2022 has been a good year for SPOSA.

We have celebrated the achievements of our Old Scholars in their endeavours. This included congratulating eleven of our cohort on their representation at this year’s Olympic Games. Its been said that St Peters would have ranked 4th in the medals table at the end of the first week of the games, if we’d been a separate country. An amazing statistic, and behind the numbers is the hard slog, determination, sacrifice and teamwork which delivers that kind of success. Our Old Scholars are striving and achieving in many fields, often unheralded – and we celebrate them all.

We have welcomed Old Scholars back to the school to participate in a range of extra-curricular events including some entertaining Old Scholar v Current Students sporting contests. We have Old Scholars as valued mentors and back-up players in musical concerts and as spectators and audience members to cheer on the team and enjoy watching the amazing talents of our current students. Quite often it is family members who come to support and there is an increasing inter-generational pool of parents and grandparents at the school who are themselves Old Scholars. It was particularly pleasing, and an honour to welcome Old Scholar and parent Noel Pearson (1982) back to the school to unveil the Acknowledgement of Country plaque at the Harts Rd entrance. A plaque designed by Tully Button (2021).  How good is it to be a part of a community that publicly acknowledges our first nation people, recognises the importance of their custodianship and the special place our Aboriginal and Torres Strait brothers and sisters have in our society.

 
It is also great to see our Old Scholars reconnecting with each other at reunions. At this year’s reunion weekend lunch in the old refectory, now called “Café 45” (how posh! Plus, the food is top notch too), we were treated to a viewing and Directors Commentary of a fabulous home movie of life on campus in the 1960s by Garth Dennis (1962). And surprisingly, we were all able to remember the words to the old school War Cry! How we came, for many years, to be chanting a Maori Haka as our school war-cry is one of life’s mysteries – but it became part of the DNA for many of us.

We also acknowledged the life, legacy and contribution of those old scholars who have passed on. This year that included honorary Old Scholar, a champion of our school - and our SPOSA Patron, Bill Curnow. We rang the Chapel bell in memory of all our passing Old Scholars and cherish their contribution to our lives.

Looking forward, the SPOSA Committee have continued to lean-in to ways which we can invest for future generations of Old Scholars, ensuring the vitality and relevance of our association into the future as our member base grows. This has included the 'Find Your Future' program, the SPOSA Bursaries to current students, which we have increased this year, and – the prizes for the winners of St Peters You’ve Got Talent. Our next investment is a kiosk in the new Centre forLearning and Innovation – replacing Luther House in the centre of the Indooroopilly campus. We hope that this will create a physical presence and opportunity to engage current students in the history of their school, build awareness of their place in the ongoing community of St Peters as a 'Saint for Life'. We believe that there will be more opportunities to strengthen the bonds of recent old scholars to the SPOSA community, and we welcome all our Old Scholars present and future for ideas and participation.

May I take this opportunity to thank our industrious Alumni Officers:  Rowena Lester and Virginia Cordingley who hold us all together. Both Rowena and Virginia have decided to finish up at the end of the year. On behalf of SPOSA I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the work they have done for the Association and all Old Scholars during their empolyment at the College and wish them both the very best for their future endevours. Thanks to our Committee – we’ve got some exciting ideas already for next year! To our Old Scholars who have written in, participated and turned up – thank you. See you all at Carols – a wonderful school community event which is rapidly becoming the new Herbstfest. There you go, I said that out loud.
Llewellyn Jones (1983)   

It's hard to believe we are coming to the close of another year.  While the start of 2022 experienced challenges such as floods and COVID, the year thankfully progressed well and it has been wonderful to see our Old Scholars return to campus, and an increase in events taking place.  The second annual P&F and SPOSA Trivia Night proved once again to be very popular and another success.  Thank you to our Old Scholar community who were kind enough to be involved in asking Trivia questions for the night.  We had everyone from past teachers to current Olympians involved, which added a special touch to the evening.  Reunion Weekend was again well attended as were a large number of peer year reunions.

Welcome to our newest Old Scholars, the 2022 Seniors!  Congratulations on all you have achieved during your time at St Peters.  We wish you all the best for the future and look forward to keeping in touch.

Finally, we would like to say thank you for your support and farewell.  We are both moving on to new roles at the end of the Term, so the new year will see some fresh faces working in the SPOSA Office.  We would like to wish you all the very best for a happy and healthy Christmas break, and hope 2023 brings renewed energy, adventures and happiness.

