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Page 1flowerdaleMAKING AN IMPACTAGS COMMUNITY MAGAZINE // SPRING 2023
Renae Andronakos (Year 9), Renae Andronakos (Year 9), Into the Woods ProduconInto the Woods Produconmaking an impactCONTENTSCOVER PHOTOMatteo Dobson (Year 7), installing the Environment Club Nesting Boxes.INSIDE FRONT COVERRenae Andronakos (Year 9), Into the Woods Production.BACK COVER PHOTOAmelia Ioannou (Year 1). EDITOR/FEATURESMs Adellea Greenbury, Head of Marketing and Ms Zoe Zapantis, Maketing Coordinator.PUBLISHERAlphington Grammar School18 Old Heidelberg Road,PO Box 5008,Alphington Victoria 3078Tel. 03 9597 4777Email alumni@ags.vic.edu.auWeb alphington.vic.edu.auSCAN HERE TO UPDATE YOUR DETAILSalphington_grammar_schoolAlphington Grammar School Alphington GrammariansFEATURES02 FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK04 COMMUNITY SERVICE CAPTAINS EMMANUELA LETTAS PHOEBE SIMMONS06 THALIA LEWIS08 FREYA MONK10 ENVIRONMENT CLUB14 SOCIAL JUSTICE CLUB16 DAVID’S BEADED JOURNEYEVENTS20 EVENT SNAPSHOTS 22 COMMUNITY SERVICE WEEK26 INTO THE WOODS PRODUCTION30 EISM ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS34 MOTHER’S DAY HIGH TEAALUMNI STORIES36 ACACIA KARABATSOS38 FUNDA OZENC 40 ELAINA VATCKYCOMMUNITY NEWS42 WEDDINGS, ENGAGEMENTS, AND BIRTHS
Renae Andronakos (Year 9), Renae Andronakos (Year 9), Into the Woods ProduconInto the Woods Produconmaking an impactCONTENTSCOVER PHOTOMatteo Dobson (Year 7), installing the Environment Club Nesting Boxes.INSIDE FRONT COVERRenae Andronakos (Year 9), Into the Woods Production.BACK COVER PHOTOAmelia Ioannou (Year 1). EDITOR/FEATURESMs Adellea Greenbury, Head of Marketing and Ms Zoe Zapantis, Maketing Coordinator.PUBLISHERAlphington Grammar School18 Old Heidelberg Road,PO Box 5008,Alphington Victoria 3078Tel. 03 9597 4777Email alumni@ags.vic.edu.auWeb alphington.vic.edu.auSCAN HERE TO UPDATE YOUR DETAILSalphington_grammar_schoolAlphington Grammar School Alphington GrammariansFEATURES02 FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK04 COMMUNITY SERVICE CAPTAINS EMMANUELA LETTAS PHOEBE SIMMONS06 THALIA LEWIS08 FREYA MONK10 ENVIRONMENT CLUB14 SOCIAL JUSTICE CLUB16 DAVID’S BEADED JOURNEYEVENTS20 EVENT SNAPSHOTS 22 COMMUNITY SERVICE WEEK26 INTO THE WOODS PRODUCTION30 EISM ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS34 MOTHER’S DAY HIGH TEAALUMNI STORIES36 ACACIA KARABATSOS38 FUNDA OZENC 40 ELAINA VATCKYCOMMUNITY NEWS42 WEDDINGS, ENGAGEMENTS, AND BIRTHS
Page 2 Page 3From the Principal’s DeskDr Vivianne Nikou reects on the importance of social consciousness, setting proactive goals, and the impacts our students are making in the broader community.Welcome to the Spring edition of Flowerdale, with a focus on servant leadership and community. At Alphington Grammar School we aim to connect the Head and the Heart and instil a servant leadership philosophy in our students. We encourage members of our community to set themselves personal goals to serve and contribute to a greater good both in and out of school.By prioritising service before thyself, our students quickly learn to honour and empower others, inspire a greater vision, and make more authentic and ethical choices. This edition of Flowerdale contains some personal reections from our 2023 Community Service Captains, Emmanuela Lettas and Phoebe Simmons. These two students strive to make an impact in their areas of interest, having raised awareness for causes they are passionate about. Together they have helped coordinate amazing events and raised valuable funds for their charities. This is followed by Thalia Lewis (Year 9) who has been involved in Animal Welfare causes since her primary years and volunteers much of her personal time at a local animal shelter. Our Environment Club has worked together across the age groups to look at local when at school and achieved outstanding academic results, she is now is carving out a career and having an impact as a Statutory Planner for the Environment Protection Authority of Victoria. Another alumni we feature in this edition is Funda Ozenc (Class of 1999). A motivated and social personality who often found herself in leadership roles, today she is an Executive General Manager of Quality and Clinical Excellence in the Healthcare Sector. Her career goals have evolved but remain underpinned by her values of wanting to connect and help people. Our nal alumni feature in this edition is Elaina Vatcky (Class of 2013). An academically focused student who now pursues a career in Orthotics. Her goal is to reduce the stigma around Othotics and Prosthetics and improve the global understanding around disability needs. The Class of 2003 and 2013 Alumni Reunion will be held on Saturday 18 November. I look forward to connecting with many more generations of Grammarians.Please enjoy our Spring edition of Flowerdale.Dr Vivianne Nikou Principal environmental concerns for our school. More specically, they have focused on conserving and increasing the biodiversity within the nearby Darebin Creek that abuts our school grounds. Working with our School Maintenance Team, they have undertaken a wonderful project of building and installing nesting boxes for local wildlife along the Creek. In another area of service, our school Social Justice Club writes about their ght to empower themselves and others through their open forum discussions.One of our feature articles is the deeply moving journey of David Johnson (Year 8) who has endured an incredible set of challenges since he was 3 years of age. His journey is shared by his parents Dr Kate and Steve Johnson. Our students and school community are so inspired by David’s tenacity and strength of character that many students joined David in this years “World’s Greatest Shave” fundraiser.Our events pages showcase this year’s Mother’s Day High Tea at the Sotel Hotel, a myriad of school and sporting events and the highly successful Secondary Production of “Into the Woods”. Acacia Karabatsos (Class of 2016) is one of our alumni features in this edition. A young professional who led a full life
Page 2 Page 3From the Principal’s DeskDr Vivianne Nikou reects on the importance of social consciousness, setting proactive goals, and the impacts our students are making in the broader community.Welcome to the Spring edition of Flowerdale, with a focus on servant leadership and community. At Alphington Grammar School we aim to connect the Head and the Heart and instil a servant leadership philosophy in our students. We encourage members of our community to set themselves personal goals to serve and contribute to a greater good both in and out of school.By prioritising service before thyself, our students quickly learn to honour and empower others, inspire a greater vision, and make more authentic and ethical choices. This edition of Flowerdale contains some personal reections from our 2023 Community Service Captains, Emmanuela Lettas and Phoebe Simmons. These two students strive to make an impact in their areas of interest, having raised awareness for causes they are passionate about. Together they have helped coordinate amazing events and raised valuable funds for their charities. This is followed by Thalia Lewis (Year 9) who has been involved in Animal Welfare causes since her primary years and volunteers much of her personal time at a local animal shelter. Our Environment Club has worked together across the age groups to look at local when at school and achieved outstanding academic results, she is now is carving out a career and having an impact as a Statutory Planner for the Environment Protection Authority of Victoria. Another alumni we feature in this edition is Funda Ozenc (Class of 1999). A motivated and social personality who often found herself in leadership roles, today she is an Executive General Manager of Quality and Clinical Excellence in the Healthcare Sector. Her career goals have evolved but remain underpinned by her values of wanting to connect and help people. Our nal alumni feature in this edition is Elaina Vatcky (Class of 2013). An academically focused student who now pursues a career in Orthotics. Her goal is to reduce the stigma around Othotics and Prosthetics and improve the global understanding around disability needs. The Class of 2003 and 2013 Alumni Reunion will be held on Saturday 18 November. I look forward to connecting with many more generations of Grammarians.Please enjoy our Spring edition of Flowerdale.Dr Vivianne Nikou Principal environmental concerns for our school. More specically, they have focused on conserving and increasing the biodiversity within the nearby Darebin Creek that abuts our school grounds. Working with our School Maintenance Team, they have undertaken a wonderful project of building and installing nesting boxes for local wildlife along the Creek. In another area of service, our school Social Justice Club writes about their ght to empower themselves and others through their open forum discussions.One of our feature articles is the deeply moving journey of David Johnson (Year 8) who has endured an incredible set of challenges since he was 3 years of age. His journey is shared by his parents Dr Kate and Steve Johnson. Our students and school community are so inspired by David’s tenacity and strength of character that many students joined David in this years “World’s Greatest Shave” fundraiser.Our events pages showcase this year’s Mother’s Day High Tea at the Sotel Hotel, a myriad of school and sporting events and the highly successful Secondary Production of “Into the Woods”. Acacia Karabatsos (Class of 2016) is one of our alumni features in this edition. A young professional who led a full life
Page 4 Page 5Emmanuela LettasI also nd value in raising awareness. I enjoy seeing our School community come together to support foundations, as seen through the generosity of our community in the recent World’s Greatest Shave event. Currently, we are working on raising funds and awareness for Wear It Purple, who provide essential services to the LGBTQIA+ community, including mental health support. We hope that this will validate the identities of AGS students and foster an inclusive environment with zero tolerance towards homophobia and anti-LGBTQ discourse. This issue is important to me as I know people who identify with the community and want them to know that they are valued. Outside of school I am heavily involved in my dancing community, where I take classes, complete exams and compete, both solo and alongside my Troupe as Troupe Captain. This passion has led me to take VCE Dance and VET Dance. Although I’m not set on one career path yet, I know that I am passionate about helping people and making a dierence in my community. I really enjoy working alongside others and oering assistance whenever I can, so I hope to follow a career path that allows me to do this. My personal motto is “you can do it.” I have high levels of self-belief while juggling school, my captaincy and extra-curricular involvement. Believing in myself is what allows me to make the most out of everything I’m involved in. I really encourage students to have a growth mindset about their schooling experience; to view school as more than just the classes we take. Through hard work, determination, and persistence, you can achieve so much, both academically and personally if you’re willing to try. featurescommunity service captainMy name is Emmanuela Lettas. I am in Year 12 and this is my second year as one of the Alphington Grammar School Community Service Captains.At AGS, we have so many opportunities to be involved in our community and are always encouraged to Aspire for Excellence. Personally, I have been involved in debating, ensembles, EISM district swimming and school productions, and I really encourage all students to take advantage of all AGS oers. By being involved in a plethora of activities that have strengthened our community, I have learned to value the eorts of previous Community Service Leaders. I wanted to be a part of organising such meaningful events. I enjoy being able to lead by example and foster positive relationships among my peers, I also love being able to have an impact on other communities. Though emphasis is often placed on the money raised, Phoebe Simmonscommunity service captainMy name is Phoebe Simmons and I am in Year 12 this year. I started at Alphington Grammar School in Year 7, which was in 2018. This is my rst year as Community Service Captain and I am very grateful for the opportunity. Throughout the years, my favourite things about learning at AGS have been the teachers and the community. I like how the teachers are kind and caring, and are always easily accessible for all students. This is part of the reason why I wanted to become a Community Service Leader. I am passionate about our school community, and educating others on what I see is the right thing to do. Within my role, I hope to spread positivity and inclusivity throughout our school community. In fact, that is the part of the position that I enjoy the most; my favourite part of this role is having the opportunity to spread my message throughout the school through various events, fundraisers, and by raising awareness. I love having the chance to help everybody feel seen and included. Within the community and service oce, my co-captain and I are currently working on raising awareness for a number of dierent charities. We hope that this can inspire people to further act within their own communities to make a dierence and realise that no contribution is too small. The impact of my work as Community Service Captain is very important to me because I am passionate about ghting injustice and supporting inclusivity. A personal rule that I live by is to treat everybody equally and with kindness. I believe the world can featuresbe a better place if we all follow that motto. If my fellow Alphington Grammar School students can take one thing from my time as Community Service Captain, I hope that it is to not be afraid to stand up for what you think is right, just and kind. One of the most important things we can do in our everyday lives is to ght injustice when we see it, even in small ways, and do our best to make the world a better and kinder place.After I graduate from Year 12 here at Alphington Grammar, I am looking at pursuing a career in science. I really like learning about the way the world works, and nding ways to improve our future.
