College News, Sports & Events

ADDAMS FAMILY HOLIDAY REHEARSALS

Teachers and students spent two days during the holidays rehearsing for September’s performances of THE ADDAMS FAMILY! The atmosphere was electric as staff, Alumni, cast and backstage crew worked on sets, props, choreography and scenes for the up-and-coming performances.

DATES: 4th - 6th September

VENUE: Banksia Theatre

TICKET PRICES: Adults $15 / Students/Children $10

Please come and support our wonderful students who have worked so hard on this production!

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Booking Link: https://www.trybooking.com/1429150

Scan QR code below to book:

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT LUNCH

To celebrate the end of the semester, a small lunch was held for international students at each campus, featuring a fun and casual spread of KFC and pizzas. It was a great chance for everyone to unwind, share laughs, and enjoy each other’s company after a busy few months of hard work.

As the international student captain myself, I truly enjoyed helping organize this lunch alongside Sivleng and Ms. Kieu—it was a joy to bring everyone together and see so many smiles. A big thank you to the school for kindly providing the food and making this gathering possible.

Banksia International student Captain

So T Neath Sim

HYDROGEN CAR COMPETITION

On July 22nd, our Hydrogen Car Team took on the annual Hydrogen Car Competition at Fairhills High School — and what a day it was!

Breanna, Haikal, Sunny, Jayden, and Eden showcased their incredible design and engineering skills, earning the Best Design Award for their innovative, custom-built hydrogen-powered vehicle. Their entry impressed judges with its thoughtful design and precision assembly.

But the real story of the day was one of perseverance. After a challenging start that saw the team in second-last place during the first hour due to multiple breakdowns, they kept their cool under pressure. With calm teamwork, smart troubleshooting, and a steady pitting strategy, they overcame setbacks and powered through to finish 10th out of 19 teams — a huge accomplishment in a four-hour endurance race!

We remain incredibly grateful to our generous sponsors: Bendigo Bank, KIOSC & Johnny Boys Pizza, whose support made this unforgettable opportunity possible.

This experience was more than a competition, it was a powerful lesson in resilience, teamwork and problem-solving, a reminder of what students can achieve when given the tools and support to innovate. Congratulations to our talented team, we’re incredibly proud of your innovation, determination, and composure on race day!

CELEBRATING CULTURE AND COLLABORATION

First Nations STEM with Our Visitors from India

In Week One, we had the privilege of hosting visiting students from SRM Public School in Chennai, India as part of the Global Design Challenge, an international education program supported by the Department of Education and facilitated by KIOSC, and Swinburne University of Technology.

Our class was proud to share a series of First Nations–inspired STEM activities, exploring the deep scientific knowledge embedded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Students flew David Unaipon inspired drones to solve a puzzle using Aboriginal symbols, prototyped paperbark boats, and explored Aboriginal constellations in our homemade planetarium.

This cross-cultural experience offered a unique opportunity to celebrate Indigenous science while working alongside our global peers. Students from both schools connected through shared values of sustainability, innovation, and design thinking, tackling real-world problems through a culturally rich and collaborative lens.

A big thank you to SRM Public School, our partners at KIOSC, and the Department of Education for making this meaningful international learning exchange possible through the Global Design Challenge.

COSTUME DAY

Hi everyone, it’s your Banksia SV captain! We’re wrapping up July so let’s recap on SRC’s latest event. It was exciting being able to come together to dress up and raise money. We are happy to share that this year’s Costume day, held on July 2nd, was an extreme success. This could only be possible thanks to everyone in the school community coming to participate in all the festivities.Just like Valentines day we ran multiple booths and activities; a photobooth station, a cupcake sale, three legged race and lastly the main event of the day, the costume runway; for everyone who wanted to compete for best dressed!

Our take on dress to impress was truly the highlight of the event, it allowed students from across all year levels to showcase their creative outfits; this included characters from popular games and shows, group outfits and even handmade costumes. It was great being able to see everyone get excited and enthusiastic about dressing up. We’re happy Costume day was so well received and It is definitely something we would like to put further effort into next year, so that it is even more enjoyable for everyone participating.With everyone's support, we were able to raise $410 which went towards Australia’s leading cancer non-profit organisation, the Cancer Council.

Thank you to all the leaders and helpers that volunteered their time to put together this year’s costume day on such short notice!If you have any suggestions or feedback regarding SCR events feel free to talk with your student leaders!On behalf of Banksia’s SRC team, thank you for your continuous support for this event and throughout the year, we appreciate your enthusiasm and support. Keep an eye on the next upcoming weeks, your student leaders are preparing for a bunch of upcoming events that we hope everyone can enjoy.

