Student News

Young Achiever of the Year Award - Kiewa Valley

A huge congratulations to Year 12 student and School Captain Callum Bowring who was recently awarded the 'Young Achiever of the Year Award for the Kiewa Valley' at the Australia Day Ceremony.  

You can read about Callum and his achievements and recipients of other Australia Day community awards on the Alpine Shire website here

Year 12 

Our 2023 Year 12's are looking great in their new hoodies (which will definitely come in handy on Friday with the snow forecast!)

Year 11 MBSC Student Harri Silvester has begun his year-long student exchange to Italy in the city of Mantua.  He has enrolled in school in maths, chemistry and physics, and is very happy to be settling in at both school and home.  By now he will already have had his first weekend skiing with his host family!

On Saturday Mount Beauty student Harri Silvester flew out to Italy for a year of adventure and learning. As part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program, Harri’s trip is organized through Rotary International, and sponsored by the Rotary Clubs at Mount Beauty and at his destination in Italy. Local Co-president Bob Flower (BF) caught up with Harri the day before he left.

BF:  So you’re off to Italy on Saturday.  What can you tell us about the town in Italy that you are going to?

HS: The town is called Mantua, and it is south of Verona in Italy’s north.  Like Verona, it is known for it’s history, art and culture.  I think it is about the size of Wodonga, bit I’ll know a lot more about it shortly.  Being in the north it is relatively close to the skifields, and I have already joined up with the Skiclub Valle di Cembra.

BF: What are you hoping to do or achieve during the year?

HS: I guess the big things are experiencing a culture very different to the one I have grown up with here, learning the language and seeing the country.  I’ll be attending school and so will no doubt meet a lot of people there.  I have already made contact with a number of people my age via Whatsapp and Instagram. 

At this stage I don’t know very much about how their schooling system works, but I have heard that in Europe there is often school on Saturdays as well.  I’ll be attending the Enrico Fermi School of Applied Sciences, named after the Italian physicist who created the world’s first nuclear reactor.

BF: Have you been introduced to your host family? (or Rotary Club)

HS: We have already made contact via WhatsApp, and I have found out that there is a girl in the family my age, as well as a boy who I think is a little younger. My host father is an agronomist.

BF: Tell us about the preparation you’ve undertaken this year.

HS: As soon as I knew I would be going to Italy I started studying Italian on the free online program Duolingo.  I logged on nearly every day, with my longest unbroken streak being 78 days.  In recent months I have been making regular contact with Gracie Duncanson, a native speaker of Italian, and that has really improved my speaking and hearing.

I plan to make the most of this year, so I have also been making sure that I maintain my fitness with things like running and hiking.

BF: Anything else?

HS: I really don’t know exactly what to expect, but I’m sure it will be exciting, and I am very much looking forward to finally beginning my year in Italy. Tomorrow at the airport I will meet about twenty others from around the country who will also be flying out to begin their year overseas.