St Vincent’s Age Care Visit
At Genesis, we take immense pride in the diverse array of opportunities available to our students. This term has been especially rich with camps, excursions, events, and activities designed to engage, challenge, and inspire. A recent highlight was hosting 197 residents from nine St Vincent’s Age Care facilities for a heartwarming concert. Our students showcased their talents through performances by Instrumental Music groups, Choirs, and Dance Companies, culminating in a delightful singalong of classic 'golden oldies' with the residents.
The event was further enriched by our Hospitality students, who prepared an amazing catered morning tea. It was truly wonderful to witness the meaningful interactions between students and residents, as our students absorbed the experience, wisdom, and stories shared by their guests. This concert exemplified one of the many ways our students can serve others, from welcoming residents to pouring tea and coffee, to performing on stage. This event beautifully demonstrated the college's core value of service, providing an unforgettable experience for both students and residents alike.
In light of recent discussions by national and state leaders regarding the regulation of mobile phone and social media use among children, our College is committed to fostering healthy digital habits among our students. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has acknowledged the need to limit children's use of social media, and South Australian Premier Peter Mainauskas has proposed considering greater regulations, such as banning social media access for children under the age of 14. These discussions underscore the importance of guiding our students toward balanced and healthy digital device usage.
This term, we have introduced the Alarm Clock Movement for our Year 7 students as part of our ongoing efforts to support healthy practices related to digital device use and social media.
Each Year 7 student has been provided with a traditional digital alarm clock for their bedroom, encouraging them to replace their mobile devices with this alternative. Our goals with this initiative are clear and impactful:
• No phones or digital devices in bedrooms overnight.
• All phones and digital devices to be placed in a central location away from bedrooms overnight.
• Reduce barriers to achieving a good night’s sleep.
• Improve sleep quality to aid robust mental health.
• Reduce negative online behaviours that occur on devices in bedrooms.
The Alarm Clock Movement aims to partner with parents in promoting the mental health and well-being of our students. By encouraging these practices, we hope to support parents in setting and maintaining boundaries around digital device use in the bedroom, thereby fostering a healthier environment for our children.
We believe that this initiative will not only encourage good behaviour but also empower parents to feel supported in enforcing these boundaries. A good night’s sleep is essential for the mental health and overall well-being of our students, and minimizing the presence of digital devices in their bedrooms is a crucial step in achieving this.
We invite all families within our College to join this Movement and commit to these practices. Together, we can make a significant impact on the health and happiness of our children. Thank you for your continued support.
Blessings,
Paul Sterling
It is with great excitement that we announce the appointment of our new Head Swim Coach, Dylan Stevens.
Dylan comes to Genesis Sport & Aquatics (GSA) after working for Swimming Australia for the last 3.5 years. Based at the Brisbane (Chandler) High Performance Hub for the past three years, Dylan has been working as the Assistant Coach to Olympic Gold Medal Coach and Australian Team Coach, Vince Raliegh. Swimmers in this program include Zac Stubblety-Cook, Elizabeth Dekkers, Mitch Larkin, Cate Campbell, and Ella Ramsey.
Dylan has coached a swimmer onto an Australian Junior Team (Junior Pan Pacs) and has led JX (Junior Excellence) Clinics for children aged 8-14 years. He is currently completing a term as a Swimming Australia Scholarship Coach. Through his Scholarship, Dylan has spent time at swimming camps, clinics, High-Performance programs, as well as coaching at a school-based program. We are extremely blessed to have Dylan come to us with the experience of working with – and learning from – some of Australia’s best coaches and athletes, combined with a Degree in Education (Primary).
He will finish his current position at the Olympic Trials and will begin working with us at GSA on Monday, 17th June. A quote from Dylan below:
"I'm very excited by the opportunity this new step in my coaching journey presents. I look forward to working with all the young athletes and families of Genesis Sport & Aquatics and assisting them in their growth as athletes and people."
Welcome Dylan to the team and look forward to his contribution to the ongoing success of swimming and swimmers at GSA.
Kind regards,
Brendan Keogh Director of Genesis Sport and Aquatics
Congratulations to our 2024 Secondary Athletics Carnival record breakers:
• Eliza B – 13 Girls 1500m – 5.09.57
• Eliana S – 13 Girls High Jump – 1.51m, 13 Girls Javelin – 25.66m
• Cameron E – 13 Boys High Jump – 1.54m
• Giselle B – 14 Girls 100m – 13.02
• Jared H– 14 Boys 200m – 25.07
• Matthew H – 15 Boys 100m - 11.86, 15 Boys Long Jump – 5.84m
• Meg A – 16 Girls Long Jump – 5.20m, 16 Girls Javelin – 28.34m
• Sam CW – Open Boys 100m – 11.28
Congratulations to our 2024 Primary Athletics Carnival record breakers:
• Kynsleigh M – 8 Girls 100m 17.26
• Connor J – 8 Boys 100m 16.48
• Cole W – 9 Boys High Jump 1.10m
• Georgie N – 10 Girls 1500m 6:11.88
• Sophie G – 11 Girls 1500m 5:34:98
Year 10 Subject Information Session and Mini Expo
This term, Year 10 students took part in an informative Subject Information Session aimed at preparing them for selecting their senior subjects. Led by Elizabeth Hobman (Director of Future Pathways) and Wayne Van den Bos (Director of Senior Phase 10-12), the session covered a range of topics including learning pathways, SET Planning, QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education), and ATAR eligibility (Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank).
Following this session, they participated in a Subject Mini Expo where they could explore the Year 11 and 12 subjects on offer. Students had the chance to interact with exhibits and speak directly with teachers, helping them make well-informed decisions about their academic pathways and senior subjects.
