Senior School Stories

Love Never Fails

IDAHOBIT Day (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia) is an important opportunity to raise awareness about the discrimination faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals and to promote inclusion, respect, and acceptance within our community. The day encourages everyone to create environments where people feel safe, supported, and free to be themselves without fear of judgement or harm.

Today, Friday 29 May, our school celebrated IDAHOBIT Day with a splash of colour and advocacy, recognising the importance of kindness, understanding, and support for all individuals. Students and staff came together through a Wellbeing assembly and a fun Rainbow cupcake decorating competition, helping spread the message that everyone deserves to feel valued, accepted, and included within our school community.

Written by

Kishaya S. (Year 11)

Student Wellbeing team

IDAHOBIT VIDEO

Heading into this project, I was really hoping to capture the students’ first reactions and honest responses to the questions, while giving them the space and time to answer freely and thoughtfully.

 

This project marks a significant shift in storytelling, not only for Huntingtower but for schools more broadly. It was incredibly difficult to condense two hours of footage into eight minutes, because our students offered such wise, thoughtful and beautiful reflections.

 

As the storyteller for Huntingtower, I am so proud and honoured to work with such kind, honest and insightful students.

 

Please enjoy this package and remember: it is okay not to understand everything. What matters most is that you keep moving in the right direction. 

- Mr Troy Jansen, Media Producer

Mather House Day

On Tuesday 26 May, Mather held our annual Fundraiser Day, proudly raising money for Blue Light Victoria, an organisation that funds programs designed to keep disengaged teenagers connected to school and their community.

We were honoured to welcome Elissa Scott, CEO of Blue Light Victoria, who spoke to the school about the importance of the program and the young people who benefit directly from our support. She was joined by two police officers, Linda and Jac, who are actively involved in delivering these life changing initiatives.

Huntingtower students were incredibly generous throughout the day. Our casual clothes day saw enthusiastic donations and the “race the police radar gun” challenge was a highlight, with Lachlan C. clocking the fastest speed in the school. Students also enjoyed a range of carnival style games and a magnificent bake sale, all contributing to the success of the event.

I am delighted to share that the school has raised $2,014.40 for Blue Light Victoria.

On behalf of Mather, I am deeply grateful for everyone’s support of this meaningful charity and for helping us make a real difference in the lives of young people.

Ms Julieanne Douglas

Head of Mather

DAV Senior Public Speaking

Recently, five students participated in the DAV Senior Public Speaking Competition, run by the DAV. The competition is designed to develop both prepared and impromptu speaking skills, with each student delivering a 6-to-8-minute persuasive speech as well as two impromptu speeches with only five minutes of preparation time.

We took part on Sunday 17 May at St Kevin’s College. The day was challenging but rewarding, particularly as we had to shift between a carefully prepared speech and completely unexpected impromptu topics. The impromptu rounds required quick thinking, clear structure, and the ability to stay composed while forming arguments under pressure.

It was also valuable to hear a range of speeches from other students and to receive feedback from adjudicators, which provided practical advice for improvement. Overall, the experience was enjoyable and helped strengthen confidence and adaptability in public speaking. A big shout out to all the students who participated and represented the school, and to everyone who supported and gave it their best on the day.

Written by

Justin T. (Year 12)

Local Fieldwork

On Tuesday 26 May, our Year 7 Geography students recently undertook fieldwork to Valley Reserve and Scotchmans Creek to examine the water quality of Valley Creek in comparison to Scotchmans Creek. The did so by taking readings of salinity, turbidity, temperature and pH. They also assessed the impact of the creek environment on social sustainability for the surrounding community as well as the impact of the community on the environmental sustainability of the reserve. 

They will spend the next week writing a report on their findings. A wonderful learning opportunity for them to incorporate classroom learning into the use of a local resource.

Mr Rodney Jones

Head of Warrell