Virginia and Row

Did you know we offer blazer pockets for current St Peters students who are 2nd or 3rd Generation Scholars?  If you are an Old Scholar of St Peters, have children at the school, and have not taken up this offer yet, please contact the SPOSA Office to obtain the required paperwork.  This applies to all students of Old Scholars in Years 7-12.

The 2022 SPOSA AGM was held on Monday 10 October.  The new SPOSA Committee is listed below. We are always keen to welcome Old Scholars to our Committee Meetings so please contact the SPOSA Office if you are interested in coming along or linking in.  

President - Llewellyn Jones (1983)

Vice presidents - Rob Barber (1990) & Rowena Lester (Fulton 1991)

Treasurer - James Armstrong (2016)

Secretary - Anne Fulton (1988)

SPOSA Patron - Margaret Curnow (Neumann 1960)

Committee Members - Greg Morton (1989), Zoe Truesdell (1998), Cass Sun (1991), Karel Baum (1976), Bradley Porter (1975), Julie Ross (Hillman 1969), and Jennifer White (Dalrymple 1996).  We also thank Anna Staley (1983) and Ben Kanowski (2016) for their continued service to SPOSA, and who we look forward to including on the committee early in the new year again.

The AGM minutes can be viewed here.

The dates for our 2023 SPOSA Committee Meetings are listed below.  If you would like to attend in person or virtually, please contact the SPOSA Office.

6 February (this will be a Special General Meeting where we will vote on changes to the Constitution), 13 March, 8 May, 11 June (SPOSA AGM), 14 August, 4 September, 9 October, 13 November.

The SPOSA Committee has recently undertaken a review of the Constitution. A number of changes to the Constitution and By-Laws have been proposed. These primarily relate to increasing the size of the SPOSA Committee to provide additional Committee Members to form sub-committees to focus on activities and events aligned to the SPOSA Objectives. There is also a focus on engaging the year 12 cohort prior to their graduation, and establishing networking opportunities, events and activities specifically focused on our "new" Old Scholars, being those students who graduated in the last five years. We are committed to maintaining and respecting our proud SPOSA history whilst also developing strategies to ensure SPOSA is meaningful to our younger Old Scholars.

Please click here to access the current Constitution with proposed changes. The proposed changes will be voted on at a Special General Meeting on 6 February, 6pm, Top Floor of P&F Centre, which you are welcome to attend. As Members of SPOSA your views are valued, and your feedback on the proposed changes is welcome. Please send contact the SPOSA office with any feedback at sposa@stpeters.qld.edu.au.

We are pleased to advise the following important dates to keep in mind for 2023.  Please note, the 2023 Reunion Weekend dates are currently being finalised.  

Current Parents who are Old Scholars Drinks  

7.00-9.00pm, 17 February, Centre for Learning and Innovation

Founders Day Assembly with morning tea to follow 

8.00-11.00am, 20 February, Centre for Learning and Innovation

P&F and SPOSA Trivia Night 

Saturday 29 July, Cafe 45

Carols Under the Stars

Sunday 26 November

Reunion Weekend 

9 - 11 June

AGM

Sunday 11 June, 11:30am, Top Floor of P&F Centre

We look forward to welcoming you on campus for the 2023 Reunion Weekend.  In 2023, we are excited to hold Reunion Weekend during Term 2, which will provide attendees with the opportunity to attend a number of College events. 

 ‘A Music Tale’ is a wonderful concert which involves string students from Years 2 – 12.  We know you will be amazed at the talent, enthusiasm and fun this event brings. 
 
After lunch on Saturday 10 June, there will be Rugby and Football (Soccer) games taking place on Mayer and Harts Road Ovals.  Come along and cheer the current 1st Teams on!

 We will still have Songs of Praise, College Tours, Graduates Lunch, Chapel Service, and AGM on Reunion Weekend, as detailed below.  Tickets for Reunion Weekend will be available via Eventbrite closer to the date.

Friday 9 June 
A Music Tale Concert, 6:30pm, Dron Auditorium, PAC

Saturday 10 June
Songs of Praise, 10am, Chapel
College Tour, 11am, meet outside Chapel
Graduates Lunch, 11:45am, Cafe 45
St Peters 1st XV Rugby, 2:15pm, Mayer Oval
St Peters 1st II Football (Soccer), 2:15pm, Harts Road Oval

Sunday 11 June
Chapel Service, 9am, Chapel
Old Scholars Group Photo, after Chapel Service
AGM, 11:30am, Top Floor of P&F Centre

Any amendments to venues or times will be notified as soon as possible.

