Around the Campuses
iLead Program - Emily Williams
The iLead program run by Travancore School is a program that enhances student’s leadership skills through a range of outdoor and community activities. Emily Williams of Year 9 participated in the iLead program throughout Term 3, where she worked alongside other young people with diverse abilities and experiences from other schools in the western suburbs. iLead helps students to uncover their own strengths and how to utilise them both at school and beyond.
Whilst Emily participated in various outdoor recreation activities to build her confidence and leadership capacity, Emily attended a camp at Blackwood where she worked on a community project with Yarra Ranges Specialist School. Emily described this experience as ‘enriching and empowering, giving her more understanding and valuing the importance of inclusivity of people with special needs’. She spoke of ‘connecting with the special needs students in unexpected ways, and the power of empathy and forging genuine connections’.
In her graduation speech, Emily articulated that her participation in the iLead program has taught her the value of ‘speaking up and making contributions, embracing discomfort, and adapting to come out stronger. To take initiative, persist with difficult challenges, and to guide and build capacity for leadership in others’. Emily’s speech was powerful and moving, full of gratitude and appreciation with evidence of a new self-awareness, passion for inclusivity and appreciation of diversity.
The iLead team leaders described Emily’s ‘open and willingness to make the most of experiences, her ability to set the tone amongst the group for genuine relationships, through her ability to really listen, and bring people together to make meaningful connections’.
Congratulations to Emily on throwing herself into the iLead program and making the most of all the opportunities for growth it had to offer – VUSC are very proud of you!
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Year 11 VCE Chemistry
Students in Year 11 Chemistry have excelled this term with design-based learning. Students were given scaffolded design-based practicals aimed at exploring and learning the concepts rather than following a strict method. These pictures are from an acid base prac, where students created a single test tube with layers of different pH solutions:
These pictures are from another prac for exploring rusting, where students designed different conditions to explore rusting as part of our redox topic. Well done to these students for their excellent work!
Ms Andarahewa
Chemistry Teacher
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Virtual Victorian Young Leaders to China
Congratulations to the students who participated in the Virtual VYLC recently and their brilliant efforts every day over the two week program:
Aliza Batool, Quynh Le, Greta McCoy, Annie Phan, Krisha Relon, Batseba Thang
Bawi Thang Eng, Azaryous Tuatara, Kenan Tursic and Natalia Phuah.
Well done to all of these students, particularly those who received the following awards at the end of the program:
Most Hard-Working - Quynh Le and Kenan Tursic
Best Engagement - Krisha Relon and Greta McCoy
Best Improvement - Bawi Thang Eng
Here are some of the students' reflections on their amazing experience!
As a part of the VYLC program, I learnt several things, which were topics about the weather, occupation, jobs, clothes, medicine, self-introductions, seasons, relatives and animals. Also including Kungfu, painting and gymnastics as part of sports. My studies in this program provided me with great deal of knowledge about China and their culture.
Aliza
During the time I had at the VYLC program I experienced and learned many things that would be useful in our everyday lives. I learned many things such as the weather, jobs, clothes, seasons, animals, medicine and relatives. These things I learned during the program enhanced my Chinese skills and knowledge in Chinese culture and language.
Things that inspired me to continue my learning in the Chinese language were the wonderful and patient Chinese teachers from Meg languages and my supportive peers during the experience.
The most unforgettable experiences I had during the program were doing the calligraphy and painting the pandas as well as the virtual program with the lady who showed us what it was like to be in China.
Quynh
I learnt a lot of things in those 10 days. I learnt Chinese much faster and intensively than normal. It made me more fluent and know more Chinese characters around: Relatives, Animals, Lost and Found, Doctors (sickness and injuries), Weather, Seasons, Occupations and Clothes/Shopping. It also made me gain more confidence in speaking in front of new people and gain more knowledge and deeper understanding about the culture.
I was inspired by the famous youtuber ‘blondie in China’ talking about her life and saying it was a good opportunity for herself and us to learn this language, making me feel that I should take this good chance to explore this culture. What also inspired me was the language exchange with other students from China. It made me want to get to know them more and want to get more friends like them, urging me to learn their language.
The most unforgettable moment for me was the gymnastics and painting of the panda. It was exhilarating and fun doing it with my other classmates, as we laughed and had fun in the activities. The gymnastics may have been tiring and my panda didn’t look the way I expected it, but it was worth it.
Krisha
I have learned many different things such as different kind of jobs, animals (describing them), sickness and weather. Some of the things that we have learnt in the program helped us in our class, which helped us to understand better and to also review our lessons. Overall, I have learnt many new things in the program, and it was such an enjoyable experience.
The most unforgettable moment was when we painted the pandas and visited the China popular market.
Basteba
I learned so many things such as travelling, family, animals, sickness, weather and occupations in Chinese. I also learned how to properly pronounce Chinese characters while managing my time.
I was inspired by my fellow students and peers. I was pushed to try harder to learn the Chinese characters and this overall helped me become a better student.
The most unforgettable moment for me was meeting the students in China, I did not know we had so many things in common.
Bawi
Throughout this program, I have gained a new and deeper understanding of the Chinese language ranging from knowledge such as animals, talking to the doctor, relatives and jobs.
Personally, the most unforgettable moment for me was probably talking to the overseas
students with my class. This was because of the funny atmosphere and everyone's openness.
Kenan
While being a part of the VYLC program, I learnt many new things such as vocabulary about animals (and how to describe them), weather, occupations, relatives and what to say while talking to the doctor. Being a part of this program furthermore helped me improve my pronunciation, after hearing my peers pronounce words it helped me better understand how they are properly said. Overall, being able to learn all these new things was such an enjoyable experience.
I was heavily inspired by my fellow classmates and peers in my group; they all spoke Chinese very well, they easily pronounced the correct tones, and it inspired me to try harder so I can become better at speaking Chinese.
One of the most unforgettable moments for me was when we got to talk to students in China; this is so memorable for me because it was so fun, we all laughed a lot, and all really enjoyed getting to know them. Another distinctive thing for me, was all the laughs and enjoyable times we had during our language learning sessions.
Natalia
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Lunchtime Activities
Lunchtime activities are happening at both campuses throughout the week - including sports, board games and more!
Students can speak to their Coordinator for more details.
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