Wishing all students and families a relaxing Winter break...
Elizabeth Carnegie
Principal
With the end of Semester 1 at Stella Maris, junior reports will be made available for students and their parents/carers to consider. Now is a great time to celebrate the achievements and consider the opportunities to develop learning skills during the second half of the year. For our senior students, major works have now been submitted and Year 11 students will be honing their skills as they finish the last term of the Preliminary Course.
The Winter Break from school is a great time to rest and renew but sometimes the family needs to hear about some novel things to do. The ideas suggested are physical, cultural and educational which means that there is something for everyone! (Suggestions from Sydney.com and Museums Sydney)
Manly to Spit Bridge Walk: A beautiful walk that can be started by taking a bus to the Spit and following the signs back over the Spit Bridge, through Balgowlah Heights, past Castle Beach, across Tania Park and down to Manly Ferry Wharf. You might see Ms Wickham on her regular run as you walk along.
Whale watching from North Head: Winter is whale watching season in Sydney. Southern right and humpback whales are commonly seen migrating from Antarctica to warmer waters to give birth to their young and you can either drive up to North Head or catch the bus to see them on their journey.
Manly Fresh Produce Market: Head to Manly on Sundays for the Fresh Produce Markets at Sydney Road and Short Street Plaza, a short walk from Manly wharf and ferries. Here you can purchase produce directly from NSW farmers and makers, including organic fruit and vegetables, quality cheeses, olive oils, freshly baked bread and fresh flowers.
The Rocks Markets: The Rocks Markets on the weekend have artisanal wares, gourmet street food and harbourside views. The markets are within walking distance of the CBD, and transport hubs Circular Quay and Wynyard.
Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace: This theatre in Cremorne has some great special events coming up. Currently showing are The Koalas (27 June with Gregory Miller and Georgia Wallace-Crabbe Q&A), Rabbit Proof Fence (7 July with Philip Noyce Q&A) and many other regular screen showings. The experience of sitting in the Art Deco Theatres is one not to miss.
Q Station Tour: Sydney's Quarantine Station on North Head is one of Australia's most interesting sites! As darkness descends over Q Station’s historic buildings, the burial ground and empty pathways… the time comes to encounter the history of the site. Book a tour online.
Great Sydney Museums: These include the Museum of Sydney, Justice and Police Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Powerhouse Museum, Australian Maritime Museum, Hyde Park Barracks and the Australian Museum (currently exhibiting the Photographer of the Year and Thin Ice VR (the story of Sr Ernest Shackleton’s expedition).
Don’t forget at Stella Maris the girls have great books to borrow from our library to while away the time. And the break could be a great opportunity to review opportunities to pay it forward or invest in some good stewardship (by cleaning out a wardrobe of unloved items and taking them to a thrift shop).
Hoping that the break is a restful one and the girls return for second semester ready to learn!
Lord, come to our aid!
Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace.
Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation.
Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands.
Renew our hearts and minds, so that our way of life
will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!
Amen.
Don't miss this edition's important notices...
Printed NAPLAN 2024 individual student reports will be sent to schools at the beginning of Term 3. Upon arrival, they will be distributed to students in Years 7 and 9 to take home to their parents or carers.
We highly recommend this webinar for any parent/carer whose young person is experiencing signs of school anxiety. It is important to address school anxiety as early as possible, as it can lead to chronic absenteeism, which in turn contributes to social isolation, significant mental health problems, and substantial gaps in learning.
If you are currently trying to manage school anxiety or avoidance, please reach out to the counselling team.
Self-regulation is the ability to manage our behaviour and responses to internal feelings and sensations, as well as the events happening around us. Examples include:
Self-regulation is an essential life skill, but it is something which often needs long-term support and guidance to master.
Why is it important?
Self-regulation helps with:
Parents and carers are invited to St Augustine's College on Thursday 1 August for an in-depth discussion on the pitfalls of social media for young people and effective parenting strategies. This seminar is relevant to parents of students in Years 5 - 9. Amy Smith (Deputy Principal Wellbeing) will join the panellists.
Parents and carers with daughters currently in Year 4 are advised that enrolment applications for Year 7 2027 are now open. All prospective students (including siblings of current students) participate in the enrolment process at Stella with the submission of an enrolment application and a family interview.
Please note the following important dates:
The first step in the process is completing the Enrolment Register via the link below. If you have already completed this online form, you will be emailed the link to the application form on Monday.
We look forward to welcoming Stella sisters into the community. They will be our Class of 2032!