Over the September holidays the College campus was abuzz with many Old Scholars who returned to enjoy the activities of our annual Reunion Weekend. Festivities began on the Friday night with a relaxed evening at Hillstone. Saturday morning some of our current Seniors made us proud as they escorted those interested on a tour through the College to view the historical and brand new buildings.

The Graduates Lunch was made extra special this year with a viewing of the 1962 home movie of St Peters, filmed and narrated by a guest at the lunch Garth Dennis. Sunday morning Chapel Service was hosted by our faithful congregation with a special influence by our Old Scholars who lead the prayers and bible readings.

 
It was another wonderful weekend and oppourtunity for us to celebrate and remember our time at St Peters.

We have seen several Reunions happening over the last couple of months. It is wonderful to see friendships rekindled and memories made as our Old Scholars gathered again to celebrate being 'A Saint for Life'.  

Peer years involved include Class of 1972, 1982, 1992, 2011, 2012 and  the first 10 year reunion for St Peters Springfield.

Kieran Gibson is a St Peters Old Scholar who has gone on to achieve outstanding results in his further studies and continued his love to academics to become the youngest staff member at the University of Queensland in the Economics Department.

Since graduating from St Peters in 2015 Kieran has gone on to complete further studies at the University of Queensland where he studied Bachelor of Math and Bachelor of Economics. Once completing his double degree he continued with his Economics path to complete his Honours in 2020. Kieran reached one of the Universities highest honours when he received a University Medal for academic excellence and the Microeconomics Honours Prize for his coursework and thesis at the end of 2021. He is currently working on his Phd in Economics and is also the youngest lecturer and course coordinator in the School of Economics at UQ.

We wanted to know what inspired him into this field of study and what the future holds for one of our high achieving academic Old Scholars. When asked of the attraction to this area of study, the answer was simple. “Mathematics and people! I find them so interesting, and, in my field, I spend a lot of time working with them both. In my research, I formalise human behaviour by analysing decision-making in experiments and theory. Although the behaviour is typically a simple action, the analysis behind it is usually complex. Having a good understanding of people and mathematics helps me to bridge the gap of knowledge between the two. In a way similar to my research, I am to bridge the gap of knowledge between mathematics and people in my teaching as well. But in this context, I’m working from a different angle, starting with the mathematics and then presenting it to people in a way that is intuitive.", he said.

 
It is not surprising that Kieran has brought these two elements together in his previous roles teaching at UQ and his current position as a lecturer and course coordinator. “I find mentoring students particularly rewarding. They often come to me for advice about their studies, asking me to help them pick subjects, supervisors, degree programs, et cetera. It’s a privilege to be trusted with decisions that are significant to these students, and I try to help them where I can. I’m very appreciative of my own mentors and the impact they have had on my career. I hope I play a similar role for my students.” he said.

With people like Kieran supporting our tertiary students the future looks bright. Once he finishes his PhD he hopes to remain a part of the academic community in a full time position, and with all of his knowledge and expertise we hope he does too!

For Old Scholars Amy (2017) and Hal (2016) Chandler, life has been busy since graduating from St Peters.  Both Amy and Hal have enjoyed giving back to the College while undertaking their university studies.  We have loved hearing about their paths to date and plans for the future.

Amy and Hal, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with SPOSA.  We would love to know what you have both been up to since you graduated St Peters

Amy
I graduated St Peters in 2017, so this is my fifth year out. Since graduating, I have been studying full time and I have found my passion in Speech Pathology at the University of Queensland. St Peters made my transition from school to university seamless – as soon as I graduated, I was offered a job as a tennis coach. This was the perfect university job as it allowed me to focus on my studies while having a job that kept me fit and healthy. 

Hal
I graduated St Peters in 2016 – so I’ve now spent more time out of high school than in it! I completed a Music Degree (specialising in Electric Jazz Bass) in 2019 at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and am finishing a Bachelor of Architectural Design degree at UQ this year. During this time I’ve played countless jazz, fusion, rock, country, big band and punk gigs around Queensland, with highlights being opening for the Choirboys with the Undercurrents, having original music played nationally on triple J with my band LY-OH and raising over $6000 for the Stanthorpe Rural Fire Brigade with the Lateshift Big Band in wake of the 2019 bushfires. My architecture degree has taken me across Australia and Europe, as I’ve had the privilege of spending time in Cairns learning about First Nation’s design principles as well as being one of two Australian recipients of the Prince’s Trust Foundation Summer School Scholarship, which involved spending three weeks at the Dumfries Estate (40 mins south of Glasgow) getting hands on with heritage architecture and restoration activities.

