Newsletter, Term 2, 2024
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Principal Message
Animals & Permaculture
Community Events
English
Grads
Health & PE & Interschool Sport
ESDP
Humanities
International Student Program
MAP
Performance Arts
Science
Technologies
VCE VM
Visual Arts
TCNEWS
Principal Message
Congratulations to everyone on a great term 2! The term has been non-stop with many activities, excursions and other events taking place throughout the term. The range of activities taking place is also amazing, with something for everyone!
Some highlights for the term include:
Our 2 Robotics team competing at the VEX Robotics World Championships in America
End of Semester Showcases for Music, Drama and Dance
Rehearsals for Matilda the Musical going in full swing
Our new Bike Ed program for our Entry Students
The VCE VM Escape room
The many, many different excursions held
Many, many more throughout the school!
It has been great to see the depth and range of the activities available to our students. Term 2 this year has been a long term, and while it has been tiring for everyone involved, there have been many opportunities for our students to take advantage of.
Each year, term 3 brings the excitement of the Course Planning process as our students look ahead to 2025 and beyond. There are a few disruptions as we hold student parent teacher interviews and course counselling day, but these will give an important opportunity to get more information and then confirmation on plans for 2025. At this point, it looks like we will have a few new subjects on offer and also some old favourites returning. It is key to us that we keep on challenging the status quo around what our subjects look like to make sure that we keep on finding authentic and empowering ways to deliver the Victorian curriculum.
I encourage you to look through the excellent newsletter. It contains such a range of activities that it might give you some inspiration for things to do in term 3.
Congratulations once again to all for your contributions towards the TC Community in term 2.
Peter Ellis
Principal
Animals & Permaculture
Zoos Victoria Youth Leadership Program 2024
Hi TC Community! I’m Jessica and this term I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of Zoos Victoria’s Youth Leadership Program, an 11-day experience at Melbourne Zoo, including two camps to Healesville Sanctuary, focused on leadership development and animal conservation. During the program, I was able to reflect on my strengths and weaknesses as a leader, core values, and set goals for the future. I learnt a lot about threatened species and the immense efforts that the Zoo is making behind the scenes to protect them.
We also focused on an overarching project that had driven us over the course of the program: collaborating together to develop a community engagement plan for the small town near Healesville surrounding one of the last safe spaces, called Haining Farm, for the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum, which is a cute, tiny little thing that is unfortunately being threatened by cats and foxes and habitat loss. There are now only about 30 or 40 of them left in the wild! However, there is still hope for them if they can thrive in Haining Farm.
Conservationists from Zoos Victoria have been working tirelessly to bring the Leadbeater’s back from the brink of extinction, but they needed the support of the community. So, us youth leaders met with various stakeholders such as the local primary school, vets, Parks Victoria rangers, and representatives from local environmental groups to spread the message, gain feedback, and gauge how the community felt about the cause. Afterwards, we worked in groups to brainstorm ideas that would increase community engagement, make Haining Farm more interesting for visitors, and the Leadbeater’s possum more worth caring about. We came up with recommendations such as volunteer events, fundraisers, and increased facilities and presented these back to our peers and the Zoos Victoria staff, which will be used by next years Youth Leaders to continue to help the Leadbeater’s possum.
Aside from all the serious business, I’ve had many enjoyable, unique encounters with animals both in and outside of the Zoo, such as making enrichment boxes for giraffes and spotting Helmeted Honeyeaters at Yellingbo Reserve. One of my favourite moments was when we went out spotlighting for the possums using heat sensing cameras and possum calls and were lucky enough to see several of them! It was a magical experience and I was distraught that those little creatures hopping nimbly from tree to tree were so close to extinction. It renewed my motivation to raise awareness and support for threatened species and hope that one day they will be safe again.
All in all, Zoos Victoria’s Youth Leadership program is an amazing opportunity, and I would highly encourage anyone to give it a go! I’m also going to start working on a project here at TC, similar to the Leadbeater’s project, where we can also take steps to protect wildlife and become a Fighting Extinction School. If anyone is interested in being part of the team to get this happening, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d love to get you on board!
By Jessica Ryles
Bush Dance
On Friday the 21st of June, TC had inaugural Bush Dance! The amazing bush band/dance callers we had for the event, Bushwahzee, helped us all get our dancing shoes on and to fire up our communal dancing spirt. On the night we had a Raffle with a top prise of a pair of Merry People Boots for the lucky person who won them along with some of the TC Bee Club's finest honey and vouchers for the TC nursery, with all of the money raised going towards establishing an indoor/outdoor classroom in the TC Market Rotunda.
Throughout the night we had a team of students and teachers working to make baked potato's for those lucky enough to have bought one to enjoy. The amazing teachers and students who planned this over the last term, were able to see their vision come all together with so many families enjoying the night with puffed out lungs from all the fantastically fun dancing throughout the night. Even with our change of venue the day before due to the freezing temperatures outside our team of students and teachers rallied to still put together an amazing event.
And I think that after this event, maybe winter isn’t so bad after all?
By Jack Wheeler
HarvestED
Since the beginning of term 2, a small group of dedicated students from TC have worked together to participate in a Victoria-wide online Youth Forum called Harvest ED, organised by the Asia Education Foundation (AEF). The goal of the 4 session program was to educate and broaden secondary school student's (from Victoria) interest in sustainable agriculture and horticulture practices. The first few meetings were held online, via Zoom, and we discussed innovative and sustainable farming methods that we believe should be implemented in Australia and other places worldwide.
In each session, we unpacked information-filled 'modules' which were informative topics about sustainable agriculture that we learnt and explored. Some of them were; Past, Present and Future farming, Planning for the future with guest speaker Heather MacDonald from The Crawford Fund, Food Security and Seeding Change.
We learned about these modules through group discussions and online resources such as Padlet, discussing ideas with other secondary school students across Victoria. We unpacked thought-provoking issues such as fossil fuels and the global food shortage and brainstormed ways to reduce the impact of these issues.
One of my favourite modules was the Seeding Change 'Banana' module, where we unpacked the idea of "The perfect piece of fruit/veg". We learnt how massive produce companies discard perfectly edible (and delicious) fruit and veg simply because they look different. An example of this was the Banana. It was interesting to learn that linear bananas are thrown out in massive loads because they aren't as appealing in the public eye. We discussed how we should implement more innovative and sustainable ways to educate people on this matter, and we were able to ask passionate educators questions we had and offer our opinions!
As a young person and an Australian citizen, it was intriguing to learn more about where my food comes from, and how to reduce my carbon footprint. It's amazing what you can achieve in an online forum!
We also had the unique opportunity to listen to Lachy Mackenzie speak about his work, which is working as the education programs manager for the Common Ground Project. The Common Ground Project is a "Regenerative farm and social enterprise on a mission to connect and empower our community through food & farming." - https://www.commongroundproject.com.au/
The fourth session was a face-to-face meeting where we had the opportunity to head into the city and meet at Melbourne University. It was my favourite out of all the sessions because we got to take part in engaging experiments learn about the cool projects at Melbourne Uni and explore the campus. We listened to two students talk about their school life and their goals for the future in Agriculture, as well as talk to a professor of agriculture and horticulture. One of my favourite things was the Glasshouse/greenhouse tour, where we got to fully immerse ourselves in the experiments and life of the plants they were growing. It was fascinating to learn about the collaborations Melb Uni are doing with massive corporations like NASA!
One of the highlights of the day was making cheese with our peers. It was a fun and interactive way to get to know each other as well as learn new skills!
