Student News
White Night Festival | Guest Photographers
On the evening of Friday 23rd of August, a select group of SCHS media and photography students were invited to participate in a hands-on photography course provided by Canon Australia and Ted’s Cameras. The workshop revised our knowledge of photography essentials, including automatic camera settings and the Exposure Triangle. We then put that knowledge to use by venturing down to Carlton Gardens to take photographs of the White Night Festival (and maybe grab some snacks from the food trucks as well!).
There were lights, lights and more lights but the highlight had to be the amazing Mad Max: Fury Road performance, created by Australian dance and theatre legends David Atkins and Jason Coleman who were inspired by the film from Australian director George Miller. The performance featured a giant installation of scenes from Mad Max: Fury Road being projected onto the exterior of the Royal Exhibition Building, accompanied by actors performing on replica Fury Road vehicles that were positioned in front of the projections. There was even a guitar that doubled as a flamethrower! It was a lot of fun and we have to give a big thank you to the staff at Ted’s Cameras and Canon Australia, as well as Ms Velisha and Ms Hall for sacrificing their Friday night to look after us and make sure we got the most out of the workshop and the experience of White Night 2019.
Media & Photography Students
Units 3&4 History: Revolutions Excursion | La Mama Theatre
Friday, the 30th of August was a day of death, drama, and pizza as the Units 3&4 History: Revolutions class travelled to Carlton to watch a performance of the play Tchekov at the House of Special Purpose. As part of our studies of the Russian Revolution and the downfall of the Romanov dynasty, six members of our class, along with Ms Fenby, watched the local production at the La Mama Courthouse, detailing the last few months of the lives of the Romanov girls: Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia.
After a short walk from Melbourne Central Station and a quick coffee break at Brunetti, we settled in the small theatre to enjoy the play, put on by a cast of twelve actors. The performance breathed life into the historical figures, detailing their emotions, their grief, their love and ultimately their death in 1918 in a heavily guarded house in Yekaterinburg in the midst of the Russian Civil War between the Reds and the Whites. The humanity of these famous individuals was front and centre of the production, allowing the class to gain an insight into the private lives of the last members of the Russian royal family. Following the play, the cast and writer spent a considerable amount of time with the students, answering questions and taking photographs.
After the performance, the class enjoyed lunch together at an Italian restaurant just off of Lygon Street, devouring a metre-long pizza and reflecting on the production. The day was topped off by a visit to a local gelato bar, in which we relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon before departing.
Ben J (Year 12)
Deakin Oration 2019
On Friday 6th September Matt K, Kate P and Nina K attended the fourth annual Deakin Oration at Victoria’s Parliament House. The Deakin Oration is a yearly event where a prominent Victorian is invited to speak about the life and legacy of Australia’s second Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin. This year, students had the privilege of hearing Professor the Hon Marilyn Warren AC QC, the first female Chief Justice of the Victorian Supreme Court, give the oration. Following, Professor Warren’s oration, students participated in a Q&A session. Our students were able to achieve some great insights into working in the legal profession and working with government.
Ms. Jasmine Byrne
Curriculum Leading Teaching
Arcadis STEM Engineering Excursion
On 23 August, 7 female students had the opportunity to visit Arcadis Engineering Consultancy in Melbourne’s CBD. They worked in teams with other school students to solve puzzles and design solutions for engineering problems. Students also worked with engineering professionals, to gain an insight into the different jobs in engineering, and the career pathways that can lead to these jobs.
Mr. Brendan Taig
Careers Coordinator
Notre Dame Medicine Workshop
On Monday, September 2, students participated in an after-school Medicine Workshop, hosted by Notre Dame University graduate students. Students learnt about the pathway to medical careers, and medicine study options at university. As an added bonus, practiced their first aid skills with dummies and defibrillators.
Mr. Brendan Taig
Careers Coordinator
VCE Latin & Ancient History | Ancient Roman Reenactment Day
On Friday September 13th, students in Year 11 Latin and Year 12 Ancient History attended an Ancient Rome Reenactment and lecture series at the University of Melbourne. For the Year 11 Latin class, this included first attending the National Gallery of Victoria where they learnt the links between their studies and the gallery’s Tiepolo painting, The Banquet of Cleopatra.
