Community Connections

An important component in the development of students is inspiring them to adopt a sense of civic responsibility to the communities they live in (beyond the school context).

During May, the College has focused on supporting the Caloundra Salvation Army with the Red Shield Doorknock Appeal (held last weekend), holding a causal clothes day to raise additional funds and collecting non-perishable food donations. Thank you to the 167 students from the Middle and Senior College, parents and staff who assisted with the collection from the Pelican Waters and Wurtulla areas. We raised just under $7,000 and thank the community for your generosity and ongoing support.

External to the College, a number of Year 12 students also participated in the 'Relay for Life' charity event, which was strongly supported by some of our parents too. This was an initiative organised by a group of senior students on top of and external to the College's term focus of fundraising for the Salvation Army (as these students also collected for the Red Shield Doorknock Appeal). They are reported to have raised over $2,500 for cancer research.

Walking with young people to provide opportunities where they can volunteer their time to assist others is a pursuit that will benefit their personal growth and lifelong experiences immensely. It is great to see students take initiative and serve beyond the school context. Another service learning opportunity for Senior College students is the Cambodia trip at the end of this year. If you are in Year 10, 11 or 12 and interested in this service learning experience, please see Miss Michelle McMillan. To inspire your thinking, here is a reflection shared by College Captain, Emily Brewster about her experience on this trip in 2014.

Two weeks in a third world country: an opportunity like no other.

When I first signed up for Cambodia, I thought it would be a pretty amazing experience. But since going on the trip, it’s literally been life changing: so much so that on my gap year next year, I’m planning on volunteering in Cambodia.

While the trip is mostly about learning about Cambodia’s history and culture, which at times is quite breathtaking as it’s vastly different from Australia’s, there’s also plenty of other fun stuff to do. Not only did I learn about Cambodia by visiting temples and museums and going on boats, I also got to see elephants, an amazing sunrise over the famous Angkor Watt, experience my first tuk tuk ride, participate in a traditional Cambodian cooking class, learn to barter at the markets and enjoy an afternoon at a day spa.

My favourite part of the trip would have to be visiting multiple schools. At the schools, we played activities and games with the students. While at times there was a language barrier, this didn’t stop their smiles and laughter. The food in Cambodia was also very different. It’s not everyday that you get to eat deep friend tarantula and frog legs, is it?

Overall it was a very unique experience, where I learnt many things, formed stronger bonds with the girls on the trip and the teachers. So, if all the above sounds like something you would like to experience, I would highly recommend going on this year’s trip. If you want to find out more, I’m happy to answer any questions or talk to you about it!