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Page 1flowerdaleSPIRIT AND LEGACY EDITIONAGS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE // SPRING 2024Celebrating 35 Years

Page 2 Page 1contentsSPIRIT AND LEGACY EDITIONAlphington Grammar School18 Old Heidelberg Road,PO Box 364,Ivanhoe Victoria 3079Tel. 03 9597 4777Email alumni@ags.vic.edu.auWeb alphington.vic.edu.aucover photo Juliana Evmorfias, Year 6 and Clara Bielenberg, Year 9inside front cover Ellaina Arabatzis and Thalia Lewis, Athletics Carnival, Year 10back cover photo Poppi Sakellaropoulos Year 8, The Addams Family Productioneditors Adellea Greenbury, Head of MarketingZoe Zapantis, Marketing Coordinator events22 Event Snapshots24 35-Year Winter Ball28 Secondary Production: The Addams Family32 Primary Productions features02 From the Principal’s Desk04 AGS Timeline06 From the Past Principals Nicholas Bates and Maria Dikaiou10 From the Staff Helen Mallis, Con Papoulis, John Savopoulos, Anna Vayenas, Helen Mallis and Louis Diamandikos14 Alexander Gregory: Celebrating Success18 Mia Karambelas’ Journeycommunity news42 Class of 2004 and 2014 Alumni Reunion 44 Donor Acknowledgementalumni stories36 Mercury Yi38 Dr Nikolas Kazantzidis40 Poppy Liu

Page 2 Page 1contentsSPIRIT AND LEGACY EDITIONAlphington Grammar School18 Old Heidelberg Road,PO Box 364,Ivanhoe Victoria 3079Tel. 03 9597 4777Email alumni@ags.vic.edu.auWeb alphington.vic.edu.aucover photo Juliana Evmorfias, Year 6 and Clara Bielenberg, Year 9inside front cover Ellaina Arabatzis and Thalia Lewis, Athletics Carnival, Year 10back cover photo Poppi Sakellaropoulos Year 8, The Addams Family Productioneditors Adellea Greenbury, Head of MarketingZoe Zapantis, Marketing Coordinator events22 Event Snapshots24 35-Year Winter Ball28 Secondary Production: The Addams Family32 Primary Productions features02 From the Principal’s Desk04 AGS Timeline06 From the Past Principals Nicholas Bates and Maria Dikaiou10 From the Staff Helen Mallis, Con Papoulis, John Savopoulos, Anna Vayenas, Helen Mallis and Louis Diamandikos14 Alexander Gregory: Celebrating Success18 Mia Karambelas’ Journeycommunity news42 Class of 2004 and 2014 Alumni Reunion 44 Donor Acknowledgementalumni stories36 Mercury Yi38 Dr Nikolas Kazantzidis40 Poppy Liu

Page 2 Page 3Welcome to the Spring edition of Flowerdale. This issue showcases the journey of our School over the last 35 years, including some inspiring stories of challenges, perseverance and triumph.A strong school is about community and meaningful connections. At Alphington Grammar School we began 2024 celebrating much about our diverse community and the connections made over 35 years of our history. As the famous song written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton rings out: “We are one, but we are many. And from all the lands on earth we come. We’ll share a dream and sing with one voice. I am, you are, we are Australian.”How do these iconic words apply to us here at Alphington? We are one, we are many; we are a successful Australian community united in our Pursuit of Excellence in all that we do. Alphington Grammar School is one of the most successful multicultural school communities in Australia. We celebrate diversity and inclusivity in unique ways which embrace our rich cultural diversity. As we know, culture isn’t set, it is shaped, and can change over time.It is vital we recognise that this didn’t happen by accident here at Alphington Grammar School. We can feel extremely proud of our multicultural school that pays tribute to its Hellenic roots yet is outward looking, not only embracing all nationalities but living its multicultural ethos in a practical way both in and out of the school. How many other schools can give its students the opportunity to dive deeper into our Indigenous culture while also opening up the world beyond our shores to include such destinations as China, Turkey, Gallipoli, Cyprus, Vietnam, London, Rome, Sicily, Greece and Crete?Continuing our focus on building culture and meaningful relationships where individuality and choice are embraced is what makes our school so special. Honouring our past and the unique journey of this school while acknowledging and celebrating where our school is today, 35 years in, is an exciting period to be part of. There is a sense of comfort and certainty when we can strongly articulate that “we know who we are, what we stand for, what our values are”. We know as educators our purpose is to provide a vibrant learning environment that respects and celebrates academic excellence and personal development.These days, we hear a lot about resilience, wellbeing, and mindfulness. Yet, no one is talking enough about kindness and how to live that example in all that we do and all we aspire to. At a time when the world is getting scarier each day, it’s more important than ever that we look after each other and demonstrate kindness in a practical way. We each are a small part of a giant tapestry that is AGS, and we are each an indispensable part of completing the vibrant picture. We want our children to “Be the kindness they want to see in the world they are helping shape.” Within this edition we take the time to acknowledge, celebrate, and honour members of our community from across the school’s past and present. In particular, I would like to thank Establishment Principal Mr Nicholas Bates and past Deputy Principal Ms Maria Dikaiou for their contributions.I also acknowledge our long serving sta members, proled in this edition, who have given many years of service to the school: Mr Louis Diamandikos, Ms Helen Mallis, Mr Con Papoulis, Mr John Savopoulos and Ms Anna Vayenas. Some have been here for almost the entire time Alphington Grammar has existed. I thank our sta for their commitment and dedication to the students, families and growing our school. Please enjoy this anniversary edition of Flowerdale. Dr Vivianne Nikou, PrincipalFrom the Principal’s DeskfeaturesMadeleine Ball, Year 8, Dr Vivianne Nikou, and Dimitri Matsamakis, Year 8Madeleine Ball, Year 8, Dr Vivianne Nikou, and Dimitri Matsamakis, Year 8

Page 2 Page 3Welcome to the Spring edition of Flowerdale. This issue showcases the journey of our School over the last 35 years, including some inspiring stories of challenges, perseverance and triumph.A strong school is about community and meaningful connections. At Alphington Grammar School we began 2024 celebrating much about our diverse community and the connections made over 35 years of our history. As the famous song written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton rings out: “We are one, but we are many. And from all the lands on earth we come. We’ll share a dream and sing with one voice. I am, you are, we are Australian.”How do these iconic words apply to us here at Alphington? We are one, we are many; we are a successful Australian community united in our Pursuit of Excellence in all that we do. Alphington Grammar School is one of the most successful multicultural school communities in Australia. We celebrate diversity and inclusivity in unique ways which embrace our rich cultural diversity. As we know, culture isn’t set, it is shaped, and can change over time.It is vital we recognise that this didn’t happen by accident here at Alphington Grammar School. We can feel extremely proud of our multicultural school that pays tribute to its Hellenic roots yet is outward looking, not only embracing all nationalities but living its multicultural ethos in a practical way both in and out of the school. How many other schools can give its students the opportunity to dive deeper into our Indigenous culture while also opening up the world beyond our shores to include such destinations as China, Turkey, Gallipoli, Cyprus, Vietnam, London, Rome, Sicily, Greece and Crete?Continuing our focus on building culture and meaningful relationships where individuality and choice are embraced is what makes our school so special. Honouring our past and the unique journey of this school while acknowledging and celebrating where our school is today, 35 years in, is an exciting period to be part of. There is a sense of comfort and certainty when we can strongly articulate that “we know who we are, what we stand for, what our values are”. We know as educators our purpose is to provide a vibrant learning environment that respects and celebrates academic excellence and personal development.These days, we hear a lot about resilience, wellbeing, and mindfulness. Yet, no one is talking enough about kindness and how to live that example in all that we do and all we aspire to. At a time when the world is getting scarier each day, it’s more important than ever that we look after each other and demonstrate kindness in a practical way. We each are a small part of a giant tapestry that is AGS, and we are each an indispensable part of completing the vibrant picture. We want our children to “Be the kindness they want to see in the world they are helping shape.” Within this edition we take the time to acknowledge, celebrate, and honour members of our community from across the school’s past and present. In particular, I would like to thank Establishment Principal Mr Nicholas Bates and past Deputy Principal Ms Maria Dikaiou for their contributions.I also acknowledge our long serving sta members, proled in this edition, who have given many years of service to the school: Mr Louis Diamandikos, Ms Helen Mallis, Mr Con Papoulis, Mr John Savopoulos and Ms Anna Vayenas. Some have been here for almost the entire time Alphington Grammar has existed. I thank our sta for their commitment and dedication to the students, families and growing our school. Please enjoy this anniversary edition of Flowerdale. Dr Vivianne Nikou, PrincipalFrom the Principal’s DeskfeaturesMadeleine Ball, Year 8, Dr Vivianne Nikou, and Dimitri Matsamakis, Year 8Madeleine Ball, Year 8, Dr Vivianne Nikou, and Dimitri Matsamakis, Year 8

Page 4 Page 5AGS Timeline

Page 4 Page 5AGS Timeline

Page 6 Page 7Nicholas BatesHe noted that “Nicholas is married with three children. His wife is a Vice Principal and his enthusiasm for and condence in the school is reected in his intention to have his own children enrolled as pupils”. He also wrote that “Mr Bates has had a distinguished career in secondary education. He is acknowledged as an innovative and imaginative teacher whose priority lies with the children and their families under has care. During the interview process it became clear to us that he was a person and educator of outstanding ability and integrity enhanced by his unpretentious honesty, rmness of principle, loyalty and capacity for friendship”.The months following my appointment were extremely challenging. Having come from a school that had everything I was faced with no school Council or Board, no budget, no teaching or administrative sta, no enrolled students, no curriculum and no reception or oce. So much to do yet so little time to have the school operating in time for the new year. Other issues included some necessary renovations, arranging furniture, deciding uniforms, ordering teaching materials and equipment, conrming transport, maintenance and more..Seeking enrolments became the next challenge. The paperwork from the Greek Language Schools indicated a real interest in enrolling in the school but this interest dissipated, and I regret not exploring the reliability of this information earlier. The choice was to advertise locally in schools, Greek and local newspapers, SBS television and through holding some community meetings. It was all painfully slow, and we would be starting with low numbers.Despite the many obstacles the school did nally open its doors in 1989. My only regret was that I did not get to see the school community together. I had been approached by Melbourne Grammar School to head the Department of Business Studies and decided to accept their attractive oer. I retired from Melbourne Grammar School in 2014 after 25 years at this outstanding school- 10 of them as Head of Boarding.Now on returning to AGS after 35 years and seeing what has been achieved, I feel a real sense of pride. Although I may have helped to plant the seed the real credit has to go to the leadership, foresight and determination of those who followed- in particular current Principal, Dr Vivianne Nikou. I wish her and the school community every success in the years to come. After I graduated from The University of Melbourne in Commerce, I was fortunate to obtain lecturing positions in Law and Accounting at the Secondary Teachers’ College and later at Swinburne University. However, once I completed my Teaching Scholarship obligations, I applied for and received a senior position at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School. I loved the school but after 15 years it was time to take the next professional step. My chance came in early 1988 when the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria advertised for a foundation Principal for their school in Alphington. With some trepidation I submitted my application for the position. Although I was from a Greek background, I had not had any involvement or dealings with the Greek Community. My parents arrived in Melbourne in 1949 from Alexandria, Egypt when I was a very young child. I was raised and educated in the outer eastern suburb of Ringwood. At the time we were one of the few Greek families in the area. However, with some foresight my father was quick to apply for and be granted Australian citizenship. He also took the opportunity to shorten our name from “Vaitsopoulos” to “Bates”. By the time I was in school I was just “Batesy” to my school friends and neighbours.I should point out that this did not stop a few of my relatives from light heartedly questioning my “Greekness”. In many ways I could understand this given my upbringing and the fact that I did not marry a Greek girl. My Greek language skill was deplorable, my children’s Greek even worse and their views and values were solidly Anglo/Australian. To top it o I was a passionate Collingwood Football Club supporter with no interest whatsoever in European or local soccer! Thankfully, my solid curriculum vitae and leadership background held sway over all these impediments, and I was granted an interview with a larger than normal selection panel at the Community HQ in Lonsdale Street. I was extremely nervous that the meeting would be conducted in Greek. My worst fears were soon realised but after one or two questions and my laughable responses we were all relieved to revert to English. Luckily, I did have one important supporter- The President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Mr Sam Papasavas, a prominent Greek lawyer. We had previously had several conversations and he and I were clearly on the same page as regards the aims and direction of the school. featuresFrom the Past Principals

