Student Voices

This year, the Year 9 and 10 students have had the opportunity to participate in the Ignite program centred around 'Compassion 4 Community'. We have been engaging in activities such as making breast cushions for breast cancer survivors, packing back to school bags for domestic violence victims, learning about the harmful effects of the fast fashion industry, making delicious foods, such as gingerbread, for the homeless, and visiting the Aveo retirement village.

Three ladies from an organisation called Zonta and  an Old Collegian, Vicki Lomax (nee Whatmore, Class of 1962), who is a breast cancer survivor herself taught us not only about the statistics of breast cancer but also how Zonta supports women’s rights and wellbeing. We learnt how to make breast cushions from scratch, using the sewing machine, for people who have gotten mastectomies. On the same day, we also packed backpacks for a charity called Friends with Dignity. This charity helps families who have escaped domestic violence households and need help getting back on their feet. These backpacks were full of stationary as well as a lunchbox, water bottle and a handwritten note from us.

Exploring the world of fast fashion brought us to upcycle clothes and think about our clothing choices. Learning about how 92 million tons of textiles produced end up in landfill each year made us rethink where we buy our clothing from and how much we buy.

Making gingerbread in our food tech room gave us the opportunity to think about how fortunate we are to have a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. Although we weren’t told how the goodies would get distributed to the homeless community, we all hope that they enjoy this sweet treat and stay safe over Christmas. 

Finally, we visited the Aveo retirement village in Clayfield and enjoyed activities such as sip and paint, succulent plant making, trivia, and carols. Listening to their stories and perspectives on life left a lasting impression on us and inspired us to always pursue our dreams and be grateful for those around us.

When we asked around, there was no overall favourite because all the activities were not only educational, but also enjoyable. This Ignite program has been an eye-opener for all the students and we hope we made a difference in people’s lives and wish to continue to contribute to our community.