Past Blast 2025 : simplebooklet.com

Past Blast3Past Blast2Greetings from the Alumni Chair Dear Alumni,e Churchlands Alumni has moved past six decades of outstanding teaching and learning that has resulted in former students being recognised throughout WA and beyond. e Alumni Committee continues to receive positive stories of success and sometimes sad news about the passing of former friends. We have seen the consistent emergence of leadership across the international, national and local community. Our graduates have been responsible for achievement across diverse elds including exoplanet detection, medical research and healthcare, academia, information technology, teaching, law, the arts, sport, business enterprises, and a wide range of generous community service. We always seek feedback regarding people who are worthy of being nominated as Churchlands Champions.Each October we celebrate a 50th Anniversary reunion where old friendships and school stories are shared and celebrated. Aer the ritual of politely reading name badges, there is the quick reacquaintances over a coee and sandwiches looking at old school magazines, photographs and school uniforms. is year it will be the folks that graduated in 1975. e group can look forward to a school tour that will reorientate them with their old school that has changed in so many ways.ey will inspect the fabulous infrastructure from the esteemed special music program, rst class gymnasium, specialist classrooms, swimming pool, and this year the new STEM building which was opened by Professor Barry Marshall at the end of 2024. e group will be treated to a superb musical performance and a key note address from a former student. e photographs and conversations will continue over a meal and a few drinks down at one of the local hotels. e Alumni Committee always welcomes new membership and support of events. We welcome new ideas and any old magazines or memorabilia. Churchlands SHS has always been the beneciary of its closeness to the community and through social networks we look forward to you supporting the school’s legacy.Dr Geo LummisDr Geo LummisAlumni Committee 2025Happenings at the School2025 School Board P&C Committee Foundation BoardBoard Chair and Community Member Dr Genevieve McSporranSchool Principal Neil Hunt Elected Parent Members Dean Healy Matt Turnbull Associate Professor Dr Elaine WongCommunity Members Russ Fishwick JP Kris Mainstone Michelle Palethorpe Adnan VisramP&C Representative Gabriella JerratAlumni Representative Associate Professor Dr Georey LummisSta Members Hagop Boyadjian Kym LucchesiSchool Captains Paige Pickford Sienna Van Maanen President / Art Exhibition Danijela Kambaskovic-SchwartzVice President / WACSSO Delegate Silvia Collasius Treasurer Elizabeth TilmouthSecretary Dominik Eddy YouthCARE Representative Nikki HarveyArt Exhibition Coordinator Gabriella JerratMPC Liaisons Fatos Kursunlu and Shirin ShadQUIZ Night Representative Silvia CollasiusP&C Communicator Coordinator ~Vacant~Board Chair John GillonSchool Principal Neil HuntBoard Members Alan Bishop (AM) Dudley Elliott Tracey Gralton Damian QuailScholarship Committee Neil Hunt Tracey Gralton Damian Quail David Cox * Kate Grayson * *Non-board members2025 ALUMNI COMMITTEEe 2025 Alumni Committee:Dr Geo Lummis Chair Tracey Gralton Deputy Chair Ellen Storey-Potter Secretary Geo Nelson Treasurer Willem Bouwer Committee Member Lee Hockley Committee Member Kathryn Neilson Committee Member Michelle Porteous Committee Member Geo Parker Committee Member Kaye Pratt Committee MemberWe are saying a temporary farewell to Robyn Overstone who is heading o on an extended adventure. Robyn has been a mainstay of the Alumni Association and Committee since its inception in 2006. Robyn is a member of the Churchlands class of 1973 and was also a long term employee in the administration team at Churchlands. In her capacity as the Alumni support ocer Robyn’s detailed knowledge of school processes and personnel was fundamental to establishing a functional Alumni. In her roles on the committee, Robyn has been unfailingly helpful, encouraging and enthusiastic. She has been instrumental for every event, making the phone calls to get things moving, roping people in, happy to chat with everyone, making people welcome and simply getting things done. She has served as Alumni committee secretary for the last couple of years, which is one of those roles not everyone wants to do! We are pleased that Ellen Storey-Potter will be taking on this position. Robyn’s cheerful personality will be much missed by the committee as she has a wonderful knack of making things fun, and creating a great team dynamic. We wish Robyn a wonderful trip and we know she will be back because she is very fond of her old school and is a wonderful lifelong supporter of Churchlands.Congratulations

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Past Blast5Past Blast4Happenings at the SchoolPurva Patel2024 YEAR 12 ACHIEVEMENTS Below is an overview of the highlights of the Year 12 students in 2024:• 5 students achieved an ATAR of 99+• Highest ATAR 99.75 was achieved by Purva Patel. • Cate Bellamy achieved a General Exhibition award for achieving an ATAR within the top 50 students in the state.• Two students achieved the highest examination score: Chris Chang in Business Management and Enterprise and Cas Bouwer in Philosophy and Ethics. (cont’d)ATAR Results Class of 2024247students with 4 or more ATAR courses2Subject Exhibitions1GeneralExhibitions30 Certicatesof Distinction8Certicates of Excellence49 Certicatesof Merit198Certicate IIor higher99.75Top ATAR99+ 90+ Students achieved ATAR5students achieved ATAR 97270 Studentshave been offered a place at university in Western AustraliaHighest ATAR Achiever 99.75RETIREMENTS IN 2024Ms Tracey Baker HOLA ArtsMrs Belinda Mackay School OcerMs Anne Hanrahan MusicMr Barry Ridley Facilities ManagerMrs Maria Giannasi EnglishMs Vicki Lenegan Education AssistantMrs Fiona Hutchinson MathematicsMs Sandy Horner HASSAcknowledging her almost 40 years of service with the Department of Education. ALL at Churchlands Senior High School!Mrs Ruth Sutherland Arts• Students were awarded a Certicate of Excellence for achieving in the top 0.5% in a course examination: Aisling Knowles - Biology Chris Chang - Business Management and Enterprise Matilda Cronin - English Cate Bellamy - Human Biology Amy Lim - Human Biology Patrick Mason-Chambers - Mathematics Applications Cas Bouwer - Philosophy and Ethics Lyla George Strickland - Philosophy and Ethics• 87% achieved an ATAR over 70, the minimum entry requirements for most universities.Happenings at the School Click on the image to access the annual report. ANNUAL REPORT 2024Aim High2024 ANNUAL REPORT