Page 6 Page 7Nicholas BatesHe noted that “Nicholas is married with three children. His wife is a Vice Principal and his enthusiasm for and condence in the school is reected in his intention to have his own children enrolled as pupils”. He also wrote that “Mr Bates has had a distinguished career in secondary education. He is acknowledged as an innovative and imaginative teacher whose priority lies with the children and their families under has care. During the interview process it became clear to us that he was a person and educator of outstanding ability and integrity enhanced by his unpretentious honesty, rmness of principle, loyalty and capacity for friendship”.The months following my appointment were extremely challenging. Having come from a school that had everything I was faced with no school Council or Board, no budget, no teaching or administrative sta, no enrolled students, no curriculum and no reception or oce. So much to do yet so little time to have the school operating in time for the new year. Other issues included some necessary renovations, arranging furniture, deciding uniforms, ordering teaching materials and equipment, conrming transport, maintenance and more..Seeking enrolments became the next challenge. The paperwork from the Greek Language Schools indicated a real interest in enrolling in the school but this interest dissipated, and I regret not exploring the reliability of this information earlier. The choice was to advertise locally in schools, Greek and local newspapers, SBS television and through holding some community meetings. It was all painfully slow, and we would be starting with low numbers.Despite the many obstacles the school did nally open its doors in 1989. My only regret was that I did not get to see the school community together. I had been approached by Melbourne Grammar School to head the Department of Business Studies and decided to accept their attractive oer. I retired from Melbourne Grammar School in 2014 after 25 years at this outstanding school- 10 of them as Head of Boarding.Now on returning to AGS after 35 years and seeing what has been achieved, I feel a real sense of pride. Although I may have helped to plant the seed the real credit has to go to the leadership, foresight and determination of those who followed- in particular current Principal, Dr Vivianne Nikou. I wish her and the school community every success in the years to come. After I graduated from The University of Melbourne in Commerce, I was fortunate to obtain lecturing positions in Law and Accounting at the Secondary Teachers’ College and later at Swinburne University. However, once I completed my Teaching Scholarship obligations, I applied for and received a senior position at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School. I loved the school but after 15 years it was time to take the next professional step. My chance came in early 1988 when the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria advertised for a foundation Principal for their school in Alphington. With some trepidation I submitted my application for the position. Although I was from a Greek background, I had not had any involvement or dealings with the Greek Community. My parents arrived in Melbourne in 1949 from Alexandria, Egypt when I was a very young child. I was raised and educated in the outer eastern suburb of Ringwood. At the time we were one of the few Greek families in the area. However, with some foresight my father was quick to apply for and be granted Australian citizenship. He also took the opportunity to shorten our name from “Vaitsopoulos” to “Bates”. By the time I was in school I was just “Batesy” to my school friends and neighbours.I should point out that this did not stop a few of my relatives from light heartedly questioning my “Greekness”. In many ways I could understand this given my upbringing and the fact that I did not marry a Greek girl. My Greek language skill was deplorable, my children’s Greek even worse and their views and values were solidly Anglo/Australian. To top it o I was a passionate Collingwood Football Club supporter with no interest whatsoever in European or local soccer! Thankfully, my solid curriculum vitae and leadership background held sway over all these impediments, and I was granted an interview with a larger than normal selection panel at the Community HQ in Lonsdale Street. I was extremely nervous that the meeting would be conducted in Greek. My worst fears were soon realised but after one or two questions and my laughable responses we were all relieved to revert to English. Luckily, I did have one important supporter- The President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, Mr Sam Papasavas, a prominent Greek lawyer. We had previously had several conversations and he and I were clearly on the same page as regards the aims and direction of the school. featuresFrom the Past Principals

Page 8 Page 9My name is Maria Dikaiou and I am a past Deputy Principal of AGS. My career in education spans more than 40 years. I have taught, managed and led programs and schools, in Australia and abroad, across all sectors of education. I am a published author and am currently involved in teacher professional development and learning.AGS was established in 1989 on the site of the previous CBC Parade Junior School. In addition to the school site, the school also owned two houses (10 and 12 Old Heidelberg Road).I ocially commenced at AGS as Deputy Principal in 1991. I applied for the position and was appointed by the then Principal Ashleigh Latchford. There were many roles that I had during my time including stepping in as Acting Principal on several occasions and teaching Greek within the Secondary School.In 1991, the school year started with 252 students, we also saw the introduction to our rst class of Year 9 students. The procedure for new schools then was that we had to add a new year level, one year at a time and submit hefty documentation each year for approval to be granted. In the same year we had to submit documentation for Year 10 to start in 1992 and so on until we eventually had Year 12 implemented in 1994. In June 1991, the Commonwealth Government commissioned an independent review of the eectiveness of Commonwealth funding in relation to the then ve schools sponsored by the Greek communities – Alphington Grammar, Oakleigh Grammar, Evangelistria College, Brunswick Grammar and St John’s Greek Orthodox College. The Commonwealth review and report was commissioned by the Hon John Dawkins, Minister for Employment, Education and Training and prepared by Mr Hugh Hudson, and the report was known as the Hudson Report. The Hudson Report was tabled in Parliament on 19 December 1991.The existence of the review gave rise to speculation that one or more of the ve schools would close. As a new school, there were strict conditions of compliance, and one was that there had to be a certain number of students per class in Secondary School and a maximum number of enrolments in the primary that could not be exceeded. The Report ‘s condence in the school recommended that “the Minister agrees to raise immediately the maximum primary enrolments permitted in Alphington Grammar School.” This coming as exceptionally good news. Barry Carozzi was Principal from 1991 to 1993. In 1993 we saw the rst class of Year 11 with 25 students meeting the requirement for new schools. Our science facility had not been built yet so we had an arrangement with Evangelistria College to share some facilities, to help students at both schools. This involved the Year 11 science students to bus there on some mornings.In 1994, the school year started with almost 400 students. Again, AGS was under review regarding the ongoing viability of the school. I remember this as a particularly dicult time. Jim Economo stepped in as Principal and in response he wrote a letter to the school community to report on the future successes of the school. The school achieved many milestones this year including the rst appointment of Business Manager, Manuel Pappos, and the rst graduating class Valedictory Dinner.Soon after Mike Smith took over as Principal in 1998. I then parted from the school in September 2000 with the school population standing at 698, having acquired students from Evangelistria College which shut down. My most notable memories at AGS, include the introduction of what was then the Pre-Prep year, the progressive introduction of Years 10 to 12, the construction of the science wing and seeing the school population steadily increase. I was in a position of great responsibility at the school during tumultuous, dicult and precarious periods of time and it is extremely rewarding to see and hear of Alphington Grammar School’s achievements today. “.... it is extremely rewarding to see and hear of Alphington Grammar School’s achievements today.”Maria DikaiouFrom the Past Principals

Page 8 Page 9My name is Maria Dikaiou and I am a past Deputy Principal of AGS. My career in education spans more than 40 years. I have taught, managed and led programs and schools, in Australia and abroad, across all sectors of education. I am a published author and am currently involved in teacher professional development and learning.AGS was established in 1989 on the site of the previous CBC Parade Junior School. In addition to the school site, the school also owned two houses (10 and 12 Old Heidelberg Road).I ocially commenced at AGS as Deputy Principal in 1991. I applied for the position and was appointed by the then Principal Ashleigh Latchford. There were many roles that I had during my time including stepping in as Acting Principal on several occasions and teaching Greek within the Secondary School.In 1991, the school year started with 252 students, we also saw the introduction to our rst class of Year 9 students. The procedure for new schools then was that we had to add a new year level, one year at a time and submit hefty documentation each year for approval to be granted. In the same year we had to submit documentation for Year 10 to start in 1992 and so on until we eventually had Year 12 implemented in 1994. In June 1991, the Commonwealth Government commissioned an independent review of the eectiveness of Commonwealth funding in relation to the then ve schools sponsored by the Greek communities – Alphington Grammar, Oakleigh Grammar, Evangelistria College, Brunswick Grammar and St John’s Greek Orthodox College. The Commonwealth review and report was commissioned by the Hon John Dawkins, Minister for Employment, Education and Training and prepared by Mr Hugh Hudson, and the report was known as the Hudson Report. The Hudson Report was tabled in Parliament on 19 December 1991.The existence of the review gave rise to speculation that one or more of the ve schools would close. As a new school, there were strict conditions of compliance, and one was that there had to be a certain number of students per class in Secondary School and a maximum number of enrolments in the primary that could not be exceeded. The Report ‘s condence in the school recommended that “the Minister agrees to raise immediately the maximum primary enrolments permitted in Alphington Grammar School.” This coming as exceptionally good news. Barry Carozzi was Principal from 1991 to 1993. In 1993 we saw the rst class of Year 11 with 25 students meeting the requirement for new schools. Our science facility had not been built yet so we had an arrangement with Evangelistria College to share some facilities, to help students at both schools. This involved the Year 11 science students to bus there on some mornings.In 1994, the school year started with almost 400 students. Again, AGS was under review regarding the ongoing viability of the school. I remember this as a particularly dicult time. Jim Economo stepped in as Principal and in response he wrote a letter to the school community to report on the future successes of the school. The school achieved many milestones this year including the rst appointment of Business Manager, Manuel Pappos, and the rst graduating class Valedictory Dinner.Soon after Mike Smith took over as Principal in 1998. I then parted from the school in September 2000 with the school population standing at 698, having acquired students from Evangelistria College which shut down. My most notable memories at AGS, include the introduction of what was then the Pre-Prep year, the progressive introduction of Years 10 to 12, the construction of the science wing and seeing the school population steadily increase. I was in a position of great responsibility at the school during tumultuous, dicult and precarious periods of time and it is extremely rewarding to see and hear of Alphington Grammar School’s achievements today. “.... it is extremely rewarding to see and hear of Alphington Grammar School’s achievements today.”Maria DikaiouFrom the Past Principals

Page 10 Page 11From the StaffCelebrating 30+ YearsMy name is John Savopoulos and currently I’m the Campus Administrator at AGS. I started my Alphington journey on May 10, 1994, that’s 30 years and counting! There are many parts I enjoy about working at AGS, including the sense of community, the supportive and collaborative environment that I get to share with some of my closest friends and the many opportunities to develop as a professional and positively impact students’ lives. Our School is going from strength to strength. My most memorable moment during these years must be the 30th and 35th Year celebrations. Everyone came together to celebrate, there were booths with traditional foods, performances of music and dancing, and activities. It was also great to see so many Alumni and their families attend. Both nights also concluded with a spectacular rework show!My name is Louis Diamandikos and I am a Secondary School Teacher. My main subjects are VCE Physics and Mathematics. I started at Alphington Grammar School back in 1994. I have also served as Head of (Maths 1994-2015) and Head of STEM (2016-2022). My favourite part about AGS would have to be the opportunity to work with such a great team of sta and students who want to learn. Looking back on my early days at the school, I can clearly see all the evolutions of the whole school in terms of population and improvements including new buildings and spaces. My most memorable experience would have to be when our school rst featured in the top 50 schools (VCE results), something that has happened a few times now. This is the result of one of our older motto’s, ‘in pursuit of excellence’. featuresMy name is Helen Mallis and I have been a teacher at AGS for 32 years. AGS is my home away from home, my daily routine for the past 3 decades- I even sent my own children here. I have had the privilege of being part of many students lives. Connections that begin at AGS and carry past their graduation. It’s a pleasure staying in touch with alumni and witness them settle into life, achieve their goals and even seeing them as they enrol their own children to our school. Rewarding moments of anyone’s teaching career is to have your past students seek you out to see you and invite you to have a catch up, lling you in on their personal and professional journeys, and very importantly expressing how you were able to encourage and guide them with good advice. Catching up with past students the one question they do ask is “are you still at Alphington”? my answer so far has been - yes! It is true when they say if you love what you do you don’t feel it is work.

