Secondary Life
Year 9: Rafting Camp
Adam Mack, Outdoor Education Coordinator
As we drift down the river, our paddles in hand, we search for our next rapid to brave, and we are not disappointed. We turn around a bend and see a rushing cascade of water, our eyes wide. We bank our rafts and watch each other go down one by one.
Suddenly, it is our turn. Our guide commands us to forward paddle towards the best spot to ride the river. We make our way down, the slow feeling of the river’s pull becoming more prevalent by the second. We are off! Riding down the white water, paddling, struggling to maintain control of the raft with great splashes soaking us every metre.
Matthew Nyholm & Luke Neil
Overall, the Year 9s greatly enjoyed the final experience the Outdoor Education subject offers, rafting, learning skills like being part of a raft group and setting up camp with tarps.
Over the three days we were away we had many memorable moments such as the dam wall we all jumped off and going down the two largest rapids of the trip where multiple people fell out. We are all very thankful for the effort that our teachers and parents have put in so that we can have these experiences.
Create to Advocate
Rachel Arsenis, Head of Year 9
Last Wednesday our Year 9 students proudly presented the annual “Create to Advocate” exhibition, showcasing their God-given creative talents to explore important issues through artistic media.
With works spanning photography, sculpture, documentary, interactive installations, dioramas, spoken word poetry, and even virtual reality, students highlighted themes based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through their artwork, they tackled topics of injustice, inequality, and suffering, reflecting both our faith and a commitment to compassion and global awareness.
In the afternoon, students from Years 7 and 8 were invited to view the exhibition, sparking meaningful conversations among peers. Parents and families gathered in the evening to celebrate the students’ thoughtful work and reflect on how art can inspire change. Each piece was a reminder of the unique gifts God has bestowed upon us and the responsibility to use these talents to serve others and advocate for a better world.
We are incredibly proud of our students for expressing their faith and values in such a profound way, embodying both creativity and a heart for justice.
German Exchange 2024
Tobias Hood, Year 10 Student
My family and I had a fantastic time with my German exchange partner Thea. We really enjoyed hearing how a person from a different country perceived Australia - it helped that it was mostly positive!
Our family went on a trip to Canberra and Sydney and enjoyed showing Thea the differences in the Australian landscape along the way. She found the planned city of Canberra very interesting and enjoyed going to our Parliament House. It was cool to return the favour after I had been to the German Parliament in Berlin.
Thea was overawed by Sydney Harbour and wouldn’t stop saying how surreal it was to actually be looking at the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. She also enjoyed hearing about the complications of Australian history on some of our tours.
Back home, it was funny to see how shocked Thea was when all the Australian families were a bit late to events, a big difference to their German punctuality. I liked showing Thea around our school and hearing her perspective on the differences between our schools and discussing it with her, as I had been to her school in Germany as well. Thea said she really enjoyed the Australian nature and wildlife, which she got to experience a lot of when the German students went on a three day trip along the Great Ocean Road.
Overall, it was an amazing experience for us to host a German exchange student; Thea was our ‘German sister’ by the end of the trip. It was tough to say goodbye but I feel we have built a friendship that will last for a long time and hopefully we will see each other again in the future.
Leanne Leong, Year 10 Student
German exchange this year was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Flying over to Germany with my friends was honestly amazing and I had some of the best times ever. I tried so many new things, created a lot more new friendships and I explored a culture that is so different to any other that I’ve experienced.
I formed such a great friendship with my exchange partner and I’m really grateful that I got to spend more time with her in Australia. I showed her some of my favourite places in Victoria such as Cathedral Ranges, my local area and Wilson’s Prom. I shared my hobbies with her like making bracelets and playing the guitar, we sang songs together and walked my dog around my suburb.
I think that the biggest culture shock she had was coming to my youth church. It was completely different to the church services that they normally go to and though she had a good time everything was different, but not in a bad way. The worship, the small groups and just having a service for youths in general was the polar opposite of the church service I experienced in Paderborn.
I will never forget all the laughter at the dinners we had together, the fun activities that we did as a group, and late nights we stayed up talking about everything and anything, occasionally speaking German with each other.
This German exchange has shown me how much more of the world I want to explore and all the cultures I want to experience. It has also grown my love for the language and all the friendships I’ve made.
Asher Burns, Year 10 Student
German Exchange for me was seriously one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life. From staying together with your best friends in Berlin, parties in backyards to creating bonds with people despite the distance of half the globe. I think I was extremely lucky with my partner, an almost idealistic replica of myself – my family joked that he was my German twin.
From jet boating on Sydney Harbour, surfing together at Bondi, playing games together, sharing air pods in the car, to somehow even buying matching sunglasses to go to the farewell party with. Although he said the biggest culture shock for him was driving on the left side of the road, our church was an experience that he hadn’t really expected.
I had mentioned the differences to him briefly, but the community and cultural aspect of the churches here in Australia, led to his enjoyment of the church. Something that he quite disliked in Paderborn, and something that was evident in his faith life, but it almost changed when he was here. These bonds aren’t just bonds, it’s an experience, a time of laughter and joy, a past memory but a future one as well.
The German exchange has shown me far more than a language, but a lifestyle, a culture, an experience, a time of friendship and compassion. A place that I have plans to visit with the rest of the 2024 German Exchange after we finish Year 12
Year 11 Chemistry Excursion
Nerilee Rinkquest, Head of Junior Secondary
Swinburne Technology – Knox Innovation Opportunity & Sustainability Centre (KIOSC)
On Thursday 24 October our Year 11 Chemistry students headed to Swinburne University to explore damage caused to the environment by mining. Augmented Reality (AG) was used to help students develop a real understanding of what has occurred and where samples were taken from.
Students then used analytical techniques, at the University’s chemistry laboratories, to specifically measure concentration of different chemicals to work out what caused the damage. It gave students a real understanding of how science can be used, to not only protect the environment, but ensure industry can be held to account. Below are some comments from students who attended.
The chemistry excursion was a fun way to learn about science and do experiments in a university setting. It gave me great insight in what learning science may look like at a university level and it was interesting to see the potential career paths that can be pursued with chemistry. Faith Ng
The excursion was an incredible learning opportunity which gave me an understanding of chemistry beyond high school. Isaac Liu
