Hayley Berry

Meet some of the Haileybury students who have represented Australia on the world stage in international competitions as diverse as debating, AI and chemistry.   

 With a winning formula of hard work and perseverance, Vinay, Year 12, took home a silver medal from the prestigious International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in Dubai in July.  

To qualify for the Australian Olympiad team Vinay underwent a challenging selection process. From hundreds of candidates across the country who sat the national qualifying exam, Vinay was one of 24 students invited to attend a two-week intensive training camp at the Australian National University in Canberra. 

At the camp, students learnt university-level chemistry and developed practical skills in the laboratory. As part of a final selection process the students were then asked to complete two challenging practical exams during the camp and two follow up theoretical exams a month later. After getting through the selection process Vinay was one of just four Australian students to earn a coveted place on IChO Team.  

The Olympiad itself was attended by 354 talented young student chemists from around the world.  

“The biggest highlight was being able to meet many other chemistry students from around the world. It was a great opportunity to be able to share ideas and experiences with others who had similar interests, and I’ve become good friends with lots of people I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to meet,” says Vinay. 

The Olympiad featured a five-hour practical exam and a five-hour theoretical exam. Vinay’s outstanding effort saw him place 52nd internationally, an achievement which was recognised with a silver medal. 

Reflecting on his experience, Vinay encourages others who are interested in chemistry to also apply for the Olympiad. “The Chemistry Olympiad is a great way to go beyond the school curriculum and learn new and interesting content that will deepen your understanding of the subject. You’ll also get hands-on experience with exciting experiments in university labs, which is both challenging and fun,” he says. 

Lucy, Year 7, has made her mark on the international stage at the Asia Pacific Junior Debate Championships in Tokyo earlier this year.  

Lucy competed in eight debates over two days of competition. The debate topics were diverse and included areas such as copyright and the role of AI in education. 

Among more than 50 Australian participants, Lucy distinguished herself by not only reaching the semi-finals, but also by being ranked as the eighth best Australian speaker in the tournament.  

Lucy also participated in 2024 when she made the quarter finals. This year she built on her experience to advance all the way to the semi-finals, competing against talented students from across the Asia-Pacific region. 

Her achievement is a testament to her hard work, quick thinking and a love for debating. “On a family trip to Japan my parents caught up with an old friend from the international debate tour. She asked if I would debate with her daughter Nao, and we did a few classes together. Over the next 18 months we debated at three tournaments together,” explains Lucy. 

Lucy’s journey did not just highlight her debating abilities, but also her commitment to continuous improvement and excellence. Her performance in Tokyo reflects her dedication and the valuable experience she gained in last year’s event. 

In August, Henry, Year 12, swapped the classroom for the excitement of the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence, representing Australia at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) in Beijing. 

Henry was selected for the Australian team after excelling in a series of rigorous qualifying exams and attending an invitation-only training camp.  

The IOAI brought together under the one event some of the best young AI talent from around the world, with teams of students from Years 7–12 representing over 60 countries. 

Henry says the highlight was meeting new friends who share his passion for AI. “My fondest memories were meeting all kinds of contestants from around the world with a similar interest in AI and technology as me. I have made some great friends during the trip.” 

Across 48 hours, Henry faced a marathon of problem solving. For six hours each day, he was challenged to solve three complex problems related to AI. These ranged from image recognition and deep learning to natural language processing. Each problem was scored out of 100, with Olympiad final rankings based on combined totals. A percentage of the top-performing students received medals, with Henry being awarded a bronze. 

“I had plenty of fun solving the problems and surprised myself by managing to code up several solutions, even with severe mental fatigue setting in at the four-to five-hour mark,” explains Henry 

He encourages anyone with an interest in technology to give the AI Olympiad a go. “I would highly recommend it, especially if you are interested in the broad field of technology. Participating in the Olympiad not only hones valuable industry skills, but you will also be able to form lifelong friendships with like-minded peers,” he says. 

Over three magical nights, an audience of over 1,500 was held spellbound by Haileybury’s production of the High School Edition of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. 

In what was one of Haileybury’s most ambitious Senior School productions to date, the students exceeded all expectations, not only bringing magic to life on the stage but also raising the bar for future productions.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child allowed students to enjoy the benefits of performing a contemporary production within a much-loved story.
“It is really exciting to be one of the first schools to do a script when it’s released for amateur rights,” explains Nicole Smith, Senior School Head of Drama and Theatre Studies.

The cast embraced the opportunity to bring to life their own versions of well-known characters by using the script to explore roles and deepen their understanding of character motivations. 

Drama Captain, Simon in Year 12, enjoyed exploring the complex father-son relationship between his character of the well-meaning Harry Potter and son Albus. “Harry is a man of action, but he still harbours trauma from the original books and I think he forced that back on to his own son Albus,” he says. 

The focus was firmly on stagecraft rather than special effects. “We focussed on the actors creating the magic. The dream of using pyrotechnics couldn’t happen due to safety concerns, so we got creative with lighting, costumes and misdirection,” explains Nicole. 

With its intricate storyline that spans multiple locations and timelines, bringing The Cursed Child to life was a challenge. In the high school edition, the script runs to two and a half hours, down from the original six-hour professional production. The rehearsal process for such a long story was intense, with the ensemble having just eight Sundays to prepare. The lead cast members also dedicated extra time over additional Friday night and lunchtime rehearsals.  

“It was really important to always be positive and show we could have fun while also demonstrating how hard we were supposed to be working,” says Simon. 

Haileybury also drew on valuable community and industry connections for input into the production. Hayden Spencer, a performer in the hugely popular Melbourne production, coached students; while Lee Cohen, a magician and illusionist who had also worked on the commercial production, ran workshops. 

Nicole acknowledges the valuable input of Haileybury’s Lighting designer Matthew Sanderson and set design consultant Christina Logan-Bell, who collaborated to support the cast and crew to stage a truly magical theatre experience.  

Throughout the production, the cast and crew learnt to support each other and meet challenges with creativity and problem-solving. “Our drama captains went to great efforts to make everyone feel part of the show, including our backstage crew, which fostered a strong sense of community and commitment to the show,” Nicole explains. 

Behind the scenes, there were many magical moments for the students. These included the excitement when the ensemble first saw the lighting effects, the closeness of the cast and crew and the excitement as the final curtain fell and it was clear that the students had successfully brought their very own brand of Hogwart’s magic to the stage.   

As a testament to the cast and crew’s hard work, Haileybury’s production of The Cursed Child has been recognised with a record-breaking 17 Lyrebird Award Youth nominations. These awards celebrate and recognise artistic merit and endeavour.