SCHOOL NEWS

INTERACT CLUB REFERENDUM DAY SAUSAGE SIZZLE

On Saturday 13 October, as Australians headed to the polls to vote in the referendum, Interact Club, McKinnon's own social action group, were busy setting up, grilling, serving, and ultimately raising money for the Lighthouse Foundation through a sausage sizzle and bake sale. It was great to be around the local community with both voters, volunteers as well as local basketballers all sampling the delights on offer.

The club raised over $2000 for the Lighthouse Foundation who were very grateful to the McKinnon Interact Club.

They expressed their gratitude by saying: 

McKinnon have been a wonderful supporter of Lighthouse Foundation in the past and it is heart-warming to know that the students remain engaged and connected to our cause. Activities like this that raise funds & awareness for Lighthouse truly make a difference. 

This demonstration of care from the community, enriches our programs and the experience of our young people in helping them feel supported on their journey to healing. Knowing that others show up for them because they believe they matter and deserve a place where they can feel safe and belong, is really something special.

Thank you to all who donated baked goods to be sold and thank you to the following volunteers on the day who ran the stall:

Dionne Tran, 10O

Nakita Kumar,10H

Lynya Fu, 10E

Blake Harcourt, 10F

Itay Volnerman, 7R

Ms Krishna Fleming

Shauri Pedavalli, 10M

Maya Arvind, 11A

Angelo Udthachat, 7A

Michael O'Hanlon-Munro, 10L

Anya Aquende, 10A

Ms Miruna Iser

Miri Karro, 7F

Anthony Smith, 7H

Lulu Liang, 10I

Nadya Mapitiya, 12H

Mr David Machin

Mr Joshua Cukierman

Thank you as well to Mr Noble, Frank and Van, Raelene Evans and the food tech staff for help in getting organised.

Joshua Cukierman

Interact Club Organiser

YEAR 9 DUKE OF ED STUDENT REFLECTIONS

In the first week of Term 4 Year 9 Duke of Ed students headed off on a two-day 27km hike along the Surf Coast Walk. In a lucky turn of events, we managed to avoid most of the rain and ended up having a lovely few days away hiking and camping. Students were asked to reflect on their Hiking Journey and have written a few short pieces below. 

Thank you to all the teachers that joined the students on the hike! The students are excited for the Qualifying Hike scheduled in early December. 

Jack Gromer & Paul King

Duke of Ed Co-ordinators

As an elective this year, many Year 9 students chose to participate in the Duke of Ed bronze award which involved a 27km hike in Anglesea. After a two-hour bus ride, we were dropped off at Point Addis Lookout and we began our trek along the Surf Coast Walk. The journey was tiring yet rewarding. Once we made our dinners around the fire circle, everyone was excited to spend the night in tents with their friends. We packed up camp and finished off the hike the next morning at Memorial Arch before heading home. This experience is one I will never forget and highly recommend for anyone that is willing to get out of their comfort zone and try something new. 

Pia Landini 9N

The Duke of Ed hike was definitely something I would recommend. It challenged everybody physically and mentally and even taught us how to handle tough situations. The hike was quite a difficult experience and made us gain qualities like responsibility and resilience. The teachers were all so great preparing us for the hike and helping us when needed. I recommend talking to people you may not know because it’s such a great environment to make new friends. It was definitely challenging making sure your bag was light enough to carry but still making sure you were packing extra dry clothes, warm things and your food. 

Teamwork is a massive role we needed to play during the hike. We had to be there for each other, so we were all on the same page and helping each other out. Overall, the hike was such a fun experience and I can’t wait for the next one.

Lucinda Ledger 9L

This Duke of Ed hike was really fun and enjoyable, and it was a great challenge and experience. I am very glad that I participated in the hike, and I can’t wait for the next one. I would highly recommend it to the Year 7s and 8s that are going to decide their electives for Year 9. It is an awesome subject, and the hike makes it all the better. I learned some very valuable life lessons on the hike and made some very good connections with people I didn’t know very well before.

Bailey Kawalsky 9L

The Duke of Ed hike was a new experience for myself, and the rest of my classmates and it was definitely a challenge for all of us. From the last-minute preparing to the end of the hike where I was walking home, it was a great experience from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's looking for a fun walk along the beach and in bushland. It was very challenging making sure everything you need to take will fit in your bag and also making sure it isn’t too heavy for you to carry. In the end the hike was a great experience and I can't wait for the qualifying hike.

Lenni Jones 9J