Bethlehem College Ashfield | Sydney Catholic Schools

Bethlehem #BreakTheBias on International Women’s Day

Bethlehem College Ashfield commemorated International Women’s Day 2022 with a special assembly that celebrated the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

The assembly featured a guest talk from business leader, politician, and mother of two, Bridget Sakr.

An alumni of the College, Mrs Sakr delivered an emotional address about her pathway to success and gave advice as to how young women can achieve their goals and aspirations.

Bridget Sakr addresses the Bethlehem community

Students involved in the College’s new Global Capabilities and Entrepreneurship program honoured this year’s International Women’s Day theme #BreakTheBias by sharing their own messages on what the theme means to them as part of a video presentation.

The College also celebrated the entrepreneurial prowess of Year 9 student Emma Soo, who shared her inspirational story about turning her passion for knitting and crochet into a small online business venture.

The assembly marked a call to action for accelerating women’s equality while aiming to raise awareness among the Bethlehem community of the truly inspiring things that women can achieve when they believe in themselves.

#BreakTheBias was the theme of International Women’s Day 2022

Ann Freeman, Principal at Bethlehem College, said it was an inspiring morning for students and staff alike.

“International Women’s Day is always a fantastic opportunity to help empower our community at Bethlehem,” Ms Freeman said.

“We were fortunate this year to have Bridget Sakr along as a guest speaker and I’m sure everyone in attendance will be able to take something valuable away from her story.

“At Bethlehem, we constantly encourage our students to become confident young women ready to take their place …

domenictrimboli01March 10, 2022|

HSC 2021: Accelerated maths equals success at Bethlehem

Maria Soliman is ahead of the curve after achieving phenomenal results in two HSC mathematics exams a year before graduating high school.

The Bethlehem College Ashfield accelerated mathematics student achieved marks of 99% and 98% in Mathematics Advanced and Mathematics Extension 1, respectively – and she’s still only in Year 11!

Now in Year 12, Maria will this year focus on Physics, Chemistry, English Advanced, and Studies of Religion as she works toward an ATAR score that will enable her to study paediatric medicine or engineering at university.

“A lot of people don’t see it but there’s a beauty to maths” – Maria Soliman

Maria said it felt good to have three units of HSC study already completed, and to receive such good results.

“I’m very excited,” she said.

“I didn’t tell a lot of people but everyone seems to have found out. They’re all really happy for me.”

The road to success

Maria began her journey to early HSC success by completing Year 9 and Year 10 mathematics course work while in Year 9.

“Mathematics has always been a strength for me,” she said.

“I love working with numbers. As a migrant [from Egypt], English is different here. Science is different here. But Maths is the same: it’s numbers.”

She attributes her success to the support of her mathematics teacher of five years, Mary Moujali.

“She’s an awesome maths teacher. Without her support, I couldn’t have done it,” Maria said.

Bethlehem College Ashfield is accepting enrolments. Click here to start your daughter’s learning journey today.

jaderamirezsydcatholiceduauFebruary 11, 2022|

Pitch to protect endangered species

Bethlehem College Ashfield Year 8 students – Nia, Emma, Caitlin, Lucia and Benedicta – have imagined an information campaign to protect West Papua’s critically endangered leatherback turtles.

Their ‘pitch for the planet’, at The Orbispace Initiative’s (TOI) Future of Female Leaders entrepreneurial event, included an app for locals and tourists, plus two educational children’s books to promote behavioural change and protect the turtle population.

The students were inspired by mentors including Brighte senior product manager Emily Burns and Lisa Fedorenko, an Alberts investment manager.

PITCH FOR THE PLANET

“The Bethlehem team were very engaging in their ‘pitch for the planet’ and demonstrated that they have the makings of female innovators of the future,” Bethlehem’s STEM teacher, Jennifer Price, said.

“This activity alone has developed their creativity, critical thinking and entrepreneurial skills.

“They have also developed resume-writing and presentation skills, making use of body language and verbal communication.”

