2023 | ISSUE 18 | SJC Newsletter

Languages Camp

These past few weeks have been really exciting and engaging time for years 8 -10 Language students with the Year 9 and 10 students attending Languages Camp and year 8 students embarking on their multicultural immersions in Melbourne.

Year 9 Italian students had the opportunity to put their language skills into practice by participating in soccer workshops with SDC Academy, pizza making with Stella Scuola, a multicultural food tour of Melbourne CBD and a day learning about Italian culture and traditions, learning to use a coffee machine, using a woodfire pizza oven and dancing the Tarantella at Reggio Calabria Club. Year 9 student Domenic Posterino was a standout at the Reggio Calabria club; he brought along his pianoaccordian to play for the ‘nonni’ who were thrilled to see the way that the younger generation have embraced Italian culture. The students made the most of every opportunity they could; putting themselves out there and getting into every activity with engagement and enthusiasm. This is what the students had to say about it:

“On the first day of the LOTE camp, we had Alessandro and Gianluca come to Westcourt to teach us about how to make authentic Italian pizza. They guided us through the different techniques and ingredients to use when making pizza dough and how to leave it to sit to get the best results. After we all finished making our dough, Alessandro and Gianluca cooked the whole class pizzas to enjoy. This was a very good activity as we learned how to make high quality pizzas as well as getting to taste some delicious Italian food.”
Eamonn O’Dowd

“To start the LOTE camp we had a soccer training session with Pablo and Javvi from SDC Academy. The session had it all; with skills training, practice while in a game situation and then to take them all to a 3v3 tournament later in the session. The training drills that were suited to all skill levels which allowed everyone to gain a couple of tricks along the way. Overall a great experience and I would definitely do it again.”
Jonathon Punchard

“The school trip to the Reggio Calabria Club in Parkville was an incredible cultural immersion. We got to experience the heart and soul of Italian life through coffee, soccer, and dance. The warmth and hospitality of the club members made us feel like part of their community, and we appreciated their efforts to share their traditions with us. It was a day filled with laughter, learning, and creating lasting memories. The trip not only exposed us to the rich Italian culture but also strengthened our bond as classmates. It was a perfect blend of education and entertainment. As we left the club that evening, we carried with us not only newfound skills but also a piece of Italy in our hearts. This school trip will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of our academic journey, reminding us of the beauty of learning and experiencing new cultures. In conclusion, our visit to the Italian club in Reggio Calabria was an enriching and enjoyable experience. From making coffee to playing soccer and dancing the Tarantella, it was a day that truly celebrated Italian culture and left a lasting impact on all of us. We look forward to more such cultural explorations in the future.”
Lyle Williamson, Jensen Fenske, Sebastian Ciola & Sebastian Di Mauro

Bendigo’s Golden Dragon Museum

Year 9 Students of Chinese had the opportunity to explore the cultural impact of Chinese migrants in the 1850s through a visit to Bendigo’s Golden Dragon Museum. At the turn of the century, people with Chinese ethnicity made up 4% of Victoria’s population, but faced harsh discrimination and even riots on the Goldfields as their communal and hard-working nature brought them success and the ire of European settlers, culminating in the passage of the White Australia Policy. This is what Year 9 student Brock Warren had to say about his experience:

“On the last Thursday and Friday of week four we went on two excursions to Bendigo and China town. When we went to Bendigo we went to the golden dragon museum where we learnt about the history of the first Chinese in Australia. We also learnt about the millennium dragons and their history of how they were made and how they came into the Australian culture. When we went to China town we get a tour around China town from a historian and we learnt about how people would have lived back when Melbourne was being built up from nothing. On both days we got lunch after both of these activities so it was very worth it.”

Annual Language/Extra English/Nixor excursions.

All year 8 students headed out to Melbourne last week for their annual Language/Extra English/Nixor excursions.

Year 8 students of Italian travelled to Lygon Street to complete an “Amazing Race” treasure hunt and see the impact that Italian immigration has had in Melbourne and then finished the day with a delicious pizza and pasta lunch at Il Gambero. One of the tasks on the Treasure Hunt was a photo competition for the most “Italian” photo; the winners of the competition Gabriel Gnjec, Luke Pietrapertosa and Harrison Clair took a brilliant photo; even getting the ‘pizzaiolo’ from Papa` Gino’s in the shot!

Year 8 students of Chinese finished their studies with the annual visit to Chinatown, in Melbourne’s CBD; learning about the legacy of Chinese migration to Melbourne, together with the opportunity to taste some Chinese cuisine.

Year 8 students of Extra English and Nixor travelled out to Werribee Zoo. Here’s what the students from 8A had to say about it:

“8A Nixor and Extra English had a fantastic day out at the Werribee Zoo. We had a session with the keeper to teach us about the conservation of critically endangered Eastern Lowland Gorillas. There are only 6000 left in the wild, it has dwindled from around 17000 in the early 1990’s.

One of the highlights of our day was when Ganyeka the Gorilla tried to charge at us. He particularly wanted to get Taj, Xavier and Tom! The gorilla was carrying a pile of hay, and spotted us all through the glass. He sprinted towards the viewing area from about 5m away; then charged into, and punched the glass to assert his dominance. We all got a huge fright!”