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Past Blast7Past Blast6Happenings at the Schoole end of Term 3 saw the conclusion of the Churchlands STEM Challenge with a record number of teams participating in some of our most dicult tasks, congratulations to all the students for their dedication over the six weeks! We nished o the term with a Games Tournament full of the classics like Jenga, Mario Kart, and a couple of VR surprises… Our most exciting news is that STEM has now moved into our very own building! Our brand new facility was opened by Hon Dr Tony Buti MLA, Minister for Education, with an inspiring speech from Nobel laureate, Professor Barry Marshall. We had a number of VIP guests who visited our school, took a tour of the building and enjoyed talking to our STEM students about their work. A big thank you to the Churchlands Foundation for their support with the opening and our wonderful home economics team for putting on some exceptional catering. e end of the year saw our STEM Specialist course participants showing o their projects to their peers. What wonderful, creative, and technically challenging projects, including video game development, 3D modelling and laser cutting. Our BinarX students also presented their impressive prototypes to industry experts at Curtin University, progressing towards their very own space launch. With a selection of new equipment some innovative sta on board, 2025 is set to be a big one. We have a set menu of fun activities for our newest Club members as well as fresh activities for the regulars. For more information, visit http://stem.puseyscience.com Dr Grant Pusey STEM Coordinator STEM BUILDING OPENINGCongratulations to the Year 7 Gied and Talented (GATE) Music students Nammy Uuganbaatar and Alicy Carly who are recipients of the 2025 Churchlands Foundation Music Scholarship worth $3500 each. e awards were presented by Principal Mr Neil Hunt at the Year 7 Welcome BBQ held on ursday, 20 February 2025.e recipients of the Scholarship are able to use the funds related to education and/or musical studies such as the purchase of a musical instrument, stationery and books, excursions and camps, laptop, uniform and others.In his remarks Mr Hunt stated the scholarship is possible through the Solar Power to Scholarships Project whereby savings from reduced electricity costs from the school solar panel system is directed towards scholarships and grants. He thanked parents, sta and CSHS Alumni for their generous contribution towards the installation of the solar panels. In 2023, the Foundation expanded the program in other areas such as academic, environmental, leadership, sports, languages and sta professional development that allows students and sta to work towards their education and teaching goals. More information can be found on the school website or by scanning the QR code. Up until 2024, the Foundation has been able to oer 20 music scholarships to students in the Gied and Talented Music Program. Prior to 2023, students received $2000 in Year 7 and $500 in the consecutive years up to Year 12. Beginning 2023, the scholarship will be paid up to Year 10 to make provision for eligible students to access the Specialised Music Scholarship in Years 9-12. Students may take up specialised tuition including masterclasses and workshops, instrumental/composition tuition, purchase of a musical instruments and other.“Our whole family are still overwhelmed, and extremely happy that Nammy has been chosen as one of the two scholarship recipients in the Music program. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to all members of the Churchlands Foundation and truly appreciate your support and belief in Nammy’s abilities.” [Uuganaa Naranbaatar]e Foundation encourages parents to get involved to make a dierence by making a donation towards the Foundation, no matter how big or small. e Foundation is a registered Deductable Gi Recipient and all donations to the Foundation are tax deductable.2025 MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPSChurchlands Foundation News

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Past Blast9Past Blast8Churchlands Foundation scholarships support individual educational attainment, recognising excellence and endeavour. Grants are oered to support special projects, events or opportunities. e funds awarded will partly or fully subsidise fees and expenses in various educational areas. Funding is also available to Churchlands SHS students or graduates who have completed Year 12 in the previous year and who have been accepted at University or TAFE as a full time student. Strong candidates must demonstrate academic diligence and give evidence of leadership qualities, extra-curricular pursuits or engagement in community service. Up until May 2023, the Foundation has supported grants close to the value of $48,000 that included diagnostic assessment for a student, funding for music tour, sta professional development, student leadership program, language assistant and space innovation challenge for a group of students.Applications for scholarships and grants will be assessed twice a year in May and October and at other times as deemed necessary or desirable by the Foundation. Some scholarships are subject to a separate process and do not require applications. e selection panel may decide at its discretion not to award any particular scholarship in any year. Successful candidates will be notied within one month of the panel review date.FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS 2024-25 GRANT & SCHOLARSHIP SUBMISSIONS Churchlands Foundation NewsINAUGURAL OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT SCHOLARSHIP At the Whole School Assembly held on 21 February 2025 we awarded the Inaugural Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Achievement. These scholarships are awarded to the top 2 students from Years 7-11.Congratulations to the recipients for 2024!SPECIAL FOCUS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to Evelyn H (Year 10)National Basketball TournamentI am really grateful for the schools scholarship grant because it gave me the opportunity to go to a national tournament in August 2024, improve my skills and experience from playing in an extremely competitive environment. I also got to meet new people from different states and make really good friends with people in my team while gaining independence from travelling alone. SPECIAL FOCUS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to Xavier P (Year 11)Lachlan Skipworth Composition TuitionBeing tutored by Lachlan in the last academic year has seen the quality of my compositions improve signicantly. So much so, that in July last year, I was commissioned to compose a string quartet for a series of concerts that will be performed later this year. With Lachlan’s expert mentorship my work should be completed shortly, ready for it to be performed to the public. Being commissioned to create this string quartet has provided me with a sense of excitement, fullment, and motivation to continue to strive for excellence. Last year, through audition processes, I was successful at gaining valuable opportunities to be mentored at the UWA Conservatorium. In March I attended the UWA Elevate program where Dr Ashley Smith and James Ledger provided their expert tuition. In April I was fortunate to gain a spot in the ATAR boot camp. As a Year 10 student, it was a privilege to be with students older than me whilst once again being tutored by James Ledger. Later in the year I also attended the Knowing the Score Composition Workshop. I gained so many benets from these experiences- among them are greater condence and resilience. I feel extremely grateful for the learning opportunities that I have been given by the Foundation to access this expert specialised tuition to develop my passion for composition as they have truly enriched my life. Embarking on my ATAR music journey lls me with excitement as I look forward to the day when I can share my completed compositions with the wider Churchlands community.

