Genesis News & Events - March 2024 Edition

Karl Faase, a well-known Christian communicator, tells the story of Ned Trickett, the son of George Trickett.

George arrived in Australia 1834 as a convict from England. He was given freedom for a petty crime after 14 years as a convict. He went on to purchase land on Sydney Harbour. Shortly after, he started a stone quarry business. His four sons would help in the business transporting stones across the harbour in a rowboat. This was the start of an interest in rowing for his son, Ned.

He showed great skills in rowing and was noticed by a Publican James Punch who sponsored him to compete in London in the World Championships for Rowing. On 27 June 1876, Trickett won the race and became the World Champion. In doing so, he became Australia’s first sporting World Champion. A son of a convict, returning to England to become a World Champion … what an amazing story of a fresh start!

But this was not Ned’s only fresh start in life. He returned to Australia following his World Championship win and became a national hero. He went on to defend his world title some years later. He then moved to Rockhampton as a Publican and unfortunately his business venture failed. As a result, he faced tough times and was tempted to take his life.

One day when he was walking the streets of Sydney, he stopped to listen to a street preacher. Trickett was taken by his message and as a result was led to the Lord and Trickett became a Christian. This is a true story of redemption. From being a World Champion to facing despair and loss, Trickett’s story represents the heart of Easter a new beginning – a chance to start again because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

I trust that this Easter you and your family will find the hope, joy and fulfilment that Jesus offers us. I look forward to all that Term 2 will hold for us.

Blessings,

Paul Sterling Principal

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As we finish Term 1, there is much to celebrate and be thankful for. Highlights include our College Dedication Service, Primary Leadership Induction Service, NISSA Gala days, Junior School Teddy Bear’s Picnic, School Cross Country, Year 2 Bush Dance/BBQ, Movie Tunes and the completion of Stage 22.

God has blessed Genesis Christian College with so much. I am personally thankful for the Leadership team and wonderful staff that genuinely pursue excellent outcomes for our students and for God’s glory. Thank you, Genesis community, for your ongoing support and engagement.

Finally, if I haven’t met you personally yet, please take a moment to watch the video above!

Blessings, Jamin Lietze

Our Year 4 students welcomed Mr Price from Secondary to present to them about bees and bee keeping.

In Science, the children have been learning about the life cycle of flowering plants and the important role bees and other insects play in the pollination and fertilisation process.

The children enjoyed the presentation and tasting our yummy Genesis honey.

We all learnt lots of new and interesting facts about bees and agreed that bees are fascinating creatures.

Year4

BOOK TASTING

Our new English Unit focuses on Book Reviews and exciting genres and our learners were able to pop into our BOOK CAFÉ to taste different genres and select their favoured book to read for the holidays.

The tradition of presenting a Bible to every student entering Secondary was continued in Term 1. Year 7 students were welcomed with an amazing evening for students and their families, with a twilight retreat for students followed by a sausage sizzle supper cooked by volunteers. The priority of God’s Word being a light for students as they begin treading the path of their Secondary schooling was very clear. Form teachers prayed for the students and Mr Stuart Taylor handed every student a quality Bible for their Secondary years. Having the Word of God in the hands of students during Christian Life classes every week is a priority, but we know students find them helpful for their morning devotions in Form Class, and when subject teachers connect learning with passages from the Bible. The hope is it will also be a guidebook for their life beyond school. This could be aided by the Filament Bible App that interacts with every page of these student Bibles, providing study notes, videos, devotionals and more.

Find out more here

Our Year 7 Quest students participated in Quest Tank this term. Our budding business entrepreneurs first looked at food insecurity in our local community and ways in which we as a school can help. They then used their design and digital technologies skills to come up with a doable fundraising idea. Like Shark Tank, the students only had three minutes to pitch their presentation to their class and the class voted on the best idea.

In May, Genesis Christian College is running a new event called Quest Fest where the winning ideas get their time to shine as market stalls, to raise funds for the Mini Farm Project who grow food for meals on wheels.

All five Year 7 Quest classes will participate in this fun and festive event, and you are invited. We would love your support, so keep an eye out for more details. P-12 welcome!

This is a fantastic initiative where the students’ ideas are being used to bless our local community. Quest is growing student minds, growing food, and growing our hearts for our local community.

Join us. You are the difference!

