QUEST
Year 8 – Letters to the Community and Class Visitors
As a part of our study of belonging this term Year 8 will be writing a letter to a resident at the Masonic Retirement Village. We are hopeful that this will form an ongoing connection between the residents and students of 8 Blue HUB where they continue to write letters throughout the year, fostering their sense of belonging to the Kurri Kurri community. Students have enjoyed the opportunity to create these connections and share their interests and hobbies as well as their own connections to the Kurri Kurri Community.
Additionally, as part of their studies of Polynesian communities and culture, students have created paper versions of authentic Polynesian dishes to enhance their understanding of different cultures, their resources and hence, their liveability.
This term, Year 8 have been learning about the concepts of liveability and belonging, thinking critically about their own sense of place in Kurri Kurri. Throughout the unit, they will begin to expand this understanding to consider how other people around the world belong and experience community life. To support this topic, students will meet with Sione, a local community member with a Polynesian background – Sione will speak with the students about his own life experiences and how Australia is a place of great contrast to his original home. Eventually, Year 8 will participate in fundraising to support Sione’s foundation which raises money for Polynesian places that need rebuilds and supplies to enhance their liveability.
Year 9 – The ANZAC Memorial
As part of Year 9’s current topic, Australians at War, they are currently focusing on ways to commemorate, remember and thank our service men and women. We have been lucky enough to join Hunter ANZAC Memorial Limited’s project of creating the Hunter ANZAC Trail, a digitally and physically interactive memorial, from Greta to Branxton as a way of bringing the Hunter ANZAC story to life. As their project this year, students will play an important role in establishing a program which will set the foundations for those who come after them. We are excited to get this opportunity to partner with such an important initiative which will allow us, together, to honour and preserve the Hunter and Australia’s military history and look forward to seeing what our students create with Hunter ANZAC Memorial Limited.
Year 10 – Courage to Care
To further explore human rights and freedoms, Year 10 listened to and participated in activities with presenters from Courage to Care. These volunteers aimed to empower the students to stand up against prejudice and discrimination. With a specific focus on holocaust, the speakers talked about the stories of individuals from that time and how these experiences are still relevant to the students today. We were especially privileged to have a discussion with Mimi Wise, a holocaust survivor, who spoke about how without the help of upstanders her family would not have been able to survive. This program empowered Year 10 to try and create change around a human right that they feel passionately about.
Senior Student Shout Outs!
The following students deserve acknowledgement for their work in recent weeks:
Chiquita Collado – for demonstrating curiosity when learning about he past in Modern History
Delani Leigh – for demonstrating resilience when exploring new ideas and applying these skills in new contexts (in Modern History)
Nick Sharp – for demonstrating curiosity in Ancient History
Aidan Sneesby – for demonstrating curiosity in Ancient History
Jackson Stuart – for displaying his positive influence through showing initiative and being responsible for his learning in English Advanced
Emma Phillips – for using her influence in a positive way to encourage others to learn responsibly in Ancient History
Paul Jimenez – for taking initiative in all learning in Ancient History
Taj Hill – for demonstrating curiosity when learning about the past in Modern History
Nathan Riley – for demonstrating curiosity when learning about the past in Modern History
Jade Gear – for showing grit and determination when working toward Society and Culture assessment tasks
Amelia Smith – for showing grit and determination when working toward Society and Culture assessment tasks
Emily Martin – for demonstrating focus and grit during all English Studies class lessons
Megan Pirinen – for demonstrating curiosity throughout the completion of all English Studies tasks
Taylah Ross – for perseverance, focus and grit in all tasks for English Standard
Jake Randall - for showing curiosity and resilience in Business Studies
Emma Doherty – for showing focus and resilience in Legal Studies
Jemma Black – for showing focus and curiosity in Business Studies
Sonia Flannery – for showing commitment to learning in Legal Studies
Kobi Lynch – for showing curiosity and a focus on his learning in Society and Culture
Ellen Chenery – for her focus and building of new ideas in English Advanced