Over the recent long weekend, local indigenous and established artist, Ms Narelle Urquhart and her daughter, Jessica, collaborated with four Art Committee students and facilitated by Mr Walker to complete a reconciliation project in the new yarning circle under the new Aitkenhead Building.
Marcus Ibsen, Nicholas Tan, Darcy Beynon and I painted and yarned with Narelle and Jessica. We loved being able to hear about Narelle’s journey from childhood to now and learn about the importance of reconciliation. This beautiful artwork about Indigenous and non-Indigenous people coming together further extends the amazing work many students have achieved on the College’s Barambah and Myall Creek trips.
It’s hoped the yarning circle is a safe place for students and staff to come together and respectfully discuss matters extending from the classroom where we can learn and build upon existing relationships.
My name is Phoenix Chapman, and for my Year 10 Personal Project, I decided to write a novel that encompasses the events of 9/11 and the efforts, actions and thoughts of the people involved in the harrowing day through five individual perspectives. It is dedicated to the past and present victims and heroes of 9/11, who are true representations of what the human race can and should be.
I am aiming to create a 150+ page novel, equating to approximately 40,000 words, that showcases the events and people that were involved in the attacks on America by Al-Qaeda on September 11, 2001. As mentioned above, I will incorporate five perspectives of the attacks into my novel. These will each have five parts to them and will revolve around a certain portion of the attacks.
In further explanation, Perspective 1 will be narrated by a boy on a school trip to the North Tower when the United Airlines plane hit, Perspective 2 will be expressed from the view of another teenager on the same school trip, this time in the South Tower. Perspective 3 discusses the prevalent events and emotions of passengers on the often forgotten and overshadowed Flight 93, which was crashed in a field at Somerset County, Pennsylvania by four ruthless hijackers. Perspective 4 focuses on a worker in the Pentagon, and finally, Perspective 5 is told from the point of view of the husband and father who killed Osama Bin Laden 10 years after 9/11 in a CIA operation in Pakistan. These perspectives will be composed in accordance with the utilisation of multiple primary and secondary sources – they will be told through the eyes of fictional characters (aside from Perspective 5), yet the events that occur inside of them and the people that they meet will be completely authentic. My aim is to print this novel with a self-designed cover, spine and back. This cover is exhibited in the image below, along with an excerpt of writing from the second part of Perspective 4. By creating this novel, I hope to educate people on the events of 9/11 via an entertaining medium.
So far, I have completed the content for my novel and my cover designs, however, I still have a long way to go. I need to edit this content and possibly expand on certain events or add new ones that I find through supplementary research, and then send it to my chosen printing company to transform my digital copy of the novel into its physical counterpart. I have learned various things in the process of writing this novel, including specific and general events of 9/11, its notable and lesser-explored victims, and the emotions that took their toll on this day of mourning. Moreover, my writing skills and ability to be creative in the sense of a plot, description and cover design have increased, and my time management skills have improved due to the deadlines that have been placed upon the project. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this novel, as reading and writing are both activities that I have been a passion my whole life, and I have had the chance to apply my knowledge with this task. Likewise, the events of 9/11 have always fascinated and terrified me, and having been on a trip to New York’s 9/11 memorial a few years ago solidified this. I saw this fascination and my love of literature as a perfect choice for a project, and I am very proud of my progress to this point.
My Personal Project idea was to research my Great Grandad as his first name (George), is my middle name. Due to never having the chance to meet him, I decided the researching him would be the perfect way to connect with and learn things about him to inspire me to live up to the amazing reputation he had.
Essentially, my Project is a book that will contain images throughout his lifetime as well as important stories and events that made him the respectable man he was. So far, I am in the process of designing and completing the book, I am using Snapfish to do this.
The number of stories, pictures and life lessons I have learnt through this whole project has surprised me. Learning about the many stories and seeing photos of him throughout his life I feel has really built a strong connection between me and my Great Grandad. Also, the life lessons he had, have made me want to be the best version of myself. The most stand out life lesson from him would be just how much competitiveness he shared for sport and how he always played with such sportsmanship and fairness.
I look forward to seeing what else I can find out!
Krule and Krusolik woke from a sleep, in a northern forest, a tundra forest, in a near broken teepee, far, far away, from home. The night before, Krusolik broke into an argument with their mother.
Krule, the younger brother, cried himself to sleep, he couldn't bear hearing them fight. It made him miss Fa even more.