Page 10 Page 11From the StaffCelebrating 30+ YearsMy name is John Savopoulos and currently I’m the Campus Administrator at AGS. I started my Alphington journey on May 10, 1994, that’s 30 years and counting! There are many parts I enjoy about working at AGS, including the sense of community, the supportive and collaborative environment that I get to share with some of my closest friends and the many opportunities to develop as a professional and positively impact students’ lives. Our School is going from strength to strength. My most memorable moment during these years must be the 30th and 35th Year celebrations. Everyone came together to celebrate, there were booths with traditional foods, performances of music and dancing, and activities. It was also great to see so many Alumni and their families attend. Both nights also concluded with a spectacular rework show!My name is Louis Diamandikos and I am a Secondary School Teacher. My main subjects are VCE Physics and Mathematics. I started at Alphington Grammar School back in 1994. I have also served as Head of (Maths 1994-2015) and Head of STEM (2016-2022). My favourite part about AGS would have to be the opportunity to work with such a great team of sta and students who want to learn. Looking back on my early days at the school, I can clearly see all the evolutions of the whole school in terms of population and improvements including new buildings and spaces. My most memorable experience would have to be when our school rst featured in the top 50 schools (VCE results), something that has happened a few times now. This is the result of one of our older motto’s, ‘in pursuit of excellence’. featuresMy name is Helen Mallis and I have been a teacher at AGS for 32 years. AGS is my home away from home, my daily routine for the past 3 decades- I even sent my own children here. I have had the privilege of being part of many students lives. Connections that begin at AGS and carry past their graduation. It’s a pleasure staying in touch with alumni and witness them settle into life, achieve their goals and even seeing them as they enrol their own children to our school. Rewarding moments of anyone’s teaching career is to have your past students seek you out to see you and invite you to have a catch up, lling you in on their personal and professional journeys, and very importantly expressing how you were able to encourage and guide them with good advice. Catching up with past students the one question they do ask is “are you still at Alphington”? my answer so far has been - yes! It is true when they say if you love what you do you don’t feel it is work.

Page 12 Page 13My name is Anna Vayenas, better known as Mrs V. I am a Primary School educator dedicated to nurturing young minds, fostering a love of learning, and helping students develop the self-belief to tackle life’s challenges. Teaching is my dream job, and I am forever grateful that I chose a career that has gifted me so much love and satisfaction. I started at AGS back in the ‘olden days’, in 1990, way before even Google was invented. The school was only one year old when I joined; I had 12 students in my class and there were 18 sta in total. I’ve seen so many changes, met wonderful people, and taught hundreds of little ‘kids’ that I’ve seen blossom into young adults. My favourite thing about working at AGS is building connections with incredible students, sta and families. Being a positive inuence in their lives brings me immense happiness and a sense of purpose. There’s no better feeling than coming across past students and being told how much they loved and appreciated you. Reecting on AGS’ early days, the most signicant change I’ve noticed is the integration of technology. When I started teaching, sta relied heavily on methods like chalkboards and textbooks. Today, classrooms have interactive whiteboards, laptops, and apps that enhance learning in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. A moment that embodies the spirit of AGS is the 2024 Primary House Poetry Competition. It left an impression, not just because my beloved Pericles House Team won, but because it showcased and celebrated students’ hard work and dedication. It was a very proud moment, witnessing students come together to achieve something we only dreamed of. Go Pericles! My name is Con Papoulis and I am currently the Assessments and Examinations Coordinator and a specialist Humanities and Psychology teacher. I have been married to my wife Helen for 36 years and we have three wonderful children, Lee (AGS Class of 2008), Gerard (AGS Class of 2015) and Katherine (AGS Class of 2017) who are all proud graduates of Alphington Grammar School. I started at AGS in January of 1994. I was employed to teach Psychology to the school’s rst ever group of Year 12 students and have been here ever since. This year marks the 31st year of my teaching career at AGS, something I am extremely proud of.My favourite thing about working at AGS is the strong sense of community spirit and belonging. From the wonderful students I have had the pleasure of teaching to the amazing sta I have worked with who have become close friends of mine, I have truly enjoyed my time at Alphington Grammar and hope it continues for a few years yet. The biggest change I have noticed since starting at AGS has been the increase in student numbers and the sheer volume of new buildings and resources. Student numbers were in the low to mid 200’s in 1994 and have basically tripled in my time here. Buildings were very primitive and resources minimal when I commenced. Now we have modern facilities and all the resources we require to deliver a fantastic curriculum to our students.My two most memorable experiences about AGS includes the amazing Gateways trip to China, Cyprus and Greece that I was fortunate to lead in 2018, where our students’ strong sense of school spirit and camaraderie came to the fore across a wide range of activities and challenges, they completed outside the comfort zone of their own familiar home and school environments. The other would be the incredible sta educational tour of Greece in 2019 that I shared with our Principal and many of my colleagues which further enhanced the strong sense of collegiality among AGS sta.

Page 12 Page 13My name is Anna Vayenas, better known as Mrs V. I am a Primary School educator dedicated to nurturing young minds, fostering a love of learning, and helping students develop the self-belief to tackle life’s challenges. Teaching is my dream job, and I am forever grateful that I chose a career that has gifted me so much love and satisfaction. I started at AGS back in the ‘olden days’, in 1990, way before even Google was invented. The school was only one year old when I joined; I had 12 students in my class and there were 18 sta in total. I’ve seen so many changes, met wonderful people, and taught hundreds of little ‘kids’ that I’ve seen blossom into young adults. My favourite thing about working at AGS is building connections with incredible students, sta and families. Being a positive inuence in their lives brings me immense happiness and a sense of purpose. There’s no better feeling than coming across past students and being told how much they loved and appreciated you. Reecting on AGS’ early days, the most signicant change I’ve noticed is the integration of technology. When I started teaching, sta relied heavily on methods like chalkboards and textbooks. Today, classrooms have interactive whiteboards, laptops, and apps that enhance learning in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. A moment that embodies the spirit of AGS is the 2024 Primary House Poetry Competition. It left an impression, not just because my beloved Pericles House Team won, but because it showcased and celebrated students’ hard work and dedication. It was a very proud moment, witnessing students come together to achieve something we only dreamed of. Go Pericles! My name is Con Papoulis and I am currently the Assessments and Examinations Coordinator and a specialist Humanities and Psychology teacher. I have been married to my wife Helen for 36 years and we have three wonderful children, Lee (AGS Class of 2008), Gerard (AGS Class of 2015) and Katherine (AGS Class of 2017) who are all proud graduates of Alphington Grammar School. I started at AGS in January of 1994. I was employed to teach Psychology to the school’s rst ever group of Year 12 students and have been here ever since. This year marks the 31st year of my teaching career at AGS, something I am extremely proud of.My favourite thing about working at AGS is the strong sense of community spirit and belonging. From the wonderful students I have had the pleasure of teaching to the amazing sta I have worked with who have become close friends of mine, I have truly enjoyed my time at Alphington Grammar and hope it continues for a few years yet. The biggest change I have noticed since starting at AGS has been the increase in student numbers and the sheer volume of new buildings and resources. Student numbers were in the low to mid 200’s in 1994 and have basically tripled in my time here. Buildings were very primitive and resources minimal when I commenced. Now we have modern facilities and all the resources we require to deliver a fantastic curriculum to our students.My two most memorable experiences about AGS includes the amazing Gateways trip to China, Cyprus and Greece that I was fortunate to lead in 2018, where our students’ strong sense of school spirit and camaraderie came to the fore across a wide range of activities and challenges, they completed outside the comfort zone of their own familiar home and school environments. The other would be the incredible sta educational tour of Greece in 2019 that I shared with our Principal and many of my colleagues which further enhanced the strong sense of collegiality among AGS sta.

Page 14 Page 15My name is Alex Gregory and I’m 12 years old. I moved from Banyule Primary in Rosanna to Alphington Grammar School for high school. This is my rst year at Alphington and I am in Byron House. I grew up in South London where my hobbies were football (soccer), ice hockey, swimming and running. We moved to Melbourne (where my dad is from) in 2019 when I was in Year 2. I have been impressed by Alphington’s friendly community, team spirit, and the diverse activities available. There are so many sport, academic and music choices; there’s something for everyone. My most memorable moment so far at the school was when we won the Final in eld hockey at interschool sport and we were crowned champions of our division. This was all possible due to the hard work and support of our team.My passion for Ice Hockey started when my mother, who is Russian wanted me to play a winter sport, which led me to try ice skating when I was 4 years old back in London. I was skating at Streatham ice rink and the friends I was skating with asked me if I wanted to try ice hockey, so I gave it a shot and I liked it a lot. I have now been playing ice hockey competitively since I was 6 years old. The sport is very technical and is centred around strong teamwork and strategy. My goal is to promote the growth of ice hockey in Australia, while also serving as a good role model for aspiring athletes through my dedication to sportsmanship. Ice hockey, with its thrilling pace and emphasis on teamwork, deserves to be embraced by more people.My most unforgettable moment playing ice hockey was winning the Nationals this year. This was the rst time Victoria has won in 15 years. We were treated like heroes and on the ight back our achievement was announced over the speaker. Everyone on the plane clapped, and the same thing happened at the baggage lounge. Our team also featured on the Virgin Australia website, and we were special guests at two AIHL games. I’m proud of many of my personal achievements, including winning Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the Junior Summer League and at the One Hockey International Tournament. I was also part of the winning team twice at the National Melt the Ice Tournament in Brisbane and won at the IHV State Championships. Not to forget my most recent win at Nationals. These were all large achievements which made it feel like all the hard work had paid o. Ice hockey is a very physically demanding sport. You must put in lots of hours of hard work and practice to do well, so I’ve learnt a lot about self-motivation. My resilience has never been great, but ice hockey is helping me improve this. Things don’t always go your way, so ice hockey has taught me the importance of maintaining a positive attitude; to always have your head up. To work hard and have fun both in sport and in life. featuresAlexander Gregory: Celebrating Success

Page 14 Page 15My name is Alex Gregory and I’m 12 years old. I moved from Banyule Primary in Rosanna to Alphington Grammar School for high school. This is my rst year at Alphington and I am in Byron House. I grew up in South London where my hobbies were football (soccer), ice hockey, swimming and running. We moved to Melbourne (where my dad is from) in 2019 when I was in Year 2. I have been impressed by Alphington’s friendly community, team spirit, and the diverse activities available. There are so many sport, academic and music choices; there’s something for everyone. My most memorable moment so far at the school was when we won the Final in eld hockey at interschool sport and we were crowned champions of our division. This was all possible due to the hard work and support of our team.My passion for Ice Hockey started when my mother, who is Russian wanted me to play a winter sport, which led me to try ice skating when I was 4 years old back in London. I was skating at Streatham ice rink and the friends I was skating with asked me if I wanted to try ice hockey, so I gave it a shot and I liked it a lot. I have now been playing ice hockey competitively since I was 6 years old. The sport is very technical and is centred around strong teamwork and strategy. My goal is to promote the growth of ice hockey in Australia, while also serving as a good role model for aspiring athletes through my dedication to sportsmanship. Ice hockey, with its thrilling pace and emphasis on teamwork, deserves to be embraced by more people.My most unforgettable moment playing ice hockey was winning the Nationals this year. This was the rst time Victoria has won in 15 years. We were treated like heroes and on the ight back our achievement was announced over the speaker. Everyone on the plane clapped, and the same thing happened at the baggage lounge. Our team also featured on the Virgin Australia website, and we were special guests at two AIHL games. I’m proud of many of my personal achievements, including winning Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the Junior Summer League and at the One Hockey International Tournament. I was also part of the winning team twice at the National Melt the Ice Tournament in Brisbane and won at the IHV State Championships. Not to forget my most recent win at Nationals. These were all large achievements which made it feel like all the hard work had paid o. Ice hockey is a very physically demanding sport. You must put in lots of hours of hard work and practice to do well, so I’ve learnt a lot about self-motivation. My resilience has never been great, but ice hockey is helping me improve this. Things don’t always go your way, so ice hockey has taught me the importance of maintaining a positive attitude; to always have your head up. To work hard and have fun both in sport and in life. featuresAlexander Gregory: Celebrating Success

