SCHOOL NEWS
PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION
On Tuesday May 13th, three McKinnon Secondary College students competed in the Ainger Peck Public Speaking competition, at Melbourne Girls' College in Richmond. This prestigious competition has been running for over 30 years, with four heats across the week of competition.
Our students were Gracie Tran (Year 10), Siyana Manjunath (Year 7) and Gabriel Eather (Year 7), and they, along with other members of our public speaking team, had committed themselves to attending practice sessions several times a week after school, practicing and refining their speeches and delivery, and offering each other thoughtful feedback to help each other grow.
In our heat, there were over 20 students from many schools, ranging from Year 7-12. Gracie, Siyana and Gabe presented their speeches with confidence and were able to learn from the other students and the adjudicators' feedback.
The students were accompanied by their families, along with myself as the Public Speaking Coordinator. Congratulations to these students, they did an outstanding job!
Nesrene Barakat
Public Speaking Coordinator
YEAR 8 CAMP
In Weeks 2 and 3 of Term 2, the Year 8s visit Kinglake Forest Adventure Camp. Kinglake is an hour's drive from Melbourne, northeast of Whittlesea. The area is forested covered in large areas of fresh greenery. It is located on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people and the area has free-roaming wildlife such as wombats, koalas, possums and several different species of birds as well.
At Kinglake the accommodation options were either tents or cabins. Although it was cold, the accommodation made sure all participants remained warm throughout the stay.
The food at Camp Kinglake was delicious and nutritious.
We experienced many fun and daring activities at camp. All of the activities were completed in camp groups regardless of whether the activity was independent or group. We had amazing fun doing individual activities such as the Leap of Faith and Free Fall. At camp we also spent a lot of time doing mindfulness and connecting with nature. One activity that was everyone's highlight during camp was probably the Wildergaining challenge on the last day of camp.
Overall, camp was a fun and memorable experience. It was a great opportunity for everyone to spend time with their friends and to get to know new people. We all had a great time trying new things, spending time with friends, and spending time in nature.
Aline Lijo, Year 8
MODEL UN 2025
On Friday the 16th of May a Model UN program was held in the Hall.
Throughout the day my team of delegates which were representing Saudi Arabia. We attempted to represent the interests of Saudi Arabia to the best of our abilities through a speech, and through ‘backroom’ negotiations. This forced us to break out of our comfort zones and develop our public speaking skills. But more than that, we had worked as a team for weeks developing strategy and researching about a nation we initially knew very little about. This ultimately made us develop a much deeper understanding on the global reaction to climate change and moreover the inner workings of international diplomacy at the UN.
Luka Dodos, Year 10
This year's topic for the Model UN was climate change. While the topic was very familiar to the majority of students, many were not aware of how important it was to discuss this problem as a global community and for all countries around the world to contribute to addressing the issue.
Through the stages of debating and communicating, students were able to collaborate and support each other in structuring ideas, amendments and opinions on the Draft Resolution. Many nations welcomed differing opinions and changes, and this made the procedure of the event much smoother, unique and fun - especially for someone like me, as this was the first year I had ever attended a Model UN at McKinnon!
Fortunately, I also gained many opportunities to make new friendships, talk to a diverse range of people in different year levels, and from different schools. Many of these students taught me fascinating facts and statistics about the world that I was not yet aware of. Additionally, with the help of Mr. Lee and the various comrades we made on the way, the nation I was representing, the Philippines, were guided to a successful outcome for the Draft Resolution.
I am pleased to say that this was incredibly memorable for us students, and I would strongly encourage anyone to participate in next year's MUN with me too!
Lynn Ly, Year 10
On May 16th, students from ten schools gathered in the gym at the Main Campus in order to perform the Model UN. I was a member of the Mongolian delegation. Our primary objective was to present Mongolia's views on climate change as well as securing the best possible deal for Mongolian citizens through our cooperation with the 31 other countries present. I deeply enjoyed the experience as it helped instill the values of clarity, cooperation and teamwork while giving us a look inside the workings of how nations negotiate on an international stage. I would deeply recommend joining the model UN to all Mckinnon students.
Patrick Rule, Year 9
On Friday, May 16th, students from our school participated in the annual Model UN alongside other schools. Each participant was assigned a country to represent, focusing on the pressing topic of climate change. As it was my first year, I was excited to work with peers I connected with while honing my public speaking and debate skills. Collaborating with my fellow delegates fostered a strong sense of camaraderie. We engaged in intense discussions about various solutions and strategies that countries could adopt to effectively combat climate change. It was inspiring to witness everyone’s dedication to finding common ground and drafting resolutions that emphasized cooperation and support, especially for developing countries facing environmental challenges. This Model UN experience wasn’t a competition, it was a combined effort to highlight the urgent need for collective action to address climate change, and I am grateful to have participated in that vital conversation.
Eseosa Olaye, Year 10
This year, I had the amazing opportunity to represent Morocco at the Annual Model UN held at McKinnon Secondary College. The theme was climate change, and students from a range of schools came together to take part in realistic UN style debates and discussions.
It was really interesting to learn how different countries respond to global issues, and I enjoyed working with students from different backgrounds to come up with solutions. A major highlight was having an honourable Secretary General from the Model UN community present. Their speech was inspiring and made the event feel even more real and exciting.
Another bonus was that we were provided with free morning tea and lunch, which was a great treat and gave us the chance to chat with other students during the breaks.
Overall, the day was a great mix of learning, teamwork, and stepping into the shoes of world leaders. I’m really glad I took part and would definitely recommend it to other students.
Shreya Panwar, Year 10
As delegates, the students took on the role of representative of a country, researching their assigned nation's stance on climate change and presenting position statements that reflected national interests rather than individual views. Their task was to debate, amend, and eventually ratify a UN Resolution dealing with climate change and its global implications.
The day began with a sequence of formal sessions, commencing with the reading of position statements. This was followed by moderated and unmoderated caucuses among the delegates, where they negotiated, debated, and suggested amendments to the draft resolution. Every amendment needed to be supported and carefully examined to determine if it was aligned with the policies of the country and the general objective of climate action. The experience provided an engaging insight into the areas of global relations, logical thinking, and negotiation and encouraged interaction between scholars from diverse institutions.
Odella Fernandes, Year 9
PUBLIC SPEAKING -ROTARY MODEL UNITED NATIONS ASSEMBLY
Over the weekend of May 24th - 25th, McKinnon represented France at Rotary International’s annual Model United Nations Assembly, hosted in North Melbourne. Alongside 18 other delegations from schools across Victoria, we stepped into the shoes of diplomats to debate ten complex global resolutions.
From Day 1, we formed alliances with Germany, Ukraine, and Brazil, uniting to tackle issues such as tariff structures, sportswashing, asylum seeking, and international court jurisdictions. Delegates prepared and responded to draft resolutions through speeches, amendments, diplomatic notes and questions, all while we upheld France’s position on each issue.
A favourite of the weekend was the Emergency Crisis, challenging delegations to react quickly to a fictional global scenario. It was a dynamic and fast-paced experience that tested our teamwork, strategy, and diplomacy under pressure.
Through both preparation and participation, we strengthened our skills in debating, negotiation, and critical thinking.
We would like to thank the Rotary International Club of Woodend for inviting us, and the University of Melbourne Rotaract Club for facilitating the event. A special thank you to Miss Nesrene Barakat for her continued guidance and support throughout the last few weeks.
To students interested in debating, public speaking or global issues, we highly recommend giving MUNA a go, it’s a unique opportunity that only comes once or twice a year!
Shauri Pedavalli and Anya Aquende, Year 12