On Tuesday, 29 August, we visited Colonia del Sacramento, the first permanent European settlement in Uruguay. It was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 on the Rio de la Plata and was the scene of many naval battles. Due to this, it is a city enriched with many historical sites such as the Plaza de Toros and the Basilica of the Blessed Sacrament. Visiting Colonia was a very enjoyable experience, especially because of the view from the port and, due to the city’s close proximity to Argentina, we were able to see Buenos Aires off in the distance.

Camp - Xavier Asalemo

During this week, the Year 9 boys from Monte VI had their school camp. Luckily enough, we were able to attend and share this unforgettable experience with our friends. On Monday morning, we left for a long hike and climbed Sierra de las Animas, one of the tallest mountains in Uruguay. It was a long and tough walk but, overall, a good experience with all our peers. At night, we played card games, sang by the fire, ate burgers and experienced Uruguayan culture in the countryside.

Assembly - Joachim Rodrigues

On Thursday, 24 August, we had our official welcoming to Colegio Monte VI at a special assembly. One of the Uruguayan boys, Mateo Bergengruen, gave a speech on his experiences in Australia and a warm welcome to us Aussies. Then Christopher Fernandez got up and thanked everyone for receiving us, especially the hosts and their families. We were then presented with our very own Monte VI shirts. We are thankful for the friendly reception and the hospitality shown to us during our stay.

The majority of the Year 8s and I went to Dural Public School, just a short stroll down the road from Redfield. As we arrived, we were greeted by a group of friendly staff members from the school, and we got straight to work. Their caretaker showed us where to go and what to do, which seemed pretty easy at first, but after one hour of work, the going got tough for everyone.

In spite of all the challenges, we had much to be thankful for: the clear skies, the friendly atmosphere and the meals that the school provided. We managed to persevere and get the job of mulching various gardens done. It was satisfying to see all the work we had done, and the transformation the school had gone through. I am sure it would have taken the caretaker a couple months if he tried to do all the work by himself!

As we reflect on this experience, let us continue to make a positive difference in our community by lending a helping hand to others, not because we have to, but because we want to.

I just want to say a massive thank you to all the boys and staff members who helped out on our Community Service Day for your dedication and commitment to service and, most of all, several mothers who generously assisted with transport made the day a success - particularly Mrs Londos who kept the Year 7s buzzing with lollies and watermelon.

Daniel Lee, Year 8

Father’s Day is always a special day for our students. It is an occasion where we can all show our appreciation and gratitude to our special father figures. The boys certainly enjoyed the opportunity to spoil their dad by purchasing many wonderful gifts at our Father’s Day Stall. Thanks go to Mrs Sahyounand Mr Hatcherfor their efforts in ensuring that the boys went home with some high-quality presents. While Father’s Day is often a great excuse to catch up and say thank you, we have been encouraging the boys not to do so only on special days by emphasising the "attitude of gratitude" whereby we appreciate all that we have.

Another winter season of sport has passed, and I know many boys are looking forward to celebrating the end with upcoming presentation days. It was wonderful that so many boys participated and had fun learning and playing with their mates. A big thank you goes to all of our sporting parents who have embraced team sports and have helped out in their own way.

The other week, I was fortunate enough to witness the skills and many talents of our students at the Music Ensemble performance. It was wonderful to see students from across the College performing proudly to friends and family. Mr Romeoand his talented Music staff do a great job working with the students to enable them to create such sweet music.

As we near the end of the term, we look forward to the Primary Fun Day, which is kindly organised by our Year 12 students. It is a great tradition and initiative. It is wonderful to see the older boys giving back to the school by interacting with the Primary boys and providing a fun-filled day for everyone. Information about this day will be shared next week. We wish all the Year 12 students the best as they prepare for their final HSC Exams.

We look forward to finishing the term strongly and thank our parents for their continued support.