In the afternoon, they joined members of the Year 12 Ancient History class, on the lawns of Melbourne University, where they enjoyed traditional Roman foods and watched a Roman Military Display. The day concluded with two lectures, one by Dr Christopher Dart on Roman naval warfare, the other by Maxx Schmitz on Rome’s conquest of Dacia. The day was a rare chance for students to immerse themselves in the Ancient World.
VCE Latin & Ancient History
VCE Legal Studies | Old Melbourne Gaol
On Thursday 29th August, Year 11 Legal Studies students visited the Old Melbourne Gaol. During their visit, students were able to engage in a series of activities that allowed them to immerse themselves within the justice system.
They day started with a surprise when students participated in the Watch House experience. From the minute they walked in the door, they stepped into the shoes of an inmate, experiencing what those first hours after being arrested would be like. They were made to line up and go through the intake process before being given a chance to explore the cells of the watch house.
Students were also given the opportunity to participate in a full mock trial. Using the old Supreme Court and in full legal robes, students acted out a trial, taking on the role of judge, lawyers, accused and a variety of witnesses. Finally, a full tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol was undertaken complete with stories about Ned Kelly and a ghoulish ghost or two.
Ms. Jasmine Byrne
Legal Studies Teacher
VCE ADT Student Profiles
Our VCE Arts, Design and Technology students have been working hard throughout the year to complete their folio products and refine their musical performances. ADT subjects take persistence, dedication and creative flair; they also aid in building exceptional organisation, communication and problem solving skills. Embarking on an ADT subject does not require additional work, they are in fact complementary and offer balance to other subjects... just ask our ADT students!
Ms. Nalan Velisha
Head of ADT
Name: Nicolai B. Y
VCE Subjects: Media, Methods, Chemistry, Physics, Vis Com, English
What have you enjoyed about your ADT subject: The whole “you can make whatever you want” part of any folio subject is great, but the best part of it was definitely the environment. Not just within the class, but in the whole ADT faculty. Sure it gets stressful at times, but it’s a much more enjoyable process when you’re surrounded by people with similar interests and passions.
Tell us a bit about your final product (inspiration, purpose, process to create): The goal of my product was to represent the fragmented nature of memories, through the 200 individually hung photographs that come together to form 4 distinct images. It was partially inspired by an art piece from the Escher X Nendo exhibit, where the viewer would see the image of a large house form as they walked around a collection of smaller houses hung from the ceiling. I tried to achieve the same effect by having the images intertwined, so that they appear to be an incoherent mess from the side, yet form a complete image as the viewer walked around and looks at it from the front.
What transferable skills have you gained from taking an ADT subject: Time management and general technical know-how are the big skills you learn throughout a folio subject, and are the skills you’ll most likely be using for years after you’ve done your folio, but I also think it was valuable learning how to complete a project. For a lot of us, it’s easy to get an idea, start working towards it, but end up with no clue how to finish it, or just out of motivation. Especially at the very beginning, when the completion of your folio seems daunting and impossible. But over the year we’ve learnt how to be more disciplined and take a more structured approach that makes bigger tasks like this seem much more approachable.
What advice would you offer to students undertaking this subject next year? Make sure you pick an idea that you’ll be able to stick with for the whole year. It’s far too easy to keep restarting your product completely just to end up with nothing at the end of the year. Once you’ve got an idea that you like, start your product as soon as you can. It always seems like there’s plenty of time, but there’s going to be no time to breathe in Term 3 if you’re still shooting/recording by then.
Name: Tasmia N. I
VCE Subjects: English, Biology, Revolutions, Math methods, Studio Arts, Chemistry
What have you enjoyed about your ADT subject: I’ve really enjoyed looking back on all the progress I’ve made! There’s nothing better than noticing actual changes in your work, every time you spend some time on it. I now feel like I’ve come a long way, and it’s just nice to see my skills developing over time.