Engaging in these forums has been a rewarding experience for me, as I've had the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and develop important skills. I definitely recommend these forums as they are a great way to make friends, build leadership skills, and have a great time!
https://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/
By Mietta Palmer
TC Journalist
Aviary for Life
Thanks to the North East Link Community Fund, many passionate volunteers, our TC maintenance team, and our Animals students and staff, we are so excited to see our Aviary for Life begin to be loved by our native birds and the many students who work to care and maintain the space. The Aviary for Life is a large wheelchair accessible aviary that has been co-designed with students and Healesville Sanctuary with the support of our incredible Animals staff team. The purpose of the space is foster knowledge of native bird species and habitat whilst supporting conservation and providing a nurturing and inclusive space for community to interact with nature. Thank you to everyone involved in the dreaming and creation of this space! For Aviary for Life enquiries, please contact Kate Meehan (KME@tc.vic.edu.au).
Bee Club
This term in Bee Club we finally harvested some honey! We also made bees wax fabric wraps and looked at some bee parts (from some of the less lucky ones) under the microscope. Bee Club also contribted to a couple of fundraisers at the Bush Dance including donating some of their honey to the raffle and making lovely hot chai tea. Bee Club is the best!
Animals Instagram
Community Events
33rd School ANZAC Service
Local Primary and Secondary Schools were invited to the annual Schools ANZAC Service on Tuesday, 23 April, this service has been run by the Rotary Club of Templestowe which marks its 33nd ANZAC Service. TC school community leaders and captains attended the service. Luca Huges and Delanah Schelbach laid the wreath for our school community at Templestowe Memorial Park.
This event has provided generations of local school children with firsthand opportunity to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.
The program included a prominent citizens giving an address to the crowd. Australian Defence Force School of Signals Simpsons Barracks provided the Catafalque party, with Doncaster Secondary College provided the music for the event.
TC Bugler Emily Dean provided the service with the Last Post and Reveille the haunting sound of the bugle which echoed across the Templestowe Memorial Park.
Emily has been a bugler for the past eight years. Emily started using the trumpet when her mum brought it home and she started to play and soon realised that she had potential to become a bugler. She has played the Last post and Reveille for Doncaster RSL and during COVID outside her home. She is now a regular player in the Box Hill Academy Brass and Melbourne Youth Orchestra. Congratulations Emily on your fantastic job.
By Donna Smith
In military tradition, the Last Post is the bugle call that signifies the end of the day's activities. It is also sounded at military funerals to indicate that the soldier has gone to his final rest and at commemorative services such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
The Last Post is one of a number of bugle calls in military tradition that mark the phases of the day. While Reveille signals the start of a soldier's day, the Last Post signals its end.
The call is believed to have originally been part of a more elaborate routine, known in the British Army as "tattoo", that began in the 17th century. In the evening, a duty officer had to do the rounds of his unit's position, checking that the sentry posts were manned and rounding up the off-duty soldiers and packing them off to their beds or billets. The officer would be accompanied by one or more musicians. The "first post" was sounded when he started his rounds and, as the party went from post to post, a drum was played. The drum beats told off-duty soldiers it was time to rest; if the soldiers were in a town, the beats told them it was time to leave the pubs. (The word "tattoo" comes from the Dutch for "turn off the taps" of beer kegs; Americans call this "taps" or "drum taps".) Another bugle call was sounded when the officer's party completed its rounds, reaching the "last post" – this signalled that the night sentries were alert at their posts and gave one last warning to the other soldiers.
The Last Post was eventually incorporated into funeral and memorial services as a final farewell, and symbolises the duty of the dead is over and they can rest in peace.
Senior Formal
Athletics Day
Students and Teachers decked out in their community colours, with their game faces on ready to compete in the annual TC's 2024 Athletics extravaganza!
On Monday morning, with the sun shining brightly, the birds chirping, and the atmosphere electric with excitement. The TC community was prepared for a day full of competitions, games and activities at Doncaster Athletics track!
Grads Fancy Dress
The day started with a heartwarming smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country, given at the centre of the track, where we all gathered to listen to special guests Aunty Zeta Thomson and Simone Thomson.
Welcome to Country by Aunty Zeta Thomson and Simone Thomson
"An Acknowledgement of Country is different from a Welcome to Country, which is a formal welcome onto land and can only be delivered by Traditional Custodians or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been given permission from Traditional Custodians to welcome visitors to their Country. An Acknowledgment of Country is a way of showing respect for the Traditional Custodians and can be given by both non-Indigenous people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are connected to another place." nurragunnawali.org.au. This centuries-old tradition was such a high honour for the TC community to take part in. "For thousands of years, Aboriginal people have employed Smoking Ceremonies to cleanse places and people of bad spirits to promote the well-being of our people as well as guests in the Country. Contemporary smoking ceremonies may involve a Wurundjeri Elder and/or a younger Wurundjeri community member carrying a portable tarnuk (wooden dish) containing coals and wet leaves around assembled guests. Alternatively, guests may gather around a dedicated smoking site." https://www.wurundjeri.com.au/
It was such a privilege and honour for us to take part in this ancient welcoming ceremony and we feel so grateful for this opportunity.
As the sun slowly peeled away from the clouds, the activities began. Throughout the day, smiles began to appear as contestants crossed the finish line, showing enthusiasm for sport and contributing to helping their community win! As an incentive, chocolatey treats were on offer to any person participating in a race!
It was a joy to see students proudly wearing brightly coloured ribbons. Many activities were available for people of all different abilities and passions. Nintendo games, track and field events, a costume contest, stalls offering games, various art activities and so much more! The sausage sizzle was a big hit, and the student-led stalls selling homemade treats and crafts were a great success. There was truly something for everyone!
Towards the end of the day, Duncan Sadler ran a community costume contest and we got to see students parade around in their community colours putting an extra colourful touch to a lovely day. The reward was a big block of Toblerone!
One of the many highlights of the day was the Kids Helpline fundraiser, organized by Kate Dickenson. The fundraiser's goal was to provide a generous donation to help support Kids Heath line to ensure that all children, young people and adults at risk are safe from harm, and are respected and nurtured to reach their full potential in life. "To help me raise money I got some teachers to participate. At each $100 mark from 100- 1,000, I had a different teacher do something. " She says.
Some of the things they did to raise awareness were competing in events such as Shotput and 1500m race. But the main incentive to donate was that at the $1000 mark, Jeremy Carr would shave his head.
Overall we raised $853, which is remarkable! Although we didn't reach the $1000 mark, Jeremy willingly had his head shaved whilst we all gathered around, watching in astonishment. What a good sport! Also, thank you to everyone in the community who donated, it's extremely appreciated!
Now, for what everyone has been waiting for. You might be wondering which community gained the most points and brought home the shiny golden trophy...
In fourth place, with a valiant effort, we have the Green community. In third place, we have the Gold Community, who put up a great fight. In second place, a close runner-up, we have the Blue community. And finally, in first place, with a remarkable performance, let's give it up for the Red Community! Congratulations, Red community, you truly deserve the trophy! We also want to extend our gratitude to everyone who attended. Thankyou for making this day one to remember!
By Mietta Palmer and Ruby Egan-Douglas
TC Journalist
HOPE TOUR
The Hope tour has gone to many schools around Australia, including TC in the past and now they are back! To show off their amazing talents live in the PAC to the FLE 1 students on Thursday the 6th!
The Hope Tour is a not-for-profit organization established in 2002, focused on the mental health and well-being of youth. They strive to deliver a message of hope, empowerment, self-worth and resilience to today's youth. The organization achieves this through, "Creating a sense of purpose and belonging and ensuring every young person feels like they are somebody". They have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of dance and community on the lives of young people.
The group did many different acts, dancing, freestyle rapping, storytelling and dance battles. Everyone loved the energy the dance crew brought to the environment with their sick dance moves and interactive experience. Everyone was clapping along. All sorts of genres of music were danced to, evoking feelings of hope. Students at TC had the opportunity to jump up on stage for a dance battle. Pip Sheran stated that "Going up in stage was super fun. It was great to be able to dance alongside the others and get involved in the performance."
