Flowerdale 2021, Issue 2 : simplebooklet.com

contents THE JOURNEY CONTINUES COVER PHOTO 02 Year 7 students enjoying the bush adventure activities during a bush biking activity at their camp in Marysville Dr Vivianne Nikou Year 8 student Nicholas Kirmos lines up for his turn at the EISM relay event on the 27th of April 2021 04 EVENT SNAPSHOTS 07 THEN AND NOW 13 OUR HISTORY 16 AGS OVER THE YEARS 18 CELEBRATING A SILVER JUBILEE BACK COVER PHOTO Year 7 students preparing for kayaking in Marysville Ms Adelle Greenbury PUBLISHER Alphington Grammar School 18 Old Heidelberg Road PO Box 5008 Alphington Victoria 3078 Tel 03 9597 4777 Email alumni ags vic edu au Web alphington vic edu au alphington_grammar_school AlphaGrammarians KHOI FOUND HIS CALLING 24 HOW 18 CELEBRATING A SILVER JUBILEE 37 JOURNEY TO SPACE Alphington Grammarians SCAN ME 30 ALPHINGTON SPORT Events and activities that occurred during Term 2 Alumni features exploring where they are now and where they came from Featuring Ms Sofia Cojocaru 2000 Ms Nicky Serafim 2012 Mr Khoi Cao Lam 1997 and Ms Antigone Koutoulas 2009 A brief history of the Alphington Grammar School campus and community with contributions by Mr Manuel Pappos and Ms Maria Dikaiou Photos showcasing the changes on our campus over the years A spotlight on Mrs Tracey Nicholson as she nears her 25th year at the School 24 HOW KHOI FOUND HIS CALLING Following Mr Khoi Cao Lam 1997 on his journey to find his purpose 28 ALPHINGTON ART 30 ALPHINGTON SPORT 34 STUDENT JOURNEYS 37 JOURNEY TO SPACE SIMULTANEOUS STORYTIME Featured artwork from the AGS student community Stunning action shots of students in our recent sporting events How two of our current students have changed over the years Featuring Constandina Chasomeris Year 12 and Alannah Halabi Year 12 Books astronauts and journeys through space by Ms Janet Stewart and Ms Angela Mare or visit https tinyurl com AGSalumni UPDATE YOUR DETAILS 13 OUR HISTORY 40 ALUMNI COMMUNITY CALL OUT A message for our alumni update your details and connect with us on Socials for correspondence and updates WINTER 2021 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 INSIDE FRONT COVER PHOTO EDITOR FEATURES FROM THE PRINCIPAL S DESK

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2 Flowerdale From the Principal s Desk S earching for answers ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle proposed the concept of eudaemonia which means to live well or flourish as a human being by 1 virtue or excellence 2 gaining practical wisdom and 3 developing moral strength Ultimately to flourish or embrace eudeamonia is a journey of self discovery and developing your best talents As we learn to live between repeated lockdowns the Olympic Games being held in Japan this year have given us all a sense of hope and national pride as we watch our Australian athletes pursue their dreams and strive for Excellence in their fields of endeavour While reflecting on this I explored the concept of ikigai Ikigai is the Japanese concept of finding purpose in life which is also similar to the French term Raison d etre a reason for being Yet to understand where one is going requires us tro look at where we have come from

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3 Flowerdale Dr Vivianne Nikou addressing the crowd at our Mother s Day High Tea and that is what is at the heart of our Flowerdale publication this term Finding meaning and developing one s strengths takes time and the journey to self discovery will be different for us all This edition of Flowerdale journeys into the past not only to understand our School s humble beginnings but also to see how far we have come To this end we follow alumnae Khoi Cao Lam Class of 1997 Sofia Cojocaru Class of 2000 Antigone Koutoulas Class of 2009 and Nicky Serafim Class of 2012 on their personal journeys from their school days to where they are now The self reflections of current students Constandina Chasomeris and Alannah Halabi who will graduate later this year demonstrate their journeys of self discovery and developing their strengths and talents to lead lives of service and purpose at Alphington Grammar School Equally we celebrate 25 years of service by Assistant Principal Head of Primary Mrs Tracey Nicholson Mrs Nicholson has not only seen The School evolve from its portable buildings and outhouses to the modern structures and facilities we all now enjoy but she has also undergone her own journey of becoming a passionate and deeply committed educator leading her part of The School A look at our Year of Achievement and events so far rounds off this edition as we move cautiously into the remainder of the academic year Although our year may have a different ending to the one we hoped and planned for I am so proud to share the staggering beginnings and vision of some of those who walked before us I hope you find joy in reading this edition of Flowerdale that our Alumni Coordinator Ms Adelle Greenbury has compiled Dr Vivianne Nikou School Principal