Tell us a bit about your final product (inspiration, purpose, process to create): For my final product, I was inspired by the movements of water and the different forms that it can create. My main intent was to explore the dichotomy of water, representing it as a beautiful yet confronting source of peace and power. Creating my works were a slow process as I had undertaken oil painting as my art form. Nevertheless, with the extra hours put after school, and better management of my time, I was able to produce 3 different paintings, depicting water in a variety of natural settings.
What transferable skills have you gained from taking an ADT subject: Definitely time management. As difficult as it may have been throughout points in the year, studio arts has been an extremely rewarding experience because I learnt various new ways to work productively, efficiently, and organise my time to suit the workload of my 4 other subjects. I’ve also learnt the skill of ‘elaboration’ in creating written pieces, and now always make sure to thoroughly explain my responses for all subject assessments.
What advice would you offer to students undertaking this subject next year? Definitely take the subject if you enjoy art! Because if you do, the hard “work” will not even feel like work. It’ll be like spending time on a talent or hobby during your spare time. It is an extremely refreshing and insightful process.
I am Levin E, a current year eleven student doing year 12 Visual Communication Design (Vis Com). The VCE subjects I have undertaken this year are Methods 1/2, Visual Communication 3/4, Physical Education 3/4, English 1/2, Biology 1/2, Chemistry 1/2 and Methods 1/2. I really enjoyed Vis Com this year, as it allowed me to reduce my stress and tension in regard to my other subjects. I was able to design and make compositions without any limitations or constraints placed on my ideas. The subject certainly challenged my creative side, making me think outside the norm multiple times. Hence, I was never disengaged from Vis Com. I never had any complaints about the theory side of it, as it was always outweighed by the practical element of the subject. In other words, most Vis Com sessions just required me to put some music on and work on my designs.
My final products this year was a design of a personal robotic assistant accompanied with branding design for a mechanical engineering company. I was inspired by various tech products which are currently in the market, like Honda’s ASIMO robot and SoftBank’s Pepper robot. As it is a personal robotic assistant, it is capable of fulfilling the majority of daily tasks at a household (carrying shopping or cleaning etc). The process to create the final design involved transferring the manual sketches of the design into programs such as illustrator and photoshop, to produce a refined composition.
During the initial stages of this subject, I was doubtful on whether it was suitable for me. I was never a great artist and did not really have any sort of previous experience. However, due to the excellent mentorship and guidance of the Vis Com teachers, I was able to improve my skills required for the subject. I learnt the techniques involved in creating tone, texture and realistic effects on compositions. Furthermore, I also became more accustomed to using programs like illustrator and photoshop.
So, to all those who are interested in undertaking Visual Communication Design next year, it is a very flexible and limitless subject. However, to be successful in this subject, dedication and organisational skills are required. A limited experience in arts or design should not prevent anyone from undertaking this subject because those who are prepared to put in the effort and are determined to do well, will be able to do so without question.
My name is Jay B.D. R, and I play the piano! My VCE subjects are English Language, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Physics, Latin, and of course, Music Performance 3/4! The primary reason as to why I have enjoyed Music Performance is the mere fact that I truly enjoy playing the piano and studying music. Compared to the rest of my subjects, Music Performance is a subject that I'm free to enjoy myself in. Working with some of the best musicians of this school is both a privilege and a delight, and I have been fortunate enough to perform for a few events with my classmates.
The repertoire that I have been developing throughout the year demonstrates the various functions a piano has in an ensemble; I'd say that it's a testament to the piano's versatility as an instrument! I've mostly been inspired by the range of musicians that I have met and performed with. Each musician is different, and playing music with various people lets me get to know them on a musical level, developing my "musical social skills", I suppose! This year I've performed works ranging from the preludes and études of Chopin, and jazz pieces both contemporary and classic. I've even been working on a piano trio performance of Bohemian Rhapsody!.
