Principal’s Blog – Term Three, Week Seven

St Joseph’s College commemorated 120 years of Mercy Education in Mildura on Thursday 20 August. The celebrations began with a special Mass in the Mercy Stadium led by Father Mark Freeman, the Bishop of Ballarat. The College also hosted Sisters of Mercy, former College Principals and Deputy Principals, guests from Mercy Education, and many more members of our extended community.

I commend all students who participated in the Mass. They did a very admirable job of representing the College and carried out their duties with poise and confidence.

Later that evening, guests attended a special dinner at Powerhouse Place. It was a wonderful celebration of the College’s long history and legacy, reflecting on the past and looking ahead to the future. I thank all our guests for joining us.

National Science Week

This year’s theme for National Science Week was ‘Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge For All’, and the Science Learning Area certainly delivered just that during Week 6.

The week began with model rocket launches at lunch on Monday 17 August. The lunchtime activities continued on Tuesday 18 August with a pop-up ice cream stand staffed by our science teachers. They carefully created delicious frozen confections by adding dry ice to an unfrozen ice cream mixture.

On Wednesday 19 August, the awesome animals from Enviro EDU came to visit. I think you will agree that both the squirrel glider and the python are fabulous in their own unique ways.

The week finished up in the lab with practical experiments that dazzled and delighted. I hope that students discovered a renewed appreciation for science and will nurture their newfound knowledge.

To the Stars 

St Joseph’s College Year 10 student Evelyn Larsen has been chosen to participate in Mission ShakthiSAT, a female-led STEM initiative that brings together 12,000 girls from across 108 countries.

Evelyn is one of only four girls chosen to represent Australia at this nine-day event. She left for New Delhi last week and will return when the launch event concludes on 31 August.

All participants will collaborate on real-time satellite projects that will explore the cosmos, foster intercultural communication, and inspire a new generation of astronauts and STEM experts.

This is an outstanding opportunity. Congratulations to Evelyn.

Hoop Dreams

Year 11 student Charlize Paterson has been selected for Basketball Victoria’s Lead Your Way – Girls Leadership Program. She is one of only 12 girls selected from basketball associations across Victoria and will represent the Mildura Basketball Association.

Considering the gaining popularity of basketball among high school students and the many applicants who would have applied for this program, Charlize’s selection demonstrates that she is a remarkable and well-rounded athlete. Congratulations to Charlize on challenging herself in a sport she loves.

Passion for Music

I invite you to join us for performances by our VCE Music students on Wednesday 2 September. The evening begins at 6:00pm in the St Joseph’s College Chapel.

The highlight of the night will be Year 12 student Cynthia Chan on piano as she prepares for her exams at the end of the year.

Please come along to support our talented students as they share their passion for music.

In the spirit of hope and faith,

Mr Greg Kluske
College Principal