St Bernard's College Essendon

📢 Attention Year 11 and Year 12 📢

We have some exciting news, the new Senior Bag is now available exclusively for our Year 11 and 12 students. While it’s not compulsory, you can choose to use it instead of the current St Bernard’s school bag if you find it more suitable.

🛒 How to Purchase:
Online: Visit the Academy Uniforms online store.
In-Store: Drop by and see the friendly team at the Uniform Group Niddrie Retail Outlet.

🧣 College Scarves are also back in stock and available for purchase by any interested Year 7 – 12 students.

🏆 Year 7, 8 & 9 ACC Premierships 🏆

ACC Year 9D Basketball team: Champions last week! 🏆🏀

ACC Year 8D Basketball team: Champions yesterday! 🏆🏀

ACC Year 7 Hockey team: Champions yesterday! The game was tied 0-0 at full time and went to shootouts. Our students played exceptionally well and secured the win with a golden goal shootout. 🏆🏑

A huge congratulations to all of our teams for their dedication, teamwork, and making the College proud! 👏

🏆 ACC Cross Country Success! 🏆

Our cross country team has once again delivered outstanding performances at the ACC Cross Country this week! 🏃

James took 1st place in the senior race, Charles took 1st place in the U17s, Hamish took 1st place in the U16s, Tom took 3rd place in the U17s, and Patrick took 3rd place in the U15s. 🥇🥇🥇🥉🥉

The College emerged as overall winners in the Seniors, U17s, U16s, U15s categories, and also clinched the Senior and Intermediate Cup! 🏅🥇🏆

A huge congratulations to every student who represented the College with pride and to the dedicated staff for their support. 👏

🎶 Spring Music Concert 🎶

On Tuesday, the College hosted its annual Spring Music Concert, showcasing magnificent performances from our various music ensembles. 🎷🎸🎹

This event was particularly special as it marked the final formal music concert for our Year 12 students, who were celebrated for their invaluable contributions to the music program at St Bernard’s. Their dedication has played a significant role in making the program the success it is today.

During the event, the prestigious Colin Chapman Award was presented to Lucas McKinnon. Congratulations, Lucas, on earning this well-deserved honour. 🎖

A round of applause to everyone who played a part in creating such a memorable night. 👏

It’s HPE Week, and what better way to kick off the festivities than with a little healthy competition – the 101 Stair Climb! 🏃

Our Sports Captain led the charge, and it was fantastic to see so many eager students giving it their all, with some even making multiple attempts. Congratulations to everyone who participated, and a special shoutout to Nick for his incredible win, conquering the climb in just over 14 seconds! 🥇👏

Keep an eye on the MySBC News to see what other fun activities will be happening across the week!

🌟 Wellbeing Week Assembly 🌟

Last Friday, our College community came together for an inspiring student-led Wellbeing Week Assembly. Our Portfolio Captains from Ministry, Arts, Academic, Sports, and Wellbeing shared powerful insights on how wellbeing is integral to every aspect of our lives. 💬

We were honoured to have Mr Rowe from The Man Cave join us for a Q&A couch session, offering valuable perspectives on the importance of regularly checking in with our mates and reaching out for support when needed. 🤝

Let’s continue to prioritise our wellbeing and support each other! 💙💛🖤

Don’t Miss Out – Book Your Tickets for ‘Rotten Apples’ Now! 🎭🎬🍎

Get ready for an unforgettable experience! St Bernard’s and Ave Maria College Aberfeldie students proudly present the Year 9 Play, ‘Rotten Apples’.

Tickets are just $10 for students and $20 for adults. We invite everyone to come and support our talented students.

With only two showings, this is a limited opportunity to witness a true masterpiece.

🎟 Book your tickets now via https://www.trybooking.com/CULQU

🏆 ACC Year 10 Basketball Champions 🏆

Our ACC Year 10 Division 1 Basketball team clinched the premiership on Tuesday with a thrilling 5-point victory over Parade in overtime! 🏀

Congratulations to all the students and staff involved in this outstanding achievement. 👏

St Bernard’s and St Columba's College Essendon are excited to announce the return of the annual Marby 150 Charity Run on Friday, 13 September. 🏃

All donations raised from this event will support the Sisters of Charity Foundation. To contribute, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/marby150charityrun or use the QR code.

Let’s rally behind this incredible event and show our support for our dedicated staff and students.