Music Performance has forced me to develop a rather strict and disciplined practice schedule. Often I find myself practicing for hours a day, and yet I've still got to balance a plethora of work from quite difficult subjects. The skill of time management is essential for any student wishing to achieve a high ATAR, but Music Performance takes this to another level. The discipline and mental fortitude to practice for extended periods of time is somethin
Wellbeing Week
During Week 8, we celebrated Wellbeing Week. Each day, we had a theme from ‘Building Connection’ on Monday, ‘Mindfulness’ on Tuesday, ‘Self-Care’ on Wednesday, ‘Coping and Resilience’ on Thursday and ‘Compassion’ mixed with observing the ‘Are You Ok Day’ on Friday. Throughout the week, we had a great turnout and students enjoyed participating in the organised activities immensely.
We want to thank Ms. Claire Breed and Ms. Oh who helped organise and get things up and running this event with the student wellbeing leaders (Sofina, Mehul, Harjot, Fariba and Katrina). Our thanks also goes out to everyone who came to help out during Wellbeing Week Breakfast Club particularly for making pancakes (thanks Alice D). A special mention goes out to Yuvani T and Esha B who volunteered their time and energy to support the preparation and delivery of the week's activities.
Last, but not least, we mustn’t forget our special therapy canines (Nelson and Zaija) who are not only a joyful presence in the Wellbeing department, but never fail to relax and put a smile on everyone’s faces and continue to deliver support unconditionally.
Ms. Lina Paye
Wellbeing Counsellor
Health And Physical Education (HAPE) Week
Week 9 was Health and PE week, so there were many fun fitness and health based activities for students and staff. We had a jump rope for heart challenge on Monday where $1 for every consecutive skip on the big rope was donated to the heart foundation. Tuesday there was a nutritious breakfast of oats and fruit followed by a beep test challenge at lunch where several students and staff got to level 11. Well done Sophia A and Simin L. Wednesday was a staff v student table tennis competition which was fiercely competitive. Thursday was a chin up and rowing challenge; some outstanding results Jade N: 6 chin ups and Matthew C: 25 chin ups. Friday was a health and PE Kahoot to test students knowledge which was a great way to round out the week.
Thanks to all the staff and students for supporting the week.
Ms. Felicity Nagel
Head of Health & PE
High Notes! | From the Music Department
Welcome again from the Music department. It seems that Term 3 is becoming busier and busier these days, but that’s good because you never can determine when your performance opportunities will arrive. The good news is that our involvement is increasing across all areas of the program, Orchestral, Band, Singing and Contemporary. It is also good that we are becoming more involved in our local community areas. Although we are a select entry school, we still have a large number of our students who are locals.
SCHS exams are now in full swing as I write. This is a necessary process of the student and teacher life and gives our students an excellent indication of where they are in their studies. For music students, many of them are busily preparing for their end of year recitals, particularly our Unit 3 & 4 VCE Music Performance candidates. We wish our students well for their performances and we acknowledge the depth and strength of their commitment and preparation to their instrumental progress.
On Sunday September 8 we had the great pleasure of performing in Concert with the Westgate Concert one the Western Suburbs renown community Concert Bands. The Westgate Concert Band is made up of ex-students, professionals and musicians from all walks of life who come together to make music for their community. I can think of no greater purpose for people than to join a community ensemble such as this. It is one of the great benefits of music-making that you can play with all different people from different backgrounds and ages and make great music. We hope to combine with them again in the future.
The Royal South Street Eisteddfod is one of the most prestigious Arts events on the Australian music-making calendar. This year for the first time, our senior Chamber Choir, Quaternarium, was entered into the Senior Choir category, wining an honourable mention. This was a great result as our choir is only just over a year old and the winning choirs represented some of the most prestigious and influential School music programs in Melbourne. It was great for our students to be able to see and hear the other choirs and to mix with them backstage. Big thank you to Ms Wu and the members of Quaternarium for an outstanding result and for representing the School so well.
As we approach Term 4, the School again has some exciting events in music. In the first week back, we will be holding our Presentation Night at the Melbourne Town Hall where the School’s Music Program will again feature heavily along with the massed singing. Our seemingly annual round of providing music and demonstrations for our Primary School neighbours will also take place in mid-October. The ADT Showcase will be held in November featuring the Music Department in full, formal concert settings. We do hope that you and your family can come and join us for one of these events.
Mr. Tony Paye
Director of Music