International Students

2024 Student Voice Project Closing Forum

Our International Student Voice Forum members participated in the Presentation Day organized by the International Education Division, where they proudly showcased the various activities that fostered multiculturalism within the Doncaster Secondary College community. These initiatives clearly demonstrated how local and international students, alongside teachers and the school leadership team, came together to celebrate our diverse culture while creating a platform for students' voices to be heard and acted upon.

As our student ambassador, Venus Fung joined other student panellists in posing insightful questions to principals from both Government and Non-Government schools across Victoria.

I would like to extend a special thanks to Ms. Belinda McGee for her invaluable involvement in all the activities led by the forum team and for providing valuable feedback and suggestions. Additionally, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who supported the International Student Voice Forum team over the past six months.

Please find the reflection from our Student Ambassador about the ambassador panel below: 

As I step into the role of International Forum Ambassador for the second and final time this year, I find myself feeling more confident and reflective compared to last year. The nervousness that accompanied my first experience on the ambassador panel has significantly faded, allowing me to fully embrace the responsibility and excitement of representing my peers. This year, I am more focused on making a lasting impact and helping others who are in similar positions.

 

One of the most memorable moments from my past experience was when I was asked, “What advice would you give to people who are going to be in the same position as you?” This question resonated deeply with me, as it made me reflect on what I’ve learned about leadership, communication, and collaboration. 

 

If I were to offer advice, it would be centred around the importance of communication. As a leader, it is essential to listen to others, respect diverse perspectives, and create an environment where everyone feels valued and understood. I have learned that effective communication is key to bringing people together to achieve common goals, especially when working with individuals from diverse backgrounds who may have different approaches to solving problems.

 

In this final year of being part of the forum, I’ve realized how important it is to not only lead but also guide others by embracing the variety of perspectives that come together in any collaborative effort. Witnessing how different viewpoints can lead to innovative solutions and stronger teams has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my role.

 

As I reflect on this final year, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve again as an ambassador. I look forward to applying the lessons I’ve learned and continuing to grow as a leader, while also helping others navigate their own journeys within the forum. It has been an incredible experience, and I hope to leave a positive legacy for future ambassadors to build upon. 

- Venus F.

Please find the reflection from our International Student Voice Forum members below:

Reflecting on this years’ experience, I’ve gained valuable insights into communication, leadership, and event organization. Coordinating programs like the Buddy Program and "Art Olympia" helped me improve my ability to adapt and respond to feedback. One of my personal highlights was witnessing the strong connections formed between international and local students. The activities allowed them to break out of their comfort zones and build friendships, which was both rewarding and a reminder of the power of inclusive, well-structured events.

 

Another key growth area was in the presentation process. Preparing and delivering information required clarity and confidence, helping me refine my public speaking and presentation skills. These abilities will serve me well in future leadership roles as I continue to develop my ability to engage and inspire others. 

 

Compared to last year, our teamwork improved significantly. We communicated more effectively and had a clear division of responsibilities, which allowed for smoother coordination and better problem-solving. This strengthened collaboration not only made the process more enjoyable but also contributed to the success of the events, creating a more impactful experience for everyone involved. 

- Beckly L.

Mooncake festival Celebration 2024

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is an important cultural celebration marking the harvest season in Chinese tradition. It is observed on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which coincides with a full moon and usually falls between mid-September and early October in the Gregorian calendar. This year, Mooncake Festival will be celebrated on Tuesday, 17 September 2024.

With the generous support of Doncaster Secondary College's leadership team, all international students received individual mooncakes to mark the Mooncake Festival 2024. Our Assistant Principal, Ms. Belinda McGee, personally joined the international student community, delivering mooncakes to the students. The students and their families have asked me to express their deepest appreciation for this thoughtful gesture, which has certainly brightened their spirits and eased the challenge of being far from home. Knowing that the school genuinely cares for them has made their time away from their home country more comforting. We also shared some mooncakes with the whole DSC community. 

This year’s celebration was also made special by the valuable contributions of two of our international student leaders, Venus Fung and Elly Te. They assisted in unpacking and distributing the mooncakes to their fellow students, ensuring that the celebration was enjoyed by all.

Please find below some messages of appreciation from the students.

This year, I had the opportunity to help prepare mooncakes for the Moon Festival at school. Previously, I also assisted in preparing Zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival, so this felt like a similar experience. My role involved unboxing the mooncakes and delivering them to the students. I chose to help because it reminded me of celebrating the Moon Festival with my family back home. Helping with the preparations gave me a sense of familiarity, as I would always assist my family with festival preparations. 

- Elly T.

I wanted to help with the Moon Cake Festival because I appreciate cultural traditions and enjoy being part of community events. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the festival and contribute to something special. After offering my assistance, I felt really good. It was rewarding to see everything come together and to know that I played a role in making the celebration a success. Overall, it left me feeling satisfied and happy to have been involved. 