Page 4 Page 5Emmanuela LettasI also nd value in raising awareness. I enjoy seeing our School community come together to support foundations, as seen through the generosity of our community in the recent World’s Greatest Shave event. Currently, we are working on raising funds and awareness for Wear It Purple, who provide essential services to the LGBTQIA+ community, including mental health support. We hope that this will validate the identities of AGS students and foster an inclusive environment with zero tolerance towards homophobia and anti-LGBTQ discourse. This issue is important to me as I know people who identify with the community and want them to know that they are valued. Outside of school I am heavily involved in my dancing community, where I take classes, complete exams and compete, both solo and alongside my Troupe as Troupe Captain. This passion has led me to take VCE Dance and VET Dance. Although I’m not set on one career path yet, I know that I am passionate about helping people and making a dierence in my community. I really enjoy working alongside others and oering assistance whenever I can, so I hope to follow a career path that allows me to do this. My personal motto is “you can do it.” I have high levels of self-belief while juggling school, my captaincy and extra-curricular involvement. Believing in myself is what allows me to make the most out of everything I’m involved in. I really encourage students to have a growth mindset about their schooling experience; to view school as more than just the classes we take. Through hard work, determination, and persistence, you can achieve so much, both academically and personally if you’re willing to try. featurescommunity service captainMy name is Emmanuela Lettas. I am in Year 12 and this is my second year as one of the Alphington Grammar School Community Service Captains.At AGS, we have so many opportunities to be involved in our community and are always encouraged to Aspire for Excellence. Personally, I have been involved in debating, ensembles, EISM district swimming and school productions, and I really encourage all students to take advantage of all AGS oers. By being involved in a plethora of activities that have strengthened our community, I have learned to value the eorts of previous Community Service Leaders. I wanted to be a part of organising such meaningful events. I enjoy being able to lead by example and foster positive relationships among my peers, I also love being able to have an impact on other communities. Though emphasis is often placed on the money raised, Phoebe Simmonscommunity service captainMy name is Phoebe Simmons and I am in Year 12 this year. I started at Alphington Grammar School in Year 7, which was in 2018. This is my rst year as Community Service Captain and I am very grateful for the opportunity. Throughout the years, my favourite things about learning at AGS have been the teachers and the community. I like how the teachers are kind and caring, and are always easily accessible for all students. This is part of the reason why I wanted to become a Community Service Leader. I am passionate about our school community, and educating others on what I see is the right thing to do. Within my role, I hope to spread positivity and inclusivity throughout our school community. In fact, that is the part of the position that I enjoy the most; my favourite part of this role is having the opportunity to spread my message throughout the school through various events, fundraisers, and by raising awareness. I love having the chance to help everybody feel seen and included. Within the community and service oce, my co-captain and I are currently working on raising awareness for a number of dierent charities. We hope that this can inspire people to further act within their own communities to make a dierence and realise that no contribution is too small. The impact of my work as Community Service Captain is very important to me because I am passionate about ghting injustice and supporting inclusivity. A personal rule that I live by is to treat everybody equally and with kindness. I believe the world can featuresbe a better place if we all follow that motto. If my fellow Alphington Grammar School students can take one thing from my time as Community Service Captain, I hope that it is to not be afraid to stand up for what you think is right, just and kind. One of the most important things we can do in our everyday lives is to ght injustice when we see it, even in small ways, and do our best to make the world a better and kinder place.After I graduate from Year 12 here at Alphington Grammar, I am looking at pursuing a career in science. I really like learning about the way the world works, and nding ways to improve our future.
Page 6 Page 7Thalia LewisThalia Lewis, Year 9 student, discusses the importance of animal welfare and what she’s doing to help.Hi! My name is Thalia Lewis and I am currently 14 years old, in Year 9. I would describe myself as generous, resilient, and optimistic, and I love to experience new challenges.I started my AGS journey in 2021, in Year 7. I felt excited to start but nervous at the same time as all my friends from Primary School ventured out to dierent schools. I remember that on my rst day at AGS, I met so many wonderful students and teachers, and this made me feel so happy to be at High School. I was so ready to embrace the new opportunities and learn new things.Since I started here, I have enjoyed learning from the amazing teachers and exploring a wide range of subjects along with my friends and classmates. We love to immerse ourselves in the diverse enrichment programs on oer. AGS feels like a community to me, and that feeling is awesome. A community issue I nd important is the mistreatment of animals, particularly how so many animals are abandoned and left to roam the streets because they are no longer wanted. I believe everyone should be aware of this issue and be responsible for doing their part in stopping this. Some of the ways people can help include volunteering, adopting pets from animal shelters, and helping pets nd a loving home.It’s important to me to feel like I’m doing my part by helping nd every abandoned living creature a caring home. I currently volunteer at a local animal shelter which involves taking care of a range of rescue animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, ducks, and birds. So many animals arrive in shelters every day, and each of them desperately needs a new home. They deserve a second chance. The rescue animals are so loving, and I feel so privileged to be able to experience this. I became involved in volunteering after attending an event by Forever Friends Animal Shelter at my local pet shop. At the beginning, I only stopped because I wanted to pat one of the dogs! By chance, one of the volunteers from the event approached me and asked if I was interested in helping. My immediate response was: ‘Absolutely!”. Now I make sure to attend their events and help as much as possible.This was one of the best decisions I have ever made as I have gained life-long experiences and it has taught me to be a better person. By doing this, I feel I am giving back to our community, but I am also gaining a lot of things from it as well. I truly believe that by being around these animals, we can grow our own kindness and empathy. I have also developed great business skills and enjoy the opportunity to practice and improve my communication skills.If someone wants to contribute you can easily nd information on local shelters near you to volunteer at, as well as upcoming events that are being held. Volunteering and donating are great options to help make an impact for those who are not able to foster animals. After graduating from High School, my dream is to go to an Ivy League university where I want to study Creative Writing, Archaeology, and Musical Theatre. My personal life motto is ‘knowledge is power’ and I aim to continue raising awareness about animal welfare and animal cruelty in my spare time. features“It’s important to me feel like I’m doing my part by helping nd every living creature a caring home.”Blake Taylor (Year 11), Rudra Sekhri (Year 12), Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Blake Taylor (Year 11), Rudra Sekhri (Year 12), Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Zack Tsaklas (Year 8) and Pantelli Saris (Year 11)Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Zack Tsaklas (Year 8) and Pantelli Saris (Year 11)Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Lonsdale St Fesval 2021Lonsdale St Fesval 2021
Page 6 Page 7Thalia LewisThalia Lewis, Year 9 student, discusses the importance of animal welfare and what she’s doing to help.Hi! My name is Thalia Lewis and I am currently 14 years old, in Year 9. I would describe myself as generous, resilient, and optimistic, and I love to experience new challenges.I started my AGS journey in 2021, in Year 7. I felt excited to start but nervous at the same time as all my friends from Primary School ventured out to dierent schools. I remember that on my rst day at AGS, I met so many wonderful students and teachers, and this made me feel so happy to be at High School. I was so ready to embrace the new opportunities and learn new things.Since I started here, I have enjoyed learning from the amazing teachers and exploring a wide range of subjects along with my friends and classmates. We love to immerse ourselves in the diverse enrichment programs on oer. AGS feels like a community to me, and that feeling is awesome. A community issue I nd important is the mistreatment of animals, particularly how so many animals are abandoned and left to roam the streets because they are no longer wanted. I believe everyone should be aware of this issue and be responsible for doing their part in stopping this. Some of the ways people can help include volunteering, adopting pets from animal shelters, and helping pets nd a loving home.It’s important to me to feel like I’m doing my part by helping nd every abandoned living creature a caring home. I currently volunteer at a local animal shelter which involves taking care of a range of rescue animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, ducks, and birds. So many animals arrive in shelters every day, and each of them desperately needs a new home. They deserve a second chance. The rescue animals are so loving, and I feel so privileged to be able to experience this. I became involved in volunteering after attending an event by Forever Friends Animal Shelter at my local pet shop. At the beginning, I only stopped because I wanted to pat one of the dogs! By chance, one of the volunteers from the event approached me and asked if I was interested in helping. My immediate response was: ‘Absolutely!”. Now I make sure to attend their events and help as much as possible.This was one of the best decisions I have ever made as I have gained life-long experiences and it has taught me to be a better person. By doing this, I feel I am giving back to our community, but I am also gaining a lot of things from it as well. I truly believe that by being around these animals, we can grow our own kindness and empathy. I have also developed great business skills and enjoy the opportunity to practice and improve my communication skills.If someone wants to contribute you can easily nd information on local shelters near you to volunteer at, as well as upcoming events that are being held. Volunteering and donating are great options to help make an impact for those who are not able to foster animals. After graduating from High School, my dream is to go to an Ivy League university where I want to study Creative Writing, Archaeology, and Musical Theatre. My personal life motto is ‘knowledge is power’ and I aim to continue raising awareness about animal welfare and animal cruelty in my spare time. features“It’s important to me feel like I’m doing my part by helping nd every living creature a caring home.”Blake Taylor (Year 11), Rudra Sekhri (Year 12), Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Blake Taylor (Year 11), Rudra Sekhri (Year 12), Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Zack Tsaklas (Year 8) and Pantelli Saris (Year 11)Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Zack Tsaklas (Year 8) and Pantelli Saris (Year 11)Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Lonsdale St Fesval 2021Lonsdale St Fesval 2021
Page 8 Page 9Freya MonkFreya Monk, Year 10 student discusses her workplace experience at Network 10 and the inuence this has had on her future ambitions and endeavours. My name is Freya Monk, I’m 15 years old and am in Year 10 this year. My biggest passions are music and performing! I love to sing, and I’m heavily involved in the music department at Alphington Grammar School. I would love to make it my career someday. What I love most about AGS is the supportive environment and the willingness of teachers to create a place that encourages everyone to learn and grow as individuals. There are also countless opportunities for enrichment at this school. My personal favourite, of course, been a challenging one as there are many steps involved and choosing a song that showcases my skill is a dicult process. However, I am continuing to work towards these things with my singing teacher, Ms Lang. My advice to other students who would like to get involved in this area is to just put yourself out there. This area is a super dicult one to get into, so putting yourself into the eld and the line of sight of potential employers early is the best thing you can do. My next step after graduation is to enrol in university and study musical theatre, as it is something that I am super passionate about and it makes me happy. The community that theatre creates is so strong and truly a great one to be a part of. A personal belief that I live by is progress, not perfection. Growth is incremental. If you can progress and improve at something throughout your life, then that experience or skill is much more valuable than being perfect at something but standing still. Network 10 has made it clear to me that TV production is one of the things that I’m interested in. Specically, the time I spent with Gary showed me that these are things that I can pursue in the future, and they are denitely options I want to consider for my career. Having been inspired by Gary and his work on Australian music TV I have decided to focus on my application for Australian Idol. This is extremely important to me as it could kick-start my career in the music industry, something I’ve wanted to pursue for many years. The application process has being music-related ones. As a part of our curriculum, Year 10 students are given the opportunity to take part in a week of work experience. I was lucky enough to do my placement at Network 10, working on the set of the Masked Singer in Sydney. I chose this as it was a great insight into the type of career I want to pursue in the future, and it was loads of fun. I was part of the guessing team during my placement. I was given a clue pack for a specic mask and a list of celebrity research, and connect-the-dots feel of my role, which was a lot of fun. I also found the musical aspect of the show incredibly interesting. Having the chance to observe Osher Gunsburg in action, along with the panel, was incredible, and really helped me to understand what a career in television could look like. To top this o, I spent some time with Gary Pinto, the vocal coach on the Masked Singer, and he was able to give me a few singing lessons and insight into potential future opportunities for my singing career. This whole experience really solidied the fact that this is the career path I want to take. While I thoroughly enjoyed each aspect of this experience, the main highlight for me was the time I spent in the studio watching the recording. I now feel like I understand the mammoth eort that goes on behind the scenes to bring a TV show to our screens. I aspire to make musical theatre my career, but there are many other things I’m interested in as well. I think my experience at names, and I had to research the celebrities and pick out certain parts of the clue pack to connect. These connections would then be used as guesses by the guessing panel, comprised of Mel B, Abbie Chateld, Dave Hughes, and Chrissie Swan. I’m very interested in pursuing musical theatre and television. Being able to be behind the scenes on a major TV show was really helpful for understanding the work that goes into this type of programming. I really enjoyed the guesswork, “This whole experience really solidied that this is the career path I want to take.”features