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Past Blast11Past Blast10Churchlands Foundation News2024-25 GRANT & SCHOLARSHIP SUBMISSIONS2024-25 GRANT & SCHOLARSHIP SUBMISSIONSChurchlands Foundation NewsSPECIAL FOCUS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to Jhye S (Year 11)Achieving my goal and passion for basketballIn April 2024, I was successfully selected for the Western Australia U/18 Metro Men’s team to play in Brisbane at the Australian Junior Championship Basketball Tournament.I was fortunate to receive a scholarship grant in the Special Focus Area of Sport through the Churchlands Senior High School Foundation and I am thankful to the Foundation for reviewing and approving my application. The scholarship grant has assisted me with my travel, accommodation, uniform and meals, and it has enabled me to play in the elite national tournament and raised my prole in my school and community. It has also led to some of my achievements that I’ve been able to accomplish in 2024 coupled with my hard work and determination. These include:• Signed NBL1 Player for the Eastern Suns• Player for the Wildcats AcademyMy initial goals when applying for the scholarship was to assist my family with excessive costs due to ination. It was because of the Churchlands Senior High School Foundation Scholarship together with my teacher mentor reference from Mr Werner which I am extremely grateful for that has helped me to achieve this goal. Playing in a national basketball tournament was an experience that taught me many lessons both mentally and physically and I was prepared for the challenge. Unfortunately, I became injured during the rst game. I had prepared several months in advance to play in the national tournament, so to be injured during a defensive block with my wrist slamming to the oor was emotional for me and I knew I had to prepare myself mentally with what was to come as I was now injured. Fortunately, I had my support team around me, and I was able to receive medical treatment. The diagnosis revealed it was a bad ligament sprain in my wrist and I was given a sports brace to wear for support and this assisted me to play the rest of the tournament. Playing with this injury was painful. It was only after I returned to Perth that I had further scans and the diagnosis revealed that it was a buckled fracture. This is something I have had to manage since returning from the national tournament. I had a huge season of basketball ahead of me which included: • U/18 Western Australia Basketball League (WABL)• Churchlands Chargers Senior Boys - All Schools Championship• Wildcats Academy and NBL1 games to playEach national tournament game I played I got stronger with the assistance of my brace, and now looking back at my experience and watching my highlight clip, I can say that I had a good tournament.It is my passion to play basketball, however in doing this there are nancial implications. I experienced these and decided to apply for the scholarship to receive assistance, allowing me to fully enjoy the experience.I would encourage anyone in our school that would like to excel in their eld to apply for the Churchlands Senior High School Foundation Scholarship. If approved the scholarship could also assist you in your chosen sport.SPECIAL FOCUS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to Alice T (Year 11) World Championship Campaign 2024As a team we are very lucky to be able to travel with the help of nancial grants interstate and internationally in order to improve and be competitive. Last year we were very grateful to the Churchlands Foundation for supporting us in our travels to the Denmark 2024 29er World Championships. The Worlds was a journey that changed the course of our sailing careers in the best way possible. We were able not only to sail in the biggest eet of 29ers in history, but we connected with sailors from all over the world. The championships taught invaluable lessons in independence, organisation, ambition and respect and appreciation for other countries and cultures. Upon our return I was extremely happy to present to the Churchlands community and sailors in my team our learnings and how much the support of the Churchlands Alumni foundation helped us in our endeavours. When I got back from the world championships in 2024 I gave a presentation to my local community and the sailing community who supported me. The purpose of the presentation was to thank everyone for their effort, to promote sailing and to emphasise the importance of nancial grants in the careers of young sailors like us. At the recent 9er Nationals in Queensland I gave a similar presentation to the eet and to the parents, discussing the benets of travelling to overseas regattas and how we can work together to get more Australian boats across.It takes a massive and dedicated team to support what we do. We have parents, coaches, clubs, volunteers and teammates. On this trip we travelled with friends, some already well acquainted, and some we got to know better over the course of the event.Sailing events are opportunities to meet people from all over the world and even from your own country. From travelling, training and celebrating together, the Australian team bonded and became stronger. Without the support of each other we wouldn’t be able to travel over east for camps and events. Parents of Aus 29er sailors have shown us generous hospitality when we travel to their states. We are looking forward to returning those favours.In Denmark we met sailors from France, Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the US and more, making connections between countries with young people who share our interests.After Denmark we were invited to a national 49erFX camp (the womens olympic class) in NSW. When we returned I presented what we learnt to the sailors here and continue to share any knowledge I acquire from interstate and overseas. Whenever I have a weekend free I volunteer at Perth Dinghy Sailing Club with the junior sailors in the JDs and showing them the 29er in our efforts to grow the eet.We continue to train hard and endeavour to achieve as high as we can while supporting and growing the teams who work in the areas we are passionate about.Sincerest thanks to the CSHS foundation for their support,Alice and Klara T