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8 Flowerdale Sofia Cojocaru Class of 2000 DUX joint Sofia Cocojaru s Year 12 photo 2000 Sofia Cocojaru working in her lab 2021 Sofia Cojocaru started at AGS in 1998 and graduated in 2000 Having grown up speaking Russian Sofia excelled in her studies but didn t feel confident in her English She slowly began to open up and make friends with the help and support of everyone at AGS As a student Sofia was studious developing a love for Biology and Chemistry She makes special mention of Mr Diamandikos one of the best teachers she has ever had She graduated as joint DUX of her year with her good friend Damon Green After graduation Sofia had dreams of going into medicine while she did make it into her dream Uni the University of Melbourne it was in biomedical science not medicine This ended up being for the better as she discovered her passion for organic chemistry She followed this by pursuing medicinal chemistry in her Honours year and organic synthesis in her PhD studies Currently Sofia is a Chemistry lecturer at La Trobe University which she really enjoys She names her biggest challenge as returning to work after having her first son but adds that she is where she is because she has a passion for teaching chemistry Her advice to current students Follow your heart you need to enjoy what you are going to do for the rest of your life

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9 Flowerdale Nicky Serafim Class of 2012 School Captain Nicky Serafim took her first steps through the gates of AGS when she was only 5 years old in the year 2000 and graduated in the class of 2012 as School Captain As a student she was detail oriented diligent organised and caring One of the highlights of her time at AGS was the famous time capsule or autographed printer hidden within school grounds She wonders to this day whether it was ever found Prior to graduation Nicky initially wanted to go into teaching to shape the lives of the next generation influenced by her favourite teachers at AGS Nicky completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Speech Pathology with first class honours and she now works as a speech pathologist Her profession embodies the disciplines of teaching she loves with the additional pleasure of 1 1 instruction and the privilege of working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum She has deservedly earned the role of Senior Speech Pathologist and Practice Manager which she credits to her loyalty to her practice her ability to lead and her work ethic It was not all smooth sailing though in 2013 Nicky was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease which on some days can render her almost completely incapable of activity With time and support Nicky has learned to accept her circumstances and thrive Her advice Strive for progress and purpose not simply perfection Nicky Serafim s School Captain speech 2012 Nicky Serafim as a Speech Pathologist 2021

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10 Flowerdale Khoi Cao Lam and Principal Jim Economou 1997 Khoi Cao Lam today 2021 Khoi Cao Lam had his first day at AGS in 1992 as a Year 7 student and graduated in 1997 Khoi sheepishly admits to being a bit geeky as a student studying a lot and being bad at sports When he was a student here Khoi valued the teaching mentorship and support he received and he adds that he still has close lifelong friends from his time at AGS At school Khoi contemplated pursuing medicine law or engineering but mostly hoped he would get into a good University and take it from there After graduation Khoi grew into his own skin He completed a double degree in Business and Law at Monash University and received his Masters at Cambridge He became passionate about social justice at Uni and later worked with UNICEF in Papua New Guinea Currently Khoi is an Executive Director at Oxfam Australia focused on positioning them in the aid and development sector in Australia and the Asia Pacific region He is also a Board Director and Deputy Chair of Cohealth a non profit organisation providing healthcare for Melbourne s most disadvantaged His mantra is Be nice respect others always keep learning A person s true value is not measured by income material success or job title the d a e R st of y re s stor Khopi age 24 on Khoi Cao Lam Class of 1997 DUX and Valedictorian

