Japanese Taiko-Drum Incursion

On Friday 20 October, the Year 7 Japanese classes became loud. They attended 'Wadaiko' or the Japanese Taiko-drum incursion. The session was led by Ms Kiyomi Calwell, an experienced Taiko drummer. Arriving from Perth, Kiyomi is currently touring Australia visiting schools all over the country. During the session students learned how to hold the sticks or 'bachi' correctly and to maintain the correct distance and posture to make the right sound. Year 7s also worked on the art of making right sounds by 'bouncing' rather than hitting with the bachi, while focusing on kinaesthetic control and teamwork. Great effort Year 7s! I thank Mr Tom Hjorth for assisting in setting up the venue.

Ms Yukari Nibun

Japanese Teacher

International Bridging Students

Our International Bridging students went on a recent excursion to explore some of Melbourne's famous landmarks.

Discovering Melbourne: My Unforgettable Excursion Journey in Australia

My first ever excursion in Australia took place on 23 October 2023 in the city of Melbourne. I went there as a group of eight with two amazing and caring teachers, Ms Ho and Ms Giblin who were there to take care of us. We went there by the school bus which the school had kindly provided to us for the excursion. Ms Giblin was the one who drove the bus and took us there. We went to four different places such as the MCG also known as the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Australian Sports Museum, the Royal Botanic Garden, and the Shrine of Remembrance.

When we first arrived at the city, we went straight to the MCG and booked a tour. The tour was led by Tony the tour guide who had explained in detail how the MCG was build and renovated. The most fascinating area about this spot was the long room which is located on the second floor of the member’s reserve. This room is very significant to the MCG as it is the reserved seats in the long room for only elderly or senior members with 18 years of membership. The application for Long Room passes also depends on the category of the match and subject to availability. It was our privilege to be there.

The second place that we had visited was the Australian Sports Museum in the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Here in the sports museum was full of amusing history of sports and explanation of the evolution of sports in Australia, including the Australian Football League and Crickets. Besides conventional display boards and corners, there are also fun interactive games that you could play such as rock climbing, footie, rugby, and horse riding.

The third place was the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Melbourne Garden which was next to the Shrine of Remembrance. The Royal Botanic Garden was crowded by rows of huge trees in different shapes. The non-identical flowers with loads of unalike colour made it more spectacular than ever. On top of that, it is surrounded by a long stream of water where little ducklings dive freely around.

Lastly, the visit to the Shrine of Remembrance marked the end of this journey. This area was built to honour the service and sacrifice of the soldiers and Australians to save our country in World War I. The Eternal Flame that was lit in front of the shrine was there for more than 60 years. Furthermore, every year on 11 November at exactly 11 am, people will dress in ruby red and gather in front of the shrine to remember those who had died in the battlefield or suffered in all wars, conflicts and peace operations. This was an unforgettable moment in this trip had given me a sense of peace and calmness in my mind.

The memory of the excursion is still vividly in my mind. It is a trip which I will savour and remember for long.

Youree Lim

Year 9 MA5

Visual Arts And Technology

Year 9 Digital Art

Our Year 9 Digital Art students are developing skills using our all-new WACOM drawing tablets. Our artists are exploring digital landscape painting creating amazing video game concept scenes. As they navigate digital painting through Photoshop, they are producing some great artworks and gaining insights into the intricate process of digital art creation. Digital Art is the perfect blend of fun and gaining a deeper understanding of this dynamic medium. Keep an eye out for their beautiful results!

Ms Adelle Frittitta

Art Teacher

Year 8 Visual Communication Design

As part of Year 8 Visual Communication Design, students have been challenged to produce their own Superhero Cityscapes to expand their knowledge of different drawing methods. To produce these unique drawings, they were introduced to the drawing method of Two-Point Perspective. This enabled the students to draw their 3D cities, close to how we would see them with our own eyes. To further enhance the cities, they were required to add characters to tell a story in their drawings. Please take a look at the excellent work below.

Year 9 Media

It’s lights, camera, and action for Year 9 Media students! Working in small groups, these students have experienced the full process of creating a teen genre short film. From scripting and storyboarding to now filming, they have done it all! It has been a great learning experience for all students as they discover what works or doesn’t work from their planned storyboards and scripts. Please take a look at the students in action filming their scenes using the school’s camera equipment.

Year 10 Media

Year 10 Media students have been busily involved in taking hundreds, if not thousands, of photos for their stop motion short films. They have been challenged to consider and capture every minute movement that they make with their characters or subjects. Please take a look at the students in action.

Mr Rosario Ripper

Instructional Leader Visual Arts & Technology

NCCA