School Newsletter—Contact Volume 12 Edition 2 Term 2 June 2012 From the Principal p.1 Year 10 & 11 News p2 Year 12 News p.3 Debating & Public Speaking p.4 Languages Report p.5 Transit of Venus & ’Step Up Be Heard’ & p.6 Climate Change Challenge p6 Maths in Action & Business Enterprise p.7 Anzac Activities p.8 & 9 Overseas Excursions p9 Defence Transition Mentor p.10 Did you know that… & Menzies School of Research p10 Student Career Development p.11,12 C4E Maths & Outdoor Education p.13 Gaming in Teaching & Two Weeks with the Queen p.14 Brave—Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful p.15 CAD Graphics & McArthur River Mine Tour p16 Melbourne Performing & Visual Arts Trip p.17 Mud Racing p.18 Solar Panels, National Trust & Stage 2 Mathematics p.19 Sports News p20
From the Principal Welcome to the second edition of Contact for the 2012 school year. Feedback regarding the new layout has been very positive so we will continue to use this format. An electronic copy can also be found on our new website in ‘Student Life’. This edition of Contact attests to the broad range of activities and opportunities that Darwin High offers its students. Semester 1 Reports Semester one reports are included with this edition of Contact. As always, if you have any queries or concerns, please contact the relevant Year Level Coordinator or Faculty Senior to arrange a meeting. Parent Teacher Night Parent Teacher Night will be on Monday 20 August. To make an appointment please use the online booking system using the link on our website. Darwin High School Civic Awards Civic Awards are given to students at Darwin High School who represent the school in the community. We wish to recognise these students and show that the school values their achievements. They may be involved in cultural, sporting, charity, commemorative or civic activities. Students can be nominated by teachers, students or members of the wider community. We
would appreciate your assistance in identifying students who deserve these awards. Please email your nominations to karen.gilfuis@ntschools.net or phone on 8999 1222. Financial Contributions I wish to thank those parents who have made voluntary financial contributions to Darwin High School this year. Your support enables us to provide your child with a quality senior secondary education. Additionally, I want to acknowledge the parents who have finalised the reimbursement costs for consumables used by their child in their subjects during Semester 1. Our students are being prepared for a very competitive world and your direct support helps to fund enriched learning opportunities by ensuring we can provide a full range of up to date resources across all subject areas. In July, a letter will be issued to confirm with you the reimbursement costs for the subjects you and your child have selected for Semester 2. Commencement of Semester 2 Teaching staff return to work on Monday 23 July. Students return to school on Tuesday 24 July. Finally, my thanks to Staff and School Council members for their work during Semester 1. Enjoy the break, and I look forward to working with all members of the School community next Semester. Trevor Read Principal 1
Year 10 News
Year 11 News
It is amazing how fast the year is going. It seems like only a short time ago that we were welcoming a new group of Year 10s into the school and now we are half way through the year. Most of the students have settled in well, built positive relationships with staff and stepped up to the mark academically to achieve good results this semester.
It has been a busy and productive semester for Year 11. Most students have understood that there is an increase in work from Year 10 and have made the requisite changes required to succeed. It has been a real pleasure to see the cohort develop academically and mature. We would like to thank students, parents and teachers for their support this semester.
Unfortunately, there are some students who have coasted along, doing the bare minimum to pass. It is worth remembering that Year 10 is the year that prepares students for Years 11 and 12. The habits that students develop this year are largely the ones they will carry into next year. With a semester left, there is still time to develop the time management and study skills that they will need to give them the opportunity to achieve their best results. There are a variety of support people in the school who can assist students with developing these skills (such as, Mentor teachers, school counsellors, Year Coordinator).
Results for this semester have been good. Most students are on track to complete their Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET). To attain the NTCET students must complete 200 points. Every semester length (Stage 1) course is equivalent to 10 points and every year-long (Stage 2) course is worth 20 points. Most Year 11 students have completed 70 points. Students should visit the SACE Board Website https://apps.sace.sa.edu.au/students-online/ login.do to check how many credits they have attained. Semester 2 Semester 2 will commence on Tuesday 24 July. Students will have until Monday 30 July to make adjustments to their timetable. The reason for this cut off is because the Year 11 Exams will commence on 22 November in Week 17 to allow us time to meet the SACE Board deadline for the uploading of results.
The Homework Centre has been very popular this semester and quite a number of Year 10 students have been taking advantage of the tutors and space being made available in the Library. This will continue next semester after school each week on Monday to Thursday until 6pm. Timetables Most Year 10 students have received a draft timetable for next semester. There are still some changes that need to be made. Students will be issued with a new timetable at an assembly on the first day back next semester. The students then have a week to negotiate any changes. They can do this by seeing Ms Pedersen during recess and lunch, before or after school. Alpine Excursion 21—28 July We wish those students well who will be going on the Alpine Excursion during the first week of the second semester. We hope thy have a great time and return safely. We wish all of the Year 10 students a happy and safe holiday and look forward to seeing everyone back in Term 3, refreshed and ready to launch straight into their studies.
Dress Code I am pleased to report that the majority of our Year 11 cohort has complied with the Dress Code requirements. However, there are some who continue to disregard the policy. We ask parents to support us by checking what your child is wearing before they come to school. Parent Mailing List A reminder that we value parent contact and if you are not on our parent email list, please send an email to dhs.emaillist@ntschools.net so the list can be updated. Through this email list you will receive information such as events within the School, apprenticeship opportunities, any external career visitors we may have, reminders for Parent Teacher Night and Subject Selection requirements, to name just a few. Driving to School More and more students in Year 11 are driving to school. Students who park their vehicle at School must register their vehicle with the Front Office and identify which passengers (if any) have parental permission to be in the car. Unfortunately, a number of students in Year 11 have been leaving grounds to get lunch. Students are not permitted to leave the School grounds until school has finished. We have a duty of care and are concerned for the safety of these young drivers. We hope all students have an enjoyable break and return to school refreshed and ready for Semester 2. For those students who will not be returning to Darwin High School next Semester please ensure that the school has been notified and we wish you all the best.
