WELLINGTON JOURNAL – EDITION 6

A very special thank you and congratulations also goes to our Community Voice Team, led by Melinda Towers and Charni Pilkington. The team worked tirelessly to provide a wonderful assortment of refreshments and put together an incredible collection of raffle prizes. The raffle was a tremendous success, and importantly, all funds raised will be reinvested into our Performing Arts program, directly supporting future opportunities for our students.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank all of the staff who gave so generously of their time throughout the production. From rehearsals and choreography to set construction, costumes, coordination and supporting our cast and crew, there was an enormous amount of work behind the scenes to bring Aladdin Jr to life.

Finally, thank you to the families of our Performing Arts students. Your ongoing encouragement, support and commitment make such a difference and allow our students to embrace these wonderful opportunities.

Congratulations to everyone involved in Aladdin Jr. Your talent, teamwork, dedication and enthusiasm were evident in every performance and demonstrated the very best of The Wellington Way – Caring, Striving and Learning.

Spring Concert

Our Spring Concert, held on Wednesday September 9, was another wonderful celebration of the talent, dedication and growth of our Instrumental Music students.

I was particularly impressed by the significant progress our students have made since their first performances at the Winter Concert. The improvement in their confidence, musicianship and performance skills was clearly evident, and it was wonderful to see their growth and development continue throughout the year.

Our concerts provide an important opportunity for our music students to showcase their talents, share their hard work with an audience and develop the confidence that comes from performing on stage. Once again, the students should be extremely proud of their achievements and the quality of their performances.

A sincere thank you to our Performing Arts team for their ongoing commitment, encouragement and support of our students. Their passion and dedication play an important role in providing these valuable opportunities for our young people.

Thank you also to our Community Voice Team for supporting the evening by running the canteen and raffle. Their contribution helps make these events such a wonderful experience for our college community.

Congratulations to all of our students and staff involved in another outstanding Spring Concert.

Parent/Carer Opinion Survey
A reminder that our school is conducting the annual Parent / Carer Opinion Survey and is seeking your feedback. The survey, offered by the Department of Education, is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement.

Your opinions are important to us and will contribute to identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies. The department will use the results from the survey for research purposes and to improve outcomes for students.

Thank you to all the families who have already completed the survey, if you haven’t there is still time, The survey will remain open online until 11:59 pm, today, Friday September 18.

To complete the survey, simply:

1. Click on the link, or copy and paste the text into your browser. This link will take you directly to the survey. https://research.orima.com/parent
2. Select the School and Campus name below.
3. School Name: Wellington Secondary College
4. Campus Name: Wellington Secondary College
5. Enter the School PIN below. PIN: 921547 
6. When complete, please click on the ‘Submit’ button at the end of the survey to submit your answers.

3 Way Conferences
I trust that everyone had a productive and informative day at our 3-Way Conferences. I would like to thank all families for taking the time and making the effort to engage in these important conversations about your child’s learning, progress and wellbeing.

These conversations provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on your child’s achievements, identify areas for further growth and consider how we can best support their continued development. It is important that we reflect on the feedback shared and recognise the role that students, families and staff each play in working together to achieve the best possible learning and wellbeing outcomes for our young people.

Valedictory Season (Year 12 Students)

As we move into Term 4, we are not far until the end of formal classes and the start of the exam period for the year 12 students.

• Wednesday September 30 – Friday October 2 – Practice Exams during the school holidays
• Thursday October 15 – Last day of Unit 3 & 4 classes
• Friday October 16 – Year 12 Valedictory Assembly
  • The Assembly – students have received instructions from the Senior School team on how the day will work
• Wednesday October 21 – Valedictory Event
• Monday October 19 to Monday October 26 – Unit 3 & 4 SWAT Vac
  • The Senior School Precinct will be open for students during “SWAT Vac” and the exam period to use as a revision base. (Students will sign in at the Senior School).
• Tuesday October 27 – Wednesday November 18 – Exam Period

Safe Holidays
I wish everyone a safe and restful break. Term 4 resumes at 8.40 am on Monday October 5.

