Newington College

Head Senior Prefect’s Welcome to 2025

Head Senior Prefect’s Welcome to 2025

Jasper S is Newington College 2025 Senior Prefect. But not so long ago, Jasper was just starting out on his path at a Newington College, just like many of our new students. If you or your child is wondering what to expect in the first days and weeks, here’s Jasper’s take on becoming part of the closeknit Black and White community.

Q: Jasper, you started at Newington College in Year 9 three years ago, but you came from further afield than many of our students?

Jasper: Yes, I was born and raised in Hong Kong and lived there up until I was around 14 years old. I moved houses only once in my whole time living there, so moving continents to Australia was just a little bit of a step further! I went to school in a rural part of Hong Kong in a place called Sai Kung where we lived for four years. I played soccer multiple times a week and hung out in Sai Kung every day after school with my mates. I went to an international school with many different faces and backgrounds through school, so that is definitely where I got my mixed accent from.

‘Every student wearing the Black & White, and representing the Newington College Wyvern is behind you in all that you do. If you ever need support, look to your peers. Be willing to rely on them and learn to appreciate all the time you have with them.’

Q: What was it about Newington that particularly appealed to you and your family when presumably you could also have chosen to attend a school in the Northern Hemisphere?

A: One thing that truly stood out to our family was the amazing versatility of Newington College. It offers a diverse range of sports suited to any person, a plethora of co-curriculars, and academic competitiveness, in areas that I was never used to before. I had mostly been used to a pretty standard schooling before Newington, with academics being not too much of a priority or sports not being so competitive, but since joining Newington as a boarder, I find that my schedule is always full of things to do.

Q: What was it about Newington that you found a) surprising and b) welcoming in your first school days here?

A: One thing that certainly shocked me was the physical grounds of the school. Having only grown up on astroturf or concrete fields, the Newington ovals are something that we often take for granted but are certainly still a luxury. I remember standing at one end of the Johnson bank (our central playing field) with my brother on my very first visit to the school, and as we looked out to the school, I asked him what the long stretch of buildings were on the side of the bank. I thought that they may have been houses or general residences, but I never would have thought they were all classrooms. Being a new kid from a different country, I probably made more friends asking teachers for directions than actual students in my class those first few weeks; but just the experience of being lost was enough for me to understand how kind the Newington community is, as so many people were willing to help.

From left: Ishan R (Deputy Senior Prefect), Jasper S (Senior Prefect) and Toby D (Deputy Senior Prefect)

Q: What should every new parent understand when their child starts at Newington?

A: Your children will be lost some time in their first few weeks, but don’t worry, because I believe that each student in this school at some time has been lost at least eight times more. They should also know that everyone is human and we’re all prone to making mistakes again and again and again. I think despite some kids appearing intimidating for their high calibre of sporting ability, or academic capacity, just know that they too, at some point, were new at the school and went through the exact same struggles as the next new kid. Also know that we don’t bite and we’re all approachable. We’re also keen to make this community stronger and more united, so asking questions is just a greater contribution to that.

Q: As a Boarder what were some of the initial challenges you faced on top of the above, and how did you overcome them?

A: One of the initial challenges I had never really faced before was establishing a new group of friends. Having gone to the same school for 11 years of my life in Hong Kong, I always knew everyone and never had to re-establish my footing. However, having moved into a school that was more than eight times the population of my old school, and in another country, it was certainly strange at first navigating who I should be hanging around with. One thing that I found helpful for me was learning that interacting with everyone, was better than interacting with no one. I simply began introducing myself to all different people with different interests and friend groups, and I found myself in a much more comfortable position, with a lot of people beginning to know me mutually and through just showing my face more often around the school.

Q: Being a Boarder and Senior Prefect is a pretty special combination – how will your global perspective assist you in your role this year?

A: I believe that my global perspective has been expanded by the diversity of the entire school but particularly the Boarding House, especially in my own small year group. I never thought I would be living on the same floor as a student of First Nations, Malaysian, Tongan, and rural Australian backgrounds… and the list goes on. I think that my grasp of learning to embrace one another will allow me to better undertake my different responsibilities as Senior Prefect this week. I hope that I can transfer my unique perspective of others into my leadership and foster an inclusive environment that embraces all individuals from any walk of life, allowing me to meditate possible conflicts and lead by example.

Q: What are some of the opportunities new students can look forward to at Newington College?

A: There are countless things to look forward to not only this year for all students, but in the future of their senior school life, no matter if their interests lie in acting, singing, playing an instrument, playing basketball, rugby, leading some area of the school, or whatever else, Newington has them all covered.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you received upon starting at Newington?

A: Give everything a red-hot crack because it will be over before you know it (it’s true).

Valedictory Day 2024

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d like to offer new students?

A: Not every day is a good day, but there is something good to be found in every day.

Q: And finally, as we welcome our new students in 2025 what do you want every new Newingtonian to know?

A: Every student wearing the Black & White, and representing the Newington College Wyvern is behind you in all that you do. If you ever need support, look to your peers. Be willing to rely on them and learn to appreciate all the time you have with them.

*The above is an amended speech Jasper S delivered to the Year 7 Class of 2025 late last year.

*If you are a current member of the Newington community with access to New Spaces, you can view the Key Contacts (including School Leaders) here.