International Students

Berry Eain attended the Manningham Principals’ Breakfast as student representative

Our international student, Berry Eain, was invited to attend the Manningham Principals’ Breakfast. The Principals’ Breakfast is an important platform to foster connections between Manningham Council, principals, welfare teams, student representatives, and community organisations. Berry’s comment and photo below were quoted in a newspaper article published by the Manningham Council:

The fact that the Council invited young people to this event was very special. You got to sit with people you had never met before and probably wouldn’t have an opportunity to meet - from different industries and professions, like the police force,” “Your title didn’t matter; all the people there had the same desire to see improvements for young people through so many different perspectives and ideas. 

- Berry Eain, Year 12 co-captain

Well done, Berry!  we are so proud of you! Your contribution to DSC and wider community is invaluable.

https://www.manningham.vic.gov.au/news/principals-breakfast 

Alumni Harry BUI joined student panelist at DSC Careers Expo

Recently DSC had our Alumni Harry BUI, 2022 Victorian International Student of the Year, joined  DSC Careers Expo as the student panelist to share his experiences with VCE students.

Why I Came Back as an Alumni:

I came back as an alumnus of the DSC Careers Expo because I remember how uncertain and challenging it can be to navigate post-secondary choices and the transition to university life. I wanted to give back to the community that once supported me and provide current students with insights from my journey, hoping to ease their anxieties. 

What I Shared with the Audience:

My Personal Journey: How I chose my university and major, and how I navigated academic and social challenges.

Skills I Developed: The importance of soft skills like communication, networking, and adaptability, in addition to academic skills.

The Value of Extracurricular Activities: How participating in clubs, sports, and other activities enriched my university experience and opened doors for me.

Seeking Support: The significance of using available resources, like counselling, tutoring, and mentorship programs.

Advice for Year 12 Students:

When it comes to VCE Exams, consistent revision on important topics and doing a lot of practice exams are key. Remember to not overstress yourself by dividing your study time into manageable chunks and avoid leaving things to the last minute and cramming. However, to avoid burning out, you also need to balance your academics with self-care. Make year 12 the best year of your school life. Stay connected to your family, and long-term friends. They can provide a strong support system and remind you of who you are amidst the challenges. All the best for your VCE exams! 

Short Story Competition 2023

DSC’s Annual Short Story Competition has concluded, and our international students Cynthia LAU and Kyle Te are among the winners! Both of them are happy to share their winning stories with our school community. Kyle’s reflection is below.

For the short story competition, I decided to write about a civil war from my country because I really wanted to dig deeper into and learn more about my own heritage and to tell everyone what terrible things had transpired during that time and to show how terrible people were being treated during the time of war. Without the encouragement and assistance of my friends and my EAL teacher, Miss Charalambous, as well as the international coordinator, Miss Huang, I could not have finished my story.

 

When I learned that I had won the year 9 EAL short story competition, I experienced mixed emotions of excitement and doubt. "How did I win when my short story was only about 800 words? You may be wondering. I think I'm the only student in my class who took part in the competition. No matter what, I want to thank everyone once more for their encouragement and support in getting me to enter the short story competition, as a result of which I was able to have an amazing experience, try out some free food, and win some books as a prize. 

- Kyle TE, Year 9

You can read Kyle's story here:

You can read Cythia Lau's story here:

Reading program

Our international student reading program has always been catering for those who need to improve their English skills. We set up a regular reading routine in lunchtime, recess and after school. We provide a lot of fiction and nonfiction books for them to read. They come to our learning hub to participant in the reading program. 

Now, we start to read BOYZ RULE! Series, which are all about sports, sports rules, sports terminology, sports history, and Olympic information. I am sure these books will help student's literacy grow.

Reading is only effective when we understand and remember the information we read.

In the middle of reading, we pause and ask questions to ensure their understanding. For example: 

• what does the handstand mean? 
• What does the shot-put mean? 
• What do you do in the triple jump? 

We discuss about informal colloquialism such as “d’ya”, “wanna”, “gotta”, and their pronunciation and meanings. 

After having finished one of book, students have questions to answer to consolidate their learning. 

• Why do athletes have spikes on the bottom of their runners?
• What colour medal do you win if you come first?
• Where were the first Olympic Games held? 

