Recent Events
Hands on Trades - Careers Expo
On May 9, various Year 9 and Year 10 students traveled to the ‘Hands on Trade’ day at Winton Motor Raceway. Students took full advantage of this fabulous opportunity as they built signs, learned the ins and outs of race vehicles, and explored Australian Defence Force and Police Force opportunities while also hearing from a number of tertiary institutions and industry and apprenticeship providers. A group of students participated in the Young Farmer Challenge where they changed racing tyres, learned about large tunnel boring equipment as well as having the opportunity to climb in huge mining trucks and other large diesel equipment. Students and staff left Winton with the smell of burning rubber as local motor sports showed off their talents.
VCE Agriculture and Horticulture Excursion
Last Friday the VCE Agriculture and Horticulture student went on a field trip to Katunga Fresh tomatoes and Keith Nicoll’s dairy farm near Numurkah. As part of their studies, students are required to visit several businesses during the year in order to understand how a commercial business runs, and the challenges that are faced in industry. In particular, students had to look at how the two farms modified climate, topography, water and growing media in order to produce an output. They learned about the pro’s and con’s related to each of these changes, and how they improve the output of the farm. Students also learnt about how these businesses use integrated pest management, and integrated weed management systems to monitor and control specific weeds and pests common to these farms. They also investigated what type of information technology is used to inform their decision making process, and how this effects production quality and quantity. Many thanks to Michelle at Katunga Fresh, and Keith for their willingness to help educate our future agriculturalists!
Scots Interschool Equestrian
Recently, three students from Cobram AGS competed at the Scots College Albury, interschool equestrian challenge. This competition is part of a series in which riders representing their school can qualify for state and national championships. Cobram AGS was very well represented by;
Ava Morgan-Trease – Marena Be Brave
Charlotte Dickins – Nawarrah Park Tiger Tim
Sarah Stone – It’s Now or Never
The team finished 5th overall out of 16 teams. Sarah was 3rd, Charlotte 5th and Ava 7th in their respective age groups and all riders received outstanding results in individual sections of the competition. Sarah champion in show jumping, Charlotte champion in dressage and Ava reserve champion in show jumping. Most notably all three girls commented on the friendly and supportive atmosphere of the competition and are looking forward to the next one at Elmore in July. Any other equestrians who are interested in representing the school are asked to contact Narelle at the office.
Written by: Ava Morgan-Trease
On Friday Sarah and I got ready to go to Albury for the Interschool Equestrian event at Scores College. I was competing in two dressage tests, show hunter and show jumping. On Saturday I did my show hunter first I placed 6th, in my first dressage test I placed 2nd and in my second dressage test i placed 3rd, Sarah and Charlotte both did great. On Sunday it was show jumping on my first show jumping I placed 4th and in my second show jumping I placed 2nd, Sarah did an outstanding job Charlotte didn't stay for the show jumping. Our school placed 5th overall out of 16 different schools. Us girls did awesomely I can’t wait for Elmore.
Classroom Helpers Course
Cobram Anglican Grammar School introduced their first formal Classroom helpers training course in 2017 when a number of parents in the Junior School requested to help out on a regular basis in class. The focus initially was on literacy and numeracy and this worked really well for 2017 but towards the end of 2017 we had parents from the middle school enquiring about how they could get involved. In 2018 a broader version of our initial course ran with helpers being introduced into the Middle School as well as the Junior School supporting literacy and numeracy, Chinese, agriculture, food technology, sport, and art.
Last week we ran our 2019 Classroom Helpers Course which was well attended by members of our broader school community as well as parents and grandparents. It is a requirement for all classroom helpers to attend the course and complete a ‘working with children’s check’, and Criminal Records Check. The sessions are specifically designed to prepare participants to work under the guidance of the classroom teacher to support individuals and small groups of students during learning times.
A big thank you to all those that are volunteering their time and expertise, your contribution to our school community is acknowledged and greatly appreciated.
Year 10 Camp
Written by: Emma Nolan, Grace Stillard and Liam Smith
The Year 10 Melbourne experience provided us with a camp that gave us the opportunity to nurture experiential education, further build positive relationships between ourselves and our teachers and to undertake challenges that built our skills and knowledge. The camp started with the Year 10 cohort groggily boarding a bus to Shepparton at 5:45 on Sunday morning. Yes, that’s right, we were expected at the bus stop at 5:45 am! We were definitely silent, for once. At Shepparton, we all boarded a train bound for Melbourne.
When we arrived in Melbourne, we caught a tram to our accommodation. We dropped off our luggage and caught the tram to the Queen Victoria Markets. We then got some independent time and explored the markets. After our shopping spree, we met up and left for the MCG. We made our way to the MCG by tram. Our class took up at least 75% of the tram, so travelling was definitely an interesting experience. The match we saw was Geelong vs Essendon, with Geelong winning easily, which was expected. After the match, we made our way (on a very crowded train) to dinner at a Lebanese restaurant, which was very flavoursome. After dinner, we went back to our accommodation and went to bed, preparing ourselves for the next day. Some of us got more sleep than others.