Patricia Cryer & Annette Pedersen
Marty Isaksen & Wade Davies
Year 10 Assistant Principal and Coordinator
Year 11 Assistant Principal and Coordinator 2
Year 12 News Using the Holidays Wisely The June/July vacation gives us time to take stock of how the year has progressed to date. For some it has been a great semester and for others, things have not gone as well as they should have. Term 3 will be crunch time particularly for those students whose subjects have external examinations, as they must complete all summative tasks by the end of the term. Our message to Year 12s is that they should use the four week break wisely. Relax for some of the time, but do not procrastinate. Refocus and start revising what you have covered in Semester 1. A number of teachers are running tutorials during the four week break. If you are in town please make use of these tutorials. Below is a list of some of the tutorials that are running however it would be wise for your child to check with their teachers. Dance: 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th July, 10am — 3pm. Drama: 18th, 19th, and 20th July, 10am – 5pm. Chemistry and Physics with STAH: Available from 9-12 on each Friday of holidays for assistance except Friday 13th. Media Studies: 9thand 16th July, 10am — 1 pm Creative Arts: Students have permission to access C4 to continue with their Product assignments during the 4 week break. Access to the arts storeroom is not given. Nutrition: Thursday 19thJuly, at 9am Mathematical Studies with TANE: 26th June, 10th, and 17thJuly, 9:30am – 12pm. Contact Ms Tan to confirm attendance. Mathematical Methods with TANE: 5th, 12th, & 19th July, 9:30am – 12pm. Contact Ms Tan to confirm attendance. English Studies: - 27th June , 4th July, 11th July, 9am – 1pm Physics with DISA: 25th June, 2nd, 9th, 16th July, 9am – 12pm Food & Hospitality: 27thJune, 10am – 3pm Year 12 Graduation and Formal The Graduation and The Formal will be held at the Convention Centre on Monday 19 November.The Graduation Ceremony will occur in the Auditorium from 5.30pm until 7.00pm. This event does not incur a cost and parents and families are welcome to attend. The Formal will be held afterwards in one of the halls at the Convention Centre. This event is only for Year 12 students from Darwin High School. Tickets for the formal will be on sale in Term 3. Sponsors for the Formal The Year 12 Formal Committee is pleased to announce that Tim’s Surf ‘N’ Turf will be making a considerable donation towards the Year 12 Formal. For every Year 12 student that eats at Tim’s Surf ‘N’ Turf, they will donate $5. In addition to this, for each guest of each Year 12 student, $2.50 will be donated. To qualify for this donation students need to show their Student ID Card. For bookings call Tim’s on: 8981 1024. The Rock Centre is also donating $5 towards the formal every time a Year 12 student purchases a full price day pass to climb at The Rock. Plan Your Time, Manage Your Stress—Plan for No Regrets As mentioned above, it is important that the four week break is not wasted. Term 3 can be stressful as deadlines approach. Plan what you will do each week of the holidays. All Year 12 students should visit the SACE Board Website. http://www.sace.sa.edu.au/the-sace/students-families/exams . Here you will find not only the Examination Timetable for the end of the year but useful tips on studying and managing stress. We wish all Year 12s a productive holiday. Kevin Northcote & Lisa Knight Year 12 Assistant Principal and Year Coordinator 3
Debating and Public Speaking
Debating Competition
A group of enthusiastic and very capable speakers has had significant success in the debating and public speaking activities this Semester, notably the United Nations Youth Association Conference, the Darwin Senior Secondary Debating Competition and the Plain English Speaking Award.
