Sevenoaks Senior College Term 1 Newsletter 2023

HARMONY DAY

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Harmony Day is always one of the most anticipated events at Sevenoaks. Created in 1999 to celebrate unity and diversity, Harmony Day was originally an Australian celebration but is now marked worldwide. Whether you want to be better friends with your neighbours or stand in the shoes of another, we’ve got some harmonious habits and unifying ideas to make your Harmony Day a picture of peace.

Highlights of the day included old favourites and new activities and displays: our traditional international flag display; traditional African drummers and their inclusive workshop and performance on stage; Arty Umbrellas (the display lives on in our library); Westoz wildlife and their Australian animal collection that included a beautiful koala and two snakes; and Henna Tattooing.

Many students were resplendent in their national costumes showcasing their heritage and culture. There were many colourful performances, including dances by our Clontarf boys, the Deadly Sista Girlz, and performances by the music class.

As usual we celebrated with food from many different cultures and flavours. A big thank you to the hospitality students for this and for running the coffee cart throughout the event.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL DR KAREN READ

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2023

The first term has gone so quickly yet we have managed to offer our students many opportunities to contribute to, and experience, College life. As you will see, our staff have been very busy providing students with a range of learning opportunities both in the classroom and out in the community.

Our big highlight for term one as always is Harmony Day. With over 50 different cultures, it is a time for everyone to come together to celebrate our unique community through activities, food, song and dance. The images contained within this newsletter highlight students’ energy and participation on a wonderful day. Some students proudly wore their national dress whilst others had a great time on the dance floor. Food was served by our hospitality students as staff supported the supply of food with their own recipes, adding to the internationalflavour.

Students also engaged with: Student Guild elections; Follow the Dream and Big Picture Academy excursions; basketball and futsal interschool sport competitions; great in classroom activities; community arts network ‘Your Way’ dance video; charity futsal tournament for Hero Hunter Foundation; and got up close with a real Hotrodvehicle(itwasveryloud).

Find Your Future is our motto. We continue to explore pathways which meet the needs of our students. This year we are excited to add a Certificate II in Health Support Services and a Certificate II in Community Services to our offerings. Students quickly chose these as a pathway to their future. This will enable an assured pathway to many industries which are currently in demand across the community. For example, nursing, education assistants and aged care support are some areas which students will be given opportunity in. Another major initiative was an opportunity for some of our students to enrol in a Certificate IV in Nursing. These students will gain direct entry to university and a career pathway to nursing. In addition, students in 2023 were offered a major opportunity to enrol in Curtin UniReady which enables them to gain direct entry to CurtinUniversityuponsuccessfulcompletionofthefourunitprogram.

We are all here to support our students to be the best that they can be. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any support. I hope you all took the opportunity to attend our Parent Evening held late this term and gainedvaluablefeedbackaboutyourson/daughter'sprogresssofar.

I am very pleased with the start of the year and look forward to term two. In the meantime, enjoy a welldeservedbreakandsomequalityfamilytime.

DrKarenRead, Principal

I also offer a special welcome to three of our students who have joined us as international students, studying here at Sevenoaks: Osei Dorji from Bhutan, Dean Nguyen from Vietnam and Jamyang Dema from Bhutan.

- Dr Karen Read, Principal

2023 STUDENT GUILD

CONGRATULATIONS NOMINEES

Congratulations to the following students who have been elected to this year's Student Guild: Meryem Bozkuh, JV Francisco, Ella Giovenco, Charzie Janovro, Seed Kafesu, Ibrahim Rifai and Bobby Jay Taylor, who make up our Year 12 group, along with Alfredo Caneda Jr, Putu Ayu Baker, Azriel Fae Gepte, Jayden Hansen, Alina Hussain and Zane Daniels, who are this year'sYear11representatives.

These are the students who have been voted by their peers and teachers to represent the entire student body as Guild members in 2023, a truly fantasticachievement.Welldone!