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11 Flowerdale Antigone Koutoulas s Year 2 photo 1999 Antigone Koutoulas at work 2021 Antigone Koutoulas started in Pre Prep in 1996 and graduated in 2009 Antigone was a friendly outgoing student who was focused on her studies and leadership opportunities She has many fond memories playing soccer with the girls in her year even though they weren t very good Antigone admits to putting pressure on herself at School and wishes she would have had more fun Prior to graduation Antigone wanted to become a physiotherapist but her University studies pushed her onto a different path Antigone Koutoulas Class of 2009 Antigone completed her postgraduate studies at LaTrobe University She is now an Occupational Therapist working with older adults with medical and social issues who have been discharged after long stays in hospital She helps them remain independent and safe She is also completing a Masters of Business Administration to move into a more managerial role and advocate for our aged and disabled population Her biggest challenge was being an essential healthcare worker during the COVID 19 pandemic in a residential care facility with a large number of COVID cases Thankfully with the support of her team she persevered Her motto is If you don t invest in yourself nobody else will

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13 Flowerdale Our History Written with contributions by Mr Manuel Pappos and Ms Maria Dikaiou T he grounds that our School sits on today have a long and varied history The School grounds were once the site of the homestead of Charles Trescowthick a prominent Melbourne boot maker In 1911 he and his family built Flowerdale House which still stands on our Campus today as offices for the Principal Senior Management and staff The property was once also part of the country residence of C J Latrobe Victoria s first Governor know them today were established at this point Parade laid the ground for our ovals prepared the existing buildings for use as educational facilities and built much of the main school building The original cream brickwork can still be found around our campus today In addition Parade College purchased many of the surrounding properties in the name of The School putting the grounds in a good position for future expansion The Flowerdale property stayed within the Trescowthick family for many years before being sold to the Catholic Church and going to auction in 1952 Once at auction the property was purchased by Parade College and converted into their allboys Junior campus Parade Preparatory College on this site It operated from 1953 to 1988 Many of the foundations and buildings for Alphington Grammar School as we In 1988 after 35 years of operation Parade College left the site as they moved towards integration with their main Campus The property was then purchased by the Greek Community Fueled by the desire for a non denominational school that still retained its connection to the Greek Community Alphington Grammar School was thus established In its first year Mr Nicholas Bates was appointed Establishment Principal and entrusted with laying the foundations for a small familyoriented school prioritising student welfare With this vision in mind Alphington Grammar School officially opened for the first time in 1989 When it was first opened Alphington Grammar had a small and intimate number of students and modest facilities and furnishings For the first three years it was lead by Foundation Principal Mr Ashley Latchford who made strides towards establishing the School within the Greek Community and developing the curriculum Deputy Principal and future Acting Principal Ms Maria Dikaiou also joined the School around this time in 1990 In these early years The School was a project of passion and love for many people It was comprised of the main Primary Secondary

