VCE-VM News

By Andrew Blackwood - Faculty Coordinator

Personal Development Skills, Community Connections Program, Certificate III in Sport and Recreation & BotaniKids

As Semester 1 draws to a close, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of all students, staff and support personnel involved in the VCE Vocational Major program. It has been a busy and rewarding term, and the energy, commitment and growth shown by our students is a credit to their resilience and determination. Thank you to our teachers and support staff who continue to guide and inspire our students in all areas of their learning.

There have been many highlights throughout Term 2. Our Year 11 students undertaking the Active Volunteering unit have continued their fortnightly visits to Yuille Park Community College, where they have supported junior students with reading, writing and numeracy tasks. Their positive presence in the classroom has been appreciated by both staff and students.

Year 12 Personal Development Skills projects were completed this term with one group collaborating with the Glow Project to take participants with all-abilities on a Ten-pin bowling excursion followed by a delicious lunch at the Little Flower. Our second group ran a ‘Gratitude Lunch’ for local emergency services workers such as Victoria Police, Country Fire Authority, State Emergency Service and Ambulance Victoria.

Our Year 12 students have also been developing their practical skills through the Community Connections program. Under the guidance of Jill Wheatland, students have collaborated with St Patrick’s Cathedral to begin transforming an unused space into an inclusive community garden. To date, four large planter boxes have been designed and constructed, ready to be planted with herbs, seasonal vegetables, and pollinator-friendly plants.

In another exciting development, students completing their Certificate III in Sport and Recreation recently undertook a two-day Lifeguard qualification course at the Ballarat Aquatic Centre, led by Life Saving Victoria. The course involved online pre-learning, face to face theory content and physical assessments in the pool providing rescues. This qual added real-world skills for future employment in aquatic or recreation settings.

And finally, our Year 11 students have taken a more active leadership role in the BotaniKids program this term. Working in small teams, they have been responsible for planning and delivering all aspects of each fortnightly session – from designing craft activities and preparing hot drinks to setting the overall theme and menu. With themes such as Mother’s Day, Winter and Footy Colours, their creativity and teamwork have been impressive.

Well done to all students for their effort and persistence in completing assessments and participating so positively in all areas of the program. We are incredibly proud of everything you have achieved so far this year and look forward to what Semester 2 will bring.