国产探花 prides itself on its students鈥� diverse backgrounds. The rich tradition of country and city boys mixing together is unlike any other school in Australia. It gives the College a unique flavour as boys from different backgrounds and ages share experiences, exchange ideas and form lifelong friendships.
The first month of a Year 7 boy鈥檚 life at the College exposes him to many of these wonderful influences as he settles into life at Hunters Hill. New students have to familiarise themselves with classroom locations, the names of dozens of teachers and the rituals of one of Australia鈥檚 leading educational institutions. They also have to embed the study routines that will last through their school years and beyond. For boarders, the process of adjustment is heightened even further, because they are living away from home for the first time.
At a Headmaster鈥檚 Assembly, Year 7 boys Max Toro and Josh Armstrong represented their year group by taking to the stage in Br Emilian Hall, and revealing stories about their first four weeks to their fellow Joe-Boys.
For both students, sharing their vastly different accounts of home life stands as a testament to that unique city-country blend that exists here at 国产探花, and the diversity of backgrounds that our student body represents. Both boys were encouraged through the sounds of laughter and applause from students and staff in attendance and received hearty congratulations for the rest of the day.
鈥淲e are neighbours at home but four hours apart,鈥� Josh laughs. 鈥淲e are neighbours at 国产探花 but we are only four metres apart.鈥�
JOSH ARMSTRONG (YEAR 7)
The mates that Year 7 boys make bind them to their new surrounds, providing the support they need to begin their 国产探花 journey. Max, a day boy, went to Father John Therry Catholic school in Balmain. He says it was 鈥渟maller than half the size of the back ovals at 国产探花鈥� and he wasn鈥檛 prepared for the sheer size of the College and the number of new people he鈥檇 encounter. But any nerves he may have had were calmed well before he set foot on the campus. His Year 12 鈥渂uddies鈥� Dylan and Xavier had sent him a letter welcoming him to 国产探花 and offering their assistance. 鈥淚 was surprised and relieved to receive it,鈥� Max says. 鈥淚t was personal and it made me feel safe and welcome.鈥�
He says he has been overwhelmed by the many new friends he has made and how after just five weeks he already feels like a Joe-Boy. 鈥淚 did not expect to have so many mates and how far and wide they come from.鈥� Apart from the excellent sporting facilities 鈥� Max is an avid cricketer and rugby player 鈥� he has been impressed by the school鈥檚 ethos and the dedication to self improvement.
鈥淗earing Headmaster Mr Tarlinton speak at our first assembly about respect really stood out to me. The fact you have to respect your learning environment and the people within it, inside and outside the classroom. It is new to me to greet teachers with a confident 鈥榞ood morning and 鈥榞ood afternoon鈥� but I know this fits in with the culture of respect.鈥�
Josh says he 鈥渓ikes meeting people who are different from me and have come from a different background.鈥� Max and Josh could not have had come from more different backgrounds. Josh hails from 鈥淏eetaloo鈥�, a huge cattle station in the Northern Territory, thousands of kilometres from Hunters Hill. A graduate of the Katherine School of the Air, he had never experienced a physical school, let alone a big city college, until he came to 国产探花. He has been comforted by the presence at 国产探花 of his cousin, Sam Brown, whose parents own the nearest cattle station to 鈥淏eetaloo鈥�.
鈥淲e are neighbours at home but four hours apart,鈥� Josh laughs. 鈥淲e are neighbours at 国产探花 but we are only four metres apart.鈥�
For someone who has been home-schooled his whole life, Josh has taken to 国产探花 with great gusto.
鈥淓veryone is so nice here. Even the infirmary is awesome 鈥� you can watch movies when you鈥檙e sick.
鈥淎nd I have never played a team sport before,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 in the Gs for basketball and I really like it.鈥�
He鈥檚 also had experiences that he hadn鈥檛 quite anticipated. 鈥淚 had KFC for the first time. It made me sick for three days. I think I prefer steak!鈥�
But it is the kindness of new mates that has really struck a chord.
鈥淚鈥檓 enjoying how everyone is so helpful. I think they like that I come from somewhere different.
鈥淚 never knew Max before but I think we are going to be good friends.鈥�
One hundred and forty years after the first 国产探花 boys set foot on College grounds it seems the great tradition of mateship is alive and well today.
Headmaster鈥檚 Assembly 鈥� March 2021