Mr Chris Knight
Principal

October

• Monday October 5 – First Day of Term 4
• Monday October 5 to Friday October 9 – Year 7 to 10 PAT Testing Week
• Thursday October 8 – EMR Athletics Carnival (selected students)
• Thursday October 15 – Final Day for Year 12
• Friday October 16 – EMR Intermediate Boys/Mixed Basketball (selected students)
• Wednesday October 21 – Year 12 Valeditory Dinner
• Wednesday October 28 to Friday October 30 – Future Leaders Camp (selected students)

November

• Tuesday November 3 – Melbourne Cup Public Holiday (no scheduled classes)
• Wednesday November 4 – Year 10 and Unit 2 Exams Begin

Reminder

Please ensure you are checking Compass regularly for notifications and updates to events that are specific to your child, to avoid them missing out. It is how you are able to see, consent and pay for all events that affect your student.

If you miss consent and payment deadlines, your child will not be able to participate in the event.

Production – Aladdin Jnr.

Our College production of Aladdin Jrn. was performed nightly between August 26 – August 29.
A huge congraulations to all of the students and staff involved, it was a great success!

The vibrant lights and infectious energy combined to create an unforgettable experience as part of the production. This year’s production was the musical Aladdin. I decided to audition and join the production, even though I didn’t know anyone else in the cast at first. Over time, I formed strong friendships with my fellow cast members, and together we supported each other and collaborated to bring the show to life. The journey was demanding, especially with the long, exhausting days of rehearsals balanced alongside the pressures of Year 12 studies, SACs, and homework. However, all the hard work paid off with the exhilarating sense of accomplishment that comes after the final performance. Participating in the production offers not only a chance to develop new friendships but also an opportunity to showcase your talents in a supportive environment where everyone’s abilities are celebrated and valued. It’s an experience I’ll always treasure.

Julie Kok
Performing Arts Captain

Spring Concert

On 9 September, we had our annual Spring Concert. Students in our instrumental music program performed pieces that they had been working hard on with their teachers throughout the term. Some students also performed their own acts as a soloist or in small bands.

Many members of our performing arts team had an opportunity to practice their public speaking alongside performing in their respective bands and acts. 

The members of our community voice hosted our usual raffle and fundraiser. This year they have funded a new technological project which was showcased at the Spring Concert and this year’s school production.

Katherine Eap
Performing Arts Captain

Monash District Athletics Carnival

Wellington Secondary College students put in a fantastic effort at the Monash District Athletics Carnival on Friday 4 September, competing against students from schools across the district at the Knox Athletics Track.

It was a fantastic day of competition, with our students demonstrating outstanding commitment, sportsmanship and determination across a wide range of track and field events. We were particularly impressed by the number of students who achieved first-place finishes and qualified for the next level of competition at the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR) Athletics Carnival, to be held on Thursday 8 October.

Congratulations to the following students on their outstanding performances:

• Mary Matar (17 Girls) – 200m
• Raechel Nguyen (14 Girls) – 800m and 1500m
• Themelina Rozakis (12–13 Girls) – High Jump and Long Jump
• Lucy Thwaites (14 Girls) – High Jump
• Jamie Tham (14 Boys) – 100m
• Milos Supljeglav (16 Boys) – 800m and 4 × 100m Relay
• Richner Sothear (17 Boys) – 800m and 1500m
• Pratyush Prasannarajan (16 Boys) – 1500m
• Jacob Streager (12–13 Boys) – High Jump
• Alex Oeung (12–13 Boys) – Long Jump
• Alexander Im (15 Boys) – Triple Jump
• Alvin Yam (15 Boys) – Shot Put and Discus
• Adam Heard (14 Boys) – Discus
• Todor Tomic (16 Boys) – 4 × 100m Relay
• Ted Agrapidakis (16 Boys) – 4 × 100m Relay
• William Heng (16 Boys) – 4 × 100m Relay

We wish all of our EMR qualifiers the very best as they continue their preparations for the Eastern Metropolitan Region Athletics Carnival on 8 October. We look forward to seeing them represent Wellington Secondary College with pride!

Well done, Wellington!

Mr Troy Diaz
Head of Sports

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Term 3 Interschool Sport Success

Term 3 has been another busy term for Wellington Secondary College on the interschool sporting field, with our students continuing to represent our college with pride.

One of the major highlights was the Intermediate Boys Soccer team, who enjoyed a remarkable campaign, finishing among the top four school teams in the state and narrowly missing out in a spot in the state final. Their achievement is a fantastic reflection of the commitment and effort shown by the players throughout the competition. Congratulations to the entire team and their coach Mr Wyldes.

Our Intermediate Boys A Basketball team also produced an exceptional performance, winning the Monash Division and earning their place at the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR) level. The team showed great composure and teamwork throughout the day and will now have the opportunity to compete against some of the strongest schools in the region.

