Reflections from the Senior Hub Desk

This week the Senior Learning Hub has been bubbling along with an atmosphere of excitement and determination. Spring is here, the VCAL garden is thriving, holidays are looming and so is fourth term.

It has been so lovely and I must say, rather refreshing speaking with our senior students this week in regard to their goals and expectations and how they plan that it is all going to play out for them over the coming final weeks of the 2019.

Students are busy planning study programs, scheduling practice exams and tidying up work placement commitments. Year 10 students are getting excited about starting their VCE and VCAL studies.

The warmer weather has also seen the students out enjoying the sunshine on their breaks, which has made for quieter time for those studying in the LRC. It’s great to see the extra outside seating that we’ve installed being used and appreciated. We will be insisting on the LRC being a quiet study area next term in the run up to exams for Year 10, 11 and 12 and will be expecting all of our students to respect this. We encourage you to keep talking to your child about their study habits coming up to the end of term and ask what you can do to help.

Most of our students really need to be commended on the enormous improvement in wearing uniform. Our students have been looking so smart and showing that they are as proud to come to our school as we are proud to work here. You may have heard that we are trialling some different processes next term, and one of our targets is uniform. To quote what has become a bit of a catch-word here at school, uniform has been “sloppy” and we’ve found it difficult to manage. We have some new strategies and have worked hard this term to ensure that every student has had an opportunity to obtain uniform.

Next term, students wearing non-uniform items will be asked to remove them and they will be stored appropriately for collection at the end of each day. We are really looking forward to your cooperation in ensuring that your child is in uniform every morning when they leave home. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need some assistance in obtaining uniform items for your child.

Heads down for the last week of term, gearing up for a productive and safe holiday period.

The Great Titration Stakes

This week in Year 12 Chemistry we learnt about titrations. We tested the manufacturer’s claims for a particular brand of aspirin tablets. The manufacturer claims that there is 300mg of aspirin in their tablets.

Prizes were awarded for the group that got the closest results, provided of course that the manufacturer’s claims were correct.

After some controversy, and claims of cheating, the results were in and multiple prizes were awarded.

"I Hiked the Kokoda Trail"

“I hiked the Kokoda Trail” Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be saying those 5 words. When I was accepted for the Arthur Grassby scholarship I couldn’t believe it at first. The Kokoda Trail was always pictured as a dream and now it was becoming reality. I felt immensely honoured having the opportunity to walk in our soldiers footsteps, to be a part of our country’s history. I made memories that will stay with me for a life time. I am and forever will be unbelievably grateful for this unforgettable opportunity.

It was a surreal feeling landing in Papua New Guinea. One, I was overseas about to hike in the jungle for 8 days and two, the humidity. Well, I certainly wasn’t in Nicholson anymore. My journey hiking the Kokoda Trail was filled with many ups and downs. It is by far the most mentally and physically challenging thing I have ever accomplished. I think it was day 4 when I first said to myself “I can’t do this”. I had my first of many asthma attacks and it hit me hard physically and mentally. We had stopped for breakfast after hiking two hours, some of which we were walking in pitch black because it was so early in the morning. After breakfast was a steep incline. I kept looking up at the climb I was about to face and I felt overwhelmed and overcome with doubt. Along the track it was days like these where I saw the four values of the Kokoda spirit; Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. I had immense support from my mates to get me through, I endured my struggles, I found my courage to keep going when I felt like giving up and I remembered the true sacrifice of our soldiers as I walked in their brave footsteps on my good and bad days. Before embarking on this journey and before hearing about the Arthur Grassby Scholarship, Kokoda to me was nothing more than a hiking track in Papua New Guinea. I had no idea of the historical events that took place and of the importance the track has to our country. And, little did I know I had a Great Uncle who fought on the track.

I feel so truly blessed to have been given this incredible opportunity. I can’t express how grateful and proud I felt when I took those last few steps through the finishing gate on the track. To have experienced a small part of what our soldiers faced and to be connected with our country’s history I feel incredibly honoured to be Australian and to have witnessed the values of the Kokoda spirit. A huge thankyou to Tim, Gary, Sally and all of the amazing sponsors for making this incredible experience possible. To the amazing people I hiked with I will never forget the times you helped me on my bad days, you are all very special people. Well, we accomplished the bloody track. Mud, sweat and tears and what a life changing experience.

Thank you.

Kristy Halford.

Clontarf Conquers Canberra

This year our Year 10 and 11 boys had their major camp to our Nation’s Capital Canberra. After arriving and settling in we quickly went to meet Clontarf Alumni Kade Alexander for tea and a chat about his journey and how he overcame the struggles of completing school which was very insightful.

The Monday morning was all system go! First up was the Australian Institute of Sport tour where we learnt about a day in the life of an athlete and saw all the facilities that they use including a pool which has cameras from all different angles as well as an underwater tunnel for coaches to use.

Parliament house was our next stop, after going through heavy security and a decent walk we were taken into a large room where our local MP Darren Chester met us and spoke all things East Gippsland! The boys were very impressed to meet a local MP but were completely left speechless when our Prime Minister Scott Morrison “ScoMo” walked into the room and spoke with them! Mr. Morrison asked several questions about our area and how the boys found school and what could be done to help get kids to school “Getting picked up is the biggest thing for me, If Turk and Gus didn’t come every day I wouldn’t come to school” said Justin Finn. Mr. Morrison spent a few more moments with us speaking to the boys candidly about his role and where he comes from before he had to leave for another meeting.

Needless to say the boys were gob smacked that they had just met the Australian Prime Minister.

Tuesday started off with a bang as we joined the Karabar Academy for their morning training session!

It was upbeat and a lot of fun thanks to the Karabar boys being focused and high energy!

We joined them in there Academy for breakfast and a few games of table tennis after training and even gave out training awards for the best trainer which was a really great end to the morning.

Lunch in Eden was the next stop before heading to Mallacoota for our final night stay; the afternoon was spent at the beach with the footy and exploring all that Mallacoota had to offer! A simple BBQ dinner and a long debrief was the perfect way to end the camp with all participants enjoying themselves over the 4 days. Wednesday was a cruisy travel day with the boys being dropped home in the early afternoon.

Gus Fortune

Year 11 Biology

Miss Ryan's class learning about Genetics with Vegetable people.

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