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Past Blast13Past Blast12STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTAwarded to Jess Van de PloegKodaly Methodology of Music Education - Australian Kodaly CerticateI would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Churchlands Foundation for the support I received in attending the Summer School in January, at the Cuskelly College of Music in Brisbane. I have successfully completed the Secondary 1 (Yr 7-8 focus) level, achieving High Distinction for all units. I have attached my certicate for your information. The 10 day course was absolutely brilliant. Each day I attended classes for Musicianship, Methodology and Practicum, Conducting and Choir. The days were action packed, barely enough time to inhale some lunch in between classes and rehearsals. Every evening we were send home with rigorous homework to practice and assessments to complete. I feel so inspired by what I learnt and am really enjoying putting the skills and knowledge into action in the classroom. I have a much greater level of condence in my classroom instruction practices in the Kodaly approach as a result of this course. Thank you once again, I am so grateful to work at a school with this level of support for their staff.Churchlands Foundation News2024-25 GRANT & SCHOLARSHIP SUBMISSIONS2024-25 GRANT & SCHOLARSHIP SUBMISSIONSChurchlands Foundation NewsSPECIAL FOCUS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP Awarded to Rachel O (Year 7) 2025 National Swimming ChampionshipI’d like to say rstly, a very big thankyou to this foundation for funding me for this trip, it has aided so much. The foundation gave me this opportunity that allowed me to experience what it’s like to compete at such a high level competition that gave me memories i will cherish and taught me lessons about my sport too and i am just extremely thankful and appreciative.Nationals was such a long meet that lasted about 8 days for me, with constant training every day, twice a day. The days of racing were denitely an excellent experience for me. Racing in my individual 50brs was very fun, scraping at my PB with a 36.94. I learnt about the strategies in this distance, even though it is a mad dash, such as not having such a high rate near the start, as it tires me out and impacts the strong nish i need at the end. A highlight would have denitely been the relays on the nal night where i really felt the whole team support; with everyone cheering their lungs out in the entire stadium and your relay team comforting and hyping each other up, and the nerves you get standing at the blocks, it was an excellent way to nish off the whole meet. Our 4x50 medley team PBed with a 2.07.29, 1.39seconds faster than our seeded time of 2.08.68. Nats also showed me that the sport is so mentally based too, i witnessed so many close friends have their nerves get the best of them and i was there to support them and to help them relax before heading in the water. I learnt that with a bad mindset in sport, especially in swimming, it can impact your performance so much, even if you haven’t actually performed yet. I also learnt that in sport recovery is extremely important; i was fortunate enough to be able to spend time in STAR recovery after each race or training session, that provided rolling and stretching equipment, aswell as compression boots, contrast pools and a magnesium spa-that a very much enjoyed, and it helped prepare to train or race feeling refreshed and ready to perform well. Overall Nationals for me was such a special experience for me, it taught me lots of things about teamwork and how to prepare yourself to perform at your best and though tiring, it was extremely fun. As a swimmer it was always my ultimate goal just to achieve the title of ‘national swimmer’ and to compete in such a high-level competition doing the sport I love, and so to have done that this year aged 14 was basically a wish come true. SummerSchoolMusicProgram2025ThisistocertifythatJessicavandePloeghassuccessfullycompletedSecondaryClassroomMusicLevel1MusicianshipLevel4  15hrs  HDPedagogy    15hrs  HDMaterials    10hrs  HDPracticum    10hrs  HDChoir     10hrs  PConductingLevel4   10hrs   HD_______________________________________________Director,SummerSchoolMusicProgram17thJanuary2025 High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, Pass, Fail   STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTAwarded to Christine Fontaine - LanguagesOn behalf of the Languages Learning Area, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for your generous grant for our native speakers in 2024 and for this year’s grant. Your continued support allows us to provide our students with invaluable opportunities to develop their language skills with native speakers.The impact of this initiative on our students’ success in the WACE exam is undeniable. Weekly practice with native speakers signicantly enhances their uency, condence, and pronunciation, which directly contributes to the outstanding results they achieve in the speaking component of the exam. This real-world practice is an essential factor in their language acquisition and overall prociency. Please see below our French practical (speaking) WACE exam results compared to Like and DOE schools.French Oral ExamChurchlands SHS82.1Like 77.4DoE 78.1Although our Japanese results were not as strong in 2024, our school practical and WACE exam results remained closely aligned, demonstrating that these sessions effectively prepare our students for their WACE exam.We deeply appreciate the Foundation’s commitment to enriching our students’ learning experiences. Your support makes a meaningful difference, and we look forward to seeing the continued success of our language students thanks to this program.

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Past Blast15Past Blast14CONGRATULATIONS!Steve Reynolds received the prestigious Order of Australia Medal in recognition for a lifetime of volunteer services, including 32 years in the Australian Army Reserve, 20 Years in Surf Lifesaving, many years of volunteering to conserve endangered Australian wildlife, and positions on numerous Boards and Committees, including periods as the Churchlands Senior High School Alumni Chairperson and School Board member.His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson APM, Governor of Western Australia presented Steve with his award during the King’s Birthday celebrations in September 2023.Alumni SpotlightSTEVE REYNOLDS 1981Source: Order of AustraliaAlumni SpotlightThe mission of the Alumni Association is to support Churchlands Senior High School, including the school’s vision and goals, and to foster closer relationships and lifelong connections between the school, its alumni and friends.Please feel free to share the PastBlast Alumni Magazine with other alumni. Please encourage them to join the alumni database to receive alumni information, upcoming events and meetings. Contact details will only be accessed by school sta to send out ocial alumni materials. Let any friends from your Churchlands SHS days know about this so we can build the database of interested people.https://www.churchlands.wa.edu.au/our-community/alumni/join-alumniDo you know of an alumnus/alumna who you believe is making an impact and inspiring others through the work that they do? Or do you believe you are a worthy recipient yourself?If YES, please consider nominating them (or yourself) for the Churchlands Champions. Nominations can be made by staff, students, alumni and any member of the public, for both professional and personal alumni achievements. Nominations can be made here:????- TWO TIME OLYMPIAN - An amazing result for Alumni Maddison Keeney at the 2024 Olympics in Paris winning a Silver medal in the individual 3m springboard.Maddison also won bronze at the 2016 Olympics in the 3 m Synchronised Diving Event.Maddison competed at the 2025 Aquatics World Cup, which were held in Mexico and Canada, earning a Bronze in 3m individual springboard and 3m synchro, and the Super Final in China where she won Bronze in 3m individual springboard and Silver in 3m synchro. Maddison is now in training for the World Championships to be held in Singapore in August.is year, Maddison became the newest member of Diving Australia’s Athlete Committee, where she aims to continue the positive impact and add value to the Committee and support to athletes. Maddison manages all this while continuing her role at BHP as Systems Analyst.MADDISON KEENEY 2013 Cody Angove kicked o his AFL dream having been draed from Claremont FC to the GWS Giants in the 2024 Telstra AFL Dra.Cody is a midelder/high half forward. Cody debuted with the GWS Giants on 11 May 2025.Well done Cody and wishing you all the best in your AFL career! Footage of Cody’s debut announcement for the GWS Giants- https://rb.gy/v7yj60CODY ANGOVE 2022Getty Images

