Student voice matters!

Harper Hopkins

Year 11

We've had a busy year in SRC in 2024, organising events from casual clothes days to our annual Twilight Market. We've had a lot of fun organising these events for you, and we hope you enjoyed them as much as we enjoyed planning them!

We started off with our acknowledgement of Women's History Monththroughout March, with our school-wide celebration of the historical influence of women being held on International Women's Day. Students would have seen weekly historical profiles on a number of influential and inspirational women from a wealth of fields, experiences and backgrounds posted onto their Year Level Team.

Also in March, select members of SRC were chosen to attend the Melbourne Secondary Youth Leadership Conference, an annual event in which students from a range of schools come together to listen to the advice of successful young leaders, form new connections and ultimately strengthen our leadership qualities to give back to our school community. The conference hosted many experienced young leaders, and it is safe to say we absorbed a lot of new skills to take back to our team.

Term 1 was a busy time, with both Oscar Hagarty and I elected as members of School Council, contributing student voice throughout the year to finalise uniform changes and improvements and other discussions relevant to our school and our community. 

We celebrated our casual clothes day on March 21st, in recognition of the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, also known as Harmony Day. Our observance of this day marks our commitment to equality, anti-discrimination and anti-bullying within our school, particularly discrimination based on race and cultural background.

To finish off Term 1 and start Term 2, we held a number of Student Forums, collaborative meetings wherein we collected specific feedback based on common concerns across the school. Our goal as SRC was to act on this feedback across the year, with improved consistency in work practice marking, an increase in consolidation lessons, and wider canteen advertisement all coming out of these forums.

Additionally, we celebrated International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), with educational material around the origins and goals that the day fights for. We also hosted a very successful casual clothes day, raising over $2,000 for the Indigenous Literacy Fund.

In Term 3 we were busy behind the scenes organising the Twilight Market, while also facilitating the parade and events for Wear It Purple Day. 

Community Matters

Through all of our fundraising days over the year we've raised a grand total of $7,987.8 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a record donation from us to a wonderful, not-for-profit organisation that supplies books in First Nations' languages, promoting early literacy for remote Indigenous communities and assisting in the publication of books by First Nations authors. We'd like to thank everyone who donated this year, as this is truly an outstanding contribution that we hope to match - or even surpass! - in the new year. We were especially honoured with a visit from ILF representative,  Mr David Lawrence,  who formally accepted our donation cheque at the Graduation Assembly held early in Term 4.

And to finish off the year, and as a wonderful culmination of our work, we hosted our renowned Twilight Market. This event hosted market stalls, food trucks, live performances (including Brunswick North Primary's Coro dei Bambini and various performances from our own students), and much more. Thank you to all those who attended, performed, helped out and had fun - you truly made the night memorable and enjoyable for all of us.

I'd love to give a round of applause to all of our SRC members who have worked tirelessly throughout the year, going above and beyond in all aspects of this extra-curricular club. I especially thank Tameka Brown and Harry Lalor for their amazing work as School Captains for 2024, and to wish them all the best for any future endeavours they tackle. 

And finally,  a huge thank you to Ms Goss, who has supported us in all of our ideas, aspirations and visions for the school and whose hard work has made all of this possible!

Sally Goss

Assistant Principal

The SRC 2024 was made up of an exceptional group of students. Throughout the year, students demonstrated initiative, creativity, and teamwork, making it a resounding success in every aspect.

One of the most inspiring aspects of SRC 2024 was the collective effort in fundraising. Students went above and beyond, utilising innovative strategies and showing unwavering dedication to their cause. Whether it was organising BBQ, casual clothes days or the Twilight Market, their passion shone through, resulting in a record-breaking amount of funds raised for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

The SRC was not just about fundraising but also about fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Watching students come together to make a tangible impact was a reminder of the incredible potential that lies in collaboration.

I would like to thank every member who made up the team this year. A special shout out goes to our outgoing school captains, Tameka Brown and Harry Lalor and the outgoing Vocational Major captain, Alicia Liggieri. 

I look forward to working with a new team in 2025, led by the school captain team of 

Campbell Brain, Harper Hopkins, Lucinda Hart and Marco Holmes.