Darwin High School was the only school in the competition represented by two teams, which is a credit to the debaters in the School. From 4 – 6 p.m. on Wednesdays they prepared for and took part in debates on a range of controversial topics, including a total ban on all forms of gambling and the politics of overseas aid. Darwin 1 and Good Shepherd Lutheran College fought out the Finals at Good Shepherd in Howard Springs on Wednesday, June 6. The Darwin High School team won, so we hold the Debating Trophy for the Darwin Secondary Schools until 2013. Kaejenn Tchia, Asim
UNYA NT Conference 14 - 15 April The Conference was organised by students in Year 12 or on a Gap Year who are passionate about the values of UNYS. It was held in Parliament House, and students were allocated countries which they researched, and then represented in a mock U.N. General Assembly. They passed environmental and geopolitical motions through the Assembly, lobbying, debating and promoting the interests of their nation. This is usually the most successful of the speaking activities offered to our students in Semester 1, and a selection of student comments shows that this Conference was no exception: I had a great time at UNYA, it was incredibly fun and I learnt a lot; I enjoyed it a lot and learnt a lot about the Security Council and the debate on the five resolutions. It was a good experience as you really felt what it would be like to be a delegate at the UN; It was simply so wonderful. We had an amazing session on Interactive Problem Solving, where we were split into four groups, two representing the cabinet ministers of Argentina and the other being the ministers of UK and we had to role play in solving the crisis of Falkland island ownership. It felt as if we were really the ministers. So exciting! The following students took part, and represented the countries next to their names: Kaejenn Tchia
China
Ismam Choudhury
Russian Federation
Asim Razi
Bulgaria
Rebecca Smith (Becci)
Mauritania
Kenny Lee
Lithuania
Ajantha Velayutham
Congo
Daniel Hamilton
Greece
Myra Hales
South Africa
Maggie Coggan-Gartlan
Malaysia
Razi and Daniel Hamilton all spoke very well, and Andrew Harding timed very efficiently under challenging circumstances. Our thanks go to Mr Read for attending the Finals. His presence encouraged the team. Plain English Speaking
Danae Reid Thank you to Ajantha for the photograph. Kenny is half obscured in the back row, but Kaejenn and Danae are clearly visible in the front row. All students performed well, and our congratulations go to Kaejenn, Daniel and Kenny who were selected as delegates from the Northern Territory to the Australian National UN Youth Conference in July. 4
On Saturday, 2 June, the Regional Finals of the Plain English Speaking Award were held at CDU. There were nine speakers from a range of Darwin schools, with Sophie Philip and Kenny Lee representing Darwin High School. This is a daunting competition, requiring speakers to present an eight minute Prepared Speech, undertake a public interview on subjects chosen by the interviewer and present a three minute Impromptu Speech after four minutes preparation time. Both Sophie and Kenny acquitted themselves well, even though Kenny was fighting a severe chest infection. Susan Cameron English Teacher
Darwin High School Students Dominate Languages Speaking Competition. Darwin High students again dominated the prizes in the Language Teachers Association of the NT (LTANT) Senior Languages Competition on May 26. The event, which was supported by City of Darwin, The Japan Foundation, The Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia and Darwin Languages Centre, involved students who have been studying their language for only four months to students who are native speakers of their language. The Darwin High prize winners are: Chinese Beginners Stage 1 Chinese Beginners Stage 2 Chinese Continuers Stage 1 Chinese Continuers Stage 2 Chinese Background Speakers Indonesian Beginners Stage 1 Indonesian Continuers Stage 2 Indonesian Continuers Stage 1 Italian Beginners Stage 1 Italian Continuers Stage 2 Italian Continuers Stage 1 Spanish Beginners Stage 1 Spanish Beginners Stage 2 Japanese Beginners Stage 1 Japanese Beginners Stage 2 Japanese Continuers Stage 1 Japanese Continuers Stage 2 Japanese Background Speakers
Congratulations also to Jason Tong, Teresa Pham, Daleen Jeenmuang and Gimin Beack who have been selected to represent NT in the Chinese Bridge Secondary Students National Speaking Competition in Adelaide. Also, congratulations to Kenny Lee and Andrew Harding who will represent NT in the National Japanese Speaking Competition in Sydney.
1st Prize - Gimin Beack 2nd Prize - Jessica Fuller 3rd Prize - Justin Hurley 1st Prize - Daleen Jeenmuang 2nd Prize - Jami-Louise Fan 1st Prize - Cindy Mu 1st Prize - Jason Tong 2nd Prize- Teresa Pham/Gabriel Haines 3rd Prize – Bianca Jong 1st Prize – Qiwen Ding 2nd Prize – Chris Robins 3rd Prize – Limin Shi/Shanyao Shi 1st Prize – Zoe Mitchell 2nd Prize – Luke Logan 3rd Prize – Harrison Oakhill 1st Prize – Sharanya Shantharam 1st Prize – Kate Kenny 2nd Prize – Laura Vincent 3rd Prize – Anais Hasan-Fourcard 1st Prize – Patricia Panaligan 2nd Prize – Bethany McGregor 1st Prize – Kaejenn Tchia 2nd Prize – Ella Lejeune 3rd Prize – Myra Hales 1st Prize – Alex Pazniewski 2nd Prize – Erin Barker 1st Prize – Jessica Harpur 2nd Prize – Justine Akugizibwe 3rd Prize – Kristopher Atanacio 1st Prize – Jaz Ocampo 2nd Prize – Marriah Fang 1st Prize – Yige Wang 2nd Prize – Fudosa Aba Bor 3rd Prize – Xue Jiang 1st Prize – Sasha Beechman 2nd Prize – Jin Tan 3rd Prize – Dorian McClean 1st Prize – Gimin Beack 2nd Prize – Sally Phan 3rd Prize – Ju Youn 1st Prize – Kenny Lee 2nd Prize – Je Jun 3rd Prize – Sarah Triffitt 1st Prize – Andrew Harding 2nd Prize – Nina Ruzsicska 3rd Prize – Yuki Ruzsicska 5
The Shanghai Exchange We welcome our visiting exchange teacher Ms Yulian Wang and four students, Han Feng, Ziyue Xu, Yun Zeng and Yichen Wang from our Shanghai sister school. They will stay in Darwin for eight weeks in Term 3 and join in the senior classes at Darwin High School. We hope they will have a wonderful exchange. Congratulations to Cindy Mu, Brayden Chin and Atlanta Simutanyi who have been selected to take part in this wonderful educational opportunity in Shanghai as exchange students. They will spend six weeks in China in Term 4. Ms. Tina Sketchley will also be accompanying them. Lily Zhong International Student Coordinator
Host Families Needed for Chinese Exchange Students Four students will arrive in Darwin from 22 July to 13 September 2012 from our sister school, in Shanghai China. We still need one more host family for one female student. This is a great opportunity to relish some intercultural experiences and to foster on-going friendships. If you have a spare room or know someone who might be able to host, please contact me after 6 of July by email: lily.zhong@ntschools.net Lily Zhong International Student Coordinator
Transit of Venus
‘Step Up Be Heard’
Thanks to Max Innes who visited Darwin High School with an astronomical telescope students were able to view the Transit of Venus on Wednesday 6 June. This rare and important historical astronomical event was very well received by staff and students of the DHS community who took a genuine interest in the event, many coming back for several viewings. The Transit took over six hours and was easy to see as the image was projected from the telescope onto a shiny piece of white plain paper. Max tracked the Transit by adjusting the telescope every minute or so, literally meeting hundreds of people in the process.
