Always striving upwards

VCE

VCE Theatre Studies

“On Wednesday, 22 February, the Year 11 and Year 12 VCE Theatre Studies students watched ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ at the prestigious Princess Theatre.

Watching this iconic show provided an amazing opportunity for us to appreciate an incredible professional play and to analyse the magic of theatre including the breath-taking transitions, sound effects and costumes present on stage. We were also extended the opportunity to attend a special Q and A session at the conclusion of the play, allowing us to hear from some cast members.

Viewing this play will allow us to further develop our analytical and evaluative skills and I am sure the magical experience will leave us spell bound for weeks to come.

Thank you to Ms McGrath and Ms Learmonth for organising this exciting day!”

Alana - Year 12
Theatre Studies student

International Women's Day Breakfast

"For International Women’s Day, the Deputy House Captains travelled to Parliament House on 3 March. We were joined by multiple girls’ schools in the area, and after some delicious croissants, bagels and mini sandwiches, we heard from multiple empowering and inspiring women, such as Georgie Crozier MP, who spoke about her medical background which lead to her becoming Shadow Minister for Health; Jess Wilson MP, who talked about putting your hand up to get involved; and Dr Angela Grant who spoke about the power of our impact and macroeconomics.

All three women encouraged us to be ourselves and to be respectful, but not silent with our actions as they speak louder than words. They inspired us to act with kindness, compassion, curiosity and courage. We were motivated to embrace equity in our daily lives."

Iliana
Year 11

Year 11 Chemistry

"In this prac we tested the reactivity of metals, in different solutions. We used the 'pop test' to demonstrate how hydrogen is produced when magnesium and HCL are mixed.

This practical activity helped consolidate my understanding of metal reactivity, and it was a great learning experience!"

Ava
Year 11

Unit 3 - VCE OES Camp

"We stayed on the Bellarine Peninsula in the Barwon Heads Caravan Park, by the Barwon River.

After setting up camp we took part in a cultural studies lesson with a local Wadawurrung man, named Ash. We learnt about indigenous life before European settlement.

The second day we went surfing in Ocean Grove followed by a visit to Tucker Berry farm to look at primary industries in the region and sustainability.

The third day, after we packed up our camp, we went stand up paddle boarding on the Barwon River and talked about the environment surrounding the river.

It was an amazing experience being able to go out of Melbourne to learn about the environment. We had a lot of fun spending time with friends, especially waking up early to watch the sunrise from the lookout."

Codie
Unit 3 - VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies

VCE Dance

"Attending Top Class Dance was extremely inspiring. It was great watching the top scoring VCE VET Dance and VCE Dance solos in such a wide range of styles and especially being able to support one of our peers, Alana Stillman, who performed her Composition solo.

My personal favourite, aside from Alana's, was the Clockwork inspired Composition solo. I loved watching the different manipulations of her motif, and how she used the accents in the music so well in her choreography. It really helped me to remember to think creatively and do something different for my solos this year. It was such an enjoyable day, and I would love to go back again!"

Jess
Year 12 Dance

Year 12 Physics

Physics is fun! Our Year 12 Physics students ventured to Luna Park to experience the application of classical physics theories. ​

To further develop their understanding of concepts involved in circular motion, students went on fun rides, sharing ideas and collaborating with each other and students from other schools.

Year 12 Media

“Year 12 Media students been busy this term collaborating on a filming and editing exercise. Students undertook individual production roles such as directing, filming, monitoring continuity and editing to each produce a ‘shot-reverse-shot’ sequence. The process included two students sitting in as actors to deliver scripted lines from ‘The Hunger Games’.

These screenshots from a clip, edited by Penelope, highlight her knowledge of the various techniques required to execute an effective interview sequence and are supported with graphic annotations to illustrate an understanding of framing and editing applications.

This hands-on approach to dissecting a sequence enables students to unpack codes and conventions in the narratives they study in preparation for their end-of-year VCAA Examination.”

Shellie Melrose
VCE Media Teacher

Antigone

“On Friday 24 March, the Unit 1 and 2 Theatre Studies class performed the play 'Antigone' to a Year 8 class.

