1997 School Magazine

@iris @ramnmr ~cbool 3'/ilrisbane 1997 ----------

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O'CONNOR

0 'Connor has certainly taken the School by storm in 1997 with an array of exceptional achieve- ments. The talented maroons have made their presence felt at eve1y House event this year, performing with bravery, tenacity, spirit, and sportsmanship. From the very be- ginning of the school year, O'Connor

maroons made their mark on thl' swimming scene with a trul y hcroi l win. O'Connor was awarded firs t in the aggregate cup. [n parti cular th . efforts of Morgan Graing r, Kati . Ashton, Ma rgi e Butno ri s, Kail' Dobbrick, Be linda Dea l, Ail: x Grainger, Carolyn Johnson, L ·ah

House Captain

Emma Lane

House Vice-Captain

Rachel Gethin-Jones

House Sports Captain

Emma Hutchison

House Sports Vice-Captain Leah Dobbrick

Dobbrick, Susan Low and Emma Hutchison must be commended. There were also many other swimmers who swam wonderfully and went on to r present Grammar as part of the School team. Pe rhaps more aclmin blt· than our placing however, was the atmosphere tha1 every maroon provided, as O'Connor war-cries reverbera ted through- out the stands of the Centenary Pool complex. Th e lnl c r- llou sl'

has shown an enduring display of House spirit, through the leadership of a highly devoted Year Twelve body. The partici- pation of the various House·Groups, particularly the Year Eight and Nine students, has revealed the incrediofy diverse talents of many individuals, whil:;t the achievements of these individuals have served to highlight the formidable drive and enthusiasm

of O'Connor as a whole. Our successes have been a clear indication of the Year Twelves' goal to promote House spirit across the grades. The house grew by twenty-seven when our fabulously talented Year Eight girls arrived on the scene. Since the ve1y be- ginning these girls have been a constant source of devotion and eager- ness. The year began with the traditional ori- entation day and the usual getting-to-know- you activities, in which this lively bunch will- ingly took part. The Eights surveyed,with an- ticipation, the standard games of the annual 'O'Connor House BBQ'

Drama Compelit ionsoon foll owed in the wak , of the optimism whi ·h ac· compani ed our swim- ming successes. Susa nna Crane and K llie Shaw brought life to the pla y called "Switch on, turn off' , a brilliant aga of drama , acti on and rn mance. The play showl'd the important role tel evi- sion plays in the lives of Australian famili es. Till' acting was of a parti cu larly high standard and the effo rt di splay ·cl hy all was comm · ndabil.' . Lu cy Ca rne's hil ari ous rol e as the do tor ;i nd Caroline Po rter as 1he nurse provicl d mu h entertainment, stea ling the lime light. Ov ·rail ,

which soon followed. The atmosphere was nothing short of inspiring, as each member vigorously took part in games, skits, and war cries. The Miss O'Connor quest was undoubtedly the highlight with the Year Elevens who provided an utterly side- splitting performance, the clear winners of the quest. Naturally there was the usual pizza , cake, Jollies and INDIGESTION! All in all , it was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and the Eights were successfully initiated into O'Connor House. The Inter-House Swimming carnival soon followed, held for the first time at Centenary Pool. The marvellous organization by Emma Hutchison and Leah Dobbrick, our House Sports Cap- tains, and some amazing swimming from our girls made it a truly unforgettable clay. Indeed, for the first time in history, the Term two began with the Inter-House Cross Count1y, now an official House competition. The O'Connor girl s took to th ' slopes of Victoria Park and displayed rea l persevera nce to complete the gruelling 3 km course. Although no overa ll result ~ were awarded, O'Connor won the Year Twe lve age group. Many of these devoted, multi-talented people then took to t!,c gym floor , bars, beam or vault, or armed themse lves w 1th ribbon, hoop or ball to display their gymnastic abilities al Int er- House Gymnastics . The creative talents of the non-gymnaSt s --------------------230--------------------i O'Connor came a thrilling third place, the adjudicator cla iming it to be "well structured, entertaining, a good cl emonstra lion ° 1 colour in both the sets and costumes, and hav ing som highl y enjoyable, synchronised dance scenes" .