Stage One Legal Studies students participated in a program called “Step Up Be Heard” which entailed a review of the political process from campaigning and voting in an election through to passing a bill in the chamber at parliament.
Tony Copland Science Teacher
The students had the privilege of working closely with the NT Electoral Commission and the Parliamentary Education Team. They had the opportunity to pass a mock bill in parliament in front of madam speaker. All students agreed that it was an opportunity of a lifetime.
School Library Extends Opening Hours
The School Library is open Monday to Thursday until 6pm. It is a great opportunity for students to study in a quiet, air-conditioned environment. Tu-
From left to right, Georgia Hurley, Hamish Harty, Jack Engelhardt, Eesha Raut and Georgia Colbourne.
tors are also available for support.
City of Darwin 'Climate Change Challenge' Chris Zhao, Michael Cao, Diana Tam (all Year 12) and Justin Hurley (Year 10) competed in the Climate Change Challenge. They had to do a quiz about climate change and present a four minute show about their solutions to mitigate the effects of and prevent further climate change (using the power of keyboards to turn into energy!). They then had to present an idea about how to reuse car tyres rather than throwing them away. They won against four other schools. The School now gets to host the City of Darwin’s Sustainability Week launch later in the year. Anne Disney Science Teacher 6
Business and Enterprise- Running a Business
Maths in Action Over the course of the semester, our Year 10 Level 2 Maths class covered various topics such as the Number System, Algebra, Measurement and Finance Maths. Mathematics is involved in everyday life. Number systems included significant figures and the realisation that our planet which has a diameter of 4880 km is relatively small, say compared to Jupiter, with a diameter of 142 984 km.
Year 11 Business and Enterprise students had the opportunity to run their own businesses once a week for four consecutive weeks during Term 2. They developed a business plan and took out a loan from their Year 11 Business Account established by the Finance Office. The businesses repaid the principal amount of the loan with 10% interest. The profit made from individual businesses was shared amongst the partners.
We have learnt to enjoy Algebra, which is quite conceptually difficult for some of us. In Measurement, we realised that when you throw a piece of rubbish into a wheelie bin, you could do some maths. We determined the volume of waste produced by Darwin High School and at home and landfill costs. The next topic then saw us investigating the costs associated with buying a brand new car priced between $15 000 and $25 000 using mathematical financial formulas. We then had to calculate interest repayments and total costs of purchasing the car. Our class has been very fortunate to receive exceptional teaching from Mrs. Tan, who has taken the time to ensure her students receive top quality instructions. As an individual, I can say the class was a great working environment. Everyone in the class got something out of Maths this semester. We all developed many skills, not only mathematical skills, but also skills in social etiquette. Our class was generally on task, with Mrs. Tan always ensuring we put one hundred per cent effort into all of our work. Whenever we had assessments or assignments we were always provided with timely and quality assistance. In preparation for tests, it was always assured that we were ready and constantly provided with relevant revision. We also worked outdoors, a nice change of environment which everyone enjoyed. I have interviewed students within our class and they have all reflected positively on Mrs. Tan and the course itself. This semester has been an enjoyable experience for all students and we thank Mrs. Tan for the time and effort she has invested in us.
The nature of businesses ranged from home-made laptop covers, iPhone covers, iPod covers, ear phones to hot foods, freshly made iced chocolates, muffins and snack foods. A total of 25 businesses were operated. In a short time, students were able to gain knowledge, skills and some experience in the general operation of a small business. The main aim was to expose the students to some important elements of running a business such as setting goals, marketing, communication, management, financial record keeping and evaluation. The students conducted the businesses with great professionalism and should be very proud of their efforts. Jayant Prakash and Matthew Atfield Business and Enterprise Teachers
Michael Arao—Yr 10 7
Anzac Activities April was an extremely busy month as students played an important role in an increasing number of Anzac Activities. The growing number of students involved in such activities, mirrors that of the wider community, with the 2012 Dawn Service and March drawing the largest crowds ever to such an event. Anzac Assembly This year’s Anzac Assembly was again conducted by the Year 12 students who carried out their duties with professionalism. The MC was Sophie Philip and photography was in the hands of Ansi Soeriaatmadja and Gabriel Haines, with Ben Masters attending to the video recording. The feature this year, was a tribute to Red Cross Nurses (World War I) and women who served their country during World War II. The tribute made use of material provided by Ms Zoe Crawford, Ms Anna Mears and Mrs Susan Cameron. It featured Shelly Bryant in a World War I nurse’s uniform, writing a letter home to her family in Australia. The audience was made aware of the nurse’s thoughts by contents of the letter being delivered by a ‘voice-over’. Particularly moving was her description of some Turkish prisoners she had seen, and her empathy concerning their plight. The Assembly also featured an armed catafalque party drawn from Darwin High School students who are members of the Australian Army Cadets, Australian Navy Cadets and Australian Air Force Cadets. They were under the command of Cadet Under Officer (AAFC) Ina Geronimo whose formal dress uniform included a gleaming sword. Wreaths were laid by year level representatives. During the wreath laying, the Year 10 choral group