Thisyear,ourGuildwill:

beleadersamongtheirpeers be the voice for their peers and help make decisions about what goes onhereatSevenoaks enjoy leadership team building activities such as the Guild overnight campandGRIPLeadershipconference fundraiseforworthycauses and planeventssuchasSevenoaksGotTalent

The process for crowning our Sevenoaks Senior College Co-Captains beginsearlynextterm.Wewishyoualltheverybestofluck!

A huge thank you to the Electoral Commission for providing the voting polls and completing the official vote count for this year's Guild election. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn the voting process before turning 18 and becoming active and informed members of our democratic nation. Thanks to all students and staff who listened to our nomineescampaignspeechesandvotedontheday.Weappreciateyou!

I am so excited about this year's Guild group. They are a fantastic representation of our cohort and I am so happy to have Big Picture Academy and Trade Training students in the Guild this year!

Ms Felicity Ivison STUDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR

Kaya and welcome to our first newsletter for 2023! It has been an action packed term with a number of absolutely fantastic opportunities for students of the Follow the Dream program. Here are just a few...

MEET THE CLASS OF 2023!

A huge welcome to our Year 11 students: Emy-Liam, Hinerupe, Nyeemah, Ciennah, Aprile, Maitland, Tyreece, Lucas, Benjamin, Malik, Shane and Dexter. Welcome back Year 12 students: Jade-Lee, Leticia, Georgia-Rei, Breanna, Tynan, Mehki and Dillon. We are so excited to have you as part of this year's Follow the Dream class of 2023!

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY - MORNING TEA

This term we hosted an International Women's Day Breakfast to acknowledge and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's achievements, struggles and contributions in all areas of life.

Various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women shared their powerful stories. Year 11 student leader and MC of the event, Nyeemah Gonzalez-Tammen, said "the event was a wonderful opportunity to elevate our voices".

Follow the Dream alumni, Aaliyah Nestoridis, was also invited to deliver an empowering speech for our audience. Aaliyah spoke about her involvement with the Follow the Dream program, her personal challenges and how she overcame them,and the strong role models in her family She called on young women to rally together and hold each other up towards a shared vision of advocating for change.

A big thank you to Franca Toffanello from BG&E, one of our sponsors, for attending and well done to our students. We are so proud of you.

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY - OPTUS STADIUM

Students from the Follow the Dream program attended WA’s International Women’s Day Breakfast Event at Optus Stadium on March 8. The theme this year was "Cracking the Code", which is about championing the skills of women in all areas of innovation, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Students were able to hear from notable women including:

Victoria Devine, creator of "She’s on the Money", Australia's #1 finance podcast

Michelle Cowan, Australia’s first professional female AFL coach Brooklyn, a Perth-based content creator and part-time content strategist

We are very fortunate to have so many women in Australia contributing in this area who inspire us every day.

WOLRD INDIGENOUS TOURISM SUMMIT

Congratulations to Year 11 student, Maitland Penny, who was selected to attend the World Indigenous Tourism Summit this term The summit was held at Crown and is funded by the Polly Farmer Foundation (PFF), coordinated by Youth Symposium Leaders, and supported by the Department of Tourism WA.

Speakers included those working directly in preserving, protecting and sharing cultural knowledge and sites; and how they are contributing to protecting the environment, especially in the face of climate change. This was followed by an interactive session facilitated by Australian leaders in the culinary space.

A truly fantastic opportunity for Maitland, who is studying towards his Certificate II in Hospitality and who has been part of our program since Year 7

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YOUNG INDIGENOUS WOMEN'S STEM ACADEMY - NASA

Congratulations to Year 11 student, Ciennah Nestoridis, who was selected to represent the Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy at the launch of the National Indigenous Space Academy, held in Adelaide this term.

As an Indigenous youth representative, Ciennah was selected from hundreds of students from government, independent and Catholic schools, most of whom took part in STEM extracurricular activities their home state or territory. Ciennah was one of only three Indigenous students from around Australia to attend. The launch of the National Indigenous Space Academy included a site visit and STEM conversations at Fleet Space Technologies. In addition to attending the launch of the National Indigenous Space Academy, Ciennah had the exciting opportunity to network with Katherine Bennell-Pegg, who was recently announced as the first Indigenous Australian female to train as an astronaut.