Page 8 Page 9Freya MonkFreya Monk, Year 10 student discusses her workplace experience at Network 10 and the inuence this has had on her future ambitions and endeavours. My name is Freya Monk, I’m 15 years old and am in Year 10 this year. My biggest passions are music and performing! I love to sing, and I’m heavily involved in the music department at Alphington Grammar School. I would love to make it my career someday. What I love most about AGS is the supportive environment and the willingness of teachers to create a place that encourages everyone to learn and grow as individuals. There are also countless opportunities for enrichment at this school. My personal favourite, of course, been a challenging one as there are many steps involved and choosing a song that showcases my skill is a dicult process. However, I am continuing to work towards these things with my singing teacher, Ms Lang. My advice to other students who would like to get involved in this area is to just put yourself out there. This area is a super dicult one to get into, so putting yourself into the eld and the line of sight of potential employers early is the best thing you can do. My next step after graduation is to enrol in university and study musical theatre, as it is something that I am super passionate about and it makes me happy. The community that theatre creates is so strong and truly a great one to be a part of. A personal belief that I live by is progress, not perfection. Growth is incremental. If you can progress and improve at something throughout your life, then that experience or skill is much more valuable than being perfect at something but standing still. Network 10 has made it clear to me that TV production is one of the things that I’m interested in. Specically, the time I spent with Gary showed me that these are things that I can pursue in the future, and they are denitely options I want to consider for my career. Having been inspired by Gary and his work on Australian music TV I have decided to focus on my application for Australian Idol. This is extremely important to me as it could kick-start my career in the music industry, something I’ve wanted to pursue for many years. The application process has being music-related ones. As a part of our curriculum, Year 10 students are given the opportunity to take part in a week of work experience. I was lucky enough to do my placement at Network 10, working on the set of the Masked Singer in Sydney. I chose this as it was a great insight into the type of career I want to pursue in the future, and it was loads of fun. I was part of the guessing team during my placement. I was given a clue pack for a specic mask and a list of celebrity research, and connect-the-dots feel of my role, which was a lot of fun. I also found the musical aspect of the show incredibly interesting. Having the chance to observe Osher Gunsburg in action, along with the panel, was incredible, and really helped me to understand what a career in television could look like. To top this o, I spent some time with Gary Pinto, the vocal coach on the Masked Singer, and he was able to give me a few singing lessons and insight into potential future opportunities for my singing career. This whole experience really solidied the fact that this is the career path I want to take. While I thoroughly enjoyed each aspect of this experience, the main highlight for me was the time I spent in the studio watching the recording. I now feel like I understand the mammoth eort that goes on behind the scenes to bring a TV show to our screens. I aspire to make musical theatre my career, but there are many other things I’m interested in as well. I think my experience at names, and I had to research the celebrities and pick out certain parts of the clue pack to connect. These connections would then be used as guesses by the guessing panel, comprised of Mel B, Abbie Chateld, Dave Hughes, and Chrissie Swan. I’m very interested in pursuing musical theatre and television. Being able to be behind the scenes on a major TV show was really helpful for understanding the work that goes into this type of programming. I really enjoyed the guesswork, “This whole experience really solidied that this is the career path I want to take.”features
Page 10 Page 11featuresEnvironment Club The members of the Environment Club chat to us about turning their passion for the environment into action. By Adelle Greenbury“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. … To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.” – Carl SaganThis quote, said by Carl Sagan as he looked at a photo of the planet Earth taken from space, is the inspiration for the beginnings of the AGS Environment Club. In the photo, the Earth appears as a small dot only one pixel wide. This quote inspired the founder and leader of the AGS Environment Club, Rudra Sekhri, to want to protect and ght for our environment and the only home we have as a civilisation. After speaking to other students and with the unyielding help and guidance of their teacher supervisor, Ms Angela Mare, they saw the potential for a Secondary School Club to tackle these issues. The Environment Club was thus established in 2021 to provide a platform for students to discuss environmental issues and work together to deliver solutions in the school community. “…I felt the school needed an Environment Club because climate change is becoming a pressing issue, and we want our school and community to be part of the solution to local environmental concerns,” Rudra said.According to Club Assistant Blake Taylor, the Club’s journey has been a tumultuous one. Mid-2022 saw a loss of membership and lack of productivity, which caused dedicated members to fear for the future of the Club. However, the successful fundraiser for International Schools Tree Day created an improvement in club participation and re-invigorated student interest. “We ran excursions later in the year along the Darebin Creek, and that development eventually guided us to where we are now. It was a massive journey,” said Blake.Today, the club has a stable number of committed members that work with the school community to raise awareness, discuss the environment, fundraise, and work towards making our school a local leader in the ght against human induced climate change. Members range from students who have an innate interest in the environment to those who developed one since learning about the club. Matteo Dobson, for example, has felt drawn to the outdoors for as long as he can remember.“I’ve always loved the environment,” said Matteo. “In the past few years since I’ve grown up, I have realised how much destruction we have done to various species. I believe that humans have no right to feel any better than the nature we are destroying.”Esme Johnson shares similar feelings. Having been a sustainability leader in the Primary School, Esme was keen to continue to pursue her passion for the environment in the Secondary School.“I am very keen to encourage others to care more for our beautiful world and realise the impact our habits have on the world around us,” she said.Others, like Sarah Dicker, lacked an existing interest in the environment but were pleasantly surprised and developed one after spending time with the club.“I didn’t have anything to do at lunchtime and went to the Environment Club with my friend,” Sarah admitted. “Now I nd it interesting. … I care more about the environment and want to help.”Over the last two years the Environment Club has raised over $2,000 in fundraisers for National Schools Tree Day and World Environment Day. They have spoken to a wide range of experts, raised awareness through school newsletters, and ran a number of incursions and excursions. In particular, the club has been focused on conserving and increasing biodiversity within the nearby Darebin Creek. They even presented their work at the Youth Environment Summit on the 5th of June this year where club leader Rudra represented the school as a panellist, and again at a World Environment Day event hosted by the State Minister of Environment Hon Lily D’Ambrosio.Their latest project? Building and installing nesting boxes along the creek for local wildlife, such as possums, to use. Students are excited to watch how the boxes are utilised once out in the wilderness.“The nesting boxes will allow us to observe the activity within the boxes throughout the various seasons when certain species are more abundant,” said Blake.Club members have been meeting during lunchtimes to build these nesting boxes, supported by our School Maintenance Team Andrew Bunton and Cormac Kielty. They will be installed at wildlife hotspots near the Darebin Creek where they will hopefully attract a bit of attention! “…I felt the school needed an environment club because climate change is becoming a pressing issue”Esme Johnson (Year 8), Blake Taylor (Year 11), Esme Johnson (Year 8), Blake Taylor (Year 11), Jem Lavercombe (Year 6) and Cormac KieltyJem Lavercombe (Year 6) and Cormac KieltyDreamz Ga (Year 9)Dreamz Ga (Year 9)
Page 10 Page 11featuresEnvironment Club The members of the Environment Club chat to us about turning their passion for the environment into action. By Adelle Greenbury“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. … To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.” – Carl SaganThis quote, said by Carl Sagan as he looked at a photo of the planet Earth taken from space, is the inspiration for the beginnings of the AGS Environment Club. In the photo, the Earth appears as a small dot only one pixel wide. This quote inspired the founder and leader of the AGS Environment Club, Rudra Sekhri, to want to protect and ght for our environment and the only home we have as a civilisation. After speaking to other students and with the unyielding help and guidance of their teacher supervisor, Ms Angela Mare, they saw the potential for a Secondary School Club to tackle these issues. The Environment Club was thus established in 2021 to provide a platform for students to discuss environmental issues and work together to deliver solutions in the school community. “…I felt the school needed an Environment Club because climate change is becoming a pressing issue, and we want our school and community to be part of the solution to local environmental concerns,” Rudra said.According to Club Assistant Blake Taylor, the Club’s journey has been a tumultuous one. Mid-2022 saw a loss of membership and lack of productivity, which caused dedicated members to fear for the future of the Club. However, the successful fundraiser for International Schools Tree Day created an improvement in club participation and re-invigorated student interest. “We ran excursions later in the year along the Darebin Creek, and that development eventually guided us to where we are now. It was a massive journey,” said Blake.Today, the club has a stable number of committed members that work with the school community to raise awareness, discuss the environment, fundraise, and work towards making our school a local leader in the ght against human induced climate change. Members range from students who have an innate interest in the environment to those who developed one since learning about the club. Matteo Dobson, for example, has felt drawn to the outdoors for as long as he can remember.“I’ve always loved the environment,” said Matteo. “In the past few years since I’ve grown up, I have realised how much destruction we have done to various species. I believe that humans have no right to feel any better than the nature we are destroying.”Esme Johnson shares similar feelings. Having been a sustainability leader in the Primary School, Esme was keen to continue to pursue her passion for the environment in the Secondary School.“I am very keen to encourage others to care more for our beautiful world and realise the impact our habits have on the world around us,” she said.Others, like Sarah Dicker, lacked an existing interest in the environment but were pleasantly surprised and developed one after spending time with the club.“I didn’t have anything to do at lunchtime and went to the Environment Club with my friend,” Sarah admitted. “Now I nd it interesting. … I care more about the environment and want to help.”Over the last two years the Environment Club has raised over $2,000 in fundraisers for National Schools Tree Day and World Environment Day. They have spoken to a wide range of experts, raised awareness through school newsletters, and ran a number of incursions and excursions. In particular, the club has been focused on conserving and increasing biodiversity within the nearby Darebin Creek. They even presented their work at the Youth Environment Summit on the 5th of June this year where club leader Rudra represented the school as a panellist, and again at a World Environment Day event hosted by the State Minister of Environment Hon Lily D’Ambrosio.Their latest project? Building and installing nesting boxes along the creek for local wildlife, such as possums, to use. Students are excited to watch how the boxes are utilised once out in the wilderness.“The nesting boxes will allow us to observe the activity within the boxes throughout the various seasons when certain species are more abundant,” said Blake.Club members have been meeting during lunchtimes to build these nesting boxes, supported by our School Maintenance Team Andrew Bunton and Cormac Kielty. They will be installed at wildlife hotspots near the Darebin Creek where they will hopefully attract a bit of attention! “…I felt the school needed an environment club because climate change is becoming a pressing issue”Esme Johnson (Year 8), Blake Taylor (Year 11), Esme Johnson (Year 8), Blake Taylor (Year 11), Jem Lavercombe (Year 6) and Cormac KieltyJem Lavercombe (Year 6) and Cormac KieltyDreamz Ga (Year 9)Dreamz Ga (Year 9)
