St Patrick's College Newsletter - Term 2 - Week 10 - 27 June 2025

As the term comes to an end, I want to say a huge thank you to all the students. Your dedication, curiosity, and participation have made this term great. It's been inspiring to see you all so committed to learning. Thanks for all your hard work and energy. Enjoy a safe and happy break!

Today our staff had a very productive collaborative planning day on our Pupil Free Day. I would like to acknowledge our dedicated teachers and staff for their commitment to their students and for creating a supportive learning environment, for every child. Thank you for everything you do. Your hard work is seen, valued and appreciated. I hope you all enjoy a restful and well-deserved break.

Humanities Tour
We welcomed home our Year 9 Humanities students this week after their wonderful learning experience visiting Melbourne, Sovereign Hill, museums and so many more amazing sites. Thank you to the staff who made this tour such a memorable occasion for our students.

Mercy Campus Cross Country
It was great to see the attendance and participation from our students at our Mercy Campus Cross Country yesterday. Students and staff ran, jogged and walked the course under favourable blue skies. There was great athleticism, sportsmanship and Patties spirit on display. The overall winners for the day were Argos House. 

Congratulations to all involved.

Confraternity Rugby League and QISSN Netball Carnival
Students from the College will again be competing in the Confraternity Rugby League and QISSN Netball competitions in the first week of the school holidays. We wish the players, coaches and support staff involved in the carnivals, all the best for the week ahead and extend an invitation to all families to support our teams, either online with the live streams or in person. 

As president of QISSN, I will be attending the netball in Bundaberg early in the week but will travel to Rockhampton for the rugby league on Thursday. I'm looking forward to cheering on all our talented players from the sidelines.

Good luck to all teams!

Link: Confraternity Carnival

Link: QISSN Carnival

Term 3
Please note that our students will return to school on Monday 14 July to commence Term 3.

Farewell to Rev Fr Thieng Van Nguyen
This week, we said goodbye to Father Anthony, who has been part of our College for the past eighteen months.

During his time with us, Father has played an important role in our community, especially through his support for our Youth Masses. We have appreciated his steady guidance and presence, and we thank him for everything he’s contributed during his time with us.

While we are sorry to see him go, we wish him all the best in his new role in Bundaberg.

The Payne of Valour
Members of our SRC recently had the opportunity to share with Keith Payne VC AM, Florence Payne OAM and their family a deeply personal and reflective exploration of their lives, focusing on Keith’s dedicated military service and their shared commitment to community, family and country.

The Payne of Valour, a preview and showing of work to date on the legacy of Keith Payne VC AM was held at the Eimeo Hotel.

Brekky Van Returns to a Warm Welcome
After a short break, our Brekky Van is back on the move, now operating from its new location, though currently at reduced capacity. It was heartening to be welcomed back so warmly by our Friends, who were glad to see us back out in the community.

We are looking forward to gradually returning to full service, with our students once again playing a key role in this wonderful service.

NAIDOC week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is celebrated by all Australians and is a great opportunity to recognise and learn more about the history and culture of Indigenous communities.

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced back to the Aboriginal rights movement, when on Australia Day 1938, protestors marched through the streets of Sydney to highlight the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Today, it is a week-long celebration held in July that consists of range of traditional and contemporary activities.

NAIDOC Week is an important event that helps build positive relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. It enables a deeper understanding of our differences and similarities and is a great opportunity for all Australians to eliminate bias and discrimination by reflecting and reconciling the wrongs of the past to facilitate hope and build a fairer future. Families are encouraged to join in and support young people in learning the significance of NAIDOC Week.

This Special Report offers suggestions on how families can celebrate NAIDOC Week together. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your Special Report

https://stpats.qld.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-celebrating-naidoc-week

This year’s senior debating season was a remarkable journey, with two teams representing our college in the competition. Both teams demonstrated outstanding critical thinking and persuasive skills throughout the round.

St Pat’s Blue: advanced all the way to the finals, showcasing resilience and eloquence in every debate.

St Pat’s Red: also delivered an impressive performance, narrowly missing out on a finals berth after a hard-fought semi-final round.

In the final, Team Blue tackled the challenging topic: ‘Should success be prioritised over personal happiness’. Despite the tough competition and arguing for the affirmative, Team Blue showcased their exceptional debating prowess.

Both teams engaged in thoughtful debated with the ethical complexities of the questions over the season, leaving a lasting impression on the adjudicators. Their achievements this season not only highlight their debating skills but also their ability to collaborate and engage with meaningful issues, making the school community proud.

