Always striving upwards

VCE

Business Management Market Day

“On 8 September, the Year 11 Business Management students held a market day. There were various stalls that students could purchase food or items from. On pre-order day we spent time decorating our stalls and collecting money from customers whilst writing down our sales to be able to then accurately purchase all the items needed for the market day itself.

After numerous weeks of organizing and creating our stalls, the day went smoothly and was a lot of fun despite the horrible weather. We are very grateful to have had this opportunity to be able to experience what it’s like running our own business, learning new skills, and interacting with other year levels.“

Alessia
Year 11

VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies

“Recently, the VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies class travelled to Mount Buller for our highly anticipated Unit 2 Ski Camp. It was a nerve-wracking and exciting activity to take part in as many of us had never been skiing or even been to the snow before. Throughout Unit 2 we have learnt about the appropriate recreational uses of alpine environments, the correct use of ski lifts, and the unique flora and fauna of Mount Buller. We rugged up for windy weather that barely hit 10 degrees and were put to the test as we learnt how to ski, and more importantly, how to stop.

We were encouraged to push ourselves and step out of our comfort zones as we navigated each run of the slopes. In the end, all of us came home with a few bruises as memories of our achievements, but feeling accomplished with our newly acquired skills. We felt very educated and appreciative about the amazing alpine environments we have in Victoria, and had a bonding experience that was exhilarating and unforgettable.”

Iliana
1/2 VCE Outdoor Environmental Studies

Drumroll ……

Presenting our 2024 College Captains.

College Captains: Isabelle Devadass and Dezi Kydas
Deputy College Captain - Arts: Rosario Acosta Fernandez
Deputy College Captain - Faith: Tess Dargan
Deputy College Captain - Social Justice: Marina Funtusoff
Deputy College Captain - Sports: Sophie Stinear

Our Student Captains are ready to jump into action and lead the College in 2024.

VCE Theatre Studies

One of the perks of studying Theatre Studies in VCE is the opportunity to attend professional theatre productions.

“On Wednesday 19 July, the VCE Theatre Studies classes travelled to Theatre Works in St Kilda to see a new interpretation of Michael Gow's play ‘Away’. Having read the script in class, the students had a good awareness of the characters and plot. The Theatre Works' production of ‘Away’, however, was very different to what they expected. This element of surprise was refreshing and thought provoking. Students thoroughly enjoyed discussing their impressions of the characters and evaluating the use of production areas.”

Fiona McGrath
Dance, Drama and Theatre Studies Teacher

Winter Sleepout

“On the night of 14 July, 60 Year 11 students participated in the Winter Sleepout. The night was a little bit cold, a little bit uncomfortable and not dissimilar to the conditions experienced by those with no fixed address. What filled us with warmth was that just by being there we were doing something to help combat the growing issue of homelessness in Australia.

Straight after school we participated in various activities that were designed by Ms Stokes with Ms Shan. They included an insight into women experiencing homelessness and 40 minutes of solidarity spent outside in the courtyard followed by reflection. We also listened to guest speakers from Vinnies, a young volunteer and a man who shared his own story of being homeless.

For dinner we enjoyed either pumpkin or potato soup made by our Year 11 Food Studies students and sandwiches given to us by our Vinnies guests. We ended the night watching ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’.

We can all help to break the cycle of homelessness by taking initiative and acting with empathy.”

Yasmin
Year 11

VCE 1/2 Visual Communication

"As an introduction to our environmental design unit in Year 11 Visual Communications, we produced cube net models using Adobe Illustrator. We learnt about the transformation of flat nets into three-dimensional objects, and discovered how drawing conventions, like symbols or dotted lines, are used to indicate walls, doors and windows in architectural design.

For our VCAA assessment, we were tasked with producing floor plans for a small kiosk, and then modelling this design using the online 3D software, SketchUp. For this task, we needed to know about the various methods of producing environmental drawings, and use what we learned in our previous unit of industrial design to turn our room concepts into 3D spaces."

Talia
Year 11

Year 11 Respectful Relationships

“Over two Wellbeing lessons, the Year 11 Respectful Relationships Leaders led an activity about understanding gender stereotypes in society.

Students worked collaboratively in groups to brainstorm the types of gender stereotypes that exist in schools, sporting clubs, homes, stores, rituals and the media. This sparked some robust discussion about gender bias, with students learning from each other and exchanging ideas and strategies to challenge gender biased thinking. Gender roles in society can create certain expectations, and the pressure of gender stereotypes can often be hard for a young person to deal with.

I found leading the activity engaging and beneficial as we talked about the issues facing young people. It was valuable hearing the perspectives of our homeroom teachers who contributed additional examples to the discussion.

The same gender stereotypes that limit us as young people, go on to inform and shape us as adults, and can feed into a society where disrespect, inequality and violence against women is more likely. We all have a responsibility to build a more inclusive and accepting society.”

Renna
Year 11

Newman College, University of Melbourne

Our College Captains and Deputy Principal – Students, Ms Carmel Feeney, recently attended a dinner at Newman College, University of Melbourne, to gain insight into life as a residential tertiary student.

“We were greeted by the friendly staff and welcomed with a student-guided tour of the College’s dorms, common areas, academic centre, chapel, and dining hall. We were delighted to hear a choir performance as well as a solo musical performance. We spoke with a current scholar and Fr Frank Brennan, well known for his human rights activism.

A highlight of the night was hearing an entertaining speech from ex-collegiate Mr Maximillian Rudd, a musician, academic and teacher currently undertaking a PhD in music.

We are extremely grateful for the privilege to attend this event.“

Claudia and Ashlee
College Captains