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14 Flowerdale and Junior School buildings Flowerdale a few residential houses that had fallen into the School s possession and two small wooden buildings that had once been the church and stables of the old estate Mr Ashley Latchford s departure in 1991 saw the appointment of Mr Barry Carozzi as Principal who served until 1994 His time with us saw continuous and steady growth in student numbers due to the closure of a neighbouring Churchbased School Unfortunately the School found itself facing financial challenges as they were pushed to make changes to the campus to accommodate the rising student numbers From 1994 until 1998 Mr Jim Economou took over the role as Principal of the School This period of time was a busy one for the School for multiple reasons 1994 saw the graduation of Alphington Grammar School s first VCE class and in 1996 the school officially opened its doors to International students These milestones however were followed by a major setback In 1997 a fire occurred within one of the main School buildings The electrical fire sparked overnight and proved to be quite devastating to one of the main buildings and the Secondary classrooms within it The School then had no choice but to renovate and re build due to the extensive damage Fortuitously while construction was occurring on the site of the fire the School was able to build a new wing with the help of Government funding The Centenary Wing on the corner of Old Heidelberg Road and Lucerne Crescent was designed to be the School s Art and Library facility Up to this point the library had been sharing a space in the old wooden stables with part of the Music School fondly referred to as the Yamaha Room The Centenary Wing was completed in 1997 The VCE House and the Centenary Wing under construction 1996 Between the new wing and the site of the fire was a School owned residential home called VCE House To allow for expansion VCE House was removed in 1997 having been sold off in an auction The School continued to build by connecting the refurbished original building with the new Centenary Wing creating one long School building that stands today After a busy few years Principal Jim Economou left the School and was succeeded as Principal by Mr Mike Smith in 1998 Mr Smith would remain in the role for a number of years until 2012 It is pertinent to note that in the first decade of the School s tumultuous history Ms Maria Dikaiou played an invaluable role in the running and management of the School stepping in as Acting and Caretaker Principal multiple times before ending her time at the School in 2000 Under Mr Mike Smith s leadership

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15 Flowerdale in the late 90s to early 2000s demand for more school space resulted in the establishment of 7 portables across the School These were located on the outdoor courts and on the grass behind Flowerdale It also saw the movement of the School s Reception from Flowerdale to the front of the School in a bid for more visibility and the completion of the tennis courts In these middling years The School made only small changes Classes were moved the outdoor court was repaved and the Early Learning Centre ELC playground was re done but the general layout stayed the same This relative stagnation came to an end in the early 2010s At the time a large house sat just opposite the School s paved court owned by the Brown family With the advance of government funding under the Building Education Revolution BER and an additional private donation from private benefactor Mr Nick Andrianakos the Browns House was acquired and taken down to build the Andrianakos Centre which serves as a hall gym music facility and multipurpose space It also now includes a commercial kitchen funded by the Parents and Friends Association The Centre was officially opened in 2011 At the same time with additional BER grants and The School s own borrowings the School began building a double story facility for the Senior Primary Years on top of the then existing undercroft the current Lyceum Centre thus connecting it to the administration facility The Senior Primary Wing which houses homerooms for Years 3 to 6 as well as additional classrooms was opened in 2012 In 2013 our current Principal Dr Vivianne Nikou was appointed the School s first female Principal The next few years were characterised by plentiful renovations expansions and developments and an ambitious redevelopment agenda 2013 was the inaugural year for our now annual Mother s Day High Tea and Father s Day Breakfast Both the new House System and our Years 9 and 10 experiential learning program Gateways were launched in 2014 The Lyceum a conference space and staff room located where the undercroft once was under the Senior Primary and overlooking the Ovals was opened in 2016 This was soon followed by the renovation of the administration and student amenities facilities and the enclosure of the main school entryway which was officially finished in 2018 Also in 2018 the School began construction on the new STEM facilities in what was the Centenary Wing which opened in 2019 Finally in the last phase of the School s current strategic plan construction on the new School Library began in 2019 Located on the ground floor of the main school building the library opened in 2020 and had its official opening ceremony in early 2021 2021 also saw the relocation of the School Canteen from The Andrianakos Centre development from The Browns House 2010 to today 2021 its previous position in the lowest level under the Senior Primary Building to the indoor outdoor area of the Andrianakos Centre The new canteen was also recently enclosed by clear alfresco windows creating a sheltered canteen space for all to enjoy Over the course of it s lifetime Alphington Grammar School has benefited from the support of countless staff parents and members of our community as well as funding by the State and Federal Governments We would like to acknowledge this support as well as the over 4 5 million in Government funding that has helped make our developments possible The School s ability to invest some 20 million in infrastructure is due to the overwhelming backing that surrounds the School from its earliest days to now This is how Alphington Grammar School has been able to come so far from where it started May the journey long continue

