海角大神

While we still have a couple of weeks before students formally end the academic year at 海角大神, this will serve as the last edition of The Lighthouse for 2023. There is a hive of activity at the College this week as reflected in a calendar rich with events that showcase student achievement. Like many in our graduating class, I am experiencing mixed emotions at the prospect of leaving the community that I have called home for the last 10 years. However, the process of transition to a new principal has commenced and over the last couple of weeks, we have welcomed Principal Elect, Mr David Broadbent, to the college and introduced him to our staff and student leadership team. Mr Broadbent was warmly received by both staff and students and he has shared with his audience insights into his own motivation for aspiring to lead our community and the exciting vision he holds for our ongoing improvement as a school.

College Mass
Our final College Mass, which was celebrated by Fr Dispin today, was a recognition of the year that has passed but also served as an opportunity for me to say thanks and farewell to the students. I will talk further about my gratitude for the privilege of leading 海角大神 College over the last decade in an upcoming edition of Illuminare. Thank you, especially to our Canonical Administrator - Fr Dispin John - who gives so generously of his time to the students and staff of our College and has celebrated mass with us this year. As we enter our Advent Season we wait expectantly for the birth of our saviour and the joy this brings. I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe holiday.

Celebrate Excellence @ 海角大神
Congratulations to all students who have achieved excellence this year. We look forward to acknowledging your achievements at our Celebrate Excellence Evening on Monday, 19th February 2024. More information will come when school resumes.

Valedictory Dinner
We recently gathered with our graduating class for the last time for their Valedictory Dinner at the Pullman on Albert Park. It was a joyful celebration. Thanks to Liz Grierson, Natasha Vasilou and Scott Buchanan for their organisation of the night. I took this last opportunity to talk to the students on a theme of the unique nature of their individual qualities and that they are 鈥渉andmade鈥� and loved in a world of mass production and sameness. The members of the graduating class are pursuing a range of exciting and diverse pathways. ATARs will be available for VCE students on December 11 and we will share a summary of these results around this time. We also look forward to sharing the destination data of our students undertaking School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships.

Year 11 Transition Week
It鈥檚 been a big week for our Year 11 students as they have commenced the transition towards Year 12 by meeting their teachers and discussing how to prepare for next year. It is also a week of celebration and the Year 11 Formal at Leonda By The Yarra on Monday night was a showcase of friendship, fashion and frivolity. Thank you to the staff who were present to supervise on the evening and especially to coordinators Andy Harrison and Jacqui Street.

Wishing Tree
Thank you to all who have contributed through our Wishing Tree, or other opportunities, to our efforts to share joy this Christmas. Once again, our request for gifts has resulted in a very generous response. Volunteers are the foundation of our social support networks and at this time of year, we are especially grateful for the work of our local St Vincent de Paul branches.

Year 9 SEB
Our Year 9 students will participate in the final Special Education Block, City Experience and Camp next week. These types of rich experiential learning opportunities are a great opportunity to test the Year 9 core value, perseverance. Thank you to the coordinators, Renee Johns, Dave Mulholland and Tom Wilson for their work to support the staff and students during this busy week especially.

Year 7 2024 Orientation Day
On Thursday, December 7 we will welcome the graduating class of 2029 to the College for the first time and take the next step in their transition into 海角大神. We hope that each student is looking forward with great anticipation to commencing their secondary schooling and joining the 海角大神 community.

Staff Farewells
There are a couple of staff retiring this year and it is fitting to acknowledge them and say thank you for their service to Peter Merritt and Malkith Kaur. There are also a number of staff who are pursuing professional opportunities elsewhere and we wish them well in their new endeavours. Thank you to Seth Baker, MJ Chard, Carol Goldsworthy, Janine Hulston, Jon Lau, Jess Jacobs, Alison Prince, Janie Readdie, Lynda Schultz and Rhiannon Ward.

40th Reunion
I have the pleasure of welcoming a group of past students celebrating their 40th reunion back for a brief tour of the College over the weekend. It is important to remember that the wonderful learning environment that we enjoy today came from humble beginnings and to be grateful to those founding teachers and families, many of whom remain connected to the College.