Page 16 Page 17Vietnam Gateways, Group 2Vietnam Gateways, Group 2

Page 16 Page 17Vietnam Gateways, Group 2Vietnam Gateways, Group 2

Page 18 Page 19Mia Karambelas’ JourneyIt was February 2022. Our family returned from a holiday and noticed Mia wasn’t herself. She was extremely tired and had no appetite. After visiting the hospital, she was diagnosed with anaemia, but her condition worsened. On February 17th, Mia began vomiting uncontrollably. We rushed her back to the hospital. After several tests, they thought Mia was pregnant because her Beta HCG levels were extremely high. We knew our 13-year-old daughter wasn’t pregnant. Something sinister was going on.On Friday 18th February, at 10pm, we faced devastating news; Mia had a brain tumour. Specically, a Non-Germinomatous Germ Cell Tumour (NGGCT). Unknowingly to us, she had this since birth. Mia was crying uncontrollably, “Why has this happened to me? What have I done to deserve this?”. I could not answer the “WHY?” but replied “You’re going to beat this tumour and come out victorious”.One minute she is scrolling through social media like a typical teenager; the next minute, she’s literally ghting for her life. The oncology team, however, assured us her case was curable and treatable, but there were signicant risks. We hated the word “Brain Tumour”, which was a word that brought on panic and anxiety each time you hear it. We asked Mia to name it, and she suggested calling it the “BLOB”. This led to Chemotherapy being called “Everlasting Blob Stopper” and Radiotherapy “Everlasting Blob Zapper”. Nurses and doctors adopted these words in the presence of Mia.In the following days, things went from bad to worse. The tumour blocked the ow of cerebrospinal uid, causing hydrocephalus. Mia needed an external ventricular drain (EVD) to relieve the pressure. Mia had to remain still and every time she needed to move, the drain needed to be switched o, and realigned to her new position. The tumour was highly volatile and due to its location within the brain it was, extremely risky to surgically remove it. The treatment plan was to hit the blob with highly potent chemotherapy ASAP. On February 23rd, Mia had her rst seizure, the Blob had bled in her brain. She required a 2nd EVD and immediately commenced chemotherapy. On February 25th, she had another severe seizure, resulting in a Medical Emergency Team (MET) call. I was pushed out of the room while the medics tried to resuscitate her, but all I could see was her little body lying on the bed looking lifeless. We thought we lost her – it was the worst day of our lives. She was rushed to the ICU and intubated for 10 days. We sat silently, praying for any sign of improvement. The doctors were not optimistic. The tumour had bled into the left side of her brain, causing catastrophic damage and paralysing her right side. Within a week, she went from being a lively teenager to unable to move, talk, or walk. Mia had essentially suered two strokes in a matter of days due to the tumour’s bleeding. This caused an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Our world had changed in an instant. Our daughter was at war at just 13 years of age, and we could only hope for her recovery. Hope is the last thing that dies, so we couldn’t lose hope. Mia left the ICU after 10 days but remained in hospital. She couldn’t speak for 30 days; her right side was paralysed, and our only communication was through her eyes and hand squeezes. She underwent 6.5 cycles of chemotherapy over 3-week intervals, starting rehabilitation during this time.Although she wasn’t talking, she pushed herself. After 30 days, she spoke her rst word and gradually started improving. She was determined to meet her goal and return to school to be reunited with her friends. That is all she wanted; her friends. One day, despite concurrent chemo and physio sessions, Mia insisted on continuing physio (going against her therapist’s advice), showing incredible resilience and determination. We will never forget that day. Mia showed us the true warrior in her. While chemo was running through her via a drip, Mia was doing planks and push ups. Her physio was almost in tears and disbelief; later telling us that in her 20+ years of experience, she has never seen anything like this. That day, we knew that Mia’s determination and resilience would get her through the toughest battle of her life.Mia then had a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placed to drain excess cerebrospinal uid that her brain can’t self-absorb, and still has this today. By the end of July 2022, her remarkable recovery astonished doctors and nurses, with one doctor calling it “a spectacular recovery.” On August 11th, Mia was scheduled for a craniotomy to remove her brain tumour. As parents, we were terried of the risks but had no choice. The night before, we talked to our fearless warrior, who was completely ready and determined: “Mum, Dad, let’s do this. I’ll have the surgery; then radiotherapy, and get back to school sooner to be with my friends.”The surgery lasted almost 12 hours. When Mia woke up, her rst words to the neurosurgeon were, “Did you get all of it?” Although the surgery removed most of the tumour, it caused brain swelling and complications, including her VP shunt blocking a few hours later, leading to another surgery that night.Over the next 14 days, Mia struggled but tried to walk and talk. On August 27th, her VP shunt blocked twice in a span of 12 hours, requiring 2 more brain surgeries. This devastating setback caused her to stop talking and walking for 40 days. It was like watching the same horror movie twice. Despite all her hard work and perseverance, her recovery regressed, leaving the entire medical team and us shocked. features“That day, we knew that Mia’s determination and resilience will get her through the toughest battle of her life.”A journey of resilience, commitment, courage and bravery.Written by Toula and Peter Karambelas123

Page 18 Page 19Mia Karambelas’ JourneyIt was February 2022. Our family returned from a holiday and noticed Mia wasn’t herself. She was extremely tired and had no appetite. After visiting the hospital, she was diagnosed with anaemia, but her condition worsened. On February 17th, Mia began vomiting uncontrollably. We rushed her back to the hospital. After several tests, they thought Mia was pregnant because her Beta HCG levels were extremely high. We knew our 13-year-old daughter wasn’t pregnant. Something sinister was going on.On Friday 18th February, at 10pm, we faced devastating news; Mia had a brain tumour. Specically, a Non-Germinomatous Germ Cell Tumour (NGGCT). Unknowingly to us, she had this since birth. Mia was crying uncontrollably, “Why has this happened to me? What have I done to deserve this?”. I could not answer the “WHY?” but replied “You’re going to beat this tumour and come out victorious”.One minute she is scrolling through social media like a typical teenager; the next minute, she’s literally ghting for her life. The oncology team, however, assured us her case was curable and treatable, but there were signicant risks. We hated the word “Brain Tumour”, which was a word that brought on panic and anxiety each time you hear it. We asked Mia to name it, and she suggested calling it the “BLOB”. This led to Chemotherapy being called “Everlasting Blob Stopper” and Radiotherapy “Everlasting Blob Zapper”. Nurses and doctors adopted these words in the presence of Mia.In the following days, things went from bad to worse. The tumour blocked the ow of cerebrospinal uid, causing hydrocephalus. Mia needed an external ventricular drain (EVD) to relieve the pressure. Mia had to remain still and every time she needed to move, the drain needed to be switched o, and realigned to her new position. The tumour was highly volatile and due to its location within the brain it was, extremely risky to surgically remove it. The treatment plan was to hit the blob with highly potent chemotherapy ASAP. On February 23rd, Mia had her rst seizure, the Blob had bled in her brain. She required a 2nd EVD and immediately commenced chemotherapy. On February 25th, she had another severe seizure, resulting in a Medical Emergency Team (MET) call. I was pushed out of the room while the medics tried to resuscitate her, but all I could see was her little body lying on the bed looking lifeless. We thought we lost her – it was the worst day of our lives. She was rushed to the ICU and intubated for 10 days. We sat silently, praying for any sign of improvement. The doctors were not optimistic. The tumour had bled into the left side of her brain, causing catastrophic damage and paralysing her right side. Within a week, she went from being a lively teenager to unable to move, talk, or walk. Mia had essentially suered two strokes in a matter of days due to the tumour’s bleeding. This caused an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Our world had changed in an instant. Our daughter was at war at just 13 years of age, and we could only hope for her recovery. Hope is the last thing that dies, so we couldn’t lose hope. Mia left the ICU after 10 days but remained in hospital. She couldn’t speak for 30 days; her right side was paralysed, and our only communication was through her eyes and hand squeezes. She underwent 6.5 cycles of chemotherapy over 3-week intervals, starting rehabilitation during this time.Although she wasn’t talking, she pushed herself. After 30 days, she spoke her rst word and gradually started improving. She was determined to meet her goal and return to school to be reunited with her friends. That is all she wanted; her friends. One day, despite concurrent chemo and physio sessions, Mia insisted on continuing physio (going against her therapist’s advice), showing incredible resilience and determination. We will never forget that day. Mia showed us the true warrior in her. While chemo was running through her via a drip, Mia was doing planks and push ups. Her physio was almost in tears and disbelief; later telling us that in her 20+ years of experience, she has never seen anything like this. That day, we knew that Mia’s determination and resilience would get her through the toughest battle of her life.Mia then had a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placed to drain excess cerebrospinal uid that her brain can’t self-absorb, and still has this today. By the end of July 2022, her remarkable recovery astonished doctors and nurses, with one doctor calling it “a spectacular recovery.” On August 11th, Mia was scheduled for a craniotomy to remove her brain tumour. As parents, we were terried of the risks but had no choice. The night before, we talked to our fearless warrior, who was completely ready and determined: “Mum, Dad, let’s do this. I’ll have the surgery; then radiotherapy, and get back to school sooner to be with my friends.”The surgery lasted almost 12 hours. When Mia woke up, her rst words to the neurosurgeon were, “Did you get all of it?” Although the surgery removed most of the tumour, it caused brain swelling and complications, including her VP shunt blocking a few hours later, leading to another surgery that night.Over the next 14 days, Mia struggled but tried to walk and talk. On August 27th, her VP shunt blocked twice in a span of 12 hours, requiring 2 more brain surgeries. This devastating setback caused her to stop talking and walking for 40 days. It was like watching the same horror movie twice. Despite all her hard work and perseverance, her recovery regressed, leaving the entire medical team and us shocked. features“That day, we knew that Mia’s determination and resilience will get her through the toughest battle of her life.”A journey of resilience, commitment, courage and bravery.Written by Toula and Peter Karambelas123

Page 20 Page 21a teenage girl, she was brave enough to show her classmates the little bit of stubble under her beanie. Mia is proud of her scars; they tell her story of victory. They remind her that she has been given another chance to make the moments of her life count. She has had to say goodbye to soccer for a while but has adopted a love for swimming and running. Friendships change irrespective of cancer. Some people chase popularity, others chase relevance, some just blindly chase others, but for Mia, all she wants is to be treated as “normal”, and to be seen for her and not cancer. We are forever grateful to our family and friends who have supported us throughout this journey. We will never forget the love, generosity and emotional support given to our family. To AGS, there are no words to describe the support you have given Mia throughout this chapter of her life. We appreciate the enablers and pathways you have put in place to give Mia the best chance of nishing VCE and set her up to fulll her dream of becoming a paediatric nurse working at the Royal Children’s hospital, and giving back to the place that saved her. There are many words we can use to describe Mia; a warrior, an inspiration, our hero and miracle kid, a ghter, a quiet but determined girl who beat all odds. In our eyes, she’s the strongest and bravest person we know. Netix will want to make a movie of her journey. Lets celebrate the beauty of our dierences and the strength of our connections. Lets strive to make life a little fairer, a little kinder, for everyone. Because while life may not be the same for each of us, our capacity for empathy and change can make a world of dierence. Focus less on your child’s academic abilities and more on teaching them kindness, empathy, and how to support and encourage others. This is how they will change the world.From September to November, we were back to square one. But again, Mia didn’t give up and neither did we. We had no choice but to persevere, continue being beside her and remain positive to give her the strength to continue ghting. Mia eventually started talking and walking again; it was slow, but it was a start. In October 2022, radiotherapy commenced, 5 days a week for 6 weeks, with daily general anaesthetic prior to full brain and spine radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was our insurance policy. It needed to be done to kill any microscopic cell we couldn’t see. However, we learned full brain radiotherapy also comes with other side eects to the brain; but again, we had no choice. We spent all our birthdays, Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day at the RCH. Our goal was to end the horric 2022 on a positive note and bring Mia home for her most treasured and favourite time of the year; Christmas. And we did.In a span of 22 months, Mia has had 13 brain surgeries, 6.5 rounds of chemo, 30 rounds of radiotherapy, 3 nasogastric tubes, countless blood transfusions, MRIs, CT-scans, general anaesthetics, blood tests, and the list goes on. If someone broke the same leg, multiple times within a short time span, it would take months or years of rehab to get back up and running. The brain, far more imperative than a broken leg, needs time to heal. Not months, but years.To everyone who knows Mia, her classmates, friends and friends’ parents, Mia is essentially the same girl, and her brain is healing. She was socially isolated for almost 2 years (in addition to Covid). Hospital restrictions were still in eect and visitors were not allowed. It was 51 days until she was able to see her brother Jonathan, and for us to be together as a family again. At 10 years old, Jonathan’s life was also impacted and he was forced to become a man overnight. He became our rock and support. Life stole many things from Mia, but she has learned to appreciate the little things in life. She missed the opportunity to travel with her friends to the European Gateways trip which she was looking forward to since Primary School. She lost her hair and although that is considered horrendous for 1. Mia 12 days before her diagnosis at her Aunties 50th Birthday party.2. Mia ringing the bell – ringing the bell symbolises the end of her treatment plan.3. Mia seeing her favourite family member Rocket, for the first time in 66 days.4. Mia doing planks in the hospital during her Chemotherapy treatment.5. Mia recovering after her 2 seizures and 10 days in ICU. 6. Mia reading the card from her AGS class mates. 7. Mia went for a lunch visit to see her friends and Mrs V after her last dose of radiotherapy.4567

