Senior School News
SMC students set to join Australian Catholic Youth Festival
Later this month, three of our senior students – Bella Carter, Hal Cormack (Year 11) and Ava Schultz (Year 12) – will travel to Melbourne to take part in the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACFY), accompanied by Ms Selma Murphy.
Commencing Sunday 30 November, the ACYF is a national gathering that brings together thousands of young people from across Australia to celebrate and deepen their faith through music, keynote speakers, prayer and social justice workshops.
This year’s theme, 'With the Spirit, Go One Pace Beyond', invites participants to reflect on how they can live with courage and compassion in today’s world.
On Saturday 1 November, Hal and Ms Murphy attended a Commissioning Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral in Hobart, celebrated by the Most Reverend Tony Ireland, Archbishop of Tasmania, where pilgrims from across Tasmania were blessed and sent forth for the journey ahead.
We wish our pilgrims a joyful and enriching experience at ACYF and look forward to hearing their reflections when they return.
Pictured: Hal Cormack and Ms Selma Murphy with fellow pilgrims at the Commissioning Mass, St Mary’s Cathedral.
Digging into the past... Ancient History, with a twist!
The Year 9/10 Ancient History class have been delving into the artistry hidden within unearthed pottery.
As part of their Semester 2 unit on the Ancient World, students examined the decorative features of pottery uncovered by archaeologists in Pompeii, before decorating their own pots in a similar style.
In an unexpected twist, just two days later the students discovered that their creations had been struck by a 'cataclysmic event' and shattered. Thankfully, the dig team had already excavated the site and carefully collected trays of fragments ready to be sifted, sorted and reconstructed.
Taking on the role of archaeologists for a day, the class pieced together their pottery, and they now have a memorable souvenir to take home!
Spotlight on Science | Excursions to the University of Tasmania
Year 8C – Geology excursion
On Tuesday 4 November, Year 8C headed to the Geology Department at the University of Tasmania as part of their Earth Science Unit.
Students toured the facilities, experienced sitting in a university lecture theatre and examined crystals in rocks under a microscope. Highlights included learning about the geological era in which dinosaurs lived, exploring how earthquakes occur, studying the Geological Time Scale and admiring the department’s impressive collection of rocks and minerals.
Year 10 – Biology excursion
On Wednesday 5 November, the Year 10 Biology class visited the Plant Science Faculty at the University of Tasmania. There, they had the privilege of meeting a PhD plant scientist, who shared her academic journey, described how she became involved in plant science and highlighted the wide range of career opportunities available in the field.
Students explored the fascinating parallels and contrasts between plant and human vascular systems. Using light sensors and computer-linked photographic equipment, they carried out hands-on experiments to discover how technology can reveal when a plant needs watering.
Highlight reel: Year 8 Pillars, HPE and Outdoor Education