It's that time of the year again...
Every year the students and staff of the Duke of Edinburgh program are involved in the Beach2Beach Fun Run event to raise funds for, 'Happy Days' (a Mike Pawley charity, supporting impoverished Cambodian students and families).
Please tell your family and friends to join the 'Stella Maris College' team to help us enter the LARGEST school team in 2024 (prize money donated to 'Happy Days').
Date: Sunday 25 August
Distance:
N.B. Duke of Edinburgh students will enter the 6km event
Alternatively, you could donate directly to 'Happy Days'.
Thank you, in advance, for your involvement and support of this Duke of Edinburgh initiative.
Melanie Bradstreet
On behalf of the Duke of Edinburgh team
To assist in holiday planning, please note the 2025 term dates:
Term 1 |
Thursday 30 January |
Friday 11 April |
Term 2 |
Tuesday 29 April |
Friday 27 June |
Term 3 |
Tuesday 22 July |
Friday 26 September |
Term 4 |
Tuesday 14 October |
Tuesday 2 December |
OzGreen invites students with a passion for the environment to come together with like-minded young people for a weekend of fun, vision and action planning to deal with climate change.
News from our Languages and HSIE departments...
Gastronomy is a significant aspect of Spanish-speaking countries, where flavours, history, colours, and love are shared on a plate. Last week, Year 9 students had the opportunity to sample authentic Mexican street food, experiencing the vibrant culinary culture first-hand. We engaged in a Spanish conversation about various foods, discussing likes and dislikes. This "food lesson" was a great success, with the students showing high levels of enthusiasm and engagement. Ana Gonzalez - Teacher of Spanish
Tournament success for Ruby...
Congratulations to Ruby T who came second at the MTG Tournament held last Friday at St Luke's Grammar. Students from Stella, St Luke's, St Augustine's and Knox Grammar competed. Well done to Sienna H, Amelia T and Lucy O for also representing Stella so well.
The students have been training with St Augustine's students after school on Thursday as part of the MTG Club running at Stella during Term 2. Any student interested in joining the club can contact Kylie Andrew - kylie_andrew@stellamaris.nsw.edu.au
MTG is a trading card game which sees two players compete to the defeat their opponent by spending 'mana' to play creatures, spells and other items and abilities.
Congratulations to all performers in our Winter Concert Series...
Evan Browett
Head of Performing Arts
On Monday night both Professor Thespian and I (Professor Impersonator) had the pleasure of hosting and performing in the Semester 1 2024 Drama Night. A completely star-studded line up of students from Years 7-12 mesmerised the audience as they took to the stage with spectacular energy and spirit.
The curtains opened on our very own school captain Sami W performing a remarkable HSC monologue as the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. We were then taken to the edge of our seats by the Year 7 drama ensemble performing a gripping original piece named On the Inside, creating a spin on your classic fairy tales. Year 10 students, Sophie D and Stella D took to the stage enchanting us with a ‘soulful’ realism piece from the Australian play Away. Lily B then took us on a roller coaster of emotions when performing her HSC monologue of BoJack Horseman’s eulogy to his mother. And after some... ethically dubious thinking in the lab, we have concluded that she definitely didn’t horse around!
Following Lily, we
were engrossed in the perspective-changing story that the Year 8 ensemble
performed, titled Women’s Rights that stood up for women everywhere. Following
the Year 8s, another duologue was performed by Keira M and Lucy O from the play
Away. Their insight into the characters was amazing. A personal highlight
was the Year 11 performance of Exodus which put a spin onto the well-known original
bible classic Moses and the burning bush creating a humorous masterpiece.
Lastly, the Senior drama ensemble graced the audience
with their presence performing a piece titled, Harry Potter, Hogwarts and All.
The parody followed the first book in the series bringing lots of laughs and
joy to the audience.
It was an honour to perform alongside these talented
students, and as Theatrical Professors, we can’t wait to see which experiments
come next!
Eva R and Abi T
Last week all dance students performed in the Semester 1 ”Celebration of Dance” showcase and what a fabulous night it was! All dance students from Years 7-12 performed in two shows with only a 20 minute break between, and I have never been more proud. From beginners to the elite, this really was the show that had it all.
Every student involved gave more than 100% and had such a wonderful time. The smiles on their faces, and the energy exuded on stage, was a clear display of how much these girls love to dance. The showcase included the Performance Groups, Ensembles, Company, Extension Company, Years 9-11 Elective Dance, HSC Dance pieces, Year 10 compositions, student choreography, and solo items. Many styles were on show including Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Commercial Contemporary, Commercial Jazz, and Traditional Contemporary.
