Secondary Happenings
Men's Texan BBQ Event
Stephen Said, Faith and Wellbeing Support Staff
Last week DCC dads and guardians gathered around glorious servings of Kansas City BBQ while being challenged as men, fathers and followers of Jesus.
Paul Flavel, CEO of Hagar International (a Christian NGO working in the area of anti-human trafficking) shared his experiences of finding his own sense of vocation in a world that demands you become successful and wealthy at all costs; asking what it means to parent in a world where atrocities like human trafficking exist, and how we maintain some sense of sanity in doing so.
After hearing Paul's stories, we wrestled with some big questions. As care givers, how do we resist the temptation to protect our children from the suffering in this world? How do we expose our children to suffering in a way that is age appropriate, responsible and constructive?
And finally, when we seek to be a redemptive influence in the world, how do we deal with our own unprocessed trauma, which may be laid bare when we partner with those suffering?
It was a transformative night, enjoyed with great food in the company of many courageous men. Special thanks to Adam Bryant for his role in pulling together the many strands that enable moments like those we experienced last night.
We hope this small insight into last week’s gathering will pique your interest you in joining us for our next event in Term 3.
Please scan the QR code below and follow the prompts for information about future events.
VCE Vocational Major Mother's Day Project
Nicky Joiner, VM Coordinator
Recently our VCE VM students teamed up with Friends of Donvale (FOD) to help run the Mother’s Day Stall. This was a positive learning experience for our students, who worked together to provide beautiful gifts for the Mums and Mother figures in our community.
Project based learning, where students discover new skills and knowledge through a practical project, is a large part of the vocational major pathway.
This project combined both numeracy and work-related skills and involved several steps including the following:
- Liaising with FOD to understand the intention for the Mother’s Day Stall, and to grasp the key goals and boundaries of the task.
- Developing and testing a product.
- Costing designs and pricing products to best generate a profit.
- Working as a team to allocate roles for the day, including a roster for breaks.
- Calculating profits and reporting back to the class.
- Reflecting on the process - what went well and what could be improved?
The students sold all their merchandise and made an overall profit of $300 to support the valuable work of FOD at DCC. Special thanks to Brenda Ringwaldt for helping with the facilitation of our project and all the wonderful FOD volunteers who assisted us on the day.
It was fantastic to see how the Primary students responded to the ‘big kids’, and VM students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the wider school community.
Year 12 Business Management Excursion
Charles Niles, Business Management Teacher
Our Year 12 Business Management classes recently took part in an excursion designed to provide real-world insights into Operations Management. The day included visits to the Port of Melbourne, a Hungry Jack's restaurant, and the Yakult factory in Dandenong. This excursion gave students the opportunity to observe how operations strategies and theories are applied in different industries.
Our first stop was the Port of Melbourne, a critical gateway for Australia's international trade. Students were introduced to the port’s operations and learned about the importance of efficient management in handling both exports and imports.
During the tour, students had the opportunity to witness container ships being loaded with grain and vehicles being unloaded from large vessels, providing a firsthand look at logistics and materials handling in action.
Later, we stopped for lunch at a nearby Hungry Jack's restaurant. The store manager, who is also a first-year university student studying business, spoke to the students about the day-to-day operations of the restaurant. He discussed how inventory is sourced and managed and answered questions about food manufacturing and supply chains.
The final stop was the Yakult factory in Dandenong. This visit provided a deeper understanding of manufacturing processes and quality management. Students were particularly engaged by the automated production line and the rigorous quality control measures in place, to ensure that the billions of bacteria found in each bottle of Yakult remain fresh and effective. Our guide also discussed the company’s mission to promote healthy lifestyles and educate the public, demonstrating how business goals and social responsibility can align.
This excursion successfully brought classroom concepts to life. From observing large-scale logistics at the Port of Melbourne to learning about fast-food operations and advanced manufacturing techniques at Yakult, students gained valuable insights that will further their understanding of Unit 3 content.