INDIGENOUS ARTS FOUNDATION - SEE IT BE IT PROGRAM

Congratulations to Maitland Penny (Year 11) and Breanna Johnson (Year 12) for being selected for the 2023 See It Be It program hosted by the Indigenous Arts Foundation. The program was held at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and featured various guest speakers and activities to expose youth to the Indigenous Australian arts scene.

Students had the opportunity to: be inspired by Shannon McGuire's long list of achievements, practice vocal training with Randa, experience a live news production with Michael Thomson from Channel 9, and learn about show business from HAMA Production's Hamish McSporran.

HARMONY DAY

Harmony Day was a significant day of celebration which allowed Follow the Dream students to share their rich Indigenous heritage. Year 12 student, Tynan Garlett, captivated the audience with a lively digeridoo performance while Year 11 and 12 Aboriginal students showcased their amazing dance skills. What a proud day in our path towards reconciliation in our community.

It was a privilege to be apart of this enriching event. It has given me the opportunity to meet people in the hospitality industry and build professional networks

Maitland Penny FTD STUDENT

BIG PICTURE ACADEMY NEWS

CONSTRUCTION FUTURES CENTRE EXCURSION

In February, Big Picture Academy students attended an interactive trades experience at the Construction Futures Training Centre in Belmont Students were given an interesting insight into the new technologies that are slowly being integrated into the areas of Building and Construction, Civil Engineering and Interior Design.

Students participated in interactive Virtual Reality activities, digital simulations and simulated roleplays. They were able to experience the roles of bathroom and kitchen designers, site management and supervision, and scheduling supervisors.

It is fair to say that we were all surprised by the variety of careers available in the construction industry and the many opportunities that are becoming available for women

Levi, our onsite lecturer and guide, outlined the myriad of career opportunities available for all skill levels and interests, focussing on VET and University Pathways as well as the more traditional apprenticeship routes to careers in the trades

Ongoing advice and support is available from the staff at the centre who are able to offer excellent career guidance to students who are interested

SCULPTURES BY THE SEA EXCURSION

Monday March 13th came around really quickly and suddenly it was week Week 7 and time for our annual runout to Cottesloe to see the Sculptures by the Sea.

This year was bigger than ever, as were some of the exhibits! Palaarn, the giant turtle, a Tribute to the Great White Shark fin, and the giant-sized Ghost Crab all grabbed our attention. Beautiful, bold and brightly coloured, there were lots to challenge our ideas, inspire our minds, or simply just make us stand still and appreciate the effort and the vision of the artist.

The Kiss Me love hearts were popular, and it was lovely to see the different generations all mingling around all the works of art, especially on such a perfect Autumn day. There was a lot to see in such a short time and plenty of content for some great journaling. An awesome excursion that students and staff look forward to every year.

- Sue Owen, Advisory Teacher

I think everyone had a different favourite but for me it was Bruno Catalano's Benoit and Hannah Kids Cacti that really stood out!

BPA WORKSHOP AND STUDENT NETWORKING DAY

In early March, the Sevenoaks Big Picture Academy participated in the inaugural workshop and student networking day at Yulebrook College We joined several other schools for a day of discussion around the Big Picture design and the potential it has to allow students to follow their passions and interests. There were students from Kiara College, Thornlie SHS, Northam SHS, Kelmscott SHS and of course Yulebrook College.

Students were asked to share their thoughts and ideas about projects and exhibitions, and they learned about the importance of internships and shadow days. Perhaps the most important message of the day was that we all need to take control of our learning needs and direction, and not be just a passive passenger on our learning journey Find your passion and you will find your pathway, whether you want to be an academic or an artisan, a leader or a team player, a carer or an entrepreneur; you will be successful if you love what are doing!