Violet Muleta was one of the students who got to take part in the dance battle "It was really good to get up there and get out of you're comfort zone, I felt a bit scared but I didn't really care what people thought of me I have never danced in my whole life so it was kinda funny". She says.
Blake Young is a freestyle rapper from LA and we were lucky enough to see him perform. He was super engaging with the crowd hyping everyone up and getting them involved in his amazing freestyle rap! He certainly was talented. Blake told a touching and heartfelt story about his childhood and past before finding The Hope Tour group. It was inspirational and gave the audience hope. He said, " Hope can come in people you don't expect". Pip said that her "favourite performance was when Blake got people to come to the front with different items and he made a rap about it. Super Impressive"
Violet expressed, "Something that I felt during the talk was a bit of happiness was that no matter what you are going through there will always be someone to push you or just to be there for you so overall a great experience and I would love to have them back".
Blake Young also led a chant " I'm strong, I'm free, Cause of what I got in me" and turned into a rap with the TC students cheering along.
Once the show had come to an end, students had the opportunity to meet the people on the Hope Tour. One student challenged a dancer to a backflip contest and they bonded over their tricks and skills hyping up the crowd that formed around them.
"I loved Hope Tour!! It was amazing that we were able to get them to come to TC and see so many students engage with the program. There were so many smiling faces. and I hoped every person was able to leave the room being reminded of how much they matter". Pip says
Big shout out to Pip Shearer and Ryan Griffith for helping this wonderful opportunity become a reality!
Support is available at TC
In Swing in the community spaces
Kids helpline - 1800 551 800
Make sure you follow TC’s youth workers on Instagram Templestowe College Youth Workers (@ywattc) • Instagram photos and videos
By Ruby Egan-Douglas
RAISE youth mentoring program
This term in the wellbeing team we collaborated with RAISE to start the one on one youth mentoring program. It has been wonderful watching the students build rapport with their mentors, gain confidence and different skills. We look forward to continuing the program in Term 3 and watching them graduate from the program!
Community Cross Country
TCs best runners came out for cross country, sprinting around the school in preparation for district. 🏃
Congratulations to the top 5 male runners with impressive scores for a 3km run.
Sulivan Brown - 12:52.03 (FLE 2)
Julian Keenan - 13:40.57 (GRAD)
Eden Bayley - 13:54.44 (FLE 1)
Max Kong - 13:58.09 (FLE 3)
Angus Stacker - 15:55.25 (ENTRY)
And to our female top 3, all who go through to district. See how we went in district in the sports section!
Jessica Ryles - 16:58.41 (FLE 2)
Zoe Farrow - 17:53.00 (FLE 3)
Alice Farrow - 17:53.36 (FLE 1)
Paired with our IDAHOBIT celebration, pride was on display as students ate rainbow popcorn 🍿 and splashed each other with colour 🌈. We were luckily enough to dance to @djcoopersmith 🎧🎚️🎛️ who along with bringing the good beats is also a disability advocate helping us realise follow your passion, be that sport, music or anything else! 🕺
Community Table Tennis
This term the TC table tennis competition in Swing! It took place at lunchtime on Thursday the 16th. Both staff and students had the opportunity to take part in the competition a great opportunity for strengthening connections within the community.
It was a tough competition, the rules were each round would be 5 minutes first player with 11 points won or the player with the most points after 5 minutes was up. 4 tables were set up and the battle for first place began. Music was playing and the room was filled with fierce competitors and supporters. Congratulations to 1st place to Nadia Di Fazio (staff) and the top student was Jamie Sarisky. A big shout out to Duncan Sadler and the Student leaders who made this competition possible.
Community Soccer
Congratulations to the Green Community who won their first community event this term - taking out community soccer, a great effort by all!
Biggest Morning Tea
The grand tally for the Templestowe College Staff Cancer Council's Biggest Morning Tea fundraising is $691.24. Well done TC!
Thank you to all staff who attended the morning tea to support the Cancer Council's work. We took this opportunity to reflect on the far reaching affects of cancer and think about those who have been impacted by cancer in our community. A warm and wholesome way to start the day. Thank you to the organising team!
Entry PBL
In Term 2 Entry students had a 2-week Project-Based Learning program (“PBL”) across their Maths and Science classes focused on the big question; “How can I offset the impact of the energy I use getting to school”. In classes they learnt about energy, energy efficiency and ways we use energy in our daily lives through food, electricity and transport. They learnt about renewable and non-renewable resources we use for electricity production and how food miles, processing and packaging of food impact the environment.
In the second week students worked on their solutions and were coached in how to elevate their message to influence others to change their behaviours or choices too.
There were many challenges in this PBL including staffing shortages due to illness and the students needing to turn their solution into a presentable form in a short period of time. But we did it!
The final showcase was well attended by parents and the Manningham Major and Deputy Major who came along to see the students’ work were very impressed at the creative, sustainable solutions our students came up with.
Students were asked to reflect on how they went with their project both individually and as a group.
Here are some of the comments:
“The first poster we mad turned out so bad so that set us back a little bit but we kept trying”
“When we got distracted, we would try to get back on task by informing each other that we need to stay on task.”
“I was proud of the project because I worked with my partners and helped sharing work as well.”
“We presented to the mayor and got a full approval and a photo with her.”
“My slideshow looked really pleasing as well as being quite organised.”
“I was able to research information well and i was able to communicate well with my partner.”
“I learnt new things when i did this and am proud of what I presented.”
FLE1 PBL - Model United Nations
Over the last week all FLE1 students have been working towards participating in a Model United Nations forum. The United Nations is an international organisation focused on maintaining peace and security, and ensuring international cooperation.
Our students were able to choose one of three focus topics to investigate, debate, and pass a resolution on: the militarisation of space, refugees and asylum seekers, or climate action. Focusing on their topic of choice, students then organised themselves into teams and were each allocated a country to represent.
They had to learn about their country's demographics, politics, and stance on the issue before putting together a position statement outlining their country's views. The week culminated in a 2 hour forum, where students debated diplomatically and voted on their draft resolution. It also involved a lovely morning tea where delegates from each country could mingle and make deals.
This is the second year that TC has run the Model UN PBL, giving students the opportunity to develop their EMS skills in active citizenship, working with others and creative thinking.
Refugee Week
Week 10 of Term 2 coincided with International Refugee Week and a dedicated group of students and staff committed to doing the Act for Peace ration Challenge. This was TC’s 7th year participating and we raised $3926, with our top fundraiser, FLE 1 student Alex Fernandes raising $742.
This year we were lucky to secure a live video meeting with the CEO of Act for Peace, former Sudanese refugee Elijah Buol OAM who told us his amazing story and congratulated us not only on this year’s fundraising but on how we have as a school community raised nearly $50000 dollars over the past 7 years – an amazing effort!!
In addition, the students organised a collected of donations for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and we hosted Niro, a Tamil asylum seeker, to cook lunch in our school kitchen. Students helped to chop mountains of carrots, onions and potatoes and even Peter Ellis popped in to chop a potato or two for a Connect TV episode 'Peter does stuff'. Thanks to all those who ordered lunches or take home dinners we raised over $1000 for Niro.
What a generous and empathetic school community we have.
