Mental Health Awarenss Week

From the 6th to the 10th of February, the Student Council organised a weeklong event for mental health awareness. To spread awareness about mental health issues, the Student Council organised colouring, relaxation exercises, a rant board, and a tea party. On Monday, during assembly, the primary student council representatives hosted relaxation exercises to destress the body and mind. A rant board was also available all week long for students who needed to write about their problems and feelings freely and anonymously. On Wednesday, each advisory had colouring sessions where students could colour to relax and relieve their stress with classmates. Finally, on Friday, every secondary advisory hosted a tea party where students could talk about and express their emotions and thoughts to each other. Overall, mental health awareness week was a great success, and students were educated on the importance of mental health.

Last week, our school hosted Literacy Week, and it was a huge success! The event was filled with exciting and engaging activities to promote reading and literacy among students. One of the week’s highlights was the multicultural storyteller sessions by the supportive and dedicated parent community, who were willing to take time out of their busy schedule to participate in school activities. Their participation and encouragement were instrumental in creating a fun and engaging learning experience for everyone, where students could listen to stories from different cultures and traditions. In addition, it was an excellent way for students to learn about other cultures and appreciate diversity.

Another fun activity was the “Guess the Reader” game, where students unlocked QR codes to guess the identity of the mystery guest reader. Again, it was a thrilling experience for the students, encouraging them to think critically and pay attention to details.

The “read-a-thon” was also a hit amongst the students, who were challenged to read as many books as possible within a specific time frame. Each book read won a point for their house team. The activity was designed to encourage students to develop a love for reading and to help them improve their reading skills.

Finally, the Wayang puppet theatre showcased Indonesian traditional storytelling and culture. The show was based on a famous Javanese story, and it was a creative way to bring the story to life and engage students in a different story experience.

The secondary students participated in a range of literacy activities throughout the week with enthusiasm and good humour.

Read Aloud

In this activity students volunteered to Read Aloud to primary students. The sign-up slots were quickly filled, and 28 readers from Years 7 – 11 happily visited classrooms to read some of their favourite books in English, Indonesian and Korean. The primary students loved listening to, and meeting, our older students and their participation was fantastic.

Creative Writing Competition

We also held a Creative Writing Competition where budding writers, poets and illustrators were invited to submit a new, or recent, original piece of work, in any of the three categories. We received some wonderful entries showcasing creativity, style and personal expression. The winners are:

Short Story category winners:

• 3rd place: Serafin Pingol – Yr 11

• 2nd place: Amara Saputra – Yr 13

• 1st place: Farha Azmi – Yr 7

Poetry category

Lower Secondary (Yr 7-9)

• 3rd place: My Father by Maryam Suliman – Yr 8

• 2nd place: Love for the Living by Rashi Pandya – Yr 9

• 1st place: The Windows to your Soul by Aahana Patel – Yr 9

Upper Secondary (Yr 10-13)

• 3rd place: Three Words by Aisha Witono – Yr 12

• 2nd place: Rahasia Dendam by Sarrah Riang Hepat – Yr 12

• 1st place: Teenage Dream by Sarah Miski – Yr 10

Poetry Party Advisory Competition

In this activity advisory classes needed to select a poem from pre-1900. Classes then were required to work collaboratively to adapt and perform their poem in a creative way, while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the poet’s message. Entries were innovative and it was interesting to see how classes interpreted their poem. The winners are:

• 3rd place: Yr 7 Ulfa

• 2nd place: Yr 10 Pho

• 1st place: Yr 7 Dickinson - video HERE

Overall, Literacy Week was a resounding success, and it was evident that the students had a great time participating in the various activities. The event was a testament to the school’s commitment to promoting reading and literacy among students, and it was a valuable learning experience for everyone involved.

See more photograph of the activity here