Benefits can range from discounted food and beverages (restaurants), subscription fees (services) and products (retail).

This scheme is proposed to be managed by the current OBU Treasurer (Eric Wong, Class of 2000). He is operating a network grouping together professional firms to negotiate benefits for their employees. He is proposing free membership to the network for members of the OBU.

The proposed scheme, which is currently being considered by the OBU Executive Council, will allow Old Boys to market their businesses to other Old Boys. Having Old Boys as a potential customer base would be highly desirable for any business.

Members of the OBU will receive specially marked membership cards with the OBU emblem, which will identify them as an Old Boy. In the long term, Eric hopes this extra benefits scheme will encourage higher uptake of lifetime membership for future generations of Old Boys.

To express interest in being part of the scheme, simply complete the form at link below. List any benefits that you are interested in offering in the comments section. Please also note if you would like this to be an exclusive offer to OBU members:

http://register.zikira.com/

The GPSOBU Golf Day will be played at Manly Golf Club on 16th August 2012. We are the title holders in both the teams and individual events and it would be good to defend both, to do this we’ll need a good roll-up so please mark your diaries now!

A wonderful turnout of more than half of the old boys currently residing in Australia were on hand to hear old boy Trevor Wooten’s laudation of the time spent at Sydney High and the role of public education in allowing people from all backgrounds to positively contribute to society. Two common themes throughout the reunion were those of pride in Sydney High and contentment with the life that old boys now enjoyed.

The class of ‘61 grew up in the post-World War II baby boom, moving through Sydney High under the guidance of principal K J Andrews. It was a year that produced many of the generation that shaped the radical societal change of the following decades. This is illustrated in the following four old boys who have all made huge yet vastly different contributions to Australian and international society.

Sir Michael Marmot is Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University College in London. Graduating in Medicine from the University of Sydney in 1968 and being awarded a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, Michael has forged his career on studying the psychosocial factors of ill-health.

As the principle investigator of the Whitehall studies of British civil servants, Michael and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that there was a consistent inverse social gradient in morbidity and mortality. That is, the lower the position in the social hierarchy, the higher the risk of bad health. Psychosocial factors, such as low control over life circumstances and little social engagement increases risk of diabetes, heart disease, mental illness and many other major causes of death.

Work such as this has had an enormous impact on health around the world, shifting the research, policy and governmental focus toward preventative health. At the request of the World Health Organisation, Michael’s Centre for Health and Society produced a document that laid out ten premises for the social determinants of health. This document has been translated and used in policy formation widely throughout the world. Michael was also the chair of the World Health Organisation’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health for a number of years.

Another old boy from the class of ‘61, was the well known (now deceased) investor, investment advisor and stockbroker, Rene Rivkin. Having begun trading shares whilst still at High, Rene completed his tertiary education in law. Never intending to practice law, he became the youngest ever member of the Sydney Stock Exchange. His trading career was extraordinary, with consistent short-term trades. It has been said that for Rene, a long term investment was overnight. In 1985, he was voted Business Review Weekly magazine’s Stockbroker of the Year.

He became most well known for his publication of the Rivkin Report in which he advised stocks to buy and sell and provided market analysis. With the information he gave, he enabled many ‘mum and dad’ investors to make steps into the stock market for the first time.

Alan Grover, only three years after leaving High, was competing in the first of three Olympic Games. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics saw Alan cox the men’s four. His next Olympics, the 1968 summer games in Mexico, Alan won the silver medal in men’s eights, coming ahead of the Soviet Union, but being beaten by West Germany. His final Olympics was to again cox the men’s eight at the 1972 Olympic in West German Munich.

Following his long and successful rowing career, Alan began his career in marketing, at one stage being the marketing director of Speedo. In 1986, he became the first commercial manager for the Australian Olympic Committee where he has since remained. This role included involvement in the successful Sydney 2000 Olympic Games bid and the development of the marketing program for the Sydney and each subsequent Olympics. Work such as Alan’s has been vital to continuing Australia’s love of sport and it’s ongoing support of the Olympic project.

The following former student illustrates just how widely the impact of those who attended Sydney High has been felt for Australian society. After leaving High, Ayesha (formerly known as Keith Best) began performing at the Purple Onion during the formative years of Sydney’s gay and lesbian scene. In 1966 she moved to Les Girls, performing with them on and off for over twenty years. At the time, it was a regular occurrence for drag queens to be brutally beaten by police multiple times a week.

Les Girls introduced the world of drag to mainstream Australian society. It became internationally renowned, regularly attracting celebrities across the pacific. Clubs such as Les Girls and the Purple Onion are credited with being a major part in the gradual move to acceptance of the gay, lesbian and transgender community in Sydney, now celebrated each year with the Mardi Gras. As an early and long-term performer, Ayesha had a major role in these Sydney icons.

The old boys mentioned here are but four of the many and that were clapped out of the Great Hall in 1961 and the thousands during the 128 years of Sydney High. Old Boys of Sydney High are found in all avenues of life and continue to play integral roles in the societal development both within Australia and internationally.

Since 1924, High has competed in the AAGPS regatta competition and the prestigious Head of the River. More than 9,000 High boys have rowed for the school, participated in the rowing community, and made life long friends and career contacts. High Rowing continually relies on volunteers and donations to make this happen.