Jessica Tran - Banksia Student Voice Captain

MODEL UN

On the 24th of July Royce Hina from Acacia and 3 Banksia students Linh Do, Ilknur Unalan and Khuong Phan travelled to Monash Uni to participate in the Model UN. The Model UN is an educational simulation where students roleplay as diplomats to discuss and debate global issues, mirroring the structure and procedures of the United Nations.

Each participating student was paired with a student from a different school. It was amazing to see them all get to work in such a cooperative fashion! Participants researched assigned countries, formulated policy positions and engaged in negotiations and debate to find solutions to real-world problems, with the ultimate aim of having a resolution adopted by the General Assembly. Our students were assigned China, The Netherlands, X and Y.

The topic for debate was to negotiate and come too an agreed position on "Ethical Implications and Governance of Artificial Intelligence". The final vote saw the position proposed by The Netherlands accepted – a great result for Royce and his partner. At the end of the day awards were handed out and two of our students received recognition for their efforts. So, to any aspiring diplomats, I strongly recommend it as a great learning experience, and a way to learn about the world and meet new people.

Royce Hina (Yr 11)

PROJECT ROCKIT

On Thursday 7th of August, Project ROCKIT came to deliver sessions regarding Cyber Safety and Leadership Development to the Year 7 Cohort at Banksia Campus. Session 1, titled “RALLY”, involved the entire cohort reflecting upon their own experiences of bullying. Students worked to reframe their mindset on standing up to bullying, offering support to those in need and seeking help from trusted adults.

Session 2, titled “LEVEL UP”, provided students with a safe environment to discuss what leadership means to them and to identify the possible barriers to standing up for themselves leading their own lives. This session was smaller with half of the cohort running in Period 3 and the remaining classes running in Period 5. The sessions that ran across the day had the goal of developing students capacity to advocate for themselves and make change in their lives as well as support those around them and enhance their connections to students and the College.

Students and families are encouraged to come forward to a trusted member of staff with any concerns they have regarding bullying or anti-social behaviour. Through the administering of Project ROCKIT, Keysborough College supports students right to feel safe at school and connect with staff and students. More information relating to Project ROCKIT can be found at https://www.projectrockit.com.au/

MEDEA INCURSION

On the 21st of July the VCE year 11 students had the honour of attending a stellar performance of ‘Medea’; a Greek tragedy written by Euripides that explores the events of a lone, barbaric woman isolated and betrayed. The actors portrayed an in-depth embodiment of each character, conveying emotions and tragic flaws, throughout the play. This created a raw and captivating connection with the audience, allowing them to fully immerse in the complexities of Greek tragedy, leaving a lasting emotional impact after the play.In between expressive acts, an extensive analysis was provided, to help the audience develop a better understanding of Euripides authorial intent, character emotions, flaws, themes and motives.

The act in episode one of the performance, evoked strong emotions of shock. Medea manipulates the situation with King Creon begging on her knees to spare her children, which appeals to Creon's innate parental affection and sympathy as a parent himself, giving her an extra day before her exile, a fatal decision, ultimately leading to his death. In conclusion, this performance proved to be an exceptional experience, a well recommended thrilling show, thanks ‘Complete Works’ for the compelling performance!

Bisma and Nikki

BANKSIA WELLBEING TEAM EVENTS UPDATE

This year, the Banksia Wellbeing Team has been actively promoting a positive and inclusive school environment through various themed days and weeks:

Friendship Day July 30th was celebrated with activities that encouraged kindness and connection, including friendship bracelet making and positive message walls.
Self-Care Day July 24th focused on mindfulness and mental health, with relaxing spaces, gratitude journaling, and self-care tip sheets available for all students.
Youth Day August 12th celebrated young people’s voices and achievements, featuring student-led performances, speeches, and peer recognition awards.
Bullying No Way! Week August 11-15th included awareness campaigns, classroom discussions, and pledge walls where students committed to being upstanders against bullying.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to support Wear It Purple Day on August 29, celebrating LGBTIQA+ youth and promoting a safe, inclusive school for everyone. Students and staff are encouraged to wear purple to show their support.

Banksia Breakfast Club: on the 31st of July, students enjoyed our usual warm breakfast of egg and bacon sandwiches, but with a sweet twist – freshly baked cookies to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. The cookies were a huge hit, with plenty of smiles and happy taste-testers to prove it! Breakfast Club is always a great way to start the day, and we love adding a little something special to mark fun national food days. Be sure to join us on the 21st of August as we celebrate National Sweet Iced Tea Day – you won’t want to miss it!

