Letter from the Editor

Spring has sprung! If you're like me, you may be reading this thinking, where has this year gone? We’re now on the downhill slope to the end of term, the end of senior subjects, the end of the year and, before we know it, the end of the Class of 2026!

It’s been a busy few weeks around the College, but honestly, it’s been a few weeks that have left many of us with an overwhelming sense of pride. One of the things I love most about our College is the incredible breadth of opportunities our students embrace. Whether it’s performing on stage, developing ideas that could make a difference in the world, competing on the sporting field or discovering more about themselves as leaders, our students continue to surprise and impress us.

I’d like to share just a few of the moments from this term that had not just myself, but a number of staff, absolutely brimming with pride.

Firstly, the Heathmont school production of Sweeney Todd. Over five shows, students from Years 7-12 sang, danced and acted their hearts out for two hours at a time. From the stalls, we laughed, we cried, we cheered and, on more than one occasion, found ourselves completely caught up in the story unfolding on stage. What made it particularly special was seeing students from across the year levels come together as one performing arts community. The commitment, talent and teamwork on display was truly something to be proud of.

Next on the list was the Young Change Agents Impact Boss program. This two-day, hands-on program challenged a group of Year 8 & 9 students to identify a genuine issue or opportunity within their community and develop an innovative social enterprise idea in response. Working in teams, students explored problems, developed and tested ideas, created prototypes and ultimately pitched their concepts.

I was lucky enough to sneak into the presentations, and I have to say, I was blown away. Watching our students stand up and confidently pitch genuine projects that had the potential to make a real difference to the lives of others was incredibly impressive. Their creativity, compassion and willingness to tackle real-world problems head-on was a wonderful reminder of just how much our young people have to offer.

More recently, today our Year 7 students enjoyed their sport day. There was plenty of competition, plenty of fun and, most importantly, students representing their College with pride and enjoying the opportunity to be part of something together. I was also particularly impressed to see three of our Year 10 students stepping up to referee basketball throughout the day. They gave their time to support the younger students and demonstrated exactly what it means to give back to our community.

And finally, we had our Year 10 and 11 students involved in the iLead program, run by the LifeChanger group. The day provided students with an opportunity to explore what it means to be a leader, while also spending time thinking about themselves, their personal values, the challenges they face and how they can overcome barriers.

Through a series of workshops, students explored self-discovery, resilience, personal growth and practical leadership skills. What I particularly loved about this day was that it wasn’t simply about teaching students how to be leaders; it was about helping them understand themselves and the type of person and leader they want to become.

The feedback from staff involved in the day was incredibly positive. More than one staff member commented on how fulfilled they felt simply being around the group throughout the day. Our students were engaged, thoughtful, enthusiastic and willing to give things a go - and that made for a pretty special day.

When I look back at all of these events, what strikes me is just how different they are. A school production, an entrepreneurship program, a sporting day and a leadership workshop might not seem to have much in common on the surface. But underneath them all is the same thing: our students stepping forward, having a go, supporting one another and discovering what they are capable of.

And that, perhaps more than anything, is what makes me proud to be part of this College.

There is so much happening across our school, and it can be easy to move from one event to the next without stopping to appreciate what our students are achieving. So, as we head into the final stretch of the year, I think it’s worth pausing for a moment to celebrate them.

To our students: we see the effort, the courage, the creativity, the kindness and the commitment you bring to College life. Keep getting involved, keep giving things a go and keep making us proud.

We certainly are.

Jack Lynch

Editor