Thank you everyone who supported us this year,
Meg Bailey
Ration Challange
Doing the ration challenge was difficult, the meals were disgusting, repetitive, and not very nutritious. It's horrible that refugees had to eat like that for years and years. How would you feel if you suddenly were told to leave your home at a moment's notice? My fundraising goal was $312, I raised $582! I'm glad I could help them and make others more aware by doing the Ration challenge. - Willow Hunter
The ration challenge was more of a challenge than I thought it would be. At the start of the week, I tried to stay hopeful, but eating plain rice with salt became very boring. On Tuesday, I realised a had access to a few teabags, so lived off 4 cups of tea from 1 teabag. I also spent Tuesday cooking the rest of my food, making bean and tomato mix and bean and lentil burgers, which I ended up disliking. I made falafels and fried rice which I did like, a lot and I made flat bread. For the next 3 days I lived off plain rice, falafels, flat bread and the best thing of the week, fried rice. After only doing 5 days of this, I was so bored of the food, I feel horrible that people have to live like this for years. It was a great experience, a lifechanging one and I feel great that the $742 I raised will go to helping people in need, so that they don’t need to live like that. - Alex Fernandes
We are so close to our goal of $4,000 and you can still donate now at - Templestowe College - Ration Challenge Schools 2024
English
Words 1 - mystery and suspense project
Student responses to this unit:
Callan – I liked the isolated world theme of ‘Signs’ - how they were on a farmhouse with nobody to help them.
Phoebe – the child Morgan in ‘Signs’ had asthma – I related to this – especially as the alien threatened him.
Hannah – I like the new film ‘Night Books’… there are different styles of suspense, it’s different, very engaging, very different to the slow burn style of ‘Signs’.
Giles – I liked ‘The Sixth Sense’ and the jump scares.
Hannah – I liked how we picked our tasks from the table tasks.
Students created their own PowerPoints on a variety of texts which had a ‘twist’ at the end. Students were provided with a table of tasks from which they could choose 6 to complete and viewed the films – ‘Signs’ and ‘The Sixth Sense’ by Shyamalan and read a chapter from the novel, ‘Wolf on the Fold’ by Judith Clarke. Students could choose to research phobias, write suspenseful endings and create a scary story.
Samples of students work
Phobias
Hannah Leahy Baulch
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - the fear of long words. This is believed to stem from the experience of being embarrassed because of pronouncing words incorrectly or misspelling long words.
Arachibutyrophobia - the fear of peanut butter sticking to the top of your mouth. In some cases people can eat small amounts of peanut butter but in other cases they are so scared they cant eat any at all.
Daniel Sanders
My fear is the fear of closed spaces – claustrophobia. Once I was on an elevator and it didn’t move; I started to panic and get so worried. I imagined myself being trapped, forever. But the doors weren’t closed properly, and they were easy to open – just lucky!
Suspenseful Writing
Callan Amtstaetter
My terrifying time:
One time I decided to go into a tunnel with my brother and a friend of his to have a picnic. The thing was that this tunnel had an absurd number of spiders, and I had arachnophobia so I knew that it would be very scary for me traveling through the tunnel. I think the only reason that I did go was how it gave a sense of excitement and adrenalin - little did I know how frightening it really would be.
The entrance to the tunnel was surrounded by soft greenery, some shrubs and low darker green trees with many fern leaves. An all-around very nice place except I was in a state of nervous anticipation of the spiders.
“Don’t panic” my brother started “but there’s a golden orb weaver right there.”
I then immediately looked at the spider, had a mini heart attack and said,” Well damn!” followed by a nervish shiver .
“Yeah, I’m going to go around that,” responded my brother.
“Me too.”
“Nice start at least.”
We proceeded through the foliage to the tunnel and to be honest I don’t think I would have gone in without it being a picnic…
Giles Francis
Matt slammed the car into reverse, but it was already too late. Matt was frightened to see a weird creature sitting in the car.
At first, I couldn’t understand why I had woken up then I felt the icy fingers close around my wrist. I shot up like a rocket. I slowly began to look up to see a ghost sitting on my bed.
Aidan Francis
My worst nightmare was when I dreamed of a clown! It had red hair, and a white face with the usual clown makeup and costume…but it made a scary noise like a screaming ‘heheheheh’ sound. As if it was coming to get me! I was scared and I was frozen! I couldn’t move. Then the nightmare would just end and I would wake up. Relieved…
Daniel Sanders
“KYLE” “KYLE”, I yelled, “it's like a maze in here”, I murmured.
I felt a sudden tap on my back, it sent a breath-taking shiver through my whole body, I had a gut feeling that it wasn’t Kyle…
Voice of Country Literature Excursion
Students visited the NGV and the University of Melbourne to enhance their understanding of Indigenous Culture with an emphasis on representations of Country. An unexpected highlight of the excursion was seeing the today show being filmed in Fed Square and getting selfies with Karl Stefanovic!
Grads
Grad Camp
Dress as a TC staff member
Grad PJ Day
Grad Movie Night
To celebrate the last day of Unit 3 Classes we ran a fun evening event for Grads. Friday 14 June was our Grad Movie Night down in the PAC. Grads rocked up in PJs, Oodies or comfy clothes to watch the movie – Pitch Perfect they enjoyed some tasty snacks and spent 2 hours with friends having a laugh and a little bit of singing.
Health, PE & Interschool Sport
Sports Competitive Elective
The Sport Competitive elective recently had a fantastic opportunity to coach primary school students in developing fundamental movement skills during their P.E. rotations. Over three weeks, TC students focused on underarm throwing and kicking (off the ground), helping younger students improve these skills.
Initially, support was provided for planning and session delivery. But as the weeks went on, this support was reduced, requiring the elective group to work together and support each other in managing all aspects. It was great to see successes for both the primary students and the elective coaches, who stepped up to with greater responsibility and leadership.
The elective students took each session seriously and critically reflected on what worked well and what could be improved. Their dedication and thoughtful approach ensured a positive and impactful experience for everyone involved.
Outdoor Rock-Climbing Bouldering Excursion
Our outdoor education classes spent time learning the basics of climbing and bouldering this week. Classes from FLE to VCE 1-2 and VCE 3-4 had the opportunity to experience and practice at Urban Climb in Blackburn. We had about 50 climbers over the week. Most climbed for the first time and now have the opportunity to enjoy a 2 week membership at the venue.
Outdoor Ed Unit 1 Camp
VCE 1-2 Outdoor Education spent our camp exploring the Wonga Park and Warrandyte area this term. We had loads of fantastic activities to do, including Rafting, River Sledding, Caving, bushwalking and Rock Climbing. Our students used school tents and equipment as well as did all our own cooking. Our guides were amazing and gave us great feedback on how knowledgeable and well prepared we were. Highlights included our time on river, sledding was cooler but we had all the right gear; as well as our climbing day in Warrandyte. Amazing fun. "5 Stars - would recommend"
Eastern Metro Cross Country
After some great results at District Cross Country
15Yr F: Jessica RYLES - 2nd
15Yr M: Sullivan BROWN - 1st
15Yr F: Zoe DEARMAN - 12th
14Yr M: Eden BAYLEY - 4th
16Yr F: Zoe FARROW - 3rd
20Yr M: Julian KEENAN - 4th
These runners headed to the Eastern Metro Regions looking to get spots in the state cross country. A big congratulations to Sullivan and Eden who qualified for state new term!
AFLW Gala Day
This term the intermediate AFLW team headed out to a gala day at Elgar Park. TC fielded a team of 14, and dominated in their first game to make the final.
Game 1 saw TC walk away with a score line of 14.9.93 to 0.0.0
Goals to Muletta 6, Parker 2, Harbison 2, Young 1, Morrison 1, Muliaumasealii 1, Khedup 1.
Game 2 was an absolute arm wrestle which saw the girls unable to overcome their competitors. With a strong attacking opposition, our resilient backline was locked in a fierce battle for both halves!
