will be a social get-together and registration on Wednesday, 28 January at 7.30pm. Practices are held on every

Wednesday night from 7.15 to 9.45 pm (usually in the James Tatoulis Auditorium at MLC). The Star Chorale was originally formed by the MLC Old Collegians’ and Male Voice Choirs, but it is now a community choir. The only requirement is that choristers can ‘sing in tune’. Although being able to read music is an advantage, each chorister is provided with his or her part on CD as well as being able to hire or buy appropriate music. If you would like to join, or you know someone who would like to sing with a very good choir, please visit The Star Chorale website (www.starchorale.org).

OCC President, Elida Brereton (1961) with (L – R) Leah Columbine (Year 7), Sarah Munday (Year 12), Ella Katz (Year 8) and India Wright (Year 10) at the 125th Anniversary Service of Auburn Uniting Church’s buildings.

OCC 110th anniversary archival exhibition

A special exhibition to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Old Collegians’ Club was recently held in the Common Ground at MLC, to honour the Club’s long history and its diverse activities and contributions to the College. The OCC is one of Australia’s oldest girls’ school alumnae associations. The display featured photographs, trophies, artifacts and artwork, all from the MLC Archives, and video reminiscences of Old Collegians. A special viewing for Old Collegians was hosted by OCC President, Elida Brereton on Sunday, 21 September. More than 80 past students from a wide range of alumnae years attended. The display evoked much discussion and reminiscing about the many experiences remembered by those in attendance.

RSVPTo RSVP or enquire about any forthcoming OCC events:

Email: occ@mlc.vic.edu.au Phone: +61 3 9274 9539 Website: www.mlc.vic.edu.au/our-community/old-collegians-club

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Restoration of Krome Gates

The Old Collegians’ Club (OCC) has generously funded the complete restoration and refurbishment of the beautiful Krome Gates – one of MLC’s most visible and recognised icons. The gates commemorate Otto Krome, MLC Headmaster from 1906 to 1917, who advanced academic and sports programs and initiated the Prefect system, and whose five daughters attended the College. Mr Krome died during World War I after extreme vilification by a Melbourne newspaper because of his Germanic background. The MLC community supported and defended him completely, but he died of stress-related causes in 1917. To honour his memory, MLC Prefects led the fundraising campaign for the memorial gates, opened in 1923.

For nearly 100 years, the gates have been a landmark not only for MLC but also – owing to their position at the busy corner of Glenferrie and Barkers Roads – for Kew and Hawthorn residents and for the thousands of drivers and pedestrians who pass by each day. For the MLC community, past and present, the gates are additionally a public symbol of the College’s defence of, and respect for, one of its most important and cherished leaders. Refurbishing the gates has been a major undertaking, which will ensure their longevity for future generations, who are indebted to the Old Collegians’ Club for their support of this significant restoration.

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Thanking our 2014 student leaders

The 2014 Prefect Dinner was a lovely occasion, presenting us with the opportunity to take stock of our achievements and thank those who have offered us support throughout our journey.

I speak on behalf of the entire prefect body when I say that the highlight of the evening was the wise words offered by guest speaker, Dr Sandra Hacker AO. Dr Hacker spoke of her time as an MLC student, and in fact her entire career, with sincerity and an infectious sense of humour. She reflected on the challenges she faced as a woman entering the professional world in the 1960s, having begun her medical degree as one of only 20 women in her class (five of whom were from MLC). Her tales were enthralling and her insights into the modern world and a women’s place in it offered significant food for thought.

The 2014 Prefect Dinner was the perfect celebration of our time as leaders of the College.

Katie Nikolaou, Senior Prefect

[1] MLC’s iconic Krome Gates are being restored thanks to the Old Collegians’ Club. [2] The 2014 prefect body.

Past students reconnect in London

A diverse group of London-based past students recently met at a cocktail function hosted by Principal, Diana Vernon. Held at the Lansdowne Club in Mayfair, the occasion provided an opportunity for Old Collegians in the UK to meet and network with one another, as well as hear news of the latest developments at MLC.

Principal, Diana Vernon said she was inspired by past students’ continued strong affection for MLC:

“Despite living abroad, and in some cases for a number of decades, it was very affirming to understand each woman’s ongoing loyalty and commitment to the College. It was also wonderful to hear of the diverse career paths successfully pursued by MLC past students living and working overseas.”

There’s never a dull moment at an MLC gathering. I was delighted to meet Principal, Diana Vernon, as well as fellow Old Collegians now in architecture, advertising, journalism, an Oxford University chemistry lecturer, an investment banker – and many others, from a past student from the Class of 1948 to those of more recent years. The excited buzz in the atmosphere was typical of a lively group of MLC girls – of any age. Christine Tinker (Stevenson 1973)

I had no sooner finished reflecting on the way MLC had sent us all out feeling we could achieve anything, when I overheard a woman who had left the school several decades earlier than me saying exactly the same thing! It sounds as though this will continue with Principal, Diana Vernon’s vision for the future of the College. Hearing about the increasingly international focus of MLC resonated strongly with a group of alumnae who have all uprooted and ended up across the world from where their educational journey began. Kylie Vincent (1993)

Principal, Diana Vernon is absolutely charming. Her enthusiasm for the school was unmistakeable and she obviously enjoys life in Australia. She spoke of her role in the College’s future and of the great tradition she has inherited. She is certainly an inspirational role model for the girls of today. Laura Lindsay (1963)

It was lovely to meet people and see friendly faces. It’s amazing to see how global and interesting the lives of the Old Collegians are, and such a privilege to be able to be a part of the MLC community even on the other side of the world. Nikita Le Messurier (2009)

Queen’s birthday honours

Congratulations to the following members of our community who have been awarded Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2014.