Image Credit: Ashling Scanlon

Below is a picture that was drawn by one of our debating students in the semi-final awaiting the verdict.

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding success of our students at the Bond University National High School Mooting Competition, held on 7 June at the Gold Coast.

Our exceptional representatives, Claudia and Mikayla, presented compelling legal submissions in a simulated High Court appeal. With confidence, clarity, and conviction, they responded to challenging legal questions from a panel of three judges. Their professionalism and maturity earned glowing praise from the judging panel.

We are incredibly proud to share that St Patrick’s College placed 3rd in the nation! Even more impressively, St Pat’s was the only regional school in Australia to reach the semi-finals—a remarkable testament to the strength and determination of our students.

The judges commended the girls for their advocacy skills, etiquette, and quick thinking under pressure. Their success reflects the hard work of the Humanities faculty, the dedication of our students, and the supportive environment of our school community.

What is Mooting?
Mooting is a simulated courtroom experience where students argue a legal case in front of a judge, following the formal structure of an appellate court hearing. Students act as barristers, presenting written and oral legal arguments on complex issues of law.

More than a competition, mooting develops key skills such as:
· Public speaking
· Legal reasoning and critical thinking
· Courtroom etiquette
· Responding to real-time judicial questioning

Often used in universities to prepare law students for practice, mooting gives high school students an exciting and authentic glimpse into the world of law.

The Case: Mina Nosferatu v Bram
In this year’s competition, Claudia and Mikayla represented the appellant, Bram Stoker, in a fictional appeal before the High Court.

Here is a summary of the case:
· 15-year-old Mina Nosferatu, with her parents’ permission, drove an unregistered car on private rural property.
· She drank alcohol supplied by her friend, Bram, and then drove recklessly, crashing the vehicle and seriously injuring him.
· Bram sued Mina’s parents for failing to prevent her from driving and initially won damages (with a reduction due to his own negligence).
· On appeal, the court found the parents were not liable, as they had no legal duty to control Mina in these circumstances. The court also held that Bram had voluntarily accepted the risk.
· Bram is now appealing to the High Court, and Claudia and Mikayla prepared arguments on behalf of Bram to defend the appeal.

Congratulations!

We couldn’t be prouder of Claudia and Mikayla. Their achievement is not just a win for them, but for our entire college community. They’ve demonstrated what’s possible through hard work, courage, and commitment—and truly embodied the St Patrick’s spirit.

Year 10 students had an incredible opportunity to engage in five unique sessions at our Careers Expo on Tuesday. Hearing directly from various businesses and professions, student were able to learn more about their future career pathway options.

Thank you to the wonderful businesses below for generously donating their time and expertise to provide the students with valuable knowledge about their future career journey.

We recently had 51 students from Year 11 and 12 travel to Brisbane to participate in the University Trip. Students were given tours of University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and University of Sunshine Coast campuses in Brisbane. The students also toured the TAFE facility at Southbank. Student accommodation was also a highlight for the students as they were privileged to have breakfast at Emmanuel College, and lunch at Duchesne College for the girls and St Leo’s College for the boys.

The tour also included going to the Gold Coast to visit Bond University and Griffith University. The students were given presentations at both sites and many students are reconsidering their preferences.

The students also toured Australian Country Choice facility at Murarrie. Students were shown the process of manufacturing beef cattle and the various occupations required to run this amazing facility from floor process workers to professional roles such as physiotherapists, accountants and lawyers.

Another highlight of the tour was going behind the scenes and watching a rehearsal at Australian Outback Spectacular. The tour culminated with the show and dinner which all the students thoroughly enjoyed.

University Accommodation
Year 12 students are reminded to apply to the accommodation colleges if they are considering moving away from Mackay next year. Some colleges are closing their applications at the end of June.

Scholarships
Year 12 students are encouraged to keep checking the university sites for scholarships. Scholarships open and close at various times and students need to continually monitor these sites.

Vinnies Winter Appeal: A Heartfelt Thank You and Exciting Update
As the chilly winter months set in, our community has once again come together with incredible generosity and spirit to support those in need through the Vinnies Winter Appeal. We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who contributed—your kindness is truly making a difference!

A Community Effort That Warms Hearts
Thanks to your donations of canned goods and the enthusiastic efforts of our school’s Interact Committee, we have raised an impressive total of $1,600. This achievement was made possible through a variety of fundraising activities, including:

- The Interact Committee’s popular hot chocolate sales
- Year 10 Careers Expo soft drink sales
- Chocolate box sales
- The Mother’s Day stall and raffle

Each contribution, big or small, has helped us build this wonderful total.