Our AFLW team had a great day out and worked so well together, with many of them meeting for the first time to play!
interschool sport
Senior Badminton
Silver Medal 🥈 at division badminton - congrats to the team
Senior AFL
Senior Soccer
Senior Netball
Intermediate Boys Football
On Thursday 16th May, a team of keen intermediate boys ventured to Elgar Park for a day of AFL. Playing three games against Warrandyte, Ashwood and Heathmont the boys managed to kick a few points and get on the scoreboard throughout the day. Giving it their everything every game, they did not let defeat dampen their spirits. The team should be commended on their positive attitude and support shown to each other throughout the day! Well done
Intermediate Girls Netball
On Thursday 16th May two intermediate netball teams headed down to Ashwood netball courts to compete against a variety of schools in the sunshine. TC had an A and B team competing. Both teams did us proud by being competitive, persistent, and demonstrating teamwork and sportsmanship. Team A won two out of their 4 games, moving on to play in the semi-finals, losing in a very close game. After a slow start Team B won 3 out of their 5 games, moving into the semi-finals where they also lost a close game. All the players did a fabulous job.
FLE 1 Netball
FLE 1 Netball
On the 4th of June, it was 8:30 in the morning and we had just gotten to school and been given our netball dresses. We got on the bus and after about a 20 minute bus drive we arrived at Ashwood Secondary College for a start time of 9:15. For our first game we lost by 1 point. then the second game we lost as well but then the third game we won by about 5 points. So that was good. Then it was lunch. Then we played 2 more games and we won both of them but sadly we didn't get into the finals so we sat and watched while the other teams played in the finals. Then jumped back on the bus back to school. In the end it was a really fun day playing sport and spending time with friends.
By Ally and Camille
Intermediate Badminton 🏸
FLE 1 Badminton 🏸
Entry Netball
Entry AFL 🏈
Elite Sports Development Program - Basketball 🏀
U17 Girls 3X3 Champs
Term 2 was very busy for the ESDP Basketball Program with the finals of the 3x3 competition and the Finals of the Victorian College Championships (VCC).
The 3x3 finals were held in week 1 with all our girls’ teams making it through to all the Grand Finals and coming out Champions in the Under 17 and Under 20 age groups. In the under 20 finals were saw the unique opportunity for Matilda, Imogen and Eleanor Trout to all play together on the same team. The boys weren’t able to come away with a trophy, but all competed well and were certainly in the mix.
U20 Girls 3X3 Champs
The VCC round robin competitions were held in weeks 3, 4 & 5 and we once again saw all the girls’ teams advance through to the finals days which were held during week 10. The junior girls got knocked out in the semi finals while both the Under 17 & Under 20 girls both made it through to the Grand Final. Both teams saw their opposition play a zone defence for the entire game and both teams lost by 1 point after being up by 4 points with a minute to go. The under 17 girls going down to Box Hill Secondary and the under 20’s losing to Wesley College.
We were proud of how the girls played and are confident they learnt from the experience.
In week 10 our senior boys hosted Toowoomba Grammar School for a friendly game at Templestowe College. It was great for all our students to experience the feel of a big game being played on our home court. Toowoomba was loaded with Qld State players and while we competed well for four quarters, they eventually ran away with a 16-point victory. It was a fantastic experience for our players, and we will certainly look forward to hosting more games like this on our home court.
July school holidays are when the National Championships for under 16 players are held, and we wish two of our basketball students’ success at the tournament. Joe Buckle will be representing Vic Country and Matilda Trout will be with the Vic Metro teams, we hope they both come away with a win and have a great time at the tournament. If anyone is interested in going to have a look, the Championships will be held in Bendigo the second week of the holidays and most games will be live streamed.
During the term we also had some visits by some of our graduated students who joined in with our senior early morning sessions. Dyani Ananiev who currently attends the University of Portland, Lily Carmody, soon to depart for Butler University and Chantal Vitale Youth League all came in a showed the senior boys some lessons on how to play!
It’s great to welcome former students back into the program and with Tayha Watkins, Isaiah Harvey, Amos Harvey and Gene Vasiliadis all on our part time coaching staff we are developing quite a strong relationship between past and present TC players.
Humanities
Yakult Factory Tour
On May 29th, the 3/4 Business Management students visited the Yakult Factory in Dandenong. This excursion offered an in-depth look into operations management at a well-known probiotic beverage manufacturing company. The visit aligned with their Unit 3, Area of Study 3 (U3AoS3) Operations Management curriculum, covering topics such as technology development, quality management, corporate social responsibility, and global considerations.
Students witnessed the entire production process, starting with the inputs of machinery to transform water, skim milk powder, sugar, flavoring, and bacteria into Yakult. They observed bottles being manufactured on site, labeled, packaged into five and ten packs, and finally loaded onto crates for supermarket delivery. Additionally, students learned about the on-site quality control measures and got a peek into the laboratory where Yakult samples undergo random testing.
During the tour, each student received a free Yakult drink and an information pack detailing Yakult products and business objectives, which will be extremely useful for exam preparation and school-assessed coursework revision.
Overall, the insights gained from the trip to Yakult have greatly benefited students as they apply and reinforce the content of their classwork, school-assessed assignments, and real-world applications.
Old Melbourne Gaol Excursion
Recently, the FLE Humanities students from Templestowe College embarked on an educational excursion to the historic Old Melbourne Gaol. This outing offered a unique opportunity to delve into Melbourne's rich history and gain a deeper understanding of 19th-century prison life.
The day began with a guided tour of the gaol, where students walked through the eerie cells and narrow corridors that once housed some of Australia’s most notorious criminals. The knowledgeable tour guides shared captivating stories about the prison's history, shedding light on the harsh conditions inmates endured and the infamous characters who spent time behind its bars.
To cap off the day, the students participated in an engaging re-enactment of Ned Kelly's trial. This interactive activity allowed them to step into the shoes of historical figures, debating the evidence and experiencing firsthand the drama of one of Australia's most famous court cases. The re-enactment not only made history come alive but also encouraged critical thinking and lively discussion among the students.
Overall, the excursion to Old Melbourne Gaol was an enriching experience that combined history with hands-on learning, leaving Templestowe College's FLE Humanities students with lasting memories and a greater appreciation for Melbourne's past.
International Student Program
Uni Open Day
Every year a University Open Day is held specifically for international students. International students have different requirements when applying for universities and this is an opportunity where representatives can walk them through different courses and pathways they might have on offer for the students. Some examples of local universities were RMIT, Monash and Deakin but there were also universities from Queensland, NSW, Canberra and Tasmania in attendance. This year we had our international grads and also some of our local EAL grads participate.
Bus, Train and Trams - Language Centre using PTV: TC - Box Hill - City - TC
On April 29th, 2024, students from the language centre travelled by public transport to Box Hill and then made their way into the city. Using public transport and going shopping were included in their social studies and life skills curriculum. Tasks were given to students to complete.
They used Myki as their tickets to travel on trains, trams, and buses in Melbourne. They visited one of Melbourne’s most identifiable sites- Flinders Street Station; The retail hub of Melbourne -Bourke Street Mall; Two major department stores in Melbourne - David Jones and Myer; A varied five-level shopping and dining complex featuring over 300 retailers -Melbourne Central.
After getting off the tram, we passed through The Block Arcade which is located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. As an essential feature of the Golden Mile heritage walk, there was so much to see and explore including - restaurants, cafes, boutique clothing, art, gift shops, and vintage jewellery.
Through this excursion, while students learned about the history and architectural style of shopping places, they also had practical experiences in taking public transportation and shopping.
Healesville Sanctuary Excursion
Our Language Centre students have learnt about Australian animals this term. We ended the term with going to Healesville Sanctuary. We asked the students to write about their experience.
B Dang: On Monday, we went to the Healesville Sanctuary (Zoos Victoria), it is located at Glen Eadie Ave, Healesville VIC 3777, and it is about 52.8km from here to the zoo. Arrive to that zoo, we started seeing kangaroos, koala and hedgehogs then me and Dinh separated to discover animals in the zoo. And the animals I like are the animals live in the dark.