Page 20 Page 21a teenage girl, she was brave enough to show her classmates the little bit of stubble under her beanie. Mia is proud of her scars; they tell her story of victory. They remind her that she has been given another chance to make the moments of her life count. She has had to say goodbye to soccer for a while but has adopted a love for swimming and running. Friendships change irrespective of cancer. Some people chase popularity, others chase relevance, some just blindly chase others, but for Mia, all she wants is to be treated as “normal”, and to be seen for her and not cancer. We are forever grateful to our family and friends who have supported us throughout this journey. We will never forget the love, generosity and emotional support given to our family. To AGS, there are no words to describe the support you have given Mia throughout this chapter of her life. We appreciate the enablers and pathways you have put in place to give Mia the best chance of nishing VCE and set her up to fulll her dream of becoming a paediatric nurse working at the Royal Children’s hospital, and giving back to the place that saved her. There are many words we can use to describe Mia; a warrior, an inspiration, our hero and miracle kid, a ghter, a quiet but determined girl who beat all odds. In our eyes, she’s the strongest and bravest person we know. Netix will want to make a movie of her journey. Lets celebrate the beauty of our dierences and the strength of our connections. Lets strive to make life a little fairer, a little kinder, for everyone. Because while life may not be the same for each of us, our capacity for empathy and change can make a world of dierence. Focus less on your child’s academic abilities and more on teaching them kindness, empathy, and how to support and encourage others. This is how they will change the world.From September to November, we were back to square one. But again, Mia didn’t give up and neither did we. We had no choice but to persevere, continue being beside her and remain positive to give her the strength to continue ghting. Mia eventually started talking and walking again; it was slow, but it was a start. In October 2022, radiotherapy commenced, 5 days a week for 6 weeks, with daily general anaesthetic prior to full brain and spine radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was our insurance policy. It needed to be done to kill any microscopic cell we couldn’t see. However, we learned full brain radiotherapy also comes with other side eects to the brain; but again, we had no choice. We spent all our birthdays, Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day at the RCH. Our goal was to end the horric 2022 on a positive note and bring Mia home for her most treasured and favourite time of the year; Christmas. And we did.In a span of 22 months, Mia has had 13 brain surgeries, 6.5 rounds of chemo, 30 rounds of radiotherapy, 3 nasogastric tubes, countless blood transfusions, MRIs, CT-scans, general anaesthetics, blood tests, and the list goes on. If someone broke the same leg, multiple times within a short time span, it would take months or years of rehab to get back up and running. The brain, far more imperative than a broken leg, needs time to heal. Not months, but years.To everyone who knows Mia, her classmates, friends and friends’ parents, Mia is essentially the same girl, and her brain is healing. She was socially isolated for almost 2 years (in addition to Covid). Hospital restrictions were still in eect and visitors were not allowed. It was 51 days until she was able to see her brother Jonathan, and for us to be together as a family again. At 10 years old, Jonathan’s life was also impacted and he was forced to become a man overnight. He became our rock and support. Life stole many things from Mia, but she has learned to appreciate the little things in life. She missed the opportunity to travel with her friends to the European Gateways trip which she was looking forward to since Primary School. She lost her hair and although that is considered horrendous for 1. Mia 12 days before her diagnosis at her Aunties 50th Birthday party.2. Mia ringing the bell – ringing the bell symbolises the end of her treatment plan.3. Mia seeing her favourite family member Rocket, for the first time in 66 days.4. Mia doing planks in the hospital during her Chemotherapy treatment.5. Mia recovering after her 2 seizures and 10 days in ICU. 6. Mia reading the card from her AGS class mates. 7. Mia went for a lunch visit to see her friends and Mrs V after her last dose of radiotherapy.4567

Page 22 Page 23Annual Music ConcertAnnual Music ConcertFounders Day AssemblyFounders Day AssemblyPrimary Athlecs CarnivalPrimary Athlecs CarnivalYears 5 and 6 Producon of FrozenYears 5 and 6 Producon of FrozenThe Addams Family Producon The Addams Family Producon Year 7 Marysville CampYear 7 Marysville CampSecondary School Athlecs CarnivalSecondary School Athlecs CarnivalEISM AthlecsEISM Athlecs35 Year Winter Ball35 Year Winter BallPrimary House AthlecsPrimary House Athlecseventsnapshots

Page 22 Page 23Annual Music ConcertAnnual Music ConcertFounders Day AssemblyFounders Day AssemblyPrimary Athlecs CarnivalPrimary Athlecs CarnivalYears 5 and 6 Producon of FrozenYears 5 and 6 Producon of FrozenThe Addams Family Producon The Addams Family Producon Year 7 Marysville CampYear 7 Marysville CampSecondary School Athlecs CarnivalSecondary School Athlecs CarnivalEISM AthlecsEISM Athlecs35 Year Winter Ball35 Year Winter BallPrimary House AthlecsPrimary House Athlecseventsnapshots

Page 24 Page 25eventsAlphington Grammar Hosts Sell-Out 35-Year Winter Nights Gala BallA crowd of 300 gathered in the Park Hyatt Ballroom on Saturday the 1st of June to celebrate Alphington Grammar School’s 35th year. The commemorative Winter Nights gala ball had the room aglow with shades of blue, icy greens, and stars speckled on the oors and ceiling. With a bustling crowd of current parents, sta, alumni, and members of the Greek community, the ball captured everyone’s nostalgia and imagination as videos and live performances detailed the journey of where the school started and how far it has come.Hosted by MC Con Lazareth, the night began with pre-dinner drinks in the foyer before the doors opened to the Winter wonderland at 7PM. Cover band The Baker Boys enticed guests into the space with their music, while DJ Con Vathanakis brought everyone onto the danceoor to keep the party going well into the night. The formal proceedings featured a commemorative video with real archival footage showcasing the school’s beginnings and strong trajectory. Guests were also treated to an energetic Greek dance performance by a group of Alphington Grammar alumni who all met at the school many years ago and still keep in contact, followed by a modern vocal and dance performance by alumni, current students, and sta. Addressing the room were President of the Greek Community of Melbourne Victoria, Mr Bill Papastergiadis OAM; Consul General of Greece, Mr Emmanuel Kakavelakis; and Chair of School Council, Mr Michael Karamitos, who acknowledged the past visionaries of the Greek Community who established the school as well as all the past Chairs of Council who helped grow the school in dicult times.The School Principal Dr Vivianne Nikou, who has served the school as Principal for the last 11 years, addressed the sellout event by reecting on her time as Principal, acknowledging the long serving sta of 20, 25 and 30 years of service, as well as thanking all those who have contributed to the success of the school over the decades.All members of School Council, alongside current School Captains Anastasia Fokianos and Pantelli Saris, were invited to the stage to cut the stunning cake generously provided by Penny Cakes. After the cutting of the celebratory cake, guests could relax and dance the night away. A live auction was conducted of a stunning jewellery set made of emeralds and diamonds designed and donated by XRISTO Jeweller to mark Alphington Grammar’s 35 Years, which certainly was a show stopper. This was followed by a surprise special live guest appearance by renowned violinist Evangeline Victoria which ended with a mass Zorba dance for everyone to join in. A Rae and Silent Auction were also held electronically throughout the night. With the rst-place rae prize being two airfares to Greece, second place being $5000 worth of furniture from LV Furniture, and third an Apple Macbook Pro, the tension was high as the rae prizes were drawn electronically. A wide selection of Silent Auction items kept guests busy as bids were made and countered; all winners had something to be pleased about at the close of the auction.The School is thankful to the many generous sponsors who made such a night possible. Platinum sponsors included Directed Group lead by CEO Steve Siolis, both a member of the school board and a past parent of the school; as well as DTMF commercial cleaners, a long-term partner of the school. They were instrumental to the success of the evening. Alongside them, Alphington Grammar School made sure to highlight the incredible contributions of XRISTO Jewellery, Penny Cakes, and LV Furniture, and sends their gratitude to all other sponsors of the evening.The night was concluded by a nal lively dance set by DJ Con Vathianakis which got everyone up on the dance oor. The cheers and laughter were heard well into the early hours of the morning.“It has been a privilege and an honour to be able to lead Alphington Grammar School through its growth and development this past decade,” said the Principal, Dr Vivianne Nikou. “It is without a doubt the Jewel in the Crown of Melbourne’s Greek Community, showcasing what an Independent School based on Hellenic values can be in the Diaspora.”35-YearWinter Ball

Page 24 Page 25eventsAlphington Grammar Hosts Sell-Out 35-Year Winter Nights Gala BallA crowd of 300 gathered in the Park Hyatt Ballroom on Saturday the 1st of June to celebrate Alphington Grammar School’s 35th year. The commemorative Winter Nights gala ball had the room aglow with shades of blue, icy greens, and stars speckled on the oors and ceiling. With a bustling crowd of current parents, sta, alumni, and members of the Greek community, the ball captured everyone’s nostalgia and imagination as videos and live performances detailed the journey of where the school started and how far it has come.Hosted by MC Con Lazareth, the night began with pre-dinner drinks in the foyer before the doors opened to the Winter wonderland at 7PM. Cover band The Baker Boys enticed guests into the space with their music, while DJ Con Vathanakis brought everyone onto the danceoor to keep the party going well into the night. The formal proceedings featured a commemorative video with real archival footage showcasing the school’s beginnings and strong trajectory. Guests were also treated to an energetic Greek dance performance by a group of Alphington Grammar alumni who all met at the school many years ago and still keep in contact, followed by a modern vocal and dance performance by alumni, current students, and sta. Addressing the room were President of the Greek Community of Melbourne Victoria, Mr Bill Papastergiadis OAM; Consul General of Greece, Mr Emmanuel Kakavelakis; and Chair of School Council, Mr Michael Karamitos, who acknowledged the past visionaries of the Greek Community who established the school as well as all the past Chairs of Council who helped grow the school in dicult times.The School Principal Dr Vivianne Nikou, who has served the school as Principal for the last 11 years, addressed the sellout event by reecting on her time as Principal, acknowledging the long serving sta of 20, 25 and 30 years of service, as well as thanking all those who have contributed to the success of the school over the decades.All members of School Council, alongside current School Captains Anastasia Fokianos and Pantelli Saris, were invited to the stage to cut the stunning cake generously provided by Penny Cakes. After the cutting of the celebratory cake, guests could relax and dance the night away. A live auction was conducted of a stunning jewellery set made of emeralds and diamonds designed and donated by XRISTO Jeweller to mark Alphington Grammar’s 35 Years, which certainly was a show stopper. This was followed by a surprise special live guest appearance by renowned violinist Evangeline Victoria which ended with a mass Zorba dance for everyone to join in. A Rae and Silent Auction were also held electronically throughout the night. With the rst-place rae prize being two airfares to Greece, second place being $5000 worth of furniture from LV Furniture, and third an Apple Macbook Pro, the tension was high as the rae prizes were drawn electronically. A wide selection of Silent Auction items kept guests busy as bids were made and countered; all winners had something to be pleased about at the close of the auction.The School is thankful to the many generous sponsors who made such a night possible. Platinum sponsors included Directed Group lead by CEO Steve Siolis, both a member of the school board and a past parent of the school; as well as DTMF commercial cleaners, a long-term partner of the school. They were instrumental to the success of the evening. Alongside them, Alphington Grammar School made sure to highlight the incredible contributions of XRISTO Jewellery, Penny Cakes, and LV Furniture, and sends their gratitude to all other sponsors of the evening.The night was concluded by a nal lively dance set by DJ Con Vathianakis which got everyone up on the dance oor. The cheers and laughter were heard well into the early hours of the morning.“It has been a privilege and an honour to be able to lead Alphington Grammar School through its growth and development this past decade,” said the Principal, Dr Vivianne Nikou. “It is without a doubt the Jewel in the Crown of Melbourne’s Greek Community, showcasing what an Independent School based on Hellenic values can be in the Diaspora.”35-YearWinter Ball

