Student Leadership
SRC Updates!
It’s almost as if lockdown hasn’t happened for the BHHS SRC – nothing is stopping us from kicking goals! This year, SRC reps have been working in project teams to bring about the change we want to see at school. Keep reading to find out more about how our exciting projects are coming along!
School Garden Team
This term the Garden Team has been busy refining our plans for the School Garden after our initial proposal was approved by the rest of the committee. Leading up to this, the wider school community was surveyed on their preferences and ideas regarding this venture, and we were overwhelmed with the enthusiasm surrounding it as well as the suggestions that continue to shape what we hope will be a successful green space for students and teachers alike. As well as being a visually appealing addition to our school, we hope that the introduction of our garden will help give students a purpose outside of their studies as well as providing a method of managing stress during the year. We can’t wait to continue working on this initiative in Term 4 and would like to encourage you all to keep and eye out for ways in which you can get involved in the future!
School Radio Team
The SRC podcast team have been working hard to get a Box Hill High School podcast station up and running. With this initiative, we are aiming to build a sense of school community, allowing students to be able to create and consume their own media, as well as acting as a source of entertainment for the wider school community. Our proposal with Ms Pillay earlier this term was as success, and she was incredibly supportive of the idea of a school podcast. Despite the disruption of multiple lockdowns, the podcast team have been planning ahead and we are attempting to release the first podcast very soon. Topics of future podcasts involve study tips, current affairs, book/movie reviews and soon after, we are giving the opportunity for any student interested to host a podcast as well.
Indigenous Mural Team
The Mural Team has been working very hard to make a survey to collect student feedback so we can see what type of Indigenous Mural the student body wants. We are looking for any artists who have made Indigenous artwork and murals for schools. We are collecting responses and meticulously reading through student suggestions to better understand what students want the mural to look like. We are also responding to student’s questions which have been posted in Teams. We are planning to make a Teams meeting for those who want to help with the Mural in the near future.
McWhirter Conference 2021
Hosted in Melbourne each year since 2019, the prestigious McWhirter Conference provides a fantastic opportunity for Aussie students to engage with academics and industry professionals through discussions of the critical, challenging questions that will shape our future. This unique learning forum supports student leadership and growth by exploring the complex ideas of citizenship, personal initiative, moral responsibilities, and the role of the state in society. For two years running the conference has been hosted online due to Covid-19 restrictions, but that hasn’t stopped Box Hill High students from getting the most out of this incredible experience! This year’s fascinating debate topics were inspired by the key question, ‘Will AI make us happier?’
2021 Participants Ian Desouza (11Y), Shania Desouza (11Y), and Agam Johal (11C) tell us more:
The McWhirter Conference was a unique and extremely enjoyable event that took place over three days in the term two holidays. It was an opportunity to discuss with professors and high school students the fascinating and ever-changing topic of Artificial Intelligence and the impact that it will have on society into the future.
The most rewarding parts of the conference involved talks by university professors, experts in the field who had harnessed the power of technology to contribute to a vast array of applications spanning music, safety and medicine. Following these lectures, there would be discussion in smaller groups known as ‘Syndicate Groups’ where we debated different points of views and explored different ideas, in the process enriching our knowledge of the subject and our ability to communicate eloquently.
The final day was one of fun, a day at the ornate Ormond College of Melbourne University. It was an opportunity to meet those who we had spoken with over the past few days. The people I met were both interesting and diverse which really made the day worthwhile.
The Conference was extremely rewarding and one that I would not hesitate to participate in again next year. The people I met as a result of it and the knowledge I gained would not have been possible otherwise, and I can safely say I am glad that I chose to attend it - Ian Desouza
Attending the McWhirter Conference earlier this year was an incredibly interesting and exciting event to participate in. Over the two conference days we listened to four guest speakers all of whom held different perspectives on the topic “Will AI make us happier?” depending on their respective fields. The information being presented along with the discussions and debates that followed with members of our syndicate groups proved to be a unique and valuable part of this experience as it not only allowed us to adapt our own views but also opened up the possibility for others to pose questions that challenged your own perspective and ultimately lead to intense and meaningful conversation. These two days were rounded off by an in person get together at the University of Melbourne’s Ormond College where we got to meet our group members in person for a day of activities. While all the presentations were compelling, one that stood out to me was the one by Dr Denis Bauer who focused on the significance of AI and machine learning in genomic research and medicine as well as how it permits the storage and dispersion of research and information collected on an international scale.
All in all, I would say that this was a truly rewarding experience that exposed me to an area that I may not have otherwise delved into and I would strongly recommend this to anyone who is keen on having important conversations about topics that have and will continue to impact our society - Shania Desouza
As we proceed with ever so great pace towards the contemporary age of Robots and Artificial Intelligence (AI), it becomes important to have proper knowledge of this thought-provoking topic.
Through the McWhirter Conference I found an opportunity to learn and further dwell on my understanding of AI. The conference appealed to me due to its constant discussions, which often time led to great philosophical arguments. Usually, in the holidays a high school student like me would prefer to sleep in, however, the conference, which may play a big part in shaping my future, was so interesting and full of wonderful experiences that you could not miss it.
My favourite part throughout the three days was when we discussed novel ideas in our syndicate groups, in those discussions the most talked about topic was “Will AI make us happier?” It was refreshing to know the other side’s opinions as the points they provided were not only interesting but helped me further develop my understanding of AI.
Overall, the conference was super enjoyable. I would recommend everyone to participate in it, as you learn more about the ever-changing field of AI and robotics. If I ever get the chance to go back to the conference, I would accept it in an instance - Agam Johal
House Initiatives
Term 3 was meant to be a huge term for House events! We were planning to announce the new house names with a big celebration, but of course, Covid restrictions have unfortunately disrupted our plans and we are now hoping to announce the new names next term. Despite this setback, the House Captains hosted online House Week events in week 8 featuring fitness and photography challenges and House Colours Day. Many students relished the opportunity to earn last-minute points for their houses before the close of the house points tally at the end of this term!
Congratulations to House Week Challenge Winners!
Our 30-Second Fitness Challenge winners were:
1st Place - Ana Carolina Pereira (9E) of Yellow House who smashed out 20 sit-ups in 30 seconds!
2nd Place - Sylvia Dang (12X) also of Yellow House who completed 18 high-quality push-ups in 30 seconds
3rd Place - Khoa Nguyen (7H) of Blue House who did 27 star jumps in 30 seconds
Staff Winner - Ms Young of Yellow House who completed 30 push-ups in 30 seconds – WOW!
Our Happiness Photo Collection winners are:
1st Place – Laney Hubbard (9A) of Blue House & Sylvia Dang (12X) of Yellow House
2nd Place – Khoa Nguyen (7H) of Blue House
3rd Place – Ananya Seth (7J) of Yellow House