'Antigone' tells the story of a woman who loses two of her brothers in battle and then stands up for one when he is refused a burial. This refusal is made law by King Creon who eventually sentences Antigone to death for burying her brother. The play is full of righting wrongs, love and ultimately death. Morality and pride also play a major part in the downfall of many characters in this Greek tragedy.

In preparation for this task, we had the opportunity to participate in the creation, planning, and overall execution of production roles including props, set, sound, makeup and costuming. Partaking in both acting and production roles was a great responsibility which helped each of us develop our theatrical skills.

Performing in front of an audience also helped each of us develop greater stage presence and overall acting skills. This incredible experience could never have been achieved so fluently without the incredible support and dedication of our Theatre Studies teacher, Ms Learmonth!”

Marlo and Neha
Unit 1 & 2 Theatre Studies

French Film Festival

“On 3 April, VCE French students attended the Alliance Française film festival.

We travelled to the Palace cinema in South Yarra where, along with many French students from other schools, we watched the film "À La Belle Étoile". The film was exhilarating and inspired us to never give up hope or our dreams.

This experience enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of French culture and the language we are learning. Thank you Madame Burgio and Madame Bouquet for broadening our appreciation!”

Alessandra and Joelle

VCE Media

Year 12 Media students visited ACMI to view the VCE Season of Excellence: Top Screen Exhibition. This showcase of short films, was selected from the best of the 2022 VCE cohort.

The excursion inspired Sacred Heart students to broaden their scope for developing, planning and creating their own media products and is an annual event on the school calendar.

Ms Shellie Melrose
VCE Media Teacher

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

Year 11 Chemistry

The Year 11 Chemistry classes had a chance to be university students for an afternoon, with a visit to the Monash University - Woodside Building for Technology and Design.

We heard from the Precious Plastic Monash student team who gave us an interesting presentation about producing greener polymers and showed us the different ways plastic can be used and created. They also brought along their own plastic recycling machine and gave us a demonstration of how to make new items with thrown out plastic.

It was interesting to see orange peels being made into environmentally friendly items. Watching plastic being shredded and made into a stool seat and earrings was also very cool.

It was a thrilling new experience and we engaged in many practical activities with the help of university students to guide and support us along the way.

Ava, Elizabeth, Gargi, Lucy, Nelsa and Thevni
Units 1/2 Chemistry

VCE Unit 1 Physics

STEM education goes beyond school subjects. It provides a skill set that governs the way we think and behave. Merging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM education helps us to solve the challenges the world faces today.

As part of the Unit 1 VCE Physics Electricity unit, the Year 11 Physics students will be building a prototype of a house using the electricity concepts they have learned in class. In preparation for this task they visited the construction site of our Latrobe Street Wing Extension. This experience will help enrich their imaginations in the areas of electrical wiring, power consumption and electrical safety and will help them understand the philosophical, technical and logical concepts they need now and in the years to come.

We thank James Tian (Director of Business Operations, SHGC), Derek Haagsma (Project Consultant, SHGC), Ben Van Soest (Site manager, Newpol Construction) & Nathan Syer (Forman & Electrician, Live Volts Electrical) for their time, sharing their invaluable knowledge with our eager students.

May this experience spark further interest in STEM.

Dom Ignacio
VCE Physics

Year 11 Physical Education

Year 11 Physical Education students participated in a WheelTalk program run by Disability Sport and Recreation Australia.

Peter Ogunyemi, current VWFL Richmond Tigers player, shared his story about living and playing sport with a disability. Peter was born in a community in Nigeria where he had no access to a wheelchair and no money. A life changing opportunity, along with hard work and determination, led to Peter qualifying for the Sydney Paralympics in 2000, and he later migrated to Australia.

Sacred Heart students took away key life lessons from this workshop, reflecting on concepts such as resilience, perseverance, inclusiveness, and equality. Many commented that they would like to continue playing wheel sports every lesson!

Ms Julia Stokes
VCE PE