Darren Corke, Head of Primary

On Friday, 18 August, I had the privilege of presenting certificates for all the solid work done by our students this year. The following Monday, 21 August, our Book Week events began with the opening of our annual Book Fair. The boys and parents really got involved, which was fantastic to see. Packing up at the end of the week was made easier by the fact that the majority of the books available for purchase at the Book Fair had been sold. On Tuesday, 22 August, we were privileged to have Andrew Daddo visit our Primary boys. The boys really enjoyed Mr Daddo's theatrics, and special thanks go to Mr Jason Hatcher for organising this for the boys. The week concluded with our annual Costume Parade, but with a twist. Years 4, 5 and 6 boys were invited to join the Years 2 and 3 classes this year. The Year 5 boys recited the poem The Seaby James Reeves, and the event concluded with the Years 2 and 3 boys singing Dynamiteby BTS, led by Mrs Lauren Kwon. Special thanks go to Mrs El Maguire for the beautiful photos that she took of the parade.

I would like to finish by thanking all the students and parents for the ongoing support they provide to the Redfield College Library and, also, I owe a great deal of gratitude to the Primary teachers for their assistance in preparing the week. Plans have already begun for next year's Book Week, and we are eager to see you all then.

Click on this linkto see a list of the Book Week winners.

Carlos Del Rosario, College Librarian

Year 12 Portraits with Year 2
Continuing a long-held tradition of the College, Year 12 visited the Year 2 students to begin the portraits that the Year 12s will be presented with in Graduation Week.

Students were paired up and given the following questions to help guide discussion, with our Year 12 students sharing their wisdom and experiences from their time in the College:

• When did you start at Redfield?

• What were some of the best times you had in Primary?

• Do you have any funny stories about Primary teachers?

• Is there something you wish you had known when you were in Primary?

• What can I do to make my time at school the most enjoyable and rewarding?

Many friendships were made, and I’m sure that the final portraits from the Year 2 students will be treasured by our senior students.

Senior Study Club
The final Senior Study Club for Term 3 will be on Monday, 11 September (Week 9). I encourage all Years 11 and 12 students to attend, particularly considering the Year 11 Yearly Exams and the HSC Exams are fast approaching.

Specific workshops for Years 11 and 12 will be provided for Business Studies, Modern History and Ancient History.

Senior Study Club Timetable

Mark Anderson, Head of Senior School

The event was met with much anticipation, from parents scrambling to the shops looking for camping gear and toilet paper to boys contemplating where the nearest toilet would be to teachers vying to be the ‘lucky’ ones to join almost 50 boys who would not shower for three days! I remember that first day where a strew of boys from Years 7, 8 and 9 all congregated near the Redfield bus stop ready for the frontiers that lay ahead. Some were mentally (and physically) prepared for this year’s camp, but there were also others who wanted to just have a fun time. I was one of those campers. This year’s camp gave insight into what life was like in the bush. There were three elements that were pivotal to our journey and experience in the wilderness: the people, the places and our mindset.

1) The People:

The company during any camping trip can make or break your experience. It can foster better connection with one another or cause you to turn the other way. If you have some good friends in your group, then you’re definitely going to have a great time. However, if you have members you don’t get along with, may God be with you, as it may be a sanctifying experience.

The Year 9 cohort was separated into four groups accompanied by one teacher. The teachers who came with us were Mr Anderson, Mr Foxe, Mr Kairouz and Mr Tanna. Our group had 12 boys, Mr Tanna and our guide, Toby, from OEG (Outdoor Education Group). We had an abundance of positive energy, including three members of the Schola (Aidan Weber, Jacob Salazarand Noah Kim) leading us in singing during the trip and keeping a positive aura to compensate for our decreasing morale with each passing kilometre.

I enjoyed hanging out with each and every member of our group and learning more about each other and ourselves. Toby, our guide, helped us all in many ways, such as sorting our camping gear and preparing our meals. I’d like to thank Toby and all the other OEG guides for helping us because, without them, we wouldn’t have survived the first night.

