Around the College

Holocaust Education in the Classroom 

Last year I was successful in gaining a place on The Gandel Holocaust Studies Program for Australian Educators in Israel. This program aims to develop a network of educators committed to teaching about the Holocaust and its universal implications. I spent 18 days in Jerusalem collaborating with educators from all around Australia. I was able to bring back valuable knowledge and insights to enhance our SRM Holocaust education curriculum.

Last weekend I attended the closing ceremony for the program in Melbourne. During the ceremony, I had the privilege of presenting the work of our Year 11 students who have been studying the SACE course 'Community, Diversity, and Discrimination' this year. 

Our students have shown exceptional dedication and understanding of the Holocaust and its impact on humanity. One of our Year 11 students, Oliva Gregurev, beautifully summed up her learning experience. She expressed how studying the Holocaust allowed her to delve into the minds and experiences of survivors and understand the profound influence it had on people. Oliva stressed the importance of never forgetting history to prevent its repetition.

Throughout the year, our students engaged in a comprehensive learning experience that focused on the causes, impact, and dangers of racial and religious vilification. They explored this topic through the lens of the Holocaust, the history of far-right thinkers, and the creation of a better future for all Australians.

In Week 4, our students concluded their learning on this topic by curating a class exhibition titled 'Learning from the past to create a better future'. Working in small groups, they created immersive experiences that highlighted the dangers of racial and religious vilification. This collaborative project allowed our students to highlight their understanding and raise awareness among their peers. Some of the topics represented in the exhibition were Afghan refugees in Australia, Indigenous Australian soldiers, hate speech vs freedom of speech, racial discrimination in the AFL, Islamophobia in Australia, The Voice, The Stolen Generations, and change makers in sport.   

I am incredibly proud of our students' achievements and their commitment to promoting understanding, inclusivity, and justice. 

Student Reflections

Each exhibition uniquely addressed an aspect/chapter of Indigenous history, with connection to how past events influence the events of society today. My own exhibition highlighted Indigenous peoples’ past struggles to address the lack of First Nations’ representation in Australia’s federal and local governments. 

Vinka Lakic

An exhibit that impressed me and caught my attention was the one that dealt with racism in sport, particularly in the Australian Football League. This exhibition effectively portrayed the theme by focusing on the historical and ongoing discrimination experienced by Indigenous athletes. 

Tresor Muliro

The exhibition concerning free speech and hate speech expressed the theme of the class exhibition well. It provided a detailed break-down of the past, current and future actions that could be taken, or have been taken, to empower free speech and reduce hate speech… the group had reflected on factors which contributed to past incidents of hate speech, and how these could be addressed to mitigate such discrimination in the future. 

Mia Ngo

A positive of all exhibits was how interactive they were. Every exhibit had a creative section which was physical and thought-provoking, whilst still covering the issue that they displayed. An example of this is how one group had a refugee tent which you could crawl through. On the walls were different questions to answer and experiences to read. 

Aiden Peak

Alison Slater

Christian Living Learning Leader

Mock Interviews

On Monday 13 November all Year 10 students participated in the annual Mock Interviews, an event that provides our students with a valuable glimpse into the professional world, equipping them with essential skills for their future success.

The Mock Interviews brought together our 

Year 10 students and dedicated professionals from our extended community who work in various industries. This unique experience allows our students to step into the shoes of job seekers and practice their job interview skills. Our students had the opportunity to interact with professionals who generously shared their experiences, career journeys, and advice. 

This exposure is invaluable in helping our students make informed decisions about their future career paths. A highlight from the event is the individual feedback each student gets from their interviewer. This personalised input undoubtedly helps provide students with the opportunity to refine their interview techniques and enhance their employability skills. 

The supportive and encouraging environment created by our generous volunteers allowed the students to gain confidence and resilience through this process.

Lucy Higgins

Personal Learning Pathways Teacher

Year 10 Music Solo Night

On the evening of Wednesday 8 November, the Year 10 Music class presented a concert of solo performances to a small audience of friends and family in the Music room. For most students, this was their first public performance beyond the classroom, and they rose to the occasion, presenting an entertaining concert of a high standard. 

Patricia Schulz started the night with Laufey’s ‘From the Start’, Jummi David sang songs by Sabrina Carpenter and Billy Eilish, Brendan Leong played some jazzy AMEB piano pieces and Luca Do played a Latin-jazz drum piece ‘Streets of Cuba’. Guitarist Tyler Nuske played Bach, guitarist Alfie Icke-Boucherie played Genesis by Polyphia, Tom Harding played the funky Black Qualls on bass and Hayden Huynh played an expressive violin piece called Russian Fantasy. Finishing off the night was Cooper Foskett who played a very impressive (and very loud) mash-up of the metal drumming pieces Hip to Be Scared and Stray from the Path. 

Thank you to Mr Daniel Wooldridge for helping to mark the students on the night, and a big congratulations to everyone who performed!

Catherine Stanley

Music Learning Leader

Elevating Digital Learning:

Zenva Case Study

Digital Technology skills can do more than set students up for success later in life. They also help students become innovators who problem solve and embrace critical thinking and creativity. Recently we introduced Zenva, an educational trainer of programming and computer science, to students to further facilitate their love and understanding of advancing digital technologies, as well as to trial new and interactive forms of learning. 

Here's how it went:

Case Study – Elevating Digital Learning at Endeavour College – Zenva Schools

Satchet Singh

Digital Technologies Learning Leader

Veterans Day 2023

It was with great excitement and anticipation that more than seventy Year 10 History students came together on Tuesday 14 November to meet and engage with a group of Australian war veterans. These veterans – Barry Fox, Peter Tobin, Lloyd Stevens and Ryk Traeger – fought in the Vietnam War. 

Our Year 10 History courses have a strong focus on Australia’s involvement in 20th century conflicts. In recent weeks students have been undertaking individual assignments looking at the service of our military personnel and the ways in which war has affected their lives. What better way to find out first-hand about these things than to interview veterans personally?

After some general introductions, smaller groups were formed where students conducted interviews with the veterans using background research and prepared questions to assist them. At the conclusion of the interviews, student representatives from each group presented a gift to their veteran as an expression of thanks. 

Veterans Day, which has been a fixture on our school calendar for many years, proved extremely successful once again. As one student commented, ”The aspect I enjoyed most about Veterans Day was being able to listen to and communicate with a veteran. I felt privileged to be able to listen to their primary knowledge about the effects of war and the experiences they encountered whilst serving.”

The Year 10s behaved impeccably and gained much from the experience, learning not only about the individual contributions of these men but also the human impact of war. The History staff are very proud of the students for the way they eagerly immersed themselves in this unique learning opportunity and for the respectful manner in which they honoured these former servicemen. We have all been touched and impacted by the testimonies that were shared.

We salute these men for their service to our nation.

David Thiele

History Learning Leader

Hungry for Chess

Recently, Year 11 Food and Hospitality students were tasked with the job of providing catering for the Endeavour VS Faith Chess Tournament as part of their final assessment task. The class worked together to design a suitable canape menu which catered for allergies and intolerances. 

They worked together as a team to provide an outstanding lunch for our hardworking chess players and guests from Faith.

Renee Hutton

Food Technology Learning Leader