Page 12 Page 13With Rudra graduating at the end of 2023, Blake Taylor will step forward as leader and shape the future direction of the club. As for what’s next for the club, the members have started developing their ideas. The team members will follow through with the nesting boxes and their revegetation eorts at the Darebin Creek and focusing on waste and recycling within the school community. This will include installing more nesting boxes, raising awareness about excess waste, and doing audits to further understand the school’s waste problem.Through a broader lens, now and into the future the Environment Club hopes to continue to spark student-led change within the school community.Their goal is to inspire more students and young people to do the same in their own communities and be part of the global sustainability solution.Ethan Athanasopoulos (Year 6), Ethan Athanasopoulos (Year 6), Primary Athlecs Carnival Primary Athlecs Carnival Blake Taylor (Year 11), Esme Johnson (Year 8) and Rudra Sekhri (Year 12)Blake Taylor (Year 11), Esme Johnson (Year 8) and Rudra Sekhri (Year 12)
Page 12 Page 13With Rudra graduating at the end of 2023, Blake Taylor will step forward as leader and shape the future direction of the club. As for what’s next for the club, the members have started developing their ideas. The team members will follow through with the nesting boxes and their revegetation eorts at the Darebin Creek and focusing on waste and recycling within the school community. This will include installing more nesting boxes, raising awareness about excess waste, and doing audits to further understand the school’s waste problem.Through a broader lens, now and into the future the Environment Club hopes to continue to spark student-led change within the school community.Their goal is to inspire more students and young people to do the same in their own communities and be part of the global sustainability solution.Ethan Athanasopoulos (Year 6), Ethan Athanasopoulos (Year 6), Primary Athlecs Carnival Primary Athlecs Carnival Blake Taylor (Year 11), Esme Johnson (Year 8) and Rudra Sekhri (Year 12)Blake Taylor (Year 11), Esme Johnson (Year 8) and Rudra Sekhri (Year 12)
Page 14 Page 15The main goal of the club was to create a safe space for younger students to talk about issues that matter to them and bring awareness to ideas of feminism and gender expectations. It was to inspire younger students speak their minds, raise issues of concern, and share what is going on in their lives.Finally, it was to destigmatise feminism and empower girls to stand up for themselves. The club, which runs on Monday lunchtimes, has amassed a consistent attendance of around 10 students from Years 8 to 12. According to its founders, the club’s biggest achievement has been seeing how the younger students become more condent week after week and teaching them the language of social justice. “Something the girls have been proud of within the club is teaching [younger students] the language to call out bad behaviour, and to be condent by knowing that they all have each other’s backs,” Club Supervisor Mr Panara explains.By learning the correct words and phrases to describe their issues and pinpoint the problems, students can take back their power. In this way, vocabulary has the ability to validate their emotions and experiences, and legitimise their complaints.As supervisor, Mr Panara has witnessed rst-hand the power of creating a safe space and allowing students to talk through these complex issues. As they discuss a dierent topic each week, he has been able to watch how the students navigate dierent situations and implement positive learned behaviours. One situation he described was during a conversation about women’s professional football, in the wake of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Aristea was displaying “some negative self-talk,” underplaying her skills as a football player, when Chloe interjected and told her:“Stop doubting yourself! You are good. Own it.”Mr Panara went on to describe how this incident is emblematic of the soul of the club.“This is representative of what the girls all want to achieve,” he said. “A place where we all lift each other up and support each other.”“… We decided to start a club where we could share our opinions, support younger students ... and show that we all have interests and views that are worth sharing.” Sarah Dicker, Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Kai Dicker, Wilbur Gordon (Year 10), Ms Dorothy Liapis, Ms Anneke Sarah Dicker, Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Kai Dicker, Wilbur Gordon (Year 10), Ms Dorothy Liapis, Ms Anneke Wackrow, Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Chloe Portoglou, Aristea Papax (Year 12) and Mr Robert PanaraWackrow, Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Chloe Portoglou, Aristea Papax (Year 12) and Mr Robert PanarafeaturesSocial Justice Club The members of the Social Justice Club chat to us about the power of speaking up if you want to make a difference. By Adelle Greenbury“We wanted to make an impact,” said Chloe Portoglou, Year 12. “There wasn’t a key moment, but there was a general feeling of wanting to do something.”Chloe and her friends Aristea Papax and Phoebe Simmons, also Year 12, can distinctly remember being in the early years of High School and feeling like they couldn’t speak up for themselves. They sometimes witnessed behaviour they did not agree with, or boys in their classes who were being laddish, but they were too afraid of being judged or ignored to have the dicult conversations necessary to create change. These insecurities often lead to them internalising their feelings and assuming there was no space for them to speak their minds.As they grew older and more condent, they developed the ability to call out issues or problematic behaviour at school. With the support of teachers and sta, they realised that they had the power to make a dierence. Yet, they found themselves looking over their shoulders at the year levels below and seeing the same insecurities they once held reected back at them. “…So, we decided to start a club where we could share our opinions, support younger students to bring up issues, and show that we all have interests and views that are worth sharing,” Chloe said.With this decision made, Aristea, Chloe, and Phoebe started the Social Justice Club at the beginning of the 2023 school year. Chloe Portogolou and Aristea Papax (Year 12)Chloe Portogolou and Aristea Papax (Year 12)
Page 14 Page 15The main goal of the club was to create a safe space for younger students to talk about issues that matter to them and bring awareness to ideas of feminism and gender expectations. It was to inspire younger students speak their minds, raise issues of concern, and share what is going on in their lives.Finally, it was to destigmatise feminism and empower girls to stand up for themselves. The club, which runs on Monday lunchtimes, has amassed a consistent attendance of around 10 students from Years 8 to 12. According to its founders, the club’s biggest achievement has been seeing how the younger students become more condent week after week and teaching them the language of social justice. “Something the girls have been proud of within the club is teaching [younger students] the language to call out bad behaviour, and to be condent by knowing that they all have each other’s backs,” Club Supervisor Mr Panara explains.By learning the correct words and phrases to describe their issues and pinpoint the problems, students can take back their power. In this way, vocabulary has the ability to validate their emotions and experiences, and legitimise their complaints.As supervisor, Mr Panara has witnessed rst-hand the power of creating a safe space and allowing students to talk through these complex issues. As they discuss a dierent topic each week, he has been able to watch how the students navigate dierent situations and implement positive learned behaviours. One situation he described was during a conversation about women’s professional football, in the wake of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Aristea was displaying “some negative self-talk,” underplaying her skills as a football player, when Chloe interjected and told her:“Stop doubting yourself! You are good. Own it.”Mr Panara went on to describe how this incident is emblematic of the soul of the club.“This is representative of what the girls all want to achieve,” he said. “A place where we all lift each other up and support each other.”“… We decided to start a club where we could share our opinions, support younger students ... and show that we all have interests and views that are worth sharing.” Sarah Dicker, Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Kai Dicker, Wilbur Gordon (Year 10), Ms Dorothy Liapis, Ms Anneke Sarah Dicker, Emma Sluiter (Year 8), Kai Dicker, Wilbur Gordon (Year 10), Ms Dorothy Liapis, Ms Anneke Wackrow, Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Chloe Portoglou, Aristea Papax (Year 12) and Mr Robert PanaraWackrow, Thalia Lewis (Year 9), Chloe Portoglou, Aristea Papax (Year 12) and Mr Robert PanarafeaturesSocial Justice Club The members of the Social Justice Club chat to us about the power of speaking up if you want to make a difference. By Adelle Greenbury“We wanted to make an impact,” said Chloe Portoglou, Year 12. “There wasn’t a key moment, but there was a general feeling of wanting to do something.”Chloe and her friends Aristea Papax and Phoebe Simmons, also Year 12, can distinctly remember being in the early years of High School and feeling like they couldn’t speak up for themselves. They sometimes witnessed behaviour they did not agree with, or boys in their classes who were being laddish, but they were too afraid of being judged or ignored to have the dicult conversations necessary to create change. These insecurities often lead to them internalising their feelings and assuming there was no space for them to speak their minds.As they grew older and more condent, they developed the ability to call out issues or problematic behaviour at school. With the support of teachers and sta, they realised that they had the power to make a dierence. Yet, they found themselves looking over their shoulders at the year levels below and seeing the same insecurities they once held reected back at them. “…So, we decided to start a club where we could share our opinions, support younger students to bring up issues, and show that we all have interests and views that are worth sharing,” Chloe said.With this decision made, Aristea, Chloe, and Phoebe started the Social Justice Club at the beginning of the 2023 school year. Chloe Portogolou and Aristea Papax (Year 12)Chloe Portogolou and Aristea Papax (Year 12)
Page 16 Page 17featuresDavid’s Beaded JourneyDavid Johnson, Year 8, shaved his head as a part of The World’s Greatest Shave that helps families impacted by blood cancer. His parents Dr Kate and Steve Johnson write about their journey with childhood cancer.David Johnson (Year 8) with his peers aer The World’s Greatest Shave. Mr Panara, Joshua Halarakis, Thomas Paks, Ryan Paraskevas (Year 12), Walter Cockaynet (Year 10), Dimitrios Zagkounnos (Year 8) and Theo Magiris (Year 9)In late 2011, David (who had just turned 3) started having some strange symptoms. In particular, when asleep at night, he was completely cold (as if in a refrigerator) yet sweating profusely and he went from being a really active toddler to not wanting to walk. After several weeks of trying to work out what was going on, our very perceptive GP sent him to the Royal Children’s Hospital for some precautionary tests. Those tests turned out to be life changing - after several hours, we were informed that David had a 90% chance of having acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a very aggressive form of cancer. The 90% became 100% after further tests the next day. Treatment started immediately, with a seemingly endless array of daily injections and oral medications including steroids. His appetite went through the roof - we spent many nights at the McDonalds drive through at 3am as we were told to get whatever food we could into him while we could, as his appetite would change shortly. After a month, David became very upset and his function slowly shut down over the space of a few days. Extensive tests followed, and it was established that he was suering from both a huge clot in one part of his brain, and an equally massive bleed in another.Emergency infusions to correct his blood chemistry followed, then neurosurgery to temporarily remove one side of his skull (hence the large scar that’s visible when his hair is short today), an induced coma in ICU, and many months of twice-daily blood thinning injections to try to dissolve away the clot. He was paralysed on the left side of his body, and permanently lost much of the function of the working memory and neurospatial components of his brain (which his brain has needed to ‘rewire’ to compensate for). During this time, chemotherapy continued unabated - the primary aim remained to keep the cancer at bay. The intense phase of chemotherapy continued for 9 months, during which David’s weight dropped to 11kg, he lost all of his hair, and he had numerous other complications, including crush fractures through many of his vertebrae, broken bones and numerous infections requiring hospitalisation. Throughout the 3.5 years of active treatment our warrior had 34 general anaesthetics, 19 separate hospital admissions, 2 neurosurgeries, 27 ED admissions, 26 lumber punctures, 117 nger pricks, 54 canulas, 38 MRIs, CT scans and x-rays, his port was accessed 58 times and he had almost 1000 doses of chemotherapy. And all well before he was seven years old. For each medical intervention, he received a small bead as part of the hospital’s ‘beaded journey’ program. His string of beads ended up being well over 20 metres long! Moving to Alphington Grammar has been a game changer for David. He (wrongly) viewed himself as ‘weird’ and ‘not normal’ for many years; his time at Alphington Grammar has changed that. The kids and sta have been wonderful, and David is a happy little boy (perhaps not so little any more!). He loves soccer and scored his rst goal from long range for the Alphington Bluetongues over the weekend. His teammates went absolutely nuts, a sign of how much he’s loved by the people around him, and how much they care and look after him. During treatment, David eectively missed 3 years of school - either directly or indirectly as a result of being present, but full of steroids, meaning he couldn’t sleep, concentrate, or sit still. We had hopes that he may be able to catch up by Year 11 or 12; it is a source of amazement to us that David is able to pass (or better) many of his tests by Year 8. Again, a huge testament to the sta at Alphington Grammar. For our family, cancer will always be a large part of our journey. We have a lot of cancer in our extended family, and with David (and our kids more generally), we have to stie feelings of panic whenever we see new bruises or hear complaints about sore legs or joints. It’s a price that all families who have been through a cancer journey with a child can relate to - unlike many, however, we are in the unbelievably fortunate position of still having David with us now and well into the future. As a childhood cancer survivor, David (and his mum Kate) have been asked to participate in a range of activities over the years. The World’s Greatest Shave was at David’s insistence last year! However, David has also been the face of the Million Dollar Lunch (a major cancer fundraiser) “As a family, we feel that it’s imperative to give back to a community that gave us so much.”
