International Students

International Student Voice Forum

The 2024 International Student Voice Forum aims to help student leaders with their student voice and advocacy work to promote global learning and engagement at their schools. Two local and two international students from each school are invited to participate.

Our kick-off forum was held at 9.30am – 3.15pm, Tuesday 12 March. This forum provided an opportunity to reflect on what good international student connectedness and inclusion means, and why intercultural understanding and global mindsets are important.

Our College forum representatives actively participated in all activities of the 2024 International Student Voice Forum Part 1 and brainstormed many wonderful ideas for future projects to be implemented at our school. As a team, they represented Doncaster Secondary College so well and we are very proud of them!! Please find the reflection of DSC’s forum representatives below:

We were placed in different mixed groups and share our wonderful ideas about events and programs that we can held to the other school, I really enjoy sharing our past experiences in running different cultural activities within DSC to the other school, which includes the art competition (Your culture Our culture) and the international buddy program. In the mixed group, we also enjoy a fun activity which we work together to build a spaghetti towel, it requires lots of team work as well as communication. Overall, I hear lots of great ideas and voices from the other students and I also meet lots of new friends which I think it’s undeniably worthy experience to have. 

- Christy K., Year 12

Upon arriving at the location, we were greeted warmly by ambassadors from different schools, some of whom were holding multicultural flags, which was really impressive. As soon as the event began, we were assigned a task known as the "spaghetti challenge," which required us to split up into groups with students from different schools. I was a little anxious at first, but it quickly became exciting, I got to play with a good bunch of individuals, and we had a great time. 

– Giorgio H., Year 12

We engaged in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas for activities and initiatives that could enrich our school community by fostering connections between international and local students. Drawing inspiration from various events organized by other schools, we developed fresh and enhanced events. As a team, we believed the events would create a sense of belonging and unity among the students, thus creating a close relationship for all students from all backgrounds and to embrace the cultural diversity DSC has. As a participant of this event, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to helping the school and to forge new friendships. 

- Karl N., Year 11

As I reflect on this experience, I am filled with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to fostering inclusivity and cultural understanding. I am more determined than ever to champion diversity and celebrate the unique contributions that each culture brings to the tapestry of humanity. This forum has reaffirmed my belief in the power of dialogue, empathy, and mutual respect to bridge divides and forge meaningful connections across borders. It has ignited within me a fervent desire to continue exploring, learning, and embracing the kaleidoscope of cultures that enrich our world. 

- Becky L., Year 12

Our international student Venus FUNG also received the Ambassador Award, which recognized her dedication and contributions to the forum. Big congratulations to Venus!

As an International Forum Ambassador, I had an amazing time learning and leading at the forum. One of the best parts was discussing ideas with my group and presenting our forum plan. Working with people from different cultures taught me a lot and improved my problem-solving skills. Seeing our ideas turn into real plans was incredible and made me believe in our potential to make a global impact.

My ambassadorship emphasized the importance of leadership and provided me with invaluable leadership experience. From guiding discussions to motivating and inspiring others, I discovered my capabilities and grew as a leader. The forum allowed me to embrace challenges, think critically, and develop innovative solutions, all while fostering a sense of responsibility towards creating positive change in the world.

In conclusion, being an international forum ambassador was an unforgettable journey of inspiration and personal growth. I'm grateful for the opportunity and will cherish the lessons and memories as I continue making a difference in the world. 

- Venus F., Year 12

International students enjoyed Harmony Week activities

On March 21st is Australia’s Harmony Day, which celebrates the country’s cultural diversity. It coincides with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Our international student, William Y., actively participated in the DSC’s Harmony Week activities by wearing traditional Chinese costume and playing two beautiful Chinese songs, Silver cloud chasing the moon and Celebrating our new day, on DSC’s piano.

Here is William’s reflection on Harmony Day:

On March 21st, which is the harmony day, we were encouraged to wear clothes with our own cultural features. On that day, I wore the “Hanfu”, which is the clothes that people wear in ancient China. I wore it that day because I remembers that I am a Chinese, and I want others to know about our customs and traditions. The “hanfu” I wore is made up with mostly Chinese red, which has the meaning of luck and happiness in China. Ancient Chinese also believes that red can make demons go away and make people safe. The costume also has Chinese dragon on it, which is made up with mainly yellow. Yellow was the symbol of the emperor, and the dragon is the sacred creature in Chinese Tails, and it is also the symbol of China. The combination of red and yellow has made up the color of the Chinese national flag. I like the activity this time very much, it gave us an opportunity to show our own culture, it made the school community more diverse than usual and gave us more knowledge about cultures in this world. 

- William Y., Year 7

International Student Buddy Program weekly session

In term 1, the International Student Forum Team has successfully organized weekly sessions for INTERNATIONAL STUDENT BUDDY PROGRAM. The BUDDY PROGRAM has strengthened the connection between newly arrived international students and local students at our school. So, a big congratulations to our International Student Forum Team! 

Below is their reflection.

Running and organizing this event requires a great deal of patience and public speaking experience, as well as explaining the details and instructions of the game to international students, especially when English is not their first language, and brainstorming ideas for how to best promote multiculturalism in DSC. Despite the many challenges of running this program, we as a team were able to discuss leveraging after-school hours to establish a successful buddy program.