Beauty & the Beast Excursion

Year 8 Dance & Drama, Year 11 Dance and Year 12 Dance had the delight and privilege of seeing the Beauty and the Beast Production at QPAC. The students were amazed and inspired by the outstanding elements of production including the costuming, lighting, special effects and choreography. Not to mention the wonderful performances of the talented cast and ensemble.

Australasian Dance Collective’s ‘Three’ Excursion

The Year 12 Dance class had the wonderful opportunity to see Australasian Dance Collective’s production of ‘Three’. Three choreographers: Jenni Large, Alisdair Macindoe and Amber McCartney developed the amazing works that the ADC performed. The evening was filled with creative experiences and the students were inspired by the exhilarating and versatile, contemporary choreography.

Shakefest Launch

We are thrilled to see that over 30 students have signed up to participate in Shakefest in 2024! Shakefest is a competition that allows students to extend their practical drama skills with the added benefit of enhancing their knowledge and understanding of Shakespeare’s works. Shakefest has been running for over a decade and attracts over 5,500 students annually to compete across the state with creative reinterpretations of Shakespeare’s plays.

Intermediate Dance Company – Easter Chapel

The Intermediate Dance Company had the honour of performing for the first time this year at the Secondary Easter Chapels. They performed their tender, lyrical piece “Amazing Grace”.

Secondary Drama Club – Easter Chapel

In a short number of weeks, the Secondary Drama Club did marvellously well to bring together a touching item for the Secondary Easter Chapel, called “The Commission”. The piece was written by the Drama Club teacher Stephanie McLean and effectively depicted the incredible sacrifice Jesus made for all.

Secondary Music Camp

Secondary Music Camp was held at QCCC Brookfield with over 100 Genesis musicians coming together. The ensembles had the most amazing time learning new music, eating great food, making memories, and enjoying making excellent music together. The camp ended in a concert for all the parents to enjoy.

Thank you to the Genesis Music staff who worked tirelessly all weekend, and to our Music Captains and Music Seniors for making this a super fun weekend for everyone.

Primary Music Camp

Concert Band, Bella Voce and Intermediate Strings had a wonderful time at Primary Music Camp this Term out at QCCC Brookfield. They enjoyed learning new music and making new friends. We had a special visit from our Head of Primary Mr Jamin Lietze who joined in with our woodwind sectional. Mrs Di Todd came along to spend time with our musicians and looked after the staff with coffee to keep them going. Thank you to the Middle School and Senior School musicians who came to mentor on camp.

Movie Tunes

We closed off the Term with a fun night of music at our Movie Tunes event. We loved seeing our audience getting into the spirit of the night by dressing up as their favourite movie characters.

Our audience enjoyed their favourite movie treats thanks to our Hospitality students and songs performed by our Genesis Music Ensembles including:

Genesis Big Band

Genesis Wind Symphony

Genesis Chamber and Senior Strings

Genesis Chorale

Percussion Ensemble

Our Year 10 students have just embarked on an incredible journey by signing up for www.thecareersdepartment.com But here's the best part – this fantastic resource is not exclusive to Year 10; students from Year 10 to 12 can dive into the wealth of opportunities it offers.

www.thecareersdepartment.com is like a treasure trove of insights, delving into diverse industries such as Advertising, Health, Design, Mining, Media, Tourism, and Hospitality. It's not your ordinary career website – it's an immersive experience that goes beyond the basics.

There's a staggering collection of over 800 pieces of industry content, ranging from virtual tours and videos to podcasts and career timelines. Students can embark on Virtual Work Experience and earn a certificate upon completion. Plus, there's a job finder, course finder, resume builder, e-Portfolio builder, scholarship finder, profiling assessment, and career goal tracking – all in one place!

Parents can join in on the excitement too. Your child can easily invite you from their account, or you can head straight to www.thecareersdepartment.com. Just follow the prompts as a proud parent and set it up yourself. A little tip: make sure your child has their account set up first, and when prompted, use their school email to avoid any unexpected charges for a new student account.

This is not just a resource; it's a game-changer for both students and parents. So, dive in, explore, and let www.thecareersdepartment.com guide your child on their path to future success!

We're thrilled to share some wonderful updates from our recent exchange with Minokamo. The Minokamo students and staff expressed their heartfelt gratitude, saying "Arigatou Gozaimashita- we truly had an amazing time together!”