Page 16 Page 17featuresDavid’s Beaded JourneyDavid Johnson, Year 8, shaved his head as a part of The World’s Greatest Shave that helps families impacted by blood cancer. His parents Dr Kate and Steve Johnson write about their journey with childhood cancer.David Johnson (Year 8) with his peers aer The World’s Greatest Shave. Mr Panara, Joshua Halarakis, Thomas Paks, Ryan Paraskevas (Year 12), Walter Cockaynet (Year 10), Dimitrios Zagkounnos (Year 8) and Theo Magiris (Year 9)In late 2011, David (who had just turned 3) started having some strange symptoms. In particular, when asleep at night, he was completely cold (as if in a refrigerator) yet sweating profusely and he went from being a really active toddler to not wanting to walk. After several weeks of trying to work out what was going on, our very perceptive GP sent him to the Royal Children’s Hospital for some precautionary tests. Those tests turned out to be life changing - after several hours, we were informed that David had a 90% chance of having acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a very aggressive form of cancer. The 90% became 100% after further tests the next day. Treatment started immediately, with a seemingly endless array of daily injections and oral medications including steroids. His appetite went through the roof - we spent many nights at the McDonalds drive through at 3am as we were told to get whatever food we could into him while we could, as his appetite would change shortly. After a month, David became very upset and his function slowly shut down over the space of a few days. Extensive tests followed, and it was established that he was suering from both a huge clot in one part of his brain, and an equally massive bleed in another.Emergency infusions to correct his blood chemistry followed, then neurosurgery to temporarily remove one side of his skull (hence the large scar that’s visible when his hair is short today), an induced coma in ICU, and many months of twice-daily blood thinning injections to try to dissolve away the clot. He was paralysed on the left side of his body, and permanently lost much of the function of the working memory and neurospatial components of his brain (which his brain has needed to ‘rewire’ to compensate for). During this time, chemotherapy continued unabated - the primary aim remained to keep the cancer at bay. The intense phase of chemotherapy continued for 9 months, during which David’s weight dropped to 11kg, he lost all of his hair, and he had numerous other complications, including crush fractures through many of his vertebrae, broken bones and numerous infections requiring hospitalisation. Throughout the 3.5 years of active treatment our warrior had 34 general anaesthetics, 19 separate hospital admissions, 2 neurosurgeries, 27 ED admissions, 26 lumber punctures, 117 nger pricks, 54 canulas, 38 MRIs, CT scans and x-rays, his port was accessed 58 times and he had almost 1000 doses of chemotherapy. And all well before he was seven years old. For each medical intervention, he received a small bead as part of the hospital’s ‘beaded journey’ program. His string of beads ended up being well over 20 metres long! Moving to Alphington Grammar has been a game changer for David. He (wrongly) viewed himself as ‘weird’ and ‘not normal’ for many years; his time at Alphington Grammar has changed that. The kids and sta have been wonderful, and David is a happy little boy (perhaps not so little any more!). He loves soccer and scored his rst goal from long range for the Alphington Bluetongues over the weekend. His teammates went absolutely nuts, a sign of how much he’s loved by the people around him, and how much they care and look after him. During treatment, David eectively missed 3 years of school - either directly or indirectly as a result of being present, but full of steroids, meaning he couldn’t sleep, concentrate, or sit still. We had hopes that he may be able to catch up by Year 11 or 12; it is a source of amazement to us that David is able to pass (or better) many of his tests by Year 8. Again, a huge testament to the sta at Alphington Grammar. For our family, cancer will always be a large part of our journey. We have a lot of cancer in our extended family, and with David (and our kids more generally), we have to stie feelings of panic whenever we see new bruises or hear complaints about sore legs or joints. It’s a price that all families who have been through a cancer journey with a child can relate to - unlike many, however, we are in the unbelievably fortunate position of still having David with us now and well into the future. As a childhood cancer survivor, David (and his mum Kate) have been asked to participate in a range of activities over the years. The World’s Greatest Shave was at David’s insistence last year! However, David has also been the face of the Million Dollar Lunch (a major cancer fundraiser) “As a family, we feel that it’s imperative to give back to a community that gave us so much.”
Page 18 Page 19for several years, has featured as part of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, and has been interviewed on television and in the newspaper numerous times. Kate is also the chair of the Parents Advisory Group at the Childrens Cancer Centre at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and is the Oceania representative on the global Childhood Cancer International Board. As a family, we feel that it’s imperative to give back to a community that gave us so much. IIn terms of what others can do to help, funding is really the key. Lots of families struggle nancially when their children are diagnosed with cancer. Charities such as MyRoom, the Ronald McDonald House and Red Kite do a huge amount to help provide nancial support to those families, while other charities (such as the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal) do much to help with research funding. Needless to say, the World’s Greatest Shave is also a fabulous charity to support. Finally, if you know someone whose child is going through a cancer journey, check in with them - often. It won’t be an inconvenience, it won’t be uncomfortable, and as time goes on, people understandably get distracted with the comings and goings in their own lives. Keeping in touch with - and regularly checking in with - those families will always be appreciated, and as we can attest, is something that is never forgotten. Mariana Galanopoulos, Angelique Karalis and Angie Songsungkhan Mariana Galanopoulos, Angelique Karalis and Angie Songsungkhan (Year 10), Gateways Internaonal, Vacan City(Year 10), Gateways Internaonal, Vacan City
Page 18 Page 19for several years, has featured as part of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, and has been interviewed on television and in the newspaper numerous times. Kate is also the chair of the Parents Advisory Group at the Childrens Cancer Centre at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and is the Oceania representative on the global Childhood Cancer International Board. As a family, we feel that it’s imperative to give back to a community that gave us so much. IIn terms of what others can do to help, funding is really the key. Lots of families struggle nancially when their children are diagnosed with cancer. Charities such as MyRoom, the Ronald McDonald House and Red Kite do a huge amount to help provide nancial support to those families, while other charities (such as the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal) do much to help with research funding. Needless to say, the World’s Greatest Shave is also a fabulous charity to support. Finally, if you know someone whose child is going through a cancer journey, check in with them - often. It won’t be an inconvenience, it won’t be uncomfortable, and as time goes on, people understandably get distracted with the comings and goings in their own lives. Keeping in touch with - and regularly checking in with - those families will always be appreciated, and as we can attest, is something that is never forgotten. Mariana Galanopoulos, Angelique Karalis and Angie Songsungkhan Mariana Galanopoulos, Angelique Karalis and Angie Songsungkhan (Year 10), Gateways Internaonal, Vacan City(Year 10), Gateways Internaonal, Vacan City
Page 20 Page 21Metropolis WeekMetropolis Week Mother’s Day High TeaMother’s Day High TeaEISM AthlecsEISM AthlecsInto the Woods ProduconInto the Woods ProduconCommunity Service WeekCommunity Service WeekYear 7 Marysville CampYear 7 Marysville CampAnnual Music ConcertAnnual Music ConcertChess TournamentChess TournamentPrimary School Book ParadePrimary School Book ParadePrimary STEAM ShowPrimary STEAM Show GatewaysGatewaysGrandparents DayGrandparents DayPrimary Athlecs CarnivalPrimary Athlecs CarnivalWork ExperienceWork ExperienceJourney DayJourney DayEvent SnapshotsPrep to Year 4 ProduconPrep to Year 4 Producon
Page 20 Page 21Metropolis WeekMetropolis Week Mother’s Day High TeaMother’s Day High TeaEISM AthlecsEISM AthlecsInto the Woods ProduconInto the Woods ProduconCommunity Service WeekCommunity Service WeekYear 7 Marysville CampYear 7 Marysville CampAnnual Music ConcertAnnual Music ConcertChess TournamentChess TournamentPrimary School Book ParadePrimary School Book ParadePrimary STEAM ShowPrimary STEAM Show GatewaysGatewaysGrandparents DayGrandparents DayPrimary Athlecs CarnivalPrimary Athlecs CarnivalWork ExperienceWork ExperienceJourney DayJourney DayEvent SnapshotsPrep to Year 4 ProduconPrep to Year 4 Producon
Page 22 Page 23Community Service WeekYear 8 students participate in annual Community Service Week. This is a week dedicated to introducing the students to different communities, charities, and opportunities for them to learn and give back in a variety of ways. By Anna MilburnThis year, we decided to add a new element to Community Service Week with the introduction of a fundraising challenge for Very Special Kids, a charity that cares for terminally ill children and their families in Victoria. With an original goal of raising $50 each and an overall target of $4000, it is safe to say the students absolutely smashed the goal, with a grand total of $5653 raised; the equivalent of just over 942 portions of hot chips from the school canteen! An extra special congratulations is in order for Theodore Vathianakis, who single handedly raised over $1000 – an absolutely superb eort.Community Service Week began with a visit from Paralympian Peter Ogunyemi, who spoke to the students about growing up in Nigeria, the many challenges, and, how he overcame them to have a successful career in a number of sports, including wheelchair basketball and AFL. Ridley Lampard (Year 8)Ridley Lampard (Year 8)The students then had the opportunity to try out a few games of wheelchair basketball themselves; an activity that was so popular, Peter found himself hosting extra sessions through recess and lunch. It was fantastic to see how engaged and respectful the students were; it allowed the week to start on a real high.We were also visited by The Intersection, an organisation that took the students on a virtual tour of Melbourne, which allowed them to learn about how homelessness impacts their own city. This was followed up with an Empathy Workshop, which encouraged the students to consider dierent people’s circumstances in as considerate and understanding way as possible. It was wonderful to hear the mature and sensitive conversations that arose from these sessions, with a few students commenting on their new found understanding of how people can nd themselves homeless.Building on The Intersection’s focus on our own communities, our Year 8 students also found themselves litter picking around the school and the local area and assessing how accessible the school is for people with a range of disabilities, from those who use wheelchairs to those who may have low vision or sensory impairments. Our STEM department also introduced a new activity, which had a focus on how we can limit our impact on the environment around us. This saw the students donning their gardening gloves and stripping back weeds and other plants in various areas of the school grounds before preparing the seeds of indigenous plants to be planted. This will make for not only a much more aesthetically pleasing school but also a much more environmentally friendly one! A big thank you goes to Dr Sam Hockey, who organised this activity for the students.The week continued with some more hands on activities: the students were introduced to SolarBuddy, an organisation that aims to raise awareness about power poverty. They were tasked with building a solar powered light, which will be sent to communities who are often relying on little more than paran lamps as a source of light. It was quite interesting to see the students considering how their lives would be impacted by a lack of electricity; what started as some light concerns about there being no phone chargers or hair straighteners quickly developed into questions about how food could be stored or cooked, or homes heated in winter. This was followed up with another new activity for Community Service Week: podcasts! The students had the opportunity to research, record, and create their own podcasts on a charity of their choice. It was fantastic to not only see the students’ creative sides kick in, but to also see them learn something new about some familiar charities, and to be introduced to some new ones. It will be great to include some of these in our fundraising plans for next year.To end the week, we had a visit from Kids in Philanthropy, who had the children putting together a variety of packages for Father Bob’s Pantry, Brainwave, and Stride Education. Altogether, the students made:- 425 morning tea packs- 384 breakfast bags- 118 Cards of Hope - 510 trail mix bags It was a great collective eort, and the charities were thrilled. eventsZian Mahanta and Jiaming Zhu Zian Mahanta and Jiaming Zhu (Year 8)(Year 8)