- International Student Forum Team -Hong Yuet (Venus) FUNG, Giorgio HEWA ATHAPATHTHUGE, King Chee (Christy) KWAN, Qianhui (Becky) LI, Ka Long (Karl) NG

The participants also provided positive and valuable feedback for the buddy program:

For me, DSC’s buddy program is very helpful for new international students. With it, we can now adapt to the completely new environment faster. Also, students are allowed to find out their classrooms and access to the necessary school websites more conveniently. It is a great chance to make friends with students from different countries and practice English.

On the orientation day, I met my buddy, Saad. We had a chat and got to know about each other. Saad is a student from Pakistan. He is 14 years old and in year 8. Same as me, he started to learn in Australia in year 7. His hobby is to play video games, especially shooting games. Saad is very kind and helpful. On my first day, he picked me up from the international students learning hub and took me to my classroom. During our way to the classroom, he told me about the class and teachers, and he also told me not to worry. 

- William Y., Year 7

My buddy is William, and he is from China. William is a quick learner and understands well. I took him to his class in the morning and he didn't have any more issues after that. I think the buddy program is a genius idea and it really helps students understand how to work around the school. 

- Saad B., Year 8

My highlighted memory was talking to my buddy, having same classes with them, and trying new things with them. I would suggest doing more promotion of the buddy program because this is a really fun program, and many people would love it. 

- Sarah D., Year 9

I had one of the best experiences with the Buddy Program of Doncaster Secondary College. I got this really nice girl named Ruby, she’s from Hong Kong, China and she really helped me to learn how to get into my classrooms and she show me the entire school. She also gave me lots of advice for the classes, school rules and how to use my map so I can walk around the school by myself. Ruby was really understanding with all the process, and we got to meet each other better, she is a really good Buddy and a fantastic friend. 

- Emeli B., Year 10

I wanted to be a buddy to help an international student transition and feel welcomed to DSC. My highlighted memory is hanging out with my buddy and engaging in the activities. 

- Jana L., Year 8

I signed up to be a buddy for new international students and I was very happy to have Emeli as my buddy. Although we're in different classes and I have to run around a lot to get both of us to our classes, it feels nice to be able to be of a little help. I think the buddy program is an amazing opportunity to make friends from all around the world and I'm glad I signed up for it! 

- Ruby Y., Year 10

The reason I wanted to become a buddy was because I wanted to help people that are new to this school. One of the highlights were getting to know people from different cultures. 

– Ayaka Y., Year 8

Attendance Awards - International students of Term 1

Congratulations to the following students who have Excellent attendance 100% in term 1 study. They have shown us the ability of being resilient and being responsible for their own study.

My Badminton Journey from Sri Laka to Australia

My badminton career began, as far as I can recall, in year 3, when I was made to play badminton for my team in the school sports carnival back in Sri Lanka. After that, I started to enjoy this sport, but there was a problem: my parents didn't support me playing badminton because I was an active kid back home, participating in a lot of sports like soccer, swimming, and throwing events in athletics. However, my uncle, who took care of me, encouraged me to make this choice and persuaded my parents to let me play badminton. As soon as my parents gave me the go-ahead to play, I hurried to the school office to register for my school's badminton practices. 

I can clearly remember how anxious and afraid I was when I went to my first badminton lesson, but my uncle, who was watching over me, persuaded me to go, and that's how I began playing badminton. My uncle encouraged me to practice badminton throughout my student’s life, which is why I still play. 

The most significant thing about my badminton accomplishments to yet is that I truly like playing the game. I had the opportunity to play doubles for the Sri Lankan under-15 national team. Following that, COVID-19 forced me to halt my badminton career, so I elected to come to Melbourne to start over. I currently play badminton for this incredible club called Impact 24, and with the assistance of my coach, I participate in a lot of social activities throughout Melbourne over the holidays. I learned a lot of important lessons from badminton that aren't even found in books. It aided in my emotional control, which aided in my self-discovery and worldview.

Giorgio H., Year 12

Reading program Term1 2024

In 2024, the year of the dragon, our international team welcomed 21 new international students to our school. Our reading program has blossomed more than ever. We have carefully selected a variety of books, including fiction and non-fiction books, to meet their needs. 

To enhance the lower-level English skills of international students, our team uses recess and lunchtime in our learning hub, engaging them in reading aloud books about the geography, history, landmarks, and life of Japan, China, and Singapore. This reading program supports international students who may find English studies challenging in class, helping them understand vocabulary and sentence structure, as well as improving their presentation skills in front of the class.

As international students, they will face many challenges throughout their learning journey.  "The Little Refugee" by Anh Do with the vivid imagery described in the book, they visualise and comprehend words such as "squash," "tiny," "refugee," and "pirate." They explore the hardships faced by Anh Do during his journey as a migrant and learn the resilience-building beliefs instilled by Anh Do's mother.

We also use this time to foster their reading habits. Our team chose "Fortune of Cookies" as part of the Year 9 curriculum, a story rich in words, cultures, and customs. As some international students may struggle with language barriers, our team provides additional support during recess and lunchtime, explaining elements of the story such as plot, setting, and chapter which the teacher explained in their EAL class.

Our reading program serves as a complement to the curriculum, aiming to help our international students adapt to school life throughout their learning journey at DSC. In conclusion, I will share the words from Anh Do's mother to all our international students: "You must always have hope that things will be okay, even when things seem really terrible, something good can come of it."

Sally Huang

Director of International Student Program 

Doncaster Secondary College