Student Engagement 

Thank you do our Year 10 Mentors & Year 8 Transition Leaders! 

At Koonung Secondary College we have a Vertical Leadership Model. We aim to foster leadership within the college and provide opportunities for all students to have a strong voice in their community, whether it is through the planning of activities or ways we can bring more support into the college. A huge thank you to all of our students including the Year 8 Transition Leaders and Year 10 Mentors for all of their dedicated work wit the Year 7 students since their Orientation day again on their first day at the college. For the Year 10 Mentors they have been supporting the Year 7 and Year 9 students through the Connect Day. Our Year 10 Mentors are primarily communicating through Microsoft Teams, working digitally alongside Ms Sens to develop the activities that we are running on Connect Day. It is great to see them continue to develop as young leaders and incredible role models for all of the students in the Middle School. We look forward to what Term 2 brings you! 

Year 10 Mentors attending Year 7 Camp

One of the highlights of being a Year 10 peer mentor was to attend the Year 7 camp. This year a small group of mentors departed early in the morning in a mini bus to Alexandra Adventure Resort. The Year 7s were very excited when we arrived! We began the day by handing out some afternoon tea (and maybe eating some as well!). After that, the Year 10s went into different activity groups, and I was able to complete rock climbing with my group, even though it was difficult at times. We then finished up for lunch, and the Year 10 mentors helped serve out baked potatoes. It was fun to serve out cheese as it was a popular ingredient among the Year 7s! After lunch, I was able to hang out by the pool with some mentors and we sprayed water on the Year 7s, which they enjoyed, since it was a really hot day. I also played some beach volleyball which was great! The mentors finished the day off with some free brownies before we drove home. Overall, I loved being able to help the Year 7s during their camp and I was really grateful for this amazing experience.

Emily Nash 10D

Inspiring Girls Australia

The Inspiring Girls Australia program is a spirited leadership initiative designed to empower and inspire young women to become confident leaders, and it has made a significant impact at Koonung. As part of a worldwide effort, the program is focused on building confidence in female students and equipping them with the tools they need to take on leadership roles, both now and in the future. By providing a combination of essential skills, knowledge, and encouragement, the program aims to ensure that these young women make the most of their schooling experience and have the confidence to pursue their goals without hesitation.

One of the standout features of the program is its wide variety of engaging activities, which not only boosted students' self-assurance but also pushed them to step outside their comfort zones. These activities created opportunities for fun and personal growth while helping students build resilience and strengthen their ability to handle challenges.

My personal favourite part of the program was when the guest speakers came in to share their experiences with us. Not only did they talk about their career journeys, but they also delved into their roles within leadership programs, explaining how they got to where they are today. Their stories were incredibly motivating. Hearing firsthand about the challenges they faced, their successes, and the decisions that shaped their careers gave me a new perspective on leadership. It inspired me to think more deeply about my own future and the impact I could have. It was empowering to realize that the paths of these accomplished women were not always easy, but their determination and commitment to their goals helped them succeed.

The combination of these personal stories and the practical skills I learned from the program has made me feel more confident about my own leadership potential. The experience has motivated me to take on more leadership roles in the future and to inspire others along the way. It has shown me that leadership isn't just about titles or positions—it's about empowering others and using your strengths to make a positive difference.

Varsha Avulanna, Year 9

This term, I had the opportunity to participate in the Inspiring Girls program, an amazing experience that connected me with admirable women from a variety different industries. Throughout the program, I gained valuable insights into career paths, leadership, and personal growth. One of the highlights for me was hearing first hand stories of resilience and success for women in male dominated fields, which gave me the comfort of security in aspiring for my future. The program also gave me a chance to connect with other students and mentors, creating a supportive environment where we could ask questions and share our ideas. I’m grateful for the experience and highly recommend it to anyone looking for guidance and inspiration.

I walked away with a new perspective on careers, leadership, and the importance of backing myself and my peers—plus a Barbie doll, because apparently, that’s essential to success too.

Mia Clark, Year 10

The inspiring girl's program was an amazing experience, to be able to connect with girls from different year levels and gain a new perspective on leadership was truly special. Through the three-week program we learnt how to build our confidence in public speaking, how girls can shape the world and finally that leadership isn't defined by a title or a pay check, leadership is stepping up no matter how big or small to empower people. A big thanks to Ms Sens for organising this amazing experience and a big shout out to the motivational speakers from Inspiring Girls Australia who motivated us to step out of our comfort zones and teach us skills that we will hold onto for the rest of our journey through life.

Year 8 Student

The Inspiring Girls Australia Program ran over three weeks in Term 1, bringing together students from Years 8 to 10. This initiative, in collaboration with the Inspiring Girls x Mattel Dream Gap program, focused on challenging gender roles and empowering students to become future leaders in our community.

Throughout the program, students had the opportunity to build meaningful connections and engage with inspiring women from various industries, including CEOs, consultants across multiple fields, and a representative from the World Health Organization. Led by clinical psychologists, the program aimed to equip students with valuable coping strategies and a deeper understanding of the opportunities available to them.

As a special gift from Mattel, each student received a Barbie doll from the latest Barbie film at the end of the program— this left many students feeling inspired and optimistic about their futures. This program was so rewarding to run and witness, and we are looking forward to the Inspiring Girls Australia team returning to Koonung in Term 2 to run another program that is specific to our Year 7 – 9 Students running for 5 weeks. Please keep an eye on the Newsfeed for more information and the EOI.

Kirby Sens

Learning Specialist - Student Engagement Programs Leader 

International Women's Day Breakfast

On Tuesday 4 March at 6:50am, we, the middle school captains – Tiana, Rachel, and Moksha, along with Ms Howe, were invited to Box Hill Town Hall to join the International Women’s Day Breakfast  hosted by Women in Rotary. There were four speakers: Micaela Drieberg, Dr Jo Newton OAM, Clea Smith, and Ashley Coleman-Bock. These amazing speakers shared their personal experiences and stories about being a woman in everyday society, talking about the challenges they faced and their hopes for the future. The main topics which were discussed were women in trade, women in sport, women in agriculture and business, and women equality.

Overall, this was an incredible opportunity for us to experience; leaving us all inspired and empowered for what lies ahead.

Tiana, Rachel, and Moksha

Allira Howe

Assistant Principal

Valentine's Day Hearts fundraiser

Lucas Sencek and Kyara Li Yuan Fong

This February, the Leadership team organised the annual Valentine’s Day Heart Sale to spread some love around the school. Students had the opportunity to purchase hearts, announcements and songs to their friends, crushes, and even teachers.

Hearts were sold from $2-$10, with all proceeds going toward the Sacred Heart Mission. Valentine’s day was a huge hit, from students coming to the heart’s booth during lunchtime and the leadership team delivering songs during classes. It was great for the whole leadership team to come together to create our first major event together and seeing how the whole school came together to celebrate the day was even better to see!

Peter Hodkinson

Director of Learning – Agency and Community