Peter Blundell OAM (past parent) For service to the community, particularly

through support for Indigenous students and Rotary International.

Pauline Jones (Hooson OAM 1957) For service to people with a disability and their families.

Delysia Pahoff OAM (Southwick 1953) For service to the

community through a range of charitable organisations.

Margaret Russell OAM (Brown 1961) For service to community and to the Uniting Church.

Ingrid Scheffer AO (1976) For distinguishing service to medicine in the field

of paediatric neurology as a clinician, academic and mentor, and to research into the identification of epilepsy syndromes and genes.

Rosemary Shaw OAM (1962) For service to the community through a range of volunteer roles.

James Tatoulis AM (past parent) For significant service to medicine as a

cardio-thoracic surgeon, and as an adviser to government.

[1] Hulda Kerr (Kottmann 1932). [2] Attendees at the recent London reunion. [3] Judith Lowe (Hackwell 1948), Principal, Diana Vernon and Joan Corlass (1952) at the recent London reunion.

Community News

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100th birthday congratulations

Congratulations to Hulda Kerr (Kottmann 1932), who celebrated her 100th birthday on 4 September 2014.

Join us on Founders’ Day 2015

Friday, 13 February 2014 7.30am – 8.45amCurrent students, parents, past students, staff and members of the wider MLC community are warmly invited to celebrate Founders’ Day and MLC’s 133rd birthday on Friday, 13 February 2015. Please join Principal, Diana Vernon as she hosts this special day on the College calendar, commemorating the founding of MLC in 1882. As is tradition on Founders’ Day, all members of the MLC community are warmly invited to walk through the Krome Gates (cnr Barkers and Glenferrie Rds) between 7.30am and 8.45am and enjoy the celebrations in MLC’s Front Gardens.

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Where in the world are they now?Since leaving MLC, China has been an important part of life for Kate Axup (1988). Her love of language learning started at MLC, where she studied both French and German as VCE subjects. Kate was an exchange student in Germany

immediately after finishing at MLC and studied German and Chinese as part of her Arts/Law degree. Kate then spent a number of years studying in China, including on an Australia-China Council scholarship. Kate has been able to combine Chinese with her career as a lawyer, and has worked in the Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing offices of Allens at various stages over the last 15 years. Kate is currently a partner in Allens’ Beijing office, having moved to the city in early 2012 with her husband, Jim (who she met in China in 1996) and her two children. Kate is also often in Mongolia for work, advising on a major resources project. Since moving to Beijing, Kate and her family have made the most of the travel opportunities that are part of life for an expatriate family.

After studying zoology and conservation during her Bachelor of Science (Hons) at the University of Melbourne, Dr Alice M Clement (2001) moved to Canberra to pursue a PhD in palaeontology at the Australian National University.

Her research centred around lungfish – fish once thought to be our direct ancestors – and the evolution of air breathing. Following graduation, Alice secured a post-doctoral research position at Uppsala University and moved to Sweden in 2013. Situated 70 km north of Stockholm, Uppsala University is the oldest university in Northern Europe (founded in 1477) and boasts many famous past professors. Alice now continues her work in evolutionary biology, combining a love for the outdoors with zoology and a strong desire to understand the world in which we live. In her spare time Alice enjoys travelling throughout Europe, playing underwater rugby and studying the Swedish language and culture.

Following a Bachelor of Economics at Monash University, Kimberley Cole (1984) has spent the past 24 years at Thomson Reuters and has lived and worked across the globe, moving with the family multiple times.

Currently based in Hong Kong, Kimberley leads a large team of sales professionals throughout the region organised around customer segments focused on financial and risk verticals. She is a member of Thomson Reuters’ Asia Executive Team and Global Senior Leadership Team. Although Kimberley’s career began in Melbourne, she then moved to Singapore in 1993 for an 18-month assignment. This was the beginning of a career on the move! In 1996 the adventure continued to London for what became a five year period and also saw the arrival of her two daughters. Returning to Australia in 2001 to run the sales organisation for Australia and New Zealand, Kimberley returned to Hong Kong and then London and is now back in Hong Kong! Her two daughters are now 14 and 16 and true global nomads. Passionate about gender diversity, Kimberley is actively involved in Women on Boards amongst other networks and is co-chair and executive sponsor of the Women@Thomson Reuters network.

In 2013 and 2014 she was named as one of 100 ‘women to watch’ in the FTSE Cranfield list.

After leaving MLC, Erica Hajdu (1994) gained a music degree and worked for ten years as a professional harpist. She left Australia in 2004 to pursue her music and now lives in Istanbul, Turkey. She currently works in

tourism, taking British tour groups around the world as well as performing her harp in Istanbul. She has also gained qualifications as a yoga teacher, massage therapist, and English teacher. In her spare time, Erica volunteers with Orang utans in Borneo, helps distribute clothes to the many Syrian refugees coming to Istanbul and travels and meditates throughout India. Through her travels she has been lucky enough to gain an extensive network of friends worldwide. She hopes one day to get a sound proof apartment so she can start playing the saxophone again.

Shortly after matriculating from MLC, Francis Harris (1967) travelled to London, where her father had a diplomatic posting, and has lived there ever since, although she returns to Melbourne regularly to visit family and friends.

