Library

The Thursday Project

How to sum up the body of work and effort put in by our Thursday Project writers?

What started out as an amorphous idea of what we could do with the successful Creative Arts Victoria grant application became a tangible item that encompassed the amazing ideas floating around minds of our talented writers and creators.

Led by Bec Kavanagh of the Wheeler Centre, some elements of the project such as a drop-in creative service in the library needed to fall by the wayside, but the regular Thursday after-school meetups continued, and became a wonderful constant throughout 2021's edition of The Long Lockdown. Hearing these engaged and passionate creative conversations taking place over Zoom weekly was a salve for what was a difficult time for all, and with the launch a few weeks ago, it was a chance for the students to see each other in the flesh, and be congratulated on what is a stunning piece of work.

The zine encompasses non-fiction narratives (a specialism of Bec's) based on interviews undertaken by students. It is also packed full of creations, meanderings and activities that students can try for themselves!

CHS has a few hundred copies, and somewhat uniquely it will become a central text that is used for some creative writing lessons at year 7 and 8 - effectively students creating learning materials for students!

The Thursday Project group - Ada, Astrid, Romany, Amélie, Eva, Tiffany and Illy - are to be congratulated for their efforts, and copies are available to be perused in the office and the library (as well as the classroom next year!). 

A huge and unlimited thanks, too, to Bec Kavanagh for her unwavering commitment to the programme and to Creative Arts Victoria for running the Creative Workers In Schools programme, without which this project would not have been possible.

Lachlan Gaylard

Library Report

The library had the extraordinary privilege of being the benefactor of a number of donations by parents, community groups, and students of Coburg High School. I would like to give a huge thanks to Coburg Historical Society for their donations towards the purchase of books for the library throughout the year. Quinn Eades who gave the library the non fiction long list books from the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. What a fine batch of books. I also really want to thank the students who donated their Book Bingo funds to purchase the therapy pod that now inhabits the library. And finally, thanks to all of the parents who kindly donated books for the Big Book Fundraiser. There were many happy students with new treasures.

Without all of these wonderful donations, the library wouldn’t be what it is now. Thank you all for your inherent sense of community values.

Dianna Jarnet