ELIZABETH QUAY EXCURSION

The Big Picture Academy students took a stroll through Elizabeth Quay this term to learn more about the Western Australian landmark that is located between Perth's central business district and the Swan River.

The students used the public art walk map to navigate themselves around the Quay and took photos of the various sculptures, statues and mosaics. They read the history of each piece and took time to study it Once they were finished reflecting, they then selected their favourite piece to sketch.

STUDENT GUILD REPRESENTATIVES

A huge congratulations to Year 11 student; Jayden Hansen, and Year 12 students; Ella Giovenco and Bobby-Jay Taylor, who were elected to the Sevenoaks Student Guild for 2023! This is the first time the BPA has been represented in the Guild and we couldn't be more proud of you! We are very much looking forward to seeing you grow as leaders and having you as the voice of the students in our program. Have the best time on your upcoming over night camp and congratulations!

KINGS PARK ORIENTEERING

Several Big Picture Academy students attended an orienteering excursion in the last week of a very busy term It was a lovely way to finish Term 1 and all our students completed the course in good time.

Drawing on map reading skills and a trusty compass, the students were able to follow the clues and complete the course in the idyllic setting of Kings Park The weather was beautiful, and the park was as stunning as always. Whilst we did not see a lot of the local wildlife, a couple of students were swooped by the local cheeky kookaburra who relieved them of a spring roll. As always, our students were impeccably behaved and we all managed to increase our average steps for the day!

COMMUNITY ARTS NETWORK

NOW SOUNDS 'YOUR WAY' LAUNCH

OnFridayMarch10,CommunityArtsNetwork(CAN)launchedtheworld premier of 'Your Way', a new hip hop music video produced by young people from Sevenoaks Senior College, Balga Senior High School, and the remote town of Kununurra. Created during CAN’s Now Sounds project, 'Your Way' showcases the incredible skills of over 80 singers and musicians, with lyrics in English, Vietnamese, Korean and Miriwoonglanguages.

We were thrilled to have the WA Commissioner for Children and Young People, Jacqueline McGowan-Jones, officially launch the event and honour the months of hard work and dedication from everyone involved. The red-carpet launch had over 130 attendees, including 90 enthusiastic students, both past and present, from Sevenoaks and Balga, who revelled in the A-lister experience. Our Principal, Dr Karen Read and Balga Principal, Mr Mark Carton, were also in attendance and wereblownawaywiththeleveloftalentandprofessionalism.

Theevent kicked off with a live performance of 'Your Way' alongside an afro-dance performance from the young people involved. It was then timetolaunchtheexclusivescreeningofthe'YourWay'video.

This launch was a beautiful celebration of how music and art can bring together different communities and cultures. We're so proud of the work that went into this project and the impact it has had on young people.Welldonestudents!

IN THE CLASSROOM

ART - CHINESE NEW YEAR PAPERCUT COMPETITION

This term, Ms Wilton's Year 12 General Art students completed some beautiful paper cut artwork in celebration of Chinese New Year. The art pieces were displayed in the Library where students and staff got to vote for their favourite. Congratulations to the following winners and to everyone for your amazing efforts: Irmuun Barsbaatar (1st), Ashley Gianan (2nd) and Juliana Agullo (3rd) all pictured left.

ART - FOOD FOCUS & LANDSCAPES

The Year 11 Art students have been focussing on food this term. They have explored various media and ground to create some fabulous artworks. Ms Wilton has been so impressed with the new Year 11 studentsandisthoroughlyenjoyingwatchingthemdeveloptheirskills.

The Year 12 Art students have been exploring media through various landscape and environment studies an continue to be wonderful role modelsfortheYear11's.

IN THE CLASSROOM

HOSPITALITY - SUBWAY STATION

Our hospitality students, led by Mr Armstrong, ran their very own Subway Station this term, inviting many classes to participate. Students looked very professional in their Sevenoaks Hospitality uniformsandcreatedsomeseriouslydelicioussandwiches.Thank youtoeveryoneinvolved!

