AROUND THE COLLEGE & BEYOND

The New Zealand ski and snowboarding trip was a great success even though the weather was unkind to us and many obstacles stood in our way. We were greeted with rain and wind on our entry into Queenstown with severe turbulence on the aircraft indicating things were going to be difficult. 

The local Catholic priest was delighted when we turned up for Mass and helped to fill the chapel but not even his prayers were going to save us from the elements. There was an earthquake, 140km/h wind gusts, a power outage, bacteria in the water supply and a one in 24 year rain event causing a state of emergency in  Queenstown. 

The conditions meant that only one day went to plan but we still managed to fit three days of skiing and snowboarding into the week. There was lots of action on the slopes with low and high speed crashes on the magic carpet, on the chair lift and on the snow, entertaining the crowds. 

Alf Cunneen set a record for the number of toboggan runs anyone has done in one day at Remarkables and there were epic snowball fights as each day came to a close. Due to the closure of the ski resorts on Thursday and Friday we organised alternative activities where staff and students had a fantastic time at the bowling alley, laser tag and indoor carting. The carting certainly brought out the competitive nature in the students and staff with some fierce racing on both days.

We rescheduled and completed the goldfields jetboating experience but, unfortunately, missed out on the mountain luge. Each evening was spent indulging in the various culinary delights of Queenstown Village with some free time exploring. I wish to acknowledge the students for the way that they conducted themselves under such circumstances and Mr Brimstone, Mr Cutuli, Mr Jones and Mr Cunneen for their time and dedication during the school holidays. 

A Saints Man Sits in Qld's  Youth Parliament

By Darcy Oates

Since 1996, the Queensland Government has partnered with YMCA to deliver the Queensland Youth Parliament, where young people aged 15-25 from across the state can represent the issues in their electorate that concern them while learning about government processes in a mock parliament. It is non-partisan, meaning that political parties are irrelevant to the process. 

I had the great honour of being selected to participate in the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament as the youth member for Barron River alongside 93 other outstanding youth from across this state. Each position is modelled on a Queensland electorate. 

Each member is split into a 14-person parliamentary portfolio to write a bill proposing a law reform they are passionate about. Following this, youth members have the rare opportunity to debate their bill at Parliament House in Brisbane.

I was allocated the portfolio for Health Services, Emergency and Ambulance Services & Seniors and Disability Services, where we developed a comprehensive bill aiming to regulate  junk food advertising, as well as proposing a progressive sugar tax and fresh food subsidies. We were also invited to contribute to a blog post on an issue close to our hearts. Mine is HERE.

To achieve this, I undertook community consultation, including meeting my local member Craig Crawford and speaking at a Queensland Government Regional Community Forum as part of a speaking panel of distinguished regional youth in Mareeba. 

This culminated in a sitting week from  24-30 September at Parliament House, where we debated the relevant bills in the Westminster debating style and adhered to Queensland Parliamentary conduct. We also met the Opposition Leader, and Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM.

It is an excellent opportunity to improve community outreach and public speaking skills, and one that I can't implore the men of Saints enough to get involved in. 

Thank you to the YMCA and Queensland Government for their continued support of the program.

Cyber Challenge

Five keen Year 8 students took up the opportunity to be part of the Years 7-9 Virtual Cyber Breakout Challenge. The Encryption involved  working as a team to complete a puzzle incorporating cyber safety themes aligned with the Australian Curriculum. These included digital footprint, multi-factor authentication, phishing, cyber security threats, Australian privacy principles and software supply chain vulnerability. 

The team comprised of Oliver Alden, Jake Caldwell, Archie Clifton, Jimmy James Cox and James Panevin, outdid themselves, delegating tasks effectively and completing the challenge well within the time frame. 

The competition provided a fun opportunity to demonstrate problem-solving and teamwork skills whilst focusing on important cyber safety principles.