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: YEAR 12 FORMAL 2025

This year’s Year 12 Formal was a truly unforgettable celebration, bringing together students from both Acacia and Banksia campuses to mark the end of their high school journey in style. After a year filled with hard work, pressure, and persistence, it was the perfect way to unwind and celebrate the efforts and achievements of the Class of 2025!

Held at the stunning Cathies Lane Receptions in Wantirna South, the theme of the night was Enchanted Garden. The evening was nothing short of spectacular. Over 350 students and staff filled the venue—making it one of the biggest formals we've ever had. The night kicked off at 6:00 PMand continued through to 11:00 PM, packed with music, dancing, food, laughter, and plenty of photo opportunities.

A special shoutout goes to the Year 12 Formal Committee, made up of twelve dedicated students from both campuses and headed by Ms.Naganivatu, Mr.Fiorello, Mr.De Amicis and Ms.Chieu. These volunteers committed their time from the start of the year, juggling the demands of Year 12 while planning the entire event. From selecting the decorations, menu, activities, DJ, and photobooth, they worked tirelessly to create a night that everyone would enjoy—and their efforts absolutely paid off!

With everyone dressed to impress, the energy on the night was full of excitement, pride, and celebration. It was a well-deserved moment of joy and connection for our graduating students, and a memory that will no doubt stay with them long after school ends.

Here’s to the Class of 2025—a year to be proud of, and a formal to remember forever.

Written by Rouvin Chou - Formal Committee member

Contributing to the production of the formal was an intense process, not only for me but for everyone involved. On my side, alongside my group partner Rex, we developed and designed a lot for the event. From the menus, to the invites, down to even the digital displays for the event, it was a monumental task for both of us, especially considering the fact we both had other duties in Year 12. But looking back the end result was great, the night looked amazing and people seemed to enjoy the designs we had made for the event.

The process itself was long, spanning just over a term, the deadlines were harsh at times and while there were definitely some clashes when it came down to ideas and the decisions made, the entire team managed to pull through in the end. The night was successful, pulling in the biggest numbers amongst both student and staff attendance, so in the end, the formal committee's efforts ended up creating a magical night for everyone!

PYJAMA DAY AT ACACIA CAMPUS

Written by Kylie Chung - Acacia Student Voice Captain

On Monday the 30th of June, Acacia held Pyjama Day, with gold coin donations going towards the Pyjama Foundation, a foundation supporting the learning of children in care.

Students attended school wearing their cozy, fluffy pyjamas, with some in oodies and onesies! The SRC worked hard making many cups of hot chocolate and sweet pancakes to be sold at lunchtime, which many students enjoyed. A big thank you to Mr Wood for assisting the student leaders in the kitchen!

Additionally, there was a photo booth and music, which created a lovely atmosphere outside. On the same day we also had Yoga Day, where students got to take part in a relaxing yoga session all whilst in the comfort of their PJ’s! Overall, it was so amazing to see everyone's colourful and fun pyjamas, and the SRC team thank you all for your enthusiasm!

Between gold coin donations and hot chocolate and pancake sales, we raised almost $700! One of our most successful dress up days yet! Well done to the SRC team for organising this event and thank you to everyone who took part and donated to a very worthy cause!

GREATER DANDENONG YOUTH SUMMIT: YOUR VOICE, YOUR FUTURE

By Jessica Khom

Students from Keysborough Secondary College recently attended the Greater Dandenong Youth Summit titled Your Voice, Your Future. This event brought together young people from various schools across the region to share their ideas and contribute to shaping the future of their community.

Throughout the summit, participants engaged in a variety of activities designed to encourage creative expression and community reflection. One activity involved hip hop, where students explored music and movement as a way to express themselves.

Another important activity was focused on art and writing, where students were asked to describe what community means to them. These ideas were then shared with representatives from the council, providing valuable insight into the needs and hopes of young people in the area.

The summit also included discussions about young leadership and ways to improve community involvement. Students were encouraged to think about how they could play a role in leading positive change within their community.

Further activities invited students to write about their future ambitions, what they appreciate about their community, and what changes they would like to see. This helped participants consider their own goals alongside the development of the community as a whole.

The final activity focused on Indigenous African culture, where students experienced playing traditional African drums and learned about their cultural significance. This provided a meaningful connection to the rich cultural diversity within the community and highlighted the importance of respect and understanding.

The Greater Dandenong Youth Summit was a valuable opportunity for Keysborough Secondary College students to engage with peers from different schools, share their voices, and gain a deeper understanding of their community and its future.