It was 9 moons ago, Fa was a skilled hunter, leading a hunt for food. It was winter and it was getting colder, the clan's portions weren't enough, so Fa proposed with four other men to hunt a megalonyx, they’re huge and can feed many. Once they encountered one, more appeared, then more, then more. The men were dumbfounded at the sight. Then Fa realised, they were migrating North. Without any time to even think, two men ran at the beasts with sharpened branches, spears. Then a chaotic frenzy of claws wreaked havoc amongst them. Fa knew that no man could win this battle, not even him, so he fled behind a boulder. Hoping they wouldn’t catch his scent, he needed to blend in. He reached into his pouch for an unpleasant turkey carcass and tried to smother his body with its scent. Megalonyx were herbivores, they wouldn't bother a rotting turkey, thought Fa, they would rather browse on bushes. After the megalonyx left, he noticed one was behind, still scanning for berries. Fa knew he couldn’t come back to his camp without any food, so he rushed at the beast, with an axe in his hand, and flung it against its head, whilst also getting struck by its large, razor-sharp, murderous claws. Fa died a hero that day, but also left his wife and two kids.
Ma decided to retreat, further north, no clan, no people, no friends, just ourselves. Krusolik was just like his father, brave, smart, a skilled hunter, funny, but ever since Fa died, he got sadder and more serious. Krule also was sad, every night, crying to the spirits, praying for a blessing. He was smart and athletic and caring, now he must leave everything from his past.
When the sun woke up, shining its light of life, Krule woke up to check the fishing lines that Krusolik set the other day. When he counted, he saw two whole salmon. It must've been his hunger, but they looked delicious and more sparkling than any other salmon in the river. “Ma!” He screamed… nothing answered back. “Ma!” He screamed again… nothing. He went to her teepee to see nothing but her blankets and winter gear. Did she leave? Why? She can’t live without her equipment, thought Krule in a panic. He raced to Krusolik’s teepee, and luckily, he was there. “Where is Ma?!” He yelled. "Why, what happened," Krusolik asked with a sense of worry in his face. “I don’t know – she’s gone! We have to go look for her, she doesn’t have her winter gear or blankets!” Krule answered. “Let’s go then, bring her gear and food," Krusolik said.
They left the camp and began a search. It was hours and hours, and they still couldn't find Ma. Just when they started to lose hope and head back, they went backtracking and observed strange footprints… unknown footprints. They looked like a cross between a huge frog paw and a monkeys foot. But what was even more strange, was that it was greater than a mammoths head! Even though they were on a look for Ma, the brothers decided to track them.
It seemed as if they would go on forever until they led to a huge metallic looking object. A rock upside-down mushroom? Krule heard Fa talk about one, and how he had to escape one of them when he was getting chased by – something, Fa didn't know what was chasing him, he just knew he needed to get back to safety. As curious as ever, Krusolik yelled “Ma!” And of course, nothing answered back, but an unusual buzzing sound, then a mysterious figure appeared. "Hello, Eee- aerth- alingz, we have come to destroy your wor – “ Krule and Krusolik ran fast to get further away from… it. They couldn’t understand or see it, they only heard fumbled up sounds and noises.
This is when things got worse. They got stuck between the bottom of two mountain cliffs and it cornered them. “Listen, you don’t have to do this, just come onto our ship and- “said the stranger. Krusolik threw his axe at it, and it vanished! Then reappeared! Then charged. It launched a punch at Krule, he avoided and jabbed his dagger into its chest. The beast screamed in rage, then multiplied everywhere, swarming Krusolik and then disappearing into nothing with him.
In a bewildered and angry state, Krule yelled out “Krusolik! Where are you?” Nothing replied, but the soft peck of a bird seeking for worms, and a squirrel, grazing on a shrub. Krule went everywhere to find his brother, even the enormous upside-down mushroom. It was gone. It disappeared. Then Krule saw Krusolik, lying on the ground. “Krusolik, are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?” “I’m okay Krule, let’s just go find Ma.” Krule examined his body for healable wounds, but then he saw a scar on his chest, a dagger wound. Krule rushed for his knife and paused for a second and said, "You're not my brother… alien.” He jabbed his dagger into its head, as it showed its true form, and crumbled into nothing.
Krule sobbed all night, he couldn’t sleep. His life was full of violence, anger and death, and he now needs to let his soul rest. He realises this and sleeps, at last in peace.
In any ‘normal’ year I would say I have the greatest job in the world. I love music, I love the primary years, and I love teaching and learning.
