Somerset lifetimes 2019 Semester 1

This is all particularly important now that Charlie has started in Pre-Prep. My partner, Nathan, and I chose to enrol her because we believe that the College will give her the best grounding in both education and life. The academic programme is so well implemented and the pastoral elements are clearly evidenced in the daily experience that we are sure it is the best place for her. Of course, it is also convenient! I am looking forward to watching her thrive throughout her own Somerset Experience . My hope for Charlie in her education journey is for her natural curiosity to be fostered in such a way that she embraces learning, for her to see the connections between school and the real world and for her to develop genuine relationships with people who will care for and support her in both failure and success. It may seem that I hope for a lot for my daughter’s education. Fortunately, I’ve got some inside information and I’m pretty confident the school we have chosen delivers all that and more. Jacinta Hyman I began my professional career in 1977 as the Minister of the Church of Christ at Burleigh Heads and in 1984 moved to Melbourne with my wife Jadie and our four year old daughter Jacinta, to accept the position of National Youth Director for our denomination. In 1988 we moved back to the Gold Coast, now with a son, Terrell, in tow, (Class of 1998) Head of Franklin

to begin our own business. Called Youth Specialities Australia it was first intended to provide training to youth workers, secular and religious. Within six years it had morphed into a parallel purpose; providing motivational and relationship training seminars to high school students, training about engaging adolescents and pastoral care to teachers, and the Understanding Your Teenager seminar for parents. Over the next 30 years the programmes grew increasingly popular to the point where around one third of all secondary schools in Australia, and many overseas, have used them. In fact, the bookings became so busy that throughout Jacinta and Terrell’s time at Somerset they basically had only one parent, their mum, because I was travelling so much. For many years I have had a yearning to have a deeper, more prolonged involvement with a school, to actually get to do what I have been telling other people to do for years. When the Chaplaincy opportunity arose at Somerset I was thrilled. The College has always offered so much to its community and achieved excellence in all that it does that I wanted to be a part of it. I am also excited to have the freedom to work on the many small things that can easily go unnoticed and even more easily overlooked that when enacted can make such a huge difference to people. This first semester has been a steep learning curve, and a wonderful joy. The acceptance by staff and students alike has been heart warming and the affirmations received from the small innovations I have made have been very encouraging. It is also really great to catch up with my daughter in a professional capacity and see how she works first-hand, even if I do have to buy her coffee! But there is one thing about the experience that is absolutely priceless and a rare privilege – to see my little Charlie in her multi house shirt run from her mum, jump into my arms and snuggle into my shoulder saying “Grandaaaaad”. It is indeed a rich blessing. Graham Hyman Co-ordinator – Chaplaincy Services

Alumni – Three Generations

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