AROUND THE COLLEGE
Year 12 Assembly and Celebration Day
Our Year 12’s bid the rest of the school a fond farewell at their final assembly on Monday the 21st of October. Zoe Green and Aimee Spoors spoke on behalf of the senior VCAL students and relayed their experiences with Mrs Hammond and the VCAL crew. Bless their cotton socks. It was then the turn of our school captains, Jacque Worpel and Kody Pulleine to speak to the students. There was a slideshow of the last six years, a few interesting stories and quite a few tears. The Year 12 students then exited the PAF with a huge round of applause from the rest of the school to the beats of Happy from Pharrell Williams (the number one song of 2014).
The following day was the Year 12 Celebration Day. Students arrived to school dressed up in all manner of characters and started off with a breakfast prepared by Mrs Smith and Miss Marriage with help from Mrs Hammond. This was followed by group photos then a couple of ‘mystery’ (or ‘not so mystery’ as it turned out) activities, to Rollaway and Supatramp. The students seemed to have a good time and earned praise from members of the public for their good humour and behaviour. Needless to say, the students were well and truly exhausted by the time we got back but not too exhausted to go onto their own parties and celebrations for the remainder of the day.
Well done and good luck from Mr. Ludinic.
Year 8 Boys Cricket
What a fantastic effort displayed by the Year 8 & Year 7 combined Boys Cricket team who tried hard all day in the two games they participated in. Their fielding, bowling and batting skills progressively improved throughout the day. Keen sportspersonship and encouraging teamwork was displayed by all participants which was most appreciated by the other team members and coaches. We greatly missed our wicket keeper Marley Saunders who sustained an injury during the opening over of the first game. Marley can attest to the importance of always wearing the appropriate safety equipment.
Game 1 WHC V’s Oberon SC Lost 7/62 - 8/109 off 15 Overs
Batting: Tom Evans 25 Retired, Hudson Harrison 6, Noah Harvey 5, Brady Devries 2.
Bowling: Judd Bailey 4/17, Orion Cowley 3/20, Brady Devries 1/16
Game 2 WHC V’s Lara SC Won 4/83 - 7/62 off 12 Overs
Batting: Tom Evans 25 Retired, Murtaza Sharifi 19, Orion Cowley 2, Zahir Nazar 2, Brady Devries 2, Abbasi Rehman 2.
Bowling: Hudson Harrison 2/3, Tom Evans 2/20, Orion Cowley 1/5, Mutaza Sharifi 1/14,
Judd Bailey 1/20.
Team Members: Marley Saunders, Judd Bailey, Liam Rawson, Brady Devries, Tom Bartolo,
Tom Evans, Zahir Nazar, Rahmet Ali Ahmed, Ryan Dennert, Abbassi Rehman, Murtaza Sharifi,
Patrick McInness, Noah Harvey, Hudson Harrison, Orion Cowley.
Mr Beasley Coach
Year 12 Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC).
Our Year 12 students are completing their exams at present. They have worked so hard in preparation for exams. Here is a bit about our Year 12 Biology student’s excursion which took place in Term 3 in preparation for their second last SAC.
Our Year 12 Biology students travelled to Melbourne early hours in the morning to GTAC. The program allowed students to experience DNA tools and techniques used for DNA manipulation in scientific research. Students gained laboratory and analytical skills as they performed a restriction digestion, gel electrophoresis, a bacterial transformation and plating of transformed E. coli cells onto selective media. Our students were able to work with the three other schools that were involved, participating in discussions and scientific problem solving using Technologies. Year 12 students then completed a SAC based on this excursion back at school.
Ruwani Keyburn | STEM
Year 11 BioLabs Excursion
Year 11 students attended the Belmont BioLabs in Term 3, to investigate the body's physiological responses to cold and its effect on sweat glands, skin surface temperature and core body temperature. The program “Body Balance Biology” involved a review on body systems, structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations, feedback loop, homeostasis and malfunctions in homeostatic mechanisms. Students also investigated symptoms that are common in endurance athletes and identified indicators of a disorder associated with homeostasis, utilising an ELISA technique to measure hormones involved in temperature response.
We were so busy engaging with the experiments and activities that we forgot to take photos.
Ruwani Keyburn | STEM
Barwon Respect Cup
On the 25th of October, our Duke of Ed students were invited to take part in the Barwon Respect Cup. This was a day where our students learnt about family violence, who is affected by it and how it can impact our community. The day was broken into 2 components, a morning session that consisted of workshops and presenters that gave our students great insight into the roles and responsibilities that we all play throughout our community, and the afternoon session where we competed in friendly, shortened matches of netball.
Our students each represented our College with great regard and were successful in winning an award over 8 other schools for their participation and involvement in the morning session.
Nicholas Chudoschnik | Respectful Relationships Leader
Road to Zero Exhibition
On Friday 25th of October 12 Year 11 VCAL students traveled by train to the Melbourne Museum to participate in the TAC's Road To Zero Exhibit and Workshops. The students experienced interactive simulation's about road safety. They also worked in small groups to create 3 road safety advertisements. The students, created slogans for the ad, included relevant statistics, edited the footage and sound. All students learnt a lot about road safety and were very impressed by the interactive technology that they experienced on the day.