Mingzhi Cao: The zoo I went to by bus with my classmates on Monday is called Healesville Sanctuary. The distance from Templestowe to Healesville Sanctuary is 45 kilometres. I saw koalas, kangaroos, snakes, bears and birds at Healesville Sanctuary. Then my favourite animal is the koala because he was so cute when he was sleeping on a tree holding a branch. After visiting the zoo in the afternoon, we took the bus back to school.
Liky Li: I went to the Healesville Sanctuary Zoo with teachers and classmates this Monday. The Healesvile Sanctuary Zoo is located in northeast of Melbourne. I went there from Templestowe by bus for one hours. There all too many different types of animals, such as koalas, kangaroos, emus, there are also have dinosaur models! My favourite animal is koala because they are very cute. And they like sleeping, same as me.
Selena Lin: On Monday I went to Healesville Sanctuary. It is located in Northeast of Melbourne. The specific location is Badger Creek Road, Healesville Victoria 3777. It takes about an hour from Templestowe to get here by bus. I saw many different animals. There are koalas, kangaroos, hedgehogs, platypus and a variety of birds. I also saw the clever birds put on a show, and it was a lot of fun. My favorite animal is the koala, they hang on the tree and eat the leaves, and one of them is still sleeping in the tree, which is really cute.
Peter Zhang: On Monday we went to Healesville Sanctuary, is in Glen Eadie Ave, Healesville VIC 3777, about 45 km far from Templestowe. I saw many Australia animal in the zoo, such as Kangaroo, platypus, koala, Tasmanian deviland I like koala most, because koala looks very cute and are a very special animal, they are lazy, lives on tree.
18th Birthday Celebrations
Two of our international students turned 18 this term. Happy Birthday Jonathan and Mahgol!
Farewell to our study abroad student Liana Teuffel
Liana Teuffel has been studying with us for 6 months as a study abroad student. Wish wish her all the best as she returns to Germany to continue her studies at home.
End of Term Celebration in Language Centre
Just a small celebration for our Language Centre students who have completed their 6 months program and are going to mainstream. Good Luck to those who are leaving us and going to their host schools. We had students from Warrandyte High School and Koonung Secondary College.
Would you like to host an international student?
MAP
Theatre Tour
This year’s MAP theatre tour took place in term 2, and saw us travel to perform in Briar hill, Kinglake, Healesville, Middle Kinglake, Alexandra, Mansfield, Rushworth, Elmore, Daylesford, Trentham and Cottle's Bridge before our ultimate performance at Templestowe College on the Friday night.
Every year we use a literary focus as a beginning - after all this is a whole term of literacy. Rudyard Kipling (of Jungle Book fame) wrote a set of tales called the “Just So stories” explaining in fantastical terms how particular animals evolved: how the elephant got its trunk; how the camel got its hump; how the leopard got it spots, et cetera…
MAP students used these stories as a springboard for creating their own interpretations - plus whole new evolutions. We ended with stories demonstrating the physical characteristics of the elephant, vulture, camel, zebra, gorilla, rhinoceros, tortoise, python, crested crane and ostrich. The big variation in 2024 was getting MAP students to construct and act with large scale puppets. This does require a different set of both imagination and communication techniques. Little kids (lower primary) especially love the puppets performing in among them and our students discovered how they can become invisible on stage.
An annual highlight is of course the bus incident - we never seem to manage an entire week away without some ludicrous incident involving a bus and a teacher-driver. Kids have learned to push-start a bus with a flat battery; push and dig out bogged buses; have watched a 53-point turn to get out of a jam; and watched a crane lift a bus out of a ditch. This year added a unique touch: we left all belongings behind us. On a seemingly innocuous driveway edge the trailer hitch/tow-ball – chains and all - disintegrated as we drove over a barely visible tree root. It left the trailer stranded on one side of Victoria as we rushed to perform on the other. Manic phone calling organised blankets for the night: all students and staff belongings were trapped in the trailer. We framed it as a “learning experience”, and the students did brilliantly, equipped with little more than a shopping expedition for toothbrushes and toiletries.
It was our 11th travelling tour, created as a way to achieve a truly authentic audience for the students. It was also my last tour. It has been an extraordinary event to be part of every year, especially noting that this year - almost identically to every other - student rehearsals were little but mayhem two days prior to departure. But once on a stage these young people are astonishing!
By Steve French
Nusra Qureshi - Self & Symbols Project
Throughout term 2 we have been incredibly fortunate to have the talented and globally exhibited artist Nusra Qureshi work with our MAP and Art students on our Self & Symbols Project which has been funded by Creative Victoria's Creative Partnerships program. Students have explored a wide range of techniques from water colour, miniature, collage, textile, and digital mediums to experiment and create unique hybrid works that explore the idea of self and identity. It has been very inspiring to see the focus, engagement, and intuitive creativity emerge from our students during this residency and we feel very lucky to have worked with Nusra during this time. Stay tuned for info about this project as the work transforms into forms we can share with the community.
Performance Arts
All in the mind - may music concert
Music brings people together and that's exactly what it did on Tuesday night, for this year's TC 2024 concert. The Theme was All in the Mind...
Music has been around for centuries, bringing people together since the Stone Age. It's a part of many cultures and important to many religions as it's a universal language that connects people all over the world from different backgrounds. It is a display of emotion and experiences that can be shared through rhythm.
Held on both Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the TC music concert occurred in the PAC, and everyone was buzzing with excitement.
The students had the opportunity to showcase their talent on their own or within a band. A diverse range of music styles was conducted, ranging from rock, and pop to jazz and classical. The audience was treated to an impressive display of skill and passion from these young musicians, leaving everyone in awe of their abilities.
TC's Song Club brought a mix of catchy tunes and heartfelt lyrics to the stage, captivating the audience with their emotive performances. Their lyrical voices and powerful melodies echoed throughout TC's performing arts centre, creating a memorable experience for all in attendance.
The string ensemble performed Coldplay's heartwarming, "Fix You", enchanting the crowd with their passionate performance. The percussion club brought a rhythmic energy to the concert, infusing the venue with infectious beats and pulsating rhythms. Their dynamic and lively performances had everyone tapping their feet and moving to the music.
From piano pieces to indie originals, the solo artists brought everything to the table, and it was truly impressive. What a joy to see the TC music program support these young artists!
Throughout the evening, the MCs, Will and Em, kept the energy high with their witty banter and engaging stage presence. I believe their light-hearted humour and quick wit added an extra layer of entertainment to the event, ensuring that the audience was thoroughly entertained between each performance.
Overall, the TC music concert was a vibrant success, showcasing the incredible talent and passion of the school's musicians. The event brought the community together for an unforgettable evening of music, laughter, and pure entertainment, leaving everyone eagerly anticipating next year's musical concert.
By Mietta Palmer
Top Class
All students need inspiration. Whilst teachers would love to think that we can provide it all ourselves, there's nothing better than getting out and seeing some high achieving peers to kick-start a cohort. That's exactly what the 3/4 Drama Class did back in April, heading to the Melbourne Recital Centre to watch last year's best Drama solos. The talent was impressive, the laughs loud, and ideas were sparked - it was a great day out!
The Boat
Time After Time
Drama Showcase
On Wednesday the 22nd of May, our VCE 3/4 Drama class showcased their talent and the ensemble performances they’ve been working tirelessly on all year. With a theme of “when home won’t let you stay”, each group wrote and presented their interpretation.
Mia Cooper-Browne stated, “I really enjoyed seeing the variety or performances and the different interpretations of the prompt. It was clear each student had put a lot of work into writing, developing and refining their performances and really thought about how they would engage the audience through a variety of characteristics.”
The first performance, ‘The Boat’, was devised by Safari McNamara, Quinn Scotti, and Dante Tuscano. The description from the program said “a story of three young immigrants who are forced to leave their country due to ongoing war. Their personal experiences in escaping the country are explored with aspects of comedy and realism.” This performance provided a fluid representation of flashbacks, action, emotions, and characters, creating something both thought-provoking and humorous.
