SCHOOL NEWS

YEAR 10 CAMP

Year 10 camp was a thrilling and action-packed adventure for all who attended. Despite the long bus ride to Echuca, we enjoyed a scenic walk alongside the Murray River once we got there.

On day 2 we went to Billabong Ranch, enjoying once in a lifetime activities like camel riding, bungee trampolining, bouldering and petting animals. Afterwards we then went on the oldest paddle steamer down the Murray River and learnt about its history.

On Wednesday we panned for gold and went on a vintage tram ride in Bendigo. We were taught about the history and life of the town in the 1850s. We then continued the journey to Halls Gap and roasted marshmallows over a campfire, sung songs and played games in the evening.

Day 4 brought a breathtaking bike ride with views of the mountains and canoeing on a lake with beautiful scenery. Later, we hiked a mountain in the Grampians and while it was challenging, the stunning views were absolutely worth it. We finished the day with a slumber party and watched a movie. 

Our last day consisted of a scavenger hunt around our campsite and packing up to sadly head home. From exhilarating activities to evening card games and new friendships, this was a camp to remember. We also thank our bus driver, Nat, and our cook, Mel, for everything they provided! 

Anastasia Saliba & Alex Chatrattikorn, Year 10 Students

YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

Picture this… One day you wake up, supposedly a normal day, only to find out that you can't be seen. Invisible. You walk outside, and people stroll past without a second thought. They hear you speak and ask for help but convince themselves they're going crazy or hearing voices. Refusing to help someone in such a dreadful position. 

4,825. That's how many people in Victoria are homeless.1,158. That's how many homeless people are between the ages of 12- 24; that's 24% of all homelessness in Victoria. Homelessness has more than ever been invisible to the regular person. We turn a blind eye when we see someone in the street asking for money, assuming that “they're just gonna spend the money on drugs or alcohol”. Homelessness is the closest thing we have in this world to the power of invisibility. You're thrown onto the street with nothing to your name in a world where financial illiteracy is frowned upon.

McKinnon Secondary Colleges' Year 11 VM class has realised the extent of this issue. We, as a collective, are aiming to raise awareness and money towards the Lighthouse Foundation. The Lighthouse Foundation is a Victorian charity that supports children and young people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness by providing therapeutic homes, foster care, and community support. Its goal is to help young people heal from trauma, build life skills, and achieve a safe, stable, and independent future. 

In a world where $1 is worth nothing, to them, $1 is worth the world.  Please consider donating to the Lighthouse Foundation.  

Ashley Hill & Paige Smith, Year 11 VM Class

ORIGAMI IN MATHS DURING CULTURAL DIVERSITY WEEK

In Maths, we celebrated Cultural Diversity Week by doing Origami.

We were each given a piece of paper and challenged to find the best origami tutorial on YouTube to follow. At the end, our class had a competition for the coolest origami piece, with prizes awarded to the top three students.

Thank you to Mrs Nayyar for running this fun Cultural Diversity Week activity. 

Zoe McGrane, Year 8 Student

VEDIC MATHS DURING CULTURAL DIVERSITY WEEK

During Cultural Diversity Week, Mrs Nayyar introduced our class to Vedic Maths, where she taught and made us understand its origins, some key principles and also the unique methods of solving the maths problems. Our teacher also asked us to create PowerPoint presentations on Vedic Maths and present them to the class, after which we rated each presentation and shared what we had learnt from each slide.

Through her clear explanations and her engaging teaching style, she not only made the concepts very accessible for us but also constantly encouraged everyone in my class to participate with confidence. Her persistent enthusiasm and dedication created a very positive, welcoming and more inclusive classroom environment. Making it a better place to learn.

This incredible experience highlighted the overall importance of embracing and understanding different cultural traditions throughout Cultural Diversity Week, whilst recognising the valuable knowledge different cultures bring to our education system. 

Daniel Zhang, Year 9 Student

GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK

In Term 3 for our Geography Fieldwork we visited Kooyongkoot (Gardiners Creek) an urban waterway and investigated the quality and effects of human activities on the waterway. We looked at factors such as water quality, vegetation, biodiversity, human impacts and management strategies. Our aim was to collect primary data about the health of the Kooyongkoot waterway to determine how healthy it was. 

During the excursion, we visited three different locations at different points along the course of the creek. We went to Blackburn Lake Sanctuary, Glen Iris Wetlands, and where the creek meets the Yarra River at the confluence in Toorak. 

At each location, we analysed the management strategies and the health of the waterway and surrounding environment. We also identified the human features such as paths and recreational facilities and the natural features like the oxbow lake and the riparian zone. We analysed our findings for our report on the health of Kooyongkoot and created an in-depth evaluation.  A fun day was had by all!  

        Harit Grover, Year 8 Student