“Without challenge, there is no change.”

This was the main theme I took into Zero2Hero’s Camp Hero.

The camp certainly challenged and changed me both mentally and physically. It was a camp with 39 inspiring students from years 10 to 12 who helped me to grow on my path of self-discovery. The experience was five days long, and each day had a specific focus point.

The first day was focused on self-discovery, as you cannot help others if you cannot help yourself. The main activity on this day was the E-Colours personality test. It is a system of personality classification, based on how a person goes through life. This classified people by their dominant trait, based on whether they are a thinker, relater, socialiser or doer. The second day was about physical health, which involved several activities where we were divided into groups. It was a combination of problem-solving, physical ability and teamwork under time pressure. Mental health was the focus of the third day. This day was both about our own health and supporting the health of others. We all completed safeTALK, which teaches us the skills to identify and assist people with suicidal thoughts. The fourth day was a personal challenge, where we looked inwards. This was a day where we each considered what we hated most about ourselves and made a promise to leave it behind. The final day of the camp was focused on community impact and beginning to consider how we would transfer what we learnt on the camp into daily life.

This article is the beginning of my community impact. I want to let everyone know how incredible Camp Hero is. Although it is described as a mental health camp, it is so much more. It helped me discover who I am and who I want to be.

I have two main messages that I have taken from the camp. Get educated about mental health, so you can help yourself and those around you, and challenge yourself, as you never know when a life-changing experience can occur.

The Aquinas myFUTURE program gives Senior School students a number of ways to grow, develop and learn. Some students opted to spend their Friday time last semester in Service-based activities.

Captain Derwas Cumming’s Citations read by:

• CDTCPL Finn Chadd, Aquinas College Yr 12 Student
• CDTWO2 Isaac Klomp, Aquinas College Vice-Captain

both of 501 ACU Como

The Last Post sounded by:
Rory Watson, Aquinas College Yr 10 Student

Music by:
“Monckey” - Jedsen Monck
Aquinas College Yr 12 Student

Starting out at only 14 years old, Jack Johnston is a passionate and committed Red Cross Soup Patrol volunteer.

After being introduced to Soup Patrol by his older brother, Jack started volunteering through his school, Aquinas College. He now regularly travels with other students to Fremantle in the patrol van to serve soup, bread and any other food that has been donated to those who need it.

Jack's efforts weren't going to be stopped by COVID-19, and when the pandemic struck, Jack and his family stepped up and undertook COVID-safe soup patrols together.

Jack says that volunteering fulfils him and has given him a new perspective of those less fortunate than himself.

"Volunteering with Soup Patrol has given me an insight into the lives of those who are struggling. It has humanised people who are often portrayed in a bad light on the news and vilified by society," he said.

Jack encourages everyone to volunteer, even if you just have a few hours. The experience has opened his mind and he looks forward to one day becoming a Soup Patrol driver and teaching future Aquinas students the beauty of volunteering.

"Seeing the happiness and hope that people have when the Red Cross pulls up is really special. This experience has really changed my life!"

Volunteer today! To find out more visit www.redcross.org.au/volunteer

It was a pleasure to welcome the 72 or so New Mums to the New Mothers' Mass and Morning Tea which started at the Chapel for mass.

Brother Clery talked about the joys of Motherhood and made us all laugh at the story he recalled of his own Mother and why she was running late for the bus! A beautiful Liturgy followed, with the Schola Choir performing 3 songs for our special mothers.

At the conclusion of the Service, the New Mothers made their way to the Waterford Room where the Ladies' Auxiliary (LAX) volunteers had transformed the room into a delightful setting for Morning Tea. The table decorations and flowers were stunning, and our Head of Catering, Steven and his team, had prepared a delicious assortment of treats for morning tea.

Aquinas Headmaster, David McFadden, introduced himself to the ladies and I provided an overview of the Ladies' Auxiliary and the role of LAX in supporting Aquinas and the boys. Fiona Gebauer, a new mother herself to the College, spoke about her role with the Aquinas Foundation excitement about the Foundation Ball coming in September!