2) The Places:

Since we had four groups, half of us started at either Girrakool, and the other half at Patonga. Our group started at Patonga Beach and made the GRUELLING trek to Girrakool which was our “extraction point”. I remember the one constant factor that was present for the entirety of the camp: HILLS! We hiked up and down hills, seeing sights such as rocky plateaus and more rolling hills. We saw creeks with soft streams, used as a source of drinking water, which proved crucial throughout the entire camp. We also had a glimpse of the effects of bushfires, seeing trees scorched to a black and crispy texture. We also saw those same trees sprouting back to life with little branches the size of your pinky and as thin as a string. The texture of the ground we trekked transitioned from dirt littered with branches and leaves to rocky terraces to the damp and spongy soil of the rainforest. The scenery transformed in many ways, as roads led to totally new environments and paths winding in many different directions led us to discover new things at every turn.

3) Our Mindset:

The thought of a three-day trek sounded tiring even before we began, and the reality was that it was EXHAUSTING! With heavy packs on our backs, we were able to conquer each kilometre by keeping a positive attitude. Ben Gutierrezand Noah Kiminspired us to keep going and take one more step with their constant refrain of "The end is in sight", even though it was kilometres away! Mr Tanna was the model of calm and perseverance. He managed to keep his cheerful demeanour even when he had 12 boys asking to go home after the first day! There was a spirit of cooperation and respect for one another as we helped each other get to the finish line.

Epilogue:

After the camp, I started to think about the true reason why Redfield thought it was a good idea to throw all of Middle School out in the middle of nowhere and figure stuff out from there. They said it was going to “increase your skills as a leader” and “show the importance of teamwork”. Though this is true (and yes, all of Year 9 now knows what a real bush toilet is), it wasn’t entirely about those camping clichés, in my opinion.

I was talking to my grandma and telling her about the experience. As we spoke, I realised the experience throws light on the fact that we take the little things for granted, like our toilet and running water. After three days we were all able to go home and take a much-needed shower. Our camp conditions are the daily reality for many people around the world who are not as fortunate as us, and we should be grateful for what we have.

Jacob Bernardo, Year 9

At Tizzana, we learnt about the long history of the business since 1887 when Dr Fiaschi purchased 25 acres to plant French and Italian grape varieties. We had the opportunity to observe the process of wine making, which is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Mr Tanna and Mr Georgiou led us to meet the son of the owner, Mr Jonathan Auld, who informed us about grape cultivation, harvest, fermentation and maturation. The class was truly fascinated about the various varieties of grapes used at Tizzana Winery and how their unique characteristics as well as slight climatic changes influence the taste of the wines. We were also engrossed in the history of the manufacturing room which was ruined and burnt down by thugs before Mr Auld bought and renovated it. Through his entrepreneurial brilliance, he was able to diversify the business into bed-and-breakfast accommodation, a reception for events and a wine enthusiast's playground. Mr Auld also sells olives and jams and runs a viticulture consultancy business so that the business is quite recession-proof.

During the tour, we also had an opportunity to visit the oak barrel room where we learned about the aging process and how new technology has taken over most of the aging phase of the wine-making process, such as the use of steel tanks instead of oak barrels and corks being replaced by screw-top lids. This excursion has been a tradition for Redfield Geography students, and now I can understand why. The experience of being outside of classroom confinement makes learning enjoyable and, hence, knowledge is retained not only for our HSC Exams, but for life.

Chris Tanna, Year 12 Geography Teacher

Our relay teams competed in the last events of the day, and it was a fitting finish to come away with well-deserved ribbons.

It was very much appreciated to see the many parents who attended and assisted with transport arrangements. Big thanks go to Mr Zhangwho attended as an official and a special mention is due to Mason Sahyounand Russell Mandlawho adeptly assisted at the discus event, ensuring the smooth flow of proceedings.

We now look forward to official confirmation of those who will advance to the HZSA team for the upcoming CIS Carnival which will be held on Tuesday, 19 September.

Darren Corke, Head of Primary