HOSPITALITY - COFFEE CART

Our College coffee cart has been operating twice a week this term,providingfreebaristacoffeetoourstaffandstudents.

We are excited to announce that due to the popularity of our coffee cart, Mr Armstrong will be running a Cafe Culture microcredential next term for those students wishing to learn how to make and serve coffee. This will be an official qualification that could help you secure a job in the hospitality sector. If you are interested in being part of this brand new opportunity at Sevenoaks,pleaseseeMrArmstrongformoreinformation.

SCIENCE - TERRARIUMS

MsMcKnight'sIntegratedSciencestudentscreatedterrariumsthis term as part of an assessment task related to biotic and abiotic factorsinecosystems.

Students used recycled jars to house stones, soil, graphite and seedlings before giving their terrarium a healthy drink of water and sealing the lid. Students then monitored factors such as temperature, pH, humidity, soil life and plant growth over time and reported their findings. The learning outcomes related to ecologyandsustainability.

The Integrated Science course attempts to make science as "hands on" and relevant to everyday life as possible. Students will monitor their terrariums in class this term and will then have the opportunitytotakethemhometocontinuewatchingthemgrow.

PSYCHOLOGY - CAFFEINE AND HEARTRATE

We all know that caffeine gets us all up and moving ready to embrace the day, but what are the physiological effects of caffeine? Year 12 Human Biology students investigated this question to find out. Half the students drank a placebo and the other half a measured amount of coffee. No milk or sugar was added, which made the investigation not exactly enjoyable for thosewhoenjoyasugarfix.

Interestingly, results showed there was a minimal increase in heartrateandvirtuallynochangeinbloodpressure.

SPORT

FUTSAL

This term we participated in the Secondary Interschool Futsal Tournament at Kingsway Indoor Stadium We had two teams competing, made up of a range of both Year 11 and Year 12 students. The tournament consisted of 18 teams from a range of schools across the metro area. The Teal team had two wins, a draw and two losses across the day. The Navy Team were undefeated all day up until the last game against Shenton College, who featured players from Perth Glory This Navy team qualified for the Semi Final against Lake Joondalup Baptist College losing 4-2. Overall, the Navy team ended up placing 4th out of the 18 teams, which was a fantastic result! Special mention to students Adrian Cooper and Utsav Kandel who were stand-outs in their respective teams. Adrian also scored the most goals for Sevenoaks with 9 goals in 6 games. We are very proud of all the students involved and cannot wait for the outdoor soccer competition next term!

INTERSCHOOL BASKETBALL

Late this term, after some tough try-outs, our interschool basketball team travelled to Willetton Basketball Centre for the annual interschool tournament Our team performed very well and had some fantastic wins They played six games back to back with next to no break in between.

In the first match they were up against ‘powerhouse’ Rossmoyne, previous champions and a basketball academy school. Sevenoaks were on top from the tip off, played fantastically, and had a convincing win (35-31). Raphael Gayares also stopped play with one of the best ‘ankle breakers’ witnessed at an interschool game! Match 2 was much the same against Belmont We had a very fast start leading 8-0 in the first few minutes and went on to win comfortably (40-33).

Unfortunately the next match was very tough and taxing on the players who were already fatigued from the first two games We played Como and came from behind to draw the match (30-30). Our boys are a very fit crew but the next game against St Norbert's was hard St Norbert's have a well-established academy and a very experienced coach. Fortunately for us we also have a bit of experience too and caught onto a lot of their tactics. We were the only school that challenged them all day and it was great to see the St Norbert's coach and players out of their comfort zone. We came within two points but fatigue played a role and we went down to them in the end The St Norbert's coach sincerely congratulated our team for a ‘fantastic’ match (36-31).

The last match unfortunately wasn’t much to watch as our boys had seriously 'hit the wall'. Even with a number of injuries, the boys put up a good fight but ran out of legs towards the end against Clontarf

The team displayed fantastic sportsmanship all day and they had a great time. Special mentions to Gaurav Sharma and Mekhi Yarran who were the top scorers for the day and huge thanks to our amazing coach, Mr Middleton.