She worked for more than thirty years as a curator, first of rare books and then of manuscripts, at the British Museum and British Library, before retiring in 2010 as Head of Modern Historical Manuscripts. She has published two books and a number of essays on historical subjects and is working at the moment on what she hopes will be her third book. She is also honorary secretary of the Friends of the National Libraries, a charity which gives grants to a wide variety of institutions for the purchase of books and manuscripts to enhance their research collections.

Jessica Jiang (2007) studied flute at MLC with Alison Catanach and at the Victorian College of the Arts with Margaret Crawford and Derek Jones. Following a successful audition and unanimous jury, Jessica was offered a place at

the Paris Higher National Conservatory of Music and Dance (CNSMDP) to study with Pierre-Yves Artaud. This year she graduated from the Paris Conservatory with a master of music degree, with the highest marks. Jessica currently holds the position of Solo Piccolo and Second Flute player with the Regional Orchestra of Cannes, in France. She has also performed as substitute flautist with the National Orchestra of France, Regional Orchestra of Tours and Nancy Symphonic and Lyric Orchestra. In March this year, she was invited by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra to audition for their First Flute position. Jessica has won several international competitions including: audience prize – 2013 Budapest International Flute Competition; first prize – 2011 ‘Leonardo de Lorenzo’ International Flute Competition; and second prize – International Flute Competition of Australia. She has made solo concerto appearances with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, ‘La Follia’ Chamber Orchestra of Alsace, Melbourne University Orchestra and Melbourne Youth Orchestra.

Three days after completing her final International Baccalaureate exam, Nikita Le Messurier (2009) hopped on a plane to Europe to undertake a GAP year with the hope of satisfying a developing travel-bug (which had sparked

through the French Immersion program and a series of international exchanges and choir/drama tours she undertook while at MLC). After 18 months of work and travel, Nikita settled in London to pursue a BA (Hons) in performance arts at the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama, having been awarded the Emergent International scholarship. During her time at CSSD, Nikita’s focus shifted to the study of fashion as performance – be it on the catwalk, the person or in marketing, cementing her interest in the fashion industry. She interned as a press assistant at Jonathan Saunders and then at Burberry, and in her final year accompanied both Saunders and equally renowned British designer, Roksanda Ilincic, to Paris as showroom manager, allowing her to experience an international sales campaign for three consecutive seasons. She has continued to work at the head offices of both brands and has recently commenced a master of digital cultures and societies at Kings College London, which she hopes will lead to a career in the incredibly exciting and emerging fashion-tech industry. Nikita regularly takes advantage of Europe and Africa’s proximity to England, taking frequent trips to culturally diverse locations, making her very internationally minded and increasingly aware of the global inter-connectedness brought on by the digital age. Nikita now firmly calls London home – a place she sees as unrelentingly exciting and full of opportunity.

MLC’s former Business School was a great choice for Robyn Light (1984). She enjoyed the course and upon completion immediately began working in a sporting organisation, followed by various industries for the next 20 years.

International travel became a passion and eleven years ago Robyn travelled to Tanzania to meet friends who were living in Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria. Robyn fell in love with Mwanza. She met Bill, a fishing and nature enthusiast and the pair have been married for seven years. Robyn and Bill own 18 hectares of a peninsula and together have established eco-friendly Wag Hill Lodge while nurturing and protecting the indigenous forest, wild animals and bird life. They both enjoy running the lodge and meeting people from around the world. Robyn also runs a jewellery and gemstone business and designs jewellery which utilises the famous Tanzanite gemstone found only in Tanzania. Living with Bill and their three dogs on their property, Robyn at times fondly reminisces about the similarities to the life she led growing up on a farm in country Victoria.

Jayne MacDougall (1978) completed her BAppSc in occupational therapy after MLC, working in community mental health before adventuring overseas to Thailand with hopes and dreams of a new, exotic life. The community embraced her and she

established a career in health and safety, initially as health and safety manager with an international hotel chain in Phuket. In 2003, due to her career in safety, studies

in disaster management and interest in lifesaving, she co-founded Phuket Lifeguard Club with Thai colleagues; a volunteer organisation dedicated to developing and improving water safety in Thailand. This led to education programs with children and implementing new training of adult lifeguards and, since 2010, joint projects with Surf Lifesaving Australia. In 2012, Jayne represented Thailand at a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) course in England and is currently working with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) to develop standards for Asian hotels to increase their resilience to natural disasters. She most recently spoke about this project at the 6th Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangkok in June 2014.

Cindy Tai (1989) has fond memories of her time in Australia and is grateful for the quality education received at MLC and also at Monash University. She appreciated the opportunity to complete her industry placements at St Georges Hospital, Kew and Maryborough Hospital, and

having warm and dedicated pharmacist mentors as role models. Cindy’s current role is at the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation, where she develops and executes biomedical industry development initiatives and ensures follow-through in various key focus areas: biopharmaceuticals; medical devices and diagnostics; emerging biosciences: cellular and gene therapy; bioservices; pharma nutrition and other biosciences. Cindy also leads and supports client development initiatives and oversees the project management of accelerated development projects.

On graduation from the University of Melbourne with combined degrees in arts (French) and law, Quynh Tran (1993) joined the Department of Immigration, focussing on refugee visa matters. Given the international nature of her work, Quynh has spent most of the last decade overseas,

firstly at the Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and more recently on diplomatic postings to Shanghai, Hong Kong, and presently Cambodia. As the Head of Immigration at the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh, Quynh is primarily engaged in increasing collaboration between the Australian and Cambodian governments in relation to immigration matters, including people smuggling and trafficking. Life overseas offers many benefits, not least of which are the linguistic opportunities. Quynh has found diverse language skills to be particularly useful in her work; the heavy international expatriate presence both within and beyond the diplomatic community, and the fact that many older Cambodians are more proficient in French, means that English is not necessarily the preferred language when meeting with counterparts.