sang the WW I tune dedicated to nurses, The Rose of No-Man’s Land. Their rendition brought a tear to the eye of many veterans, who remembered that song from their childhood. Candles were lit to honour the 15 Territorians who lost their lives including threee Darwin Public School boys, and the Last Post was played by Eric Beale (Year 10). Cadet Petty Officer (ANC) Harry Winspear was the drummer and Mr Northcote (trumpet) and Mr Atfield (Euphonium) played the National Anthem. Invited guests included Her Honour the Administrator, the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Defence Force chiefs, representatives from RSL, Legacy, ExService women’s association, local politicians, Lyons Ward Aldermen and Education Department chiefs. Students from adjacent schools also attended. The School was also honoured to have present, a contingent of US Marines and Navy personnel from USS Halsey. Afterwards invited guests, senior students and cadets enjoyed refreshments in the Tank. This provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn a little of the US from our visitors. Kapyong Commemoration On the eve of Anzac Day, our students again participated in the Kapyong Commemoration. The Commemoration honours those who lost their lives in the Battle of Kapyong, which was the turning point of the Korean War, when Australian soldiers, outnumbered by more than 100 to one, held off a concerted attack by enemy troops. A diorama of the 3 day battle is a feature of the Korean War section in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Sophie Philip read the Royal Australian Regiment’s Presidential Citation. In military circles, the 8
Presidential Citation, which is awarded by the President of the United Sates, is regarded as a ‘Unit Victoria Cross’, the highest award for valour. Sam Smith and Adam Ryan read the roll call of Australian personnel who had lost their lives in this conflict, often referred to as ‘The Forgotten War’. Indria Lestari was the School’s photographer on this occasion. Dawn Service and March Record numbers attended the 2012 Dawn Service and March, and Darwin High students were kept busy as they distributed poppies and Australian flags to members of the public. Fifty-three students left their beds at 4.00am on the public holiday to participate in this iconic tradition. Wreath layers were Sophie Philip and Gabriel Haines, with Adam Ryan and Shekira Coonan supporting. Poppy Orderlies were Issy Scott, Gemma Vaughan, Indria Lestari, Chelsea Buhagiar, Kayla Flett, Eliza Herbison, Jenny Pham, Anna Le, Syaz Russell, Danae Reid and Adelaide Todd. Ancie Soeriaatmadja, Shannon Hunt, Kae Jenn Tchia, Sherridan Scholes, Sam Manolas, Sam Smith, Sam Perry, Ajantha Velayutha, Jesse Lockley, Daniel Hamilton, Henry Bui, Ryley Nixon, Timika King, Teresa Pham, Georgia Chin, Maddie Chin, Louise Jettner, Clancy Stanford, Gemma Reynolds, Chelsea Joerdans, Chloe Wallent and Stephen De Zylva were kept busy seating the 10,000 strong crowd. Later in the morning, Daniel Hamilton, Jae Jenn Tchia and Stephen De Zylva assisted Darwin Legacy by carrying their banner for them in the March. Prior to the March, Maddie Chin, Jesse Lockley, Georgia Chin, Anna Le, Timika King, Sarah Driscoll, Teresa Pham, Erin Barker, Jenny Pham, Indria Lestari, Shannon Hunt, Gemma Reynolds, Chelsea Buhagiar and Ancie Soeriaatmadja distributed hand-waver flags to the large crowd which had assembled in Knuckey Street. The dignity and decorum displayed by the students at each of these events brought credit to the School and generated much favourable comment from those present. Judy Boland Coordinator
Overseas Excursions Twelve students accompanied by Illaria Tomasi (Spanish and Italian language teacher) and parent, Michael Valastro, are off to Italy and Spain. They return to Darwin on 29 June. (See photo.) A group of 16 students and teachers are off to Borneo on 15 June for two weeks of adventure. They will spend some of their time trekking through the forest in Sarawak and exploring the caves at Niah. We wish both touring parties all the best and look forward to hearing the stories and looking at their photographs.
9
Defence Transition Mentor
Did you know that ...
Helpline: A reminder that the Defence Family Helpline is the first point of contact for ADF members, their partners, children and relatives who seek assistance with managing during deployment, posting and relocation, support for partners’ employment and education, transitioning to civilian life and a range of other issues that may affect ADF families. The Defence Family Helpline operates 24–7 and is staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists. The number to call is: 1800 624 608.
the ‘Demountables ‘are soon to be removed?
rooms D1, D2, D3 and D4 came to us from the Leprosarium at East Arm?
D7, D8 and D9 came to us from the Tamarind Centre which, in those days, was run by the Department of Immigration?
the collection of ‘Demountables’ was referred to as ‘The Nightcliff High School Annexe’, because it housed the students and teachers who were to transfer to the new buildings being erected on Ryland Road?
the Nightcliff High School Annexe operated as a separate school, but on the same campus as Darwin High School?
the Nightcliff High School Annexe arrangement was the solution to overcrowding at Darwin High School, whose numbers were in excess of 1100?
the ‘temporary’ demountables have remained in situ for 40 years?
Defence 2020 Youth Challenge 2012 On Wednesday 23 May, Adam Ryan, Becci Smith, Teresa Pham, Rebecca Tribe, Madelee Visser, Daniel Hamilton, Shannon Hunt and Jade Williams participated in the Defence 2020 Youth Challenge 2012 program. They joined over 80 students from other Darwin schools in role plays and workshops to explore the topic of “Has the Australian Defence Force helped shape Australia’s national identity?” Students were accompanied by Mr Shield and Mr McConnell. Madelee Visser and Teresa Pham were members of the winning team for the day. Photos and results are available on website: www.defence2020.info
the DHS Principal at the time was Mr A (Tony) Shinkfield, an uncle of the current Kormilda College Principal?
the demountables were home to the Secondary Intensive English Unit (SIEU) for many years?
