Year 7

Term 3 has been short but busy. Students have participated in The Stand-Up Project where they learned how to be an upstander. Here students gained a greater understanding on how to support one another and call out negative behaviours. 

In addition, students also had the pleasure of a presentation by Berwick alumni, Adam Wallace. Adam is a New York Times best seller, having sold millions of books. We are so thankful to Adam for giving up his time to come and speak with our students and expressing the importance of literacy. 

We are proud of our year 7’s for their outstanding behaviour and efforts with their studies this term. We encourage them to continue striving for excellence.  

The Stand-Up Project 

On Wednesday, 27th of August, year 7 students enlisted in the stand with a sense of anticipation and excitement. It was an opportunity to step into a new environment, embracing challenges that would test our teamwork, resilience, and responsibility. As we assembled, the atmosphere buzzed with nervous energy mixed with the promise of adventure, bringing classmates closer together through shared experience. The day marked not just the start of a particular activity but the commencement of personal growth and collective bonding within our cohort. 

Throughout the day, we engaged in a variety of exercises designed to build our skills and character. Each task required focus and cooperation, from physical activities that pushed our limits to fun problem-solving challenges that encouraged creative thinking. Our instructors emphasized the importance of communication and trust, reminding us that success depended on how well we supported one another. These moments fostered a deeper understanding of solidarity and perseverance, lessons that extended far beyond the immediate tasks. 

By the end of the day, the sense of accomplishment was palpable. Though tiring, the experience left us feeling empowered and proud of what we had achieved together. It also sparked a new enthusiasm for future activities and a stronger connection with our peers. Reflecting on the day’s events, many of us realized that this enlistment wasn’t simply about participation—it was an invaluable step in our journey toward greater confidence, empathy, and maturity. 

By Arjun, Will and Beth (7E) 

Champions Corner 

Congratulations to Liv Thomas for winning the Under 14’s Best and Fairest for the South East Juniors Football League.  

Adam Wallace – New York Times Best Seller 

On Friday 11/9, Mr Adam Wallace came to Berwick College to discuss his experience with his role of being an author and his writing of so many children's books. 

I remember he said, “I remember how many times I got rejected, but that didn’t stop me from accomplishing my dreams.” He spoke about his experiences with how many times he got rejected by many publishers from publishing his books and how he just kept going and persevering. I was inspired by his famous quotes such as, “He who dares not offend cannot be honest."  Adam Wallace also talked about the process of making his books and where he got his ideas from.  

I learned from Adam Wallace that by chasing your dreams, you can be what you want to be in the future if you work hard enough. An example is how Adam Wallace worked hard to become an author. You may face rejection a few times, make mistakes, but you can achieve great things in the future if you keep trying.  

I also found it very interesting and unique about how there are lots of different series of books. His best work included his ‘How To Catch’ series, which achieved significant success, with over 11 million copies sold and multiple appearances on the New York Times best seller. Another of his famous books was  ‘The Holiday Heroes Save Christmas.’ I realised that he wrote a variety of different books for children’s entertainment and interests. 

Lastly, this presentation has inspired me to never give up on what you want to be and that if he can do it, so can I. Madison (7F) 

Hi, my name is Eliza, and I definitely enjoyed getting to know Mr Adam Wallace on Friday, 12th of September. The year 7s all gathered in the Performing Arts Centre to meet this special Berwick College alumnus, and get to know more about his achievements, himself, and, most importantly, his journey.

 He came to Berwick College to discuss his experience with writing both children’s books and adult novels. I recall that he said he wrote, edited and sent 50 drafts of his very first book to the publishers, only to get rejected numerous times. I thought, it must have taken some excellent patience!

I was inspired by his determination, through so many rough copies. I know I could never have the time or patience to even try this! I found that the most interesting part was when he explained that he never wanted to be an author in school, yet he is a very successful man today!

I’ve learnt a lot about how he came to where he is now, and that’s why I believe that by working towards your dreams, honing your talents and believing in yourself, then anything can be built upon, even failure leads to success.

His early experiences with the writing framework were expressed through personal anecdotes, and stories, and were mainly about his struggles and grip with writing, and how he persevered. A story he told us was about how his partner encouraged him to get into writing and try it as he wasn’t sure if he could do it. I realized supportive people are important.

I especially remember how he told us about his ‘How to Catch A ‘series, about how there were so many varying creatures to be caught. We finally know how to stop these legendary creatures in their tracks! He also mentioned his very first book, The Giant Book of Jokes, which won a New York Bestseller’s Award.

Finally, the part of the experience that impacted me the most was when he encouraged students to raise questions, as so many students had intriguing queries about Mr. Wallace’s works, such as, “Which book is your least favourite?” and “What are you working on now?” Oh, and don’t forget, “How much money have you made off of these stories?” Mr Wallace chuckled at that last one and pointed out how brave kids are to ask the salary question.

This was such a fun Berwick College alumnus moment, and I can’t wait for our next speakers! Eliza Dalla Costa, 7F

Year 7 Team

• Year 7 Learning Leader – Stephanie Swain (stephanie.swain@education.vic.gov.au)
• Year 7 Learning Leader – Annabel Bond (annabel.bond@education.vic.gov.au)
• Year 7 Assistant Learning Leader – Jorgia Foster (jorgia.foster@education.vic.gov.au)