Commencement Dates for 2024

• Monday, 22 January - Main Office opens
• Monday, 29 January - Senior and Middle Years Office opens, Teaching Staff commence
• Tuesday, 30 January - Year 7 New Families Information Evening
• Wednesday, 31 January - Year 7 and Year 12 Commence
• Thursday, 1 February - All Students Return

Term Dates 2024 - Students

• Term 1: Thursday, 1 February (31 Jan Year 12 & 7) to Thursday, 28 March
• Term 2: Tuesday, 16 April (15 Apr Parent/Teacher Interviews - no classes) to Friday, 21 June
• Term 3: Tuesday, 16 July to Friday, 20 September
• Term 4: Monday, 7 October to Friday, 6 December

Darren Atkinson
Principal

As this is the final Lighthouse for 2023, I would like to offer thanks and a reflection. Choosing and supporting a school is an important decision for a family and 海角大神 is very grateful to all our parents who have invited us into a partnership with you to help in educating your children. Our primary responsibility is to assist your children in achieving their goals and the family goals. It is a very big responsibility and a very fulfilling one.

Nearing the end of something, like the end of the school year, is an important time to take stock. It is when progress becomes really clear and where the rewards for efforts are evident. Over the last two weeks there have been Arts events at the College that illustrate this very well, instrumental soirees and a final exhibition of Arts and Technology as well as a Film Festival. In all of these events we have seen students perform at very high levels. In the same events we have seen students whose progress has been enormous, for example, Year 7 singers and musicians who are prepared to display what they have learned in one year, overcome the nerves that come with performance and recognise their own progress. There have been students who have visibly struggled with performing in front of others, but who have done it anyway and pushed on. This has helped them to build their capacity and was appreciated by audiences. At the end of the year, it is really good to reflect on how much effort has been put in and how much progress has been made. It鈥檚 often more important than the final achievement.

The end of 2023 is also the end of Mr Darren Atkinson鈥檚 time at 海角大神. On your behalf I would like to thank him for the culture that he has created, the decisions he has made and the innovations that he has overseen that make 海角大神 a school full of opportunities for every student to discover their talents and develop them.

Michael Box
Deputy Principal Learning

                                                                             Mission

We are soon to move into Advent, which for Catholics and most Christians is a time of preparation for the Feast of Christmas.




                                                                                                                             

Advent Prayer

Lord Jesus,

Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.

We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day,

We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.

We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.

We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.

We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.

To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!'

Amen.

- Henri J.M. Nouwen

Advent Meditation

You might like to use the linked meditation as part of your Christmas preparations during Advent. You start with a period of meditation by sitting comfortably, closing your eyes, and breathing deeply for a moment or two. Allow any present concerns to move across your mind and wait off to the side for now. Find the full meditation here:

Thanksgiving Mass for the Academic Year - 24 November

The College community for the final time this year gathered in the Peter Box Gymnasium for a full College Eucharist with Fr Dispin John presiding. Our Gospel from Matthew 25: 31-46 was the Parable of the King who saw the good committed by some and the evil committed by others. The king rewarded those who cared for the poor, the sick and those excluded by the society of the time. Jesus challenged his followers to always do good as if he himself were the recipient of their generosity and kind actions. We are called to do the same in this time and place: to be good people who do good all the time, as if Jesus were the recipient of our selfless giving of our resources, our time, our wealth, our support for those in any kind of need.

Our Mass included a ritual to farewell our Principal Mr Darren Atkinson, with prayers of blessing, farewell gifts from students and staff. We recalled the servant leadership he has offered with integrity and humility over these past 10 years. Our whole college community offers him our gratitude for his faithful service as the college leader and also every blessing for his future servant leadership to the faith learning community of St Mary鈥檚 College East St Kilda.

Bernard Green

Acting Assistant Principal Mission

Learning
Year 10 students studying Religion and Society have been considering the nature and purpose of religion. They were encouraged to consider their own beliefs as well as learn more about the Catholic and Muslim traditions. Last week Sr Karen Englebretsen shared her journey from atheist to religious sister with all four classes. Students listened avidly to her experience about pursuing a path that differed radically from her family鈥檚 values. Sr Karen encouraged the students to be true to themselves and to find their own path in life.

Education prepares students for engagement with the world, and RE classes are no different. Students have been encouraged to reflect on their strengths and interests and to consider what volunteer contribution they could make to their community. Charlotte Hayes from Year 10 has set an excellent example by regularly volunteering as a classroom assistant at the primary school she attended whenever there is a non teaching day at 海角大神. Students were asked to consider forgoing a treat from the canteen and putting that money towards the Vinnies Christmas appeal. One group committed to filling a basket with toys for needy children and the joy of the givers is evident here.

A small group of staff and students have been gathering every Friday morning in the chapel for 15 minutes of prayer before the school day begins. All members of the 海角大神 community are welcome, so do factor this into your schedule for next year. In our busy and noisy world, quiet time in our magnificent chapel is a gift to be cherished.

Gabrielle Mercer

Acting RE Learning Area Leader

The Importance of Students and Staff Wellbeing in the Experience of Learning

Student (and teacher) wellbeing are integral components of a healthy and effective learning environment. It is for this reason that the concept of holistic learning focuses across different pillars of development in young people, encompassing not just the academic but extending to the social, emotional, physical and spiritual facets. Student Wellbeing significantly impacts the overall learning experience, academic performance, and the development of individuals not just in the school context but as they interact and participate within their communities.

Over the last two years, the College has provided aspects of Social Emotional Learning to complement the robust and extensive curriculum options available to the students. The 鈥淧astoral Period鈥� has provided the opportunity for students to explicitly learn and develop general capabilities as outlined in the Victorian Curriculum from Years 7 to 10 whilst engaging students to experience the learning under the Spirit of 海角大神 program.

In 2024, students will continue to explore aspects of world-citizenship, functional, cultural and critical literacies and the practice of mindfulness and positive education. To do this, students will participate in a school program named THRIVE, which stands for Time Management, Harmony, Responsibility, Individual Growth, Values and Empowerment.

The name originated from nominations from staff about words that could capture the intentions of the program, to develop skills through experiential learning in the context of our College. We anticipate that the authenticity of the program will provide students with skills to develop resilience, apply mindfulness as a way to resolve challenges and set goals for improvement and achievement. The name was decided following voting from staff. The results were:

THRIVE aims to enhance in our students:

• Emotional Regulation
• Positive Learning
• Improved Academic Performance
• Social Skills Development
• Resilience Building
• Enhanced Motivation
  

And we anticipate that the program will lead students to experience:

• Greater School Satisfaction
• Effective Classroom Learning
• Formation of Real Positive Relationships
• Personal Development
• Reduced Burnout

As this is the last edition of the Lighthouse, I wish to thank you all for the wonderful support you offer the College and the staff, working in partnership with us so that we can continue to assist in the education of your child. I also wish to thank the staff who are departing for new adventures, especially our College Principal, Mr Atkinson, whose leadership and guidance has been invaluable. St Mary鈥檚 College, St Kilda East are fortunate to have a quality leader join their community. All our departing staff and students will be missed.

Have a wonderful Christmas and may you enjoy a safe and prosperous break.

Nap Rodezno
Deputy Principal

Senior Years Report

The College has held joyous occasions across the past week: the Year 12 Valedictory Dinner and the Year 11 formal. Two very different evenings filled with warmth and celebration. Musical showcases and a film festival have also been peppered the days across the week..

The Valedictory dinner encapsulated a blend of nostalgia and anticipation for the future. Uniting families, friends, students and staff to celebrate for the final time together. The evening included dinner, presentation of awards, final farewell speeches and plenty of dancing. A very relaxed social evening to share stories, reminiscing of the younger years, giving thanks to those who have been instrumental along the way and discussing hopes and intentions for the future.

