One hundred years of memories is worth a party, and St Ursula’s College is certainly planning a massive celebration for its centenary.
The college has planned a weekend jam-packed with events on May 4 to 6 to honour a colourful century and to look forward to the future.
Read about more celebrations here.
College principal Catherine Dunbar said the weekend aims to showcase all the college has to offer.
The massive weekend of celebrations kicks off on the evening of Friday, May 4, with the civic reception by mayor Bill Ludwig at the Town Hall. This will be followed by the launch of 100 Stories. The book will be launched by journalist and former St Ursula’s student Kathleen Noonan. Then at 8pm, the first performance of the college musical One Step Beyond will take place.
The Open Day will take place at the college on Saturday, May 5.
Mrs Dunbar said there will be 10 “doorways” for visitors to explore, each leading to a room to represent a decade in the college’s history.
There will also be a maths centre, complete with puzzles and quizzes, as well as a ‘maker’ space, where there will be robotics on display.
Mrs Dunbar said there will also be a display by the STUCK Club, which is a group of students who do crocheting and knitting.
There will be rides, slides, face painting, food and music, as well as an unexpected pop-up performance. “We really want the community to come and engage. It will be a hive of activity,” she said.
That evening at 5.30pm at the Town Hall there will be a Memories Dinner.
Past students will join the event, which will include a roving microphone for students to share their stories.
Also that evening the college campus will host a gala event called Century Under The Stars.
The “illuminating” cocktail event will have music supplied by DJ Atalein, who is also a former student.
On Sunday morning there will be a celebratory mass at Sacred Heart Church at 9am, followed by morning tea and cutting of the college birthday cake. The final performance of One Step Beyond will take place at 11.30am, followed by the official launch of Sisters, a special song written to celebrate the centenary.
But perhaps the most important event is a task the students have taken on, and it lasts all year.
Mrs Dunbar said the students have pledged to undertake 100 acts of service by year’s end. Each of the college’s 24 tutorial groups will take on four acts of service throughout the year, which they have already begun.
Some of these include students helping out in Eddie’s Van on Thursday evenings, which feeds local homeless people, and making Easter baskets for the needy.