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Page 28 Page 29This year’s production of The Addams Family was a great experience, and I created such great memories throughout. This was the third musical I have been involved in, and I was awarded the role of Morticia. This is my second lead role in a musical, and I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to learn and grow as a performer and lead others through this incredible experience.We began rehearsals in Term 4 of 2023, with the show having been cast in Term 3 of the same year. Every Monday and Tuesday we met after school and began practicing our lines, songs and choreography. Throughout this time, we not only developed our performance skills and understanding of the show, but we also became closer as friends. The cast remains a tight-knit group of friends to this day.By the time show week rolled around, everyone was thrilled. We were all super excited to show o our hard work to our friends and family. The addition of costumes, lighting and sets made the show come to life, and music provided by the very talented music students and teachers made the show even more high quality.I would like to thank Mrs Priya Wilson, Ms Stephanie Atwa, Ms Kristina Lang and Mr Cameron Heine for helping us put this show together and spending countless hours working with us. It truly would not have been as amazing as it was without your support.Freya Monk, Year 11Secondary Production:The Addams Familyevents

Page 28 Page 29This year’s production of The Addams Family was a great experience, and I created such great memories throughout. This was the third musical I have been involved in, and I was awarded the role of Morticia. This is my second lead role in a musical, and I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to learn and grow as a performer and lead others through this incredible experience.We began rehearsals in Term 4 of 2023, with the show having been cast in Term 3 of the same year. Every Monday and Tuesday we met after school and began practicing our lines, songs and choreography. Throughout this time, we not only developed our performance skills and understanding of the show, but we also became closer as friends. The cast remains a tight-knit group of friends to this day.By the time show week rolled around, everyone was thrilled. We were all super excited to show o our hard work to our friends and family. The addition of costumes, lighting and sets made the show come to life, and music provided by the very talented music students and teachers made the show even more high quality.I would like to thank Mrs Priya Wilson, Ms Stephanie Atwa, Ms Kristina Lang and Mr Cameron Heine for helping us put this show together and spending countless hours working with us. It truly would not have been as amazing as it was without your support.Freya Monk, Year 11Secondary Production:The Addams Familyevents

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Page 32 Page 33PrimaryProductionseventsYears Prep to 2 Production: Eddie the Penguin Saves the WorldStudents in Years Prep – 2 came together on the 26th of June to perform a fantastic show, “Eddie the Penguin Saves the World”. The show is about a group of penguins that go on a mission to save the planet and let the world know how they can change things for the better.“I liked the production because everyone had a job to do.” Blake, Alexandra and Athan, Year 2“I enjoyed the Rap song the most.” Leo, Steven and Rishabh, Year 2“I liked how everybody tried their hardest.”Ryder and Nicola, Year 2Years 3 to 4 Production: On with the SnowOn the 27th of June students in Years 3 and 4 performed a fantastic show, “On with the Snow”. On with the Snow celebrates the freezing cold weather and snow with a lovely message about keeping a warm heart, no matter what the challenges. “I felt excited as it was my rst time saying lines into a microphone.” Lucia, Rachel, Demetra, Angelique and Charlie, Year 4“With all the clapping and applause, I couldn’t feel anything else but excitement.” Scarlett, Year 4“I loved learning all the dance and songs and I loved being the Abominable Snowman!” Amelie, Year 4Years 5 and 6 Production: FrozenWe could not be prouder of the work and dedication our Years 5 and 6 students showed throughout their rehearsals and performances. They lit up the stage and created a magical night for their audience, showcasing their singing, acting and dancing. “The production was a major part of the school year, and many worked hard and devoted lots of time to make the show what it was. We are all extremely proud of the result of ‘Frozen Jr’ and will remember the opportunity forever. Everyone played their part in the show like a Broadway production and made it a thrilling performance to watch and act. An extra special thanks to all sta and teachers who were the backbone of everything production related, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”Allen Do and Alisha Prasad, Year 6

Page 32 Page 33PrimaryProductionseventsYears Prep to 2 Production: Eddie the Penguin Saves the WorldStudents in Years Prep – 2 came together on the 26th of June to perform a fantastic show, “Eddie the Penguin Saves the World”. The show is about a group of penguins that go on a mission to save the planet and let the world know how they can change things for the better.“I liked the production because everyone had a job to do.” Blake, Alexandra and Athan, Year 2“I enjoyed the Rap song the most.” Leo, Steven and Rishabh, Year 2“I liked how everybody tried their hardest.”Ryder and Nicola, Year 2Years 3 to 4 Production: On with the SnowOn the 27th of June students in Years 3 and 4 performed a fantastic show, “On with the Snow”. On with the Snow celebrates the freezing cold weather and snow with a lovely message about keeping a warm heart, no matter what the challenges. “I felt excited as it was my rst time saying lines into a microphone.” Lucia, Rachel, Demetra, Angelique and Charlie, Year 4“With all the clapping and applause, I couldn’t feel anything else but excitement.” Scarlett, Year 4“I loved learning all the dance and songs and I loved being the Abominable Snowman!” Amelie, Year 4Years 5 and 6 Production: FrozenWe could not be prouder of the work and dedication our Years 5 and 6 students showed throughout their rehearsals and performances. They lit up the stage and created a magical night for their audience, showcasing their singing, acting and dancing. “The production was a major part of the school year, and many worked hard and devoted lots of time to make the show what it was. We are all extremely proud of the result of ‘Frozen Jr’ and will remember the opportunity forever. Everyone played their part in the show like a Broadway production and made it a thrilling performance to watch and act. An extra special thanks to all sta and teachers who were the backbone of everything production related, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”Allen Do and Alisha Prasad, Year 6

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Page 34 Page 35

Page 36 Page 37My name is Mercury Yi and have been invited to be the VCE Awards Night Speaker for 2024. I arrived at Alphington Grammar School in 2013 in Year 11 and completed my Year 12 studies in 2014. This was exactly 10 years ago now. I was also fortunate enough to be voted School Captain during this time.The support and encouragement I received during my time from my teachers and peers felt very special and is something I look back upon fondly. When I rst arrived at AGS I was still relatively ‘new and fresh’ to the country and there were a lot of cultural clashes (as you can imagine!). However, at AGS I was able to t in because everyone was incredibly nice, friendly and supportive. When I rst arrived at AGS, I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. As one of the international students, the prospect of tting in seemed daunting. But, very soon after the new semester started, Chinese New Year came - and the fears melted away during that week when our school organised a “Chinese New Year Assembly”. The entire school community came together, with students, teachers, and sta enjoying the most important event in my country, sharing laughs, and exchanging stories. I wasn’t expecting this, and it was a very pleasant surprise. It was then that I realised AGS was more than just a school; it was a family that embraced diversity and cherished every individual. “It was then that I realised AGS was more than just a school; it was a family that embraced diversity and cherished every individual.”The AGS Open Day was also one of my good memories of the school. I always knew AGS had a strong Greek heritage, but I also had the opportunity to showcase my Asian heritage alongside my peers. It was more than just showing our capabilities of teaching and learning but also it was a lively ‘carnival’ of culture. In my mind that day also embodied the spirit of AGS—the learning never stops, but alongside that you also have inclusivity, curiosity, and celebration of our diverse backgrounds. The only unfortunate part about my AGS journey, I would have to say, is my limited time at the school; I was only able to spend my last two schooling years at AGS. This was enough time to get to know everyone and decipher the ins and outs of the school, but it was too short to truly dive in and be part of it. My story after AGS has been a relatively smooth one with no fancy adventures, but I have enjoyed every step of the way. I went to the University of Melbourne for my Bachelor’s degree and soon after I moved to Sydney and completed my Master’s degree at the University of Sydney (USYD). In between all my studies I found the time to travel to quite a few countries during the school holidays. Post graduating from USYD I went straight into a top-tier role for a professional services rm in Singapore. I have since changed jobs and returned to Australia, but have remained in the same industry. I currently work as an advisor in Australia’s Infrastructure sector. I’m still relatively new to the industry but I have worked on several large projects ranging from social housing, schools to renewable energy farms. Ultimately, I hope my work will contribute to be part of broader infrastructure systems in this country so that I can continue to lay a strong foundation for future generations. Personally, I feel as though I haven’t really changed that much since High School. Young adulthood is the easiest time to shape a person’s character and their way of thinking. In other words, I would liken it to how the “classics” are usually the songs and books we loved the most throughout our adolescence. I also kept most of my hobbies and daily habits that I formed during High School including reading, writing, and being an early bird when I can. The AGS experience has shaped who I am today and I’m glad it will stay a part of me forever.My personal life motto is to be kind and passionate whenever it is possible; it is always possible!Mercury Yi2024 VCE Awards Night Speaker alumni stories

Page 36 Page 37My name is Mercury Yi and have been invited to be the VCE Awards Night Speaker for 2024. I arrived at Alphington Grammar School in 2013 in Year 11 and completed my Year 12 studies in 2014. This was exactly 10 years ago now. I was also fortunate enough to be voted School Captain during this time.The support and encouragement I received during my time from my teachers and peers felt very special and is something I look back upon fondly. When I rst arrived at AGS I was still relatively ‘new and fresh’ to the country and there were a lot of cultural clashes (as you can imagine!). However, at AGS I was able to t in because everyone was incredibly nice, friendly and supportive. When I rst arrived at AGS, I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. As one of the international students, the prospect of tting in seemed daunting. But, very soon after the new semester started, Chinese New Year came - and the fears melted away during that week when our school organised a “Chinese New Year Assembly”. The entire school community came together, with students, teachers, and sta enjoying the most important event in my country, sharing laughs, and exchanging stories. I wasn’t expecting this, and it was a very pleasant surprise. It was then that I realised AGS was more than just a school; it was a family that embraced diversity and cherished every individual. “It was then that I realised AGS was more than just a school; it was a family that embraced diversity and cherished every individual.”The AGS Open Day was also one of my good memories of the school. I always knew AGS had a strong Greek heritage, but I also had the opportunity to showcase my Asian heritage alongside my peers. It was more than just showing our capabilities of teaching and learning but also it was a lively ‘carnival’ of culture. In my mind that day also embodied the spirit of AGS—the learning never stops, but alongside that you also have inclusivity, curiosity, and celebration of our diverse backgrounds. The only unfortunate part about my AGS journey, I would have to say, is my limited time at the school; I was only able to spend my last two schooling years at AGS. This was enough time to get to know everyone and decipher the ins and outs of the school, but it was too short to truly dive in and be part of it. My story after AGS has been a relatively smooth one with no fancy adventures, but I have enjoyed every step of the way. I went to the University of Melbourne for my Bachelor’s degree and soon after I moved to Sydney and completed my Master’s degree at the University of Sydney (USYD). In between all my studies I found the time to travel to quite a few countries during the school holidays. Post graduating from USYD I went straight into a top-tier role for a professional services rm in Singapore. I have since changed jobs and returned to Australia, but have remained in the same industry. I currently work as an advisor in Australia’s Infrastructure sector. I’m still relatively new to the industry but I have worked on several large projects ranging from social housing, schools to renewable energy farms. Ultimately, I hope my work will contribute to be part of broader infrastructure systems in this country so that I can continue to lay a strong foundation for future generations. Personally, I feel as though I haven’t really changed that much since High School. Young adulthood is the easiest time to shape a person’s character and their way of thinking. In other words, I would liken it to how the “classics” are usually the songs and books we loved the most throughout our adolescence. I also kept most of my hobbies and daily habits that I formed during High School including reading, writing, and being an early bird when I can. The AGS experience has shaped who I am today and I’m glad it will stay a part of me forever.My personal life motto is to be kind and passionate whenever it is possible; it is always possible!Mercury Yi2024 VCE Awards Night Speaker alumni stories