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Past Blast17Past Blast16Isabella Choate has has been recognized as the WA Young Person of the Year 2023 and recently nominated for 2025 WA Young Australian of the Year.Isabella has also received numerous accolades such as COMHWA Scholarship, ECU Community Leadership Award, WA Young Achiever of the Year nalist, Volunteer of the Year to name a few.Isabella is a lived experience advocate working across youth, disability, mental ill-health, and LGBTIQA+ areas. ey are passionate about celebrating intersectional community and creating opportunities for young people to have a voice. To support this, they created a lived experience newsletter to support young people into lived experience roles. Isabella sits on several councils, including; CYDA Youth Council, the Victorian Department of Health Lived Experience Steering Group, is supporting CoMHWA to establish a lived experience leadership course, and is co-chair of the NMHS Mental Health Advisory Council. In their day job, they work at YDAN and in their spare time, they host accessible events for members of the disability community to come together and be unapologetically disabled.Isabella has accomplished a lot since leaving in 2016, including founding Perth’s rst Disability Pride Festival in 2024, serving on numerous councils and boards, and working as a consultant, keynote speaker at various conferences, political activist and podcast host.Isabella returned to Churchlands SHS in July as a guest speaker to talk to students undertaking the IDL project about how they can be agents of change.We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Isabella for her remarkable achievements and relentless commitment to shaping a more inclusive and supportive society. Your passion and advocacy are truly making a meaningful impact! Alumni SpotlightISABELLA CHOATE 2016 Source: Australian of the Year Awards Source: Children and Young People with Disability AustraliaAlumni SpotlightCongratulations to Ava and Nicola for winning the NOVA and NAB We Should Start a Podcast competition!Ava and Nicola were our School Captains in 2023 and started their podcast called ‘Top Five’ which oers listeners their top ve pieces of advice, recommendations and discussions on pretty much anything including wellness, study habits, goal setting, etc. You name it!Aer winning Nicky and Ava, were own to Brisbane in April to professionally produce the pilot episode of their podcast, ‘Top Five’. ey had the incredible opportunity to work alongside Jay and Katie from Podshape, who mentored them throughout the production process and helped bring their concept to life. is unforgettable experience marked an exciting milestone in their creative journey.In April 2025, Sunday signed a three-year deal with the Perth Wildcats marking his return to where it all started. Sunday is a two-time NBL champion and Olympian.Sunday started his NBL career at the Wildcats as a Development Player in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and won a title in his rst season. He returned to the Wildcats in 2018-19 as an injury-replacement player where in March 2019 he won his second championship. He spent the 2019-20 season with the Illawarra Hawks before playing ve seasons for the Adelaide 36ers from 2020 to 2025. Other career highlights include playing at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games representing South Sudan.Congratulations to Sunday and we wish him all the best for his return to the Wildcats and for a great season.AVA NASIRI ZAHED & NICOLA ARCHIBALD 2023SUNDAY DECH 2012Photo credit : Perth WildcatsPhoto credit : Kelly Dena/Getty Imagess

