CAPTAIN'S CORNER
SENIOR CAPTAIN
As Year 12 students ramp up their study to prepare for exams, our Year 11s are already charting towards their future too. The Year 11 Leadership Program, run by Assistant Principal Kate Jobson, is in its third stint this year, serving as a wonderful opportunity to discover and shape our school’s future leaders.
The program runs across five sessions in Term 2, consisting of incredible guest speakers that each target a different crucial aspect of leadership. The likes of Crazy Ideas College and Dr Jess Murphy of Pathway to Your Potential, are among the prestigious guests who join the sessions to teach important values about communication, legacy and initiative.
Aside from this, our own Ms Nesrene Barakat and the current school leaders supplement what participants are learning through Q&As, and lectures that explain how to integrate these skills into a school setting. Towards the completion of each session, the students are also prompted to reflect on and consolidate the skills and perspectives they have learned and how these may contribute to their ‘leadership identity’ moving forward.
Early on in the program, participants unpack the concept of leadership, as well as developing their own identities and what they associate with being a good leader. The program targets specific competencies that make a great leader; such as public speaking skills, quick thinking and how to support a team.
As the program progresses, the Year 11 students will be tested to challenge their sense of leadership, being placed in situations that involve presenting, thinking critically to improve the school, and working together with students they may not be familiar with. As Term 3 approaches, the program will evolve into more hands-on activities, giving students real opportunities to develop their ideas, and collaborate with current leaders.
I’d like to acknowledge Kate Jobson for creating this program, as it is an incredibly impactful course that sees all students explore their inner leader.
As a Deputy School Captain and a Music Captain, I, along with my fellow school leaders, attended these meetings as leadership hopefuls. We learned invaluable lessons in not only how to be a leader, but what it might mean individually for us.
To current Year 11s and ones to come, we say relish these opportunities, (even though your mid-year exams approach!) as they will not only prepare you as a school leader, but in the workforce and the rest of your lives.
Frankie Noble
Year 12 Student
JUNIOR CAPTAIN
Term 2 has been a busy one for Years 8 and 9 students, with a number of standout events already behind us.
One highlight of the term was the Year 9 Southland Field Trip, which took place on Tuesday 26 May. Year 9 students caught the train from McKinnon Station and headed to Southland Shopping Centre to investigate and collect real-world data for their upcoming Geography Learning Task.
Working in groups, students independently explored the centre, examining topics such as the correlation between multinational and Australian-owned stores, the presence of fast fashion, boutique, and sustainable fashion retailers, the country of origin of clothing products, customer buying habits and awareness of garment worker ethics, and whether fashion stores provide information about eco-friendly policies. Beyond academic purposes, the trip offered a great opportunity for students to connect with their classmates outside the classroom and make some lasting memories.
Another highlight of the term has been the range of competitions that Years 8 and 9 students participated in. From the start of May through to Tuesday 19 May, students tackled three challenging competitions:
The Australian Mathematics Challenge, which pushed the students’ mathematical thinking with complex, multi-step problems;
The Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) Competition, which tested students' problem-solving and logical reasoning skills; and
The Big Science Competition, which was open to Year 9 ELMS students and challenged them across a broad range of scientific concepts and questions.
These competitions are a fantastic way for students to extend themselves beyond the regular curriculum, apply their knowledge under pressure, and discover what they’re truly capable of.
This week also marks National Reconciliation Week, which takes place every year from the Wednesday 27 May to Wednesday 3 June. This year’s theme is All In, a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. The dates commemorate two significant milestones: the successful 1967 Referendum and the High Court’s Mabo Decision. It is a meaningful time to reflect on our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to consider how we can play a role in building a more inclusive Australia.
With plenty still to come, we hope everyone continues to embrace what Term 2 has to offer.
Ethan Nguyen
Year 9 Student