AROUND THE COLLEGE & BEYOND

A Japan Study Tour to Remember

John Meade, Year 9

During the Term 3 holidays, 23 students and four teachers embarked on an unforgettable eight-day study tour of Japan. After months of preparation, we gathered at Cairns International Airport early Sunday morning, buzzing with excitement as we prepared to depart for Tokyo.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by stormy skies and news that a typhoon was rapidly approaching. The next day, while some activities had to be cancelled, we all had a fun time weathering the storm from the comfort of our hotel. It was certainly quality bonding time. 

Tuesday featured an exciting day at Tokyo DisneySea. With the sun out and long queues, it was an exhausting day but completely worth it. On the way home we experienced just how crowded Japanese trains can be. On Wednesday, we travelled to Tsukuba, visiting centres of science and engineering innovation. The standout was our behind-the-scenes tour of the JAXA Space Research Centre, where we saw everything from the astronaut training facility to the International Space Station control room.

On Thursday we visited our brother school, Tohrei Gakuen Fujisawa. Meeting up with our buddies again and diving into a Japanese school day was an incredible experience. Whether testing our Japanese skills, joining classes or enjoying a spirited kendo demonstration, many memories were made. The day was capped off with a visit to Yokohama which was certainly a highlight. 

On Friday, we travelled to Kyoto aboard the famous Shinkansen (bullet train). Travelling on this high-speed train is a unique experience and now my favourite mode of transport. While visiting the Samurai and Ninja Museum, we dressed in samurai attire, learned basic sword techniques and tested our ninja star throwing skills. That evening, we enjoyed a traditional shabu-shabu dinner then headed back to our hotel after an incredibly busy day.

Saturday was spent at Universal Studios. The rainy weather proved to be quite a blessing, leading to short queues and plenty of thrills. The Flying Dinosaur roller coaster was a favourite, giving us a few scares and plenty of other memorable reactions.

Before heading home, we explored the historic city of Kyoto. From ancient castles and golden temples to traditional Buddhist sites, the day gave us a fascinating insight into Japanese history and culture.

After an action-packed week we arrived at Kansai Airport in Osaka for a long flight home. We were disappointed to see the trip come to an end, as we had such an incredible time. 

This incredible adventure would not have been possible without the dedication of Mr Killoran, Mr Helms, Mr Darveniza and Ms Harland. We are deeply grateful to them for taking time out of their holidays to accompany us through a foreign country.  

Special thanks must go to Mr Killoran for his work in making this trip a reality. If it weren’t for his efforts, this trip would never have happened. On behalf of the whole group, thank you. And finally, to my fellow students: many of us began the tour nervous about travelling to a foreign country and communicating in another language. By supporting one another, we overcame our doubts to enjoy what I'm sure is the best tour to date. We made wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. 

Success for Saints Students at the BLA Aspire Awards

Six of our students attended last month's Business Liaison Association (BLA) Aspire Awards at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre. The evening celebrated outstanding student achievement across a wide range of academic and leadership areas.

We congratulate the following students on their well-deserved awards:

• Jamal Goncalves received the Encouragement Award for the Brett Moller Legal Bursaries Awards.
• John Cheneval received the Encouragement Award for the CQUniversity Digital Technologies Award.
• Kevin Wang was awarded Runner-up in the Year 8 Interschool Mathematics Competition.
• Lachlan Turner won the Medical Science Award.
• Aryian Singh won the Junior Mario Calanna North Queensland Public Speaking Competition.
• Paxton Cordwell received the Encouragement Award in the Middle School Public Speaking Competition.
• Jamal Goncalves was also awarded Runner-up in the Senior Public Speaking Competition.

These achievements reflect the dedication, talent and hard work of our students. We are incredibly proud of their success and the way they represented our college at this prestigious event. Congratulations to all award recipients.

Year 10 Curry Cook-Off Serves Up Success

Our Year 10 Food Technology students embarked on a culinary adventure last term, exploring curries from around the world. The unit culminated in the highly anticipated Year 10 Curry Cook-off Competition, where students put their knowledge and skills to the test.

Working in teams, the boys were challenged to develop their own curry dish, design a professional food label for packaging, prepare and cook their curry, and market their product to the Saints community as part of a fundraising initiative.

Each team produced more than 10 servings of their curry, demonstrating excellent planning, teamwork and food preparation skills. The event created a vibrant atmosphere as students enthusiastically promoted their products and encouraged staff and students to sample their culinary creations.

The competition winner was determined by sales performance, with the title awarded to the team that either achieved the highest number of sales or was the first to sell out of their curry.

The Curry Cook-off was a wonderful opportunity for students to apply their practical cooking skills, creativity, marketing knowledge and entrepreneurial thinking in a real-world context. Congratulations to all teams on their efforts and enthusiasm, and thank you to everyone in the Saints community who supported the event.

Well done, Year 10 Food Technology students, on a delicious and successful fundraiser.