General
Building on the success of the changes implemented during the past year, 2019 saw an increase in the quantity and quality of the number of clubs and societies at Trinity College and their associated activities. A reshuffling of the school timetable meant that the school day ended at 2:10 pm, and the time allocated for clubs and societies is from 2:10 to 2:50. Students were also allowed to leave school at 2:10 on specific days for extra-curricular activities and tuition.
The most significant change for 2019 was the introduction of the clubs and societies initiative to the Upper School. This meant that the clubs in the senior school became increasingly active, as well as allowing previously unrecognised talent of the senior students to shine.
As was seen in the Middle School, each club or society was assigned a staff member and appointed a committee to carry out respective executive work, and it must be said that they took to the task with enthusiasm. The usual logs of time and activities carried out were also kept, and each organization was encouraged to carry out a project related to their sphere of activity. Mr Krishanthan Antonydas, who spearheaded this initiative last year took on the role of Vice Principal and continued to oversee the activities of all the clubs and societies.
The introduction of this system to the Senior School did not detract from the performance or enthusiasm of the Middle School in any manner; Rather, it led to increased activity from the collaborative projects that involved the two branches of various societies such as the Literary Association and the Sri Lanka Unites chapter of Trinity College.
Some of the most active clubs for the year 2019 included the Culinary Club, the Automotive Society, the Interact Club, the Model United Nations Club, the Sri Lanka Unites chapter, the Trinity College Literary Association and the Western Music Society. Many of these clubs and societies organized and held events at College throughout the year including charity events, entertainment shows and fairs. A few societies were able to participate in events held out of the country and travelled abroad acting as ambassadors of the school.
Although many of the initial problems of this initiative were resolved in the past year, some persisted and will need additional attention in the future. A lack of enthusiasm for participation in club and society activities unfortunately still remains among a few groups of students, but that number is now slowly dwindling. We also urge all committee members to report their activities to the Web Content Team so that they may be displayed on the College website for all those interested to see.
House Activities
As always, house activities at Trinity College enjoy an elevated level of recognition and participation, as students pit themselves against each other to showcase their talents in a variety of activities. Although the competition is fierce, it is always with a sense of camaraderie and friendship that the results are accepted.
House meetings were held every Wednesday this year, during the period reserved for clubs and societies. Each house elected a committee during the inaugural meeting, and that committee led and organized their house for the year. The committees were assisted by their respective house teachers.
The first house event of the year was the Inter-House Track and Field Competition, which this year was won by Pilcher House and Oorloff House in the Junior and Senior categories respectively. This was followed by several other tournaments for a number of sports including football, rugby and badminton. The Inter-House swimming meet was held this year too, and was won by the Central Boarding House. Competitions for drama,debating and other activities also featured in the year’s house activities.
Conclusion
All in all, it has been a successful year for the clubs and societies at Trinity College, and it is plain to see that the new programme implemented in the Senior School has helped to increase students’ participation in these activities.
The staff members, coaches, students and all others involved in both sports and other activities have committed themselves to giving their all for College and their chosen fields, and the results of their dedication can be seen in the number of awards taken by the school this year, including those not won by Trinitians for over a decade. Even those non-competitive events held in College were executed well, and brought great satisfaction to both the participants and their audience.
It is our hope that the next year and the years to come will further the development of the clubs and societies at College, and looking back on this year’s activities, it is clear to see that the future is indeed bright.
The Web Content Team, on behalf of all organizations at College, would like to thank our College Photographer, Mr Chethaka Athukorala as well as the Media Unit for their tireless efforts in providing excellent media coverage of the events held at school.