The second performance, ‘Time After Time’, was created by Heidi Doheny, Luca Hughes, Miles Leahy-Baulch, Ashly McInerny, and myself, Rory Opie. The description was “follow a soul through its many incarnations; an East Berlin escapee, a problematic popstar, a primary school bully, a climate refugee, and a young girl trying to make up for her family’s mistakes.” Our performance allowed for an exploration of many varied experiences, with heavy symbolism, and a mood ranging from humorous to distressing.
Next, ‘Down Below’ was made by Em Cormack, Scarlett Evens, Janica La Brocca, and Amy Mooney. From the program, “embark on an eclectic theatre journey that explores themes of refugees, asylum seekers and their struggles, and the Australian government and its flaws. Whilst this collection of scenes has comedic undertones, it also shines a light on genuine struggles. This group has worked hard to create a performance that not only entertains, but also educates the audience.” With everything from interesting symbolism to a fun jingle that’s still stuck in my head to a hippie god, this performance was certainly enjoyable.
The final performance, ‘Filthy Rich’, was designed by William Genat, Jasmine Fuga, Lucy Marley, Kara Lindsay, and Hana Struckett. The piece was described as “a satirical dark comedy following a group of elite socialites on a luxury cruise exploring what happens when the boat sinks and they are left stranded on a deserted island.” With humorous character names, strong caricatures, and witty dialogue, this performance was a good laugh, while also commenting on the darker parts of society.
According to Mia, “Every performance was unique - From the symbol of a piece of costume moving from character to character, to the music, songs and dancing used. I loved the comedic relief in the performances as well - I was also very impressed with the accents as well!”
I’d also like to add a big thank you to the tech crew, Jack Willis-Hall, Kayla Quinn, and Ben Mowson, who helped our performances come to life with the lighting and sound, Mia stating that it “really gave the performances a lift.” As well as a thank you to our front of house, Delanah Schelbach and Evie Watkins. And of course a huge thank you to our drama teacher, Hayden Smith.
Each performance highlighted the students’ creativity and dedication. These were the final ensemble performances our class will be having at school, and it was lots of fun. A wonderful celebration of our hard work and passion.
By Rory Opie
Garage Girls
Drama is about getting up and acting, but it's also about sitting down and watching. On the 26th of April, the 3/4 class headed to our favourite theatre, La Mama in Carlton, to check out the show for study this year - Garage Girls. Set just down the road in Kew, this local tale was engaging, dramatic, and humorous, leaving the TC crew with plenty to write about!
DJ Cooper Smith
DJ Cooper Smith visits TC to meet Stage & Beyond students to chat about life in the music industry, how to get gigs and sell yourself, and how to break stereotypes as a musician.
Drama Elective
What do you get when you combine 38 students, 2 teachers, and a healthy audience on a Thursday night? A hoot!
Our second annual Festival of Drama was held on June 20th and it was a stellar night, with laughter never far away. There were Kardashians, wizards, mermaids, magicians, chipmunks... all manner of entertaining characters! Students created clever costumes, prosperous props, laudable lighting - the two Drama Elective classes put the whole show together and then generously took everyone along for the wonderful ride!
Bring on the next Festival of Drama.
Science
Environmental Science Camp
This term for Unit 3 Environmental Science students had the opportunity to go to Wilson's Promontory to learn how to assess natural and managed environments and how ecological burning is being used to improve biodiversity and reduce the risk of wildfires.
Although a very naughty wombat tried to ruin our fun by chewing through 3 tents (!) we had a great time and enjoyed good food, great company and stunning landscapes.
Girls in Physics Breakfast
The Girls in Physics breakfast is an annual event run by the VicPhysics Teachers' Association and is for female-identifying students in Years 10 and above. Students get to sit on tables and share breakfast with students from other schools and on each table is also seated a female expert in a STEM-based career with whom they can chat. The teachers get their own table together to ‘network’.
There is always a keynote speaker who presents at the event while we are having breakfast and this year it was Prof Coppersmith, a physicist working on condensed matter physics. Prof Coppersmith was a very entertaining speaker. She was so passionate about her career in Physics and so obviously super smart and creative. She talked about the benefit of working with other people to solve problems as different people bring their strengths and different perspectives. Although she told us what we learn at school was the ‘boring’ stuff because it is nothing new, she made us excited about persevering so that, like her, we can reach the boundary between known and unknown where the exciting scientific work is.
After the presentation (and delicious breakfast of fruit, yoghurt cups and fresh pastries) we completed a personal quiz about our strengths that aligned us to types of jobs. It was very interesting to see how different we all were and some of the career pathways that might be suitable to look into.
‘This was such a great experience and I loved learning about all the different jobs and areas physics can be applied in!’ Olivia Green
Pre-Physics
In Pre Physics this term students have been learning about 'Kinematics' - the science of motion learning about Newton's Equations of Motion, Laws of Motion, forces, momentum and impulse. Their final task was to create a safety landing device to save Humpty the Egg falling from a height from just 10 sheets of paper and tape. Four groups succeeded in making devices that saved the egg from a 3.5m fall!
Technologies
VEX Robotics World Championships
Jack and Thomas with their robot
Templestowe Robotics students have solidified themselves as the best performing Australian team ever at the VEX Worlds Robotics Championship held in Dallas, Texas last month!
Team 1002T, consisting of Jack Greatorex, Thomas Radford & Noah Lau-Hicks, smashed it ranking 2nd place in their division of 82. This allowed them to move through to the instant elimination finals where they progressed all the way to the Semi-Finals before they were defeated. To compete against the top 820 of the best and brightest teams from around the world and to have made it that far is a real achievement.
Their performance placed them in the top 20 of the 820 teams participating in the world championships. This is the culmination of 12 months of global competition with 117,000 registered students representing over 70 countries. A big congratulations to Team 1002T from Templestowe College as they are the highest ever finish for an Australian team!
Westin, Danu, Alex and Abbas from team 1002X
Thomas RADFORD
”As a team, we progressed so much further than we did last year, outscoring all other Australian teams before us. Last year at VEX Worlds we were the team begging to be chosen as an alliance partner for finals, as we were only ranked 58th. This year we were ranked 2nd, so we had the chance to choose our partner for finals. The change in dynamic really didn't kick in until we had teams coming up to us, begging to be chosen. Reliable and durable building from Jack and consistent programming from Noah combined with my solid driving skills led us to perform much better than we anticipated. I would also like to recognise past team members Will Melville and Jamie Smith for their contributions to team 1002T. Without them we wouldn't be where we are today.”
Only six robotic teams were allocated by VEX to represent Australia in the World Championships and Templestowe College earned two of those spots. Our second Team 1002X, consisting of; Danu Kusuma, Abbas Khan, Alex Sleeman & Westin Ou, competed valiantly and ranked 38 out of 82 in their division. Such amazing work by them to qualify for the World’s and they should be proud of their achievement and their sportsmanship.
Danu KUSUMA
“Our trip to America for Vex Robotics Worlds Championship was really great, i was personally very pleased on how our result went. Last year we placed 81st in our division and now we placed 38th. The results was a really big Improvement, and i was very happy that all our hard work didn't go for nothing, next time we will definitely do better and hopefully qualified for finals in the DOME.”
Abbas KHAN
“Our trip to America for the VEX Robotics World Championship was an amazing adventure! We did exceptionally well, showcasing our skills and teamwork on a global stage. A huge thank you to BTT Engineering and Ho-Cheng for their incredible support – we couldn't have done it without you! Your sponsorship made this unforgettable experience possible. With this years experience we hope to do even better Next year and leave our mark on the world stage!. “
Westin OU
“The VEX worlds competition was a extremely fun experience as we were able to interact and learn from so many people with different backgrounds. our teams performance this year was a big improvement from last years as we went from placing 81st in our division to placing 38th. This trip was such a great opportunity to learn and experience so many things. This opportunity is only made possible due to the immense amount of support from our teachers and our three sponsors BTT engineering, HO-CHENG and Tuskystar.”
