What's going on in

Arts DDT?

Senior Visual Arts Exhibition and Arts DDT Festival

The recent Senior Visual Arts Exhibition was a vibrant showcase of creativity and talent, featuring a range of works in Year 10-12 Art, Media, Product Design and Visual Communication Design. This was held in the Design Centre on the 16th of October. The exhibition attracted a great audience filled with senior students, family, friends and ex-students. The artwork on display showed a variety of styles and techniques, reflecting personal journeys and social themes. Media projects engaged visitors with compelling narratives, blending technology and storytelling. In Product Design, functional and aesthetic creations demonstrated students' ability to solve real-world problems through design thinking. Visual Communication Design highlighted striking graphics and branding concepts, showcasing effective communication strategies. Throughout the event, the attendees had the opportunity to interact with the students and teachers, enjoyed the light refreshments and free raffle where plenty of prizes were won by the community which were kindly sponsored by Deans Art. The exhibition not only celebrated the hard work and dedication of the students throughout this year, but also underscored the importance of the Visual Arts in fostering critical thinking and innovation.

The Festival of Arts and Design brought together the talents of Year 7-12 students of the Dandenong High School community in a spectacular showcase of creativity and innovation. This event featured an impressive range of works in Art, Drama, Food Tech, Media, Music Product Design, STEM and Visual Communication Design, reflecting the diverse skills and imaginative thinking of students. Attendees were invited to explore interactive displays, striking visual artworks, and thoughtfully crafted products that highlighted the students' dedication and craftsmanship while listening to students playing music, watching performances and plenty of food and refreshments supplied by the students from Food Tech. The festival served as a platform for students to engage with their DHS peers, families and the community, celebrating the vital role of the Arts and Design in education and personal expression.

Mrs Lewis

Visual Arts Teacher

Food Technology Lunchtime Soup Kitchen

On a cold winter day at the start of Term 3, the Year 10 Food Technology students demonstrated their culinary skill to provide the DHS school community a delicious Sweet Corn Chicken Soup and bread. This helped them to develop catering skills and working in a team, giving consideration to their customers taste preferences and giving a greater sense of purpose and meaning to their skills and knowledge.

Staff and students were invited to attend, with special guests including Mark Dewar and Ffion Bowles. Thanks as always to Kim, Kath and Elmas for giving up their lunch time to support our school community. Now that the weather is warming up, I wonder what recipe will be shared with the students next? What would you like us to prepare?

Miss Ford and the Food Technology Team

MCG Food Technology Excursion

On the 9th August, Food Technology Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 at Dandenong High School had an amazing opportunity to attend a day at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and learn from Delaware North's Hospitality Team and Industry Professionals. We had the privilege to visit the Retail, Corporate and Premium Dining experiences to see how they differ in the preparation of food for a match day at the MCG.

The bringing together of theoretical learning and practical exposure in Food Technology as well as the opportunity to explore potential careers in Foods, Hospitality and Events either as a professional pathway or in a part-time/casual capacity was an incredible opportunity for the students who have elected Food Studies as a subject.

The experience was linked to the Senior Schools Areas of Study this term: Year 10 “Methods of Cookery’, Year 11 “Food Makers” and Year 12 Food” Issues, Challenges and Futures”. We were immersed in the different types of industrial technology, equipment and tools used to prepare food, the processes in place at the MCG to order, store and prepare large quantities food for the thousands of guests and also possible career pathways and/or employment opportunities available for students. We also gained insight into the different roles, responsibilities, backgrounds and onsite experiences of various professionals working with Delaware North at the MCG and had the opportunity for a Q and A Panel where students demonstrated deep inquiry and investigation skills around the food and catering industry and job opportunities.

Staff and students were treated to a delicious morning tea and lunch consisting of:

Vegetarian Rice Paper Rolls,
Fresh Baked Scones with Gippsland Dairy cream and Yarra Valley strawberry jam,
Chef’s Selection of sandwiches, rolls and wraps,
Ancient Grain salad with quinoa, pearl barley, freekeh, fragrant herbs, Mount Zero olives, soused red onions, Gippsland yoghurt and sesame tahini.
Butter Chicken with rice, mango chutney, mint yoghurt and butter naan,
Corn Empanade with Red Mojo.
Mini Baked NY Cheesecake with strawberry gum Chantilly and fresh seasonal fruit.

Thank you to Mr Mullen your hard work in organising this wonderful experience for our Dandenong High School Food Technology community.

Miss Ford and the Food Technology Team

Year 9 DEA Strength Testing

In August, our Year 9 Design and Engineering Academy students took part in a "Strength Testing" practical investigation. The aim was to explore how different materials perform under varying conditions. This experiment helped students understand how engineering principles can be applied to make informed decisions in manufacturing.

Students designed and conducted their own experiments, collecting and analysing data to see how materials respond to different forces. Using graphs and charts, they interpreted their results and identified which material properties provided the most strength.

The hands-on nature of this activity was a highlight, giving students a chance to apply classroom learning to real-world engineering challenges. It was a great opportunity to see how data-driven decisions can improve processes and enhance their understanding of material strength.

Mr Lam

DEA Teacher

Year 9 DEA Global Design Challenge

Throughout Term 3, our Year 9 Design and Engineering students engaged in an exciting international project as part of the Global Design Challenge. In collaboration with students from Akshar Arbol International School in India, this initiative has provided a unique opportunity for our students to work on cutting-edge technologies, such as electronics assembly, machine learning, and Artificial Intelligence. Students worked towards developing a system that could identify trash and sort it into the correct bins, combining their technical skills with real-world problem-solving.

A highlight of this collaboration was a visit to the Wantirna KIOSC, where students participated in hands-on activities as part of the program. Supported by Swinburne University, students teamed up with their peers in India to apply forensic science techniques to solve a fictional murder. The Department of Education also filmed this exciting project to showcase the innovation and learning taking place.

This collaboration has been a fantastic opportunity for our students to broaden their global perspectives, enhance their technical skills, and engage in meaningful problem-solving with peers from around the world.