Anzac Day Commemorations

Congratulations to Ms Lynn Keating and her students for the stunning piece of artwork that they produced for the local Anzac commemorations. Thanks go to Mr Matt Turner for the laser stencilled production of Stella Cowan’s evocative poem about the Battle of Fromelles, 1916.

This adds to the contributions made by SLC and other interested students who participated in the Dawn Service and local march on Saturday morning. Before a crowd estimated to be over 8,000 people, our students performed readings from the diary of Hugh Anderson which covered his experiences over the four years of the conflict. It was the centrepiece of the service and its reverential tone had a profound impact upon all who attended.

At 10:30 the students, representing a former soldier and wearing a poster of their original enlistment, marched to the oval for the 11am commemoration ceremony. It was here that each student was presented to the crowd. The students involved were: Olivia Wood (Year 12), Tyler Smith (Year 12), Jacob Massey Chase (Year 12), Jack Rabbidge (Year 11), Jonathan Van Toor (Year 11), Emily Smith (Year 10), Lillian Wells (Year 10), Skyla Jennings (Year 10), Bridin Walker (Year 10), Tyler Goodridge (Year 9), Eilis Peters (Year 9), Sian Nugent (Year 9), Eily Walker (Year 8) and Jade Roberts (Year 8).

In addition, a group of four students presented the same extracts to an official luncheon at the RSL on Wednesday. Congratulations to: Jacob Massey Chase and Tyler Smith of Year 12 and Jack Rabbidge and Bart Heeren of Year 11. A splendid effort by all!

Thank you to the teachers and staff who have joined in with active help or advice in the lead up to Anzac Day this year: Ms Lynn Keating, Ms Georgie Stein, Ms Deb Child, Mr Lachlan Whitley, Ms Viv Bond, Mr Brian Hitch and Mr Dale Woolnough. Thank you also to Ms Kerrie O'Mara, Ms Trish Stewart and Ms Julie Bacon. They are miracle workers in the ferrying of information, Mr John Albiston for his thoughtful speech, Ms Sue Robinson and the amazing History Club investigators, Ms Sally Bredin and Ms Peta Laughlin for the choir and orchestration; it sets the tone for the assemblies and raises those emotions to a profound level.

Finally, thanks to Mrs Sarah Bahramis whose delicate organisation, sensitive creativity, good humour and diplomacy made the week a richly memorable one for the students and staff in her care.

Mr John Russell, History Teacher

Poem by Sarah Cowan

With death in one eye and pride in the other

He staged his script upon a magnificent theatre

‘Brothers’, he cried, ‘one thousand by five’

‘Not one smile will crack nor one eye will revive’

Hair strands of grass, splitting ends;

Appearing mischievously as stubble on the earth’s face

Unkempt; so similar to the soldiers’ disorderly trudge

With invisible exhaust fumes trailing behind

An impossible image –

The faces of those lost matching that of glass

Precious jewels hacked at by a thief

An unknowing thief but a thief all the same

And for those who held their hearts between their teeth

Clutching at hope yet gripped by fear,

knowing –

The incredibly rough hands of emotion, they are

Shaking with the unforgiving hands of time

This man, as he spoke –

Courage rolling off his tongue and dissipating in warm air

No longer is remorse felt - nor is guilt

Just a cold, burning emptiness, an unexplained silence

The honour, no longer tangible

All that is left is chaotic endlessness

Fingernails gripping – clawing, drawing beads of crimson

One boat ticket for a river of blood

Remains, ashes after fire

A twentieth century sun burning above

Minds convinced that death means peace

When peace is what was left behind.

Stella Cowan, Year 9

Harmony Day

On Friday 20 March, we had a BBQ lunch to celebrate Harmony Day, which is a day to celebrate Australia's diversity - a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home. Throughout the day, the international, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and SLC students had lunch together, just like a big family.

At the beginning of the lunch, three of our lovely international students shared their wonderful journey to Australia with us, as well as their challenges in a new environment. As an international student myself, I understand how hard it is to learn a new language and also a new culture. The speeches inspired international students to overcome the challenges in their new environment.

After the speeches, we all enjoyed a BBQ. We had sausages, which were cooked by our SLC chefs, sushi and much more. For dessert, we enjoyed many delicious treats, including many from the various cultures of the SLC students. During the lunch everyone was very happy, just like a big family. It was a very good chance for us international students to make friends, talk, discuss challenges in our life and learn from each other. Personally I loved the atmosphere of the BBQ. Everybody was happy with big smiles on their faces. We also had a big board for everyone to sign as a memory of Harmony Day 2015.

The Harmony Day lunch was not just a normal BBQ where all students have lunch together, it was a day for all Frankston High School students from all over the world to share their stories. It reminded me that no matter where you are from, or what language you speak, when you open your heart, there will be a lot of amazing friends who will always stand by you and together we can overcome all challenges in our lives.

Thank you to the SLC for organising this fantastic day and for providing lots of delicious food. Additionally, thanks to everyone who came and joined us on Harmony Day. Finally, a special thanks to Mrs Sarah Bahramis and Mrs Sharon Koning for organising this wonderful event.

Louis (Tan) Ho, Year 10 Captain

and SLC Member

Watch for a Nurdle Near You

Students in the Frankston High School Eco Team were recently treated to a private screening of the locally produced documentary ‘Baykeepers’. The film highlighted the declining health of Port Phillip Bay and introduced the concept of micro-plastics (nurdles) and the impact they are having on our marine environment.

As a result of the screening, the Eco Team were eager to investigate the impact nurdles were having on the Frankston Beach environment. They undertook some citizen science during a school afternoon to see if nurdles had infiltrated Frankston beach.

What the students found was stunning; nurdles in huge proportions, particularly around the mouth of Kananook Creek. Students found that micro-plastics are definitely entering the marine environment in a substantial way, with not only marine creatures being exposed to the dangers posed by the plastics, but humans as well, due to toxins leaching from the particles in all sorts of ways.

Since discovering this devastating news, students in the Eco Team have screened the documentary publicly and, as a result, were awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the St Kilda Eco Centre to be used in conjunction with Polperro Dolphin Swims, to investigate the Port Phillip marine environment further.

Students are hoping to conduct further studies at Frankston beach and perhaps further along the coastline. They are also trying to spread the word on how to help our marine environment by decreasing our dependency on plastics.

Mr Brendan McKinnon, Eco Team Coordinator

2015 School Production