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Reunions Class of 2004 – 10 year reunion

A huge effort was made by the Class of 2004 as girls crossed the Nullarbor, journeyed from the capital and Far North Queensland to attend our 10 year reunion. The room was buzzing Year 12 Common Room-style; many a conversation began with ‘remember when…’ and ended in hysterical laughter! Lives were updated, gossip divulged and stories of travel and careers shared. How fabulous it was to see the transformation from spirited, enthusiastic school girls to inspiring young leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs. It was a wonderful night reconnecting with old friends and I look forward to the 2019 chapter! Caroline Arden (2004)

[1] Class of 2004 reunion.

Class of 1989 – 25 year reunion

Our 25 year reunion was one of those wonderful afternoons of catching up with friends to reminisce and swap news in equal measure. None of us seem to have changed at all, although the photos on screen suggest our hair at least is certainly sleeker today! While lunch was served, we were welcomed by Dinusha Joseph (1989), then took turns at the podium sharing our memories from school. From teachers, to speeches, to what we carried in our Outward Bound packs, the memories came thick and fast with much laughter. Thanks MLC for organising! Kate Gibson (1989)

[5] Class of 1989 reunion.

Class of 1979 – 35 year reunion

It’s hard to believe that so many years down the track we could all still talk at 100 miles an hour and recognise all the faces. There was a definite buzz in the room for our 35th reunion. The slide show playing in the background prompted memories from our school days. We reminisced over the fun we had during our end of Year 12 celebrations. We laughed at the school photos – so much hair! Ours was the era of the perm and the enormous blow wave. Principal, Diana Vernon relayed her vision for the College and prompted a vibrant discussion about Marshmead, uniform and the school. What a great way to spend an afternoon. Debbie Benger (1979)

[3] Class of 1979 reunion. [4] Principal, Diana Vernon (centre) with members of the Class of 1979.

Class of 1999 – 15 year reunion

A large group of 1999 graduates came together at our 15-year reunion at QPO to catch up on life, love, work, kids and everything in between. It was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with friends one hadn’t seen or spoken to in a long time. It was also a reminder of the diversity of exceptional women our year level at MLC produced, with so much being accomplished by so many over the past few years. Kate Aurel-Smith (1999)

[2] Class of 1999 reunion.

Class of 1994 – 20 year reunion

Although it was a cold night, the QPO was packed for the 20 year reunion of the Class of 1994. Principal, Diana Vernon joined us and spoke enthusiastically about her vision for the school, as well as giving us some insight into her history and background. It was fantastic to see so many past students there, all keen to reminisce and get up to speed on 20 years of news and gossip. Plans were made by many to catch up in the future, and it was lovely to see some old friendships re-kindled. ‘Oh what a night!’ Karen Gyngal (Mackechnie 1994)

[6] Class of 1994 reunion.

Class of 1984 – 30 year reunion

Thirty years? Oh my, really? That was my reaction when I received the invitation. MLC reunions are a bit like ‘life bookmarks’. A time to reflect and take stock of the most recent chapter in our lives. And then to recall the increasingly distant chapter of school life at MLC. The ‘ladies’ – surely we can carry that title confidently now? – embraced one another afresh. Some had flown in from overseas or interstate. Some were now mothers of daughters at MLC. Thanks to Kirsten Kruse (1984), after lunch we remembered school life. Our collective memories snowballed. Teachers. Uniforms. Trams. Dances. Laughter abounded. It seems MLC prepared us all for life in different and sometimes unexpected ways. Sally Nettleship (1984)

[7] Class of 1984 reunion.

Class of 1954 – 60 year reunion

Old Collegians from as far away as Canada and Darwin joined more than 50 of their classmates in Betty Jackson Hall to celebrate 60 years since our last year at MLC. There were delighted cries of ‘I remember you or ‘remember when…’ with lots of laughter and happy chatter. We paused long enough to pose for a group photo then enjoyed lunch and plenty of time to reconnect. Photos from our years at school, going back as far as Junior School scrolled across the big screen while we ate. Natalie Miller AO (Sharpe 1954) invited us to wander down memory lane – it’s amazing how vivid some of those memories still are! She reminded us how privileged we were to have been part of a school that valued women’s education so highly. All too soon it was over! Thank you MLC for a memorable day. Elizabeth Allen (Duncan 1954)

[8] Class of 1954 reunion.

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Engagements

Alice Henly (2005) to Parker Mitchell. Amanda King (2003) to Brian Lipstein.

Marriages

Lauren Cations (2003) married Stephen Perkins in August 2012. Her bridesmaids were Katrina Stuart, Sally Cunningham and Jessica Avery

(Darby) (all 2003). Other MLC guests included Lauren’s cousins, Ashleigh Forbes (2009) and Jacqueline Forbes (2006), and her friends Henrietta Arup, Victoria Beranger, Christie Birch, Jessica Clarebrough, Kate Creedon, Kate Cummins, Adriana D’Agostino, Samantha Gerrand, Isabel Gutierrez, Stephanie Hegerty (Drucker), Camilla Inman, Philippa Johnson, Elizabeth Oppy, Sarah Stawell, Annabel White (all 2003), and Lyn Henry (Huntsman 1967).

Lisa Doueal (1996) married Paul Ritchie in April 2014. Bridesmaids included Rebecca Hannon (2002), Elizabeth Hannon (2004) and Kelly

Hannon (2008). Other MLC guests included Lisa’s mother, Jennifer Doueal (Brewer 1973) and aunt, Sharon Hannon (Brewer 1975).

