You may recall one of the great statements of humility made by Isaac Newton, “If I have seen farther than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants”. This week the 48th Rex J Lipman Fellow, Audette Exel, spoke passionately and persuasively to all students about her life as a social activist, lawyer, banker and now world changer through large scale social enterprise. Audette explained to the boys that if she has seen farther than others, it is because she has proudly stood atop her large pile of professional mistakes. This was a wonderful, humble message, delivered by one of our significant community leaders. Audette explained to our students how embracing her mistakes has been the key to her success.
One of our aspirations as a school at St Peter’s College is to be a place where young people reflect upon the world rather than attend a school that is merely a reflection of the world. Audette Exel has reflected upon the world and has not liked what she has seen. What makes her story and achievement so powerful is that she has not accepted ‘no’ for an answer; she has continued to push every day for positive change. More impressive is the way in which she has connected the very centre of the world of finance to social change and life-changing interventions for the poorest and most vulnerable citizens in the world. We were all privileged to be in her company. As we seek to advance the education of all students, and advance the endeavours of St Peter’s College, it will be absolutely vital that we seek to lift our horizons in the same way that Audette has lifted hers.
In looking at how we can have a positive impact on the world; it is also important to reflect on the past. On the first day of Term 2, Senior School students reflected on the sacrifices made by staff and old scholars during war. As we commemorate the final year of the centenary of World War I, it was fitting to focus our attention on the young men who died so young and with so much life head of them. It is a service which has always had a great impact on our students and it was a privilege to attend.
In lighter news, I am delighted to share some significant achievements this week. Congratulations to our students who performed so well at Generations in Jazz last weekend. We were joint winners of the Division 2 section one category of the National Stage Band Award and particular congratulations to Year 12 trombone student Robert Jones who was selected to play in the Division 2 superband. Philip Walsh, Director of Music, was awarded the most outstanding educator. James Lin, Year 5, will represent Australia in ice-skating at the Oceania Interclub International Competition later this month. Charlie Heithersay and James Tallent, both in Year 10, were selected to represent South Australia to compete in the 2018 “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Preliminary Competition for secondary school students in Perth. Finally, two students have created a wonderful website showcasing a virtual tour of St Peter’s College. Congratulations to Robbie Symonds and Zane Walker, both in Year 12, as the site is now being used to help market the school to prospective families.
Road closure: thank you
The closure of the through road along Main Oval has been in place for two weeks and we would like to thank all parents, staff and students for their patience and understanding. The closure has progressed very smoothly so far and we are very grateful to everyone who has adapted their routes and drop-off/pick-up points to accommodate the change.
We are closely monitoring traffic and will continue to do so throughout Term 2. We have also received a number of ideas, suggestions and comments which we will take into consideration throughout the trial period. Feedback is most welcome; please email community@stpeters.sa.edu.au