Don’t Forget it’s Bin Night: This DVD has been prepared to assist the teenage dependents of ADF members and their families during times when the member is absent from home. The DVD describes strategies and ideas shared by teenagers to assist other teenagers during periods of service-related absence. If you would like a copy please contact me. Reports: If any parents or students would like to discuss their Semester reports or progress feel free to contact me via email, paul.mcconnell@gtnt.com.au or phone: 89991222. Paul McConnell Defence Transition Mentor
Judy Boland Teacher
Menzies School of Health Research Visit During Week 10, Term 2, Menzies School of Health Research offered an opportunity to the C4E Biochemistry class and any other interested students to experience real time DNA Poly Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques. Doctor Heidi Smith-Vaughan and Nerida Liddle used this analytic tool to investigate samples for bacteria. Students were asked to collect swabs of their environment which were then taken back to the Menzies lab for processing. After the semester break, Heidi and Nerida will return to Darwin High School to present the data collected from the swabs. Nerida, as a recent DHS graduate, will also present a talk to students outlining what work she is doing at Menzies and give students advice on working in Biological/ Microbiological research. Tony Valle C4E Biochemistry Teacher 10
Student Career Development Faculty It has been an extremely busy term with all career practitioners involved in individual interviews with students to ensure they have a post-school plan and the relevant research has been done to implement the plan and that the goals are achievable. Additionally we have had a number of visits: On 14 May, a Naval helicopter landed on the oval and 250 students were allowed to get up close and touch the equipment. They were briefed by Defence Recruitment staff and Flying Officers about the opportunities available and the pathways into Defence. On 28 May, the General Practice Network presented a workshop with current university students who are studying in a number of health areas including Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, and Occupational Therapy along with Indigenous Health Workers. The session was interactive and enabled students to use ‘the tools’ to gain a better understanding of the wide variety of health careers available and the type of work various health professionals do. Past student, Nina Sanford, was one of the presenters. On 31 May, 20 Year 10 students attended CDU for a full day of workshops on University opportunities. The event was a great success and allowed those who elected to attend the chance to see the CDU facilities for themselves and hear about the opportunities available in the various areas of study. In the last week of this semester a small group of Year 10 students who have identified Defence as a pathway are being offered a special Work Experience organised by Defence Force Recruiting. The annual NT Government Careers Expo is on 22nd and 23rd August. This event is a fantastic opportunity for students in Year 10-12, and their parents, to meet with a range of industry organisations and to seek up to date and relevant career and training information to assist them in making choices about their future. All students in Year 10 will attend the Careers Expo on Thursday 23 August. Students in Year 11 and 12 are encouraged to visit the Expo on Wednesday afternoon when it is open from 4.00-8.00pm.
Anzac Spirit Study Tour Award The Chief Minister’s Anzac Spirit Study Tour Award is an exciting opportunity for three Year 9 and 10 students to travel to Villers-Bretonneux, France for their Anzac Day commemorations in 2013. Entries close on 10 August 2012. For more information visit www.anzacspirit.nt.gov.au or call 8999 7772. 11
Congratulations go to:
Ashley Howard who was awarded a Defence Technical Scholarship
Jane Alia who was shortlisted as a finalist in the Northern Territory Training Awards School Based Apprentice of the Year category.
Pat and Connor Reid who addressed Year 11 students on the highlights and challenges of being a School Based Apprentice.
University Information Recently the Australian Government released a new website; http://myuniversity.gov.au/; which provides students with a broad range of information about Australian universities and other higher education providers. It is a good place to start searching for information on courses; prerequisites; accommodation; costs etc.
University Visits In Semester 2 we are negotiating with a number of universities for them to visit and speak to students. Confirmed dates and times will be provided via an email to parents and to students.
University of South Australia and Flinders University, August 22
James Cook University, August 24
The University of Melbourne, August
University of New England, August
Australian National University, August.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) & School Based Apprenticeship Information VET opportunities at Darwin High School are often emailed to parents and students. Recently students have missed out on applying for courses or jobs as they are not checking their school emails regularly. Please encourage your student to check emails at least once per week and to join our Facebook page. Some students are struggling with the organisational demands of participating in a VETiS course and their school subjects. To develop the skills and knowledge to gain a VET qualification, it is essential students attend every VETiS training day. Frequent unexplained absences may result in withdrawal from the course. School based Apprenticeships (SBA’s) are able to be commenced at any time of the year. The first step is for the student is to find an employer who is looking for an apprentice and is willing to consider a School Based Apprentice. Some SBA’s are advertised on our Facebook page, but mostly, students will need to use the usual job hunting techniques to find one for example: check newspapers and online vacancies; cold call; talk to friends and family contacts. Work Experience The Northern Territory Department of Education and Training has recently revised the policy and procedures for Work Experience and these were reissued to schools in May. The revised policy requires all employers to state that they are compliant with the Work Health and Safety 2011 Act and will provide appropriate induction and adequate supervision of students at all times. This has removed the requirements of a preplacement visit. During the placement, the staff member is still required to visit the workplace to meet with the student and discuss progress. We are hopeful that the new procedures will allow more students to access Work Experience opportunities in Semester 2. Janine Watt Senior Teacher Student Career Development Faculty 12
statistics, quadratics, coordinate geometry and the extended topic of matrices. Each topic was accompanied by at least two practice tests and a summative test. Throughout this Semester, we also had to complete two investigation tasks: the catapult challenge and the binomial distribution assignment. The class’ favourite assignment was the catapult challenge, which involved designing and building a catapult in order to investigate quadratic functions. Each group presented their catapult assignment in front of the class, which was very entertaining. The binomial distribution assignment on the other hand, was very challenging as we only had class time and lunch time to work on it, making it both stressful and frustrating. To give us a better understanding of our topics, Mrs. Tan holds tutorials every Tuesday at lunch, which all class members are advised to attend. These tutorials are very beneficial because it gives us a chance to discuss difficult questions.
