Senior Years

Year 11 Camp

The Year 11 tour of Melbourne was both an opportunity and an experience that the Year 11 students of 2017 will never forget. The chance to bond with our fellow peers and our teachers was the most enjoyable aspect of the trip.

Throughout the course of the camp we visited the places we had chosen that reflected our varied interests and pursuits. We did activities all day and then more at night. It certainly kept us busy. The places visited included the MCG, Zoo, Sea Life Aquarium, Parliament House, Eureka Skydeck, IMAX and so many more. While we got to go to these places out of our own interest we were all also given the experience of going to the Big Issue Classroom and the Old Melbourne Gaol. These were compulsory for everyone. At the Big Issue Classroom, we learnt more about homelessness around Australia, especially in the cities, and how we can help. The Big Issue Magazine is sold by homeless people on the street to help them to generate an income. $3.50 from every magazine sold goes directly to the homeless person who sold the magazine. The Old Melbourne Gaol was one of the night time activities. This was one of the main highlights of the whole camp. It gave us insight to the lives of the people that had gone through the old gaol in a dramatic and engaging way. The whole year level bonded greatly through all of these activities as often we were doing these with people that we do not always spend our time with.

We spent a lot of valuable time together that helped us to grow closer together as a cohort as we head into Year 12. All in all it was an amazing camp with so much to do, and such a significant opportunity to bond.

Lauren Kahl

Year 11 Student

Year 11 Road Safety

On Friday 17 November, Year 11 students attended an important road safety session that aims to improve the awareness and safety of young and inexperienced drivers. With many of us now being at legal driving age, it was important for us to be educated about how to reduce the risk of being involved in accidents whist driving on the road.

We welcomed Senior Constable Michael to our College, and were privileged to have him share his knowledge about driving and road safety. We were surprised to discover that the majority of car accidents resulting in casualties involved drivers aged between 17-24 years. This statistic reflects both the inexperience of teenage drivers and the sometimes bad choices that can be made.

Senior Constable Michael spoke about the ‘Fatal 5’; the 5 main situations that lead to car accidents. The ‘Fatal 5’ include alcohol, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, fatigue and distraction. He emphasised to us the importance of making safe return-travel arrangements when going out to a place where alcohol will be consumed. These could include allocating a designated driver, taking public transport or phoning a parent to pick us up. Of the ‘Fatal 5’, distraction was identified as the most common reason for an accident to occur, mostly due to the temptation of checking mobile phones while driving.

While the presentation mainly focussed on ways in which we can ensure our own safety, the harsh reality is that anyone could become a victim of a road accident. As new drivers, like the majority of our year level, it can be especially hard to anticipate what other drivers will do. That is why it is so important to stay focussed as the driver and not be tempted to check a mobile phone, and to think about the consequences of driving, especially regarding the effects of alcohol. Every risk taken whilst driving could impact on our lives, our families lives and those that we share the road with.

The underlying message from Senior Constable Michael’s presentation was that as drivers we must be responsible for our own actions. We need to accept responsibility as the driver of a car, make responsible social choices and driving decisions, and follow the road rules for our own and other's safety.

All Year 11s benefited greatly from this presentation, and found it was worthwhile to be educated about these important messages, especially at this early stage in our driving careers.

Jessica Priebbenow

Year 11 Student