English News
Year 10 English Excursion
Imagine having the opportunity to take a trip to the past, to witness the invention of the foldable umbrella and a miraculous escape from the Holocaust - all unfold right before your eyes. I was given this incredible opportunity on Friday 13 May, as the Year 10 students of the ‘English - Deception, Dreamtimes and Devastations’ elective travelled to the Monash University (Clayton Campus) to watch the first official premiere of Driftwood – The Musical.
Early morning, our class was given a tour of the University grounds, led by two Nossal alumni. As I walked through the numerous hallways and rooms, my eyes constantly gazed back and forth across the many Indigenous artefacts and paintings. I saw numerous amounts of pointed spears, large boomerangs, intricately shaped stones, and carvings. I then observed the paintings, ranging from perplexingly simple to intriguingly complex.
Later during the afternoon, I was spellbound by the story of Driftwood as our class watched the play unfold. We followed the journey of Austrian/Australian sculptor Karl Duldig, his artist/inventor wife Slawa, and their daughter Eva. We see every single struggle they go through as they attempt to escape the Holocaust and rebuild their lives as Artists in Melbourne: Family separation, survival, trauma, etc. Ultimately, it sends out an inspirational and powerful message that pronounces the importance of family bonds and empowerment of artistic creativity.
During the play, I found it remarkable how the actors could transform the stage design into different places and sceneries; Specifically, I know everyone loved the moments where thick smoke billowed out of a machine, which helped indicate the characters were at a train station and gave an eerie atmosphere. I also found it impressive how the actors could stay unbelievably still in the background whilst other characters did a soliloquy. The set design, music played, singing, lighting, effects, and acting, all were combined to give one, magnificent experience.
At the end of the day, everyone had an enjoyable time exploring the campus, viewing different artefacts, and watching the play. The excursion gave us the chance to delve deeper into the culture and witness a live theatre show. I thank the staff for organizing the event, as well as Mr. Bird and Miss Webster for accompanying us on this excursion. Our class had gained a fun and memorable experience.
Winston Wijaya
Year 10
Phoenix takes the win in the debate on AI
In the first round of the House Debating competition, Phoenix claimed victory in their debate against Pegasus! The two houses argued on the topic: “the development of artificial intelligence will help humanity”. The affirmative team; Pegasus, explored the endless benefits that AI provides in the medical and agricultural industry, as well as its interminable advantages in our society. The negative team, Phoenix, outlined the biases built into AI and its lack of human emotion, in addition to mentioning the risk it poses to the employment of middle-class Australians. It was an intriguing exchange of arguments and rebuttals between both houses, who dove deeply into the implications of AI. Whilst the negative team consistently questioned the current reliability and feasibility of Artificial Intelligence, the affirmative side cleverly diverted attention to the desirable potential of AI for the future of humanity. The weighted reasoning from both teams clearly accentuated the views on both sides of the spectrum, making it a truly insightful experience for listeners. The Best Speaker; Alicia Varkey, concluded Phoenix’s arguments with her impressively persuasive speech and pushed Phoenix ahead of Pegasus right before the finishing line. Congratulations to Phoenix on their deserving victory, and Pegasus for presenting a challenging fight till the end! Thank you to Mr. Bird for organizing this wonderful debate, and to Ms. Lee-Ack and Namira Rahman who acted as adjudicators!
Harejen PASUPATHIDASAN
Year 12
