The World of Junior Secondary

Our Year 9s have been out on City Experience and enjoyed Create to Advocate. I have had the privilege to attend these integrated experiences. The way our teachers get beside students to help draw them out is inspiring and transformative. So much love and care is invested in helping students to grow through these experiences. 

Create to Advocate is an opportunity for students to choose one of eight World Health Organisation’s 'Sustainable Development Goals' which they feel passionate about and create something that will advocate for this goal by inspiring others to act. My heart aches after reading the stories of very young women who are forced into marriages. 

I was inspired by all the creative pieces, but have personally been called to now search out sustainably-made chocolate! 

The growth from this program led students to ask how they were impacted by their own experiences in our city. During City Experience we saw students asking important questions at the Salvation Army Homeless Centre. This demonstrates a real understanding of how easily someone can become homeless and our students’ compassion for those experiencing homelessness was evident. It was a delight to witness the interaction between staff and students as we all explored and appreciated the many things on offer in our great city.

Year 8 Camp was another opportunity for exploration and growth. The beautiful and ancient Grampians provided a backdrop to God’s wonderful creation, allowing our students to be immersed in an experience without technology and the vagaries of school. Our hiking trip up the Grampians Peak trail was difficult, but the students embraced this, and I was impressed with how enthusiastic they were - many remarked on the incredible views from the top.

I love that these students now know they can do difficult things and understand (as clichéd as it sounds) that the climb/struggle is worth it. We saw students blossom in front of our eyes as they tried all the various activities around the camp site. The way students put their fears behind them and encouraged each other to give something new a go, was a blessing to see. 

It has been an absolute pleasure to be both a Homeroom and Christian Studies teacher in Year 7 this year. I have witnessed the students growing in their confidence and understanding of who they are and how their faith is integral to this. The students have had some wonderful role models with the Peer Support Program, facilitated by some of our senior school students who run group activities with the Year 7s. It was a delight to observe the interactions between junior and senior students at the farewell pancake brekky. 

This term students have been led by teachers through a theme of identifying their own strengths and how they can use these to overcome struggles in preparation for the journey to Year 8. We have an amazing group of Year 7s, who have embraced this idea and used their strengths to grow and learn by participating in our debating team. 

The Year 7s finish the term off with ‘Shark Tank’ - an opportunity for them to showcase their strengths as they come together in small teams to develop sustainable ideas for businesses. Our ‘Sharks’ then question each team to ensure students have thought about all aspects of the project. It is a great way to ensure students are ready for all the thinking required in Year 8!

We finish the 2024 school year with our Picnic Day on Friday 8 Dec, Stepping Up on Monday 11 Dec and a junior secondary school assembly on Tues 12 December. This will be a great celebration to finish a wonderful term of growth and transformation.