- Venus F

As international students, being far from home during such special occasions can sometimes feel a bit lonely. However, our teachers from International Student Program made this holiday feel much less distant by thoughtfully preparing mooncakes for us. When I received the mooncakes, I felt incredibly touched. In that moment, it was as though the teacher wasn’t just an educator but someone who cared for us like family, making sure we were reminded of home. It was a comforting gesture that brought warmth and connection, even from miles away. 

- Diana H

During the Moon Cake Festival celebration at the International Centre, I received a moon cake with double yolks and white lotus paste filling. I was thrilled to receive the gift, as it reminded me of home and the times my family and I admired the stunning moonlight. 

- Karl N

2024 Short Story Competition

The DSC Annual Short Story Competition has concluded, and we are proud to announce that our international students, William Yan, Stella Zhao, and Chan Kim, are among the winners! A heartfelt congratulations to these students for demonstrating their outstanding academic achievements.

Please find their reflections below:

I have participated in the annual DSC short story competition, and I won as the year 7 EAL winner, and as an international student. I participated in this because I wanted to try new things, since I never wrote a short story before. My mother also encouraged me to participate. Meanwhile, I also wanted to win the “special lunch” for the winners for my mother, to make it worth all her effort on taking care of me. 

My story was about a scientist, also a father, used technology and effort to reset her daughter’s fate. My experience of this competition is that to never be afraid of challenges, and never be afraid of asking the teacher for help. Also, read books and watching science related videos and documentaries, instead of watching funny videos, is the key to improving. 

- William Y.

In the short story writing competition of this year, I received the winner of year 10 EAL group award. Both my English teacher and the international coordinator encouraged me to enter the competition which gave me a lot of confidence and encouragement, at the same time the inspiration in my life made me feel like to use the competition as a chance to express myself and write the things I wanted. 

 

My short story was adopted based on my life, it’s depicted youth, emotions, love and relationships in the way that relates to personal growth and life. Throughout the competition, I had successfully developed on my writing skills and wrote a story that actually expressed my feelings, at the same time I learned a lot of literary writing skills from my teacher which would help me in my following English studies and writing. Overall, I enjoyed the story writing competition and felt glad that I could be the winner of year 10 EAL group. 

- Stella Z.

I received a certificate for a short story competition. Ms. Huang encouraged several international students to take on the challenge, and that's how I started participating. The story is about destiny. It follows Jack, who accidentally acquires a time machine and struggles to prevent his parents' tragic accident when he was young. As Jack tries to fight fate, he learns and grows through the process. 

 

While writing this piece, I discovered that I was really enjoying and finding it fun. It was more enjoyable than I expected, and I feel like I have found a new interest. I would love to write more pieces in the future. 

- Chan K.

International Student Shines at DSC Talent Show

Our international students continue to fully immerse themselves in all aspects of life at Doncaster Secondary College, contributing to the vibrancy and diversity of our school community. This participation extends beyond academics to include extracurricular activities, where they showcase their talents and passions.

A shining example of this involvement was recently seen at the DSC Talent Show, where one of our very talented Year 7 international student, William Yan, took to the stage. William delivered a captivating piano performance that resonated with the entire audience, showcasing his remarkable musical talent and dedication. His beautiful rendition not only reflected his individual skill and passion for music but also underscored the importance of embracing diverse cultural expressions within our school.

The DSC Talent Show provided a wonderful platform for students like William to share their talents and engage with the broader school community. It is inspiring to witness the way our international students bring their unique perspectives and skills to enrich the cultural fabric of DSC. Their active involvement in school activities fosters a sense of belonging and highlights the significant contributions they make to the school’s inclusive environment.

We look forward to seeing even more international students participating in future events, continuing to share their talents, and further enhancing the diversity of our community.

Please find his reflection below: 

On the 20th of August, I attended the student talent show. I found it to be a great opportunity for me to show everyone my skill and most importantly, a challenge for me to improve my confidence and skill level. I have been playing piano ever since I was 5 years old, but it was the first time I played in front of so many people: my classmates, my friends and so many other people in the school, in a different country. I played a song called Flower Dance, one of my favorite songs. Despite the fact that I have played in front of many people and passing my piano examinations for many times in China, noticing that playing songs in a completely different country does not change things a lot is still a great comfort for me. I felt very energetic and joyful as the performance I did was a great success for myself and it definitely helped me a lot. 

- William Y.

DSC Neighbourhood Watch Committee Initiative

With the support of DSC Assistant Principal, Ms. Belinda McGee, and the International Student Program, the DSC Neighbourhood Watch Committee successfully launched a school-wide event, the Neighbourhood Watch Safety Spotlight Video Competition. This initiative followed nearly a term of brainstorming, consultation meetings with representatives from Manningham Neighbourhood Watch, and numerous email correspondences.