There was also plenty to celebrate in hockey, with both our Intermediate Boys and Intermediate Girls Hockey teams finishing a very close second place in their respective competitions. While it was a disappointing result for the boys after coming so close, the girls’ strong performance has earned them a well-deserved opportunity to progress through to the EMR competition. Congratulations to both teams on their excellent efforts.

Our Year 8 Boys A Basketball team continued the College’s success on the basketball court, winning their Monash Division and securing progression to EMR. This is an outstanding achievement for our Year 8 students and we wish them all the best for their next competition.

These results are a testament to the talent, commitment and sportsmanship of our students. We congratulate all students who represented Wellington Secondary College throughout Term 3 and thank the staff who supported and coached our teams.

With several teams now progressing to EMR competitions, we look forward to seeing our students continue to represent the College with pride and determination in the next stage of the competition.

Mr Troy Diaz
Head of Sports

Kindness Week Campaign

At the end of last term, the SRC wrapped up Term 2 with Kindness Week, a week dedicated to spreading positivity, gratitude and kindness throughout our school community. In the first week back this term, they continued this message beyond our school through their visit to Albany Rise Primary School.

Kindness Week
Throughout the final week of Term 2, students had the opportunity to take part in a range of kindness activities, including the Gratitude Wall and Kindness Jar, card and bracelet making, photobooth and bake sale. These activities created opportunities for students to connect with others, show their appreciation and spread kindness throughout the school.
SRC also held a Free Dress Day, where students could dress up as someone who inspired them while supporting fundraising efforts for State Schools’ Relief.

It was wonderful to see students and staff getting involved throughout the week. From sharing messages of gratitude to creating something for a friend, teacher or staff member, Kindness Week showed how small actions can help create a more positive school environment.

Taking Kindness to Albany Rise
The message of kindness continued into the first week of the new term, when the SRC visited Albany Rise Primary School to spend time with Grade 3 and 4 students.

The visit featured interactive activities centred around friendship and kindness, designed to encourage creativity, teamwork and thoughtful discussions. Students explored what makes a good friend, how their actions can affect others, and different ways to show kindness in everyday life.
The Albany Rise students brought incredible enthusiasm and creativity to each activity, making the day a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Student Reflections:
Looking back on Kindness Week and our visit to Albany Rise, we are incredibly proud of what the SRC achieved. It was wonderful to see students and staff come together to share kindness within our school and extend it to the younger students at Albany Rise. These experiences reminded us that kindness does not always have to be something big, as even small actions can make a meaningful difference. We are grateful to everyone who supported and participated in these initiatives, and we look forward to continuing to create opportunities for our school community to connect, contribute and make a positive impact. – Danin & Vathiny (SRC Presidents)

Reflecting on our Kindness Week and our visit to Albany Rise, it was awesome to see our school community come together and bring so much energy to the activities. Running activities with the primary students gave us all a chance to connect and make a real impact beyond our own classrooms. It really showed that kindness doesn’t need to be a massive gesture, but sometimes it’s just about showing up, helping out and making someone’s day a bit brighter! We really hope that we will make an even bigger difference together in the events ahead. – Davinn and Salina (SRC Executives)

Danin Lim & Vathiny Leng
SRC Presidents

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MND Ice Bucket Challenge

To raise awareness and money for Motor Neuron Disease (MND), we put our teachers on the line and gave everyone a chance to get involved with our water bucket challenge! We set up a tiered donation ladder where hitting $200, $300, and $400 targets unlocked specific volunteer teachers, while reaching the ultimate $500 goal revealed a secret mystery teacher. Students had the opportunity to purchase individual scoops of ice during lunch all week to pack into the dumping buckets.
By the time event day rolled around, every single target had been reached, meaning all four teachers and even some students who volunteered had to take full buckets of ice water right to the head! It was entertaining to watch and brought out some awesome school spirit.
Best of all, every single dollar we collected is going straight to charity to support people living with MND.
Huge thanks to the teachers who were brave enough to sign up, everyone who bought ice, and anyone who donated to make it happen!

Davinn Seng
SRC Executive

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Write a Book in a Day!

On Tuesday 15 September, students took part in the Write a Book in a Day competition, working in teams to plan, write and illustrate an entire book in just one day. Teams were given specific parameters to include in their story and used their creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills to produce a completed book by the end of the event. The competition also supports children undergoing cancer treatment through fundraising and the donation of the completed books.