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18 Flowerdale Celebrating a Silver Jubilee In anticipation of Assistant Principal Head of Primary Mrs Tracey Nicholson s 25th anniversary at our School we speak with her about her journey and time with us By Adelle Greenbury M rs Tracey Nicholson our Assistant Principal and Head of the Primary School is undoubtedly a staple figure around our campus After having started at Alphington Grammar School in 1996 as a Year 6 teacher Mrs Nicholson has worked at the School in a variety of capacities over the years until her role eventually morphed into what it is today In September of this year Mrs Nicholson will celebrate the 25 year anniversary of her first day starting at the school a silver jubilee In this issue of Flowerdale we look back at where we have been and forward to where we will go What better thing to do than speak with and celebrate someone who has been such a large part of our School for so long Mrs Nicholson is Melbournian born and raised she grew up in Melbourne s Northern suburbs where she attended Blessed Oliver Plunketts BOPs now St Oliver Plunkett in Pascoe Vale and went to Pascoe Vale Girls High School now Pascoe Vale Girls Secondary College After graduation she left to study Drama Art and Mrs Tracey Nicholson 2021 Literature at Coburg Teachers College where she met her now husband Kevin Nicholson In 1979 at the age of 21 Mrs Nicholson began her first teaching position with a Year 6 class at Sunbury Primary School This first class always held a special place in her heart My eldest daughter is named after one of those students Mrs Nicholson reveals She continued to teach in State Independent and Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools including longer stays at St Bernard s College in Essendon and Bacchus Marsh Grammar School Just prior to her commencement at AGS Mrs Nicholson and her husband Kevin moved to Canberra to take over the running of the AME Association of Modern Education School which had fallen on hard times The School was inspired by the Summerhill model which emphasises student choice and freedom and came with many unique challenges Mrs Nicholson recalls how parents were very insistent that students would learn with absolute minimal guidance and how the whole Primary School had classes together in one big room It was definitely a learning experience Unfortunately and unbeknownst to her or her husband the School was insolvent and after the closure of the School they moved back to Melbourne Shortly after Mrs Nicholson secured a position at AGS as a Year 6 classroom teacher set to begin in September of 1996

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19 Flowerdale At this point in time Mrs Nicholson had been teaching next to the current boardroom it once held large close to non stop for a number of years She attributes blackboards and a teaching platform and what is now a her persistence and hard work to a genuine passion and closed corridor outside it used to be an open concrete love for teaching balcony with iron balustrades Making a difference is I believe what Coincidentally nearly 25 years later my office is only a few metres away from that very same room Mrs we are here on earth to do Nicholson interjects Mrs Nicholson has held the dream of teaching and working in schools close to her heart from a very young The broader campus has evolved dramatically as well age There were no modern buildings she describes and there were several private houses situated on or close to Since Grade 2 at BOPs in 1965 when I had this teacher School property All School reports were handwritten Miss Beck I have aspired to be a teacher she reveals to sometimes translated into Greek and there were no me Making a difference is I believe what we are here real playgrounds to speak of While the Oval did exist it on earth to do had no fence and soccer balls frequently ended up in the creek When Mrs Nicholson started at AGS the school looked and operated very differently to the way it does today Mrs Nicholson worked as a classroom teacher for Years 5 The very first classroom she taught in was the room and 6 for her first four years at the School before the Mrs Nicholson with the AGS girls Volleyball team in 1997

