Have a crack!

At the Year 12 Prize Giving Assembly a few weeks ago, high-performing students in Years 11 and 12 were awarded books by School Council Chairman Peter Ickeringill and addressed by Gary McPhee, who has taught at BGS since 1985 (when there was only one female member on the Senior School academic staff!)

Gary marvelled at the changes that have occurred over the last 33 years, including the comprehensive Outdoor Education program based around the transition of boys into men, the implementation of Visible Learning and the teaching of goal setting. “None of this happens by accident and it is testament to the vision of the leadership team.”

Gary noted that the Class of 2017 will leave an indelible mark in the history of BGS, even though not all of them received an award at the Prize Giving. “Each and every one of them will leave Brighton with a strong sense of community, some degree of academic, cultural and social advancement, improved self-confidence and a feeling of belonging. Brighton boys look after each other.”

He challenged future Year 12 students: “So don’t just nod your head. Set a goal. Aim to do something new next year, try something, have a crack! If you are going to be a part of the BGS culture, then fully immerse yourself in it.”

Special prizes for 2017 went to the following students:

The 1967 Prefects’ Games Prize: Oliver Barden

The Wellbeing Ethics Belief Prize: Mitchell Dekker

The Peter Goodall Drama Prize: Steven Alesi

The Philip Kondelos Music Prize: Ned Wright-Smith

The H. V. Mitchell Essay Prize: Ben Durkin

The R. W. T. Cowan Prize for Public Speaking: David Lawlor

The Brighton Grammarians’ Lodge Prize (in memory of Ivan Stedman): Nathan Murphy

The G. D. Hird Memorial Prize: Elliott Ayers

The A. and H. Bottomly Citizenship Prize: David Lawlor

The R. M. Millar Prize (formerly the MASCO Prize): Lachlan McCormack

The Noel Thomas Memorial Prize: Zachary Warren (pictured above with Gary McPhee)

The W. A. Clarke Prize: Julian Ou

The R. F. Waring Memorial Prize: David Lawlor

The Jim Fraser Memorial Prize: Rob Tongs

The Selwyn Noall Memorial Rhodes Prize: Ben Durkin

The Prize for the Vice-Caption of the School: Branko Skocic, Oliver Barden

The OBGS Prize for the Captain of the School: Ben Durkin