Christian Service – Student Reflections One of the distinctive features of an education at Trinity College is the number of opportunities staff and students are given to become involved in serving others, such as: • staff and senior students serve homeless people with the Red Cross Soup Patrol every week during school term • students volunteer to play soccer games with refugee and migrant youth from the Edmund Rice Common Goal program • providing supplies to St Vincent de Paul Society, The Shopfront and St Bartholomew’s House. Additionally, we have core programs at each year level that gives each student a chance to make a personal commitment to Christian Service. Students are always asked to reflect on their service experiences in the light of our faith and here we share some of their reflections from 2021.
Year 8 ‘Our Neighbour’
Year 10 ‘Experience Counts’
I made cupcakes for my older brother because he had homework to do. Jesus provided food for people and the cakes I made were sold at the cake stall, to raise money for LifeLink.
The journal writing from the Year 10 students reflect on some of the lessons they have learnt from the stories they have heard from the elderly and the challenges they have faced during COVID-19.
Matthew Collins (8.4)
I have a strong relationship with my grandparents and elderly relatives. I value their wisdom and the stories they tell because they’re interesting and it informs me on life. I listen intently to those stories and I visit them as much as possible, showing my love for them.
Jesus made other people’s lives easier by performing miracles. I made other people’s lives a bit easier by doing tasks for them. Luke Boudames (8.3)
Year 9 ‘Restoring Relationships’ Year 9 students helped in local primary schools one morning a week for three weeks. It opened my eyes to how many children could benefit by having an older person help them out with their work and guide them. We are inspired to do this as Edmund Rice did for young boys, by making a school for them and getting them off the streets. His story inspires us to want to be like Edmund and Jesus, to help out where we can. Chad McKie (9.6) My experiences with the children helped me grow as a person because I realised that helping out and donating just a little bit of your time for others, makes you feel happy and proud of yourself. Will Norman (9.8)
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SUMMER 2021/22 – TRINITY NEWS
Joshua Gomes (10.4) Elderly people have wisdom and life experience that helps society because their life experience can teach future generations, the lessons of the past. Young people can bring vitality and excitement into lives of elderly people, who may find life boring, when they are confined in aged care homes. Damon Christianopoulos (10.4) Elderly people are human too and the way some of them are treated in aged care, violates their rights as humans. Staff need to take time to understand the elderly and be patient when caring for them. John Van Beek (10.8)