Watch the video here!
Earlier this term, Future Pathways department hosted the annual breakfast event, Future Horizons, featuring Genesis Alumni as guest speakers.
This event provided a unique opportunity for our Years 10-12 students to learn from a panel of Genesis Alumni as they shared their career and life journeys since graduation.
Featuring:
Sebastion Markx (University of the Sunshine Coast)
Pastor Mark Missenden
Kimberley Campbell (Alumni 2014)
Alisha Borodin (Alumni 2012)
Sarah Pelecanos (Alumni 2013)
Read more about our speakers on the next page! The morning was a fabulous success with attendees confirming it was an interesting and inspiring morning!
Future Pathways celebrated National Careers Week from the 13th May. This annual event is an initiative of the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) and is used to showcase what we do here at Genesis Christian College in this space. Daily Facebook posts have been shared and we do hope parents and students are now more aware than ever before of all the information and opportunities available.
Alisha Borodin (Genesis Alumni 2012)
Alisha Borodin is an accomplished Early Childhood and Primary Teacher with a wealth of experience across local, regional, and international schools. After completing her studies, Alisha took a leap of faith and ventured into her first teaching role in Longreach, Central Queensland. The move was a daunting one as it was Alisha’s first time away from home and she had no prior connections in the area. Embracing the small-town lifestyle, Alisha quickly settled in and made lifelong friends along the way.
After two years in Longreach, Alisha moved to London where she taught for three years. During her time here, Alisha worked in a range of educational settings including special schools where she trained in inclusive education. Returning to Australia, inspired by her overseas experiences, Alisha pursued further education, undertaking a Master of Education in Inclusion Support and Trauma Awareness. Currently, she balances her studies with her role as a Kindergarten Teacher and mum of twin boys.
Sarah Pelecanos (Genesis Alumni 2013)
Since graduating from Genesis in 2013, Sarah Pelecanos has made significant strides in the corporate world. Starting her career as a marketing coordinator, she quickly rose to the position of marketing manager and today, she is the successful owner of TwentyTwo Digital, a digital marketing agency based in Brisbane.
TwentyTwo Digital has experienced rapid growth since its inception in 2020, boasting a team of 10 full time staff and a range of prestigious clients including Domino’s, Studio Pilates, and Goodstart Early Learning.
This year has been a particularly exciting year for Sarah. In March, she was honoured as one of B&T’s ’30 under 30’ in the Entrepreneur category, and she has become a sought-after speaker and panelist nationwide.
Beyond her professional achievements, Sarah is passionate about giving back. She volunteers with RizeUp, a charity supporting families impacted by domestic and family violence, and mentors marketing students at UQ through ‘Newish’, a pro bono student-led agency. Here, she guides students in gaining real-world experience in digital marketing.
Kimberley Campbell (Genesis Alumni 2014)
Captain Kimberley Campbell’s career has been anything but ordinary. Since graduating from Genesis in 2014, Kimberley has completed a Bachelor of Arts with majors in International and Political Studies and Indonesian with the Australian Defence Force Academy. Since then, she has quickly risen through the ranks leading her first platoon at just 21 years of age and deploying to the Middle East at 22.
Kimberley has trained as a specialist in Amphibious Operations, meaning she has been responsible for the deployment of cargo and personnel onto landing craft and helicopters. Her role has taken her to every capital city in Australia and on multiple overseas missions across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands.
Currently, Kimberley is working as a Senior Defence Interviewer at ADF Careers and day to day she plays a pivotal role in recruiting new members to the Australian Defence Force.
Anzac Day
Genesis Music ensembles were honoured to perform as part of the College’s ANZAC Day Services. Genesis Chorale and Genesis Wind Symphony, Intermediate Strings and Bella Voce all prepared beautiful works to be performed as part of both the College ANZAC Services. A special mention and thank you must also go the Last Post performers, Owen Ross, Jospeh Arnold and Bright Antonio, who played at various services and events throughout the week.
QYMA – Queensland Youth Music Awards
We are celebrating many successes of many Ensembles who competed at the Qld Youth Music Awards (QYMA)
Intermediate Strings were awarded GOLD and were awarded second place overall.
Wind Ensemble were awarded Silver and performed to an incredibly high standard within the large section.
Senior Primary Choir were awarded Gold in their heat and were invited to compete in the final of the competition to be held this week. We wish them all the best.
Senior Strings conducted by Mr Paul Redfern were awarded Silver for their competition performance.
Congratulations to all our groups for representing the College with excellence.
Percussion Ensemble
This term our Percussion Ensemble 1 were one of five Percussion Ensembles invited to participate in a Combined Schools Percussion Showcase held at Brisbane State High School. This was a fantastic opportunity for our percussion students to perform alongside other schools and celebrate the unique percussion community.
Recitals
Friday 17 May 18 students and Friday 24 May 30 students had the opportunity to perform a solo or duet work. Congratulations to these students for their bravery for performing to their peers and families and for working so hard to prepare for this performance.
Mother’s Day
Junior Primary Choir and Senior Primary Choir performed beautifully for our special Mother’s Day morning tea and concert.
Thrive Week is coming up in Week 10! Thrive Week is a new initiative from our amazing Pastoral Care team. This week is all about focusing on the different aspects of Wellbeing and our students!
Thrive Week will focus on 5 key themes – one each day of the week – that support our students to be well, happy and to thrive! The key themes are:
• Monday - SAFETY
• Tuesday - CULTURE
• Wednesday - MENTAL HEALTH
• Thursday - MOVEMENT
• Friday – CONNECTION: YOU MATTER DAY
Keep an eye on the app for more information!
