Semester 1, 2018 Foundation Newsletter

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Our Mission The Christian College Foundation was established in 2015, with the goal of providing a funding source – independent of student fees – which can support students from families with disadvantaged backgrounds or those experiencing particular hardship.

Our Foundation also seeks to fund new initiatives, both locally and globally, that enhance the educational program in which our students thrive. Maintaining the long-term viability of our College is another key objective of our Foundation, amid an ever-evolving society.

Our Foundation will support valuable educational projects for our students by providing financial support where it is most needed.

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A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Providing access to the ‘Learning That Matters’.

Christian College Foundation is proud to be supporting Christian College as it continues to provide excellence in education while building strong Christian foundations into the lives of students from Kindergarten to Year 12. The Foundation works closely with the College Executive to ensure our support is appropriate, meaningful and effective in delivering this support. Enjoying the philanthropic support of the College community and the wider community we aim to inspire others to be generous.

The Foundation Board members represent a cross section of the business and education sectors all with direct connections to the College as past students, past and current parents, past and current staff members. I thank them for their generous giving of their time, knowledge and skills. This year we have welcomed Graeme Dent, Head of Campus Senior School to the Board. Graeme brings a wealth of experience that will greatly assist the board as we move forward.

I am pleased to report that our Foundation continues to raise its profile within the community and we are successfully seeking support from like-minded people.

Two particular joys this year were to connect with our grandparents and special friends at Grandparents Day events at Junior School and Bellarine and with past and present community members at the Back Creek 21st Anniversary celebration.

We continue to explore and develop a variety of ways to establish funding sources, independent of government funding and fees, with the aim of keeping the school fees as affordable as possible. I look forward to sharing news of these initiatives in 2018.

Every donor is directly impacting the lives of each and every one of our students and unites our community in a common cause, providing access to the ’Learning That Matters’.

I hope you enjoy reading some of the ways our Foundation is benefiting those around you, and I look forward to connecting again with you soon.

Michael Peck Christian College Geelong Foundation Board Chairman

You can be sure that every donation to our Foundation is directly impacting the lives of each and every one of the students at our College.

SPOTLIGHT

Donations Making a Real-Life Impact

Nay Toe Aye has dreamt about being a teacher since she was eight years old. Now all grown up, she is about to complete the university qualification that will help her realise this dream.

Thanks to the Christian College Geelong Foundation, Nay is already helping students improve their learning, and their lives. Due to the generosity of our donors, our Foundation has been able to employ Nay on a part-time basis to assist with a group of Karen students attending Christian College.

There are more than 20 Karen students accessing a quality education at our College through scholarships, and Nay has been incredibly helpful to these young people.

“I will be at the College checking on the students – seeing how they are going with their study, or if they have any problems or concerns,” Nay said. “If there are any issues, I then catch up with the teachers and learning support, and ask them what I can do to help,” she said.

“I also check in with the parents to see if they have any questions they want me to ask the teachers or other staff, and also to translate forms or anything like that. My job is to get that information across to the families.”

Nay’s warmth and unselfish nature have been a blessing for the Karen students as they meet the challenges of learning in a different country and integrating into our Christian College community.

“I know the students are very grateful,” Nay said.

“Most of the time, the parents at home don’t speak English so they find it hard to go into the Parent Portal and check the email and understand all the information. So that is another important thing that I do. I will go into the Portal and see what the important information is that the parents need to know. I really feel like I am making a difference, especially when I meet the parents and they say to me, ‘I am so glad the College has you’. It’s really nice to hear that.”

Nay and her family came to Australia in 2007, having spent the first part of Nay’s life living in refugee camps in Thailand. The first camp Nay lived in was burned down, so her family then moved to the same camp that provided a home to many of the Karen families who have since relocated to the Geelong area. This experience has helped Nay develop a strong empathy for the students and families she works with, and it is also where her love for teaching was born.

“I just lived in the camp, I never went outside,” she recalls. “But I did get to go to school, and that was definitely my highlight of every day. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in Grade 3. Being a teacher, I believe you can change people’s lives.”

Nay said she could never fully express how grateful she is to our Foundation and our generous donors. “I just want to say thank you so much – the Foundation’s support has not only been a blessing to me, but many other people.”

Nay has now successfully completed her teaching studies and subsequently, has been offered a graduate teaching position in Altona.

We wish her all the best in her new career.

Ka Pru Toe Aye, Nay’s younger sister, has taken over the Community Liaison Officer role in 2018. Having been extensively involved within Christian College throughout 2017, regularly supporting Nay in her role on a voluntary basis, Ka Pru brings with her a deep connection with the Karen community and the College, that will ensure Nay’s good work continues.

GIVING

Farming Donations There are many ways of

At our Back Creek 21st year

The Foundation was also thrilled

giving to the Christian

Celebration in October 2017, a new

to receive the use of a farming

College Geelong Foundation

initiative was launched in relation

property in the Elaine area, for the

to the Scholarship Fund. For

next five years, as a donation.

and we are very appreciative of the generous support we have so far received from donations, salary

each $250 donation, our College will purchase one sheep. The profits from farming each sheep (an approximate value of $1000

deductions, in kind and the

over six years, subject to market

gifting of property assets.

fluctuations) will then be donated to the Christian College Geelong Foundation.

Our College’s Scholarship Fund has so far received contributions in excess of $160,000. We offer a sincere thank you to those members of our College staff who continue to give so generously by salary deduction. Your contributions are

To date, a total of $5,000 has been raised, equating to 20 sheep and a forecast profit contribution of

On top of the 250 acres provided, a small breeding herd of Angus cattle was also donated. It is estimated that the farming profit from this whole enterprise will be approximately $50,000 per year.

As this is located in the vicinity of our current farm operations in Back Creek, this opportunity is a true blessing.

$20,000. Thank you very much to all those who have supported this initiative.

enabling more young people to access the ‘Learning That Matters’.

Just as importantly, we also sincerely thank the families and friends of our College who have generously supported the Fund by donation.

We are very appreciative of the generous support we have so far received.

The Foundation, through generous donations, continues to support our College in providing access to the ‘Learning That Matters’.

If you would like more information about how you can support the Foundation, please contact our Foundation Liaison, Linda Salamy via: foundation@ccg.vic.edu.au or (03) 52 411 899.