VCAL News

REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR - by VCAL Students

Lizzy - “Learn from your mistakes”

Caleb - “This year was like a rollercoaster - it had ups and downs. The highest part was being able to get back.”

Luke W - “A year we won’t forget”

Seth - “Difficult year but a positive finish”

Jaxon - “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Zac - “When life gives you oranges, make orange juice.”

Matt E - “When life gives you apples, make apple juice.”

Billy - “When life gives you grapes, make grape juice.”

2021 Valedictoy Awards

What an amazing night! VCAL was well represented in attendance and the awards and the venue at the school looked amazing. A huge amount of work went in to making the night possible and also to make sure guests could attend. A grateful thank you goes out to Mr Hemsley, Mr Hackett, Ms Harry, Mr Hofert, Mrs McRae, Mr Carlton, Jack Carrington, our Year 11 helpers and all other people who had an impact on the night. Here are the VCAL students that took home awards and the spiel that was read out about them.

VCAL Industry Award

The VCAL Industry Award is presented to the student who shows over and above dedication to a chosen industry, while developing key employability skills. The winner of this award will receive a $100 prize proudly awarded by Want A Sparky. This industry award acknowledges one of the most competent and confident tradespeople we have had in VCAL for years. The Industry winner worked continually through the Covid lockdowns with his builder work placement and was intent on achieving a full time apprenticeship with the group. He completed a Certificate II in Building + Construction and even managed to prepare and manage the VCAL tool room. He had a hand in every construction related project in VCAL over the past two years, playing a pivotal part in setting up the final touches of our salon and building the windows in the cafe out of recycled materials. He is reliable and trustworthy and will make a successful part of the construction industry.

It is with great pride that I announce the VCAL Industry Award for 2021 goes to…

Recipient – Caleb Black

VCAL Enterprise Award

The VCAL Enterprise Award is presented to the student who displays entrepreneurial skills and active participation in student-led programs. Again, the recipient of this award receives a $100 prize proudly donated by Mornington Peninsula Plumbing & Gas. This student showed true and genuine entrepreneurial skills throughout their time in the VCAL program. They completed a Certificate II in Building and Construction whilst at TAFE and filled their work placement days with multiple projects and placements. This student was intent on leaving their mark and became a pivotal communication port between staff and students during the last two lockdowns. They ran student surveys, organised events, assisted with curriculum, met with Federal MPs and created a legacy project in VCAL that commemorated the 2021 year. This student has an amazing work ethic, mature communication style, drive to succeed and an ability to get things done - all hallmarks of a great entrepreneur.

It is my pleasure to announce the VCAL Enterprise Award for 2021 goes to…

Recipient – Jade Bowyer

VCAL Community award

The VCAL Community Award is presented to the student who truly gives back to the school community and contributes to projects outside of the school. The recipient of this award receives a $100 prize proudly donated by Tic Tax Accounting. The Community Award recognises a student that undertakes their program whilst being an integral part of the wider community. The recipient of this award is eager. Always asking questions and keen to impress. From their first day of VCAL to the last, they were trying to get involved with as many aspects as possible. They worked with Year 9 and 10 students in developing digital technology skills, secured a work placement whilst in lockdown (a rare feat), built a Careers Expo website from scratch, helped install a media room in VCAL, assisted with the purchasing of IT equipment and managed and filmed podcasts with our College Principal, Peta Murphy and other guests in VCAL.

It is with great pride and positivity that I announce the VCAL Community Award winner for 2021 goes to…

Recipient – Jamin Cocks

FMPLLEN Excellence Award

The Frankston Mornington Peninsula Local Learning and Employment Network is a fantastic organisation that solely operates to provide opportunities for young people. This award was handed out at a separate awards ceremony with State and Federal MPs in attendance. I am glad that this year's winner can be recognised by his peers in this room tonight.

I will read the nomination that was written for the winner for this award:

Ryan was the unanimous choice for this year’s VCAL Excellence award. He has tried his hand at many different jobs (Jim’s Mowing, concrete polishing, carpentry) and always brings a strong work ethic and good banter with him to work. He has studied a Certificate III in Horticulture this year and has held off employers wanting to sign him up full time so that he can finish his Senior certificate. Ryan is the second of four siblings to come through the College and we could not be more proud of him as a student, brother and community member. Congratulations on a fantastic VCAL journey and good luck for the future!

Recipient – Ryan Staunton

WESTVIC VET Award 2021

WestVic are a training organisation that approached us to award one student with recognition for excellence in their VET course in 2021. It was not a difficult choice in the end. When we read this student’s reports from Chisholm, they were glowing. All through Covid lockdowns, this student attended their online and face-to-face sessions and completed their certificate studies. Their attendance was near perfect for the entire duration and they personally credit this course as being the saving grace for keeping them at school. While school has not always been a positive experience for this young man, his dedication to his VET in 2021 helped him become a Senior graduate - the first in his family to do so.

The standout VET student from the group of 2021 is..