This was also the last dance showcase for the Year 12 Dancers. A special farewell tribute was given to these girls at the end of the show. Most of the Year 12 dancers have been dancing at Stella Maris for their entire secondary school life and it is always so heart breaking to see them go. The Year 12 dancers of 2024 included the School Captain, Vice Captains, and Performing/Creative Arts Prefect. Having these leadership girls amongst the dance community is a reflection of the influence dance can have on the girls' confidence and drive. Farewell Year 12 Dancers: Holly B, Matilda C, Roisin C, Ella D, Poppy H (School Vice-Captain), Melanie L, Catherine L, Eloise P, Isabella P (School Vice-Captain), Vianney S (Performing Arts Prefect), and Samantha W (School Captain).
If you missed this show make sure you come along to the Semester 2 “Celebration of Dance” in November. You will not be disappointed!
Last night's 'Showcase of Music' was incredible, with many audience members saying it was "the best one yet". Throughout the night, many students performed, from solo artists, to groups, to the elective music classes, vocal ensemble and bands.
To
open, the Performance Band played an amazing set of songs, Irish Holiday, and
a Coldplay Medley. Later in the evening, the vocal ensemble sang wonderfully
as they performed Bubbly and Breaking Up is Hard to Do. Then the
contemporary band added a pop twist, performing a fun rendition of “Since U
Been Gone”. The Jazz band kept the energy high with a mashup of “Seven Nation
Army”, “Sweet Dreams” and “Titanium”. The
Percussion Ensemble then performed a vibrant and rhythmic piece, “Rumble in the
Jungle”. All these ensembles demonstrated the amazing talent across all years.
There
were also many amazing small group and solo items ranging from pop, to jazz and
even some opera.
Performances by the Year 9, 10, and 11 elective music classes demonstrated the depth of young talent, with each class presenting well-rehearsed and engaging pieces.
A huge thank you to Y11 Entertainment Industry class, Music students and staff, their dedication and hard work provided an evening of entertainment and fun for all.
Isabella C
The Year 9, 200 Hours Elective Dance class, along with the Year 10, 200 Hours Elective Dance class, were treated to a very glamorous excursion to see “Chicago” the musical at the glorious Capitol Theatre. Year 9 Elective Dance have been studying Popular Dance and Dance on Screen which made this the perfect excursion for them to see Musical Theatre performed live. A comparison between the live show and “Chicago” the movie offered many insights into the power of stage and screen. Simply sitting in the ornate theatre was an exquisite experience, let alone the amazing talent on display from the cast. All of the students had a wonderful time and gained a better understanding of theatre etiquette, professional dance requirements/careers, the use of sets/lighting/costuming, and the collaborative nature between musicians, actors, singers and dancers needed for musicals. It was a wonderful experience for all.
The Stella dancers have been busy over a couple of weekends with some of our best results to date! This was also the last competitions for the Year 12 students who finish dance to focus on their studies for HSC. It was an emotional weekend!
At Extreme Eisteddfod Senior Extension groups competed and took out 1st Place in three genres – Contemporary, Lyrical & Jazz! This was a huge improvement from their first competition two weeks prior, and a fantastic result winning against schools like PLC, Brigidine, Oxford Falls, and Freshwater High to name a few.
The Junior Company, Ensembles, and Ext Hip Hop Company also placed in three genres. This was the Junior groups' first competition of the year and routines had only just been finished. I can’t wait to see their improvement over the season.
All students represented Stella Maris proudly, and respectfully, showing support of all other schools and good sportsmanship, by cheering other schools on and congratulating them on their performances. I am extremely proud of their conduct.
Extreme Eisteddfod Results
IRBD Eisteddfod Results (Extension groups only):
Welcome to this fortnight's Sports News.
Jenny Wickham
Sports Coordinator and Teacher of PDHPE
Congratulations to the Stella Hockey team who are the Mollie Dive Hockey Premiers for 2024!
The Stella team had an amazing season and went through the competition undefeated! The grand final was held on Wednesday 20 June at Ku-ring-gai Hockey Centre against Marist/Willoughby – a team made up of players from Marist College North Shore and Willoughby Girls. It was a very close game, with Stella on the attack and taking plenty of shots on goal. The Marist Willoughby team did very well to stop us scoring and the game finished with a 0 – 0 draw, making the two teams joint premiers. Well done to the Stella team who also took home the minor premiership.