 What did you find most enjoyable while you were students at St Peters?

Amy
I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed my 5 years at St Peters. In particular, the countless opportunities to participate in a range of cocurricular activities is what made my time at St Peters so memorable. I took full advantage of the high-quality sport programs that St Peters offered and in Year 12 alone, I was involved in Touch Football, Tennis, Athletics, Cross Country and Softball. Aside from the wonderful sporting opportunities, St Peters encouraged and supported me to pursue my studies, which eventually lead me into my dream degree.  

Hal
When I think of my time at St Peters, I fondly remember my time spent in the art department. Having the opportunity to experiment with different methods of expression in a safe and encouraging environment has given me confidence when communicating both my musical and architectural ideas. Although I never took classroom music, I loved being part of the stage, rock and jazz bands run by Grantley Such, Kerry Jacobson and Mark Pradella, and these mentors helped establish me as a musician and have continued to support my musical journey post-graduation. Other than music, I have fond memories of playing tennis, as it was where I met many of my close friends and learnt valuable lessons through Mark Lewis' coaching.

What qualities do you think St Peters contributed to or helped instil in you which have helped you to be where you are now?

Amy 
During my time as a student and a coach, I have found that St Peters has a strong emphasis on creating a community that supports and uplifts its members. Within the tennis community, our main emphasis is that we are a team – everybody’s unique skills make us stronger. In addition, our Head Coach, Mark Lewis, has instilled many core values into his coaches and students. In particular, after versing countless schools and clubs over the years, I have come to the conclusion that St Peter’s commitment to quality sportsmanship is what makes us stand out from other schools. At St Peters, we are honest and fair competitors who pride ourselves on loving the game, even if we win or lose.

Hal
Although I only briefly experienced Grant Mason’s electric musical teaching style, his motto of “a musician who arrives on time is late, and a musician who arrives early is on time” has continued to keep me punctual since grade 10. Playing in all the school bands has taught me the importance of listening, as the act of creating music is about working as a team to convey the emotion and impact of the music and is not about being the best instrument technician.

What have you enjoyed the most about continuing your involvement with the College once becoming Old Scholars?

Amy
As my degree in Speech Pathology capitalises on delivering person, family and community centred care, tennis coaching has been a wonderful opportunity to build on my interpersonal skills. I have been privileged enough to have worked with children of all ages and abilities as well as learn from knowledgeable parents, teachers and fellow coaches. Working with likeminded coaches and building friendships has been a highlight for me. Additionally, throughout my five years of coaching, I have also been heavily supported to prioritise my studies and pursue my degree. 

Hal
Its always great fun playing with the Lateshift Big Band at the Spring into Spring and Christmas Carols events, as its great to give back to the St Peters community and see students, staff and parents having a boogie!

Do you and Hal play tennis together much?  Is tennis a love you share with other family members?

Hal and I have both been playing tennis since Year 3. Our whole family loves tennis, however, we all wish we played more of it!

You will both be graduating from your university degrees at the end of this year – Congratulations!  What does the future hold for you both? 

Amy
At the end of this year, I will be graduating as a Speech Pathologist, and I have recently accepted a job at a regional hospital in Northern Queensland. As a speech pathologist, our role is to help people, of all ages, who have communication and swallowing difficulties. Communicating with your family and friends as well as enjoying a meal are activities that we do daily. However, only when it’s impacted or changed do we realise how much we take these things for granted. Additionally, I have become passionate about delivering speech pathology services in rural and regional Australia. Currently, there is a great shortage of allied health professionals working in remote communities and I believe that it is my role to advocate and spread awareness for more accessible services.  

Hal
Like Amy, I’ll also be graduating this year (but with a Bachelor of Architectural design). I aspire to work on projects that take advantage of a site’s memories, crafts people, vernacular, landscape and culture to create architecture that is specific to its place in the universe whilst still being modern in its articulation and function. 

What is your advice for current students?

Amy
My advice for current students is to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities that St Peters has to offer. Once you graduate, you will have to organise all your team sports yourself! Also, it is okay to not know what you want to do when you graduate – you are young, and you have time to find your feet. But if you’re unsure of what to do, speech pathology is always an option!

