Senior Student News

Year Twelve: End of year events

Thank you to all families for responses to the Graduation and Formal events.  You will receive communication this week via email regarding these events.  Please feel free to contact the Middle/ Senior College Administration office and speak with Mrs Leanne Bevis if there are any enquiries about upcoming events.  Thank you for your ongoing support as we embark on the final weeks of the educational journey at Pacific Lutheran College.

Year Twelve’s Service: Disabled Surfer’s Association Event

We had a wonderful turn out last Saturday, 27^th October with students and staff working with the Disabled Surfers Association event giving disabled children and adults an opportunity to ride on a stand-up paddle board and catch a few waves.  Thank you to Mr Ben Dutton, Dr Peter McMahon, Mrs Jo Belchamber, Mr Joe Doran, Mr Damian Davis and Mr Chris Bartlett for leading and supporting the day.  The next Disabled Surfers Association event is on Saturday, 24^th November at 8.30am – 12.00pm at Maroochydore Beach.  We will be seeking volunteers for this event closer to the date.  Thank you to the following students for your time and service: Jake Adams, Austin Beasley, Patrick Brennand, Jacob Cross Pitcher, Finn Davis, Mali Davis, Sophie Empson, Nathan Gale, Jack Gothorpe, Ethan Hall, Georgia Harle, Nathan Heinz, Michael Hewitt, Sophia Julian, Jackson Laverick, Lauren McCluskey, Olivia Papallo, Shani Shuttleworth, Joseph Simpson, Ryan Smart, Ruben Taverner, Harrison Dines, Anna Kraschnefski, Phoebe Swan, and Rebekah Pearce.  Austin Beasley has written a summary about his experience at this event below.

Have a great week.

Mrs Kim Bonello, Head of Senior College Students

The Disabled Surfers Association (DSA) is a charity organisation dedicated to give disabled men and women of all ages the opportunity to catch a wave, an activity of which anybody should be allowed to participate in regardless of their condition.

When I arrived at Ballinger Beach that morning, I was blown away by the many people there willing to give of their time. To see people my age being lifted out of a wheelchair and onto a surfboard was truly confronting, but then I thought of the bravery of these people to get out into the ocean. Each of the four groups of volunteers worked together to carry the participant on a big foam surfboard out through the waves and form lines to guide the surfboard as it came in. Whenever a surfer would reach the shore, or get on the board, there would always be a loud cheer from all of the volunteers. I must say that the whole time that I was there, I just couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face. To see the looks of pure joy on the faces of those who once thought, ‘I can’t’, was incredibly rewarding.

The DSA has three events each summer and requires only one morning of your time. I recommend volunteering to anybody 15 years-of-age or older who would be interested in becoming a DSA volunteer. This one morning means so much to these people and is a life changing experience for both the participant and the volunteer.

Austin Beasley, Year 11 Student