It was a great result for our first Stella hockey team to have such an amazing season. They are a talented team who improved so much over the competition. A big thank you to our coach, Chloe, who was such a fantastic coach for the team. Well done to all members of the Stella team:
Ella B, Jade B, Zara B, Bonnie B, Jamie B, Remy C, Femke E, Emily K, Hannah L, Emily M, Georgia M, Abbey M, Pilard S, Isla S, Kara T, Adelaide Y.
It has been a very busy term for out representative soccer teams. We have had a great deal of success with all of our rep teams, winning all divisions of the Broken Bay Championship and we are now down to the final 16 teams of the Bill Turner Trophy.
Last week the Stella Junior and Open teams played in the CCC knockout against Loreto Kirribilli. The Stella teams were hit hard with a number of injuries and illness, but we were able to have two smaller teams to play on the day. Both games were very close, with the junior team drawn at full time. The game went into a penalty shoot out, which we were very unlucky to lose. The senior team played well all game, but were narrowly defeated by a strong Loreto team. Well done to both teams.
The Bill Turner Cup team has continued on their winning streak, with a great win against William Clarke College in their region final. The William Clarke team took a 1 – 0 lead early in the game, but the Stella team fought back to have a great 2 -1 win. This moves our team into the final 16 of the competition. There are more than 400 teams from Queensland, NSW, ACT and Victoria in this competition, so to make it to the final 16 is a huge achievement!
Stella will now face either Westfields Sports or Endeavour Sports High in the round of 16 early next term. Well done to all members of the teams.
NSWCCC Knockout Junior team: Siena A, Emily B, Gracie B, Piiper B, Zoe B, Gracie E, Lola H, Phoebe L, Ann M, Evie M, Avie R, Maisy S, Zoe V
NSWCCC Knockout Senior team: Eliza A, Emma B, Charlotte C, Camille C, Cassie G, Charley H, Amber K, Sophie L, Lara M, Eadie P, Bonny A, Lyla R, April U
Bill Turner Cup team: Siena A, Zoe A, Gracie B, Emma B, Charlotte C, Camillie C, Ellie E, Gracie E, Lola H, Amber K, Sophie L, Evie M, Lara M, Jess P, Lyla R, Maisy S, April U, Zoe V, Kayla R, Ann M, Amelie V.
The Semester 1 basketball competition is coming to an end, with our grand finals being held this week. All of the Stella teams have enjoyed the season. Well done to the teams that qualified for the semi finals and congratulations to the three Stella teams who made the grand finals: Year 7 green, Year 9 red and Year 12 red. The Year 7 team was very unlucky to lose by just two points in a very exciting grand final. Year 9 and 12 grand finals will be held later this week.
A reminder to any student who would like to play basketball in Semester 2 that registrations close tomorrow.
The Peninsula Cup Netball competition finished this week with the grand finals being held on Tuesday 25 June. All of the Stella teams had a great season, with three of the teams making it all the way to the grand finals. Well done to the Junior Red and Pink teams and the Senior Purple team who played in the grand finals against Oxford Falls, Pittwater House and Northern Beaches Christian School. All of the teams played extremely well!
Congratulations also goes to Sophie B, Lily H and Summer B who represented Stella at the Broken Bay U18 trials this week.
A big thank you to the Stella girls who umpired at the Northern Beaches Catholic Primary Schools Netball Gala Days on 18 and 25 June at Curl Curl. Stella provided over 50 umpires across the two days. All of the students did a fantastic job, not only umpiring, but assisting the young students in learning and enjoying the game of netball. They are all to be congratulated on the way they represented Stella at both of these events.
Congratulations to Grace F and Lara M who were selected into the NSWCCC Rugby 7s teams. Grace has been selected into the open team and Lara into the U16 team. They will both play at the NSW All Schools Rugby 7s Championships on June 26 and 27. Good luck Grace and Lara!
It has taken us to almost the end of term to finalise the Stella Athletics Carnival. Due to wet weather and unavailability of local facilities, we had to hold our throws events at Keirle Park on Thursday 20 June. We had a great group of talented athletes come along to compete in the throws events, and there was even two records broken by Elisabeth P in the 16 years javelin and discus!
Congratulations to all of the students who competed. We will be finalising our Athletics Carnival results and presenting awards at assembly in Term 3.
The Stella athletics squad will commence training and carnivals at the start of Term 3.
Training will be held on Tuesday mornings (throws) at Keirle Park and Wednesday mornings (sprints/distance) at Manly Oval. We will compete at the IGSA twilight carnivals on Friday evenings at Sydney Olympic Park in Term 3 in the lead up to our championship carnivals. All students are welcome to join in the training and Friday night carnivals and have been sent the link to register interest.
Good luck to the Stella Snow Sports team who will be competing at the Northern NSW Interschools event at Thredbo in the holidays. Stella has a team of five students taking part in a variety of events: Amber C, Mia S, Bridey C, Lara H and Archie H. Best of luck in your events!
Registrations are open for Term 3 sports. An email was sent to students and parents this week with details of the sports on offer for Term 3. Students are asked to register their interest in their chosen sports prior to the end of term. Some of the sports on offer in Term 3 include:
Welcome to the Week 9 P&F Update!
Clare Cahill
P&F President
You made it halfway through the year, and I'm sure we are all looking forward to a break!
Here are the Terms 3 events:
Can you help? We're seeking prizes for our Term 3 Raffles and Silent Auction. Proceeds will support the 2025 Welcome events and a mental health charity. Please fill out the form below to help us promote and acknowledge your donation. Prizes will be split across both events. Thank you! 🙏
As part of our upcoming Father’s Day Breakfast at Stella, where we hold a fundraising raffle, we are excited to announce that 50% of the funds raised will be donated to a deserving mental health charity this year. We believe in the power of our community and want to hear from you!
Do you know of a mental health charity that makes a significant impact? Is there a local organisation close to your heart that would benefit from our support? We are looking for your suggestions to help us decide where our donations can make the most tremendous difference.
How to Submit Your Suggestions: Fill out our quick and easy suggestion form below.
Please include the following in your submission:
Deadline for submissions: Friday 2 August
Please mark your calendars for our Father’s Day Breakfast at Stella in Term 3 on Friday 30 August. The remaining 50% of the funds will go towards the welcome events at the start of 2025.
We look forward to hearing your ideas and working together to support a cause that matters to our community.
Are you interested in the P&F and want to get more involved? The next Stella P&F General meeting will occur on Thursday 8 August. We would love to see you there, starting at 7:30pm. Watch out for more details at the start of next term. If you want to be kept informed, drop us a note at pandf@stellamaris.nsw.edu.au, and we'll add you to the list.
Take advantage of the Event of the Year!
We are so excited! We took the risk of increasing the venue size, and you have responded. Over 85% of tickets have already sold, so don’t delay—secure your spot now!
Ticket Pricing:
Do you have an idea for a theme? Last year, we did colour, and you all grabbed it and took it to the extreme. What do you think? If you have any ideas for a theme, please let us know at pandf@stellamaris.nsw.edu.au
We have over 100 confirmed for the new date, Saturday 14 September. We will be at the end of winter sports and before the start of spring. It’s not too late to express your interest and let us know if you can attend via the form below.
Tickets will go on sale at the start of next term. Prices are confirmed at $42 for adults and over 14s, and $32 for under 14s. The whole family is welcome!
Finally, the Stella Maris P&F wish you all a safe and happy term break!
The Uniform Shop reopens on Tuesday 23 July at 8.00am...
Gail Hickey
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 8.00am to 4.30pm during term and can be emailed on:
uniform_books@stellamaris.nsw.edu.au
The Uniform Shop will not be open over the holidays. It will reopen on Tuesday 23 July at 8.00am. Online orders placed after June 25 and over the holidays can be collected from Recess that day.
Year 7 students studying Art next term have been emailed. Please purchase the Art Pack online and collect in Week 1 of Term 3.
Black socks $3 (to wear with pants and as an alternative to stockings with the skirt) are available in store. We do hold limited stock as these can be purchased elsewhere.
Please ask your daughter to collect online orders from Recess after the order has been placed. Reminders are generally not sent. Please use your daughter’s name on the order. There is space under ‘Billing Address’ on the order for your daughter’s name.
Please follow this link to the P&F Facebook second hand page:
Thank you to our volunteers in the Canteen for the first fortnight of Term 3.
Bernie McGrath
Canteen Manager
Monday 22 July |
Tuesday 23 July |
Wednesday 24 July |
Thursday 25 July |
Friday 26 July |
Joanne Brown |
Peta Alpen |
Jill Sholl |
Carmel MacLeod |
|
Heather Lawson |
Jude Furniss |
Rosetta Papallo |
Brooke Mountford |
|
Riany Tanner |
Cathy Shanahan |
Ashleigh Hough |
Prue Berne |
|
Kim Singleton |
Sharman Walker |
Amanda Beecham |
Monday 29 July |
Tuesday 20 July 30 |
Wednesday 31 July |
Thursday 1 August |
Friday 2 August |
Katherine Pinkerton |
Alison Vaubell |
Margie Mort |
Steph England |
Simone Selinas |
Deb Ristuccia |
Margie Mort |
Elle Weeden |
Catherine Nel |
Jeremy Stubbs |
Jodie Franks |
Emma McIver |
Nell Laime |
Leesa Shannon |
Tara Edgtton |
Brooke Sinclair |
Sara McHugh |
Heidi Bryant |
||
|
Melissa Firth |
Friday 28 June | Last day of Term 2
Years 7 - 10 Semester 1 reports available on SEQTA |
Tuesday 23 July |
Term 3 commences |
Monday 5 August |
Year 12 HSC Trials commence |
Wednesday 7 August |
Year 9 Camp |
Thursday 8 August |
Year 9 Camp |
Friday 9 August |
Year 9 Camp |
Monday 19 August |
Year 12 HSC Trials conclude |
Tuesday 20 August |
Bodies of Work Exhibition |
Friday 30 August |
Father’s Day Breakfast |
Friday 20 September | P&F Ladies Long Lunch |
Wednesday 25 September |
Year 12 Graduation Mass and Ceremony |
Friday 27 September |
Year 12 Formal |
Social Justice News
Stella acknowledges Refugee Week...
Sarah Metcalfe
Social Justice Program Coordinator
World Refugee Day - 20 June
On Thursday 20 June, World Refugee Day, four Year 9 students attended a special community conversation with people who are seeking asylum. The students listened to presenters who had a lived experience of being refugees and who had to flee their homelands due to persecution in the hope of finding a safer place to live in freedom and peace. Other presenters had been victims of human trafficking and had found themselves being exploited in slave labour. They had become asylum seekers and are now currently on bridging visas under the category of being a refugee and are waiting in the hope of attaining Australian citizenship in the future.
The Sisters of the Good Samaritan support the Refugee and Asylum Seeker Network and work in partnership with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia. It was a timely excursion for our students to enrich their sense of social justice as part of Refugee Week which ran from 16 - 23 June. Lola O, Guilia M, Ivy V and Emily H were exemplary students and engaged in thoughtful discussion about ways of showing solidarity to come together and raise awareness of the plight of people in these circumstances.
As Ivy V stated:
“It was an eye-opening experience for sure! The way the speakers spoke about the harsh reality of seeking asylum in Australia made it obvious that it was something that they took straight from the truth. It made me realise how difficult it must be for someone to face those challenges of getting visas and how traumatic the whole thing becomes.”
Emily H reported:
“Thank you so much for the opportunity this morning to understand more about the stories of the refugees. … We listened to the perspectives of refugees that had fled to Australia from the Philippines and Sri Lanka. I was saddened by how terrifying their experiences were and the difficult journeys they had made to find safety. I developed a better understanding of the challenges they faced in becoming citizens of Australia and building themselves a new life with employment and housing.”
JRS Visit Stella
Year 9 students had the opportunity to listen to Helen from Iraq who was once a refugee and now works with JRS. Helen shared her story of seeking asylum and her arduous journey to find a safer place to live. It is bittersweet for Helen as she is now living in Australia and is free and safe, however she is isolated from her sister and other family members who are still living in Iraq.
The Year 9 students were exceptionally attentive as they listened to Helen recount her story and they are to be commended for paying her such respectful focus.
Our Year 9 students are wanting to put words into action and find ways of showing support for people who are refugees and seeking asylum.
Year 9 are asking the Stella Maris community to please contribute to the following drives:
Join the Winter Blanket Drive
Please donate to the MAD Social Justice Club:
These items will benefit several JRS clients who are experiencing homelessness and have limited options for heating due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Please help spread the warmth this winter
In addition, if you can bring in canned goods such as vegetables/ legumes or pasta items for the JRS Foodbank Drive that would also go a long way in helping JRS clients access food to stay healthy and well, especially so in these colder months.
All students are encouraged to participate in the JRS Writing and Artwork competition to raise awareness in the wider community about the plight of refugees and asylum seekers. Please see the attached flyer and send in submissions to Ms Metcalfe by 18 July, 2024.