The Hedge

Week 3, Term 3 | Thursday 7 August 2025 A weekly snippet of what’s happening ‘behind the hedge’ at Mercedes College...

An mmpressive Quiz!

Friday night was an incredible demonstration of our community's creativity, with our M themed Quiz night!

We saw marvellous mimes, talented musicians, aviator-rocking Mavericks, and matches made in heaven, but it was Mercedes Vice and their over-the-top 80s Miami theme that stole the show.

The offical Best Dressed Table included flamingo lights, a disco ball, cocktail bar, an inflatable alligator, and an amazing number of palms. Our judges were bedazzled by the colour and creative execution!

When it came to costumes, The Medieval Melee took the prize home. From the wenches, to the knights and queens - their commitment to every medieval detail was impressive.

But it was the the m'n'm themed 'mmpressive' team who took home the ultimate prize - the Quiz Night Champions trophy for 2025 - by a single point!

Congratulations to everyone who participated, it was another fantastic College event and we are already planning our 2026 Quiz.

Many thanks to our wonderful Quiz Round Sponsors and raffle donors - your support is always appreciated.

Be Intercol Ready

Intercol 2025 is right around the corner, so now's the perfect time to snap up your Camels supporter's scarf!

Scarves are available from Jenny in Strathspey Reception for $27 each.

Intercol starts Monday 18 August (Week 5) and we look forward to seeing our College pride represented by a sea of Camel scarves, as we travel to St Ignatius, who are hosting this year's Carnival.

Stepping Up and Living Mercy

Last week, our Year 11 cohort gathered at Victor Harbor and Wellington for their live-in Retreat.

A major theme this year was about legacy, and what our students will contribute to their legacy as the Class of 2026 - the year they will graduate.

Supported by our Mercy Keys, teachers, and each other, we're sure that the Class of 2026 will have a great impact and we look forward to seeing this in action next year.

What a Knock Out!

On Monday, our Year 9/10 Basketball team had a stellar day in their knock-out competition.

In their first game, Mercedes College defeated Brighton Secondary School, 64-52, in a thrilling, competitive clash. The game was tightly contested, with several changes of lead, but our team held its nerve in the final quarter to pull away with a decisive win.

Their second game was all-together more dominant, defeating fellow Mercy school, St Francis De Sales 75-33. From the opening tip-off, Mercedes College controlled the pace of the game, showcasing strong defense, quick ball movement, and efficient scoring.

These results mean our boys secured a place in the next round of competition and we look forward to hearing how the game goes.

Bravo gentlemen!

Exploring Industries

Last week, our Year 10 students participated in a two-day series of workshops that supported career exploration and subject pathway planning.

Facilitated by staff from the University of Adelaide, students rotated through eight hands-on workshops, each focused on a different field of interest including health, construction, engineering, marketing and psychology.

In addition to these workshops, students participated in a session dedicated to building their confidence in career planning and informed decision-making. A great experience for our Year 10s, providing strong foundations for their final years of schooling.

Double Talent

We celebrate Zoe (Year 6, McAuley), who has successfully made it onto two State teams in different sports.

In September, Zoe will join the South Australian Cross Country team in competition on the Gold Coast.

The following month, she will take to the pool, as the South Australian Swimming team compete in Ballarat.

Zoe has shown excellent commitment to her training, juggling that with her other sports and studies - and the results have paid off.

All the best Zoe and congratulations on representing our State in both sports!

Mentor and Change a Child's Day

For more than 30 years, the Student Mentoring Programme (SMP) at Mercedes College has created positive, mutually beneficial connections between students and volunteer Mentors.

Students taking part in the Programme this year are flourishing, with more than 115 students from Reception to Year 12 building their self-esteem and wellbeing by spending time with their Mentor.

However, there are some students who are still looking for their Mentor - maybe it's you!

Check out this list of profiles . There might be a student with interests and needs that you could connect with them on.

With a commitment of 40 minutes a week for the remainder of the school year, you could be one of our valued Mentors!

It's such a rewarding experience - we'd love to hear from you if you are interested.

Mercy Award - Nominate Today

The annual Mercedes College Mercy Award recognises the lived spirit of the Mercy Keys: Mutual Respect, Integrity, Responsibility, Compassion, Loyalty, and Justice.

The Mercy Award celebrates a person or people making an outstanding contribution to the community at the local, national, or international level by drawing on the Mercy Keys.

Applications assess a person’s actions, achievements, and the difference they make. People who are recognised go ‘above and beyond’ what is reasonably expected (or could be expected) to make life better for others.

Nominations for the 2025 Award are now open and we want to hear from you.

Click here for more information and eligibility criteria. Nominations close at 5.00pm on Monday 25 August 2025 and the Award will be presented after our Mercy Day Mass on the last day of Term 3.

Performing Arts Updates

Our Performing Arts team continues to be busy, with new Tutors joining our private tuition programme. We are also adding new percussion and guitar ensembles to our repertoire.

This year, we are introducing music to our Intercol Carnival and rehearsals we well underway for the 2025 Catholic Schools Music Festival.

Take a moment to read about all the happenings in our performing arts space - it's exciting!

Click here to read all about it!

Netball Excellence

A special congratulations to all of our Netballers for an outstanding 2025 season.

We are incredibly proud to have all six of our Open teams finishing in the Top 4 and progressing to the semi-finals this weekend.

Our eight middle school teams (Years 7–9) have also had a fantastic season. Impressively, six of the eight teams narrowly missed a top four finish, falling short by just one win. A special congratulations to the 8C team, who will be competing in a semi-final match this Saturday.

The whole Mercedes College community is behind you.

Play with pride, give it your all - we know you will do yourselves and our College proud!

Play well...

A Philosophical Discussion

Our Year 12 Spiritualities, Religion and Meaning students spoke with Father Philip Marshall and Rose Kelly, a therapist at Mary Potter Hospice.

They engaged in a deeply philisophical and spiritual discussion about their understanding and experience of suffering in an effort to make sense of this human condition in the world.

It was a great opportunity to experience and understand 'real world' issues and give some context to our students understanding, especially in our year of Compassion.

Coming up...

Friday 8 August | Year 11 and Year 12 Career Insights Breakfast | Vinnies Winter Sleep Out
Monday 11 August to Friday 15 August | National Science Week
Monday 11 August | Term 3 Parent Engagement Group Meeting (in person or online)
Tuesday 12 August | Community Prayer, 8.40am
Wednesday 13 August | MASA Quiz Night
Thursday 14 August | Playgroup
Monday 18 August to Friday 22 August | Book Week 2025
Monday 18 August to Saturday 23 August | Intercol 2025
Friday 22 August | Junior School Book Week Parade

Save the Date: 2026 Student Orientation Day | Friday 28 November

More upcoming activities can be found on the College Calendar.