Special Thanks to Our Chocolate Box Sellers
A special thanks goes to all our dedicated chocolate box sellers: Dustin Morrow, Rikus Du Toit, Alijah Cain, and Kye Bath. Without their hard work and commitment, we could not have raised this amount. Your efforts truly made a significant difference—thank you!

How Your Generosity Has Helped
Approximately $1,000 of the funds raised has already been spent on purchasing canned goods and warm blankets for the local shelter. These essential items will provide comfort and nourishment to those facing hardship during the cold season.

Looking ahead, we are excited to announce that we will be presenting Vinnies Mackay with a $600 cheque next term. This donation will support their ongoing efforts to assist vulnerable members of our community.

Thank You for Making a Difference
Your generosity and community spirit have truly made this winter warmer for many.

Next term our focus is back on Mercy Works with Father's Day stall and raffle, Cookies for Kindness and Mercy Day stall, as a few of our highlights.

Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you once again for your support!

Over the weekend, 30 students from St Patrick College's Competitive Dance team travelled to compete at the Dance Exchange School Eisteddfod in Brisbane. The students performed across two days, participating in over 20 sections and achieving some amazing results. They have now been invited to compete at the State Finals later in the year.

We want to thank the students, staff, and families for their support—the dancers made our college proud. The results are as follows:

Contemporary Group
1st: 🥇St Patrick’s College Mackay

Junior Lyrical Group
1st: 🥇St Patrick’s College Mackay

Jazz Group
1st:🥇 St Patrick’s College Mackay

Hip Hop Group
1st: 🥇St Patrick’s College Mackay

Senior Lyrical Group
1st: 🥇St Patrick’s College

Duo/Trios Years 10-12
1st: Sara and Zoe - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Alyssa, Eva and Ruby - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Katelyn, Shelby and Sienna - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Anya, Charlee, and Mylie - St Patrick’s College

Solos Performances 10-12
1st: Charlotte - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Adysen - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Naomi - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Alyssa - St Patrick’s College Mackay
5th: Eva - St Patrick’s College Mackay
WC: Klancie - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Contemporary/Lyrical Professional Experience Audition Years 10-12
1st: Charlotte - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Lauren - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Sara - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Zoe - St Patrick’s College Mackay
5th: Klancie - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Jazz Professional Experience Audition Years 10-12
1st: Alyssa - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Eva - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Sara - St Patrick’s College Mackay
5th: Klancie - St Patrick’s College Mackay
WC: Lauren - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Hip Hop Professional Experience Audition Years 10-12
1st: Katelyn - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Sara - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Naomi - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Alyssa - St Patrick’s College Mackay
5th: Zoe - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Duo/Trios Years 7-9
1st: Paislee and Ruby D - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Grace and Pamela - Clontarf Beach State High School
3rd: Heidi and Mikayla - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Alexis and Ciella - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Solos Years 7-9
1st: Ruby D - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Emma - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Ruby M - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Lyrical/Contemporary Professional Experience Audition Years 7-9
1st: Ruby D - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Ruby M - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Ciella - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Alexis - St Patrick’s College Mackay
5th: Heidi - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Jazz Professional Experience Audition Years 7-9
1st: Ruby D - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Paislee - St Patrick’s College Mackay
3rd: Ciella - St Patrick’s College Mackay
4th: Alexis - St Patrick’s College Mackay
5th: Heidi - St Patrick’s College Mackay

Hip Hop Professional Experience Audition Years 7-9
1st: Paislee - St Patrick’s College Mackay
2nd: Mia - St Patrick’s College Mackay

SPECIAL AWARDS
Senior Secondary Standout Performer: Charlotte - St Patrick’s College Mackay
Senior Secondary Highest Point Score: Charlotte - St Patrick’s College Mackay - Solo Teacher Taught
Junior Secondary Standout: Ruby M - St Patrick’s College Mackay
Junior Secondary Highest Point: Ruby D - St Patrick’s College Mackay (solo - teacher taught)

2025 AWARDS APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!
This year we have 15 awards celebrating aerospace education excellence. Remember: ALL students enrolled in Aerospace Gateway to Industry Schools are eligible to apply for categories that interest them. Whether your school is new to our program, or have been with us since the beginning, we ask that ALL schools to promote and encourage applications. Please share the student flyer attached with your marketing representative to include in your newsletter or social media or please put them in direct contact with us for more information.