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Past Blast19Past Blast18Alumni In Memoriam Dr Carol Hogan (nee Gardiner) (1956-2023)Lyn David (1955-2024)20th February 1956—2023• Carol attended Doubleview Primary School (1962-1968) • Churchlands SHS (1969-1973) • Carol’s parents Betty and Arthur were teacher educatorsCarol was excellent academically and was consecrated a gied polymath. She was a talented visual artist, had high level skills in science and was well read in English literature.During her time at Churchlands SHS, she was part of the television program—‘Its Academic” hosted by Je Newman. e Churchlands team would go on to be champions.Carol graduated from CSHS in 1973 and went on to study at UWA. Carol became a secondary teacher. She married Terry Hogan, and they had two children Martin and Elizabeth. She would follow her parents into preservice education.During the late 1980s and 1990s Carol worked at WACAE (Edith Cowan University) at Robinson Drive Bunbury. She was part of the Faculty of Education’s preservice primary teacher education program. She was a much-loved academic and mentor to many teachers in the southwest. She specialised in literacy and pedagogy. Coral was a successful researcher with other WA academics.Carol le ECU to take up a leadership role at the Bunbury Cathedral Grammar. Carol would complete her PhD in Education and published important works with Professor Barry Down from Murdoch University.Carol retired from teaching to take up sailing with her partner Terry as a transition into retirement. Ill health restricted Carol’s retirement and aer enduring several years of health challenges she passed from complications with Parkinson’s in 2023 prior to the reunion.Carol was publicly acknowledged by former school friends and by her “Its Academic” team members who attended the reunion.Alumni In Memoriam I had the privilege of sharing my primary and secondary years with Lyn. My last encounter with Lyn was in October 2022 at our 50th secondary school reunion. Lyn passed in 2024 from complications from mesotheli-oma.I thank Lyn’s family for sharing Lyn’s personal notes to allow this acknowledgement.Dr Geo Lummis (Chair of the Churchlands Senior High School Alumni)Lyn was born in Perth and grew up in Doubleview with her parents, and two younger brothers. She attend-ed Doubleview Primary School (1961-1967) and Churchlands Senior High School (1968-1972). Lyn was a prefect in what is today Year 12. She was always a leader and advocate for her fellow students at Churchlands SHS. Lyn was always a keen student and excelled academically. She was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship for her last two years of high school and another in 1973 for her university studies in physiotherapy at WAIT (Curtin University). She graduated in 1976.Lyn claimed it was her brother’s illness that directed her to invest in physiotherapy. She always wanted to do something dierent, her youngest brother had physiotherapy at Princess Margret Hospital for asthma. In ad-dition, one of her school friend’s parents and a sister were physiotherapists. Lyn maintained that these associ-ations reinforced her choice of career.Lyn claimed that she was given every encouragement and support from both her parents. She also recalled her grandmother saying to her to pursue a professional path, as well as to participate in sporting activities. For many years Lyn was active in pennant tennis and squash. She was an A grade netballer for Scarborough. Lyn claimed her mum was a saint—standing in the bitter cold and wind at Matthews Netball Centre on a Sat-urday during winter. She also acknowledged her father and his work ethic. He worked for a Japanese import/export company Toyomenka in Perth when the Mt Newman Mining Company was established in 1964. is connection with Japan made a big impression with a young Lyn. During her secondary years, rather than following her mathematics and science strengths, she studied both Japanese and French for her Leaving and Matriculation examinations. University and friendsLyn was thrilled when she was accepted to study Physiotherapy. Her focus on languages during secondary school meant that she had to accommodate extra science units. She recalled how she had to complete a phys-ics bridging course for her degree. Despite this challenge Lyn was very grateful for the cultural awareness that her language studies provided. is provided a broader perspective of diversity in her professional life.Lyn fondly remembered demands of study, but also the fun times. She recalled how in the1970s the course units were provided at dierent campuses. Some units at the Bentley Campus, with biochemistry taught at the old Perth Technical building. She attended UWA for anatomy studies and then there were the social events with friends who were studying there. She also remembers the social group at the School of Physio-therapy which was on the Royal Perth Rehab Site in Shenton Park. Lyn was a very social person who invested in friendships and the wellbeing of others throughout her life.Lyn’s heritage of boats and busesLyn claimed that researching her family heritage was somewhat of a challenging task being a descendant of a family of both Smith and Jones. Like many early families that immigrated to Australia Lyn covered the Eng-lish, Welsh and Irish diasporas. On the Smith side, Lyn was fourth and h generation Australian with her ancestors arriving in WA from SA and NSW circa at the beginning of the 20th century. BoatsOn the Jones side, Lyn was a sixth generation Western Australian. Her great grandfather, David Jones, de-signed and built ships at Point Walter in the 1840s and 50s and married a new settler Sarah Caporn in 1845. eir son Frederick Jones also built and repaired ships in Fremantle and lived in Essex Street and Essex Lane. Lyn claimed that she was lucky to spend time with Frederick’s eldest son, during the rst 12 years of her life. Lyn reinforced an anity with water and boating that continued down the generations. She fondly recalled memories of happy times in the family’s wooden dinghy catching crabs from the estuary south of Mandurah. She claimed: “the crabs were huge and oen two in a net and one hanging on the outside.”BusesLyn’s paternal grandfather, George David, was a partner in the Bluebird Motor Coach Service which operated the Fremantle to Perth bus route from 1921. In 1926 most of the private bus owners in Perth amalgamated

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Past Blast21Past Blast20Alumni In Memoriam Susan Hassall (nee Brewer) 1957-2024to form the Metro Bus Company, and Lyn’s grandfather was Managing Director from 1929 until his death in 1938. Lyn claims that this loss had a profound impact on her father who was only 11 at the time.Female mentorsWell before Lyn’s career in the health sector she recorded how one event stuck in her mind. She remembered being seven years old, when her great grandmother asked her to remake her bed, teaching Lyn how to do hospital corners perfectly. Lyn reecting on the many years working in hospitals, she claimed this lesson from her great grandmother proved to be very handy.Importantly, Lyn acknowledged the stoicism of both her grandmothers who were widowed before she was born in 1955. Lyn claimed that these strong women were wonderful role models, that shaped her leadership in women’s health during her career. Lyn listed their many enduring qualities of resilience, kindness, respect, hard work, willingness to give things a go, entrepreneurship, resourcefulness, independent thinking, and striving for excellence. Education was always a high priority for her grandmothers. Lyn embraced her educa-tional opportunities and mentored others in women’s health for over four decades.Lyn the bureaucratLyn retired in March 2018, having worked in health care for over 42 years. Twenty-nine of those years involved direct clinical care as a physiotherapist, in public and private healthcare settings, major hospitals, community health and aged care. e remainder was in statewide clinical governance, in management and director roles with the Department of Health Oce of Safety and Quality and ICT Services. Lyn said that she really enjoyed her career. ose who knew Lyn professionally spoke of her leadership and the enormous impact she had on women’s health in WA. Her family and friends had the privilege of her pri-vate generosity, energy and love.Alumni In Memoriam Fiona Cornish (nee Hales) 1967-2024Susan Hassall, born Susan Brewer on 18th April 1957, passed away on 10th July 2024. She is deeply missed by all who knew her.Early Life and EducationSusan attended Wembley Downs Primary School from 1963 to 1969 and went on to Churchlands Senior High School from 1970 to 1972, where she completed her Junior Certicate.FamilySusan is survived by her beloved parents, Mary and Tony Brewer; her husband, Alan Hassall; their two won-derful children, Samantha and Callan; and four cherished grandchildren.A committed mother and caretaker, Susan tirelessly dedicated her days to family life, be that supporting the ambitions of her children, coordinating family get-togethers and celebrations, or organising vacations, study trips, or experiences for the household. Never one to ask for herself, Susan was as seless as she was bound-lessly empathic and supportive to everyone around her.Humanitarian WorkSusan devoted much of her time to volunteering and supporting a variety of charitable causes, both locally in Perth and internationally.Susan worked closely with underprivileged communities in Bali. She collaborated with two friends to arrange the shipment of medical supplies, including wheelchairs, to the island. ese supplies were distributed per-sonally to those in need. Susan also helped raise funds for basic necessities, such as lling shoe boxes with everyday items, to be distributed to schoolchildren in need.In Northern ailand, Susan oered her support to struggling orphanages. She lived on-site in a remote area, caring for babies born with HIV. She worked alongside local caregivers, dedicating her time and energy to these vulnerable children.Her humanitarian work also extended to supporting mothers dealing with postnatal depression. Susan pro-vided respite for overwhelmed mothers by caring for their infants, ensuring they had time to rest and recover.Her family fondly remembers many of these children, now in their twenties, would continue to stay in touch with Susan, a testament to the deep and lasting relationships she formed through her compassion.Hobbies and InterestsSusan had a love for golf and spent many years managing the ladies’ competition at Floreat Golf Club.She was also an avid reader and a lifelong member of a book club, sharing her passion for literature with her four grandchildren, instilling in them a love of reading.A Bright Light for Her FamilySusan’s siblings, Julie, Francine, and Grant, fondly recall how she always saw the positive side of life. Known aectionately as “Holiday Susan” by her great-nephew, she was loved dearly by her nieces, nephews, and the new generation of great-nieces and great-nephews. She also maintained lifelong friendships with school friends.Final DaysAer battling a rare illness for fourteen years, Susan chose to celebrate her life with her family and friends in a special farewell gathering at Hampton’s, City Beach. e celebration was a joyful occasion, lled with love and warmth. Following the event, Susan entered palliative care at St John of God Subiaco, where, aer two weeks, she passed away.LegacySusan leaves behind an incredible legacy of selessness and compassion. Her unwavering dedication to helping others, whether through her humanitarian eorts or the care and love she showed her family, will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. Her family and closest friends continue to carry forward her spirit of kindness and generosity.On December 4, 2024, Fiona passed away surrounded by her loving partner and adult children. It was with love for her memory, and for some her long friendship since high school, that saw many at her funeral at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park on December 18, 2024.