Sarah Pitman | VCAL
Year 10 Students Court Experience
All Year 10 students have been given the opportunity to participate in a Geelong Court experience over the past few weeks. The excursion was organised by Western Heights College’s student Lawyer Damien Pitts. The students gained an insight and understanding of the Victorian law and court process, both at the Magistrates and County Court level with various aspects of the court procedure being presented and explained. Damien’s follow up question and answer sessions with the students will be most valuable. One group was most fortunate to be given a talk by the Magistrate Judge prior to our departure. Overall the experience was very educational and informative as to how the justice system works in Victoria.
Mr Beasley
Hamlyn Banks/Western Heights College- learning partnerships
This involves our Year 8 students buddying up with Hamlyn Banks Grade 1-2 students- in a reading and writing program. Our students have collected reading data from HB students and will be writing a children’s picture story book –custom made for them. The books will be presented to their buddies at the end of the term.
Olivia Millman | Literacy Learning Specialist
JUNIOR INTER-SCHOOL DEBATING
Over the past eight weeks, five of our Year 7 students competed in the Debating Association of Victoria’s Junior Debating Competition.
Debating is a team sport, working together when preparing your case and during the debate. Each debater has an individual role to play, but must work with the team to ensure a structured, cohesive argument, while also working together on their rebuttal to their opponent’s arguments.
Congratulations to Chloe Baldock, Harshit Bhatia, Tahlia Spitty, Kitahnee Enright and Libby Hunter for their excellent first season in debating.
The topics debated during this term, and our side of the argument were –
That school canteens should ban the sale of junk food – Affirmative
That we should value science more than literature – Negative
That we should restrict the drivers licenses of senior citizens – Negative
We look forward to the 2020 competition!
Kerrie Sirotich | Literacy Extension
United Nations Youth – VOICE Public Speaking Competition
Recently competing at this UN Youth competition, Breannah Stonehouse of Year 10 and Harshit Bhatia of Year 7, presented a five minute prepared persuasive speech on an issue which affects our world today.
Breannah and Harshit both chose to speak on the need to promote and improve mental health. They both explored the problems within this complex topic and provided workable solutions that will help us all.
Students were then required to answer two impromptu questions from the adjudicators on their topic which gave them the opportunity to enhance the ideas touched on in their speeches, while showing a broader knowledge of the topic.
The ability to speak in public with poise and passion is a crucial skill in the 21st century, not just for education, but for self-confidence, research skills, critical reasoning and the independent formulation of ideas and presentation skills.
Congratulations Breannah and Harshit.
Kerrie Sirotich | Literacy Extension
Youth Summit
On Friday 31st October 20 students from Western Heights College went to the Youth Summit at GMHBA stadium. The Summit brought together like minded students from all over Geelong in both the Primary and Secondary sectors in an interactive and inclusive environment. Students worked on a number of issues and challenges facing our community throughout the day including the Environment, Homelessness, Community Safety and Mental Health and Wellbeing. The students had a fantastic day that gave them a feeling of empowerment and educated them on the fact that they are the driving force for change.
Paul Rogers | Student Voice Coordinator
Bernard Caleo – Visiting Author
Last Monday, the Year 7's and 8's were able to meet cartoonist Bernard Caleo. He visited us in our Performing Arts building and showed us how he started as a cartoonist. He also showed us the history of comics and the original pieces of famous super heroes that were the first comics. As he was talking, he involved the audience in his presentation, which went for about an hour and a half. This experience was a memorable presentation and I would recommend him to visit our school again.
By Macen Burr | 7B
Sustainability Victoria
On Monday 28th October a number of Year 7 students from 7A and 7B assisted Mrs Dickens and Heidi Fog from Sustainability Victoria to complete a rubbish audit of the Year 7/8 building. This was to indicate how some rubbish could be recycled, for example paper, cardboard and plastic bottles, and should not be in rubbish bins which end up in the school dumpster and then landfill. Drink cans could be collected for Cash for Cans to earn money for the school. The students were very enthusiastic and suggested writing a petition for staff and students to sign requesting the Victorian Government to help reduce litter by having a deposit scheme to encourage people to return their containers for a refund. Another student suggested writing to the School Council requesting a Cash for Cans trailer to be set up at our school. This will reduce our litter problem as well.
As a result of this event buckets are now set up at staff kitchens to collect food scraps which will be collected by the Year 7 Sustainability team and placed in a galvanised bin and then to be added to the compost to enhance the Kitchen Garden. This project will then be rolled out to include student food scraps as well.
Again, this will reduce our contribution to landfill.
Mrs Dickens | Sustainability Co-ordinator
Schools Lawn Bowls
A number of students expressed interest in participating in the inaugural Highton Bowls Club Schools Triples Tournament. In preparation the students recently visited the club to participate in a practice session to learn the finer aspects of lawn bowls and the requirements of a triples competition. Club members Marion & Don were fantastic in supporting the students for this practice session. The students will now participate in the Schools Competition on Thursday 14th November at the Highton Bowls Club. Parents and friends are welcome to pop in to watch and support the tournament. Good Luck to the students representing Western Heights College.
Mr Beasley | Sports