Current Edition | Term 2, Week 9

This fortnight, I had the pleasure of attending Ronald McDonald House with staff and students from Xavier House. As a part of the House in Action Program, Xavier House has developed a partnership with this amazing charity. The partnership allows Laurie’s boys to interact with the residents of Ronald McDonald House through organised games, social interactions, cooking and gardening. The aim of the service is for our boys to bring smiles to the faces of some of the children who may be finding it difficult to smile at that point in time.

On Wednesday of last week, our visiting group also had the opportunity to see first-hand a new room at the Ronald McDonald House that the College is proudly sponsoring. This sponsorship was made possible through the generosity of our 2025 Walkathon fundraising efforts.

This meaningful initiative reflects our shared commitment to compassion and service. It also aligns with this year's theme for our Walkathon, “The Road We Share As We Walk Alongside Those In Need.”

This week, we launched our 2026 Walkathon campaign with all parents and students receiving a bespoke donation link, allowing both you and your immediate community an opportunity to donate if you can.

Ronald McDonald House largely depends on the generous donations of individuals and corporations. As a major partner of our Walkathon fundraising, the College will continue to support Ronald McDonald House and the good work that they do. However, there are always opportunities for families and corporations to be involved with supporting this charity. You can find more information about Ronald McDonald House on their website here.

Individually, if you are looking to support Ronald McDonald House by way of food donations, volunteering time or helping at events, you can find more information on the following links:

Events interest form | Donated items information | Corporate Volunteering

With a number of our current families directly involved with this charity, it is a great opportunity to support our direct community. As a College, we look forward to supporting them again through this year’s Walkathon.

One of the highlights of the past fortnight was the College's Careers Expo and Subject Selection Evening, which provided students and families with a valuable opportunity to explore future pathways and make informed decisions about their education pathway. The evening brought together representatives from universities, training organisations, industry partners and College staff, creating a vibrant and engaging environment in which students could consider the many opportunities available beyond school. It was particularly pleasing to see students actively engaging in conversations about their aspirations, strengths and future possibilities, reflecting the growing importance of career education in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world. Events such as these reinforce the importance of informed decision-making in preparing young people not only for academic success, but for meaningful and fulfilling futures.  

I would particularly like to thank the many Old Boys and Industry partners who volunteered their time to provide a firsthand experience of individual careers.  

Additionally, I extend my sincere thanks to our Careers Counsellors, Ms Amy Dyer and Mr Paul Moscos, whose dedication and expertise were instrumental in the success of the evening. I also acknowledge the outstanding work of our College Events Team, Ms Grace Visser and the Learning and Teaching Team, whose planning, organisation and attention to detail ensured a seamless and highly professional event for our students and families. 

Traditionally, the final event of Semester 2 at St Laurence's College is the much-anticipated annual House Choir. While on the surface, this activity looks like a chance to earn House points, a fun finish to the term for our young men and an opportunity to highlight the great culture of singing in our community, it is actually much more than this. The House Choir is definitely what I have just suggested, but it is also a fantastic celebration of boys' education. It is rare to see 2,000 teenage males ditch their inhibitions and forget social expectations to proudly stand and sing in their community for House points and celebration. It is a celebration of boys not being afraid to be themselves and grow through experience.

With all that in mind, it gives me great pleasure to announce this year's winner of the House Competition as Callan House. Well done Mr David Sheehan and all the staff and students of Callan House.

Last week, we concluded the second trimester of sport for 2026. While there were many notable performances across different age groups and different sports, I would like to particularly congratulate our Football and Chess programmes, who both took out the aggregate Shields across all Colleges. Term 2 sport at SLC involves the most number of students, the most number of staff and coaches and requires the most resourcing. I must thank all students and staff involved and especially acknowledge the work of Mr Pat Byron and the Sports Department for all they have done during Term 2. With Basketball, Rugby League and Tennis on the horizon and training already beginning for Athletics, the next round of sport is already creating excitement amongst the College. I would like to wish our First Basketball and Tennis teams all the best as they prepare over the holidays and offer a special best wishes to our Confraternity Rugby League team, who will compete in Division One at the Confraternity Shield for the first time in 2026. The Confraternity Carnival involves 72 Catholic Rugby League Teams from across the state and will be held at Marist College Ashgrove this year. Details about the carnival can be found here.

The annual Laurie’s Sports Lunch has been and gone in the last fortnight and once again, this event showcased the strength of our community. The lunch brought together over 550 of our individuals from current families, Old Boys, staff and supporters at the Greek Club in South Brisbane. Hosted by renowned Queensland journalist, Pat Welsh, the day was headlined by former Australian cricketer and Fox Sports commentator, Kerry O’Keeffe. Kerry stole the show with his antics and humour. Most importantly, significant funds were raised for Laurie’s sporting projects into the future. I thank Ms Helen Turner and Mr Will Pike from the College Advancement team for their leadership and organisation of this event, and especially thank the Lauries Community Committee and the Sports Supporters Group subcommittee for driving the occasion and providing the parent input that helped make this event a success.

As we conclude the term, I would like to thank the staff of the College for their ongoing commitment to the Laurie’s Journey and our families for their continued partnership with the College. The strength of St Laurence's College has always been found in the relationships that exist between students, staff and families, and those relationships continue to underpin everything we do.

As we move into the holiday period, I encourage all members of our community to take the opportunity to rest, recharge and spend time with those who matter most. Whether you are travelling, participating in sporting commitments, working or simply enjoying some well-earned downtime, please take care and ensure our young men prioritise safety and wellbeing. 

We look forward to welcoming everyone back next term, refreshed and ready for the opportunities and challenges that Semester Two will bring.