At the cocktail party, the Rowing Committee is pleased to be naming 5 boats for significant contributors, including Con Barris, MIC for 25 years (now Deputy Principal).

The objective is not only to honour the five outstanding contributors with boats named after them, but to raise much needed capital for the future rowing program. Every dollar raised at the cocktail party will go to paying for the new boat …. a Sykes VIII.

We are taking delivery of the new VIII on January 30th and we have to thank the senior parents who generously donated the deposit. We now need to raise the funds to complete the payment. We are hoping current parents, Old Boys and supporters will contribute to the appeal.

In 2011, thanks to fund-raising efforts, we purchased second-hand quad sculls and an VIII, also to be named at the cocktail party.

We hope many of you can attend to acknowledge the boat-naming recipients and support High Rowing. Tickets are $50pp, which includes all beverages and canapes.

For full details: Rowing Invitation 2012

Would you like to see the memory of a friend, teacher, mentor or family member perpetuated in the title of an academic award at the School’s annual speech night?

The School currently has many academic prizes that are not endowed. A donation of $2,500 to the School’s prizes trust fund will secure a named prize and help to free up the many thousands of dollars the School must budget for each year for this form of recognition and encouragement of academic excellence.

The prizes trust fund is managed by the Sydney High School Foundation Inc, a body governed by delegates from the P&C and OBU.

Prizes for the following fields of study are not currently endowed for some or all academic years (that is, some may be endowed for Year 12 or Year 11, but not for the junior years). Please contact president@shsobu.org.au for further details.

Ancient History
Architecture & Engineering Drawing
Business Studies
Chinese
Chinese
Chinese
Chinese Advanced
Chinese Beginners
Chinese Intermediate
Classical Greek
Commerce
Design & Technology
Digital Imaging
Drama
Earth and Environmental Science
Engineering Science
English
English Advanced
English Extension 1
English Extension 2
Film
Film Making
French
Geography
German
German Extension
History
History Elective
History Elective Combined
History Extension
Latin
Latin (Extension)
Legal Studies
Mathematics
Mathematics (2 unit)
Mathematics Extension 1
Modern History
Music
Music 1
Music 2
Music Extension
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
Prize for Third
Science
Software Design & Development
Studies of Religion
Technical Drawing
Visual Arts
Visual Design

at the Outterside Centre, 5 Teviot Avenue, Abbotsford

We welcome
1971,1981,1991 and 2001 rowers
as guest entrants in this year’s …

High Rowing Challenge Regatta

or come along, join the festivities, and watch!

Highlight Race (approx 9am)
The best of the Old Boys take on the School VIII

Enjoy the traditional Shed Barbecue … bacon and eggs rolls, juice and barista

coffee served throughout the morning.

RSVP and more information at sbhs.rowing@gmail.com

An early start

It is 6 sessions of rowing for the adults!

All abilities are catered for … some will learn to row, and some like to get back in a boat and enjoy the morning rows.

We supply the coaches and the coxswains … and breakfast is cooked for you each week as you come off the water.

It is a lot of fun … especially if you get some friends/partners/work-mates along to join you in a boat … and it’s good for you, as rowing is rated as one of the best aerobic kilojoule burning exercises you can do.

Outterside Centre - Aerial View

It is also a big fundraiser … we need Old Boys’ support to enable us to buy a much needed new VIII.

Please support High Rowing and join in the High Rowing Challenge this year! Starts soon …. Saturday 10 September, and runs for 6 early Saturday mornings (missing the long weekend).

Have a look at the attached flyer and booking form … and don’t just think about it … be challenged!

The Golf Invitational will provide an opportunity to play with your colleagues at the venue of the 2011 Australian Open Golf tournament and test your skills on one of the pristine courses in Australia.

Proceeds from the day will be given to the Sydney Boys High School Sports Foundation to support the Tennis Committee’s vision to regain High’s status as GPS Champions in Tennis.

Sponsors are being sought to support the event and make the day a success. For further details, please download the attached sponsors’ package.

For further details and to register for the day, please download the attached invitation

The final date will be announced soon, but those wishing to be included should contact Paul Almond (1981) at paulalmond@unwired.com.au or 0413 136 149.

Nominations for the positions of President (1 position), Vice President (up to 3 positions) and ordinary members of the council (up to 10 positions) must be made in writing, signed by two members of the OBU and include the written consent of the candidate. They must be delivered by 21 June 2011 to the Secretary at PO Box 1546, Darlinghurst NSW 1300.

Click here for nomination form.

The accounts for 2010, which will be presented for approval at the meeting, are available here: Accounts 2010.

Members may appoint other members as proxies by notice given to the Secretary at PO Box 1546 Darlinghurst NSW 1300 by 21 June 2011.

Click here for proxy form.

(The form for the appointment of a proxy is available for download from the OBU website: www.shsobu.org.au )

Before attending, nominating or appointing a proxy, please take steps to confirm your membership by contacting the Secretary by e-mail: secretary@shsobu.org.au or by telephone: (02) 9907 2856.

ORDER OF BUSINESS
1. Minutes of the previous AGM (22 June 2010).
2. President’s report.
3. Treasurer’s report.
Motion: That the accounts for 2010 be adopted.
4. Election of office bearers and members of the Executive Council.
(a) President.
(b) Vice Presidents.
(c) ordinary members of the Council.
5. Any other business.