IDEALS 

Creativity 

Ayva White, Year 12, Ridgeway Campus 

Participating in IDEALS Creativity for a Cause has been a rewarding experience, where senior students of all ages have been engaging in meaningful creative work that gives back to the community. Recently, we have been focusing on knitting and are in the process of crafting blankets for various purposes such as baby blankets, dog blankets and toys, which are destined for charity organisations including Big Group Hug.  

Beyond this, various other creative projects will take place as the year progresses, and currently our group is actively seeking additional charities that we can work to support through different creative projects. The Creativity with a Cause initiative not only allows the students to learn new skills but also provides us with a sense of purpose as we participate in these activities.  

With our current project of knitting, many students have found the act itself therapeutic and connective as it has allowed us to slow down and connect with friends. Knowing that this work will provide comfort and assist others in the community makes it meaningful and fulfilling. The Creativity with a Cause IDEALS programallows us to express our artistic and imaginative skills and embrace the importance of service to our community, where we can be a part of something bigger than ourselves. 

Cooking for a Cause 

Amy Brown, Year 12, Ridgeway Campus 

For the Cooking for a Cause program in IDEALS, we cook meals for Open House, which is a charity serving food to vulnerable members of the community. We also bake biscuits and other goods to be served at the student enterprise centre to raise money for various charities. We usually start our sessions with getting instruction from the teachers and executors about what we are going to cook. We then put on our aprons and chef’s hats and gather our ingredients. After cooking the meals, we make sure that we clean our workbenches. All the meals then get collected and sent off to the kitchen in Macleod where they are served to the people in the program.  

Music

Ryan Delios, Year 11, Ridegway Campus 

There are few opportunities that allow you to do something you enjoy while also helping others. To me, the Music IDEALS program has provided this opportunity. As a band, we prepare repertoire for performances at various venues. Our goal is to help others through music, but at its core, the program is about playing music. 

The program is as student-led as it gets. In other IDEALS programs, there is a clear sense of teacher guidance. However, in Music IDEALS, there is little teacher intervention, if any. It truly is all about us as students developing our skills and having fun. We, as students, choose songs that we want to play, receiving feedback from teachers but with no clear direction. It is up to us to figure out what to do. As a result, the program has helped all of us become more independent musicians. 

Of course, the biggest aspect of the stream is the performance component. Our past performances include events at the BlueCross retirement home and at Buckley House. The most memorable part of the experience is seeing the way that the audiences are moved by the performance. That alone makes the weeks of prior preparation worthwhile. 

I am very proud to have been a member of the Music stream since its inception. It has allowed me to develop my skills as a musician while also doing something that has a tangible impact on others. That to me, is why I have enjoyed my time in the Music IDEALS stream so much. 

Maddie Lim and Ava Norton, Year 10, Ridegway Campus 

The IDEALS program at the Ridgeway Campus is stronger than ever, and the Creativity for a Cause stream is no exception. Recently, we have been taking part in many different activities aiming to donate our creations to charity. Some of us are knitting different coloured squares, which will be sewn into blankets. Others have chosen to try out weaving, cutting up old school uniforms into long strips to be woven into a mat. All these creations have been donated to various charities that partner with the school. Around the end of 2024, we made decorative ornaments for the annual Christmas Lunch, painting and decorating cones into angels.  

Not only is IDEALS a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of schoolwork and extracurriculars, but knowing that everything we are doing is for a good cause can be very motivating. Recently we have been experimenting with textile arts, such as mat weaving. The mats are all going to a charity called 300 Blankets and will be handed out to homeless people living throughout the city. Last year we supported lots of different charities, so I can’t wait to see what the next year holds for Creativity for a Cause.  

All in all, Creativity for a Cause in IDEALS is a great program to get involved in, with a heap of opportunities to give back to local charities and be creative.