“The experiential learning activities that the Bethlehem students are completing, thanks to The Orbispace Initiative, are quite simply amazing” – Jennifer Price

ABOUT TOI

The Orbispace Initiative (TOI) is an Australian charity which develops students’ entrepreneurial skills through industry mentor opportunities and events that promote success in a rapidly changing physical and digital landscape.

Bethlehem’s Principal, Ann Freeman, said taking part in programs like TOI gave students a competitive edge and “could be the differentiating factor in their future careers”.

“I have been involved in girls’ education for over 30 years and I’ve never seen as much energy, creativity and passion for learning as I have seen here at Bethlehem,” Ms Freeman said.

jaderamirezsydcatholiceduauDecember 17, 2021|

Pulitzer prizes, national firsts: Meet Bethlehem’s trailblazers

The 2021 International Day of the Girl Child – on Monday, 11 October – marks five years since the United Nations’ Gender Equality Forum called for governments, corporations and change-makers around the globe to make bolder moves towards gender equality.

It is also a perfect time to shine a light on the many women leaders who have called Bethlehem College Ashfield their school since it opened 140 years ago.

The college’s alumni are trailblazers in education, medicine, law and the arts.

“From the moment you walk through the doors and engage with the staff and students, it is obvious that this is a unique and exceptional place” – Principal Ann Freeman

A PROUD HISTORY

Rosina Burns, a graduate of the class of 1900, was the first woman in Australia to gain a Masters degree in education, completing her studies in 1928.

By the 1940s, fellow alumni Barbra Kearns had become the first woman to graduate from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as a Professor of Music. She is also believed to be the first Catholic woman to join the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

The 2006 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks was equally lauded in her earlier journalism career. She received the Overseas Press Club Award for best coverage of the Gulf War with her husband Tony Horwitz.

That same year, fellow alumni Justice Deirdre O’Connor became the first woman appointed to the Federal Court of Australia. She was also the first woman to be appointed full-time to the NSW Law Reform Commission.

REMEMBERING HER DAYS IN THE OLD SCHOOL YARD

Former Bethlehem student Rachel Neeson, …

jaderamirezsydcatholiceduauOctober 11, 2021|

Challenge Day: Schools collaborate in ‘awesome race’

Sydney Catholic primary schools battled it out Amazing race-style to be crowned Challenge Day winners and become familiar with their future high school.

More than 130 students from 24 schools took part in the 2021 Challenge Day at Bethlehem Catholic College Ashfield and De La Salle Catholic College Ashfield.

Students take part in Challenge Day activities.

The day included a range of activities aimed at gifted and highly capable students. It provided students the opportunity to participate in enriching learning experiences based on popular television shows within a high school environment.

Students from Years 4 and 5 from local primary schools had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with high school students from the colleges.

Activities included ‘Lego Legends’ to test students’ creativity, engineering and spatial skills and ‘Awesome Race’, using problem solving to explore the colleges.

Students also took part in literacy and numeracy challenges and ‘Quiz Time.’

“The Awesome Race proved to be the most popular and exciting challenge” – De La Salle Principal, Paul Forrester

Year 9 students from the Newman Selective Gifted Education Program played an active role in guiding and mentoring the primary students throughout the day.

Challenge Day Activity

Kimberley D’Cunha, Director of Learning and Curriculum at De La Salle College, was impressed with the excitement and enthusiasm the primary school students showed.

“It was great to see young learners eager to immerse themselves in each activity and really challenge themselves, as well as their peers,” Ms D’Cunha said.

One of the students taking part in the event said: …

AdminMay 31, 2021|

Transport app promotes disability access

Bethlehem College Ashfield students have been named the winners of the 2020 NRMA Future of Transport Challenge for an app giving people with a disability better access to trains.

The Transport 2 U app they developed allows users to request real-time assistance at stations along the Leppington line. Wheelchair users can book a ramp, reducing the time they wait to board a train.

Bethlehem College year 10 students embraced the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) challenge.

They were Georgia Alexakis, Shania Pedavoli, Naomi Huie, Sophia Trovato and Alexandra Ventura.

Students fielded five minutes of unseen questions from a panel of transport industry judges after presenting their work.