Page 22 Page 23Community Service WeekYear 8 students participate in annual Community Service Week. This is a week dedicated to introducing the students to different communities, charities, and opportunities for them to learn and give back in a variety of ways. By Anna MilburnThis year, we decided to add a new element to Community Service Week with the introduction of a fundraising challenge for Very Special Kids, a charity that cares for terminally ill children and their families in Victoria. With an original goal of raising $50 each and an overall target of $4000, it is safe to say the students absolutely smashed the goal, with a grand total of $5653 raised; the equivalent of just over 942 portions of hot chips from the school canteen! An extra special congratulations is in order for Theodore Vathianakis, who single handedly raised over $1000 – an absolutely superb eort.Community Service Week began with a visit from Paralympian Peter Ogunyemi, who spoke to the students about growing up in Nigeria, the many challenges, and, how he overcame them to have a successful career in a number of sports, including wheelchair basketball and AFL. Ridley Lampard (Year 8)Ridley Lampard (Year 8)The students then had the opportunity to try out a few games of wheelchair basketball themselves; an activity that was so popular, Peter found himself hosting extra sessions through recess and lunch. It was fantastic to see how engaged and respectful the students were; it allowed the week to start on a real high.We were also visited by The Intersection, an organisation that took the students on a virtual tour of Melbourne, which allowed them to learn about how homelessness impacts their own city. This was followed up with an Empathy Workshop, which encouraged the students to consider dierent people’s circumstances in as considerate and understanding way as possible. It was wonderful to hear the mature and sensitive conversations that arose from these sessions, with a few students commenting on their new found understanding of how people can nd themselves homeless.Building on The Intersection’s focus on our own communities, our Year 8 students also found themselves litter picking around the school and the local area and assessing how accessible the school is for people with a range of disabilities, from those who use wheelchairs to those who may have low vision or sensory impairments. Our STEM department also introduced a new activity, which had a focus on how we can limit our impact on the environment around us. This saw the students donning their gardening gloves and stripping back weeds and other plants in various areas of the school grounds before preparing the seeds of indigenous plants to be planted. This will make for not only a much more aesthetically pleasing school but also a much more environmentally friendly one! A big thank you goes to Dr Sam Hockey, who organised this activity for the students.The week continued with some more hands on activities: the students were introduced to SolarBuddy, an organisation that aims to raise awareness about power poverty. They were tasked with building a solar powered light, which will be sent to communities who are often relying on little more than paran lamps as a source of light. It was quite interesting to see the students considering how their lives would be impacted by a lack of electricity; what started as some light concerns about there being no phone chargers or hair straighteners quickly developed into questions about how food could be stored or cooked, or homes heated in winter. This was followed up with another new activity for Community Service Week: podcasts! The students had the opportunity to research, record, and create their own podcasts on a charity of their choice. It was fantastic to not only see the students’ creative sides kick in, but to also see them learn something new about some familiar charities, and to be introduced to some new ones. It will be great to include some of these in our fundraising plans for next year.To end the week, we had a visit from Kids in Philanthropy, who had the children putting together a variety of packages for Father Bob’s Pantry, Brainwave, and Stride Education. Altogether, the students made:- 425 morning tea packs- 384 breakfast bags- 118 Cards of Hope - 510 trail mix bags It was a great collective eort, and the charities were thrilled. eventsZian Mahanta and Jiaming Zhu Zian Mahanta and Jiaming Zhu (Year 8)(Year 8)
Page 24 Page 25Year 9 and 10 students, Internaonal Gateways, Year 9 and 10 students, Internaonal Gateways, Samaria Gorge Naonal ParkSamaria Gorge Naonal Park
Page 24 Page 25Year 9 and 10 students, Internaonal Gateways, Year 9 and 10 students, Internaonal Gateways, Samaria Gorge Naonal ParkSamaria Gorge Naonal Park
Page 26 Page 27SecondaryProduction: Into the WoodsSimran Sood-Saleem, Year 11 student, talks to us about her experience of the Secondary Production of Into the Woods alongside photos of the cast.Simran Sood-Saleem (Year 11)Simran Sood-Saleem (Year 11)eventsThis year’s production of Into the Woods was one of the hardest yet most rewarding musicals I have ever been a part of. Into the Woods is a musical that intertwines several fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. It follows a story of a baker and his wife who wants to have a child but are cursed by a witch. They venture into the woods to nd an ingredient to break the curse. Along the way they meet Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, Rapunzel, and other characters. After auditioning for numerous musicals throughout my schooling life, I received the lead role of the Baker’s Wife which was an experience I shall never forget. It has been a goal of mine to receive a role like this and I was extremely grateful to have the opportunity to perform with such an amazing group of AGS teachers and friends. After the show was cast in Term 4 of 2022, we began ocial rehearsals in Term 1 of 2023. Every Monday and Tuesday after school from 3:45pm to 5:30pm, we would be in the drama studio rehearsing and learning lines, songs, and choreography. Throughout the time spent together during these rehearsals, not only did the cast learn the play but we also became a strong group of friends who were excited and motivated to put on an amazing performance.During the week of the musical, the environment was buzzing with energy and excitement as we were prepared to nally show o our hard work in front of a crowd of 200 people each night. To see everyone in their costumes with their makeup and hair done really brought everything to life which was amazing experience. Everything from the set to the sound equipment and music provided by AGS musicians was perfect and made the show as spectacular as it was.I would like to extend a thank you to Mrs Wilson, Ms Atwa, Ms Lang, Mr Heine, and Mia Mazzarella for spending an endless amount of time working with us, organising the show, and supporting us throughout it all. It wouldn’t have been as great as it was without all of your support and encouragement. We all look forward to the next production in 2024.
Page 26 Page 27SecondaryProduction: Into the WoodsSimran Sood-Saleem, Year 11 student, talks to us about her experience of the Secondary Production of Into the Woods alongside photos of the cast.Simran Sood-Saleem (Year 11)Simran Sood-Saleem (Year 11)eventsThis year’s production of Into the Woods was one of the hardest yet most rewarding musicals I have ever been a part of. Into the Woods is a musical that intertwines several fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. It follows a story of a baker and his wife who wants to have a child but are cursed by a witch. They venture into the woods to nd an ingredient to break the curse. Along the way they meet Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, Rapunzel, and other characters. After auditioning for numerous musicals throughout my schooling life, I received the lead role of the Baker’s Wife which was an experience I shall never forget. It has been a goal of mine to receive a role like this and I was extremely grateful to have the opportunity to perform with such an amazing group of AGS teachers and friends. After the show was cast in Term 4 of 2022, we began ocial rehearsals in Term 1 of 2023. Every Monday and Tuesday after school from 3:45pm to 5:30pm, we would be in the drama studio rehearsing and learning lines, songs, and choreography. Throughout the time spent together during these rehearsals, not only did the cast learn the play but we also became a strong group of friends who were excited and motivated to put on an amazing performance.During the week of the musical, the environment was buzzing with energy and excitement as we were prepared to nally show o our hard work in front of a crowd of 200 people each night. To see everyone in their costumes with their makeup and hair done really brought everything to life which was amazing experience. Everything from the set to the sound equipment and music provided by AGS musicians was perfect and made the show as spectacular as it was.I would like to extend a thank you to Mrs Wilson, Ms Atwa, Ms Lang, Mr Heine, and Mia Mazzarella for spending an endless amount of time working with us, organising the show, and supporting us throughout it all. It wouldn’t have been as great as it was without all of your support and encouragement. We all look forward to the next production in 2024.
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Page 30 Page 31A look into the student achievements at the EISM Athletic Championships held on Thursday, May the 25th. By Olivia RahmeDespite the size of our school and the tough competition, our students showcased their exceptional athletic abilities and secured an impressive seven podium nishes! To put this achievement into perspective, it’s important to note that each podium placement means our students ranked among the top three performers in their respective events, out of a staggering pool of over 1,000 talented athletes.This is truly remarkable and a testament to the hard work and dedication exhibited by our students. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Craig Mottram, a 4-time Olympic Distance winner and his team for their incredible work with our students. Their guidance and expertise in preparing our students for athletic competitions have undoubtedly played a signicant role in helping our athletes reach their full potential. Congratulations once again to all the Alphington Grammar students who participated in the EISM Athletics Championships. Evan Kondys 1st in 400m Nicholas Kirmos 2nd in 100m and 3rd in 200m Paul Savopoulos 2nd in 200m Dylan Murphy 2nd in Discus Reuben Hay 2nd in 400m Solomon Gordan 2nd in the Long Jump Sophie Sherlock 3rd in Shot PuteventsChrisan Liontos (Year 10)Chrisan Liontos (Year 10)EISM Athletic Championships1st2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd3rdAngelique Karalis (Year 10)Angelique Karalis (Year 10)
Page 30 Page 31A look into the student achievements at the EISM Athletic Championships held on Thursday, May the 25th. By Olivia RahmeDespite the size of our school and the tough competition, our students showcased their exceptional athletic abilities and secured an impressive seven podium nishes! To put this achievement into perspective, it’s important to note that each podium placement means our students ranked among the top three performers in their respective events, out of a staggering pool of over 1,000 talented athletes.This is truly remarkable and a testament to the hard work and dedication exhibited by our students. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Craig Mottram, a 4-time Olympic Distance winner and his team for their incredible work with our students. Their guidance and expertise in preparing our students for athletic competitions have undoubtedly played a signicant role in helping our athletes reach their full potential. Congratulations once again to all the Alphington Grammar students who participated in the EISM Athletics Championships. Evan Kondys 1st in 400m Nicholas Kirmos 2nd in 100m and 3rd in 200m Paul Savopoulos 2nd in 200m Dylan Murphy 2nd in Discus Reuben Hay 2nd in 400m Solomon Gordan 2nd in the Long Jump Sophie Sherlock 3rd in Shot PuteventsChrisan Liontos (Year 10)Chrisan Liontos (Year 10)EISM Athletic Championships1st2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd3rdAngelique Karalis (Year 10)Angelique Karalis (Year 10)
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Page 34 Page 35Mother’s DayHigh Tea The Mother’s Day High Tea at Alphington Grammar School is one of our showcase events that brings us together to celebrate, as one community, Mother’s Day and all that it entails. It was wonderful to see many celebrating with their mothers, mothers in law, grandmothers, aunties, sisters, sisters in law, friends and the many women who have helped guide the next generation through their life journey, challenges, highlights, and celebrations. We also remembered those mums and special woman in our lives who aren’t with us anymore and thank them for all they have contributed to our lives. Our sell out High Tea at the Sotel this year took a slightly dierent twist to other years. There was no guest speaker, no overarching theme other than “It’s chic to be French” for a day.On Saturday the 29th of April 2023 we celebrated our 9th Annual Mother’s Day High Tea. This year the event was held in the So Lounge of the Sotel Hotel. An excerpt from Dr Vivianne Nikou’s Mother’s Day reection.Thank you to Simran Sood-Salem and Angelique Athanasopoulos both students in Year 11 and our very own Steph Atwa, past student and now member of the music sta at our school for providing some light music throughout the afternoon.There was a photo wall for attendees to create their own memories as well a roaming professional photographer. Rae prizes were drawn on the day as well as spot prizes including the best dressed and most chic amongst us. A big thank you to our major sponsors including Voula Stamatakis from Thalassea, Trident Technologies and Piccolo Portraits for their generous prize donations.The event was a great success, everyone was able to enjoy the music and each other’s company sharing scrumptious food and some bubbles.events
Page 34 Page 35Mother’s DayHigh Tea The Mother’s Day High Tea at Alphington Grammar School is one of our showcase events that brings us together to celebrate, as one community, Mother’s Day and all that it entails. It was wonderful to see many celebrating with their mothers, mothers in law, grandmothers, aunties, sisters, sisters in law, friends and the many women who have helped guide the next generation through their life journey, challenges, highlights, and celebrations. We also remembered those mums and special woman in our lives who aren’t with us anymore and thank them for all they have contributed to our lives. Our sell out High Tea at the Sotel this year took a slightly dierent twist to other years. There was no guest speaker, no overarching theme other than “It’s chic to be French” for a day.On Saturday the 29th of April 2023 we celebrated our 9th Annual Mother’s Day High Tea. This year the event was held in the So Lounge of the Sotel Hotel. An excerpt from Dr Vivianne Nikou’s Mother’s Day reection.Thank you to Simran Sood-Salem and Angelique Athanasopoulos both students in Year 11 and our very own Steph Atwa, past student and now member of the music sta at our school for providing some light music throughout the afternoon.There was a photo wall for attendees to create their own memories as well a roaming professional photographer. Rae prizes were drawn on the day as well as spot prizes including the best dressed and most chic amongst us. A big thank you to our major sponsors including Voula Stamatakis from Thalassea, Trident Technologies and Piccolo Portraits for their generous prize donations.The event was a great success, everyone was able to enjoy the music and each other’s company sharing scrumptious food and some bubbles.events
