ENGLISH

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ENGLISH AT EAST CAMPUS?

From building foundational skills to stretching creative boundaries, English at East Campus is buzzing with activity. Below, our students share their own reflections on the diverse opportunities and support programs happening across all year levels.

Emily Condell

East English Leader

YEAR 8 ENGLISH 

This term, the Year 8s got to read Grace Notes, and meet the author, Karen Comer. Grace Notes is a verse novel that explores the concept of identity and belonging within two teenagers' lives (Grace and Crux). We've covered multiple areas regarding Identity and belonging, including what we think about ideas such as: ‘Our surroundings shape our identity’, ‘Identity is never static’, and ‘It is important to stay true to yourself even if it comes at a cost’. We studied these ideas in detail and also included our life anecdotes.

When we listened to Karen Comer's speech, she talked about how she writes her ideas into a writing journal, which is filled with creativity. It includes washi tape, coloured paper and endless drawings. Using this inspiration from Karen, we created similar booklets, where we wrote a reflective piece about ourselves, linking it back to identity and belonging and examples from Grace Notes. Overall, we now have a greater understanding of identity and belonging. 

Emma Moragiannis, Lara Kramersh, Jasmine Hingert & Anastacia Katrich, Year 8 Students

BOOK CLUB EAST CAMPUS

I have been a part of so many clubs this semester but there is one particular club that really stood out to me and that was Book Club.

I love to read and joining Book Club was a great way to network with people who shared the same love of reading as I did.  It was amazing seeing a group of book lovers join together and talk about their favourite books or sit as a group and read books that they enjoyed, whether they were fantasy, mystery, books from the shelf or their own book that they’ve brought from home.

We held monthly meetings every Thursday in Term one, and now we hold meetings on Monday.  Every single meeting was held at the Level Two Library at East Campus. 

Every single meeting I attended was amazing. I got to connect with people who had similar interests and made new friends. If I could recommend this club, I would! If you enjoy reading you should join Book Club!  

It's been an amazing experience being a part of this club so far, and I want to say a huge thank you to Ms Lianos and Ms Carson. 

Caasha Mallawaarachchi, Year 8 Student

ENGLISH HELP CLUB EAST CAMPUS

English support is run by Mrs Goldsworthy every Monday lunchtime. I, along with many others, enjoy attending English support frequently. It gives me the opportunity to catch up on my English work, ask questions about what I'm studying, and talk to other English-lovers.

In the past, I have discussed books covered in class at English support, which assisted in my understanding of the unit. I have sought feedback from Mrs Goldsworthy about my work, which has helped me in my learning tasks, and just recently, I got to play ‘Poetry For Neanderthals’ with other peers, which I greatly enjoyed.

Many people attend English support weekly, some who need help with their work and others who are just there to talk. I personally love to finish homework at English Help. No matter the reason, everyone would be better off spending their Monday lunchtime with Mrs Goldsworthy and me in V1.6!

Harvey Cohen, Year 9 Student

WRITER OF THE MONTH – STUDENT REFLECTIONS

Writer of the Month is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills through poems, short stories and everything in between! To enter, you need to complete a writing piece of any genre (different word amounts for different age groups) and get it proofread by your English teacher before letting them submit it for you. 

I ran for Writer of the Month in March this year and won with my story ‘Silent Childhood’. It is based on a dystopian world where all children are not allowed to speak and are all under the control of a powerful, oppressive leader. However, the main character, Megan Gilmore, tries to rebel against this rule. 

Whilst originally a draft I wrote for a learning task in English, I immediately saw the piece’s potential. I had never run for Writer of the Month before, as writing stories was never a passion of mine. But after winning this competition, it has inspired me to make more stories, and ultimately, I enjoy the subject of English more.

I highly recommend running for Writer of the Month because, just like me, you might surprise yourself with your writing skills and discover a hidden talent you never thought you had.  

Sophia Rusin, Year 9 Student

The Writer of the Month competition is more than just a writing task, it’s a chance for students to turn their thoughts and emotions into something powerful and worth sharing, and I would really like to encourage others to take part and share their work.

My poem, Forever (which can be found HERE on the WOTM website), explores the shift from idealised love to painful realisation, capturing how feelings can change when trust begins to fade.  Lines like “My heart no longer races, at the thought of forever,” and “You wound me further - forever” reflect this emotional change and the lasting impact of broken promises. Writing it helped me turn a dynamic between two characters into something meaningful and relatable.

I was grateful to receive feedback from Ms Condell, my English teacher, and Ms Pentland (who is the coordinator of this competition), which helped me refine and improve my piece through thoughtful edits.  I am also honoured to have been selected as a winner and awarded a $30 voucher from Benn’s Books, which was a really encouraging recognition of my work, and motivates me to keep writing!

Overall, Writer of the Month is a rewarding experience that gives students a voice, and I'd definitely recommend others to participate.

Aafia Fatima, Year 9 Student

Reflection on Love, and its Destinations

I wrote this poem because I truly believe that, at least for me, love is the meaning to most everything. Passion, joy, nostalgia, creativity; they are the feelings that give my life meaning. Within this poem, I tried to explore themes of self-love and a love of life after heartbreak, emphasising that it could often feel like losing a piece of yourself. This poem, to me, is about learning to embrace solitude and individuality instead of searching for yourself in somebody else, because in the end, you are always the only piece of yourself.

Love, and its destinations

Love can be found anywhere,

For it is what fills our hearts.

It is what builds us all up,

And tears us all apart.

Love is in our fingertips,

When handling with care.

Love is warm and gentle,

Like your mother braiding your hair.

Love is in our words,

So genuine and pure.

To tell someone you love them,

Is sorrow's perfect cure.

Love can make you crave,

Make sparks fly and make you shriek.

Love can be so strong,

That the feeling makes you weak,

But weakness leaves you hurt,

Fragments in a helpless abyss.

The truest love can leave you lost,

When you find something to miss.

But from your lowest depths,

Is where love begins to sprout.

When you start to love yourself,

Is when you will make it out.

Love is found in you,

If you do not find it in yourself,

In your perfections and your flaws,

You won't find it from someone else.

Love is truly everywhere,

It is always all around,

For it can speak great volumes,

Without needing to make a sound.

Agapi Sempelidi, Year 9 Student