Recipient – Ayden Wheatley

Louisa Dunkley Shield: Presented by Peta Murphy

Louisa worked in the Victorian Post and Telegraph office, almost 130 years ago. She didn't think it was fair that women were paid less than the men they worked with, so she campaigned to change that. Louisa also fought at a national level when Australia became a Federation. She convinced the new federal parliament to put an equal pay provision into the Commonwealth Public Service Act of 1902. Louisa Dunkley displayed a commitment to fairness, equality and community.

The Louisa Dunkley Shield is presented to a student who best displays a commitment to fairness, equality and community.

This year’s recipient is Beth Sampson.

Bethany is the first VCAL student in the history of the College to be a College Captain. Throughout her tenure, she championed the VCAL program and helped to make sure that programs and events were accessible by her peers. Bethany accompanied her Senior certificate with a VET course in Community Services at Frankston Chisholm and undertook many awareness campaigns at school to shine a light on those lacking equality in our community. When Covid allowed, she undertook a work placement with local mentoring organisation, Hard Cuddles. Her blog article is copied below. Bethany is a vocal and consistent ally of those that lack a voice. She has worked alongside her community to promote awareness of issues relating to young people, women, indigenous Australians and the LGBTQI+ Community. She has been a positive and impactful representative of McClelland College and the VCAL program.

Congratulations to College Captain, Bethany Sampson - the 2021 Louisa Dunkley Shield recipient.

VCAL Valedictorian

The VCAL Valedictorian for McClelland College is one that inhabits the college values of Community, Ownership and Growth. It is not just an award for the student with the highest academic achievements across the board, but one that is proud of their place in the College. The VCAL valedictorian for 2021 goes to Beth Sampson.

We’ve previously heard that Beth was given the privilege of being the first VCAL School Captain and she truly leads by example. Beth received academic excellence awards for all three integrated units completed this year. Her high level communication skills are on show in the classroom, presenting at assemblies and also while touring notable federal MP’s.

Beth’s real strength is her compassion, support and the voice she provides to the people around her. Her studies in Community Service have her perfectly poised to enter the local community and follow her passion helping others.

It is a privilege to have Beth as our 2021 VCAL Valedictorian. Congratulations.

Recipient – Beth Sampson

Congratulations to all of the 2021 Graduates! We look forward to hearing about your movements over the coming years.

We also had two significant awards at other VCAL year levels.

They are:

Year 11 DUX

Jacinta Reid

Jacinta has been a stand out in her studies, projects and attitude throughout 2021. Her attendance in face-to-face and remote learning was perfect. The standard of her work is exemplary and her skill set is varied. It is no surprise that she was identified as one of the Student Captains in 2022 (which will be formally announced in Term 1!).

Congratulations Jacinta!

You have earned this and are set for a fantastic Senior year in 2022.

Year 10 DUX

Kallyn Dove

Kallyn is last in a long line of siblings that have been a part of the VCAL team at McClelland. He not only showed academic strengths throughout this year, but he has been a reliable and consistent worker in student-led projects too. His involvement in SES was a particular highlight and it is great to see him choose to continue the subject and become a student leader for the next SES crop coming through.

Well done, Kallyn!

We look forward to big things over the next two years.

VCAL Finishes on a high

In the final week of our year, we had two amazing achievements.

Trinity Marsters was named as the WINNER of the VCAL Cook Off for 2021. Check out the competition on THE FMPLLEN COOK OFF PAGE. Trinity produced a masterpiece!

The other great achievement was from Chloe Gee, who re-created an amazing photo for the front cover of the 2021 edition of the VCAL Voice. This magazine (which can be found HERE) is available across the Peninsula and even features in the State Library archives.

Well done Trinity and Chloe! You have represented us well.

2021 Swan Education Scholarship Winners

Swan Plumbing were nice enough to offer up TWO scholarships for the 2021 year, in lieu of not running one in 2020.

This award goes to a student or students that have shown some promise in the VCAL program but are also hampered by some sort of disadvantage. This money helps them access vital educational resources from driving lessons to work uniforms or tafe courses.

This years recipients are:

KYLE WALLACE

CONNOR FREEMAN

Congratulations!

High Energy Finish

Phew! What a finish that was, hey?

VCAL students organised, resourced and ran the Orientation Day bbq for 220 new Year 7 students and 30 staff, plus Year 8 helpers. There were students leading this project that had been a part of the previous two Orientation Days, so the operation was slick and well managed. A lot of work goes into making these events run smoothly and I want to thank each and every student that helped out on the day to make it a success. It is important that these young students have a positive first experience of school and you helped make that happen.

If Orientation Day wasn’t enough, students have also been finishing off various projects in the Project HQ. There has been the creation of shadow boards, running the cafe, painting the tool room, interior decorating, art projects, media room updates….. The list goes on!

I absolutely love seeing that students can choose and run their own projects with their own teams at this time of the year. It shows that you care about your education and the space that you inhabit.

The 2022 cohort of VCAL students will be the LAST in history, so I am excited about what we will be able to do together.

On this page are some of our photo highlights from the year.