International Students

2025 Global Student Learning Voice Team–Thank You Morning Tea

The International Student Program recently hosted a Thank You Morning Tea to celebrate and recognise the contributions of our 2025 Global Student Learning Voice Team.

The event was a heartfelt occasion to acknowledge the dedication, leadership, and enthusiasm our Voice Team members have shown throughout the year. These students have played an important role in promoting cultural awareness, supporting new international students, and strengthening connections between local and international communities at Doncaster Secondary College.

During the morning tea, staff expressed their gratitude for the team’s commitment and creativity in helping make our program more inclusive and student driven. Each member was recognised for their valuable input in organising events, representing student voices, and contributing to the welcoming atmosphere that defines our school’s international community.

The morning was filled with warm conversations, smiles, and a shared sense of pride in what the team has achieved together.

A huge thank you to all our 2025 Global Student Learning Voice Team members — your efforts truly make a difference!

Here is what our team members had to say about the event:

The event was held in the International Hub, where a variety of snacks were thoughtfully prepared for us. During the morning tea, the Director of the International Student Program, Ms Huang, spoke on behalf of the school to express her appreciation for the contributions we have made throughout the year. She acknowledged our involvement in several whole-school events and thanked us for the time, effort, and leadership we have shown.

We were also joined by the new members who will form the 2026 Global Student Learning Voice Team. They were introduced to us during the event, and it was wonderful to meet them. We are excited that the team will benefit from fresh ideas, new skills, and different perspectives next year.

Overall, it was a pleasure to participate in this morning tea, and we feel grateful for the recognition we received. We look forward to continuing our efforts and supporting the Global Student Voice Team in the years to come.

-Zian (Mia) GAO, Kuysing (Kyle) TE, Madison NGUYEN

New members for 2026 Global Student Learning Voice Team also joined this morning tea and here is their reflection of this event: 

As an international student, I profoundly comprehend the feeling of being in a new environment, full of new experiences and opportunities. But it also entails challenges, that’s why I decided to join the international voice team, I want to bridge different cultures, foster understanding and friendship with everyone, and help the new international students fit in the new environment. For me, it is a great opportunity to gain insights into different cultures, advocate for multiculturalism, and hone excellent communication and leadership skills. 

My most memorable and delightful memory was the buddy program. We played games and shared different experiences. I believe it is not just an activity, but an opportunity for international students to share their culture and ideas with each other, allowing more people to learn and respect different cultures. I enjoyed this meaningful activity, which allowed me to make friends from different cultural backgrounds. It also helped me quickly integrate into the new environment and learn about school in a short time. I hope in the future I can help and support more new international students have pleasant memories at DSC! 

Overall, I will strive to advocate multiculturalism, help organize engaging activities, and actively contribute my ideas. I believe that with our teamwork, my sense of responsibility, and friendly communication, we can create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. -Celine Zhao

I decided to join the 2026 Global Learning Student Voice Team because I desired to contribute support to international students. Furthermore, this would be a fantastic opportunity for me to connect people around the world and practice my own social skill and teamwork spirit as well. I'm not only eager to learn different culture in the world but also expect to contribute to international students.

I hope I can contribute ideas and help organise activities such as traditional festival celebrations. If I have a chance, I hope I can take the part of writing. 

Overall, this would be a wonderful opportunity for me to contribute to international students and improve myself while helping develop our Global Learning Student Voice Team. -Grace XU

I am a helpful person, and I look forward to supporting new students with their studies. Getting to know many of them will not only strengthen my social connections but also give me the opportunity to learn new things. When others face difficulties, I take the initiative to help rather than waiting to be asked. Whether at work, in class, or in everyday life, I try to provide timely support whenever someone needs it—for example, by answering a classmate’s question or offering advice to a friend.

Although I am still developing ideas about how I can contribute to the team, I understand the importance of actively thinking about ways to support others. One idea I recently came up with for the Friday Game Club is a fun concept called “Ready Player One.”- Boxuan (Danny) WANG

I wanted to join the Voice Team because I believe that it presents a fantastic opportunity to broaden and diversify my own perspective while also contributing ideas that will enhance the student experience at Doncaster Secondary College. I see this as a chance to step out of my comfort zone, build my confidence, and actively engage in strengthening our school community's social cohesion. For me, being a member of the Voice Team not only allows me to voice out my ideas, but it's to also utilize my creative ability within the school community to demonstrate my work and skills towards the school community. I think that being a part of the member isn't merely about the title of being apart from a member, but about the genuine opportunity to make a difference. I believe that it is a resourceful platform to not only share my thoughts but also to apply my creative abilities in a way that demonstrates tangible effort and commitment to our community as mentioned before.

I hope that as an International Student Voice Team member, I can contribute my thoughts and ideas towards supporting new students as they adjust to a new cultural and social landscape here. I aim to proudly represent the voices and concerns of our international cohort, and potentially local students here as well. Furthermore, I hope to use this role to promote a more integrated and diverse school culture, encouraging students to find exposure to new people and experiences. My goal as a member is to help foster an environment where we can all move beyond familiar circles to truly appreciate our collective, culturally diverse community DSC has to offer. - Nelly Carol (Nelly) LIM

New International Students Reflection-My First Term Journey at DSC

As their first term draws to a close, our new international students have taken a moment to reflect on their first term at Doncaster Secondary College. From making new friends and exploring a new learning environment to adapting to school life in Australia, their reflections capture the excitement, challenges, and memorable moments of their journey so far. Here are some of their thoughts about what it’s like to begin a new chapter at DSC.