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20 Flowerdale opportunity arose for her to apply for a leadership position and she obtained the role of Junior School Coordinator in addition to a teaching role in Years 2 and 3 Reminiscing on those early years Mrs Nicholson makes special mention of the teachers she worked most closely with including Mrs Jillian Lynn Mrs Glenda McKie and Mr Les Dahl As the School evolved so did her role within it she worked for a few years as Director of Student Services and Staff Wellbeing as well as a teaching Years 7 and 8 Art with the recently retired Mrs Alex Kimonidis With the arrival of current Principal Dr Vivianne Nikou in 2013 Mrs Nicholson s role within the school changed once again to what it is today While the School has certainly undergone big changes over the years both in terms of its physical campus as Valedictory 2006 well as the curriculum and opportunities it is now able to offer Mrs Nicholson has always been a valued and integral member of the Alphington Grammar community Some of her favourite memories of the School over the years include the Wakakirri Performing Arts and Dance competitions that the School participated in during the early 2000s They involved working with Year 3 and 4 students on an 8 minute performance and required months of rehearsals costume making and dance practice before the grand performance in the Rod Laver Arena The parameters of the competition became too overwhelming eventually but the Wakakirri years were certainly memorable if exhausting Mrs Nicholson says Mrs Nicholson has experienced highs and lows both at AGS and in her own life but she reveals that her experiences have taught her perseverance resilience to hold her values close and to enjoy life when and where you can She also makes note of the importance of her faith family friends and community in her life Safari Book Parade 2009 Community and support is essential in overcoming any challenge and in this way she maintains that AGS hasn t changed much at all A reliable constant has been the warmth of its people she tells me near the end of our interview Whether it is the children parents or colleagues the strength of AGS has always been its community AGS Open Day 2013 Mr Mark Stanton Head of Secondary Dr Vivianne Nikou Principal Mr Manuel Pappos Business Manager Mrs Tracey Nicholson

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25 Flowerdale How Khoi Found His Calling Alumni Khoi Cao Lam Class of 1997 speaks to us about growing into his own skin finding his passion and making the world a better place By Adelle Greenbury W hen Khoi Cao Lam started at AGS in 1992 as a Year 7 student he was admittedly not very comfortable in his own skin He felt somewhat out of place like he was different and occasionally thought that he didn t have many people around him who were on the same wavelength or had the same interests Despite this Khoi looks back on his time at AGS favourably and with a real sense of humour I was very geeky studied lots and was bad at sports he admits quite cheekily Khoi was definitely studious he graduated in 1997 as DUX and joint Valedictorian with classmate Addassa Skopelianos However while you would be forgiven for assuming the School DUX and Valedictorian had it all figured out this was not the case for Khoi In reality Khoi reveals that while he was at AGS he was still very unsure about his future career path Like a good migrant student I contemplated medicine law engineering or finance he lists off but I just hoped I would do well enough to get into a good university course and take it from there Once he graduated Khoi began a journey of finding himself and figuring out his life s path Thanks in large part to the teaching mentorship and educational support he received from his educators while at AGS Khoi was thoroughly prepared for tertiary studies and was accepted into Monash University where he studied a double degree in law and business While at University a seed of interest was planted within Khoi one that he would eventually follow to his current career a seed of interest for social justice and community service I m passionate about it Khoi reveals to me This passion gradually evolved during my Uni years and since then I have been lucky enough to work in a variety of contexts that allowed me to contribute After the completion of his Bachelor s degree Khoi commenced his Masters at Cambridge University Having nurtured his newfound interest in social justice Khoi directed his graduate research towards the social and emotional needs of disadvantaged people who access publicly funded support services Khoi s first career was as a commercial lawyer but he eventually decided that he wanted to focus his attention on other causes He left legal practice and began working with UNICEF United Nations International Children s Emergency Fund in Papua New Guinea where he stayed for a few years Over the course of his career Khoi has also worked in a number of small community based not for profit organisations as well as in the Victorian public sector with the Department of Premier and Cabinet Today Khoi seems confident and not at all like the child he had described He himself admits to being older mostly wiser and also much more comfortable in his own skin and what he s about

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27 Flowerdale Currently Khoi is an Executive Director at Oxfam Australia an international non governmental organisation focused on eradicating poverty and achieving gender justice climate justice economic justice and first people s justice Within the organisation Khoi s role centres around helping position Oxfam Australia in the rapidly changing aid and development sector in Australia and the Asia Pacific region and introducing new ways of working into the organisation people Khoi says of his current role and together we get to apply lots of creativity and experimentation Luck and the generosity of other Luck and the generosity of other people have played such an important role in various points in my life over and above anything I ve done he insists Humility hard work and a growth mindset are really important foundations for achieving goals whatever they might be people have played such an important role in various points in my life In addition to this Khoi also works as a Board Director and Deputy Chairperson of Cohealth a not for profit community health organisation providing medical dental and allied health services to some of the most disadvantaged people in Melbourne Khoi has clearly found his place but he is adamant that he has reached these heights with the support and kindness of the people around him While he admits that he worked hard and that this brute force hard work and natural curiosity did serve him well he is insistent on acknowledging his privilege Looking back at his journey Khoi leaves us with some advice Sometimes we may not be able to achieve our goals due to factors beyond our control but there are many pathways to getting where you want to go I get to work across many disciplines with really talented Mr Khoi Cao Lam on top of Mount Kosciuszko during a holiday