But of course it was not just all work and no play, We enjoyed closely examining the design and engineering of many rides and attractions at Disneyland and Universal Studios.
We visited the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, which was excellent. We really enjoyed the informative conversations with the museum's volunteers. The volunteers gave us the rare opportunity to sit inside the cockpits of military helicopters and jet planes
Alex SLEEMAN
“I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to America. I was particularly proud of my team’s performance during the competition and enjoyed meeting various other robotics teams from around the world. If I had to pick my favorite part of the trip, it would have been visiting the Dallas Frontiers of Flight Museum. As someone passionate about aircraft, I had the opportunity to learn about various aircraft there and talk to the extremely knowledgeable staff. I would also like to extend special thanks to our teachers, Rianne and Matt, as well as our sponsors: BTT Engineering, Ho-Cheng, and Tuskystar. This trip wouldn’t have been possible without their help and funding.”
Jack GREATOREX
“The trip was planned to be amazing and that it was. The fun the group had while out at Disney land and universal studios was unforgettable. Both teams ended the tournament with respectful ranks and I'm so proud we came second place in our division. Thank you to Rianne and Matt for taking us and thank you to all the sponsors for the help.”
Texas is famous for its BBQ and it would have been remiss of us not to partake. It would be fair to say that some of us enjoyed the experience to the maximum! We enjoyed the opportunity to travel to the USA and to meet and compete with high school robotists in the worlds largest robotics competition. Maybe next year you can join us!
Camberwell Robotics Competition
Templestowe junior IQ Robotics teams are showing great promise as they win the top three trophies including Team Work Award and Robot Skills Award! With hard work and determination, the students have worked hard to earn their trophies. Of course this could not have been done without the four student helpers, Zacky Phillips, Fin Kent, Jamie Valmorbida & George Haviaridis who assisted the junior students with their setup and helped run the junior competition!
Lego Class Visits The Art of the Brick Exhibition
The Lego class recently took a trip to The Art of the Brick exhibition, a world-renowned showcase of incredible LEGO creations. The exhibition, which features over 100 works of art made from more than 1 million LEGO bricks, was a sight to behold for the students.
The students were amazed by the variety and scale of the LEGO sculptures. They explored the "Celebration of Nature" section, where they encountered life-sized LEGO recreations of some of the world's most fascinating animals. They also ventured into the "LEGO® Safari," a massive room filled with hundreds of LEGO creatures, from lions and elephants to zebras and giraffes.
In addition to the sculptures, the students were impressed by the exhibition's interactive elements. They enjoyed watching the moving installations and were captivated by the 360º projections and stunning 3D video mapping.
The trip to The Art of the Brick exhibition was a truly inspiring experience for the Lego class. It allowed the students to see the incredible potential of LEGO bricks and to appreciate the creativity and artistry of LEGO builders.
This trip is sure to spark a renewed interest in LEGO among the students, and we look forward to seeing their own creations come to life in the classroom.
Willem:
Recently Doc and Matt took us to see the Art of The Brick at Flemington Racecourse. The bus was very nice. After the bus ride, we arrived at the place. The art was amazing! The sound and light effects were also done quite well, I thought. I really liked the room with the animals, but it was a bit mad that the gift shop didn't accept cash…
Nathan Sawaya's art was unique, and the music fitted in perfectly. I think that they were right when they labelled it an immersive experience.
Cafe baking Dandenong Market Excursion
On Tuesday the 28th of May, our Food technology and Café baking students experienced an exciting and tasty day at the Dandenong market. The focus of the day aligned with this terms theme, “All in the mind”; how we think, feel and behave.
The students walked around in groups, answered a questionnaire and had the opportunity to taste a wide selection of different foods from around the world. It was a wonderful day enjoyed by all.
Jewellery Making Showcase
VCE VM
VM Unit 3 Urban Quest and Escape Room excursion
The VCE Vocational Major is a great course for students looking to keep their learning authentic and active in their final years of school. Part of the VM course is the subject Personal Development Skills where students learn how to work in teams, develop their leadership skills and their independence.
On the 14th of May our VM grad students all took part in an excursion that was designed to cover all of these skills. The first part of the day was finding our own way into the city, for some of us that meant navigating a complex bus route, for others it was trying to coordinate parents and taxi’s to get to our starting point, the State Library of Victoria. We all made it (although some of us did get on the wrong train to begin with).
We then took part in an ‘Urban Quest’. An interactive, digital scavenger hunt around the city. This had us running around searching for clues and working together to solve complex problems. The winning team (Taz, Denzel, Naomi, Dries, Holly and Alex) completed the course in 1hr and 15 minutes and all but 1 of our teams managed to complete all of the puzzles.
Our next stop was ‘The Mystery Rooms’ in Fitzroy, we had to make our own way from the city to Fitzroy any way we could, some of us walked, some of caught the tram and at least one of us tried out the Electric Scooters that are now available in the city.
When we got to the ‘Mystery Rooms’ we were divided into new groups and each group was given a different room to solve. Again, we had to work together to solve a series of puzzles and try not to get too angry with our team mates (something most of us managed to achieve). This time every team managed to solve the puzzles. It was a great day and we are looking forward to creating our own Escape Room back at school.
VM PDS Escape Room
This semester the PDS crew have been working on their interpersonal skills. Things like active listening, patience, teamwork and leadership. This work culminated on Tuesday the 25th of June when we hosted an Escape Room event at the school. Our theme was ‘Escape from Bunnings’ and all of our puzzles related in one way or another to the iconic hardware store, we even had a sausage sizzle as no trip to Bunnings is complete without a cheeky sausage.
Participants in the escape room had to work their way through 11 different puzzles that related to the different sections of a bunnings store. We had a plumbing based puzzle, a history puzzle, puzzles that needed decoding and lots and lots of locked toolboxes.
We had lots of staff and students come through the room and almost all of them managed to escape. It was a great atmosphere and our customer satisfaction rating was high. Thanks to everyone who helped out and played their part on the day and to all the people that came down to participate.
VM Unit 1 Big Day Out
VM PDS 1/2 students at Box Hill mall for their lunch break on their Big Day Out where they participated in workshops at Fit2Drive and Sexual Health Victoria.
Visual Arts
Media 3/4 Top Screen and Top Design Excursion
On Wednesday 1st May, Media 3/4 students made their way into the city to attend the Seasons of Excellence at both ACMI and The Melbourne Museum. The Seasons of Excellence is a celebration of outstanding works by Victorian Secondary students from across the state. For Media, Top Screen is held annually at ACMI, where from over 400 entries, students got to sit back, watch and enjoy the 12 selected short films in both live action and animation. After the screening, there was a panel consisting of the State Reviewer for Media and three of the student creators whose work was screened. Students had the opportunity to ask insightful questions and get a better understanding of how to approach their Media Production this year. After lunch, we then made our way to the Melbourne Museum where Top Design is exhibited and students could see the selected works in other Media forms including photography, print and digital platforms. Students were able to explore the works and see the production of final folios. Students who attended said they found this excursion inspiring, insightful and gave them motivation to get going on their own media projects! A great day had by all 😊
A great way to follow the visual arts @TC is to follow us on Instagram! TC Visual Arts (@tcvisualart) • Instagram photos and videos
TC NEWS
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Discovering the Fascinating World of the Past: Join Templestowe College's History Club Today!
ANZAC Day
LGBTQIA+
Athletics Day Wrap
Morrisby Test
Drama Showcase
All In The Mind Music Concert
Hope Tour
HarvestED
Careers Expo
Bush Dance