Around the School
Map it Challenge State Finalists!!
Five Ringwood Students made it through to be state finalists out of over 400 students who competed in the inaugural Map it Challenge.
Their mission was to investigate a need in their local neighbourhood, and map it using the professional mapping application ESRI, used by councils, governments and geographers worldwide. Joey Choong and Zimo Wang won the school award for their map that showed where a new homeless shelter could be placed in Ringwood, using a modified empty commercial space that hasn’t been used in years.
Oliver Phillips won the Social Justice Award for modifying his bus route to pull off the main road one street earlier to be inclusive of the Croydon Special Development School, who are currently not linked to any public transport.
Abbey Rennick and Jasmine Chacko came up with a simple idea to install footpaths in Wonga Park and Park Orchards, that while look semi-rural, are actually well populated suburbs that lack safe walking tracks alongside what are becoming busier roads.
The students were given their awards by the Maroondah Council Mayor Mike Symon, who was very impressed by their presentations to parents, council members and DEWLP government officials.
The future looks bright with these students leading the charge!
Benn Jamieson
Year 7 Impact of Gambling Unit
Over the past two weeks all year 7 students have taken part in a cross curricular Commerce unit on the Impact of Gambling, and worked in teams to create an alternative pitch to a new public holiday to replace Melbourne Cup Day.
Throughout the unit students have explored how the gambling business in Australia operates, strategies used to keep people gambling and the impact of the location of pokie machines on communities in these areas. Students have also learned about the preferential voting system which operates in Australian politics in order to select our governments and then used this system to vote for the winning film.
In preparation for their film, students were also shown some filming techniques by the wonderfully creative Miss Collins and Ms Asbury. The winning film from each class was showcased in the finale, held on Monday 9th December.
It was amazing to see students collaborating together as well as their creativity in imagining an alternative day of celebration. Congratulations to the winning team from 7B: Joel Dean, Ropro Htoo, David Zaathang and Connor Bell whose proposal for a new public holiday was ‘Earth Day’.
Mrs Deb Wilkins
Head of Commerce, Civics and Citizenship
Duke of Edinburgh
Mount Bogong Hike 2019
Armed with teeming packs, walking poles and winning attitudes, our DOE students met at 6.30am at the College Library for one last ‘count off’ before beginning what would be an unforgettable three days. The Mt Bogong hike is notoriously one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences that Ringwood Secondary College offers its students through the Duke program, and the 2019 trip was certainly one for the history books.
The students were accompanied by their two amazing Duke Leaders, Kristi Usher and Claudia Aveling, and further supported by the following staff: Rach Edwards, Krissi Friedli, Dale Ingleton, Marissa Lee, Chris Taylor and Pete Vlahos. However, the Mt Bogong trek is all about the students being in control and managing themselves. They used laminated maps of the area as guides (although man-made paths were a great help); they set up and packed away their own camps; and they cooked their own meals (of varying quality…). Some were shocked to learn that they had to wake themselves up – especially at 4.30am on the second morning – but with determination and iPhone alarms, they managed.
For staff, the best and most important part of this camp is getting to spend time with students in a vastly different arena to the classroom. To pass the time and take our minds off the walk, we chat about trivial things and serious issues and have a great time doing so. We see students recognise potential problems and work together to avoid or overcome them; we see students push themselves to their limits, sometimes reaching breaking point – and we support them in recovering from this and moving forward once again. As educators, it is very fulfilling to be able to help develop our young people in this way.
Whilst the hike itself is an immense mental and physical test due to unusual conditions, steep and rocky tracks, and the added discomfort of carrying a pack, an unforeseen turn of events on the Thursday presented a different sort of challenge. Once we reached camp and found a drop of reception, we received a call from Parks Victoria alerting us to the threat of bushfires in the area. Miss Usher responded instantly to this news, briefing staff on the Emergency Plan, communicating with local authorities and the College community back home, and ensuring students were in the safest position possible (even down to the materials they were wearing!). A few tense hours passed and the students, excited and nervous, listened carefully to all instructions and demonstrated the exact qualities that the DOE program is all about – we could not have been prouder of their maturity during this time.
Despite their sore limbs and tired eyes, our students seemed to be bursting with energy as they reached the summit of Mt Bogong early the next morning. Standing on the highest point of Victoria, they felt like they were sitting on top of the world. After what must have been 100 selfies and group photos, the crew started their descent with eyes on the prize: lunch and a cushioned bus seat!
At the final stop on the way home – a “cheeky Maccas run”, as it were – students thanked staff for their involvement and support, employing Zack “Fazz” Farrington as their united voice. The program leaders commended students on the perseverance, courage and resilience they demonstrated throughout the camp – and this sentiment resounded significantly throughout the College community upon our happy return.
Well done once again to the DOE students for this accomplishment, and to Usher and Avo for their ongoing commitment to delivering a high-quality program at Ringwood.
Marissa Lee