CHARITY FUTSAL TOURNAMENT - HERO HUNTER

Hero Hunter Foundation is a wonderful WA based charity that helps provide support for families with children who have cancer. This year, Sevenoaks was honoured to be part of Hero Hunter Day, which invites students all over Australia to dress up as their favourite superhero. We managed to up the anti and run a futsal tournament where teams were named after, and dressed as, their favourite superhero.

A huge thank you to players and spectators, and the Student Guild for all your help. Special shout out to our wonderful staff team featuring Dr Read, Mrs Burrell, Mr Flavell, Ms Wallis, Ms McLeay and Ms Davies from SSC, and Ms Geddes and Mr Griffiths from CCC. Well done to Power Puff Girls for taking out 1st place and Thanos Allstars who came a close 2nd after a penalty shootout! We are proud to announce the event raised $241 25 for this fantastic cause

HOUSEKEEPING

Our Year 12 Sevenoaks Senior College Ball is only a few months away and the countdown is now officially on! The 2023 College Ball will be held in Week 1, Term 3, on Friday 21 July. This day will also be a pupil free day, so students will have the opportunity to utilise the whole day to prepare for the event, which will be held at the Grand Ballroom at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Perth's CBD

This year's theme is Great Gatsby - think 1920's flapper style outfits and black and gold art deco decorations. Please remember that you are NOT required to dress to the theme if you do not wish.

A huge thank you to our Ball Committee who have been working tirelessly on posters, the playlist, table favours, awards and more behind the scenes We are so excited for you all to see their hard work come together! Tickets will go on sale early next term and payment plans will be available.

YEAR 12 BALL UNIFORM

A reminder that your outermost top must be school uniform. Please ensure you have purchased the school hoodie in time for winter! To purchase, please click the 'Order Uniform' button on the Sevenoaks Senior College website homepage or visit the Nell Gray website.

NEW LGBTQIA + CLUB: Q-MMUNITY

Term 1 saw the formation of Q-mmunity, a group focused on supporting and celebrating LGBTQIA+ identities at Sevenoaks Meeting each week, members have come up with great ideas on how to promote the visibility of our diverse student body We look forward to some exciting projects in Term 2!

NEW STUDENT SERVICES HUB

We were excited to unveil our brand new Student Services Hub this term, a safe space for all students to seek support, relax and take a moment for themselves This area houses our SS Manager, Ms Ivison, Youth Workers, Niamh and Michelle, School Psychologist, Les, School Nurse, Vanessa, and our brand new SS coordinators, Ms McLeay (Year 11) and Ms T (Year 12).

SEMESTER 2, 2022 AWARDS

This term we held a whole school assembly to recognise and congratulate our Achievement Award winners for Semester 2, 2022. These are the students who received the top mark in each subject or Certificate course. AlistofourwinnerscanbefoundontheCollegewebsitenoticeboard.

Students who received Endeavour and Attendance Awards for Semester 2, 2022, were also awarded during Advocacy on the same day. A huge congratulationstoallofourwinners!

TRADE TRAINING NEWS

HOTROD VISIT

Mr Triscari kindly arranged for his brother, Jon, to visit the Trade Training Centre this term to drop off some tyres for a Year 12 project. Students werepleasantlysurprisedwhenheshowedupinhis1939FordCoupe-ute!

Jon built the car himself over a period of 11 or so years, with the body styleuniquetoAustraliaduetoourAussieneedfortheute.

Jon is a Mechanical Fitter by trade and is a great example for our students of what a trade background can get you. Jon’s main role is shutdown work. He can be found on a plane or helicopter flying to a mine site anywhere in Australia or offshore on an oil rig. He commissions, repairs and maintains minesite plants and equipment for a living. He originally served his apprenticeshipatAlcoainKwinanastraightoutofhighschool.

Students loved having the opportunity to check out such a unique car and learnmoreaboutwhat'spossiblewithamechanicaltrade.