STAGE 1 MATHEMATICS We did it! We survived the first semester of C4E. At the beginning of the year we were terrified, as we had heard about the legendary Mrs. Tan and her extreme Math tests. Gradually we became accustomed to Mrs. Tan’s standards, meaning we learnt how to handle the copious amounts of homework and her fast teaching style. In one semester we covered geometry and mensuration,
Over this semester, the class has learnt new concepts, organization skills to cope with the homework load and ultimately has formed strong bonds and friendships within the class. Not only have we learnt equations and methods this Semester, but our class has also found out that Mrs.Tan has a soft spot for humour, which results in her leaving the class laughing and needing a break! Also, we have learnt that we should not sin, cos Tan will get you! Sharanya Shantharam, Louise Jettner & Chloe Wallent Students
Stage 2 Outdoor Education: On the Edge The dry season came just in time for the Stage 2 Rock Climbing trip at the end of Term 1. Thirteen Year 11 and Year 12 students from Darwin High School joined eight students from O’Loughlin College on a three day trip to Hayes Creek. The trip was a chance for the students to demonstrate the rope and climbing skills they had been practising all term.
It was hot out there. At times the rock was so hot it burnt your hands whilst climbing. Despite the heat, the team worked well together and pushed themselves to complete more than eight different climbs totaling over 100m vertical distance. Two abseils were also completed, one over 40m in height. On the last night we celebrated our accomplishments in the Hayes Creek road house over a cold soft drink and hamburgers with the lot. Over the next couple of weeks two bushwalking trips will be heading out. The Stage 1 students will be navigating their way around the Tabletop Track in Litchfield National Park. Stage 2 students will be heading off track to explore the escarpment above Muguk (Barramundi Gorge) in Kakadu National Park. Britney Brown Yr 12 Student
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Gaming in Teaching
Two Weeks with the Queen
It is always refreshing to try new initiatives to encourage students to engage and learn new concepts. This has its risks but it is important to try new ways of teaching such as authentic assessment which mirrors relevant real world situations. Linkages of theory and practice with simulated realistic problem solving events embraces all learning styles, but this needs to be in the framework of one’s own teaching style. Letting students loose on a computer game would have little relevance without some kind of framework, so the lesson included an outline of the goals of the lesson, and a demonstration showing some aspects of the program. It is important that some elements are left for the students to explore as this creates excitement.
A Review by Daniel Hamilton
Furthermore, linking the learning to a formative task of reflection is important—the students were asked to write down three points of learning. It was amazing to see the diverse anA screen shot of the program swers, which made me come to appreciate the learning processes of students and understand that students synthesize and conceptualize in different ways. The lesson was a double lesson and used a game called BridgeIT which is a bridge building simulating program.
Overall, Two Weeks with the Queen, was an engaging, exciting performance and the work that the Drama students have done is a credit to Darwin High School. The performance, a Comedy-Drama, was highly effective with relating to its audience, and entertaining the crowd. The actual performance was a collaboration between the two Stage 1 Drama classes, who worked tirelessly to achieve their aim of presenting an enjoyable performance. The overall performance was great, and it was clearly visible that all those involved had worked hard in preparation for the event. Also the use of different actors for the same character was both interesting and amusing. The unique traits that each actor brought to their role gave the production life, and while still remaining in character, each performer was able to bring something unique to the way the character was perceived and understood. The performance expressed all of its themes through actions, and relied little on music to convey emotions and themes. The lighting was used to further the expression of the plays emotions, in that for joyful scenes, bright light was used to light up entire scene, whereas in sadder scenes, ambient lighting was darker and the characters involved were highlighted using the spotlight. This effect highlighted the performers’ expressions and related the feelings of the scene to the audience, evoking an emotional response within us that compelled us to empathise with Colin and the confronting journey he faced.
There were eight levels of difficulties Failure is an opportunity to learn and each of which had different problems such as diverse spans or having the need to incorporate hydraulics into the design. There was the ability to see the stresses within the structure. Some of the constraints which added realism were the limitations of resources which is an important aspect of design. It also allowed for failure which is a positive, as it creates critical evaluation of bridge design. This enables students to take risks, when in a normal class situation Conversations reflecting on design The costumes that the cast created suited the they may feel uncomfortable to do so. characters perfectly, and the props compliAt the end of the session the students submitted the work and feedback was mented the scenes very well. Colin’s costume then provided. This was used as a resource for the next lesson and provided discussion about bridge design to stimulate deep learning. Overall it was a great result and I am glad this was part of my practicum. This was my mentor ,Peter Coulter’s suggestion and it reinforced how authentic assessment enhances student’s learning in the classroom. Craig Coley Pre-Service Teacher 14
presented him as a stereotypical 12-year old boy. The costumes worked just as well for Alistair who was presented as a sheltered child. His costume comprised of; ankle-swingers, checkered sweater vest, and thick black glasses, was representative of his character. The lack of multimedia throughout the presentation worked in favor of the performance because the simple representation of scenes allowed the audience to devote their full attention to the acting and the realism of the emotional circumstances. The fact remains that while telling a dramatic and, at times, heart wrenching story, the class was still able to add comedy and keep mood and atmosphere light in parts where dreariness was unnecessary. Amusing scenes such as Collin on the plane, in which an amusing dialogue ensued between Collin (Maggie CogganGartlan) and the Business Man (Sam Perry), added lightness to the story that drew the audience in with amusing speech and hilarious actions. This prevented the true melancholy of the story to set in, yet it still related the story to myself and the audience. Two Weeks with the Queen was a highly enjoyable performance and the class pulled it off spectacularly. The scenes blended well together and constructed the whirlwind adventure of Colin throughout the play. Overall, I believe that the class has done an amazing job, and I am lucky to have seen the production.