❤ Vinnies Winter Appeal and Sleepout ❤

Last week, the College held its annual Vinnies Winter Appeal and Sleepout. We were very fortunate to have Roseanne Rofaeel, the inspirational founder of the local not-for-profit organisation Christmas on the Streets (COTS), address our students who participated in the sleepout. Rose not only gave students an insight into the wonderful work of COTS in aiding the issue of homelessness in Melbourne, but also empowered them to start making a difference today, as she began advocating for the homeless while still in school!

It truly is amazing to see the impact of what a community can do when it comes together. Thank you to all of our families for your generosity in supporting this great cause – we would not be able to do it without you. All donations go towards those who seek the services of the Footscray Vinnies Victoria Soup Van. 🙏❤️

⛷ Snow Australia Interschools ⛷

Recently, three of our students—Xavier, Zach, and Ethan—represented the College at the inaugural Snow Australia Interschools competition at Mt Buller with incredible pride and determination.

Despite facing challenging conditions, including very low visibility and patchy, icy ski runs due to the lack of snow that month, they fearlessly raced and gave it their all. While they narrowly missed qualifying for the Nationals, their unwavering determination and enthusiasm will drive them to train even harder for the 2025 competition. ❄

Congratulations, boys! Your resilience and spirit are truly inspiring, and we can't wait to witness your continued progress and success. 👏

🌟 Year 10 Retreat and Ski Camp 🌟

Over the past couple of weeks, our Year 10 students embarked on some amazing adventures during their retreats and ski camps. ⛷

It was fantastic to have The Man Cave back again, working with our students as part of the retreat program. The ski camps were a hit, giving students the opportunity to hit the slopes and create unforgettable memories. 🏔📸

These experiences provided a great space for bonding, learning new skills, and embracing the great outdoors. 🤝

Our Basketball Academy students recently had an amazing time at Hoop City! They got to watch the pros from Melbourne United Basketball Club train, meet some of the players, chat with the coaching staff, and even had a private on-court training session.

What an unforgettable experience for these young athletes! 🏀

✨ Mirror of Hope ✨

This past Friday, our Year 7 & 8 students had the unique opportunity to hear from Tommy Nyawir, the Founder and CEO of Mirror of Hope C.B.O. Mirror of Hope operates in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya, with a focus on empowering the community through education, economic projects, and youth empowerment programs. Tommy delivered an inspiring message about the organisation's work, leaving a lasting impression on our students. 📚 🌱

We are truly appreciative of Tommy's visit and the chance to hear about his remarkable journey and the positive impact he continues to have on countless lives. 🙏

🌟 Happy Father’s Day 🌟

Today, we celebrate all the incredible fathers and father figures in our community. Whether you’re a dad, stepdad, granddad, foster dad, or a mentor, your love and guidance shape the lives of our students every day. We also take a moment to honour and remember the fathers who are no longer with us. Your legacy lives on in the hearts of those who love you.

To all the dads and father figures, thank you for your unwavering support, wisdom, and care. You are truly appreciated! 💙💛🖤

🌟 Science Week Highlights 🌟

This week, our students dove into the wonders of science with exciting lunchtime activities! From the dynamic fun of the ‘Elephant Toothpaste’ experiment to the thrilling water rocket launch competition, there was something for everyone to enjoy. 🚀🧪

A huge thank you to our dedicated Science team and all the enthusiastic students who participated. Your curiosity and energy made this week memorable!

Could this be the beginning of a journey for the next generation of authors, illustrators, TV scriptwriters, or poets? ✍🖌

Our Year 8 students enjoyed a rewarding day at the annual Literature Festival on Wednesday. The day kicked off with an Author’s Breakfast featuring Mark Brandi, an award-winning, internationally best-selling author, who then also shared his story of becoming an author with the entire Year 8 cohort. Following that, the students engaged in a diverse range of captivating workshops led by some of Australia’s finest Young Adult Fiction authors, poets, graphic novelists, songwriters, and illustrators. The workshops covered various aspects including poetry, graphic novel creation, getting started with a short story, and nurturing creativity as an illustrator. 📚

We extend our gratitude to everyone involved in organising this event, our special guests, and especially the students for actively participating in this enriching day. 🙌

It was a fantastic opportunity to have Dr Michael Lo Monaco, a St Bernard's Old Collegian from the class of 2015, return to the College.

Dr Michael graciously shared his experiences and insights with Sebastian and a few other Year 12 students, shedding light on his journey to becoming a doctor at the University of Melbourne. As he embarks on his intern year, it's remarkable to note that Dr Michael is one of five doctors from his cohort.