The motivation for this project stems from the fact that most crime prevention materials produced by Neighbourhood Watch have traditionally been in printed form. While this approach resonates well with older community members, it tends to lack appeal for teenagers. As a result, we see an excellent opportunity to engage our students in developing creative and effective methods to deliver crime prevention messages specifically tailored to their peers.

A big congratulations to the following committee members for their remarkable contributions to organizing and launching this competition. 

Hong Yuet (Venus) FUNG -Committee ChairGiorgio HEWA ATHAPATHTHUGE-Committee ChairMeyly (Elly) TE-Committee memberTravis BERA-Committee memberKuysing (Kyle) TE-Committee memberBaoyinge (Peter) XUE-Committee memberLidanna (Diana) HUANG-Committee memberPeiyi (Michelle) YAO-Committee memberJunyu (William) YAN-Committee member

In particular, we would like to extend special recognition to our two committee chairs, whose exceptional leadership and dedication have been pivotal in the success of this initiative. Their tireless efforts and careful planning ensured that every aspect of the competition was well-executed, and their commitment has set a high standard for future projects.

We eagerly look forward to seeing the winning submissions in Term 4 and celebrating the creativity and hard work of all participants.

Please see Committee Chair, Venus FUNG’s reflection below:

As the Committee Chair of DSC Neighbourhood Watch Committee, I firmly believe that building a safer community begins with raising awareness, particularly among our youth. This year, we engaged teenagers by organizing a video competition on neighbourhood safety, allowing them to express their understanding of safety measures through a medium they are comfortable with. The result was a series of impressive videos that showcased their creativity while increasing their awareness of community responsibility.

 

Video competitions are an ideal way to engage teens, encouraging them to think critically about real-world issues in a format they enjoy. By creating videos on safety themes, they initiate important conversations and develop a stronger sense of responsibility toward their neighbourhoods.

I would also like to extend my thanks to Giorgio for designing the promotional posters, which played a key role in encouraging participation and bringing this initiative to life.

 

Together, we are empowering the next generation to take an active role in creating a safer community. 

- Venus F.

International Students Maths Mentoring Program: Term 3 Success

The International Students Maths Mentoring Program has continued to provide essential academic support to international students in Term 3, helping them improve their mathematics skills. A big congratulations to our dedicated Maths Mentors, Elly TE, Peter XUE, and Kyle TE, for their outstanding efforts in organizing various sessions aimed at assisting their peers. Their commitment and leadership have been instrumental in the program’s success.

Mentor Report: 

In the recent sessions of the Maths Mentoring Program, we focused on challenging topics such as Algebra and Linear Graphs, which we believed would both interest and benefit the group. These sessions provided valuable insights into the students' strengths and areas for growth, helping us plan more effectively for future lessons.

We started with an introductory session to explain key concepts, ensuring that students had a solid foundation to tackle the challenges ahead. Following this, we organized interactive Kahoot games, where students competed in a fun and engaging way. To further motivate them, Ms. Huang prepared small prizes like notebooks and snacks for the winners.

As a result of these activities, we observed increased student engagement and enthusiasm for learning. Our goal is to continue offering enjoyable and interactive sessions to make math both accessible and enjoyable, while deepening students' understanding of the subject. 

– Elly TE

Thank you, Mrs. Huang, for encouraging me to participate in this project and contribute to the newsletter. As a team, we accomplished a lot with this project. We helped students with factorizing and expanding algebra, and we also assisted them in sketching parabolas. Additionally, we designed a Kahoot game, which the students really enjoyed. They actively participated, trying their best to win. We awarded exercise books to the winners as prizes, and although there were only three winners, all the students were eager to compete. This project has been a fantastic opportunity to support students who need help with math and to improve their math abilities. 

– Peter XUE

Mentee Reflection:

This program gave me the opportunity to learn mathematics. It allowed me to study outside of class. It helped me understand questions that I didn't understand in class. I won't make mistakes when doing questions in the future, and I have become more confident. 

- Claire SHI

I can now understand problem-solving easily, i will now always read the question more carefully than before. They really trained my problem-solving skills.  -Issac UN

I want to learn about psychology in the future, and mathematics is essential because I need statistics and probability. 

- William WAN

The new mathematical skill I learnt that I didn’t know before joining the program is understanding linear functions. I did not know anything about linear functions before learning it, but the program has helped me in the process of learning it and enhancing my knowledge of the topic. 

- Ivana UN

At the beginning, I was still learning the language and I couldn’t understand some of the questions. But later on, when I caught up with the language and could understand some of the questions, my confidence increased. 

- Judy WANG

Attendance Award

Congratulations to the following students for achieving 100% attendance in Term 3.

They have demonstrated exceptional resilience and responsibility in their studies, serving as outstanding examples of commitment and dedication.

Sally Huang

Director of International Student Program 

Doncaster Secondary College