Page 36 Page 37Acacia KarabatsosMy name is Acacia Karabatsos, I’m 24 years old and graduated with the Class of 2016. My AGS journey began in Prep in 2004 and continued to my graduation in Year 12. As a student I loved to read and always tried my best with my schoolwork. I was a bit of a perfectionist and was easily disappointed even when my marks were very good. What I miss most about my time at AGS is seeing my year level all the time and the opportunities I had to perform in the Music Department. I also miss English class and school camps, basically any opportunity to hang out with my cohort!Its dicult to pick a favourite memory after my 13 years at AGS, but my fondest memories looking back are playing massive games of group tag with my year level in Primary School, performing in Annie in the Year 6 production and my Valedictory Celebration in Year 12.One of the most invaluable lessons I learnt throughout my years at AGS is learning the importance of how to balance work and play. Putting all your energy into work and leaving none for rest and enjoyment doesn’t pay o in the end. One of my proudest achievements was balancing working full time and completing my masters at the same time. My learnings at AGS also helped me to understand how to properly communicate and develop ideas, both very important skills in my line of work. When I was a student, I thought I wanted to be an environmental lawyer but then I undertook some law classes in university that I didn’t enjoy and quickly changed my mind! I still wanted to Acacia Karabatsos Class of 2016, chats to us about her life, career, and experiences at Alphington Grammar School.alumni storiesdo something in an environmental eld and so I completed a Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Science. As a part of the course, I completed a couple of classes which covered urban planning that I really enjoyed, so I decided to continue in that direction and completed a Masters of Urban Planning and Environment. I now work as a Statutory Planner for the Environment Protection Authority Victoria. What I enjoy most about my role is keeping up to date with key developments in the industrial realm, particularly innovative recycling proposals. Every proposal that we are referred is dierent, so understanding risks posed by each one and how these may interact with existing land uses can be challenging. As a Statutory Planner my job contributes to the community in a variety of ways, but one of the biggest focuses is helping to ensure the minimisation of human health and environmental risks posed by industry. I hope to one day become recognised as an expert in my eld! This eld of work is also important because as our population grows and densities occur, industrial uses become more necessary and prolic, and ensuring that these do not impact the community or the environment becomes an increasingly key issue. Outside of my work I was part of a community reference group and was able to help guide the development of a town square in my area. In my free time I primarily like to focus on spending time with my family and friends to help maintain a healthy work/life balance. A personal motto I like to live by is C’est la vie; such is life. There’s no point dwelling on the things that go wrong. My advice to current AGS students is make sure to make the most of your High School experience while it lasts, but to also look forward to the future and don’t be afraid of change. “ The friendships we formed with teachers is something you don’t get in larger schools and we were lucky to have them.”Acacia Karabatsos, Prep H 2004Acacia Karabatsos, Prep H 2004
Page 36 Page 37Acacia KarabatsosMy name is Acacia Karabatsos, I’m 24 years old and graduated with the Class of 2016. My AGS journey began in Prep in 2004 and continued to my graduation in Year 12. As a student I loved to read and always tried my best with my schoolwork. I was a bit of a perfectionist and was easily disappointed even when my marks were very good. What I miss most about my time at AGS is seeing my year level all the time and the opportunities I had to perform in the Music Department. I also miss English class and school camps, basically any opportunity to hang out with my cohort!Its dicult to pick a favourite memory after my 13 years at AGS, but my fondest memories looking back are playing massive games of group tag with my year level in Primary School, performing in Annie in the Year 6 production and my Valedictory Celebration in Year 12.One of the most invaluable lessons I learnt throughout my years at AGS is learning the importance of how to balance work and play. Putting all your energy into work and leaving none for rest and enjoyment doesn’t pay o in the end. One of my proudest achievements was balancing working full time and completing my masters at the same time. My learnings at AGS also helped me to understand how to properly communicate and develop ideas, both very important skills in my line of work. When I was a student, I thought I wanted to be an environmental lawyer but then I undertook some law classes in university that I didn’t enjoy and quickly changed my mind! I still wanted to Acacia Karabatsos Class of 2016, chats to us about her life, career, and experiences at Alphington Grammar School.alumni storiesdo something in an environmental eld and so I completed a Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Science. As a part of the course, I completed a couple of classes which covered urban planning that I really enjoyed, so I decided to continue in that direction and completed a Masters of Urban Planning and Environment. I now work as a Statutory Planner for the Environment Protection Authority Victoria. What I enjoy most about my role is keeping up to date with key developments in the industrial realm, particularly innovative recycling proposals. Every proposal that we are referred is dierent, so understanding risks posed by each one and how these may interact with existing land uses can be challenging. As a Statutory Planner my job contributes to the community in a variety of ways, but one of the biggest focuses is helping to ensure the minimisation of human health and environmental risks posed by industry. I hope to one day become recognised as an expert in my eld! This eld of work is also important because as our population grows and densities occur, industrial uses become more necessary and prolic, and ensuring that these do not impact the community or the environment becomes an increasingly key issue. Outside of my work I was part of a community reference group and was able to help guide the development of a town square in my area. In my free time I primarily like to focus on spending time with my family and friends to help maintain a healthy work/life balance. A personal motto I like to live by is C’est la vie; such is life. There’s no point dwelling on the things that go wrong. My advice to current AGS students is make sure to make the most of your High School experience while it lasts, but to also look forward to the future and don’t be afraid of change. “ The friendships we formed with teachers is something you don’t get in larger schools and we were lucky to have them.”Acacia Karabatsos, Prep H 2004Acacia Karabatsos, Prep H 2004
Page 38 Page 39alumni storiesDo 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. Funda OzencFunda Ozenc, Class of 1999, chats to us about her experiences at Alphington Grammar School, career and the importance of staying true to yourself. alumni storiesHi, I’m Funda Ozenc a former AGS graduate. I began my AGS journey in Year 8 in 1995 and nished in Year 12 in 1999. As a student, I was highly motivated, driven, and competitive. I also had an outgoing and sociable personality, perhaps at times too social. I often found myself in leadership roles within the school community, such as the Student Representative Council and Captain of Swimming Carnivals.Reminiscing about my time at AGS, there was a culture created where students were carefree. I miss being young! Not having a worry in the world. It was a school that created communities and fostered friendships.My fondest memories however include the lifelong friendships formed within AGS. Even today, these friendships remain strong, and I am grateful to have such amazing people in my life. The teachers were approachable and had a good sense of humour that helped us build close relationships and support our learning. I also must mention Music class! I loved to sing and AGS put on Annual Fancy Dress Concerts and the students would perform and put a concert for other students and parents. It was always fun! The most valuable lesson I learned both inside and outside the classroom is, as my mother would say in Turkish, ’Emek olmadan yemik olmaz’ translating to ‘without eort, there is no meal’. Ok, it might be a little lost in translation. But the sentiment is clear: hard work, commitment, and discipline equals success. No matter what eld of study you are exploring, pursuing it with hard work and discipline is essential for your success. As they say, ‘The world is your oyster.’ AGS helped me become world ready by creating a culture of being open to possibilities, and I was fortunate to have wonderful role models within my family, i.e., my siblings, that would tell me. ‘The only reason you don’t know how to do something Fun, (that’s my nickname) is because you just haven’t learned it yet’. I have always had a strong connection with people and wanted to use my skills and experience to help them. During my years at AGS, I initially wanted to pursue a career as a Psychologist, so I completed a minor in Psychology for my Undergraduate Degree. However, after taking Postgraduate and Master’s Courses, I discovered that Nursing and Business Management were more suited to my interests. I wanted to serve people and make a dierence while exploring commercial and business development opportunities.This led me to where I’am today, an Executive General Manager of Quality and Clinical Excellence in the Healthcare Sector. My career goals have evolved but remain underpinned by my values of wanting to connect and help people. I love the fast-paced nature of the role; establishing and embedding quality, risk and clinical governance frameworks and promoting a culture of consumer-focused service delivery through service improvement based on best practice guidelines, clinical data analysis, consumer consultation and innovation is very exciting and rewarding for me.I am grateful to have a fullling role in being part of an organisation that provides a diverse range of services that support the delivery of exceptional care and services to marginalised people in the community. It gives people access to health, accommodation, choice, and well-being: basic human needs we all have. It is an honour and a privilege to serve the communities we operate in to make a dierence and try to make it better for others and being part of a team that is committed to helping others is an extraordinary experience for me.Outside of my work commitments I volunteer on two boards as a Director. One of the boards is for an organisation (Not For Prot) School that is committed to helping empower socially and economically marginalised people through access to education and career-developed opportunities. The other Board directorship is for an organisation that supports women and children experiencing domestic violence to access specialist crisis accommodation and specialist services and gain their independence and safety. It is important to me to be part of organisations that support communities with needs and create hope, choice, and opportunities for people who otherwise would have none. My advice to current AGS students is to ‘run your own race’, and don’t compare yourself to others: your life, your choices, your goals. One common theme. It all belongs to you. “My career goals have evolved but remain underpinned by my values of wanting to connect and help people.”
Page 38 Page 39alumni storiesDo 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. Funda OzencFunda Ozenc, Class of 1999, chats to us about her experiences at Alphington Grammar School, career and the importance of staying true to yourself. alumni storiesHi, I’m Funda Ozenc a former AGS graduate. I began my AGS journey in Year 8 in 1995 and nished in Year 12 in 1999. As a student, I was highly motivated, driven, and competitive. I also had an outgoing and sociable personality, perhaps at times too social. I often found myself in leadership roles within the school community, such as the Student Representative Council and Captain of Swimming Carnivals.Reminiscing about my time at AGS, there was a culture created where students were carefree. I miss being young! Not having a worry in the world. It was a school that created communities and fostered friendships.My fondest memories however include the lifelong friendships formed within AGS. Even today, these friendships remain strong, and I am grateful to have such amazing people in my life. The teachers were approachable and had a good sense of humour that helped us build close relationships and support our learning. I also must mention Music class! I loved to sing and AGS put on Annual Fancy Dress Concerts and the students would perform and put a concert for other students and parents. It was always fun! The most valuable lesson I learned both inside and outside the classroom is, as my mother would say in Turkish, ’Emek olmadan yemik olmaz’ translating to ‘without eort, there is no meal’. Ok, it might be a little lost in translation. But the sentiment is clear: hard work, commitment, and discipline equals success. No matter what eld of study you are exploring, pursuing it with hard work and discipline is essential for your success. As they say, ‘The world is your oyster.’ AGS helped me become world ready by creating a culture of being open to possibilities, and I was fortunate to have wonderful role models within my family, i.e., my siblings, that would tell me. ‘The only reason you don’t know how to do something Fun, (that’s my nickname) is because you just haven’t learned it yet’. I have always had a strong connection with people and wanted to use my skills and experience to help them. During my years at AGS, I initially wanted to pursue a career as a Psychologist, so I completed a minor in Psychology for my Undergraduate Degree. However, after taking Postgraduate and Master’s Courses, I discovered that Nursing and Business Management were more suited to my interests. I wanted to serve people and make a dierence while exploring commercial and business development opportunities.This led me to where I’am today, an Executive General Manager of Quality and Clinical Excellence in the Healthcare Sector. My career goals have evolved but remain underpinned by my values of wanting to connect and help people. I love the fast-paced nature of the role; establishing and embedding quality, risk and clinical governance frameworks and promoting a culture of consumer-focused service delivery through service improvement based on best practice guidelines, clinical data analysis, consumer consultation and innovation is very exciting and rewarding for me.I am grateful to have a fullling role in being part of an organisation that provides a diverse range of services that support the delivery of exceptional care and services to marginalised people in the community. It gives people access to health, accommodation, choice, and well-being: basic human needs we all have. It is an honour and a privilege to serve the communities we operate in to make a dierence and try to make it better for others and being part of a team that is committed to helping others is an extraordinary experience for me.Outside of my work commitments I volunteer on two boards as a Director. One of the boards is for an organisation (Not For Prot) School that is committed to helping empower socially and economically marginalised people through access to education and career-developed opportunities. The other Board directorship is for an organisation that supports women and children experiencing domestic violence to access specialist crisis accommodation and specialist services and gain their independence and safety. It is important to me to be part of organisations that support communities with needs and create hope, choice, and opportunities for people who otherwise would have none. My advice to current AGS students is to ‘run your own race’, and don’t compare yourself to others: your life, your choices, your goals. One common theme. It all belongs to you. “My career goals have evolved but remain underpinned by my values of wanting to connect and help people.”