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Past Blast23Past Blast22OLYMPIAN/NINJA WARRIORank you to our Class of 2006 Alumni Olivia Vivian who returned to Churchlands SHS on Tuesday, 8 April to speak to our Year 9 cohort. Olivia shared her insights on grit, determination, perseverance, and resilience—qualities that have shaped her journey. Olivia Vivian, born in Perth on 13 July 1989, is a distinguished Australian gymnast and prominent gure in the global Ninja Warrior community. Her journey in gymnastics began at the age of eight, leading her to represent Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as part of the women’s artistic gymnastics team that achieved a historic sixth-place nish. Following the Olympics, Olivia competed for Oregon State University in the United States, earning accolades such as rst-team All-American in 2011 and rst-team All-Pac-12 in 2012. She contributed signicantly to the team’s success, including a Pac-10 Conference Championship win in 2011. Returning to elite gymnastics, Olivia secured a silver medal with the Australian team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and competed in the World Championships the same year. She retired from gymnastics in 2016 and joined Cirque du Soleil, showcasing her versatility and passion for performance. Olivia gained widespread recognition through her participation in “Australian Ninja Warrior,” becoming the rst woman to reach the Grand Final in consecutive seasons and, in 2020, the only female competitor worldwide to advance to the second stage of the Grand Final. Her international appearances include competing for Team Australia in “American Ninja Warrior: USA vs. e World” and achieving success in “Sasuke Vietnam.”Beyond her athletic endeavors, Olivia is an advocate for health and wellness, serving as an ambassador for the Melanoma Institute in honor of her late father. She engages in motivational speaking and conducts workshops to inspire others to pursue their dreams. Olivia’s resilience and determination continue to inspire many, solidifying her legacy in both gymnastics and the Ninja Warrior arena.ank you for your wisdom Olivia and we look forward to the release of your autobiography! Alumni Engagement Pic: NinePic: NinePic: Ian Munro, WA NewsBREAKFAST CLUB SPEAKERSAn integral part of the Senior School Program to motivate students to reach their potential is the esteemed “Breakfast Club”. Participation in this program is for those students who have achieved a predicted ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) over 95 and will therefore be ranked in the top 5% of ATAR students in Western Australia.Initial selection occurs aer Semester 1 in Year 11 with the students remaining part of the program until they leave at the end of Year 12. During this two-year period more students are added to the program as their results improve. is is because it is important for them to have an opportunity to be part of a group who consistently ‘Aim High’. In 2024, there were 60 students in the Year 12 program and 48 Year 11 students. As in the past, two members from the alumni community were invited to share their continuous “Aim High” motto aer leaving school both in their academic and professional areas. In 2024, our guest speakers included Dr Mudra Shah and Dr Kelly Valentin. We are very grateful to Mudra and Kelly for sharing their memories of their time at Churchlands SHS and career path post high school. Dr Mudra Shah 2012 Mudra is a former student of Churchlands and graduated from Year 12 with the Class of 2012. Dr Shah continued her studies at UWA completing a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biomedical Science and then completed her Medical Doctorate also at UWA. She is currently working as a Paediatric Advanced Trainee at Perth Children’s Hospital and Clinical Leadership Advisor within the Institute of Health and Leadership at the Department of Health while continuing her studies in General Paedatrics aiming to complete a dual speciality in General Paedatrics and Immunology. Dr Shah somehow manages to balance all of this while being involved in numerous committees and community programs;-President of the Junior Doctor Society at Perth Children’s Hospital -Co-President and Cofounder of the Indian Youth of Australia -Co-President of the Junior Doctor Advisory Committee for the Chief Health OcerDr Kelly Valentin 2005Kelly graduated from Churchlands Senior High School in 2005, achieving a Certicate of Excellence award and as lead violinist of the Senior Orchestra. She completed her undergraduate medical degree in 2011 at the University of Western Australia, and later returned to study a postgraduate Master in Health Profession Education degree by research.Dr Kelly Valentin is a registered medical doctor and senior academic educator responsible for course-wide curriculum leadership in the medical program at Curtin Medical School. She has held a teaching position there since 2019 engaging with a wide range of responsibilities related to medical student admissions, learning program development, assessment, clinical examining, professional behaviour management and student wellbeing support. She has been an invited expert speaker at an interstate medical school on the connections between learning and wellbeing and presented at multiple national academic conferences and other industry organisations.Alumni Engagement

