International
Students
News
International Students’ End of Year Celebrations
As we have been doing for over ten years, our international students gathered together again to celebrate the end of another unforgettable and productive year in 2024. What was different this year is that we actually had two celebrations: one took place at our main Collingwood campus on the 21st of November, 2024, and the other on the 4th of December, 2024, at our Wurun Senior Campus.
Principals Chris and Lucy gave speeches to acknowledge our international students' efforts during the school year, congratulate them on their achievements, and wish them the best for the holiday season. Our international students were also excited to have our Year 11 Coordinator Layal, Year 12 Coordinator Ned, Middle School Program Leader Lori, Senior Program Leader Travis, Mental Health Practitioner Anna, and Careers Teacher Ronda join them for the celebration. Ronda’s VTAC introduction was also an informative delight for the students.
Many of our international students were nominated by their teachers for an international student award, and several students were nominated and presented with multiple awards. As per our ISP tradition, each of our international students also received a New Year present, which they picked according to the number they received at the entrance. The gathering concluded with a pizza lunch filled with laughter and excitement. It was wonderful and joyful to see them mingle together like a family. The joy from the harmonious scene made us feel that the festive season is really just around the corner and all the hard work during the year has paid off.
Lucy Wang
International Student Coordinator
ELC Events
ELC End-of-Year Celebration
To wrap up a fantastic year, our ELC students and teachers came together for a joyful end-of-year celebration! The students amazed us with their performances—dancing, playing the harmonica, and singing. The teachers—Felicia, Annie, Mihi, and Younghee—surprised everyone with a performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with guitar, piano, and singing. It was such a special moment!
Students also took the lead in preparing games, decorating the classroom, and creating a festive atmosphere. Everyone contributed delicious food to share. We ended the party with a fun Secret Santa gift exchange and a group photo to capture the memories.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! We wish you a joyful and restful holiday season.
ELC’s Last Excursion to Luna Park.
For our final excursion of the year, we headed to Luna Park, and what a day it was! The students had a blast going on all the rides, and the weather couldn’t have been better—not too hot, not too cold. It was so nice to see everyone smiling and laughing throughout the day.
In the spirit of joining in, I went on the roller coaster with my ELC students. While they were having the time of their lives, I was hanging on for dear life! It was definitely a new experience for me, and let’s just say I won’t be getting on any rides again anytime soon. But I’m proud I gave it a go!
We wrapped up the day with a group photo to remember the fun we had. What a great way to finish the year!
Younghee Cho
EAL, English Language Centre Teacher
Chinese and Korean language teacher
Online Exchange Program Competition 2024
The ELC students participated in an online exchange program, supervised and facilitated by Younghee Cho. The ELC students and the Korean students exchanged knowledge and information on each other’s countries, cultures and languages, and even hosted an online talent show. Korean students showcased traditional music, piano, singing, and brass band performances, while our ELC students wowed them with breakdancing, harmonica, and a group song. The ELC class also prepared a culture box filled with handmade postcards, Australian souvenirs like koala and kangaroo key rings, school merchandise such as tumblers and tote bags, and some iconic Aussie snacks to send to our Korean friends. The program wrapped up with students sharing their holiday plans, dreams, and reflections.
As part of the program, there was a competition open to all participating schools and teachers, and Younghee Cho made it to the finals as one of six finalists from New South Wales and Victoria, and eventually won first prize for her presentation "From Melbourne to Korea: Connecting Classrooms, Exploring Culture, and Growing Together!"
The school would like to acknowledge her commitment and effort that goes into providing the ELC students with exciting learning opportunities.
Felicia Peh
Leading Teacher
LBOTE and International Operations