SCHOOL NEWS
DEBATING FINALS
DAV B-GRADE FINALS
On Wednesday 25 August, the Year 11 Debating Team 2 set out to make McKinnon Secondary College history by competing in the Ormond District DAV Debating Finals, the first team from McKinnon (along with a Year 12 team) to be competing in a debating Final. The secret topic was released at 6:00pm, and we had an hour to prepare the topic that ‘Violence is a just response to political oppression’, and being the negative team we had to argue against that. With Brinda Manogaran, Claire Pardo and Hannah Rosenberg speaking, we had a great debate against Yarra Valley Grammar School. Unfortunately, we lost the debate by a small margin, as on the day they just performed better than us. The girls all gave it their best shot, but wouldn’t have been able to make it to the Finals without the rest of the team, so a massive congratulations to them as well! Well done to Bridget Schwerdt, and first time debaters Lily Tamir, Savanna Wegman and Lochie Carey. We’d also like to thank our coach Mr Joshua Kamener for his continual support and advice and wise, inspiring words shared with us throughout the season.
Hannah Rosenberg
(Year 11I)
DAV A-GRADE FINALS
After finishing the year undefeated, the McKinnon A-grade Team 1 qualified for the Melbourne playoffs. George Nikolakopoulos, Bianca Pardo, Sarah Mullane and Phoebe Ponsford: supervised (and driven!) by Mr Joshua Cukierman, competed at Northcote High School on Wednesday 31 August. The topic was ‘That corporations should be taxed based on their environmental impact’. The team spoke on the negative side against some very eloquent students from St Patricks. McKinnon lost the debate by a mere point and the adjudicator exclaimed that it was one of the best debates he has seen. Thanks to everyone that competed during the year to get the team to finals.
Joshua Cukierman
Debating Teacher
TEACHER AND STUDENTS CREATE LEARNER DRIVER APP
McKinnon Secondary School teacher (Mark Fernandez) and former McKinnon students (Alon Karp and Jai Painter) have developed a great APP for all Learner Drivers. They have met with local MP Nick Stakos (pictured above) and Road and Transport minister in Parliament House Luke Donnellan, earlier this month. The APP aims to improve the efficiency and accuracy of recording the hours driven by Learner Drivers using state of the art technology. This APP is designed to help both the parent and the learner driver.
The APP is now available in the APP Store.
Mark, Alon, Jai have worked tirelessly over the last two years making this dream a reality via their company JAMM Creations and would love your support. You can click on the link below or visit the APP store and look for the following logo, or type in Learner Logbook for Victoria in the APP store.
Mark Fernandez
Teacher & co-founder
DONATION APPEAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Dear parents and students of McKinnon Secondary College,
The Year 11 and 12 students of VCAL are focusing on the topic of Homelessness and Adversity in our local community. We are aiming to raise money for the “Sacred Heart Mission” and “Youth Projects”. Sacred Heart Mission is a not for profit organisation that is run by volunteers purely based on helping and assisting disadvantaged people in the community and helping them to rebuild their lives.
Youth Projects is also an independent not for profit agency that provides health care, employment, education and training to youth experiencing homelessness, drug and alcohol issues and unemployment.
We are collecting second hand shoes and new toiletries as a way to give back to our community and help those less fortunate than ourselves. These include runners, school shoes and work shoes. Please make sure they are still in reasonable condition, keeping in mind these people are looking for employment and will be using your donated items as part of their daily lives.
If you are interested in donating toiletries we are looking for things like shampoos and conditioners, hair ties, hair brushes, deodorants, shaving creams and sanitary items. Please make sure these items are new. All donations can be dropped off in R7, near the canteen. Collection times are Thursdays in the morning before Period 1, recess and lunch or after school.
Homelessness is a very big problem in Melbourne. So far there are over 22,000 homeless people in Melbourne and this statistic is rapidly increasing, about half of this statistic is a young person under the age of 25. Primary homelessness is the term applied to those without conventional accommodation; this means they could be sleeping rough on the streets or living in a car.
So please help out in any way you can by donating, it is very greatly appreciated by everyone in the McKinnon Secondary College community.
Regards,
Ella Maitland, Josie Edwards, Kevin Lin and the rest of the VCAL Class 2016