Significant Events

International Womens Day

On Wednesday the 8th March, we recognised International Women’s Day - a day to celebrate the achievements of women, whether social, political, economic or cultural.

It is a day to recognise how far we've come towards gender equality and how far we have to go, a time for us to join voices with people around the world.

UN Women Australia's International Women's Day theme for 2023 EMBRACE EQUALITY

#EmbraceEquity The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about Why equal opportunities aren't enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action.

To celebrate and acknowledge International Women’s Day, staff and students at DSC were encouraged to wear a touch of purple. The school also enjoyed a playlist of songs over the loud speakers at recess and lunch featuring strong female artists. In the DSC Library, students were welcomed with a display of books about inspiring female role models.

During lunchtime, our Wellbeing department roamed the quadrangle and asked students questions about International Women's Day. Over 100 students participated and they each received a cupcake as a reward!

Billie Jean King “Battle of the sexes”

Billie Jean King is well known In the tennis community, and is known as by many as one of the greatest tennis players ever. She lobbied for equal prize money for men and women at the U.S open, and her influence will be long-lived, not just in women's tennis, but all of women’s sport.

Billy Jean King has many accomplishments between the year 1961-1979. She won most of her titles at Wimbledon with a record 20 titles, she won the U.S open 13 times, the French open 4 times, and the AUS open 2 times, adding up to a total of 39 Grand slam titles in her career.

Billie Jean King Is one of the most influential people in women’s sport, influencing many people to get behind women’s sports, and rally for equal pay. She did this on September 20, 1973, as she took on the former world number

one, men’s ranked player, Bobby Riggs, in a match for equal winning salary for men and women in tennis, as the men were making a substantial amount more that the women did. She ended up beating Bobby in 3 straight sets, claiming equal salary for women, and proving that female tennis players can be just as good as male players.

I found out about Billie Jean King and what she did as I saw a documentary about it, and I thought it was inspiring, how she was able to face the former world number 1 ranked male, with all the odds against her, and still managed to win, in straight sets. This was Inspirational, and promoted equal prize money for men and women in tennis, and promoted women’s sports all over the world. And she proved that women can be just as good as men.

Jake A, Year 10B

Tharlyn Fox

Tharlyn Fox leads the Legislation, Education, Advocacy, Production Systems (LEAP) at John Deere. Tharlyn is an advocate for racial equality and equity and invests in opportunities to advance social and economic changes for Black Farmers (ref: LinkedIn).

DSC student, Dylan M. of Year 10 has researched her work below.

Biography

Tharlyn, who has been with Deere 14 years, has been manager of the coalition since it was founded. She said LEAP’s primary purpose is to better the lives of Black farmers and their families by addressing heirs' property. "Heirs' property really is a very huge challenge," Tharlyn said. Families "are in just such a quandary that they don’t know what to do. Many of them have paperwork...that they don't know what to do with. They’re afraid to go down to the county."

Notable achievements:

Many of these fears, Fox explained, come from decades of systemic discrimination, ranging from denial of federal farm assistance to unjust lending practices.
"I've seen family members talk about it with tears in their eyes because they just don’t know what to do," explained Tharlyn. "They want to leave a legacy to the next generation and that’s what’s so vitally important."

Impact on field:

With Black farmers now owning less than 5 million acres of land in the US it’s important that we help these families sustain their properties for generations to come, said Tharlyn.
"It affects all of us in a sense from a community standpoint," she said. "We want to make sure our neighbours are getting full benefit. When our neighbours are not completely whole it doesn’t make us completely whole."

Reflection:

I choose this Woman because her work really stood out to me and my friends, she had made an enormous impact on the lives of black farmers and made a global change.
I had not previously heard of her before.
My lasting impression of Tharlyn Fox after my research task is very positive, She is a very kind hearted woman who improved the lives of black farmers and she deserves much more recognition for her help.

By Dylan M., Year 10

ANZAC Badges

Doncaster RSL will be delivering honesty boxes of ANZAC Day Appeal Badges to our College on March 24th. By purchasing a badge, you will be supporting current and former members of the Australian Defense Force who suffer due to their military service, and their dependents when in need.

Harmony Week

Doncaster Secondary College will be celebrating Harmony Week - Monday 20th to Friday 24th March - to recognize our diversity and to understand what brings us together as Australians from all different backgrounds. Look out for the following activities:

Year 7s will be learning how to say 'hello' in a number of languages
Wellbeing will be handing out Orange Ribbons to wear
Attend Crafternoon Club at Wednesday lunchtime and make an orange friendship bracelet
Harmony Day is Tuesday 21st March
Persian New Year (Nowruz) will be celebrated during recess and lunch on Wednesday 22nd March

Wendy Howes

Significant Events Coordinator