The Year 11 formal was a vibrant occasion. Overlooking the river at Leonda by the Yarra, the students were suitably impressed by the formal occasion. Students, Mentor teachers and members of the Leadership Team attended the Year 11 formal. The Year 11 Leaders and the Year 11 student leaders were our hosts. In their service to the year level, the student leaders had planned awards, assembled personally labelled gift bags and ran raffles throughout the evening. Brent Honey, College Captain, 2016, dj鈥檈d both evenings and ensured the dance floor was full. The students appreciated the ice cream service to cool off from all the dancing. The cohort truly enjoyed the night. Speaking to students this week, they commented on how the whole year level merged, just as they did on Kakadu and City Camp. Some students found themselves reconnecting with people they hadn鈥檛 spoken to all year.

I attended the Piano Soiree on Wednesday night, an authentic celebration of students' talents. Thank you to Jermaine Wong for organising the evening. The program started with Year 7&8 students and concluded with students from Year 12 and beyond. It is always so refreshing to witness students involved in their passions. Students indeed showed their sense of belonging and compassion. Observing the senior students enthusiastically encourage the younger ones up onto the stage, followed by cheers of appreciation and warm acknowledgement for the performances, was heartwarming to observe. The outstanding performances by the senior students and alumni serve as such inspiring role models to the junior students. The music nights have strong camaraderie and community, I know the guitar, brass and wind nights would have all experienced the same sense of connectedness. These evenings really demonstrate taking up the opportunities within the College that bring such reward and pleasure for the students.

Next week, the Year 12 Transition concludes, parents are reminded that the Year 12 Parent Evening is also on Monday night. Details for this night can be found in the email from the College Registrar's address. Year 10 students begin exams on Monday and conclude with their final day, Friday, 1st November. The structure of the day will include transition learning activities.

There are plenty of ways we can make a positive difference this holiday season. So, let's get started on creating a greener and more meaningful Christmas celebration!
Here are some practical ideas to reduce our environmental impact during the Christmas and holiday season.

1. Eco-friendly Decorations: Choose sustainable decorations like reusable ornaments made from natural materials or recycled materials. You can also get creative by making your own decorations using items you already have at home.

2. Energy-efficient Lighting: Use LED lights for your Christmas tree and outdoor decorations. They consume less energy and last longer compared to traditional incandescent lights. Opt for solar lights.

3. Sustainable Gift Giving: Consider giving experiences rather than physical gifts. This could be movie tickets, or a beach day. If you do give physical gifts, choose eco-friendly and locally-made products.

4. Regifting and second hand gifts: the amount of manmade material created each week weighs the same as Earth鈥檚 total population. Don鈥檛 add to it: regift unwanted presents, search for secondhand gems in vintage, antique and op shops, hand make your own sustainable safekeeps and avoid anything that requires batteries.

5. Mindful Wrapping: Most wrapping paper can actually be recycled...but only if it's not the shiny or the gliettery kind. Instead of using traditional wrapping paper, try using recycled or reusable materials like newspaper, fabric, or even old maps.

6. Sustainable Foods: Plan a sustainable Christmas menu by opting for locally-sourced, organic, and seasonal ingredients. Reduce food waste by planning your portions carefully and composting any leftovers. Consider meat free options.

7. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Encourage recycling by providing clearly labelled recycling bins at your Christmas gathering.

8. Give Back: Take the opportunity to give back to the community by volunteering or donating to local charities. You can also support sustainable and ethical businesses in your area.

9. Visiting the beach, going for a walk, checking some national parks these holidays, consider taking home any pieces of litter you come across.

Some excellent sustainable resources can be found at these websites; 

Remember, small changes can make a big difference in creating a more sustainable Christmas. Have a wonderful and eco-friendly Christmas season!

Karyn Myers
Environment & Sustainability Coordinator

Gambling & Young People

The digital era has made gambling more accessible, and certain factors are elevating the risk of problematic gambling among young people. A new grey area is emerging, with smartphones at their fingertips blurring the boundaries between gambling and entertainment, especially within the realms of video games and social media. The current generation of young people are growing up in an unprecedented time and research highlights that a significant percentage of adolescents are involved in gambling activities.

Reports of young people gambling are frequent with many experiencing adverse consequences such as diminished academic performance and strained relationships. Today鈥檚 youth are growing up in a digital age characterised by constant connectivity, and the gambling industry has evolved significantly during their formative years. Simulated gambling, such as in video games, can further increase the likelihood of teenagers transitioning to real-money gambling and developing future gambling-related problems.