All in all, I hope our international students will improve their reading and writing ability throughout our reading program.

Ning Hong

International Student Program Assistant

International Student Forum Team

Our newest member!

The International Student Forum Team at DSC has welcomed its newest member, Becky LI, who will share her journey of how she is involved in the Forum Team.

I decided to join the international student forum team because I believed it would be a fantastic opportunity to connect with people from around the world and contribute to a platform that supports international students like Venus and Georgio. I was excited to learn about different cultures, share experiences, and provide helpful information to those in need.

Participating in the art competition was an enlightening experience. It allowed me to explore my creative abilities and discover new ways to express ideas visually. Seeing the diverse range of artistic submissions about their culture from fellow international students was inspiring and further highlighted the richness of various cultures.

One of the highlights for me was the buddy program. Engaging in games and activities with other international students not only provided a fun way to unwind but also fostered a sense of camaraderie. It was heartwarming to witness the friendships forming and to play a role in facilitating these connections.

Overall, my time in the international student forum team, coupled with the art competition and the buddy program, reinforced the importance of cultural diversity, collaboration, and supporting one another during times of transition. It was a rewarding experience that allowed me to contribute positively to the international student community and broaden my understanding of the world.  

- Becky LI - 11D

International Student buddy program - September 2023

The International Student Forum Team has successfully organized some lunchtime sessions for INTERNATIONAL STUDENT BUDDY PROGRAM. The BUDDY PROGRAM has strengthened the connection between newly arrived international students and local students at our school.  So, a big congratulations to our International Student Forum Team! 

Reflection from International Student Forum Team: 

In the last two sections, we introduced games related to culture, in the third section, we introduced a game called “global guess”, which requires students’ team working ability, to win the game, they need to be able to identify the name of the city that shows on the TV. After completing the game, I was so surprised that students are so active and engaging in the game, they were able to identify 90% of the countries, which is unexpectedly amazing, as a team, I think they gain lots of team working experience and understanding about countries’ geographic locations. In the last section, we made a bingo game for students which contains a variety of words relating to cultural food, countries, and customs that we covered in the past three sections, this game could build the students’ connections, focus and think critically, which also increase their understanding of some terminologies of objects of the other countries. 

- Kristy K.

The hardest thing for me was trying to explain the activities to the students who were unaware of them while capturing their happy moments of them with a tiny mobile camera. I gained a lot of knowledge from this programme, including how to run a programme, manage an event while accepting full responsibility as a forum member, and get over my anxiety about interacting with students. 

– Giorgio H.

The last two sessions of the International Buddy Program were truly memorable and enjoyable. Guess the Country from the Photo" was fascinating to see various pictures and try to identify the countries they represented. This game not only tested our knowledge but also sparked interesting conversations about different cultures and traditions. Another engaging session was the Bingo games. It was a fantastic way to bond with my international buddies while having a friendly competition. The excitement of crossing off numbers and waiting for that winning combination created a lively atmosphere. While the sessions were overall fantastic, there is always room for improvement. One aspect that could be enhanced is the time management during the activities. Occasionally, we have noticed that the duration of our activities is quite short, and we believe it would be beneficial to extend the time allocated for each game.

The most challenging part for me was overcoming language barriers during the sessions. As a non-native English speaker, I sometimes struggled to express my thoughts fluently. Participating in the Buddy Program taught me valuable lessons. It reinforced the importance of cultural diversity and global connections. Interacting with buddies from different countries broadened my perspective and enriched my understanding of various cultures. 

- Venus F.

The participants also provided positive and valuable feedback for the program. 

I wanted to become a buddy because I wanted to make the international students transition nice and smooth, so that they can get the most out of their time at DSC. I really liked coming to the international student learning hub and being part of the program because I like helping the international students out and eating the tasty snacks. 

- Arin D, Year 7 local student

I love the buddy program. it makes people come and talk with each other and having fun activities. The highlight is the food since, there was a lot. 

- Marcus Q, Year 8 International student

Attendance Awards

International Student of Term 3 2023

Congratulations to those students who have achieved 100% attendance in Term 3 study. You have shown us your ability to be resilient and responsible for your own study!

Sally Huang

International Student Program Director