Congratulations to the following students on their achievements...

At the National Swimming Titles held in Adelaide last week, Westminster had three students represented and qualified for the national event. Mattias McCarthy (Year 9 Jeffries) participated in the National Multiclass championships and qualified for seven events. Mattias had some fantastic races, finishing in the top seven in a number of them, but the stand out was a silver medal in the 100m Butterfly. Congratulations Mattias.

Reiley Kohler (Year 8 Jeffries) went to Melbourne recently to attend the Victorian Dance Festival (VDF). Reiley auditioned for the Joffrey Ballet in a lunch break and was lucky enough to win one of the four ballet tuition scholarships out of the 132 children who participated in the audition. Reiley won a full two Tuition Scholarship to attend the 2019 Ballet Summer Intensive program in New York City. The summer intensive program is in June/July this year.

Nathaniel Drummond (Year 11 Carter) came home with a Silver Medal for the U17 Beach Relay at the National Surf Lifesaving Competition held recently on the Gold Coast.

Airlie Rouvray (Year 9 Kelly) went to Queensland recently to compete at the Surf Lifesaving Australian championships. Airlie came third in Australia for the beach flags event.

Katie Natt (Year 8 Forder) competed at the WA Junior State Swimming Championships recently. She came away with a several medals, including gold in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle races. Congratulations Katie!

Our sailing teams had a great state championship event last week, winning the Open class and the Girls class as well. Both teams will advance to the National Championships in Hobart later this term. Westminster has never had a girls’ sailing team, so our girls made history for the School, and may be the first school to win both divisions in the same year. For the record, the Open team is on a five-year winning streak. 'Westminster 1' was tested a few times and had good fortune to reach the final. The girls won their final series 2-0. We have a chance to qualify both teams to the Interdominion Championships. Congratulations to all involved!

Taylah Stallan (Year 12 Carter) made the semi-finals of the Open Womens' Sprint at the Stawel Gift Athletics championships over Easter. This is a significant achievement, as this is the richest foot race for women in Australia with a high calibre of athletes competing. Well done Taylah.

Bradley Daniel (Year 10 Carter) had success again in this year’s Future Problem Solving competition. Bradley’s scenario, which placed second in Australia at the National Finals in October, has been awarded third place worldwide at the International evaluations conducted in the US. Congratulations Bradley.

Towards the end of Term 1, Amy Liew (Year 11 Forder) was accepted to participate in the Appalachian Spring Project, a creative project run by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, which brought together fifteen musicians and six dancers between the ages of fifteen and eighteen to compose and choreograph a new work. This work drew inspiration from Appalachian Spring, a 1944 ballet with music by Aaron Copland and choreography by Martha Graham. Over six days, they were given small snippets of music from the original score, and in small groups, expanded this to create music of their own. Most of the people participating in the project - including Amy - had never really composed music before, but they were joined by several members of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra who provided us with invaluable advice and helped the participants to expand their skills.

The project culminated with a concert at Elder Hall showcasing the work. The group were joined by thirteen members of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra who played the original score alongside the new music. In total, they composed about twenty minutes of original music, which amazingly, they managed to perform by memory - another thing most of the students had never done before. The inclusion of dance was a new one this year, and they had an interesting time combining music and dance.

In Amy’s own words, "I know I speak for everyone involved when I say that we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. I know that I personally greatly improved my previously practically-non-existent composing skills and gained a fascinating insight into how a professional orchestra works and rehearses". Congratulations Amy.

Athletics Carnival

Year Level Champions

Year 8 Girls

Third - Julia Edwards (Woollacott) 104 points
Second - Zara Segal (Fereday) 106 points
First - Katie Natt (Forder) 131 points

Year 8 Boys

Third - Declan Kolb (Clark) 132 points
Second - Gjsovaun Brijmohan (Kelly) 134 points
First - Billy Hayes (Fricker) 142 points

Year 9 Girls

Third - Sasha Coorey (Fricker) 93 points
Second - Jade Cross (Clark) 118 points
First - Jessica McManus (Jeffries) 138 points

Year 9 Boys

Third - Archie Byrne (Dunstan) 108 points
Second - Josh Rycroft (Fereday) 118 points
First - Braxton Mienel (Kelly) 132 points