Kalinda Johns (1992) married David Randazzo in March 2014. MLC guests included Kalinda’s, mother Gail Johns

(Williams 1961), Dionne Lynch (Black 1992), Meryl Galloway (Holdsworth 1961), Tina Phipps (Mauger 1961) and Rosalind Wright (Williams 1951).

Alexandra King (2000) married John Botha at Fitchett Chapel in March 2013. MLC guests included her mother, Ellen King (Watson

1964) and grandmother Ellen Watson (Fliegner 1938, deceased). Other MLC guests were Cynthia Wu, Elle Smith, Carolyn Brown (Miles) and Jen Brennan (all 2000).

Jocelyn Loh (2001) married Andrew White in April 2014. MLC guests included her maid of honour, Kimberley Hung and friends

Elissa McNamara, Elizabeth Kilgallon (Read), Stephanie Khoo, Katie Cook and Robina McLeod (all 2001).

Alicia McGain (2000) married Simon Lands in January 2014. MLC guests included her attendants, Kylie Farmer

(McGain 1990), Naomi Symington (McGain 1993) and Catherine Harrigan (McGain 1995). Other MLC guests were Judi Hayton (McBeath 1972), Kelly Skene, Tess Livingston, Melissa Costa, Alicia Reilly and Alice McCloskey (Lillecrapp) (all 2000).

Kate Melville (2004) married Simon Newey in March 2014. MLC guests included her maid of honour, Katrina Larsson (2004),

bridesmaid and sister, Tess Melville (2007), mother Fiona Caffery (Russell 1980), grandmothers Glenda Russell (McMillan 1955) and Ruth-Anne Caffery (Synott 1954), aunts Nerida Guerin (Russell 1987), Kristina Russell (1990), Kim Johnstone (Melville 1983) and Brenda Matthews (Burn 1963). Other MLC guests included Stephanie Daniel, Erica Church (Manning) and Carina Salem (all 2004), Diedre Ridder (Ford 1979) and Leanne McCormick (Lambart 1980).

Aingela Prokop (2000) married Leigh Newton in March 2014. MLC guests included Belle Hand (Foo), Kristin Hamer,

Angela Uphill (Rogers) Melissa Tyson (Walton), Hilary Peterson (all 2000) and Nicole Mowthorpe (2001).

Siobhan Quigley (1993) married Jason Momm on 17 October 2013.

Caitlin Tierney (2000) married Matthew Le Feuvre in December 2013. Her bridal party included Sianan Tierney (2008) and Anne Jacobs

(2000). Other guests included Fiona Chong, Amanda McKenzie, Rebecca Parsons, Sarah Jones, Libby Penman, Charlotte Elder, Laura Vines, Danae Paxinos (all 2000), and Alli Merkrebs (2008).

Emma Watts (1993) married Tim Marchinton in December 2013. Attendees included Jane Steele (1993).

Clare Whiticker (2002) married Hugh Macdonald in September 2013. MLC guests included her mother, Pippa

Sampson (1975) and aunts Amanda Sampson (1971) and Christina Sampson (1968), her cousins Annabelle Hale (2006), Josephine Hale (2008), Holly Squirrell (2009), Tessa Squirrell (2005) and Adriane Whiticker (2000). Other MLC guests included Erin Matchan, Katherine Walsh, Leonie Semmens (Clarke) (all 2002) and Clare’s second cousin, Molly Whiticker-Ferrie (current MLC student).

Births

To Nicole and Tandiwe Aebi-Moyo (Moyo 1993), a daughter, Amara Chipo, born 19 March 2014. A sister for Mattea (current MLC Kindle student).

To Mark and Emily Ainley (Dinakis 1999), a daughter, Meika Jane, born 28 July 2014. A Sister for Alarah. A granddaughter for Heather Dinakis (Gronow 1970) and a niece for Claire Evans (Dinakis 1996).

To Gary and Georgia Allan (Lindgren 1992), a son, Lachlan Robert Lindgren Allan, born 18 January 2014. A nephew for Fiona Storey (Lindgren 1989).

To Nadeeka Arambewela (1996) and John Colley, a son, Jayan John Colley, born 21 May 2013. A cousin to Shehara Arambewala (current MLC student), nephew to Namalka Arambewala (Arambewela 1993) and great grandson to Joy Colley (Court 1940, deceased).

To Colin and Melinda Barton (Haymes 1993), a son, Elliott Angus, born 18 May 2014. A brother for Lincoln, Tamika, Cassidy and Trinity. A grandson for Margaret Haymes (Batten 1967) and great grandson of Ruth Batten (Turner 1942, deceased). A nephew for Carolyn Haymes (1995) and Janis Haymes (1998). A great grandnephew for Helen Roberts (Turner 1944), Alison Wilks (Turner 1947) and Marion Speedy (Turner 1952).

To Stewart and Kylie Borg (Spiller 1993), a son, Max Joseph, born 16 January 2014 in Hong Kong. A brother for Stella.

To Kylie Brown (1996) and Scott Jordan-Legg, a son, Jasper Bishop Scott Jordan, born 13 July 2014. A brother for Oliver and Noah. A nephew for Kirstin Krauskopf (Brown 1999).

To Ada Cheung (1997) and Will Lee, a daughter, Caia Lee, born 14 April 2014. A sister for Caleb and a niece for Rhoda Cheung (2001) and Ailsa Cheung (2005).

To Greg and Jo Collins (Badger 1993), a daughter, Chloe Hannah May, born 10 March 2014 in Sydney. A sister for Joshua and a niece for Kristin Badger (1997).