The holiday period (lack of routine, boredom, friends being away on holidays, more idle time), can lead young people to have more time for online entertainment and for exploring new forms. Gambling can increase at these times. It's crucial to foster open discussions about positive media choices to help children navigate through responsible online gaming and gambling. By encouraging a balanced approach to screen time and promoting alternative activities, will help set some clear boundaries to avoid potential gambling-related issues.

This from SchoolTV (available on PAM) provides guidance on how to empower young people to make responsible choices in this digital age.

If you have concerns about this issue for your child, don鈥檛 hesitate to contact their Team/Year Level Leader or yfc@aquinas.vic.edu.au Your child also has resources to access on the Youth Wellbeing Hub available on SIMON.

Sharon Daley
Director Student Services

Acknowledging our College Principal, Mr Darren Atkinson

We had a beautiful end of year celebration Mass led by Fr Dispin along with special guests.

Mr Atkinson was farewelled by all students and staff accompanied by the 海角大神 College Choir and Band.

Special memories, Blessings and gifts shared to remember and farewell our College Principal who sadly leaves us at the end of the year.

Mr Atkinson we wish you well and offer all our heartfelt thanks on a wonderful Ten years at 海角大神 College. 

Students and staff gathered in unity, paying tribute to the sacrifices made for our freedom. Poppies adorned our campus, symbolizing remembrance and gratitude.

We express gratitude to all who contributed, to making Remembrance Day a meaningful experience for our 海角大神 College community. Let the spirit of remembrance continue to inspire unity and appreciation in our campus.

It's always hectic leading up to a national competition, and running the Vex State Championships at 海角大神 College was going to be a challenge, but one that Andrew Russell was supremely prepared for. We organised tables and chairs, we harassed and cajoled parents and siblings and partners and friends to help move everything into place. We were preparing for over 300 people and 30 robot teams, all pouring into 海角大神 from 7.30 in the morning and not leaving until after 4 in the afternoon.

The robot battles were frantic and entertaining. The students were exuberant and bouncing with nervous energy. Part of the senior competition is the creation of alliances between finals teams and our students made business cards and spent a lot of the day schmoozing the other teams in hopes of being picked for the finals competition.

It's an incredible opportunity for students and I recommend it to anybody wanting some way to spend ALL OF THEIR FREE TIME. But the hard work has paid off and now we're off to Adelaide, with three of our teams making it into Nationals. Note that there are only 8 spots for Nationals for Victoria, and we took three of them!

Huge thanks, once more, to parents and partners and friends of our robot battlers who were dragged along to help move tables and judge robots and to the staff who helped set up and pull down and keep everything moving throughout the day.

Let's hope our next article talks about our preparations for Worlds!

Damian Perry


 
Hosting the VEX Robotics States competition was a super fun experience and it was great being able to compete with so many other schools and teams. I really enjoyed hanging out with my friends and solving the problems with our robot together. We also got to eat some free pizza after setting up the gym. - Emily Frohlich

 As the teams prepare to leave for nationals, we're all both incredibly nervous and excited and of course, honoured to be representing 海角大神 at such a big competition. We've all been rushing around every recess and lunch hoping to get our robots ready for competition, and everyone's been trying to get as much extra time to work as possible.Our plan is to improve on the robot we have currently by fixing issues that were found at States, including a lack of defensive abilities for a robot that played defence a lot more than we had expected, so we're reworking the climb to make it faster and taller to block triballs being fired from other robots. We also had parts falling off every single match, so we're removing each subsystem from the drivetrain and working on it separately, and ideally, we'll put it all back together before nationals. - Robbie Pilato
 