Year 10 Girls

=Third - Tilly Nickolls (Heaslip) 91 points
=Third - Amelie Noble (Jeffries) 91 points
Second - Daisy Jury (Clark) 111 points
First - Caitlin Dyer (Fricker) 134 points

Year 10 Boys

Third - Ryan Bell (Carter) 113 points
Second - Aston Woods (Fricker) 130 points
First - Aidan Ross (Clark) 138 points

Year 11 Girls

Third - Rhianna Barney (Clark) 103 points
Second - Zoe Smith (Kelly) 117 points
First - Ruby Liptak (Dunstan) 140 points

Year 11 Boys

Third - Max Coorey (Fricker) 107 points
Second - Sam Blyzno (Jeffries) 116 points
First - Harvey Bock (Clark) 128 points

Year 12 Girls

Third - Ashlynn Jeffries (Dunstan) 89 points
Second - Faith Pearson-McKenzie (Jeffries) 92 points
First - Ella Kay (Jeffries) 112.5 points

Year 12 Boys

=Second - Brodie Eckert (Carter) 92 points
=Second - Jamie Brazier (Forder) 92 points
First - Loci Skinner (Clark) 104 points

Record Breakers

Records set at the 2019 Athletics Carnival.

F Yr12 1500m - 5:10.05
Set by Faith Pearson-McKenzie (Year 12 Jeffries)
This beat a record held since 1984 by R Woodley whose time was 5:12.00

F Yr12 800m - 2:31.08
Set by Faith Pearson-McKenzie (Year 12 Jeffries)
This beat a record held since 2004 by Emily Hyde whose time was 2:37.47

F Yr12 100m DIV1 - 12.75
Set by Caitlin Stallan (Year 12 Carter)
This beat a record held from 2004 by Emma Baudinette whose time was 12.85

F Yr12 200m DIV1 - 26.26
Set by Caitlin Stallan (Year 12 Carter)
This beat a record held from 2011 by Hayley Orman whose time was 26.83

F Yr10 200m DIV1 - 25.34
Set by Lakara Stallan (Year 10 Carter)
This beat a record held from 2004 by Emma Baudinette whose time was 26.47

F Yr12 Shot Put - 11.27m
Set by Alyssa West (Year 12 Woollacott)
This beat a record held from 2014 by Mikayla Hudson whose distance was 10.32

F Yr12 200m DIV2 - 27.45
Set by Taylah Stallan (Year 12 Carter)
This beat a record held from 1991 by Sarah Maddern whose time was 27.80

Secondary School Sport SA Swimming

Congratulations to the following students on their achievements at the recent Secondary School Sport SA Swimming event.

Callum Smith (Year 11 Woollacott): Participated in the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Relay Div 1; Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Div 2; Boys' U19 100m Freestyle Div 1; and placed second in the Boys' U19 50m Butterfly Div 1, first in the U19 100m Freestyle Div 1; first in the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Div 2; first in the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Relay Div 1.

Taj Ward (Year 12 Jeffries): Participated in the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Relay Div 1; placed third in the U19 Boys' 50m Medley Relay Div 1; third in the Boys' U19 50m Butterfly Div 2; first in the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Relay Div 1; first in the Boys' U19 50m Backstroke Div 1; first in the Boys' U19 Freestyle Div 2.

Harry Snodgrass (Year 10 Clark): Participated in the Boys' U19 Freestyle Relay Div 1; third place in the Boys' U19 50m Medley Relay Div 1; first place in Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Relay Div 1.

Nathaniel Drummond (Year 11 Carter): Participated in Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Div 1 and the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Relay Div 1; placed third in Boys' U19 50m Medley Relay Div 1; placed first in the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Relay Div 1; first in the Boys' U19 50m Freestyle Div 1.

Emily Liu (Year 12 Kelly): Placed third in the Girls' U19 100m Freestyle Div 1 and second in the Girls' U19 50m Freestyle Div 1.

Austin Doley (Year 8 Kelly): Placed third in Boys' U14 50m Breaststroke Div 2.

Billy Hayes (Year 8 Fricker): Placed third in Boys' U19 50m Medley Relay Div 1.

Katie Natt (Year 8 Forder): Placed third in Girls' U19 100m Freestyle Div 2; second in Girls' U14 50m Breaststroke Div 1; second in Girls' U14 50m Freestyle Div 1