“Throughout the project we gathered invaluable STEM skills, like coding, app development and teamwork” – Alexandra

Judges praised the app’s usefulness and ability to be rolled out for other types of public transport. The students said the experience was valuable.

“We were challenged to think like an entrepreneur,” Alexandra said.

Holy Cross College Ryde was also a finalist in the competition. Their PTG (Post COVID Transport Gear) vending machines stocked personal magnetic and suction-powered handles. These were designed to keep Sydney train commuters germ free by avoiding high-touch surfaces.

jaderamirezsydcatholiceduauApril 26, 2021|

Care squares for charity

Students and staff at Bethlehem Catholic College Ashfield have been giving up their lunchtimes to knit care squares for blankets that will warm those in need around the world.

The school’s learning resource teacher, Katheryn Gallagher, came up with the idea of students learning knitting after attending a knit-in for charity that made her feel privileged to be in the presence of others using their skills for the better good.

Students and staff come together every Wednesday lunchtime in the library resource centre to knit squares for charity group Wrap With Love which “wraps” more than 30,000 people with love and warmth each year, both in Australia and globally.

“Our learning resource centre is a magnificent space, conducive to a knitting circle and our library staff have gone out of their way to accommodate us,” Ms Gallagher said.

“Because of COVID-19, the girls are socially distanced but interconnected through knitting; whether chatting to each other or sitting together in silence, they are unified in their goal to make a blanket for those less fortunate.”

School librarian Christine Graham said the knitting group, and games set out on nearby tables, give students the opportunity to make intergroup connections and develop friendships across year groups.

Year 10 student Chloe Juwono said knitting was therapeutic and a nice way to unwind after a hard day at school, while Year 8 student Chloe Dionisio said it was a great way to help the homeless and provide them with things they may not have access to.

Ms Gallagher concluded: “If girls sit, socialise and make friends; then job done.”

Wrap With Love is always looking for knitters. Call them Wednesdays and Fridays 9.30am to 2.30pm on (02) 8399 3000 or email: info@wrapwithlove.org

By: JUDE THOMAS

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Sydney Catholic Schools is enrolling now.

Isabell PetrinicOctober 22, 2020|

The Indigenous girls who designed an NRL jersey

The Indigenous round holds great importance in the NRL calendar. This year, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs entrusted the design of their special commemorative jersey for round 12 to the students of all-girls Bethlehem Catholic College in Ashfield.

“It’s breath taking,” said one of the designers, Bethlehem College student Chanel, of the Kamilaroi and Gomeroi nations.

“Being involved in this project makes me feel proud and happy to be a part of something so rare. As a young Indigenous woman, I feel more connected to my culture and more recognised by the community.”

The design was created by a team of students at her school of various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, who did extensive research into the local area’s peoples, their traditions, totems and key flora and fauna as part of the project.

Taryn, of the Wiradjuri nation, said the inspiration for the jersey design came from the stories and lands of the local Aboriginal tribes, including the Wangal tribe.

“This design is about community, identity, and solidarity with the symbols used portraying players, supporters and the wider NRL community coming together to celebrate our culture” – Taryn

The jersey features the Cooks River, an important geographical point for traditional owners, according to fellow student Darci, of the Wiadjuri and Dunghutti peoples.

“The Wangal people used the river as a resource for food, water and to bathe in,” said Darci.

“Myself and the rest of the girls used our time to design and research about the Dreamtime stories, land and people. We also told a few of our own stories, to have a complete understanding of the whole project.

“We used animal tracks, such as the emu, snake, kangaroo and echidna. The stars (on the jersey) represent the Indigenous players’ ancestors. …

BenjaminJuly 29, 2020|

Bethlehem #BreakTheBias on International Women’s Day

HSC 2021: Accelerated maths equals success at Bethlehem

The road to success

Pitch to protect endangered species

Pulitzer prizes, national firsts: Meet Bethlehem’s trailblazers

Challenge Day: Schools collaborate in ‘awesome race’

Transport app promotes disability access

Care squares for charity

The Indigenous girls who designed an NRL jersey

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our schools and offices now stand. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

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