Year 8 

Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.  Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did

to the prophets. 

Luke 6:22-23

This year (Year C) is the Year of Luke in our Church’s Liturgical Calendar, and the quote above is taken from last week’s Sunday Gospel. It emphasises one of the most prominent themes in the Gospel of Luke: reversal. This theme, so significant in the first century, is also particularly relevant to the lives of the girls in Year 8 at Kilbreda.

Each Year 8 student is challenged on a daily basis to be the reverse of what society may regard as the norm for young people. They are called on to be polite, to be respectful of others and themselves and to listen to those who have no voice. It is a challenge, I am glad to say, I see them rise to on a daily basis.

In a world where individual achievement is often prioritised at the expense of the common good, we have set our theme for Year 8 as 'Making Connections' – with self, others and the community. The College offers many opportunities for our Year 8 girls to benefit from being part of a community; a community where they will hopefully never feel alone or unsupported. There are also many opportunities to celebrate that community, such as the Commencement of the Year College Assembly, the upcoming College Swimming Carnival and the leadership opportunities taken up by Year 8 students.

These Year 8 students have accepted the call to serve the College as leaders in a specific area of school life:

Community Action

Maddison Ball, Ava Bussuttil,  Vali D’Souza, Mia Wilson, Rachel Jones, Charlotte Johnston, Sienna Koop, Hayley Meure, Yuhan Huang, Jade Exell and Jessica Mottley.

Health and Wellbeing

Alicia Henry, Alexandra Graham, Brylee Roberts, Ella Selfridge, Bianca Anderson, Hannah Mullins, Claudia Abboud,  Michaela Meyer, Penni Brown and Olivia Pope.

Liturgy and Social Justice

Caitlin Gellie, Sonia Banik, Claudia Vannutini. 

Sustainability

Lilly Downes,  Tatiana Stavrinidis, Mary Tobin, Leah Allen, Lulu McCartney, Andeana Campos, Charli Clark and Brianna Smith.

Congratulations to them for their willingness to serve, their courage in applying and their commitment to making connections throughout the school community.

All Year 8 students are invited to the Year 8 Homework Club every lunchtime on Days 2 and 8. Ms Liberatore facilitates the Homework Club in Room 45 and her commitment to the successful learning of Year 8 students is to be celebrated and affirmed. 

As we enter the fourth week of the year, may our prayer be that every Year 8 girl will seize every opportunity to make connections and to be the reverse of anything that might stop her being her best self.

Bill Fitzsimons

Year 8 Level Leader