International & Regional Engagement

Cadet Unit 2024 - Inaugural Cadet vs Cod Challenge

At the annual Kinross Wolaroi School Cadet Camp for 2024, the inaugural Cadet vs Cod Challenge took place on the tranquil waters of Lake Endeavour. This activity was conducted by the A and C Companies, i.e. Year 9 students. The activity saw full participation and several native fish caught and released. Clancy Murray was the first Cadet to catch the first and largest Murray Cod. This catch provided encouragement and hope for other participants. Oscar Zielinski and Hayden Sinclair managed to land some absolutely 'cracking' Murray Cod specimens during the activity. Each of these fish were caught on a humble piece of Bega Cheese, proving to be the ideal bait. Clancy, Oscar and Hayden should also be commended on landing their first ever Murray Cod fish with a hand reel, using light weight monofilament fishing line, whilst sitting in a double Kayak. Each of these students were presented with a Rod and Reel fishing combo and an array of Australian made hard bodied native fishing lures, to encourage future pursuits of Australia’s largest fresh water fish, Maccullochella peelii the Australian Murray Cod. Well done Cadets!

Year 11 Round Square Intergenerational Wontama Visit 

Twenty of our Year 11 Round Square Intergenerational Project leaders undertook our first session with the residents of Wontama last week.  We had four groups that planned and implemented varying activities for our residents.  The afternoon was a huge success and we are looking forward to our next session in Week 8.

Music Group

On Tuesday 14 May, five Year 11 students went to Wontama and ran a ‘Music’ themed activity for about 15 residents. We started with a fun ‘Guess the Song’ segment in which snippets of songs, from the 50s, 60s and 70s, were played. We sat and helped residents as they attempted to guess the song names and their artists. A few favourites included Elvis Presley’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes the Sun’ and Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’ – with residents even singing along! The residents then participated in album cover trivia, which was enjoyed by all.

We moved on to a body percussion workshop, teaching the residents some movements to Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’. Whilst coordination was not always found in spades, all of the residents enjoyed moving and dancing and much fun was to be had. We ended with tea and homemade desserts (provided by our group) whilst chatting with the residents. We learnt much about their favourite music, hobbies and daily life and heard stories about their families and youths. The lovely residents really appreciated our company, and we had an amazing time getting to know them.

We hope to return soon!

Anabelle van Wyk 

(with Olivia Martin, Emma Gaston, Tessa Wong and Charlotte Buckley)

Bookclub

One aspect of the Wontama Intergenerational Project for 2024 is the introduction of the Intergenerational Book Club. It was an excellent addition as it allowed a very relaxing and enjoyable afternoon. We read aloud the short stories of “The Drover’s Wife” by Henry Lawson, and on suggestion from one enthusiastic member, the very dark story “The Monkeys Paw” by W.W. Jacobs. There was lengthy discussion about each story, with cross-generational perspectives and experiences forming fascinating opinions.  One highlight was a comment from the Wontama Staff that one of the residents who attended the book club very rarely participates in any activities, however, enjoyed the peacefulness of book club. We look forward to returning next month to continue the book club sessions. 

Sala Orme-Smith

Bingo 

Our group consisting of Emily Clunas, Holly Bennet, Abi Jones, Grace Simpson and Isabella Lloyd George ran a ‘bingo and bickies’ afternoon for the residents of Wontama. A number of residents attended the bingo, and it was great to see everyone getting involved. Tea and bickies were served and in between rounds some great conversations were had between the students and residents. There was lots of laughing and competitiveness (as there was prizes to be won!) which made the afternoon all the more interesting. Overall, it was an extremely fun afternoon and hopefully we will be able to run something similar in the near future! 

Trivia

We had many residents participate in a Trivia event at Wontama. Most were enthusiastic and seemed to really enjoy themselves. There were a few tech issues with the screen, however, we worked around just calling out the questions instead.  A few of the questions were quite hard, however, the variation and incorporation of history-related questions seemed to work really well.  Having the residents and students in teams was a great approach, rather than working as individuals, as it allowed for collaboration on those tough questions and created connections between students and residents. All of the residents seemed to really enjoy to tea, coffee, and afternoon tea.

Mellie White

Round Square Service Project Opportunity

Is your teenager ready for an adventure? 

As a Round Square school, our students have access to an exciting, unique opportunity to connect with like-minded friends from all over the world to make a positive change within a community and develop life-long skills. Not only do students learn to help others, they also develop core skills and discover attributes that they might not have had the opportunity to explore, as well as increase their confidence, strengthen leadership skills and improve the way they communicate and present themselves.

The upcoming Round Square International Service project is set to take place in the breathtaking Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam and is open to students over 16 years-old. 

From 6-19 December 2024, students will embark on a meaningful journey. They will help to construct a dam that will address the supply of water to farming land that is limited during the dry seasons, yet floods during monsoon. The new dam will improve crop productivity and therefore the income of local villagers.

In addition to this, students will install solar energy lighting poles as a safe and sustainable solution to a 2.5km stretch of road used to connect villages, that currently has no lighting, making it unsafe to use after dark.

They will be split into smaller groups to join in with local activities each day, including engaging with students at the school, learning dances and handicrafts, helping the farming community, and taking part in cooking classes, so that you can get to know your host community, share your skills and learn new ones.

Throughout the Project, students take it in turns to assume the role of Student Leader, taking responsibility for the organisation of the day, briefing your peers, giving an overview of safety and risk management, and organising a student rota to manage different chores at camp. It is a great opportunity to develop their leadership style in a safe, supportive environment, where positive peer-feedback is encouraged, and adult leaders will provide ongoing guidance.

This adventure is not just about building infrastructure—it is about building character. With no phones or distractions, students will immerse themselves in hands-on work, fostering confidence, leadership, and problem-solving skills. Plus, they will forge deep connections with peers from around the world, creating memories that will last a lifetime. 

Details at a glance: 

When | 6-19 December 2024 

Cost | Participation fee £1,495 per person (plus flights), with bursaries available 

Location | Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam

Visit www.rsinsights.org/rsis with the password “ExploreMore” to start their adventure. 

Parents and students, please contact Ms Kate Anderson (Round Square Rep) on kanderson@kws.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions.