Student Voice

May has been a busy month at our College, with some fantastic celebrations organised by and for  our students.

Idahobit Day - 17th May

The following photographs were taken by Daniel Brown from 11.2

IDAHOBIT is a day to celebrate and appreciate our diverse community and to stand up for equality for all members of society. The day is about raising awareness, championing inclusion in our school and for celebrating the LGBTQI+ community. IDAHOBIT is an international day for LGBTQI+ human rights and positive social change. 

This year the Don't Hate Advocate Club and the Student Representative Council organised a wonderful event full of fun activities. 

"I like the idea of Idahobit Day. Some people are scared to go to these events because they think they might be the only ones there, but it was so welcoming that everyone came together for an awesome day. I am not just speaking for myself when I say this. We all enjoyed the fun activities such as hair braiding, bingo and face painting. It was such a great day for LGBTQI+ people."

Eli

"Our Idahobit Event was a wonderful experience. I really enjoyed how open and supportive it was. It is excellent that the school makes a point to celebrate these events and ensures that it is a safe, welcoming and warm place for the LGBTQI+ community. Mr Smith’s speech was great, and it is nice to have a Principal that acknowledges the LGBTQI+ community."

Dylan

Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week – 27th May to 3rd June – is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians. 

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia's colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence and racism. Over the last half century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken. 

The information above was sourced from https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/ 

Next week our College Captains will be attending a Flag Raising Ceremony at the Cardinia Shire Civic Centre on Monday, there will be a presentation to all of our students on Tuesday and a Student Leadership excursion with Mr Smith and our Indigenous students on Friday. 

"I love embracing my heritage, and I am trying to be more in touch with all of my history. It is a great experience for me. I enjoy getting together with other students who are of Aboriginal origin and talking about our history and having a great conversation about it."

Eli

"It is wonderful to learn about our history and I am looking forward to finding out how we will be recognising Reconciliation Week at the College next week."

Tori