GET TO KNOW OUR COLLEGE LEADERS AND HOUSE CAPTAINS

College Leader Madison Caldwell

As a leader I would describe myself as approachable, a good listener, caring and responsible.

I am the proudest of achieving my Certificate 4 in Photography because I worked hard to finish it before I started Year 12.

My favourite bands/artists are Jess Day, and The Rubens.

In my spare time I like to catch up with friends and family and watch Netflix.

The best thing about attending SMC is the community we have and all the amazing teachers that go above and beyond for their students!

I have a pet dog named Ringo and a cat named Tiger.

To be a Lasallian Leader means to lead by example and be involved in the school community.

This year as a College Leader I wish to be best known as someone everyone feels comfortable around and feels they can talk to about anything.

Five words which best describe my personality are considerate, creative, funny, kind-hearted and helpful.

A person I most admire is my mum because she has been a constant role model and support in my life.

A quote that I believe in is “worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace.”

A teacher at SMC I admire is Mrs LeRay-Warren and Mrs Webb because they are compassionate teachers and have inspired me to become a teacher.

Miguel House Captain Georgie Davis

As a leader I would describe myself as enthusiastic, positive and inclusive.

I am the proudest of working at my part-time job, winning four premierships in a row, and making the state netball team. I am proud of these activities because they keep me busy and have opened my perspective and given me opportunities not everyone would have.

My greatest sporting moment was when I was awarded the association award in my first year playing football.

My favourite song is Dancing Queen by ABBA.

Someone I admire is my Auntie Linda.

Funniest moment in my life was when I threw an onion at my sister.

In my spare time I like to see my friends and go to the beach.

The best thing about attending SMC is the opportunities and support the College provides students.

I have a pet dog whose name is Elvis.

This year as a House Captain I wish to be best known as a happy and supportive individual who all students feel comfortable approaching.

A teacher at SMC I admire is Mr Biggs because he is a relatable and helpful person.

Something interesting about me no one knows? I knitted a blanket for a special person.

YEAR 10 OUTDOOR EDUCATION – EXCURSION TO BEYOND BOULDERING AND TREE CLIMB

In Week 5 the Year 10 Outdoor Education program began with an excursion. Students attended Beyond Bouldering, an indoor bouldering activity like rock climbing but without the harnesses, and Tree Climb, an aerial obstacle course located in the city. The excursion provided students with the opportunity to develop resilience, leadership skills, and a range of communication skills by participating in activities outside of their comfort zone.

Mr Ned Heath, Assistant Year 11 Director

SCOTT DARLOW PERFORMANCE

During Week 5, the Year 9 cohort were privileged to have Scott Darlow present to us on his passion for Indigenous history and to inform us about his unique story.

Scott is a professional musician and Yorta Yorta man who lives in Melbourne and has travelled the world, educating young adults on the history of Australia and the stories of Indigenous people. We were taught messages about always spreading kindness and understanding about what each individual has been through in their life. Each person has a different story to tell and their own individuality to share and we should be more inclusive, respectful, and forgiving to each other. His key message was to incorporate the word FLUTE in your everyday lifestyle, this being Forgiveness, Love, Understanding, Tolerance, and Empathy.

Scott used some of his own beautiful songs to help up understand the struggles that most Indigenous Australians face daily. By listening to his presentation, he has taught us about how to make a change, and to raise our voices for what we believe in. Our Year 9 cohort thoroughly enjoyed having Scott Darlow present to us, and we hope to have him back in the future to continue to spread his message.

Written by Year 9 students Matilda Jones (9GPC-04) and Alexandria Ciccone (9GPC-05)

YEAR 7 CLASS LEADERS

The Year 7 Class Leaders for Semester 1, 2022 have recently been appointed by their Pastoral Care classes and are already eager to demonstrate their leadership skills at St Michael’s College. We congratulate every student who ‘took the risk’ and CHALLENGED themselves to nominate for a Class Leader role; whether they attained the position or not, their CHOICE to demonstrate initiative is to be applauded, particularly at such an early stage of their secondary school journeys. As the Year Level Director, working alongside Mrs Joanne Howat, the Assistant Year Level Director, we look forward to working with all the Year 7 Class Leaders in Terms 1 and 2 to create a positive, compassionate, respectful, responsible and hospitable COMMUNITY atmosphere in Year 7 at St Michael’s College.

Please take the time to read through some aspirations for Year 7, 2022 from the perspectives of our newly elected Class Leaders:

“As a leader, I wish to inspire everyone I meet to be their very best. I hope to collaborate as a team with my peers and help them work at their best standard. I hope to have fun and enjoy time with my class by playing sports games and having class lunches. But most of all I hope to help my peers wherever I can.” – Marco Didyk (7BPC-02)

“My hope is that I can make a change in my PC class and make sure everyone feels safe in the St Michael’s College Community”. – Mia Albany (7GPC-02)

“For this semester I hope as a class leader to be a good role model, and I hope to make the classroom a safe and welcoming environment. I hope to raise money for different causes and to be able to have fun with my class while being responsible and caring for everyone around me.” – Zaria Giessauf (7GPC-02)

“My aspiration/hope for my leadership role this semester is I hope to inspire others to do their best and never give up!” – Eden Gallagher (7GPC-05)