The build up of states was pretty stressful as we rebuilt the entire robot with 3 weeks left until States, it was stressful at the start but we somehow finished the robot and had a functional hang. The hang malfunctioned at the competition near the end but for the most part it worked. We managed to place around 11th place in the competition and got a team in top 6 to alliance with us and we got our way to the semi finals, we still managed to qualify through the excellence award, the A and D team also qualified as we were all hoping for. As for our new plan for the robot, we are going for a new plan of a de scoring small bot, a fast catapult, a C tier hang and a full autonomous. We leave for nationals on the 1st of December so we dont have a lot of time to work on the robot but if we stick to all the planning and journal work we have then we could have a really good robot before nationals.Our autonomous win point is meant to use flaps and hit the triball out of the loadzone, push a triball into the goal and go over and use our hang to touch the bar, that will give us an extra 20 points at the beginning of the game so we would start with the advantage. - Cooper Maxwell


The comp was stressful and overwhelming but also rewarding. Competing in the competition was very rewarding to find ways to fix last minute problems like a loose motor or a slightly too wide robot but being able to fix those problems and coordinate with other teams, planning strategies and learning about other robots.We felt excited leading up to states and ready to compete. We are feeling very excited and determined to go to nationals. - Cameron Cahill


Leading up to states it was a mad rush to get the robot finished. Quickly coding aunoutnouses, last minute changes to the robot.
We woke up way too early in the morning to come to school and compete. Both sleep deprived and high on sugar.
Our entire robot got bashed and battered. We finished with the robot in two halves. But we managed to get to nationals (through Robot Skills). So I suppose that I'll have to wait for the robot to be magically fixed in the 8 hour drive to Adelaide. Or actually do work over the next couple weeks. (probably the former). - Pip Wilhelmsen

The lead up to states was quite a big one. There was so much pressure upon us to qualify for the national championship as it was now the only way. States was hectic and chaotic as everybody was running around trying to get to their rounds and collect parts to repair their robots. It was relieving afterwards to be without the pressure and by Monday, the joy of being qualified for the national championship. - Brayden Waddell

 

This semester has been full of exciting events for the 海角大神 music students! Earlier this term we had the annual Junior Music Showcase. We celebrated the musical achievements of all of our music students from Years 7-9 (as well as a few year 10s and 11s). We had performances from our bands, choirs, string ensemble, guitar ensemble and rock band. Every student there gave it their all and it was so amazing to see the achievements in all aspects of the music program here at 海角大神. From year sevens performing for the first time all the way to our more experienced students, everyone had something to perform. This night was different from the Senior showcase, which focuses largely on our senior school ensembles. Instead, it was an opportunity for the younger years to experience performing and showcase their hard work and practice. The event was in the Mahon theatre and we had an awesome turnout, with almost the whole theatre filled! It was definitely a night to remember. 

Rose Ennis


Along with the Junior Showcase this term, each instrument group has had their soiree performances to finish the year. For the Brass and Strings students, our soiree was filled with solo, duet, trio and quintet pieces. This night gave each student the chance to share their skills with their family, friends and peers in a more casual environment, in the O'Byrne Theatrette. The soirees are a great aspect of 海角大神鈥檚 music program, because there鈥檚 no judgement on the students to perform perfectly  - it鈥檚 all about having fun and doing your best in front of people who appreciate your interest in music! 

It鈥檚 inspiring for the younger students to see their more experienced peers perform and show them what they can work towards on their instrument, as well as for the older students (like myself) to support the beginner performers and remember where they once started in their musical journeys not so long ago. 

Samantha Mugamu

Year 9 EISM Season 3 - Round 6

SEASON 1 AWARDS FOR YR 9 SPORT 2023

SENIOR SPORT 2023 SEASON 1 AWARDS

SENIOR SPORT 2023 SEASON 2 AWARDS

Medallion for a coach鈥檚 award
Yr 9 MALE SOFTBALL 2023 - NICHOLAS SCHULTIES

Thank you for all your support and generosity with our Vinnies Christmas Appeal. As you can see, there is quite an array of gifts collected under our Wishing Tree in the ARC.

We鈥檝e extended the date you can drop off presents to Tuesday 28th November. So if you would still like to contribute an item or two to this worthy cause, we would gladly welcome your donations. Gifts can be placed under the tree in the ARC, and monetary donations can be handed into the Catholic Life Office.

Wishing you and your families a very blessed and joy-filled Christmas.