This month has perhaps been the most significant time of adjustment I have experienced in my teaching career and I’ve taught remote!
A new school, a new (and incredibly beautiful) classroom, a few hundred new students and a new team of colleagues. I had done it before and I could certainly do it again! Then came Covid-19, an entirely remodelled approach to teaching and learning and I am sure, a few grey hairs on my head!
I am such an ardent advocate for my subject with consideration to the intrinsic value music carries in the development of the whole child. I have missed making music with students, guiding them in their learning and sharing in their moments of discovery and creativity. I have missed the community aspect of the arts, choral work, folk dances, singing games, instrumental ensembles and the buzzing lead up to an important event.
In this time, I have found it helpful to focus my energy on ‘silver linings’.
I have – for the first time in my professional career – met the teachers before their students! I have developed new instructional skills and explored new ways of approaching learning tasks. I have held successful zoom sessions with over 90 students at a time and have stretched myself as close to a fifth Wiggle as I could possibly ever be comfortable with! I have met students in the comfort of their own home and gained insight into their personal styles and interests. Most importantly, I have indulged in being a learner again!
I am sincerely looking forward to welcoming the students back to school in the coming weeks and taking care of them on their musical journey this year!
Who would have thought that in all my years of teaching P.E. I would, one day, end up teaching a ‘virtual’ P.E. lesson via Zoom? To put things in perspective, Joe Wicks is not worried that I have become the latest 'Nation’s P.E. Teacher' nor have I become an overnight YouTube sensation.
Thanks to the amazing technical support from our wonderful Information Technology Team, I have dipped my toe into the water of online delivery of P.E. Also, thanks to the Junior School teachers and teacher aids who gave time and assistance to enable me to go live.
My first session with Year 5s, we smashed out a 20 minute hit workout, the feedback was great, students seemed to be engaged and working up a sweat. I started to believe that this virtual P.E. could actually work.
Next challenge? Preps! 70 little faces appearing on the screen as we did our routines to Witch Dr, and our now infamous, Hey Baby Spartan dance.
Athletics at home? No problem thanks to Mr Mark Ladbrook giving his time and expertise to help our Spartans practice their running, shot put and long jump.
My biggest challenge? Leading our Junior School staff through Hey Baby for the FRI-YAY dance. I will just leave it at that.
What will draw out the words “I love you Mum” on Sunday? Magic kisses that can’t take away the pain, but mysteriously ease the hurt.
Words that actually say nothing, but somehow are just the advice you need to hear. A hug with little strength, but enormous power. An intuition that is rarely logical, but nearly always right. These are just a few of the reasons we love our mothers every day; but will want to really celebrate them on Sunday.
On Mothers’ Day we are not celebrating how wonderful mothers are, which in most cases is incredible, we are thanking them for all they have been and the many amazing things they have done, often at a great personal price.
This Mothers’ Day make sure you take some time out from the froth and bubble – breakfast in bed, flowers and chocolates and presents, the lunch when all the family comes together – and spend some time reflecting on the beautiful memories.
Dwell on all the times she left her work or recreation to help you with your projects. Relive when she held you close while you cried out your fears or frustrations. Recall the words of encouragement that made you try harder, and the words of praise that helped you accept that you had done well. Visualise those tender moments when she was the only one who seemed to understand you. Laugh at the memory of the carefree, or sometimes just stupid, things she has done when she has been enjoying her family.
Above all, if they exist, put aside any frustrations, disappointments, or enmities; this is not the day for them and giving them voice will provide no comfort. It is in focusing on the good and happy thoughts that the power to overcome the negative ones is found.
And when all is done, be sure to give her words of thanks for your fond recollections. Write them in your cards, say them with your gifts, announce them in your toasts and, as you leave, whisper them in her ear and follow them with the most powerful words in the world “I love you Mum.”
Britney Ingr, our champion and the fastest school sport sprinter in the state, has been training with Commonwealth Games athlete Riley Day. Day is the youngest woman to win the 100-metre to 200-metre double at the Australian Championships and competed in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Australian team by winning the 200-metre in a personal best of 22.93 seconds.
Ingr has been maintaining her strong fitness foundation whilst waiting for the COVID-19 restrictions to be relaxed. We do not yet know if her beach sprints and/or track competitions will resume this year. Regardless, to be asked to train alongside one of the fastest females in Australia is a very big deal for a young teenager.
Ingr will surely be giving Day more competition in the near future.
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