It was heartwarming to hear that he remains connected with many of his friends from St Bernard’s.

We sincerely appreciate Dr Michael for generously offering his time to give back to our College community.

Yesterday, our Year 9 Media Class had an amazing time participating in a podcasting session at the Arts Centre and exploring the thought-provoking 'beings' exhibition at ACMI. 🎙

It was a day filled with creativity, inspiration, and learning.

🥇 Lawn Bowls State Champions 🥇

A big congratulations to Flynn, Jack, and Finn for their outstanding performance and victory at the 2024 Super Series Schools Lawn Bowls! 🏆

The Super Schools Series is an annual one-day tournament that showcases the best school bowlers in the state. This exclusive invite-only event features top qualifiers who have excelled in their School Association competitions.

Well done on your incredible achievement and for representing our College with pride! 👏

📽 VCE Media Night – you’re invited! 🎞

The VCE Media Night is an annual event that showcases the creative work of students from the VCE Media program. It features a diverse range of projects, including short films and multimedia presentations, highlighting the students' skills and innovation in media production.

The night serves as both a celebration of their achievements and a platform for students to gain exposure and feedback from industry professionals and peers.

See you in the Auditorium at 7.00 pm on Thursday, 5 September!

🎭 Kick Arts & Solo Music Performance Evening 🎶

On Thursday, the College hosted a Solo Music Performance Evening, featuring students who had volunteered to compete in one of three prize categories – Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. Congratulations to Samuel, Marcus, and Vincent! 👏

The following night, students from St Bernard’s, St Columba’s, and Ave Maria competed against one another in dance, music, or drama at the annual Kick Arts event. It was a great night of fun, led by the talented Art Captains. 🙌

Well done to all students who participated in both events!

📢 Attention Past and Present Marby 150 Students 📢

To kick off Marby 150 week, St Bernard’s and St Columba’s would like to invite all past and present students down to the Maribyrnong Parkrun on Saturday, 7 September. 🏃🏃‍♀️

We would love to see as many of you down there to build up excitement for the great charity event, whilst concluding wellbeing week.

We hope to see lots of 150 tops and smiling faces. 🤗

The 5km fun run will start at 8 am. For more details about the course map, times, rules, and more, please visit https://www.parkrun.com.au/maribyrnong/

🌟 SBC Vinnies Winter Appeal 🌟

As part of the annual Vinnies Winter Appeal, we are once again participating in the and holding a Casual Clothes Day to raise awareness about homelessness and support people in our community.

Check out the MySBC Parent Portal for details on how you can get involved and support this meaningful cause!

Let's come together to make a difference. 💙💛🖤

✨ Celebrating Saint Bernard of Clairvaux 🙏

This morning, our College gathered as a community to celebrate our patron saint, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.

It was a special honour to also welcome our 50 and 60-year reunion old collegians to celebrate with us.

A beautiful day filled with unity and reflection.

Book Week Buzz! 📚✨

This past week, the Library has been buzzing with excitement as students participated in various activities to earn ‘SBC dollars’ for the Auction held yesterday.

We also had two thrilling ‘Crack the Code’ competitions at both the Essendon and Year 9 campuses. 🔓

It was fantastic to see so many students getting involved and having fun, with many teaming up to bid for and share bigger prizes!

🗣 ACC Intermediate Public Speaking Tournament Success 🏆

We are thrilled to announce that our Year 9 and 10 students achieved joint first place at the ACC Intermediate Public Speaking Tournament today. 🥇Congratulations to Walid, Ayaan, Kurt, and Evander for their outstanding performance! We would also like to extend a big congratulations to our Year 10 Debating team for securing third place. 🥉👏

In addition, our Year 11 and 12 A Grade DAV debaters have been diligently preparing with former College Captain, Andre Lesnjak, for the upcoming DAV Finals Playoff tomorrow. They have performed exceptionally well throughout the season, remaining undefeated. 🙌 We wish them the best of luck!

🎶 Victorian School Music Festival 🎶

Last week the College Year 8 Concert Band went to Geelong Christian College to compete in the Victorian School Music Festival (VSMF). 🎷

They had a great time performing three pieces among several other schools and in front of two adjudicators.

The feedback from the adjudicators was very positive, and now they are eagerly awaiting the results. Well done to all involved! 👏

Meanwhile, they are gearing up for the Royal South Street Society Eisteddfod in four weeks!

🏉 Kicking off the week with some fun! 🏉

Our staff vs. students AFL 9’s lunchtime match featured a little bit of friendly competition and lots of laughs!