Mr Chris Feenane and Mr Attrayoo Driscoll-Plavins
Leader of Student Voice & Learner Agency

Formal

Year 12 formal was celebrated on Friday 7 August at Leonda by the Yarra, Hawthorn.

Mr Michael Locco
Year 12 Coordinator

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Model United Nations Assembly

The Model UN is an immersive, exciting and informative simulation of modern diplomacy, allowing secondary students from various schools in the North Eastern Region of Victoria to represent a country’s position in simulated debates. This year, six of our Year 12 students attended the Model United Nations event hosted by the Monash Glen Waverley Rotary Club, collaborating respectfully and courteously with students from thirteen other secondary schools to develop solutions to three pressing global issues: International Migration and Development; No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space; and, Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights.
Our students, who were selected to represent Australia, presented their arguments in each debate with confidence, maturity and clarity, demonstrating a strong understanding of the issues and responding thoughtfully and respectfully to the perspectives of other delegates. They were also excited to win the ‘Best Dressed’ award at the event, reflecting their enthusiasm, team spirit and commitment to fully embracing the Model UN experience.

Below are the reflections from the students who participated in Model UN Assembly this year:

As a citizen of the world, the Model UN conference provided me with a unique opportunity to reap the ranging benefits of public speaking in the context of contemporary world issues. Being allocated a country and having the chance to research, compile and present information was a deeply enriching way to improve my public speaking skills, culminating in an improved confidence. Above all, I believe the Model UN is a true representation of the multicultural values that underpin our nation and I’d strongly recommend anyone interested in participating to get involved.
Una Crnogorcevic

Model UN run by the Monash Glen Waverley Rotary Club presented a unique experience in advancing and understanding public speaking on a blind issue. It is a great opportunity to develop key skills of communication and presentation. As this was a Model UN Assembly, it reflected the views and values of delegates of independent countries, which provides insights into how the United Nations Assembly is run.
Shaurya Devani

Participating in the Rotary‑run Model UN was a uniquely enriching experience that strengthened my public speaking and broadened my understanding of global issues. Representing Australia pushed me to think beyond my own views and engage with unfamiliar perspectives, mirroring real UN diplomacy. Collaborating with students from other schools taught me the value of communication, compromise and respectful negotiation. Overall, the experience made me more confident in sharing my ideas while staying open to those of others.
Steven Hy

Participating in the Rotary Model UN Assembly event was a great experience that helped me improve my speaking and debating skills. As the first speaker representing Australia, I had to clearly explain our position on International Migration and Development while also listening and responding to the other countries. I enjoyed hearing different perspectives and seeing how each country approached the same issue differently. Representing Australia also taught me to think beyond my own opinions and consider the views and interests of another country. Overall, MUNA helped me become more confident, adaptable and comfortable speaking in front of others.
Aaqilah Nabeel

Participating in Model UN was a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with students from other schools and work alongside the staff involved in the conference. I particularly enjoyed hearing different countries’ perspectives and learning how other students approached debates and negotiations. The experience taught me the importance of communication, compromise and working effectively with people I had never met before. It also helped me become more confident in contributing my ideas while remaining open to the perspectives of others.
Nurali Seyit

Participating in the Rotary-run Model UN Assembly was a valuable and enriching experience that strengthened my public speaking, communication and collaboration skills. Representing Australia encouraged me to look beyond my own views and consider global issues from different perspectives. I particularly enjoyed working with students from other schools, hearing how different countries approached debates and learning the importance of compromise and respectful negotiation. Overall, the experience increased my confidence in sharing ideas and gave me a greater understanding of how diplomacy and the United Nations operate.
Ashley Vaid

We would like to sincerely thank Ms Luo, Mr Singh and Ms Stergiou for their efforts in supervising students at the event and the Monash Glen Waverley Rotary Club for their sponsorship.

Ms Fiona Luo and Mr Harman Singh
Wellington Secondary Teachers

Year 10 Art NGV Excursion

The year 10 Art class visited the NGV International on Thursday 3 September to participate in an Interactive gallery tour and studio Workshop. Students viewed artworks from the NGV collection and discussed different ways artists have connected with and responded to the natural world. In the studio, students explored patterning, adornment and images of nature and urban environments, inspired by the themes and mark-making of contemporary artist Joshua Yeldham. They created unique and personalised artworks using a Dremel tool and Posca pens to carve and draw on photographs.

