For the last five years the Rotary Clubs of Concord and Strathfield have sponsored students from the school to participate in the Mock United Nations Assembly (MUNA). The Rotary Clubs have taken it in turns to follow through the team that they sponsor in the Junior year into the Senior year. So in 2009 Concord sponsored our Senior team and Strathfield our Junior Team.

Don Hughes Youth Coordinator from the Rotary Club of Concord, Dr. Ian Paterson and Head Teacher English Chabes Elaro congratulates Ashvin Ashok and Shivayan Saravanapavananthan on their award

The Senior team was very successful and was awarded the Peace Prize. Homebush is the only school whose name appears on the trophy twice. The Junior team gained valuable experience and will as result be very competitive as the Senior team in 2010.

Following is an article written by Ashvin Ashok Vignesh Iyer and Shivayan Saravanapavanathan.

Renowned author, poet and musician Monty Pryor visited Homebush as part of the English Week Program. Invited to the school by English Head Teacher, Chabes Elaro, Monty gave a very entertaining presentation to a full school assembly before spending some quality time with the Year 11 and 12 Extension English students.

Monty Pryor with Year 11 & 12 students holding books written by him and pictures that will be used in his next publication.

Below is a brief biography of Monty taken from the National Library of Australia website

Dr Paterson presents Ben with his Certificate

Excitement is growing at Homebush as the Premier announces laptops for all senior secondary public school students and their teachers becomes a reality. The Premier has announced a $150 million NSW Government contract to supply 267,000 laptops to senior secondary public school students and their teachers. Production will begin immediately. The software to be used with the laptops will give senior secondary school students and their teachers’ access to the largest, most comprehensive roll-out of software in any education system worldwide. The laptops have large memories and storage and an extended battery life. They are secure, with filters to block inappropriate material and encoding to ensure they aren’t a target of theft. Students can personalise their laptops making them easy to identify and creating a sense of ownership. The laptops will greatly improve secondary school students’ access to information, and provide teachers with the tools to maintain NSW's reputation as a top-tier education system.

Year 9 students will be the first to benefit and parents can access information here

Two students from Homebush Ben Eiskovich and Matthew Daaboul went to a Laptop for Learning Conference representing students across New South Wales. As part of the conference the students were interviewed by Director General of the South West Sydney Region Tom Urry.

Five Year 10 students were fortunate enough to be sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Burwood, Concord and Strathfield to attend the Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment(RYPEN) in the Blue Mountains. All three Rotary Clubs have been very supportive in providing our students with opportunities to enhance their skills and talents through leadership, science and debating programs. Students over the years have benefited greatly from their participation in the programs and as a result have become leaders within the school and scholarship awardees.

Students from McDonalds College and Hombush Boys prior to attending the RYPEN Camp

Following is a report written by Erkan Altun, Patrick Gallagher, David Baek, Damon Clarkson and David Zou on their experiences at the camp.

Senior Prefect in 2008 Elison Furneaux-Bate was awarded a University of Sydney Entry Scholarship at a Scholarhips Presentation Ceremony. The ceremony was held in The Great Hall at Sydney University on Wednesday 13th May and was presided over by the Chancellor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir.

Elison with Sydney University Chancellor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir and his proud mother Lesley

In 2007 Elison was awarded his Prefects Badge by Her Excellency at the Prefects and SRC Induction Ceremony held at Homebush Boys High. Elison and his mother Lesley were fortunate to meet up with Her Excellency following the presentation.