To Richard and Lauren Conacher (Harry 1999), a son, Benjamin Thomas, born 29 November 2013. A brother for Nicholas and Lucy. A nephew for Kate Lane (Harry 1996).

MLC Community noticesReunion dates 2015

Date Year Event LocationSaturday, 7 February Class of 1955 60 year reunion MLCSaturday, 14 February All Boarders reunion All Boarders reunion MLCSaturday, 21 February Class of 1975 40 year reunion MLCThursday, 5 March Class of 2010 5 year reunion Off siteSaturday, 18 April Class of 1995 20 year reunion MLCThursday, 30 April Class of 2005 10 year reunion Off siteSaturday, 2 May Class of 1960 55 year reunion MLCSaturday, 13 June Class of 2000 15 year reunion MLCSaturday, 20 June Class of 1980 35 year reunion MLCSaturday, 15 August Class of 1985 30 year reunion MLCSaturday, 22 August Silver Circle reunion 1920 – 1954 reunion MLCSaturday, 5 September Class of 1990 25 year reunion MLCThursday, 8 October Class of 2014 1 year reunion Off siteSaturday, 10 October Class of 1970 45 year reunion MLCSaturday, 17 October Class of 1965 50 year reunion MLC

OCC Branches – 2015 diary dates

Location Function date Branch contactVictoriaGeelong TBC Beverley (Bebby) Davies

(Cowland 1965) (03) 5251 2520

Mornington TBC Jocelyn Kidd (Kalwig 1965) jocelynkidd@gmail.com

North Eastern – Albury/Wodonga 31 May 25 October

Betty Williams (Fisher 1952)(03) 5721 6231

Phillip Island and District 22 May 20 November

Sally Matthews (Stubley 1971) 0409 521 825 sallyannmatthews@bigpond.com.au

InterstateAdelaide 16 March, 18 July, 2 November Barbara Hayes (Diprose 1956)

(08) 8296 8060Canberra 18 April. Guest speaker:

Principal, Diana Vernon November

Jan Leckström (Martin 1959) anleckstrom@gmail.com 0408 338 363Margaret Pearson (Lansbury 1957) 0414 628 686 atpmep@ozemail.com.au

Perth TBC Rosemary Tomkinson (Jame 1958) (08) 9389 8448 Kathryn Gunn (1987) kgunn@pgamgt.com.au 0418 584 217

Sydney TBC Angela Andrews (1991) 0403 789 648 ange.andrews.au@gmail.com

Queensland Feb 15, May 19, July 21, Sept 15, Nov 17

Diana Browne (Gallus 1954) 0404 094 374

Tasmania TBC Linda Madill (Matkovich 1961) linda.madill@bigpond.com 0419 371 143

InternationalBeijing March alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.auHong Kong March alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.auKuala Lumpur June/July alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.auLondon TBC Emma Watson (1987)

emma@ejdw.org.ukNew York TBC Ali Wilson (2007)

alexandra.n.wilson@hotmail.comShanghai March alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.auSingapore June/July alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.au

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To Hayden and Erin Cotsford (McCutcheon 2000), a son, Harry David Martin, born 25 March 2014.

To Brendan and Kate Cullen (Pilbeam 1993), a son, Cameron Michael, born 12 June 2014. A brother for Luke. A nephew for Lisa Barker (Pilbeam 1990) and a grandson for Joan Pilbeam (Bennett 1965).

To Caroline Duggan (1985) and Neil McCrohan, a daughter, Louisa Caroline Rose McCrohan, born 18 December 2011. A sister for Isabel. A niece for Pamela-Ann Duggan (1987).

To Anthony and Lisa Grummett (Kozaris 1997), a daughter, Zoe Clara, born 3 February 2014. A sister for Thomas. A niece for Susan Crawford (Kozaris 1995).

To Kathryn Gunn (1987) and Wayne Bradford, a daughter, Stephanie Elise Bradford, born 29 April 2014. A sister for Genevieve and a niece for Jackie Haintz (Gunn 1992).

To Michael and Stefanie Houghton (Maccar 2005), a daughter, Emma Alexandria, born 12 June 2014. A niece for Simone Maccar (2008).

To Justin and Lucy Hughes (Anderson 1998), a daughter, Saskia Gwen, born 1 April 2014. A sister for Lincoln. A niece for Kate Anderson (2001), granddaughter for Janet Anderson (Uwins 1967) and great-niece for Judith Uwins (1957).

To Matthew and Melissa Johnstone (Becroft 1996), a daughter, Lucinda Rose and a son Aidan Frank, born 10 May 2014.

To Kelly Koochew (1995) and Nick Rowe, a daughter, Zoe Scarlett Rowe, born 2 December 2013. A sister to Isabel Rebecca and Lola Emily. A niece for Rebecca Koochew (1999) and a granddaughter for Janne Rowe (Ray 1965).

To Joyce Lam (1995) and Stuart Murchison, a son, Linus Roderick Lin-Nengsi Murchison, born 8 January 2014. A nephew for Jennifer Lam (1994).

To Claire Macdonald (1997) and Lincoln Walkom, a son, Oliver William Macdonald Walkom, born 11 June 2013. A brother for Lucy.

To Alex and Louisa McKenzie (Clarke 1996), a son, Andrew John, born 9 August 2013. A brother for Benjamin. A nephew for Ellen Clarke (1999).

To Alastair and Jacqueline Meyer (Parkinson 1997), a son, Hamish Peter McRae, born 19 March 2014. A brother for Angus.