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34 Flowerdale STUDENT C 2021 onstandina Chasomeris started at AGS when she was only 6 years old following in the footsteps of her siblings and extended family As a young child Constandina was extremely shy and quiet in the way that many children are she was unsure of herself and lacked the confidence to present herself and her opinions to the world Throughout her journey here with us Constandina matured into the friendly more outgoing and family oriented 17 year old she is today Family and community is a very important part of Constandina s life When asked what her experience has been like at AGS so far she notes that one of the things she enjoys the most is how the School community has always come together in difficult times and supported her like a family and how she knows her friends classmates and teachers will always be there for her 2009 Constandina Chasomeris Year 12 started at AGS in Prep Constandina s own family has a strong connection to the School as well Her aunt attended AGS and graduated in 2008 and more recently her brother Anastasios graduated in 2015 followed by her sister Dianne in 2017 What makes this journey interesting is that Constandina and her family don t live particularly close In fact they live on the other side of Melbourne Their dedication to the School despite the distance can be attributed to the connection with the Greek community Constandina reveals My grandparents really wanted us to experience part of the Greek culture as we grew up and they loved how involved the Greek community was at AGS she says Reminiscing about the School and how it has changed she tells me that the School has gone through major structural changes in the time she has been here Her favourite memories include all the Camps she went on with her friends since Year 3 and she makes special mention of the Gateways trips in Years 9 and 10 Constandina had the opportunity to participate in the China Cyrpus and Greece trip in 2018 and the Vietnam experience in 2019 The memories she made with her friends on these trips will stay with her forever Constandina truly believes that AGS has helped to shape her and her family members into more resilient and outgoing people who have the confidence to go after what they want With this new mindset and a dedication to helping the School community Constandina has been able to earn the role of Pericles House Captain two years in a row After graduation Constandina plans to go to University to study Physical Education

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35 Flowerdale STORIES A lannah Halabi currently in Year 12 started at AGS in Prep back in 2009 when she was only 5 years old Alannah has had three siblings and various cousins attend the School before she did which primed her to be an AGS student even before her first day She remembers meeting a variety of AGS students and staff through her siblings who thoroughly enjoyed their time at the School Once she officially started at the School Alannah found herself quickly warming to the tight knit community and supportive environment she was surrounded by Helped by her siblings she knew most of the people at the School and she loved how this made her feel connected with the community One of her earliest memories at the School is performing with her brother and his friend both in Year 12 at the time in her Year 1 concert Thinking back to how the School used to be Alannah notes that the School was much less culturally diverse all those years ago When she first started at AGS Alannah remembers that she and her siblings were some of the only students not from a Greek background Now she says the students are from a wide variety of different cultures which she loves because she finds great value in learning about different cultures There are also many more opportunities and activities available to everyone within the School such as events subjects extracurricular activities and experiential learning programs When asked about her favourite memory at the School Alannah fires off two examples The first is from Year 4 Ms Katsambanis was trying to take photos of their class but no one could stop laughing long enough to get a photo As for the second memory It would definitely be the 2018 Gateways trip where we travelled to China Cyprus and Greece or believe it or not Year 7 survival camp 2021 As the School has changed so has Alannah Over the years she has developed some very special friendships with people who have helped shape her into the person she is today She has become more sociable resilient and confident in her ability to overcome challenges Now people would describe her as approachable and friendly and constantly smiling She has also achieved some great things at the School By being vigilant and ready to help those in need Alannah followed in the footsteps of her sisters by being elected as Byron House Captain two years in a row After graduation Alannah plans to attend University to study Criminology and Psychology 2009 Alannah Halabi Year 12 started at AGS in Prep