As a new international student, my journey at DSC this term is quite exciting but difficult. In the first week, I had a huge cultural shock, and I found that it's difficult to communicate with my teachers because my English is not that good. What's more, I wasn't very familiar with our school. However, both my teachers and my friends are patient to me, I felt warm here.

After being familiar with DSC, I began to focus on my study and my social skills. There are huge amounts of new words I need to know, so I have to spend a long time on searching and memorizing the new words after school. I become more and more confident because of the encouragement of my teachers and my friends so that my oral English improves quickly. I also feel very proud that I won the Short Story Competition. I have a wonderful time in my ELC classes. I noticed that our school is also focus on our hands-on ability. I had greatly improved my hands-on ability by joining the 3D Art and Mandarin cooking.

I always have a lot of questions because I'm new here and I don't know how to deal with that. So, I asked Ms Huang several times and she always solve that in time.

We also have many activities, such as Cluster Day, the urban art excursion. I had a wonderful time there.

All in all, I'm appreciate that I have such patient and warm teachers and friend around me. I believe I'll enjoy myself in DSC for the next 3 years.  -Grace XU

When I came to DSC on the first day, I was very nervous and worried about whether I could fit into the new environment, but it was unnecessary because I soon found that the classmates were very friendly and helpful, and I also made new friends and met my buddy. I still remember that we did a lot of interesting things on the first day, like introducing ourselves, walking around the school, and making new friends, and I got to know different cultures, and I had yummy snacks. Then, I started studying at DSC. My class is in 7D, the classmates are very friendly, and they welcome us. I started talking to my classmates in the class and that was very interesting because even if they are from different countries, I can quickly fit into them. I also have many interesting lessons, like Manage me, which teaches me how to manage my emotions and time. In science, I did experiments, and I learned what dissolution is, and I made posters with my team. In the PE class, I played basketball, and I skipped rope with my classmates, I feel like I'm growing up healthily. In math, we studied decimals. But my favorited class is the ELC. Every ELC lessons, I can improve my English. I am very happy to make the progress, and I have read three English books and learned new words during this term. In the next term, I want to improve my reading skills and get good grades and ready for year 8.       -Celine Zhao                       

The first thing is that I made many friendly new friends in 7D. We always have a great time chatting and playing together. They bring me lots of fun every day and help me with school life, like showing me around and sharing useful information.

In my study, I can understand most of what we learn. We had a test recently, and I’ll keep working harder. Humanities is a bit difficult because there’s a lot to remember, but I’ll try my best. In Science, we did some fun experiments and learned the English names of many lab instruments.

 I believe my life at Doncaster Secondary College will still be wonderful in the future, and I will have an unforgettable experience there. -Sissi XU

This term was really fun. My best part was play and talk with my friends. At the beginning of the term, I was very nervous. Everything was new, and I didn’t know everything. But now, I have friends from different countries, and it makes school really fun. We talk and play together during recess and lunch, and I feel really happy when I’m talk them. And I like Buddy program, because we can take and eat other countries snacks, play board game and doing quizzes.  -Lina KIM

Farewell Morning Tea for Year 12 International Students

As the academic year draws to a close, the International Student Program (ISP) hosted a special Farewell Morning Tea to celebrate our Year 12 international students and acknowledge their incredible journey at Doncaster Secondary College.

The event was a wonderful opportunity for students and support staff to come together, share memories, and reflect on the students’ achievements over the years. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, heartfelt conversations, and a touch of nostalgia as we looked back on how far our international students have come — from their very first day at DSC to their final exams.

During the morning tea, our ISP staff expressed their pride and appreciation for the students’ resilience, commitment, and growth, especially as they navigated their studies and life in a new country. Students were encouraged to continue pursuing their dreams with confidence and courage as they move into the next exciting chapter of their lives.

We wish all our Year 12 international students the very best for their upcoming exams and future endeavours. Wherever life takes them next, they will always remain part of the DSC International Family.

Reading program/Learning Task Support

In Term 4, 2025, our International Team continues to run the Reading Program / Learning Task Support sessions to meet international students’ needs, based on their Term 3 school reports and teachers’ feedback.

Students come to the Learning Hub during lunchtime or after school for one-on-one sessions.

1. We check their learning tasks to make sure they are submitted on time and provide advice for difficult tasks. If several tasks are incomplete, we email their parents to discuss the issue. Together, we support the students to improve their learning and study habits.
2. We choose different storybooks for different students. This term, we are reading Misery Guts, A Monster Calls, and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
3. During reading sessions, we ask comprehension questions to check their understanding of the text.
4. If students come across unfamiliar words, we ask them to look up the meanings online in English. They should only use Google Translate into Chinese if they still don’t understand. We encourage them to use English definitions instead of direct Chinese translations.
5. Students take notes of new or difficult words in their notebooks. They check the meanings in English (online or in a paper dictionary), learn and memorise them, and later explain the meanings in their own words. We teach them how to learn effectively and to think in English when understanding and explaining vocabulary.

Our International Team hopes that, through these sessions, students will develop positive learning habits, improve their English, and achieve future success at Doncaster Secondary College.