Celebrating with Year 10 - Personal Project Exhibition

After a year of planning and working to produce a final product, Year 10s were given their moment to shine at their Personal Project Exhibition. On Wednesday evening in Week 1, they welcomed Year 9 students and their parents to the Great Hall, where they shared their experiences and wisdom to the Year 9s, who set off on their Personal Project journey.

The Year 10 cohort celebrated the conclusion of their Exhibition with parents and senior staff the following evening. The Great Hall was certainly a frenzy of creativity, passion, enthusiasm and achievement. Our Year 10s undoubtedly excelled and were keen to share their accomplishments with those who joined them.

If you managed to walk through the hall and look at the exhibits last week, I am sure you would agree the standard of presentations was simply a credit to all involved. So many standouts, ranging from building and recording with drones, dress making, model building, fabulous sculptures, photography and incredible photography coffee table books, amazing creative artwork, including fine arts projects, music compositions, architectural models, a short crime novel, heartfelt recipe books detailing family favourites, a handmade spear gun, model building whether ships or action figurines, jewellery making including tradition Iranian bracelets, incredible videos focusing on topics ranging from self-image, skiing with the disabled, even one documenting learning and using American sign language, a purpose built beehive, a push bike built to charge a mobile phone, sport programs for elite athletes, service projects such as Generocity, Orange Laundry, Working at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital to Teaching Tap at Mudgeeraba Special School; development of a new Gold Coast Netball Club for Burleigh, computer builds, dance compositions and indigenous jersey designs…

The list is endless and represents the many varied interests and talents of our students. To put this journey in perspective, the Personal Project is a requirement for students in the fifth year of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP). The Project itself encourages students to practise and strengthen their skills, to consolidate prior and subject-specific learning and to develop an area of personal interest. The Personal Project provided an excellent opportunity for our students to produce a truly personal and creative product or outcome, which demonstrated consolidation of their learning in the MYP. The personal nature of the Project is important, given we ask Year 10 students to complete an assessment over a nine month period – the fact that it revolves around a challenge that motivates and interests the individual student, is what makes the final outcome so impressive.

So to all those students who were standing proud next to their products on Wednesday and Thursday evening, who worked diligently on their online blog and willingly shared their personal stories about their journey with others, we congratulate you. We recognise it is a mighty achievement that did at times seem daunting, yet you reached the end through determination, self-motivation and tenacity. All great skills to take you forward into Year 11.