To Peter and Alicia Northcott (Williams 2000), a son, Harrison John Hunter, born 25 January 2014. A nephew for Fiona Wilson (Williams 2002) and a great grandson for Elaine Williams (Lockwood 1940).

To Leighton and Ashleigh Pyke (Duzenman 2002), a daughter, Arlo Sadie, born 25 March 2014. A niece for Samantha Duzenman (2005).

To Gene and Susie Santilli (Martin 1994), a daughter, Lara Jean, born 9 April 2014. A sister for Georgia. A niece for Lisa Dundas (Martin 1992).

To Clinton and Amy Schildberger (2000), a daughter, Maddison Ann Glenny, born 13 June 2014. A niece for Stacey Schildberger (Rosengren 2000).

To Darren and Melanie Short (Glasson 2003), a son, Jaxon William, born 30 January 2014.

To Jason and Miranda Talbot (1996), a son, James Liam, born 23 June 2014. A brother for Kieran Alexander. A grandson for Heather Turner (Iles 1969). A great grandson for J Bruce Turner (MLC Bursar 1966 – 1976). A great nephew for Merrilyn Beeny (Iles 1964) and Jan Thomas (Iles 1972). A second cousin for Melanie Thomas (1996), Nicola Simpson (Thomas 1998) and Charlotte Beeny (2000).

To Sean and Elizabeth Thompson (Knight 1997), a daughter, Rosa Margaret, born 19 October 2013.

To Kylie Vincent (1993) and Torsten Hüren, a son, Hugo Philip Hüren, born 8 August 2014. A nephew for Claire Vincent (1997).

To Jarrod and Lucy Wallace (Whitelaw 2000), a daughter, Summer Elizabeth, born 13 November 2013.

To Steve and Natalie Whittington (Evans 1996), a daughter, Annabel Rose, born 15 April 2014. A niece for Tanya Evans (1998).

To James and Jacqui Wise (Davenport 2000), a daughter, Olivia Jane Gillespie, born 8 October 2013. A great niece to Wendy Weeks (Davenport 1960, deceased).

In memory

MLC has learnt of the following deaths in our community. Our condolences are extended to their family and friends.

Dorothy Adams (Price 1947) died 5 July 2014. Sister of Jill Hobby (Price 1957).

Marion Bath (Mather 1936) died 26 May 2014. Sister of Joan Courtnay (Mather 1940, deceased) and Doris Cater (Mather 1943 deceased).

Suzanne Bosisto (1965) died 7 January 2014.

Joan Burley (Lenne 1945) died 26 May 2014. Mother of Judy Barling (Burley 1981, deceased).

Doris Cater (Mather 1943) died 2 June 2013. Sister of Marion Bath (Mather 1936, deceased) and Joan Courtnay (Mather 1940, deceased).

Lila Cook (Young 1934) died 21 July 2013. Sister of Dulcie Young (1932, deceased).

Heather Covill (McPhee 1955) died 28 November 2013. Daughter of Jessie McPhee (Fricker 1933). Sister of Alison Coburn (McPhee 1957).

Natalie Fargher (Orr 1958) died 19 February 2014. Sister of Susan Davidson (Orr 1968).

Elaine Gale (Lade 1958) died 19 April 2014. Mother of Michelle Gale (MLC staff member). Daughter of Dora Lade (Hewitt 1934, deceased). Sister of Joan Manly (Lade 1953) and Elizabeth Owens (Lade 1956).

Elaine Gordon (Helmer 1950) died 4 March 2014. Sister of Lynette Helmer (1957).

Dorothy Haines (Hancock 1946) died 5 September 2014.

Unice Harbert (1936) died 6 January 2014.

Jennifer Hooke (Brisbane 1957) died 15 September 2014.

Cornona Hunt (Whitehead 1937) died 5 March 2014.

Dorothea Jelbart (Cooper 1939) died 15 December 2013. Grandmother of Samantha Jelbart (2008), Elodie Honoré (2010) and Olivia Honoré (2012).

Rosemary Kay (Chan 1942) died 23 November 2013. Sister of Joan Szeto (Chan 1945) and Margaret Chan (1947 deceased).

Beverley King (McLaughlin 1945) died 16 February 2014. Sister of Wendy Parish (McLaughlin 1959).

Sonia Kirkham (McNally 1956) died 9 August 2014.

Ruth Latu (1958) died 21 August 2014.

Felicity Lindsey (Robertson 1955) died 22 September 2014.

Estelle Long (Binns 1950) died 1 March 2014.

Alberta Loveday (Lauer 1941) died 26 June 2014.

Beverley McGowan (Treleaven 1953) died 16 August 2014. Mother of Karen Anderson (McGowan 1983). Grandmother of Kirsten McGowan (2002) and Isabella McGowan (current MLC student). Sister of Roslyn Morris (Treleaven 1962).

Rae McIntosh (Hawkins 1952) died 6 August 2014 in Scotland, where she had lived since 1964. Sister of Isla Walsh (Hawkins 1950).

Anne McLeish (Banbrook 1970) died 26 March 2014. Mother of Amy McLeish (2001) and sister of Susan McAlpin (Banbrook 1965).

Pamela Miskin (Brown 1972) died 18 January 2014. Sister of Jenny Bower (Brown 1969 deceased) and Robyn Rhodes (Brown 1967).

Hettie O’Connor (Gibbs 1932) died 25 April 2014. Sister in law of Jean Gibbs (Marriott 1929). Daughter of Sherrill O’Connor (MLC Elsternwick 1963).

Margaret Pike (Tregoning 1958) died 20 January 2014.