“My aspiration for this semester is to bring our class together as a cohort. It is also to make sure everyone feels welcomed and heard.” – Audrey Fisher (7GPC-04)

“I would like to make our class closer together; a family; a community.” – Archie Begg (7BPC-05)

“This year I would like to inspire my peers on how to become a respectful and kind leader. I would like to inspire them because being a leader isn’t easy. You must collaborate with other students and teachers; you must listen actively with those you are leading, with respect and kindness. I feel that I can help them do this and show them how to become a respectful and kind leader, through a learning journey over this term.” – Tahlia Martin (7GPC-4)

“I want to inspire others to be themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin. I want peers and the community to know that they are welcomed and loved.” – Mackenzie Howie (7GPC-05)

“I would love for this class to be more responsible, caring and kind to others” Samuel Carr (7BPC-05) 

“We hope to make a difference to our school community by making our pastoral class known and welcome.” – Ethan Haines and Oliver Brooks (7BPC-01)

“I aspire to set an example of good behaviour and work management for my peers”. – Hayden Mitchell (7BPC-03)

“I want to inspire and help my peers to be the best they can be, by being a good role model and showing them the right way to do things.” – Sonny Consalvo (7BPC-03)

“I hope that with my Year 7 leadership role I can promote a sense of inclusiveness for our community. Everybody should feel cared for and included in our school community, in their class or in their friendship group.” –  Savannah Coomans (7GPC-03)

“As a class leader I want to inspire others to be respectful, kind and to listen to everyone when they need someone to talk to.” – Bianca Walsh (7GPC-01)

“As class leader, I want to inspire others to do and be the best they can be, so that they try their best to always succeed. I also want to motivate others to try their hardest to be kind and respectful to everyone, no matter who they are and what they look like.” – Carissa Lobo (7GPC-01)

Mr Daniel Jones, Year 7 Director

YEARS 7-9 WELLBEING CHARACTER STRENGTH FOCUS

Week 6: Humility

Some people might mistakenly think that humility is associated with weakness, but in actual fact, it’s more about strength. When we think of strong examples of humility, we often think about giants… Einstein, Ghandi, Pope Francis, Mother Teresa, St John Baptist de La Salle, and Jesus. The list goes on. They are people whose actions speak louder than words.

Humility is hard to describe. But what it isn’t, is — boasting, seeking the spotlight or thinking we are better than others. This doesn’t mean that we undervalue our own gifts; humble people appreciate their skills and who they are, but they are also aware of gaps in their knowledge and are mindful of areas for growth. They keep their abilities in perspective and use them to raise people up, rather than put them down.  They appreciate of the value of things and people around them and understand that each of us can contribute to our world in different ways. There is a sense of self confidence without having to be the centre of attention.

In 2022, when our lives seem to be projected across so many virtual platforms, we can be forgiven for sometimes thinking that humility can appear to be lost. Research shows, however, that the strongest and most appreciated leaders are those who exude humility. If we think about the politicians and people we aspire to and admire, often it will be those who are humble. Sports personalities who are humble are now saying this publicly. F1 teams indicated last year that it’s time to return to humility as a way forward. “We are not satisfied with our current results in Formula 1and we will work with humility and dedication to change them.” John Elkann, Executive Chair of Ferrari. Another example of the impact of humility in sport is evident in the success of the All Blacks, New Zealand’s famous rugby team, who won back-to-back World Cup Rugby titles. They believed in the importance of ‘sweeping the floors’, meaning that the most important members of the team had to sweep the floors as no one in the team was greater than anyone else. This idea of humility, which seemed to diffuse through many of their actions and processes, made them unbeatable as a team for a long time.

It’s not always easy to place others’ needs ahead of our own; perhaps it’s part of our survival DNA in some way, though we often do it for our children instinctively. It can also be a challenging strength to work on because it’s true that we all enjoy positive affirmation – it’s one of the premises of social media platforms- the ‘likes’ that can be so addictive, sending us shots of dopamine. Despite this, it’s also true that being humble can also make us feel good about ourselves and can really make a tangible difference to our world, as these few examples have shown.

As we begin our journey through Lent, it’s a perfect time to be thinking about our humility, across all the domains in our life. We have a great example of it front and centre in Jesus, particularly at this time. We can always reflect on and learn something about this from him and work towards being his hands, eyes, ears and heart. We can spend some time considering how we can share our resources and use our talents and gifts to benefit those all around us, including the wider world; knowing, valuing and caring for each other.

Wishing you a safe and happy week ahead!

Mrs Tonia Carfora, Year 7-9 Wellbeing Initiatives Leader

ARTS WEEK

What a week! Arts Week always brings a myriad of activities for staff and students. A snapshot from the week so far:

• Music Mix Master Mosca’s (aka Mr Mosca) musical performance
• Visual Arts Workshops with David Booth and Lucy Timbrell
• Crazy dance moves during the Silent Disco with Guru Dudu
• Performances by our talented Music Department staff
• Hip Hop Workshop with old scholar Charlie Gilbert (2018)
• Various musical performances by our talented students

Keep an eye out for next week’s edition of The Star for a more in-depth report and photos of this year’s Arts Week.