Year 12
1 February was the highlight of the start to the school year, the Year 12 Formal. The girls looked resplendent in their outfits. Sequins, glitter and a myriad of colours swirled around the dance floor.
The night was abuzz with conversation as the students caught up with news from over the summer break. Awards were presented, with Yashodara Dabare winning MVP of the year, to a standing ovation. A surprise 'flash mob' gave the astonished dates something to remember.
The whole level involvement showed a strong, connected group of girls as they danced along to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. The dancing didn’t stop until 10:30pm and before we knew it, the night was over. The exemplary behaviour of the girls made the night one to remember!
4 February was back to the reality of Year 12. It has been pleasing to note the number of students utilising the library after school to study and complete homework. On 13 Feburary the VCE information Night was held where the students were advised about the ATAR and satisfactory completion of subjects. Key hints for supporting the students throughout their program was also outlined and we shall revisit them throughout the year.
Each student has been given a comprehensive handbook which outlines policies and procedures for their Year 12 program to ensure they are aware of school and VCAA requirements.
Sue Dempster
Year 12 Level Leader
Darwin Defence Service
The Commemoration Service for the 77th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin was held at the Shrine of Remembrance on Tuesday 19 February 2019.
The Year 10 class represented the College, where they, along with 12 other schools, laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame in the World War II forecourt at the Shrine of Remembrance.
It was a day to respect and commemorate those who gave their lives and fought in Darwin during the Second World War. Mr Alan Day, the esteemed President (almost 97 years old) was in attendance at the service. He has spent many years ensuring that the students of Australia are made aware of the sacrifices made by service men and women during that time. However, many of those that fought during World War II are no longer with us; it was a great honour to assist Alan and the Darwin Defenders Melbourne Committee to present this commemorative service at the Shrine.
Not only was this ceremony a time for reflection, it was also an opportunity for students to be educated about the history of their own country. The Bombing of Darwin is an event which students are not as informed about in comparison to other worldwide events during World War II, such as the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Students learnt that there were in fact a greater number of bombs dropped during the Bombing of Darwin than that of Pearl Harbour. Therefore, this ceremony provided a great opportunity for them to be made aware of an event which is extremely significant in Australian history.
At the conclusion of the service Mr Day told us about his experiences in Vietnam and recited a poem he wrote about the Darwin Defenders:
On the 19th of February 1942
Darwin, on our Australian soil,
was bombed by a foreign invader.
Brave young Australian soldiers
battled them courageously.
They fought and lives were lost.
Down the long, long ages glory shall ever shine
for those who fought and died
to save Australia for you and mine.
After lunch, we went on a guided tour of the Shrine of Remembrance Education Centre. We viewed a short documentary about the beginning of World War 2. We were also shown artifacts of that time and discovered the importance of different objects such as your blood type written on your name tag when you needed a blood transfusion.
As we wandered around the museum, we saw an exhibit which demonstrated the ingenuity of the soldiers where one had made false teeth out of his metal food container. The exhibits portrayed the experiences of the Australian forces during World War II and other conflicts. We could have spent much more time exploring the Centre and we hope to go back in the future.
Charlotte Pulbrook
Mary Sakkas
Year 10