Hal
My advice is for students to keep an open mind and to constantly observe what’s going on around them. Be open to change and embrace flexibility – locking yourself into a preconceived idea of what you want your career or life to be may mean that you miss out on something you never knew you needed! 

Sarah Deeb (2017) is forging a rewarding path in her life after St Peters.  We have been fortunate to touch base with Sarah recently, and know her future is very bright.  Congratulations Sarah on all you are achieving!

Can you please provide us with a brief summary of your career path since leaving school?

After Year 12 I decided to enrol in a Bachelor of Engineering and Business at QUT under the QUT Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship. After trying that for a couple of years I decided that I wanted to be more involved in policy, advocacy and law making, so I decided to switch to a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at QUT. I now minor in Engineering Foundations and Law, Innovation and Technology and started a Law and Tech Club at Uni! Throughout my degree I have gained experience in Industrial Relations, Family Law, Construction and Employment Law, the Queensland Government, and the political world. Earlier this year, I applied my legal and advocacy skills as a Parliamentary Policy Officer for the Member for Maiwar, Michael Berkman MP which was a great experience. I now work as an Associate at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.  

What attracted you to your chosen field?

Law and policy provide a wonderful insight into our world. I find it both fascinating and rewarding to work in this space – you are constantly learning something new, challenging yourself and your perspectives and meeting interesting people. I intend to go into regulation of technology, health and other areas which although are traditionally seen as non-humanitarian type fields, are ever-increasing in their legal, ethical and social questions. Ultimately, this area is something that makes me excited and hopeful for the future.

What is an aspect of your role and industry that you enjoy and find most rewarding?

On a granular level, being in the legal space can be stressful. However, it is incredible to assist people on a truly human level. Knowing that the work that I do can make a difference in someone’s life is highly rewarding. On the flip side, it is great to be part of government as you can assist in making meaningful change and services available to the community. 

Where to from here?  We would love to know what your plans are for the future

My plan for the future is to go on a big holiday. I am planning to finish my law degree mid next year, so I would like a break! I am passionate about the intersection between law and technology so I am hoping to work in this space. Whatever I do, I want to ensure that I am helping people and creating a better world. 

Do you have any advice for current students who are looking at their end of school options?

I have a few: (1) be fearless – you are allowed to try degrees, and change degrees, go straight to work or relax! (2) What you are passionate about now may change as you get older, and that’s okay, just listen to yourself (3) If in doubt, go into Tech. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of our Old Scholars who have sadly passed away.  

Hilda Schmocker (Bergmann) (1952) 
19/12/34 – 25/09/22

Noel Schmocker (1953)   
27/06/28 – 30/05/22

Pastor Darcy Schefe (1955)  
24/07/37 – 15/07/22

Richard Apel (1957)  
19/12/38 – 19/03/22

James Schmidtke (1960)
4/10/42 - 28/04/22

Ian Dennis (1963)  
19/12/44 – 14/08/22

Dr Margriet Bonnin (1967) 
25/01/49 – 07/06/22

Rev Geoffrey Hartwig (1966) 
13/10/48 – 28/07/22

Allan Roiko (1977) 
10/04/60 – 24/06/22

Bruce Buch (1980) 
28/01/63 – 2/10/22

Kym Leroy Maston Gole (1996)
8/9/78 - 11/10/22

Noah Smith (2021) 
13/02/04 – 2/10/22

Eulogies that we have received can be read here.

We love to keep in touch with our Old Scholars.  Please connect with us via our Facebook or Instagram to see photos from our archives and keep up to date with all news and notices.  Please email us at sposa@stpeters.qld.edu.au if you would like to update your details.

You can also access more information about SPOSA on the St Peters website at this link.

Did you know you can access a variety of publications online?  Please follow the links to keep in touch with what is happening both at SPOSA and the College.

Click here for previous SPOSA AGM minutes, from 2002 onwards.

Click here to access previous editions of the SPOSA Bulletin.

Click here to access previous issues of the school magazine, Plus Ultra.

Do you have anything to donate to the SPOSA archives?  We are always looking for additions to our already substantial archives.  If you have any uniforms, photos, or other St Peters items which you would like to donate to the archives, please contact the SPOSA Office on 3377 6592 or sposa@stpeters.qld.edu.au.

We are always looking for ways to support St Peters families and their businesses.  The College has compiled a list of businesses owned and operated by St Peters families, and we would encourage you to refer to this resource if you are in need of any of these services.  The directory can be found here.