Page 40 Page 41Elaina VatckyElaina Vatcky, Class of 2013, speaks to us about valuable lessons she learnt at Alphington Grammar School, her career in healthcare and the importance of inclusivity. My name is Elaina. I currently work as an Orthotist at Northern Health in Melbourne’s North and play soccer for Alamein FC in the women’s National Premier Leagues. I started at Alphington Grammar School in Pre-Prep with my twin brother, Lewis, in 2000, and nished Year 12 in 2013. I spent about 18 months at a dierent school during Years 9 and 10 but returned to AGS for my last two years of schooling. I was a quiet student, but as I have a very competitive nature, I cared a lot about my results. I would do well in my assessments, often competing with myself and my twin brother Lewis. I was also competitive in sports and would make sure I was involved in every sporting event possible.AGS felt like one big family. With small cohorts and teachers who really cared about you, it was easy to feel safe and heard by your teachers, as well as encouraged by your peers. My favourite AGS memory would have to be the Sports Carnivals. They were always a lot of fun, dressing up in your team colours and supporting everyone to give it a go at an event they had chosen (or had been forced into by the leadership group).A valuable lesson I learnt at AGS, due to how small the school was, was the importance of being nice to everyone around you and to help each other when needed. This has translated a lot to my work and my sport; with Orthotics/Prosthetics being such a small industry, it is important that everyone works well together to achieve the same goal with professional development and patient outcomes.AGS also taught me how to stay organised. I always played a lot of sports growing up that very regularly disrupted my schooling: for example, I was a gymnast training 30+ hours a week at age 11. AGS teachers and support sta really nurtured 1. Mean Girls: Regina George’s brace she wears after being hit by a car.2. Forrest Gump: the leg braces that Forest kicks o in the (in)famous “Run Forrest, Run” scene.Both have negative connotations and give a poor image of what orthotics is. In reality, orthotics is a cool and innovative space that is rapidly growing. There is a lot of new technology involving robotics and engineering that allows people to function in society.This line of work is important to me, and I think it should be important to everyone, because inclusivity matters, and the global understanding of disability needs to be less stigmatised.A personal motto I like to live by is to do something new or special every day. This makes every day unique, meaning you can appreciate each day dierently.Advice I would give to current students at AGS is to put yourself out of your comfort zone regularly. I always tell my students to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. It makes it a lot easier to deal with dicult situations and new experiences, and helps you achieve and do more in life.me and helped me to make sure that I was able to balance all my tasks, making things much easier for me to manage. I have been able to carry that skill into my everyday life and my career.I have always wanted to work in healthcare, even as a student. Originally, I thought I wanted to be a Physiotherapist, but during Year 12 I was researching all potential allied health courses and came across Prosthetics and Orthotics. This really stood out to me because the description mentioned fabrication of devices, meaning I would get to do a lot of hands-on learning and making of things.Fast forward to now, and I am an Orthotist at Northern Health in Epping. An Orthotist is a healthcare worker who makes and ts orthoses (splints, braces, etc.) to realign a part of their body. For example, sometimes after someone has had a stroke, they can end up with weakness on one side of the body. This means that when they walk, they have diculty lifting their leg and may fall over because of it. As an Orthotist, I assess their weaknesses and make and/or t a suitable brace (Ankle Foot Orthosis) or device to help lift their leg and thus achieve their goal of being able to walk. This aligns with what I wanted to achieve when I graduated, which was to work in healthcare and help people while also being in a hands-on job. I love being able to explore new technology and prescribe or trial this with clients to help them achieve even the smallest of goals, like walking around the shopping centre. Seeing the smile on their faces, or the relief they feel when someone is helping them is a joy that is inexplicable. Along with other healthcare professionals, I can assist people to access the community more readily and easily.Some of the challenges with this type of work is the complexity of certain conditions or situations, and how emotionally taxing they can be on the clients, their families, and on the healthcare workers. My goal is for Orthotics and Prosthetics to have less of a stigma, and to give people more of an understanding of what it means to wear these devices. For example, when thinking of what orthotics is, most people think of examples from either of these movies:alumni stories“... I think it should be important to everyone because inclusivity matters, and a global understanding of disability needs to be less stigmatised.”
Page 40 Page 41Elaina VatckyElaina Vatcky, Class of 2013, speaks to us about valuable lessons she learnt at Alphington Grammar School, her career in healthcare and the importance of inclusivity. My name is Elaina. I currently work as an Orthotist at Northern Health in Melbourne’s North and play soccer for Alamein FC in the women’s National Premier Leagues. I started at Alphington Grammar School in Pre-Prep with my twin brother, Lewis, in 2000, and nished Year 12 in 2013. I spent about 18 months at a dierent school during Years 9 and 10 but returned to AGS for my last two years of schooling. I was a quiet student, but as I have a very competitive nature, I cared a lot about my results. I would do well in my assessments, often competing with myself and my twin brother Lewis. I was also competitive in sports and would make sure I was involved in every sporting event possible.AGS felt like one big family. With small cohorts and teachers who really cared about you, it was easy to feel safe and heard by your teachers, as well as encouraged by your peers. My favourite AGS memory would have to be the Sports Carnivals. They were always a lot of fun, dressing up in your team colours and supporting everyone to give it a go at an event they had chosen (or had been forced into by the leadership group).A valuable lesson I learnt at AGS, due to how small the school was, was the importance of being nice to everyone around you and to help each other when needed. This has translated a lot to my work and my sport; with Orthotics/Prosthetics being such a small industry, it is important that everyone works well together to achieve the same goal with professional development and patient outcomes.AGS also taught me how to stay organised. I always played a lot of sports growing up that very regularly disrupted my schooling: for example, I was a gymnast training 30+ hours a week at age 11. AGS teachers and support sta really nurtured 1. Mean Girls: Regina George’s brace she wears after being hit by a car.2. Forrest Gump: the leg braces that Forest kicks o in the (in)famous “Run Forrest, Run” scene.Both have negative connotations and give a poor image of what orthotics is. In reality, orthotics is a cool and innovative space that is rapidly growing. There is a lot of new technology involving robotics and engineering that allows people to function in society.This line of work is important to me, and I think it should be important to everyone, because inclusivity matters, and the global understanding of disability needs to be less stigmatised.A personal motto I like to live by is to do something new or special every day. This makes every day unique, meaning you can appreciate each day dierently.Advice I would give to current students at AGS is to put yourself out of your comfort zone regularly. I always tell my students to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. It makes it a lot easier to deal with dicult situations and new experiences, and helps you achieve and do more in life.me and helped me to make sure that I was able to balance all my tasks, making things much easier for me to manage. I have been able to carry that skill into my everyday life and my career.I have always wanted to work in healthcare, even as a student. Originally, I thought I wanted to be a Physiotherapist, but during Year 12 I was researching all potential allied health courses and came across Prosthetics and Orthotics. This really stood out to me because the description mentioned fabrication of devices, meaning I would get to do a lot of hands-on learning and making of things.Fast forward to now, and I am an Orthotist at Northern Health in Epping. An Orthotist is a healthcare worker who makes and ts orthoses (splints, braces, etc.) to realign a part of their body. For example, sometimes after someone has had a stroke, they can end up with weakness on one side of the body. This means that when they walk, they have diculty lifting their leg and may fall over because of it. As an Orthotist, I assess their weaknesses and make and/or t a suitable brace (Ankle Foot Orthosis) or device to help lift their leg and thus achieve their goal of being able to walk. This aligns with what I wanted to achieve when I graduated, which was to work in healthcare and help people while also being in a hands-on job. I love being able to explore new technology and prescribe or trial this with clients to help them achieve even the smallest of goals, like walking around the shopping centre. Seeing the smile on their faces, or the relief they feel when someone is helping them is a joy that is inexplicable. Along with other healthcare professionals, I can assist people to access the community more readily and easily.Some of the challenges with this type of work is the complexity of certain conditions or situations, and how emotionally taxing they can be on the clients, their families, and on the healthcare workers. My goal is for Orthotics and Prosthetics to have less of a stigma, and to give people more of an understanding of what it means to wear these devices. For example, when thinking of what orthotics is, most people think of examples from either of these movies:alumni stories“... I think it should be important to everyone because inclusivity matters, and a global understanding of disability needs to be less stigmatised.”
Page 42 Page 43commu nity newsBirths,Weddings Brooke Koutroulis, Hospitality and Canteen Manager (Term 1 and Term 2 2023), welcomed her third beautiful girl, Helena Eufrossini Koutroulis on Monday 11th September at 9.39AM. “She has blessed our home and our hearts; we’re all so in love with our new addition.”Engagement, 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. Soa Tsibidis (Class of 2016) got engaged to her now ancé Jesse Tsiodras on the 19th of August 2023. Jesse and Soa met through Greek dancing 10 years ago and have been together for 7 years. They look forward to spending the rest of their lives together.Chris Nikolakakos (Class of 2014) and Eve Potamianos (Class of 2014) got engaged on the 27th of December, 2022. Having met at AGS they are very excited to start the next chapter of their lives together.and EngagementsValeIt is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of the former AGS sta member listed below. AGS extends our sincere condolences to his family and friends.Kevin Nicholson July 30, 1952 - July 21, 2023Lily Potoknic and her husband welcomed Suzanna Victoria, on the 30th of September. “Grand Final Day baby. Lily and her husband Lachlan are lled with love and happiness.”
Page 42 Page 43commu nity newsBirths,Weddings Brooke Koutroulis, Hospitality and Canteen Manager (Term 1 and Term 2 2023), welcomed her third beautiful girl, Helena Eufrossini Koutroulis on Monday 11th September at 9.39AM. “She has blessed our home and our hearts; we’re all so in love with our new addition.”Engagement, 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. Soa Tsibidis (Class of 2016) got engaged to her now ancé Jesse Tsiodras on the 19th of August 2023. Jesse and Soa met through Greek dancing 10 years ago and have been together for 7 years. They look forward to spending the rest of their lives together.Chris Nikolakakos (Class of 2014) and Eve Potamianos (Class of 2014) got engaged on the 27th of December, 2022. Having met at AGS they are very excited to start the next chapter of their lives together.and EngagementsValeIt is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of the former AGS sta member listed below. AGS extends our sincere condolences to his family and friends.Kevin Nicholson July 30, 1952 - July 21, 2023Lily Potoknic and her husband welcomed Suzanna Victoria, on the 30th of September. “Grand Final Day baby. Lily and her husband Lachlan are lled with love and happiness.”
Page 44 Page 45Reach out,Reconnect,Remember.Reconnect with the Alphington Grammarians alumni community today.@AlphaGrammariansalphington_grammar_schoolAlphington GrammariansAlumni Reunion
Page 44 Page 45Reach out,Reconnect,Remember.Reconnect with the Alphington Grammarians alumni community today.@AlphaGrammariansalphington_grammar_schoolAlphington GrammariansAlumni Reunion
Page 46Alphington Grammar School18 Old Heidelberg Road,PO Box 5008, Alphington Victoria 3078Tel. 03 9597 4777Email alumni@ags.vic.edu.auWeb alphington.vic.edu.au @AlphaGrammarians alphington_grammar_school Alphington Grammarians