From the Head of Culture

Making the Right Moves at the Gardiner Interschool Chess Competition 

Competing across all divisions of the Gardiner Interschool Chess Competition held at Brisbane Boys' College in Toowong, the St Patrick's College Chess team enjoyed a rewarding and successful day. Our players achieved strong results across the board, whether recognised with prizes or not, and the College was grateful to work with such a consistent, respectful and dedicated team. 

Our First IV team of Oliver Allen (Team Captain), Elias Gillott, William Jones and Braydan Thompson performed consistently throughout their A Division matches, securing third-place medals. They repeatedly demonstrated resilience and composure against strong opposition. Elias was also awarded an Individual Merit Award for his outstanding performance. 

We were fortunate to field two teams in A Division and one team in B Division. All teams competed strongly, gaining valuable experience, recognition among other schools and confidence for future competitions. 

The C Division team also produced some excellent individual performances. James Morris, Tyrese Healy, Emilio Ceccato, Jethro Cope and Xavier Ballenger each received Merit Awards for their efforts and competitive play. 

The Gardiner Interschool Chess Competition has become one of the most anticipated events on the chess calendar. It is both highly challenging and immensely rewarding. Through competitions such as these, our students learn not to underestimate or overestimate their opponents, to trust in their preparation and abilities, and to approach each game with confidence and respect. 

Chess is both an individual and a team pursuit. Every player contributes to the collective success of the team, and each victory is shared by all. Congratulations to everyone who participated and we thank you for your ongoing passion and commitment to the game and the College. 

Theatresports Update - A Season of Creativity and Achievement 

It has been an exciting and successful season for our Theatresports students, who have demonstrated creativity, confidence and teamwork both in competition and within our College community. 

We are proud to announce that both Junior 2 and the Senior teams progressed through to the semi-finals of the Youth Theatresports Competition, showcasing outstanding talent and improvisation skills throughout the season. 

Our Senior team delivered a strong performance in the semi-finals, impressing audiences and judges alike with their quick thinking and teamwork. While they narrowly missed out on securing a place in the Grand Final, they should be extremely proud of their efforts and the high standard they achieved throughout the competition. 

A special congratulations goes to the Junior 2 team (pictured), who have earned a place in the Youth Theatresports Grand Final, to be held on Saturday 17 October. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the team's hard work, commitment and growth throughout the year. 

We wish the team the very best of luck as they prepare for this exciting opportunity and look forward to seeing them represent the school on the Grand Final stage. 

The enthusiasm for Theatresports was also evident during our recent Interhouse Theatresports Competition. It was wonderful to see so many boys embrace the challenge, with special recognition to those who stepped outside their comfort zones and gave Theatresports a try for the very first time. 

We extend our sincere thanks to Old Boy Jack McLeod (Class of 2019), who joined us to deliver a masterclass, sharing his expertise and helping students develop their improvisation skills and confidence. 

The competition was closely contested, with all Houses demonstrating great energy and College spirit. Congratulations to Mooney House (pictured), who emerged as this year's Interhouse Theatresports champions. 

We congratulate all participating students for their enthusiasm, courage and commitment, and we look forward to seeing what our talented performers achieve next. 

Showcasing our musical talent at the Einbunpin Festival 

Congratulations to all of our performers who participated in this year's Einbunpin Festival. Our Drum Corps (pictured), Jazz Ensemble 1, Shore Thing, Pier Pressure and Dance Crew ensembles proudly represented St Patrick's College, showcasing their talent, dedication and creativity to the wider community. 

The festival provided a wonderful opportunity for students to share their passion for the performing arts while engaging with the local community. Their performances reflected the hard work and commitment that have become hallmarks of our cultural programs 

Thank you to all students, staff and families for their support of this outstanding community event. Your encouragement and enthusiasm helped make the festival a memorable and rewarding experience for all involved.

Success in QDU Debating

St Patrick's College Debating continues to go from strength to strength, with three teams progressing to the Queensland Debating Union (QDU) semi-finals this year: - Year 7.1, Year 11.1 and Year 12.1. 

This achievement is a testament to the hard work, preparation and commitment of our debaters, who have represented the College with confidence, skill and professionalism throughout the season. 

We extend our congratulations to all the students involved and thank the many coaches who have supported our debating program. In particular we acknowledge the efforts of Mr Neill Smith, Mrs Jodie Bullock, Mr Brendan Hughes and Ms Kate Mulvihill for their guidance and leadership of our semi-final teams. 

As participation and success continue to grow, St Patrick's College Debating is establishing itself as one of the College's leading co-curricular programs. Congratulations to all those who contributed to another outstanding year of debating at the College. 

Hitting the right notes at the Queensland Catholic Schools and Colleges Music Festival (QCMF) 

This year’s QCMF was once again a spectacular success. Held over four days at Villanova College, we were proudly represented by 27 ensembles and over 500 students. The College achieved an outstanding medal tally of 14 Gold, 11 Silver, and two Bronze Awards. 

Special mention goes to our Year 5 cohort, who took to the stage with confidence with their 94 piece Concert Band, their 34 piece String Ensemble, and a whole cohort Choir, all being awarded Silver. We would also like to extend our thanks to the Year 12 cohort and their families, who led the way with humility and camaraderie seeing spectacular results for all of our Senior Ensembles in their final year.  

Special congratulations must be extended to the following students who received Awards of Excellence over the four days: 

• Vocals: Jaden Armitage, Mitch Southby, Tyler Haynes, Alex Townsley 
• Bass Guitar: Ben Whiteside, Kieran Latham 
• Tenor Saxophone: Marius Graham 
• Keyboards: Oscar Brown 

We are incredibly proud of all our young musicians and grateful to all the staff who have supported their journey. 

A heartfelt thank you to Co-Curricular Music Coordinator Mr Laurent Dubois and the entire Music Department team for their tireless efforts, and a special mention to Co-Curricular Music Administration Officer Mrs Mel Bell for her seamless coordination of this large-scale event, enabling our young musicians to shine. 

Senior Dramatic Production - Lord of the Flies 

Our Senior Drama students recently took audiences on a gripping journey with their production of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, directed by acclaimed theatre practitioner Mr Michael Futcher. 

The production explored themes of survival, power, fear, leadership and the breakdown of civilisation as a group of young people are stranded on a deserted island. The Waterford Building Drama spaces were transformed into a mysterious, long-lost island, immersing audiences into the world of the play. 

Under Michael’s expert direction, students were challenged to push themselves as performers, developing complex characters and exploring the physical and emotional demands of the story. The ensemble worked together to create a tense and confronting performance that kept audiences engaged from beginning to end. 

The production was a fantastic opportunity for our Senior Drama students to work alongside a professional director and develop their skills in acting, ensemble performance and storytelling. 

We extend our sincere thanks to: 

• Mrs Bianca den Hollander - Assistant Producer and Head of Faculty, Creative Arts 
• Mr Kevin Camrass - Technical Coordinator 
• Mr Darren Wells - Property and Facilities Manager 
• Mr Jon Sutton - Set and Props Artist  
• Mrs Tiffany Visser - Program Design 
• Mrs Stacey Morgan – Print Room 
• The Cultural Support Group 
• The Marketing Team 
• The IT/AV Team 
• Student Ushers 

Congratulations to all students involved in this wonderful production and for their commitment, creativity and courage in bringing this challenging and powerful story to life.