Student reflections

The NGV excursion was an interesting and enjoyable experience for me. In the morning, we got to explore different artworks with a curator of the museum and learn more about the ideas and techniques behind each artwork. After exploring, we went to the workshop named “make your mark” to create our own artwork and explore techniques related to nature. In the afternoon, we went to Fed Square and were assigned to pick 3 artworks which relate to each other in any type of way.

Angela Yr 10

On this day, we first went to the International NGV to “make your mark”. We were then divided into two groups to look at different artworks. The artworks I had seen had many patterns and shapes which would then inspire me to utilise them in my own work. After looking around and seeing some artworks, we were then taken to a workshop to make our mark. We were given different image choices that were in black and white and I decided to choose a staircase. I then added different lines and shapes with a white posca pen. I was very pleased with my work, and I hope to have this experience again.

Thet Yr 10

I enjoyed visiting the NGV because I got to see different artworks and learn about different artists. My favourite part was seeing the artworks in person and understanding the ideas and emotions behind them. Overall, the excursion was fun and allowed me to explore many different art techniques used.

Elise Yr 10

During the NGV excursion we walked around and took inspiration from many different artists creations which then helped us explore how different artists expresses their personal techniques and styles. Later we created an artwork based off of black and white photography which on top of, with our own imagination, we created an artwork. This experience was extremely fun and helped us identify our own different styles.

Keerat Yr 10

Mrs Fiona Szabo
Visual Arts Teacher

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Year 8 Art

Exploring techniques with clay

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Art Exhibition 2026

The Visual Arts Department would like to invite you to the VCE Art and Design Exhibition, celebrating the creativity, dedication and achievements of our 2026 Senior students.

Biodiversity Audit

Recently in early August, as a VM class (11V), we did a Biodiversity Audit. We were able to use an app (PlantNet) and take photos to discover different types of plants at our school and fill out a booklet with all the different trees and plants we had identified. On our walk, we ended up finding a tiny lizard, this helped us to understand what to do when making our school more sustainable. We did this productive task because as a class, it was a great opportunity to find out more about Australian plants and animals so we can make our school more sustainable. Overall, our opportunity was an amazing experience to improve our school and understand biodiversity better.

Highlights:

Jack: I liked taking photos and exploring the plants.

Marcus: We found a lizard but it unfortunately passed away (we think it was sick).

Jackie: Taking photos of the plants and identifying them if they are Australian.

Shakida: Identifying different plants, trees, shrubs and animals using Plantnet.

Amira: Walking around and identifying Australian plants and finding animals.

Emily: Identifying different plants and trees, and also walking around as a class.

Students of 11V

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Nude Food Week

Sustainability Champions organised a Nude Food Week in August to encourage juniors to bring their snacks and lunch without plastic packaging. Every day for one week, the juniors were encouraged to show their food containers without any single-use plastic. Students who showed their nutritious and environmentally-friendly packed lunches participated in a raffle. Jessica Robin from 8C was one of the winners.

Ms Bruna Amaral
Science Teacher

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Biodiversity Conference

On 7 September, the Sustainability Champions organised a Biodiversity Conference which was attended by students and teachers from Waverley Christian, Forest Hill College, Wantirna College, Albany Rise Primary School and Silverton Primary School. This event provided a stimulating hub where sustainability and environmental conservation experts converged to share their knowledge and success stories that offered hope for our future. Attendees benefitted from presentations by Sustainable Monash, Mount Rothwell (Odonata Foundation), Monash Sustainable Buildings and Sustainable Water Monash. The Sustainability Champions facilitated other activities, such as: student debate, animal origami, biodiversity case study and karaoke during lunchtime.

Ms Bruna Amaral

This was my second sustainability conference that I had the opportunity to co-host alongside others, allowing me to further develop my teamwork and leadership skills. Throughout the biodiversity conference, I gained new knowledge and perspectives from the engaging workshops, which expanded my understanding of important biodiversity issues within our community. Most importantly, I had a memorable and honourable experience connecting with like-minded students who shared my passion for making a positive difference through our schools!

Gianna Lee (Year 10)

Our school had the privilege to host a Biodiversity Conference, which was led by students. What an amazing day! We facilitated for multiple schools to be educated on the topic of how the living things in our ecosystem are supporting our world, and how our world would crumble without their support. Although, my least favourite part of the day was saying goodbye to our fellow peers but knowing that they left with valuable knowledge to make a positive impact in our world makes it all worthwhile.