Martha Mugamu
Justice & Outreach Coordinator

As part of their final unit of work, the year 10 Environmental Science students investigated their role in promoting environmental science and conservation. The students looked at conservation and education programs, analysing how they connect with people, improve understanding, and promote action. Part of their assessment involved research into two threatened Victorian species. This also required them to justify why conservation is important, which animal (of the two they researched) they would prioritise for conservation, and argue whether it鈥檚 too late to save some species.


As part of this program, the year 10 students also created board games for year 7 students about an aspect of environmental science to promote connection and understanding of environmental issues. On November 3rd, students in 7 Silver were given the opportunity to play the board games and provide feedback to the year 10 students, which formed part of their overall mark. 7 Silver thoroughly enjoyed playing the board games, and provided lots of positive feedback to the year 10s.

In addition, we were invited to Zoos Victoria鈥檚 Fighting Extinction School Showcase to present the work of the year 10 students. Class representatives attended the Zoo on November 17 to showcase their work, explaining their games and what they鈥檇 learnt. The students received lots of positive feedback, with many students from other schools playing the games, and Zoo Staff wanting to take the games back to their staffroom to play over lunch! As a result of our participation in this event and actions towards promoting environmental thinking, 海角大神 College is now recognised by Zoos Victoria as a Fighting Extinction School.

Ms Kate Chamberlain




Comments from students

The environmental science zoo excursion was a great experience. Some of the things that we did during our time at the zoo was listening to guest presenters who answered questions about how we can help fight the extinction of species, as well as displaying our board games that we created at the Fighting Extinction showcase. It was nice to know that many people were interested in our game as we spent a lot of time planning and creating it. At the showcase we were also able to see many projects created by other schools. This helped us learn more about how we can contribute to protecting our environment and how we can make a difference. Overall this was a wonderful educational experience. - Angus Tham


The Showcase was a really fun experience in general. Talking to people from around Victoria was really fun and interesting and seeing all the animals was heaps of fun too. - Jayden Kaminaga


I had a wonderful experience at the showcase. Being able to see how other schools were helping to preserve the environment and spread awareness was wonderful. We learned a lot while we were there of how we can help and do our bit in protecting our earth. We also walked around the zoo and saw many different animals. I鈥檓 so grateful to have been given this opportunity. - Ben Qi

Chinatown Excursion

A couple of weeks ago our 9 Chinese class went on an excursion to Chinatown located in the city. Our day started with a tour of the Chinese Museum which gave us an insight into the migration of the Chinese into Australia during the Gold Rush.

We learnt about the Chinese Dragon, and its significance in Chinese culture. The museum has one of the largest processional dragons on display, and it鈥檚 used each year in the Dragon parade during the Chinese New Year festival.

We also saw some displays showing the inventions of the Han Dynasty, and other Chinese cultural and historical artefacts.

After the Museum tour, we did a tour through Chinatown, learning about some of the significant history and features of Chinatown, watched some dumpling making, and then we finished with a meal at a local Chinese restaurant. The food was delicious.

It was a really good day, and a great cultural experience and an insight into Chinese culture in Australia and abroad.

Sean Miller & Nick Schulties

On the 3rd of November, five of us from years 7, 8 & 9 joined with students from five other Catholic schools and went to the Mackillop Family Centre in South Melbourne. We learnt about what services they provide for the community and learnt how to implement their ideas into our school. We heard from Tayla about her experience with homelessness, out-of-home care, and the struggles that came with it. Mackillop Family Services provided her stability and a place to live. This allowed her to pursue her dream of being an artist.

We got to wander around the Mackillop Family Heritage centre which was once a boys and girls orphanage. The centre had a museum in which we found numerous old artefacts such as metal frame beds that the orphans used to sleep in, old sports equipment, many photos, and a baby rocker which looked more like a torture device than a comforting rocking chair.

The highlight of the day had to be seeing Pebbles, the cute therapy dog. Pebbles comforts kids and young adults who are anxious and have mental health struggles. The day concluded with exploring ways that we can raise awareness for children in need of a stable home and practical support.

Yulia Kluever and Tyler Socan