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Past Blast25Past Blast24BREAKFAST CLUB SPEAKERSCLASS OF 1984Alumni Engagement Dr David Gozzard 2007 David graduated from Churchlands in 2007. David was Head Boy, and one of the inaugural members of the Breakfast Club. He studied a double degree in engineering and physics at the University of Western Australia and then continued on to undertake a PhD in physics, working on the Square Kilometre Array. is was a mammoth project involving more than 600 scientists and engineers from over 20 dierent countries to build the world’s largest and most powerful radio telescope. For this work, David was awarded Student Scientist of the Year at the 2017 WA Premier’s Science Awards. David then moved to the Australian National University in Canberra to work on laser sensors and communication systems but returned to Perth in 2020 having won a prestigious Forrest Research Fellowship to develop satellite laser communications technology. is work earned David Early Career Scientist of the Year at the 2023 WA Premier’s Science Awards, and a Young Tall Poppy of Science Award from the Australian Institute of Policy & Science. David is currently working to build a “quantum telescope”, teaches physics at UWA, and manages UWA’s advanced Frontier Physics degree.Let’s CoeCSHS ALUMNI SOCIAL MEDIA/ChurchlandsSHSFoundationAlumni/https://au.linkedin.com/in/churchlands-shs-alumni-36b253188VOLUNTEERWe are reaching out to our incredible alumni community - we welcome you to volunteer and share your valuable experiences by speaking at our upcoming Breakfast Clubs and other events. By volunteering as a speaker, you can make a signicant impact on the lives of our students, imparting wisdom, advice, and inspiration that will stay with them for years to come. Your involvement will contribute to the growth and success of our school community. If you are interested to share your experience and be part of our Breakfast Club speakers pool, you can register your details here Reunion - 40ish yearsOn September 11, 2024, the Churchlands ‘Rough Ruby’ (40 year) Anniversary enabled a crew of some 50 odd Churchlands alumni to gather, share, reconnect and celebrate our formative years from 1980 to 1984 amidst the backdrop of the Cold War, looming recession, the consolidation of Punk and the beginning of New Wave. For many the friendships formed at that time have lasted for decades and sustained us. For others this reunion reminded us of the meaningful friendships of that period as stories, tall, true and at times exaggerated, drew us back, collapsing time and re-igniting memory.For some it was where we learned of those we had lost along the way, and for others the chance to ll in gaps with stories of friends who were unable to attend - whose stories were celebrated, tinged with hyperbole, likely defamed, but all done with suitable warmth, wry humour and a kind of 1980s black comedy that only an episode of e Young Ones or Not e Nine O’Clock News could represent. Our thanks to the organising committee; Todd Spurling (who missed it by ‘that much’ due to an international ight), Scott Harlow (who disappeared way too early), Tim Islip (who wrestled people of their cash to support the gig then disappeared on his Royal Eneld Motorbike), Julie Keene (nee Murray) and Narelle Finch (who wrangled people through their vast networks with panache), Carlo Passera (who was just delightfully charming the whole night), Jeremy Tolcon (who we all realised had handled too many of our divorces), Richard Ellis (who smiled the whole evening then dragged a bunch of us o to Peter’s by the Sea for burgers), and Sid Adams (who landed from Melbourne an hour before it began, stayed the whole night, ate burgers at Peter’s by the Sea and then caught a 6 am ight back to Melbourne the very next day with no sleep).Finally, we would like to acknowledge that our dear friend, Fiona Cornish (nee Hales), attended with incredible grace, beauty and friendship to be embraced by us all for the last time. It was with great sadness that we learned that Fiona passed away on December 4, 2024, just over seven weeks later, surrounded by her loving partner and grown children. It was with love for her memory, and for some her long friendship since high school, that many of us reconvened for her funeral at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park on December 18, 2024. Time and distance may separate us, but it is memory, story and bonds of friendship that were always the strength of our ‘group’, and evidence would suggest, has remained so for many.

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Past Blast27Past Blast26Class of 1973 and 1974Class of 1973The Class of 1974 reunited for their 50th school reunion on Wednesday, 17 October 2024 and the Class of 1973 on Wednesday, 18 October 2023, a school tour and a delightful morning tea was enjoyed by all attendees. Memorabilia from years gone by was on display at the morning tea to spark memories and much reminiscing as they celebrated this milestone reunion. At the Class of 1974 Reunion, Principal Neil Hunt welcomed the Class and the Head Boy Bruce Klein shared his memories and fun stories in a speech that took everyone back to their school days and had everyone laughing.Rod Buckenara delivered the speech at the 1973 Reunion which was full of of funny anecdotes relating to football, surng and golf and childhood characters. Rod wove in the culture of his high school experiences, emphasising with what we got away with during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He received much laughter as he positioned his fellow students into his speech. e cohorts were treated to a delightful performance from the current music students who showcased their amazing musical talents. It was a remarkable gathering to be remembered and the cohorts continued there catch up at a private lunch organised by one of the members.e reunion which is a key annual event is hosted by the Churchlands Alumni Association in collaboration with the school for the year group celebrating the 50th anniversary of their graduation. 50 Years Reunion 50 Years Reunion

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Past Blast 2025

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