Knight Touch (Year 9)

I think that the Biodiversity Conference was a very good experience as I learnt a lot about how animals are repopulated and kept in semi captivity. I also learned a lot about how to host an event as a student led event. Overall, this event showed me how we can change the world one step at a time. Thank you to everyone who helped to plan and run the day.

Jordan Jackson (Year 9)

The Biodiversity Conference was so much fun! I got to learn so many new things about fauna and flora, and how important it is for the world. I’m so grateful we were able to host this event at our school, as well as the activities, which were fun to do. I’m impressed with this year’s conference, and I hope next year it will be just as enjoyable!

Lily Vi (Year 8)

The Biodiversity Conference taught me a lot of things and opened my eyes to what is going on in nature. Having the privilege to host this event and have other schools come over allowed us to discuss our different opinions, perspectives and passions on sustainability. Overall, this day inspired me to broaden my vision and think about how the community, students and I, as an individual, can make a significant impact on biodiversity. Thank you to everyone who planned and initiated this day!

Alycia La (Year 10)

The Biodiversity Conference was my first conference. It really reflected the fun in learning and showed different perspectives of learning. We learned about how animals and plants benefited our world and why sustainability is a big factor in life. I also loved meeting new people from other schools. My favourite activity was the debate because it was very intriguing seeing other perspectives, and how people managed to speak under pressure. My team won it! I personally have achieved a better understanding of sustainability, and it was worth attending. It was a great privilege being part of the event and thank you to everyone for making that day a good one.

Sean Dahl (Year 7)

Ms Bruna Amaral
Science Teacher

Global Citizenship Model UN

Mr Ash Stewart
Teacher of Global Citizenship

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Solutions-based Journalism Podcast

Jordan Jackson, Knight Touch and Srethan Lingam (Year 9) have been developing a podcast to spread solutions-based journalism. Solutions based journalism is news that reports on what people are actually doing around the world to improve people’s living standards, the environment and the technological tools at hand to help with these solutions.

In terms of in house support, we need to thank Mr. Driscoll who has facilitated this process by teaching the students how to use the podcast equipment in our studio. The recording available is the pilot. There should be more to come in term 4, stay tuned!

Solution-Based Journalism Podcast

Ms Bruna Amaral
Science Teacher

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Solutions-Based Journalism During Flexible Learning

During the Year 10 Flexible Learning period on September 9 2026, students were encouraged to research and dig deeper into the way the media presents news articles. We were introduced to Fix the News website and learnt that not much of the real progress in health, climate, rights, conservation and science across the world makes the front page. Media can focus on negative news for more clicks and this can affect the way we, as young people, perceive the world. This highlighted the importance of initiatives such as Fix the News, which aim to bring greater attention to positive progress and provide a more balanced view of what is happening around the world.

During the lesson, we participated in a group activity where we had to imagine that we had received $100 million each in our groups to put towards advancing and researching different areas. We had to choose what we would spend the money on and create a pitch explaining why we chose it and how the money could help. I thought this was a really interesting activity because we had to think about what areas we thought were important and what could make a positive difference.

Once we had finished our pitches, we presented them to our home groups. It was interesting to listen to everyone’s ideas because people chose lots of different areas and had different reasons for their choices. We were also able to learn from everyone else’s presentations and hear about ideas that we might not have thought of ourselves.

Some of the winning choices from the middle school students were also shown to us which gave us an idea of the different things other students thought were important to invest in.

Overall, I enjoyed the activity because it was different from a normal lesson and allowed us to be creative while also thinking about real world issues. I also liked hearing everyone’s different opinions and seeing how others would choose to use such a large amount of money to make the world a better place.

Maahi Kaur (10D)

Big Science Competition

Earlier this year several students from Year 8 to Year 10 participated in The Big Science Competition. Each year it is open to students in Years 7 to 10 globally. It’s a 50-minute, mixed format online science competition testing science knowledge, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Questions are set in real-life, contemporary contexts, making them relatable… and interesting! Our students at Wellington received some fantastic results and to be congratulated for their effort. Special congratulations to Gianna Lee in Year 10 for recieving a High Distinction placing her in the top 5% of her age group – well done!