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38 Flowerdale Journey to Space National Simultaneous Storytime By Ms Janet Stewart Primary Teacher and Librarian and Ms Angela Mare Head of Library Una dreams of a life in Space Life on Earth is just so so so But how will she get there And will she complete her mission to discover life in Space And did she remember to feed Neil the goldfish O n the 19th of May 2021 the picture book Give Me Some Space by Phillip Bunting was read to over 1 98 million children across Australia and New Zealand simultaneously by NASA astronaut Dr Shannon Walker from the International Space Station At Alphington Grammar School the Library hosted students from ELC to Year 4 for the reading of the story With a wall of stars and planets as their backdrop galaxy lighting on the ceiling and the theme from Stars Wars playing while everyone was settling in the excitement in the air was palpable The looks of wonder and amazement in the eyes of the students many of whom were dressed like astronauts aliens or intergalactic heroes was its own reward Give Me Some Space is a sweet empowering and educational book all about a young girl s mission to find life in space After some trial and error involving cardboard soft drink engines and helium balloons Una blasts off in a rocket and begins her journey through the cosmos to look for life The author of the picture book Philip Bunting has undertaken a journey of his own throughout his life Having grown up in the Lakes District of the UK he travelled across the ocean to live in Australia as a young man He settled in the hinterland of the Sunshine coast in Queensland and was taken aback by all the unique creatures he would spot visiting his backyard These animals and insects were almost alien to him and he was inspired by their strange forms to start writing and illustrating picture books I value the importance of reading as an activity that allows us to see things from new perspectives he said The more you read the more you know The more you know the more you wonder The more you wonder the more wonderful life becomes Dr Shannon Walker the accomplished astronaut who read the story from the International Space Station ISS has come a long way throughout her life and career She was only 4 years old when the American astronauts first landed on the moon and this event served as a touchstone for her throughout her studies and professional life She remember how on that

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39 Flowerdale day her parents had taken her into their back garden and pointed up to the moon small and pale in the vast night sky to show her where the astronauts were This moment though it may not seem overly significant was a turning point in Dr Walker s life Ever since then I have thought that going to space was the best idea ever she revealed Dr Walker has a passion for physics and a doctorate in Astrophysics and is now living her dream of being an astronaut She spent a year working for the Russian Space Agency while learning to speak Russian which is a requirement of working on the ISS She is one of only 3 women who have been commander of the ISS and has spent hundreds of days in space Most recently Dr Walker returned to Earth splashing down safely in the Gulf of Mexico When asked about her participation in the Simultaneous Storytime event Dr Walker revealed her passion for sparking interest in young people about space and the great unknown I want to encourage young people to think about what the future can be like if we work together to accomplish difficult goals such as the exploration of space she said There are so many possibilities for our young students today all they need to do is imagine and open themselves up to the limitless possibilities of our planet and beyond There is a poignant quote from Neil Armstrong not the fish at the end of the story It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea pretty and blue was the Earth I put up my thumb and shut one eye and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth I didn t feel like a giant I felt very very small

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40 Flowerdale A Alumni Community re you a graduate of Alphington Grammar School If so do you know that you could have a valuable and expansive community of AGS alumni at your fingertips The Alphington Grammarian group recently established on LinkedIn aims to help all our alumni reconnect and shape the future of our school The group can also and provide you with valuable professional networking resources Our alumni are talented successful individuals spread across all walks of life that all have one thing in common the time spent making memories together at Alphington Grammar Get access to this community today by searching for our LinkedIn Group Alphington Grammarians To ensure we have your correct details scan the QR code on the next page or back cover This will make sure you receive invitations information about future events and news as well as Flowerdale Alternatively visit the form manually at https tinyurl com AGSalumni 2012 2008 2015 1989 2005 1990 2015 1998

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