This term, we hosted 35 Year 9 students from Minokamo for a short but incredibly enriching visit. They fully immersed themselves in our school activities and cherished moments spent with their gracious host families. Just last week, they celebrated their graduation ceremony, reminiscing fondly about their unforgettable experiences in Australia. We extend our deepest appreciation to our fantastic host families whose warmth and hospitality made this exchange so memorable. And guess what? They're eager to return next year for more adventures with the next group of Year 9 students!

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our Japan Outbound Exchange program for 2025! For over 22 years, our sister school exchange program has been fostering cultural connections and enriching experiences for students. Now, we're gearing up for the next journey.

If you have a passion for history, social studies, art, science, and languages, this trip promises to be an incredible opportunity. While students studying Japanese are given first preference, we welcome all applicants based on their individual merits.

Curious to learn more? Join us for the JOE 2025 Parent and Student Information Session on Tues, 14 May at 6pm in the main staff room. This session will offer a comprehensive overview of the trip, showcasing past JOE trip highlights and explaining some of the opportunities that await your child in 2025. It's the perfect chance to ask questions and meet our dedicated staff who oversee the program.

Look out for communications in early Term 2, as we'll be sending information home to parents of students in Years 8, 9, 10, and 11 for 2025. If you're eager to seize this remarkable opportunity, simply return the Expression of Interest form to attend the Parent and Student Information session.

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to Mrs. Shimizu, our JOE Coordinator, via email. We're here to make this journey as smooth and exciting as possible for you!

Secondary students are invited to attend our Japanese culture club, called “BU-N-KA-BU”.

The Club is for anyone who is interested to learn about Japanese culture! Recently, some of Year 11 students learnt to put on yukata (summer kimono).

We meet on Tuesdays Break 2 in S0. Please check the notices for room changes. For more information, contact Mime Sensei (Mrs Hayse-Gregson).

What’s been happening at GDA?

• Our GDA students are busy prepping for exams and our Eisteddfod Performance team is working hard towards their first ever GDA Showcase - an opportunity to perform their Eisteddfod items for the rest of the academy.

• We have a new Admin officer - Catherine Miers - Catherine is a Genesis mum with two kiddos in Prep and Year 1

What has been your Term 1 highlight?

• We want to welcome our new GDA families! It’s been an exciting start to the year!

Any key dates or events you’d like to remind parents of?

• We have our first ever Performance Team Showcase Saturday 11th May - 6.30pm. We would like to invite all friends and family of GDA to attend to support our teach taking the stage for the first time before entering the competition season. Book your tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/862593027967?aff =oddtdtcreator

• GSA Recap!

• Finishing off Term 1 2024 very busy in all areas and looking forward to the Easter Bunny deliveries!

• Genesis Swim School – extremely busy term with school swimming for students at GCC. The students are doing very well and improving all the time. Easter Holiday swimming intensives will be happening in the two weeks of the Easter Holidays. Levels 1-6 are welcome to enrol for fun-filled stroke correction lessons and water safety skills.

• Genesis Multisport had two athletes competing at National Championships in Western Australia this month.

Individual Junior Triathlon

Felix N 3rd

Eliza B 14th

Junior Mixed Team

Relay

All Ages Mixed Relay

Eliza B silver

Felix N gold

• Multisport Holiday Camp is back for the Easter Holidays – spaces are filling fast. If you want to join in the fun, please use the link:

https://forms.office.com/r/kkh3WZ67k6

• Starlight Super Swim Challenge was held during February 2024 and was open to the staff of GCC to join the GSA Team. Total donations raised: $14,751 | Total KM’s swum: 2,1952.92km. GSA was the third highest money raising team in Australia and finished as the country’s highest km swimming team! Huge thanks and congratulations to Rick Pendleton for organising.

• Come along to GSA and see the friendly team for aquatics, tennis, pickleball, fitness and multisport for your children

(https://genesissport.com.au)

Learn to Swim

• Key dates:

• Term 1 finishes after lessons Thursday 28 March.

• Term 2 2024 starts Monday, 15 April.

Easter Holiday Morning Swim Intensives are now open for booking!

• Dive into easter swimming and boost your child's swimming and aquatic literacy skills! Give your kids the gift of style and water confidence, for life! Unleash their full potential with our expert instructors.

• Fun-filled stroke correction lessons and essential water safety skills. Also, we will be giving the children some fun and activities in the outdoor pool across the week. Enrol today and watch them grow!

To book, please email swim@genesis.qld.edu.au or call 3882-9091.