The Challenge Scholarships

Our Year 7 and 8 Scholars have settled in to the first semester of the 2023 school year very well. 

In 2023…

16 x Year 8 students

• Academic 8
• Science and Technology 1
• Sport/PE/Health 4
• The Arts 3

28 x Year 7 students

• Academic 7
• Science and Technology 4
• Sport/PE/Health 9
• The Arts 8

44 x Year 7 & 8 students

• Academic 15
• Science and Technology 5
• Sport/PE/Health 13
• The Arts 11

All scholars will complete their 2023 Aspiration Plans online prior to our return for Term 3.  These plans enable us to target the semester university visit to meet the needs and interests of our Year 7 and Year 8 cohorts. Scholars in our:

• Sport, Physical Education and Health Pillar have been able to access the NBC SEED program, including engaging in SEED ASCEND which involves high performance training, coaching and leadership
• Arts Pillar have been able to engage in NBC IMPACT including the participation in Arts activities
• Science and Technology Pillar and Academic Pillar have engaged across our programs, including Extended School Day opportunities like the Science, Mathematics and Technology Club.  During semester 2, programs of robotics, and coding as well as experiences focused on Science Week, story and poetry writing will be offered

Growing Up in Cities Project participation

Recently, 25 of our Year 7 Scholars engaged in a global research project called Growing Up in Cities.  This research project is in its third iteration having first been delivered in the 1970s.  The purpose of this study is to understand how young people (aged between 13 and 19 years) use and derive meaning from their local environment to better understand how the local city and neighbourhood impacts young peoples’ everyday life. 

About 50 young people will participate in this project. Our scholarship students were invited to take part in this research to shape the understanding of how youth between 13 and 19 years of age living in Geelong view the city. The results of this research may help toward supporting meaningful change in the design and management of urban places. 

For three hours on the 30 May 2023, our scholars attended the Waterfront Campus of Deakin University to participate in a range of activities:

1. Introduction to the Design Workshop 
2. Drawing and Modelling activities 
3. Group discussion on city design 
4. Mapping activity 
5. Tour of Deakin School of Architecture and Built Environment with NBC Alumni, and Architecture Lecturer Yolanda Esteban.

2024-25 Year 7&8 Scholarship Timeline

We are about to launch our process to identify the Year 6 students who will make our new cohort of Year 7&8 scholars for 2024-25.  We have already shared with the students and the community, the key aspects of the program identifying the four pillars to apply for:

• Academic
• Science and Technology
• Sport, Physical Education and Health
• The Arts

As we approach Term 3, the timeline for the process is as follows: