The Thistle - An E-Newsletter of Scotch College, Perth, Western Australia

Community and Service

Round Square International Exchange

Currently, three Year 10 boys are experiencing school in another country. William Smith-Gander (Year 10, Ross) and Caleb Evans (Year 10, Alexander) are at the Inter-Community School in Switzerland and Joshua Law (Year 10, Stuart) is attending Kings Academy in Jordan. This term, Lewis Miller (Year 10, Anderson) returned from Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, Sebastian Barrett (Year 10, Brisbane) from The Daly College in India, Thomas Allan (Year 10, Cameron) from Schule Birklehof in Germany and most recently, Benjamin Howie (Year 10, Ross) and Gyles Davies (Year 10, Brisbane) from Gordonstoun School in Scotland. In the second week in April Sean Logan (Year 10, Alexander) departs for Herlufsholm Skole in Denmark. Later in the year Sean Pentony (Year 10, Alexander) will be heading to Tokyo, Japan to attend Tamagawa Academy, Daniel Laurance (Year 10, Stuart) to Markham College in Peru and William Craig (Year 10, Shearer) to Athenian College in San Francisco, USA.

All these exchanges are reciprocal and Scotch families host boys from these schools while they attend Scotch for periods of six weeks up to a term - in the case of two boys from Gordonstoun. As a Global Member of Round Square, Scotch has access to over 150 schools around the world for short-term exchange at Year 10 level. Two-week exchanges for Year 8 boys take place between Australian Round Square schools.

Sebastian Barrett had a wonderfully rich experience in India:

'India has been such a cultural experience and if I had to sum it up I would say "it was different". The difference between the rich and poor, the huge presence of religion, the small family businesses, the colourfulness and happiness of the people, the animals everywhere, the dirt, chaos, noise, and the crush of people, the bargaining, the history, age and traditions of India turned what could have been six normal weeks at school into a life changing experience of amazing memories, people and places. '

'Over this exchange, I have grown so much as a person. At the start, I was afraid of the chaos that I was in but at the end I felt stronger for my struggle. I had more confidence in my actions, I learned the reward that can come from taking risks and trying new things, I learnt to cope and adapt in a completely foreign situation and to accept the many differences that surrounded me. I learnt to put my head up, get involved, and mix with people even when I stood out because it is the only way to experience and understand the exciting new world that surrounded me.'

The new Director of Community and Service Mr David Kyle will be hosting an Information Evening on Round Square exchanges for current Year 9 boys and their parents early in Autumn Term.

The Rotary Club of Mosman Park / Cottesloe is seeking a host family for a 16-year-old boy from Finland who will attend Shenton College. More details can be found here.

Music Ensemble at Rocky Bay

On Friday 24 March a group of Scotch musicians, comprising elements of the strings orchestra and pipe band, performed at Rocky Bay in Mosman Park. The visit took place at a time when Year 10 boys regularly visit to take part in a service-learning activity at the centre. Last term members of the strings orchestra put on a concert for residents of Braemar Presbyterian Aged Care Village in Willagee. This form of outreach by Scotch music students is very well received and an important addition to the College service programme.

rocky bay collage

World's Greatest Shave

greatest shave logo

This Thursday afternoon around 60 Year 12 boys will be having their heads shaved at PLC in support of Leukaemia research. This follows on from the hugely successful event last year when both schools together raised over $90,000. So far this year, Scotch alone has raised over $30,000. Donations are still being received at the Scotch Team Leukaemia Foundation site.

Mr Bill Cordner
Director of Community and Service