By the sound of the chatter and gorgeous feel to the room, I'm sure everyone there had a lovely time! It was wonderful to receive an email of thanks from one of the Mum's saying, ".. it was an absolutely beautiful morning, it was so lovely to spend some time on the campus and meet other new mums, it was a beautiful start to our journey at the College..".

Earlier in the year, I achieved a time that allowed me to qualify for the Open Water Swimming National Championships.

This month I was lucky enough to travel to the Sunshine Coast to compete in my age group for the 5km event. We arrived there on Friday and met up with two other boys, one from Aquinas, Jonah Whitby in Year 10, and another from my club.

Saturday we visited the course we were going to swim on for a training session and to watch other WA athlete competing in the 10km open events. These were for Olympic selection. Sunday was an early start at 5 am for race day.

We arrived at the course, checked in got numbered up. We then warmed up and we were ready for the race. Our race had approximately 50 boys in our age group. I finished up 3rd in my age group after a tough 5 km event in 29° water with a time of 1 hour and 8 minutes for Bronze. Jonah also swam a great race in tough conditions. We were so lucky to be able to travel and experience it together.

On Tuesday 2 March, the Year 11 cohort were visited by Chadwick Models for an afternoon of social etiquette.

Designed to make people comfortable and at ease, we learned that etiquette shows that we value and respect others and gives us the confidence to deal with different situations in life. We were instructed about the customs and rules governing behaviour that is regarded as correct or acceptable in social or official life.

That evening we were given the opportunity to put what we had learned into practice by accompanying our mothers to dinner at the South of Perth Yacht Club. The weather gave us an opportunity to not only open the car door but shelter our mothers with an umbrella as we entered the venue. There we gallantly took her arm and escorted her to the table. We demonstrated our newly acquired table etiquette with everyone duly tearing their bread roll and filling glasses for our companions. We enjoyed a three-course meal - using the correct cutlery of course - and had the opportunity to catch up with our friends outside of school.

It’s not often that we are in a formal social situation with our mums where we actually spend time directly with them. A wedding is probably the closest we come. Looking around the room you could see all the mums were delighted with our attempts at gentlemanly behaviour. Admittedly, it does not take much to make your own mum proud, but it is a good feeling. On the whole, we learned that courtesy, small acts of kindness and confidence can make all the difference in social situations.

From my mum: At a time where private schoolboys are often portrayed in the news for the wrong reasons it was a pleasure to see a room full of young men eager to display their manners and caring side. I think every mother in that room was proud.

Service is a great way to connect with the community and get to know people.

The rush of endorphins after completing an hour or more of service is unrivalled, plus you are contributing to a good cause, whether it be through planting trees and digging up invasive species on the Mt. Henry Peninsula, raising awareness for MND at Marathons, collecting money for Cancer Research in the city or ridding our beautiful beaches of rubbish.

My name is Charlie Backhouse and over the past 2 years at Aquinas, I have completed over 60 hours of service and am aiming to reach 100 hours by the end of Year 9. Through all the service I’ve completed at this College, my favourite service activity is the Beach Clean-Up. I love getting up early in the morning on a Saturday, driving down to Leighton or Port Beach and feeling the sea breeze, hearing the seagulls squawking, knowing that I’m positively contributing to the longevity of some of Western Australia’s most beautiful beaches. Not only this but some of the things we find are just a bit strange. Last weekend, some of the boys stumbled across a keg of cider about 1/3 full, others found a bikini top and Mr Rich claims he stumbled across the best find of the day – a rubber banana. Some of the normal finds included beer bottles, plastic bags and utensils and the occasional cigarette bud and lighter. This is a photo of the boys once we had completed our service hours:

A few students in the Middle School failed to complete a minimum of 10 hours last year. Boys, If you don’t know where to sign up for service, go to level 1 of Mt. Sion and I’m sure there will be plenty of open spots for you.