The height of the tallest building in Brisbane is simultaneously impressive and frightening. At 270m the Brisbane Skytower’s 90 floors loom over the cityscape. Higher, but not by much, than the other towers growing in the inner-city skyscraper garden. Standing behind the thick glass walls on the 25th floor can be scary, let alone the dizzying height of floor 90, where I read, sits the highest infinity pool in the Southern hemisphere. This said, the Empire State Building touches 381m and is tiny compared to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai which tops out at a mind blasting 828m, not including the antenna perched elegantly at the top.
I set this scene because I rediscovered the story of someone with an affinity for heights. In fact, so enticing is the prospect of being above the ground, this person climbs mountains, or more accurately sheer rock walls unaided, without the safety of a rope. Dangerous might be your thought, and reasonably so, as this style of climbing, Free Soloing, is definitely that. Climbing free solo — unaided and without ropes — would be daunting at even 10 metres above the safety of reassuringly horizontal ground. Imagine then, being exposed on a granite rock face 700m above a valley floor looking in all its glory like a perfect Instagram post. The story of Alex Honnold’s free solo climb of the 900m (remember the Burj Khalifa?) rock wall called El Capitan, in Yosemite National Park, verges on fantasy. At 700m he faced the hardest part of the climb - a series of incredibly small hand and slippery foot holds called the “Boulder Problem”. Finish this problem section of the climb with the need to do what is, in essence, a high karate kick while hanging on with only millimetres of fingertip, relying on friction to stick your other foot to the rock wall, and you have a recipe for disaster.
After reading about the climb and then watching the National Geographic movie about it, I’m struck by a memory that still makes my stomach drop and my blood run Antarctic cold. Notwithstanding my ‘heebie jeebies’ because of this memory, through meticulous planning and preparation, Alex Honnold was successful in his attempt to free solo El Capitan. He knew each move, each hand and foot hold. He knew exactly when and how to position his body to be where he needed to be, when he needed to be there. He climbed El Capitan from bottom to top, 900m of sheer granite wall in a little less than four hours, alone and without the safety of being roped up. By comparison, others in teams and with ropes, have taken between four and six days.
During their educational journey our young men will find themselves standing at the bottom of a mountain facing a seemingly insurmountable sheer cliff that is senior schooling. Their “Boulder Problem”, the decisions that must be made about post school pathways. Where will these pathways lead - to employment, trade or traineeship, to tertiary study, TAFE or university - perhaps a combination of these?
Preparation is crucial. Each possibility needs to be carefully considered, evaluated and discussed. Unlike free soloing we don’t expect our Eddies Men to do this alone and unsupported. As parents and caregivers, as College staff or Eddies Men, as a team, each of us play our part in securing solid viable hand and foot holds on the senior schooling rockface - through open and courageous exploration of future pathways, careful discussion and informed subject selection, along with diligence and committed effort.
Over the next few months our Year 10 men will be preparing themselves for what could seem to be an overwhelming challenge. But there will be ropes. While free soloing senior schooling is possible, at Eddies there is always support. This year our young men will be supported through the Year 10 Pathways Education Program in year level assemblies and normal classes, through SETP (Senior Education and Training Plan) interviews and Subject Selection evenings and Subject Information Sessions at school. By setting aside a day from the normal routine to participate in our Pathways Conference, our young men can engage with staff from universities and TAFE, along with representatives from apprenticeship organisations and local industry. Preparation and clarity will assist our young men to navigate the next few years without too many moments that make their stomach drop. With solid groundwork and careful consideration, subjects and courses chosen deliberately and wisely will make the seemingly insurmountable decidedly surmountable, leading to pathways beyond school as successful Eddies Men.
Open Day
This Sunday 23 May we will hold our College Open Day. This is a time to showcase who we are here on the hill to prospective parents and importantly future Eddies Men. I look forward to a busy and active day where we can display the very best the College has to offer and the possibility of welcoming more families into the Eddies Team.
Vale Owen Wildie and Nicole Janson
This week saw the passing of Owen Wildie whose name was synonymous with St Vincent de Paul in Ipswich. Owen was a former principal of St Mary’s Primary School and a tireless worker for the poor and marginalised. We pray for the repose of Owen’s soul and comfort for his family at this difficult time.
We also remember in our prayers Nicole Janson and her family. Nicole who died tragically last weekend was a parent at St Mary’s College and St Mary’s Primary School and a very active member of the CYMS St Edmund’s Swim Club.