Page 38 Page 39Reecting on my history, one could say that I fell into medicine. I had nished VCE with precisely zero idea of what I wanted to do, and I harboured many reservations about my ultimate choice to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedicine at The University of Melbourne. I truly didn’t know if I was choosing it because I actually wanted to study Biomedicine, or if I even wanted to get into medicine, or if I just was doing it cause my ATAR aorded me the opportunity. Given my post-nominals, I completed that Bachelor’s, majoring in Pathology, and continued on to graduate from Medicine at the University of Melbourne. But it didn’t happen as smoothly as that. My initial reservations quickly gave rise to doubts. I doubted my choice of Biomedicine and my reasons for pursuing it. I doubted many subjects, course streams, tutorial choices, essay topics, and question answers. The biggest doubt I had was myself. I doubted my ability to get into medicine. Once admitted, I doubted my ability to complete medicine. After graduating, I doubted my ability to be as good a doctor as my friends and peers around me whilst having the same education, training and assessment. On reection, these were more sinister, not only because of their consequences, but also because of their origins. They were deeply rooted in my own internal schemas of self-worth and ability, focused by a lens of comparison to others which magnied the successes of those around me. Simply put, I felt a sense of not being good enough, not being smart enough, and not being capable enough. This feeling of imposter syndrome would linger for a great deal of my academic and medical career. It burdened every success and weighed in on every failure. Little did we all know at that time, but this feeling would collectively shadow many of my peers too, and it wasn’t until we would talk about it openly did its weight fall away, diminishing its presence and power. By doing so, we would learn about ourselves through the lens of those we looked up to and compared ourselves. In turn, they would learn as we shed light on their own strength and capability. By supporting our peers, we began to develop the skills to become our own supports. We began to develop the skill of using a kinder light to look at ourselves in the same way we looked upon our friends and colleagues, and how they looked upon us; not to nd our aws for ridicule, but to highlight our qualities to strengthen. I hope my journey has provided some insight to orient you on your way. I hope it reassures you that you don’t need to have everything realised just yet. I hope it warns you about the challenges you may face despite the path taken, whilst also equipping you with the skills that you may overcome them.Most importantly, I hope it allows you to better connect with those who will journey with you so that you may learn from them, and they from you, and express gratitude for the lessons of kindness, compassion, and love that you teach each other. Dr Nikolas Kazantzidis “By supporting our peers, we began to develop the skills to become our own supports.”Our past School Captain Dr Nikolas Kazanzidis (Class of 2014). Taken from his 2024 Scholars Assembly speech. alumni stories

Page 38 Page 39Reecting on my history, one could say that I fell into medicine. I had nished VCE with precisely zero idea of what I wanted to do, and I harboured many reservations about my ultimate choice to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedicine at The University of Melbourne. I truly didn’t know if I was choosing it because I actually wanted to study Biomedicine, or if I even wanted to get into medicine, or if I just was doing it cause my ATAR aorded me the opportunity. Given my post-nominals, I completed that Bachelor’s, majoring in Pathology, and continued on to graduate from Medicine at the University of Melbourne. But it didn’t happen as smoothly as that. My initial reservations quickly gave rise to doubts. I doubted my choice of Biomedicine and my reasons for pursuing it. I doubted many subjects, course streams, tutorial choices, essay topics, and question answers. The biggest doubt I had was myself. I doubted my ability to get into medicine. Once admitted, I doubted my ability to complete medicine. After graduating, I doubted my ability to be as good a doctor as my friends and peers around me whilst having the same education, training and assessment. On reection, these were more sinister, not only because of their consequences, but also because of their origins. They were deeply rooted in my own internal schemas of self-worth and ability, focused by a lens of comparison to others which magnied the successes of those around me. Simply put, I felt a sense of not being good enough, not being smart enough, and not being capable enough. This feeling of imposter syndrome would linger for a great deal of my academic and medical career. It burdened every success and weighed in on every failure. Little did we all know at that time, but this feeling would collectively shadow many of my peers too, and it wasn’t until we would talk about it openly did its weight fall away, diminishing its presence and power. By doing so, we would learn about ourselves through the lens of those we looked up to and compared ourselves. In turn, they would learn as we shed light on their own strength and capability. By supporting our peers, we began to develop the skills to become our own supports. We began to develop the skill of using a kinder light to look at ourselves in the same way we looked upon our friends and colleagues, and how they looked upon us; not to nd our aws for ridicule, but to highlight our qualities to strengthen. I hope my journey has provided some insight to orient you on your way. I hope it reassures you that you don’t need to have everything realised just yet. I hope it warns you about the challenges you may face despite the path taken, whilst also equipping you with the skills that you may overcome them.Most importantly, I hope it allows you to better connect with those who will journey with you so that you may learn from them, and they from you, and express gratitude for the lessons of kindness, compassion, and love that you teach each other. Dr Nikolas Kazantzidis “By supporting our peers, we began to develop the skills to become our own supports.”Our past School Captain Dr Nikolas Kazanzidis (Class of 2014). Taken from his 2024 Scholars Assembly speech. alumni stories

Page 40 Page 41My name is Poppy Liu (Class of 2016). I live in Melbourne and am currently working as a Secondary School teacher. My journey at the school was not very long, but quite signicant as it was during my rst two years living in Australia as an overseas student. I joined Alphington Grammar School in 2015, half-way through Year 11, and graduated at the end of 2016. During my time at AGS, I enjoyed the freedom of selecting subjects based on my own interest and having supportive teachers and adults helping me to settle into a new environment. I am particularly thankful for Mrs Mary Kontosis, my EAL teacher and the international student coordinator, whose pastoral care and support was invaluable to me. In High School, I was not very good at mathematics and science subjects, so I focused on subjects that involved more reading and writing. Despite their diculty for an EAL learner, these subjects appealed to me. The additional support I received both inside and outside the classroom really enabled me to achieve the best I could academically.From a young age, I have always aspired to teach. Initially drawn to early-childhood education, my passion for teaching languages led me to pursue secondary teaching during Year 12, which has become my current profession. Now in my third year of teaching, I’ve had the privilege of teaching in both government and independent schools across Victoria. In my role, I nd immense fulllment in guiding my students towards lifelong learning and personal growth. The schools I’ve worked in serve diverse communities, presenting challenges that involve meeting the varied needs of learners. I strongly believe in fostering a safe and inclusive environment where every student can achieve their full potential. I enjoy teaching the signicance of diversity and inclusion in our community and encouraging my students to celebrate each other’s dierences and achievements. One of my proudest achievements is being able to support and mentor international students navigating Australian schools, much like I once did. I hope that through my work, I can inspire more EAL students to overcome challenges and pursue their desired careers. To current AGS students, my advice is to step out of your comfort zone and explore as many opportunities as possible. Poppy Liualumni stories“I hope that through my work, I can inspire more EAL students to overcome challenges and pursue their desired careers.”Do you want to get involved in the alumni community, be spotlighted in the magazine, or recommend an alum for us to interview for a feature article? Email us at alumni@ags.vic.edu.au with your questions, comments, or suggestions.We also accept submissions of engagement, wedding, birth or vale notices for publication. alumni stories

Page 40 Page 41My name is Poppy Liu (Class of 2016). I live in Melbourne and am currently working as a Secondary School teacher. My journey at the school was not very long, but quite signicant as it was during my rst two years living in Australia as an overseas student. I joined Alphington Grammar School in 2015, half-way through Year 11, and graduated at the end of 2016. During my time at AGS, I enjoyed the freedom of selecting subjects based on my own interest and having supportive teachers and adults helping me to settle into a new environment. I am particularly thankful for Mrs Mary Kontosis, my EAL teacher and the international student coordinator, whose pastoral care and support was invaluable to me. In High School, I was not very good at mathematics and science subjects, so I focused on subjects that involved more reading and writing. Despite their diculty for an EAL learner, these subjects appealed to me. The additional support I received both inside and outside the classroom really enabled me to achieve the best I could academically.From a young age, I have always aspired to teach. Initially drawn to early-childhood education, my passion for teaching languages led me to pursue secondary teaching during Year 12, which has become my current profession. Now in my third year of teaching, I’ve had the privilege of teaching in both government and independent schools across Victoria. In my role, I nd immense fulllment in guiding my students towards lifelong learning and personal growth. The schools I’ve worked in serve diverse communities, presenting challenges that involve meeting the varied needs of learners. I strongly believe in fostering a safe and inclusive environment where every student can achieve their full potential. I enjoy teaching the signicance of diversity and inclusion in our community and encouraging my students to celebrate each other’s dierences and achievements. One of my proudest achievements is being able to support and mentor international students navigating Australian schools, much like I once did. I hope that through my work, I can inspire more EAL students to overcome challenges and pursue their desired careers. To current AGS students, my advice is to step out of your comfort zone and explore as many opportunities as possible. Poppy Liualumni stories“I hope that through my work, I can inspire more EAL students to overcome challenges and pursue their desired careers.”Do you want to get involved in the alumni community, be spotlighted in the magazine, or recommend an alum for us to interview for a feature article? Email us at alumni@ags.vic.edu.au with your questions, comments, or suggestions.We also accept submissions of engagement, wedding, birth or vale notices for publication. alumni stories

