Our Community
Jeans for Genes Day
On Friday 10 August, the Friends’ High School hosted Jeans for Genes Day to support the CMRI’s (Children’s Medical Research Institute) research into the causes and prevention of genetic diseases. Often called disorders, genetic diseases are conditions caused (at least in part) by changes in our DNA. These errors can occur naturally, because of environmental causes or genes passed down from parents and grandparents (or a mixture of all three).
CMRI and Tasmania’s own Menzies Institute for Medical Researchboth have very important roles in the research towards eliminating specific genetic and epigenetic diseases that affect our community such as Leukemia and Multiple Sclerosis. These two organisations also participate in projects such as investigating Renal Failure in the Tiwi islands. It is extremely important to support independent research into bettering our health and understanding genetic diseases.
At the moment, 1 in 20 children are born with a genetic disease or birth defect. These diseases are one of the leading causes of death in children under four and the main cause of ongoing hospitalisation. Jeans for Genes Day gave students the opportunity to dress down in denim and donate a gold coin in support of a good cause. The Friends’ School community hope to continue to support research into genetic diseases on future occasions.
- Ellis Cretan and Annabel Woolward (Year 8)
QSA Week
QSA (Quaker Service Australia) Week took place in the High School recently. QSA is an established, non-governmental international development agency with a legacy of projects, partners and people that are spread around the world. QSA began in 1959 as a commitment to support post-war relief efforts and was largely a fundraising organisation run by volunteers. Now it has touched numerous communities and has educated many to the point where their help is no longer needed and the community can operate self-sufficiently. This avoidance of ‘band-aid’ relief is a huge focus of QSA.
This year the High School Council’s QSA campaign for the week was announced with presentations throughout each year groups Gathering. This presentation built up awareness of the help QSA provides and invited students to reflect on engaging in service in their lives.
During the week, a whole list of activities was lined up. Year 7s had a water bucket relay on Monday, Year 8s had blindfolded lego on Tuesday, Year 9s had tunnel ball on Wednesday and Year 10s had a three-legged race on Thursday. All activities had added spirit with precious House Points up for grabs. To round off the week, there was a Free Dress Day for a gold coin donation and a bake sale on the Friday, both of which were red, black and white themed because these are the colours of QSA logo.
It was a very exciting week, which the High School Council hopes was not only lots of fun but was also an engaging way to learn more about Quakerism, Quaker Service Australia, and for students to engage in service related learning and activities.
Planet Ark Day
Activities were held across the School for Planet Ark Day recently. Our Kindergarten held a celebration of their Sheoak Forest and planted their vegetable patch while our Year 3 students raised awareness about soft plastics and ran a collection for "scrunchable" plastics. Year 6 students gave the garden behind Walpole some much needed TLC and the Year 6 Quaker Leadership Group and the Meeting Garden team planted a Japanese Maple Tree in the Quaker Peace Garden. Year 6 student leaders also potted some plants for the Morris Library outdoor reading area. To add to the hive of activity at the Morris campus, garden beds were mulched and the Morris Vegetable Patch was tended.
Meanwhile, our High School campus held a Getting to know and appreciate your trees activity and they planted white petalled geraniums for Science Faculty experiments.
Even though they were preparing for their exams, our Clemes campus took the time to mulch, water and feed the Leaver’s Garden and Melaleuca Grove.