Mrs Sharon Jones
Head of Science

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Science Week

Last month we celebrated Science Week and this year’s theme was ‘Seeds of Science’. We had a variety of fun activities running during lunch, such as making air-dryed clay flowers, decorating garden rocks, building mini lego plants and making flower charm bracelets. Many students enjoyed the activities and got to keep their creations. Special thanks goes to our lab tech, Debbie McInney for putting together the activities for the students to enjoy. There was also a daily science-themed quiz running and congratulations goes to Sorth Phala in Year 12 and Armaan Singh in Year 10 for getting all the questions correct!

Mrs Sharon Jones
Head of Science

Exploring Culture in Language!

Our Chinese language students are having a blast not only learning Chinese, but also angaging with Chinese culture. Language and culture are heavily intertwined, and is a core part of our language program. Our students learned how to play ‘Jianzi’ ( 毽子), which is a traditional game using a weighted shuttlecock. During play, any part of the body except for the hands can be used to keep the shuttlecock from touching the ground. It is primarily balanced and propelled upwards using parts of the leg, especially the feet. We had a lot of fun, and even managed to get a volley going!

狄老师 (Di Laoshi)
Chinese Language Teacher

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2026 French/Mandarin Students of the Term

Congratulations to the following students who have been awarded French and Mandarin Students of Term 3. Certificates are for their diligence, positive approach and grit to the study of French and Mandarin. We recognise their efforts in their application to work, perseverance, initiative, participation and co-operation. They also earn 10 points each for their respective houses.

ACACIA	DIANELLA	EUCALYPTUS	WARATAH
Amy Yem 8G	Lucy Park 7A	Reaksmey Bou 7D	Onaisabi Onaisabi 7G
Paranitha Ramesh 8I	Jaden Rosse 7F	Mersiha Hossain 8C	Kim Thien 8E
Thomas Bui 7B	Ryan Sojan 7C	Erika Tee 8K	Kristy Looi 8D
Angelina Benjamin 7H	Themelina Rozakis 7I		Mary Pham 8H
Anthony Prum 8A	James Be 8D		Cameron Mills 8K
			Helena Cuoi 10B
			Isabella Ngov 8F
			Nar Dee Yar Mae 7E
			Aliza Bhatti 7J

Mr Bushan Sookhareea
Curriculum Area Leader – Languages

International Student Ambassador Project

On Thursday 17 September, Malin Meng, Vitchea Chamreun, Steven Hy, Una Crnogorcevic, Christine Pham and Jayden Thomas participated in the final part of the International Student Ambassador Project by presenting their work to representatives from 11 other schools and staff from the International Education Division. The aim of the project, which is led by Ms Emilia Fields, is to encourage stronger connections between international and local students.

On behalf of the students, we would like to thank all the staff who supported the inter-school debate with our assigned partner school, Kew High, as well as all the students who assisted with and participated in the inter-school debate and the in-school events run by this team of students.

At the conclusion of the event, our students were awarded “The Most Creative and Impactful Activity” award. Notably, many students from other schools also complimented our students on their engaging and well-presented individual school presentation.

Ms Catherine Reinhardt
International Students Coordinator

Dawn Patrol – Mr O and Mr A fly Around the Bay

On Sunday 13 September, Mr Oien and Mr Alexander flew the ‘Dawn Patrol’ flight around the bay to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the ‘Battle of Britain’ (WWII, 1940). The 48th annual event was hosted by the Royal Victorian Aero Club where Mr Oien is an active member and Pilot. The flight departed from Moorabbin Airport (YMMB) along with fifteen other aircraft just after sunrise, flying over the shrine of remembrance, Point Cook (airbase) then anticlockwise around the bay back to Moorabbin. Moderate to severe turbulence was forecast, however the flight went smoothly, no stress and no airsickness bag were required.
Mr Oien is excited to bring his flying experience and passion for aviation to WSC teaching the new STEM Aviation elective in Year 9 commencing in 2027.

Mr John Oien

Help your learner get on the road with a free driving lesson!

The myLearners Free Driving Lesson program offers a FREE 60-minute Lesson with a professional driving instructor for learners aged 16–21 who have completed 10–50 hours of driving practice.

The lesson is taken alongside their supervising driver, helping both the learner and supervisor build safer, more confident driving habits together.

This program supports families by making the learning experience more positive and less stressful. It aims to reduce crash risks for young drivers, strengthen supervising skills, and encourage safer driving behaviours early on all at no cost to participants.

Find out more go to – https://mylearnersdrive.com.au/

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