Everything you need to know about this year’s awards can be found on our website: www.aerospacegatewayschools.com.au. Follow the 2025 awards link to see a full list of categories, application forms and a highlight video from our 2024 ceremony. All finalists will be invited to attend a ceremony in Brisbane on Thursday 27th November 2025 where winners will be announced.

Below is a brief snapshot of eligibility for the 2025 award categories. Full details can be found on the awards webpage.

HOW TO APPLY?
All applications are submitted online through our website.

For most categories students will submit their own application. If the category requires supporting documents from the school, such as a school reference, students will be asked to provide the email address for a teacher in their application form. The teacher will receive a notification with instructions on what is required as soon as the student submits their application. Applications/Nominations close on Monday 25th August 2025. School supporting documents are due to close on Friday 29th August 2025. Each award criteria sheet details what is required.

If you have any questions, or concerns, please reach out to Nat or Jo to discuss any aspect of the awards. We always love to hear your feedback!

On Monday 2 June our St Patrick’s College Chess Team participated in the Term 2 Mackay Whitsunday Gardiner Chess Interschool Competition. With a title defence in front of mind, our players took to the boards and represented their college extremely well. Our players were split into two divisions, a premier division for our experienced campaigners and division A for those with a little less experience.

Again, our college was well represented at the chess competition with over 35 players and 10 teams competing on the day. I am continually grateful for the work that Mr Larkin, Mr De Thomasis, Owen and Oscar do in supporting students. Particularly, the support that is offered for our students who are just beginning their chess journey.

I want to commend the behaviour of the students and acknowledge some outstanding individual performances on the day. In premier division, Pascoe Gould was the star of the show, winning individual honours with 7 wins from 7 games. Additionally, Owen Franettovich was undefeated, however achieved a silver medal due to two stalemates. Robin Varghese tied for third place, while Elijah Johnston achieved a premier merit award with a score of 4.5. These four players made up our Team 1 and were also awarded the gold medal in the Teams event, by a whopping margin of 5.5.

In the A division, Oliver Hood finished in 3rd place on a countback. Scoring 6 points, which was tied for the player in first place. Asher Fiesta, Jack Bennett, Connor Hallman, Taj Goodwin and Dustin Morrow were close behind with 5 points. Additionally, Kade Jesionowski and Seth Postlethwaite scored 4.5 points, and all 6 players were awarded Merit awards on the day. Seth, Oliver, Connor and Jack were also awarded a gold medal in the Teams event and should be proud of their performances on the day.

We are excited about the next Interschool Event and hoping to win again so that we can look to secure teams in the State Finals in October. This event will take place again at MCC Junior Campus on 1 September. It was great to see a few new faces at this competition, and I am hopeful that we can see these students continue to develop and improve as each term passes.

This year's International Women in Engineering Day Breakfast event was held on Wednesday 18 June. Ms Cook, along with four students from St Patrick’s, Libby, Tess, Indiana and Lilly, attended the celebration. The event provided a valuable opportunity for students to engage with industry professionals and inquire about key opportunities for women in STEM fields within the Mackay region. The event was officially opened by Greg Williamson, the Mackay Mayor. Ms Kylie Rogers, Associate Director of Infrastructure at Mackay Regional Council, delivered an inspiring keynote address. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring prominent local engineering and business leaders, including Craig Meng, Chris Porter, and Rachel Rae.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Engineers Australia – Mackay Regional Group for providing our students with the opportunity to participate in this important event.

From left: Lilly, Indiana, Mr Greg Williamson, Tess and Libby.

St Patrick’s students, Ms Cook and Becker Sunner Consulting invited guests.

The College Parent Engagement Committee would like to invite you to attend our next parent information session, "Navigating Teen Mental Health: Risks, Rest and the Role of Technology" taking place on Tuesday 22 July in the Senior Campus Auditorium (J1), enter through Gregory Street. Light refreshments will be served from 5:30pm for a 6:00pm start.

Join our College Counsellors for an insightful presentation on teen mental health, risky behaviours, sleep patterns, and the impact of technology. This session will provide valuable information for parents and caregivers to better understand the challenges teens face today and how to support their wellbeing.

We look forward to seeing you at the session. 

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖! 

Applications are invited for an 𝐈𝐂𝐓 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 to join us at St Patrick's College Year 7-12 Mackay.

𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 - https://applynow.net.au/jobs/CER1391

Mackay Chamber Music Festival invites all to a weekend of world-class concerts and masterclasses! There are spots available for guitar and string masterclasses for both participants and observers. Please see our website. We hope to see you this July 18-20!