Page 42 Page 43Jean Iliou, Year 3Jean Iliou, Year 3

Page 42 Page 43Jean Iliou, Year 3Jean Iliou, Year 3

Page 44 Page 45Reach out,Reconnect,Remember.Reconnect with the Alphington Grammarians alumni community today.@AlphaGrammariansalphington_grammar_schoolAlphington GrammariansWe acknowledge the following families for their contributions to our voluntary building fund, which has helped to purchase two music pods.DonorAcknowledgment$750.00Mrs Al-Baker & Dr Al-ShawiMr Baral & Mrs GurungMr Bianchin & Ms LawMr & Mrs CalkoenMr & Mrs ChristopoulosMs CoppolilloMr Cox & Dr WongMr & Mrs DelaneyMr De Santis & Dr GregoryMr & Mrs DevicMr & Mrs DickerMr Do & Ms LeMr Dunai & Ms SheppardMr & Mrs FowlerMr & Mrs FranceschiniMr Gerner and Ms CassidyMr & Mrs GiannopoulosMr Gilbert & Ms KarafotakisMr Gregory & Mrs EliseevaMr Howden & Mrs HowdenMr & Mrs IftikharMr Jin & Ms ChengMr J Susler & Mrs V SuslerMr & Mrs KarakostasMr K Moutidis Mr Lakey & Mrs Tranculov-LakeyMr Lam & Ms ChuMr & Mrs LamontDr Leang & Dr TanMr Lewis & Miss BletasMr Lindsay & Dr DevittMr Li & Ms SongMr Martin & Ms ThornDr Mcgillivray & Professor MandelstamMr & Mrs McLeanMr & Mrs MillsomDr Mohamed & Dr AliMr & Mrs NguyenMr Niall & Mrs MoonMr & Mrs PanagakisMr & Mrs ParkerMr Patrick & Mrs DelaneyMr Pillay & Ms TrajkovskiProfessor CavedonMr Prouse & Dr TaylesDr Ramaswamy & Ms ShankarMr Rann & Miss ChuaMr Rao & Mrs KaurDr Saleem & Ms SoodMrs S Davey & Mr D DaveyMr Smajdor & Ms KnapicMr & Mrs SpazianiMr Stratoudis & Mrs MastoropoulosMr Sun & Mrs XieMr Thompson & Mrs ManolopoulosMr & Mrs VarvarigosMr Vassallo & Ms JewellMr & Mrs VlachodimitropoulosMr Wang & Ms LiMr Weerakoon & Mrs JunadiMr Wei & Ms ZhuMr Xanthopoulos & Ms VrionisMr Xu & Mrs HaoMr Yang & Mrs XiaMr Yee & Ms NgMr Zhang & Mrs FengMr Zhang & Mrs PengMr Zhao & Mrs He$500.00Mr & Ms IssaMr Kambouris & Miss VandersteegMr Whalan & Dr FaganMr & Mrs BatsakisMr & Mrs BenciMr & Mrs BernardMr & Mrs BoyleMr & Mrs ChenMr & Mrs ChristidisMr Chugg & Dr ClaytonMr Dhiman & Ms ChandelMr Dutta & Ms CarmanMr Farrugia & Ms KakaridesMr & Mrs FiliopoulosDr Fotheringham & Mrs RedmanMr Garrity & Ms MustapaMr George & Ms KamathMr & Mrs GrillsMr Ha & Dr WongMr & Mrs IoannouDr Jhamb & Dr BarracloughMr Jun Lei & Mrs Haiyan ZhouMr J Yang & Mrs Y LongDr Katsifolis & Ms PermezelMr Khanna & Ms MehraMr & Mrs KnoxMr & Mrs KotsifakisMr Kuang & Mrs ZhuMr & Mrs LablacheMr & Mrs LampardMr Mahon & Ms RobbinsMr & Mrs MalinasMr & Mrs MaramMr McDermott & Ms McCrohanMr McGowan & Ms BogleMr & Mrs MoranMr & Mrs PackhamMr Panchal & Dr DaveMr & Mrs PertileMr & Mrs RadiotisMr & Mrs SarisMr & Mrs SaxenaMr Selvaraj & Mrs SmithMr & Mrs SklirosMr Sun & Mrs HuMr Tong & Ms LiMr & Mrs TsoumanisMr Tweedie & Ms Le MoignanMr & Mrs VathianakisMr Venkataraman & Mrs MandalMr & Mrs WarburtonMr Watson & Mrs ChiaMr & Ms WrenchMr Xie & Mrs KangMr Yang Wang & Mrs Limin ZhangMr & Mrs YoungMr Zeng & Mrs RenMr & Mrs ZiogasMr Li & Mrs Zhang$250.00Mr & Mrs AnassisMr and Mrs OwczarekMr Apostolopoulos & Ms HoskinMr Archimandritis & Ms RandelloMr & Mrs AroraMr A Spinley & Ms M SpinleyMr & Mrs BarakiaMr Bielenberg & Dr DeansMr & Mrs BlackburneDr Bookun & Ms FowdurMr & Ms BowdenMr Burak & Mrs DowellMr Claffey & Ms DavidsonMr C Papantoniou & Mrs J PapantoniouDr Cross & Dr MurphyMr Davis & Ms O’ConnorMr & Mrs DhavalaMr & Mrs EfthimiouMr & Mrs EllwoodMr F RemoundosMr Gao & Mrs WangMr Gaur & Ms SharmnMr G Katsikis Mr & Mrs GoulianosMrs G RemoundosMr & Mrs GuptaDr Haoust & Miss ThurskyMr & Mrs HardieMr & Ms HewittMr & Mrs HodgsonMr & Ms HoganDr & Dr HurstMr & Ms IbrahimDr Ioannidis & Dr VelentzisMr J Lacy & Dr J SzeDr & Dr JohnsonMr & Mrs JohnsonMr J Tyrrell & Mrs S TyrrellMr J Wescombe & Ms A WaleMr Karatzis & Mrs Bennett-KaratzisMr & Mrs KastanosMr & Mrs KhanMs KmonMr Lamprou & Ms StamatonikolosDr Lavercombe & Ms EdgeMr Li & Mrs MengMr Li & Ms TengDr Machado & Dr MaglenMr Ma & Mrs ChengMr & Mrs MarcenMr McCarthy & Mrs KellyMr Meletsis & Ms CostaMr & Mrs MoyDr Mutch & Ms HomesDr Ngo & Mrs TangMr Padhiyar & Ms PuntambekarMr Papax & Ms KouloukasMr & Mrs ParkmanMr & Mrs PorwallMr Pulis & Ms Di FlorioMr Purcell & Ms FoxMr & Mrs QuintiaoMr & Mrs RamchurnMr & Mrs RioMr & Mrs SachonMr Sangwine & Ms GierliczMr & Ms SbizzirriMr & Mrs SchumannMr & Mrs ShaheenMr Sherlock & Ms RamsdenMr Siamidis & Ms BitziosMr Slater & Prof BelskiMr & Mrs SluiterMr & Ms SpiteriMr Stokes & Mr DivitcosMr & Ms StratikopoulosMr & Mrs StratsianisMr Tran & Mrs BuiMr Tucker & Ms RichardsMr & Mrs WalshMr Wan & Ms XuMr & Mrs WardMrs X Lu & Mr Q LuMr Zafiropoulos & Ms NicolaouMr Zhu & Ms GuDr & Mrs CarmanMr Mah & Ms SoonMr Xie & Mrs Wangcommunity newsEngagement, wedding, birth and vale notices are welcome for publication in future editions. We would love to honour these milestones within our community. Please send any notices and photographs to: alumni@ags.vic.edu.au To make sure you receive invitations, information about future events, and Flowerdale, Scan the QR code.

Page 44 Page 45Reach out,Reconnect,Remember.Reconnect with the Alphington Grammarians alumni community today.@AlphaGrammariansalphington_grammar_schoolAlphington GrammariansWe acknowledge the following families for their contributions to our voluntary building fund, which has helped to purchase two music pods.DonorAcknowledgment$750.00Mrs Al-Baker & Dr Al-ShawiMr Baral & Mrs GurungMr Bianchin & Ms LawMr & Mrs CalkoenMr & Mrs ChristopoulosMs CoppolilloMr Cox & Dr WongMr & Mrs DelaneyMr De Santis & Dr GregoryMr & Mrs DevicMr & Mrs DickerMr Do & Ms LeMr Dunai & Ms SheppardMr & Mrs FowlerMr & Mrs FranceschiniMr Gerner and Ms CassidyMr & Mrs GiannopoulosMr Gilbert & Ms KarafotakisMr Gregory & Mrs EliseevaMr Howden & Mrs HowdenMr & Mrs IftikharMr Jin & Ms ChengMr J Susler & Mrs V SuslerMr & Mrs KarakostasMr K Moutidis Mr Lakey & Mrs Tranculov-LakeyMr Lam & Ms ChuMr & Mrs LamontDr Leang & Dr TanMr Lewis & Miss BletasMr Lindsay & Dr DevittMr Li & Ms SongMr Martin & Ms ThornDr Mcgillivray & Professor MandelstamMr & Mrs McLeanMr & Mrs MillsomDr Mohamed & Dr AliMr & Mrs NguyenMr Niall & Mrs MoonMr & Mrs PanagakisMr & Mrs ParkerMr Patrick & Mrs DelaneyMr Pillay & Ms TrajkovskiProfessor CavedonMr Prouse & Dr TaylesDr Ramaswamy & Ms ShankarMr Rann & Miss ChuaMr Rao & Mrs KaurDr Saleem & Ms SoodMrs S Davey & Mr D DaveyMr Smajdor & Ms KnapicMr & Mrs SpazianiMr Stratoudis & Mrs MastoropoulosMr Sun & Mrs XieMr Thompson & Mrs ManolopoulosMr & Mrs VarvarigosMr Vassallo & Ms JewellMr & Mrs VlachodimitropoulosMr Wang & Ms LiMr Weerakoon & Mrs JunadiMr Wei & Ms ZhuMr Xanthopoulos & Ms VrionisMr Xu & Mrs HaoMr Yang & Mrs XiaMr Yee & Ms NgMr Zhang & Mrs FengMr Zhang & Mrs PengMr Zhao & Mrs He$500.00Mr & Ms IssaMr Kambouris & Miss VandersteegMr Whalan & Dr FaganMr & Mrs BatsakisMr & Mrs BenciMr & Mrs BernardMr & Mrs BoyleMr & Mrs ChenMr & Mrs ChristidisMr Chugg & Dr ClaytonMr Dhiman & Ms ChandelMr Dutta & Ms CarmanMr Farrugia & Ms KakaridesMr & Mrs FiliopoulosDr Fotheringham & Mrs RedmanMr Garrity & Ms MustapaMr George & Ms KamathMr & Mrs GrillsMr Ha & Dr WongMr & Mrs IoannouDr Jhamb & Dr BarracloughMr Jun Lei & Mrs Haiyan ZhouMr J Yang & Mrs Y LongDr Katsifolis & Ms PermezelMr Khanna & Ms MehraMr & Mrs KnoxMr & Mrs KotsifakisMr Kuang & Mrs ZhuMr & Mrs LablacheMr & Mrs LampardMr Mahon & Ms RobbinsMr & Mrs MalinasMr & Mrs MaramMr McDermott & Ms McCrohanMr McGowan & Ms BogleMr & Mrs MoranMr & Mrs PackhamMr Panchal & Dr DaveMr & Mrs PertileMr & Mrs RadiotisMr & Mrs SarisMr & Mrs SaxenaMr Selvaraj & Mrs SmithMr & Mrs SklirosMr Sun & Mrs HuMr Tong & Ms LiMr & Mrs TsoumanisMr Tweedie & Ms Le MoignanMr & Mrs VathianakisMr Venkataraman & Mrs MandalMr & Mrs WarburtonMr Watson & Mrs ChiaMr & Ms WrenchMr Xie & Mrs KangMr Yang Wang & Mrs Limin ZhangMr & Mrs YoungMr Zeng & Mrs RenMr & Mrs ZiogasMr Li & Mrs Zhang$250.00Mr & Mrs AnassisMr and Mrs OwczarekMr Apostolopoulos & Ms HoskinMr Archimandritis & Ms RandelloMr & Mrs AroraMr A Spinley & Ms M SpinleyMr & Mrs BarakiaMr Bielenberg & Dr DeansMr & Mrs BlackburneDr Bookun & Ms FowdurMr & Ms BowdenMr Burak & Mrs DowellMr Claffey & Ms DavidsonMr C Papantoniou & Mrs J PapantoniouDr Cross & Dr MurphyMr Davis & Ms O’ConnorMr & Mrs DhavalaMr & Mrs EfthimiouMr & Mrs EllwoodMr F RemoundosMr Gao & Mrs WangMr Gaur & Ms SharmnMr G Katsikis Mr & Mrs GoulianosMrs G RemoundosMr & Mrs GuptaDr Haoust & Miss ThurskyMr & Mrs HardieMr & Ms HewittMr & Mrs HodgsonMr & Ms HoganDr & Dr HurstMr & Ms IbrahimDr Ioannidis & Dr VelentzisMr J Lacy & Dr J SzeDr & Dr JohnsonMr & Mrs JohnsonMr J Tyrrell & Mrs S TyrrellMr J Wescombe & Ms A WaleMr Karatzis & Mrs Bennett-KaratzisMr & Mrs KastanosMr & Mrs KhanMs KmonMr Lamprou & Ms StamatonikolosDr Lavercombe & Ms EdgeMr Li & Mrs MengMr Li & Ms TengDr Machado & Dr MaglenMr Ma & Mrs ChengMr & Mrs MarcenMr McCarthy & Mrs KellyMr Meletsis & Ms CostaMr & Mrs MoyDr Mutch & Ms HomesDr Ngo & Mrs TangMr Padhiyar & Ms PuntambekarMr Papax & Ms KouloukasMr & Mrs ParkmanMr & Mrs PorwallMr Pulis & Ms Di FlorioMr Purcell & Ms FoxMr & Mrs QuintiaoMr & Mrs RamchurnMr & Mrs RioMr & Mrs SachonMr Sangwine & Ms GierliczMr & Ms SbizzirriMr & Mrs SchumannMr & Mrs ShaheenMr Sherlock & Ms RamsdenMr Siamidis & Ms BitziosMr Slater & Prof BelskiMr & Mrs SluiterMr & Ms SpiteriMr Stokes & Mr DivitcosMr & Ms StratikopoulosMr & Mrs StratsianisMr Tran & Mrs BuiMr Tucker & Ms RichardsMr & Mrs WalshMr Wan & Ms XuMr & Mrs WardMrs X Lu & Mr Q LuMr Zafiropoulos & Ms NicolaouMr Zhu & Ms GuDr & Mrs CarmanMr Mah & Ms SoonMr Xie & Mrs Wangcommunity newsEngagement, wedding, birth and vale notices are welcome for publication in future editions. We would love to honour these milestones within our community. Please send any notices and photographs to: alumni@ags.vic.edu.au To make sure you receive invitations, information about future events, and Flowerdale, Scan the QR code.

Page 01Alphington Grammar School18 Old Heidelberg Road,PO Box 364, Ivanhoe, Victoria 3079Tel. 03 9597 4777Email alumni@ags.vic.edu.auWeb alphington.vic.edu.au @AlphaGrammarians alphington_grammar_school Alphington Grammarians