Co-curricular Corner

Dear Mount Alvernia Community, 

It is hard to be part of our community without noticing the vast amount of co-curricular activities that are on offer. However, the offer is only the first part. The most essential part of a successful co-curricular program is those who take up the offer. It is this ‘taking up’ of the offer that is the exact reason it is so easy to notice these opportunities at Mount Alvernia. When students ‘take up’ the offer, it creates a living and breathing program that can be felt, seen and heard. Whether you arrive on campus in the morning to the sounds of violins and choir practice, see students staying back to train with their debating or sports teams, or notice students gathering in the iCentre or a classroom at lunch to do something they love, it is this ‘taking up’ that keeps our co-curricular program alive.

Without the genuine engagement of students, parents and carers, and supervising teachers and coaches, the transformational growth of our co-curricular program that I have had the pleasure of witnessing over the past three years would not have been possible. Even just reflecting on the past term, we have celebrated various events and activities such as:

• English Speaking Union Heats and Grand Finals: Junior and Intermediate students using their voices to share ideas and challenge.
• Staff vs Student Model United Nations Event: Our first-ever friendly clash of minds, fostering collaboration, critical thinking and a lot of laughter.

• Our yearly Debating Breakfast: A celebration of the season and recognising our finals teams.
• Readers Cup: Training and competitions showcasing literary passion.

• BioBox Upskilling Sessions: Empowering our tech-savvy leaders with new skills in theatre and event production.
• da Vinci Decathlon: An impressive debut for our teams in this prestigious academic competition

• Debating Mentoring at St Anthony’s: Sharing expertise and lifting others in the art of debate.
• Franciscan College Musical Mamma Mia!:Dancing Queens dazzling the audience.

• University of Queensland Philosothon: Our young philosophers took on ethical questions of AI, the point of education and de-extinction. 

I could recount numerous studies that highlight the benefits of co-curricular activities, including the development of essential life skills like teamwork, leadership, time management, social interaction, personal growth, and future success; improved academic performance; improved attendance at school; and a more positive attitude towards schooling (Singh, 2017). But at Mount Alvernia, our belief is that the true essence of these activities lies in the experiences and memories they create for our students.

There is nothing like seeing the flurry of nerves before a debate, feeling the buzz in the backstage area, hearing the laughter shared at an afternoon school event, or experiencing the surprise when students achieve beyond what they thought was possible – something that I am lucky enough to experience regularly! These moments are what make our co-curricular program truly special, that keep it alive and ensure that students want to keep coming back to it.

At the start of the year, I put out a challenge to all students to be like the corpse flower that bloomed in the Sydney Botanical Gardens for the first time in many years. I asked them what they could be involved in that would allow them to blossom this year. I continue this challenge and welcome any student, parent, carer or wider community member to see what is on offer and become part of something that you can really feel. Because I can assure you, feeling it is much better than just noticing it. 

Claire Hatchman

Head of Student Engagement & Activities 

Singh, A. (2017). Effect of Co-Curricular Activities on Academic Achievement of Students. IRA International Journal of Education and Multidisciplinary Studies (ISSN 2455-2526), 6(3), 241. https://doi.org/10.21013/jems.v6.n3.p4