Chaplain’s Corner

Each year, as our Year 12s complete their final week of schooling, I invite a Year 12 student to write a devotional reflection. I hope that the words below, written by Jack Powell (Vice Captain), bless you and inspire you as much as it did me when I read it. We have an incredible community here at Oxley and the best students, I believe, in the State! I wish our Year 12s all the best and pray their final study preparation for exams will be effective and without stress. 

The Class of 2022 is a special group, who have faced many varied challenges, including Year 10 and Year 11 under lockdowns. We wish them every success! 

Pastor Matt

Chaplain

A letter from a Year 12 Vice Captain

Dear Parents, Teachers, Peers and Junior Students,

It is with my utmost honour and privilege to be given the opportunity to write for you in this issue of The Vine. My name is Jack Powell and I have been a member of the Oxley community for six years. I am in Year 12 and have now completed my last day of classes.

Throughout my years at Oxley, I have learned more about myself than through any other experience. These years have not only helped mould me into the person I am today through the values I have been taught, but also the community of teachers and students who have shown me nothing but support and care for my triumphs and failures. 

In entering Year 12, I had this vision that I was going to be completely independent, not needing to rely on anybody else regardless of any school, leadership or extra-curricular challenges I might face. However, this is far from the reality of Year 12. Being the first in my family to undergo VCE not in the UK, this was an entirely new situation that we, as a family, were unprepared for. So instead of the self-reliance I dreamed of, I learned that to make the most of this opportunity I had to depend on those supporting figures around me – my friends and teachers. 

As part of analysing my high school experience, I reflected on how much my cohort has been through together: the typical friendship issues, the stressful SACs and exams and even the mountainous challenge of two years of lockdowns. Despite these trials, we collectively loved and supported each other to the best of our abilities, and this allowed us to succeed. It was this confidence in the support our friends would inevitably give us, that inspired the theme for this year – Assurance. 

Personally, I noticed my own reoccurring theme, that although I had my own strengths and weaknesses, other people’s strengths covered my weaknesses, so I only had to focus on developing my own God-given gifts. After all, we are reminded in God’s word in Romans 12:6-8 that,

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

It was obvious that Oxley has instilled this message into all their teaching, so that each individual can grow to the best of their abilities. 

Throughout this year, I have truly been challenged to my absolute limits. Believe me when I say this: I am extremely excited to be done with continuous studying and constant assessments, however, the community that Oxley has provided me with and the friends I have finally settled with over my secondary school life, have allowed me to be in a place of stability and comfort for my future career and life beyond school.

I want to personally thank Oxley for the guidance given to me over the years and the teachers who have prepared me for life in 2023 and onwards. 

To the Class of 2022, I thank you for all the memories we share, it has been one crazy rollercoaster, but I wouldn’t change any of it. Good luck to you all and all the best for the years to come. 

It breaks my heart to be leaving the school family after six wonderful years, but I know that what God has planned for me, and my classmates, is going to be great! 

God bless,

Jack Powell

Vice-Captain, Year 12 Class of 2022

YouTube Sensation at Senior Chapel

Throughout the year, students have the opportunity to hear from a range of different speakers in Chapels, Assemblies, the Year 12 Seminar Series and other avenues. On Tuesday 4 October, students heard from Ann Reardon at Senior Chapel, with Pastor Matt interviewing her. 

Ann is a YouTuber, with 4.9 million subscribers to her channel, How to Cook That. Ann shared her story on how she accidently became a monetised YouTuber, some of the pros and cons of YouTube, as well as sharing her testimony.