On Monday, we made our way to the METEC Driver Training Centre, in Bayswater. After some theory sessions, we were all given the chance to hop into cars and drive. Luckily, nobody crashed and everyone survived, but I’m pretty sure a few of us won’t be on the road for a while. Overall, the experience was definitely one to remember. After we finished driving, we took a bus to Chapel Street and we got to explore the street and get some dinner. (Well, if you classify mounds of sugary food as ‘dinner’, then, yes, we (mostly) had dinner.) At 5:30 we entered the Channel 10 studios, to be part of the audience for the taping of “The Project”. Whilst attending the filming of the project, Jimmy was complimented for his tremendous clapping abilities. He may have a future career as a professional audience member. After “The Project” we walked around in the city, got more food and then we went back to our accommodation.
On Tuesday, everyone was excited to go the Shrine of Remembrance and the Jewish Holocaust Museum, followed by a CBD Scavenger Hunt and dinner. After we explored the Botanical Gardens and the Shrine museum, we hopped on the tram to Elsternwick for a fascinating tour of the Holocaust Museum. There we watched a presentation on the background to the Holocaust and then had the great fortune to have a survivor of the Holocaust, Mt Henri Korn, speak to us about his experience. We then got a tour of the museum. It was a very moving experience learning about the atrocities of the Holocaust but also about the great acts of kindness and bravery so many people demonstrated. Once we finished there, we caught a train back into Flinders Street Station. It was finally time for the CBD Scavenger Hunt, which sent us to 10 different landmarks in different parts of the city. Groups of Year 10's swiftly spread away from Flinders Street, searching for landmarks. However, while some teams had great success, others may have been distracted and taken advantage of the shopping and not so much the ‘hunt’. But every team and still completed the hunt, and no-one got lost. After the Scavenger Hunt we caught a tram to La Porcetta, for a delicious pizza or pasta dinner.
On Wednesday morning, we packed our bags, which, for some, had now increased in size. We headed to Southern Cross Station, where we caught the train for the journey home. On reflecting upon the camp, we learnt many things: from driving skills, to the stories of the Holocaust, to the behind the scenes production of a television program, to how many steps it takes to make Level 4 of the MCG, to navigating the use of a MYKI card on the public transport system, teamwork, independence and initiative. Personal challenges were a major aspect of camp. We were exposed to a range of activities that were quite new to a group of country kids. I definitely think that our class expressed an adventurous spirit and took everything out of the experience that we could.
Students Inspired...
In the afternoon of Wednesday 15 May students at Cobram Anglican Grammar School were treated to an inspiring presentation from paralympian and mother of 3 Eliza Ault-Connell. At 16 Eliza was rushed to the hospital in a state of septic shock. When she entered the hospital she was given less than a 2% chance of survival, put on life support and placed in a coma. After multiple blood transfusions, doctors diagnosed Eliza with Meningococcal Meningitis. Due to the lack of circulation she had suffered, doctors had to amputate her legs below the knee. After going through this life-altering experience, Eliza challenged herself to move on with her life and attain goals that even those who have both legs struggle to achieve. Eliza has competed, and medalled, at the Paralympic Games and World Championships and she now has her sights firmly set on competing at Tokyo in 2020 after coming out of a 10 year retirement. Eliza's message of resilience and determination really struck a chord with the students, many of them eagerly lining up to shake Eliza's hand on conclusion of her talk, and volunteering their support from afar when she competes in Tokyo! Many thanks to the local Bendigo Bank for providing this opportunity to the Cobram AGS students and good luck Eliza!
Walk Safely to School Day
National Walk Safely to School was celebrated at Cobram Anglican Grammar School today, Friday 17th May 2019. Now in its 20th year, it is a campaign and annual event when school students from Prep right through to Year 12, their parents and carers are encouraged to walk to school. It is a community event seeking to promote Road Safety, Health, Public Transport and the Environment.
Due to our location and the large number of students that do not live within walking distance of the school our walk safely to school program has two separate initiatives.
Our students that live in town were invited to join our ‘walking school bus’ at one of the four locations, where they met with a staff person and walked to school.
A second ‘walking bus’ for students that live out of town was available at lunch time. Students will walk supervised by Cobram AGS staff along Campbell Road to the Murray Valley Hwy and back.
Head of Junior School Mary Swoffer embraces the annual event as ‘it teaches children healthy lifestyle habits from a young age, they learn that walking is a great form of exercise. It’s easy, free and these habits tend to last a lifetime’. ‘The event is another great example of the cross age activities readily available at Cobram Anglican Grammar School. We have our Prep students walking alongside their Year 4 buddies and our Year 11 & 12 students some well-deserved fresh air and a break from their studies to enjoy the conversation with the smallest of our school community’.