Amy Richards (Tonkin 1936) died 28 April 2014. Daughter of Glenys Welsh (Richards 1960).

Robbie Riddiford (Walker 1943) died 14 May 2014. Sister of Dora Wood (Walker 1935 deceased), Kath Walker (1935, deceased) and Ruth Walker (1936, deceased). Aunt of Sue Doig (Walker 1973) and Janet Walker (1979). Great-Aunt of Fiona Doig (2005) and Katherine Doig (2002).

Meg Seller (Galbraith 1959) died 17 June 2014. Sister of Barbara Barnett (Galbraith 1955).

Leonie Sherriff (1948) died 13 August 2014. Sister of Val Crohn (Sherriff 1942).

Dorothy Simpson (Wheal 1936) died 5 May 2014.

Janet Stahl (1954) died 31 August 2012. Sister of Gwen Jackson (Stahl 1948, deceased) and Elizabeth Cunningham (Stahl 1944).

Beverley Styles (Griffiths 1950) died 14 October 2013.

Marjorie Swadesir died 10 May 2014. Former MLC staff member from 1971 to 1986 and Associate Old Collegian. Mother of Maren Rawlings (Swadesir 1965), grandmother of Katie Rawlings (1997). Mother-in-law of Sue Swadesir (Harwood 1975).

Pamela Turnbull (Burr 1944) died 12 July 2014.

Ellen Watson (Fliegner 1938) died 6 August 2014. Mother of Ellen King (Watson 1964). Grandmother of Alexandra Botha (King 2000).

Valma Willmott (Oldham 1948) died 11 July 2014. Sister of Elaine Oldham (1953) and Jean O’Hea (Oldham 1944 deceased). Cousin of Norma French (Onans1948).

Dora Wood (Walker 1935) died 4 May, 2014. Wife of Rev Dr Harold Wood (deceased). Sister of Kathleen Walker (1935, deceased), Ruth Walker 1936, deceased), Robbie Riddiford (Walker 1943, deceased). Aunt of Sue Doig (Walker 1973) and Janet Walker (1979). Great Aunt of Fiona Doig (2005) and Katherine Doig (2002).

Tributes:

Joan Forster (1934)

The MLC community mourns the passing of Joan Forster (1934) who passed away on 29 July 2014. Sister of Katharine Fraser (Forster 1925) and great aunt of Erica Abbott (1995).

Joan was MLC Junior School Headmistress from 1934 until her retirement in 1977. Noted for her innovative, child-centred approach to teaching, Joan engendered a lasting love of art and nature in her students by arranging numerous excursions, to the extent that former Principal, Dr Wood commented, “Children can join the Junior School and see Victoria.”

In addition to her teaching legacy, Joan was an adept photographer who took pictures of classes and prepared an album for each student, adding photos every year. She donated her significant photo collection to the MLC Archives in 2010.

In 2004, at the age of 88, Joan hosted a reunion of the Geelong Branch of the MLC Old Collegians’ Club (OCC) at her home on the Great Ocean Road, where she was a noted naturalist. She was named a Patron of the OCC in 1989.

To celebrate Joan Forster’s life, a memorial service was held at Fitchett Chapel on 17 August 2014, which was attended by more than 150 people, including four generations of former students.

Michelle Bridges

Michelle Bridges (MLC staff member) died on 25 October 2014. Michelle was a highly regarded teacher by her students, work colleagues and current parents.

Keeping connected

The Star is a much loved magazine that goes out to almost 30,000 members of the MLC community. MLC values its wider community and strives to stay in touch with all members. To enable us to keep in touch with you, please:

• Send in MLC community news (including career and personal updates, engagements, marriages and births) for publication in The Star. We also appreciate receiving advice that a past student has passed away. Please send details to the MLC Development and Advancement Office, 207 Barkers Road, Kew Vic Australia 3101, alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.au or ph +61 3 9274 6357.

• Send us your email address: We kindly request all past students to send us your email address, even if you think we already have it. With an accurate database of contact details for all past students, we can ensure ongoing effective communication with the thriving wider MLC community. Please email your current email address to alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.au

• Register with us online: A reminder to all past students to visit MLC’s secure web page for past students, where you can log in and update your details, keep in touch with fellow past students or simply register to be part of the MLC alumnae online community. Membership is FREE and a username and password will be issued when you register. Please visit www.mlc.vic.edu.au/alumnae for further details and to register.

Have the women in your family attended MLC across the generations?

We are auditing our records and would like to know of generational MLC families. While we have data on many generational MLC families, we are presently aiming to ensure we have a record of them all as valued members of our community. If women in your family have attended MLC across generations, please let us know at the MLC Development and Advancement Office via email alumnae@mlc.vic.edu.au, telephone +61 3 9274 6357 or post at MLC, 207 Barkers Road, Kew Vic 3101.

MLC Melbourne

207 Barkers Road Kew

Victoria 3101 Australia

Telephone: +61 3 9274 6333

Facsimile: +61 3 9819 2345

Email: college@mlc.vic.edu.au

mlc.vic.edu.au

Methodist Ladies’ College Limited

ABN 55 006 036 979 CRICOS 00325A

A School of the Uniting Church in Australia

To uphold the environmental values of the staff and students of MLC, this is printed on ‘ecoStar Silk’ paper. This paper is Certified carbon neutral and FSC 100% Recycled. The Pulp used is Process Chlorine Free and is manufactured by an ISO 14001 certified mill.

The Director of Admissions and Marketing

welcomes all enrolment enquiries.

admissions@mlc.vic.edu.au

+61 3 9274 6316