Brave—Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful Darwin High School, SLIDE and SRA Information Technology is currently working on BRAVE – a thought provoking new work that tackles the challenging issues of bullying through innovative dance theatre interwoven with a powerful soundscape and multi-media. The cast of 27 performers ranging in age from eight through to 40 are testament to the talents of local dance practitioners and this exceptional production sends the message “Everyone has the right to live, work, study and play in an environment free from bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence.” “Another significant production by author and choreographer Joanna Noonan – Politicians and educators should see this show as it’s the most powerful and honest interpretation of bullying I have seen as a teacher and an artist. In todays’ world where bullying is a critical issue in schools the Politicians need to support this as a key program that could effectively tackle the issue of bullying far better than any guest speaker!” “BRAVE = innovative artistic, educational and cultural development for Darwin Youth” “BRAVE- Powerful, confronting yet sensitive and bold” Editor’s Note: This addition of Contact went to the printers before the Brave Performance. We will include more about Brave in the next edition of Contact.
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CAD Graphics—Beautiful Barbecues
Concept Model
Everybody likes a BBQ, the food is always tasty, anyone can be a master chef and it is a sociable way to prepare and provide a meal. The downside is there are graveyards of rusted out BBQs dumped beside the roads and out at the tip. The Year 11, Stage 1 CAD Graphics class visited BBQs galore at Homemaker Village to investigate the product ranges and to find out more to why there appears to be a built in obsolescence for the BBQ. Rusting out a several hundred dollar BBQ, even after one season of use is not good for the environment or the pocket. Evidently the better ones to get are the ones with the better quality metal finishes such as vitreous cast iron and solid stainless steel. Avoiding the light weight steel versions, and regularly cleaning down the BBQ with soap and water will also prolong its life. The class was met by Bev from BBQ’s Galore and she was quite the expert. Her delivery on the ins and outs of BBQs and their construction was extremely impressive and very helpful. Students then went back to class to make concept models and eventually model them up on the 3D software Rhinoceros. Peter Coulter Teacher
McArthur River Mine Tour This was a fantastic experience for a small number of Year 12 Centre for Excellence students offered by Xstrata Zinc McArthur River Mine. Xstrata sponsored six students and two staff members on an overnight tour of their mine. On Thursday 24 May, we took the Air North flight to McArthur River arriving in time for the visitors induction, evening meal and then accommodation. After an early breakfast a visit to the paramedics for a breath/ alcohol test, the rest of the day was spent touring the mine site, learning about the operation and asking questions. This fantastic experience is beautifully summed up by Miranda below. Tony Copland Science Senior Teacher This trip was an amazing opportunity, allowing us to view the large open cut pit, the rechanneled river that is unique to the McArthur River Mine as well as speaking with the mining staff who were able to recount personal experiences and give advice on future study options. We learnt a lot from the extensive conversations with undergraduate engineers, geologists, the heads of environmental and safety departments, as well as the pit boss. This excursion was truly inspiring, and I would recommend it to other students. It was an excellent way to understand more about the career opportunities within the mining industry. Miranda Cowley Year 12 Centre for Excellence Student
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Melbourne Stage 2 Performing and Visual Arts Trip In late April, 25 Stage 2 Music, Drama and Visual Arts students went down to Melbourne for five days for the Performing Arts trip. The trip was a lot of fun and I think everyone (including the teachers) enjoyed themselves. From a music student’s perspective, some of the main highlights were Supafest, the Horne Section, Magic Flute and attending workshops at universities. Supafest is the world’s largest urban music festival with many big artists performing, such as Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Lupe Fiasco. It was incredible to see such famous and renowned performers all performing in the same vicinity. Personally, I enjoyed T-Pain, Kelly Rowland and Icecube the most. The Horne Section was a part of the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and they incorporated other acts from the festival. It consisted of a group of amazing jazz musicians that entertained us via their incredible talent and quick wit and humour. The Magic Flute was wonderful! What impressed us most were the insane costumes and clever, rather elaborate set. Even though it was an opera, I enjoyed it a lot and only one of the students fell asleep. I also thought being able to go to the artbased universities was a highlight. The music students had the opportunity to talk with students at the Melbourne Conservatorium. This helped everyone in clarifying and understanding how universities work and exactly what you need to get accepted. Along with all of this we also got the chance to see Burt Bacharach, contact the Opera, and have a tour of the Melbourne Arts Centre, Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium. And even though our schedule was rather tight we still managed to fit in lots of shopping time! The trip was such a great experience and I think the reason why it was such a success was because the teachers were absolutely amazing (thank you Mrs. Strachan, Mrs. Cawthorne and Mr. O’Connor) and the students we went with were a lovely group. Rochelle Cabry Student The small group of design and photography students hit the ground running with a CCP gallery tour and Shillington Design College open day presentation on the first afternoon. Over the following five days we managed to cram in as many galleries and workshops as possible, punctuated only by caffeine stops and running for tram rides. The highlights were the street art tour and workshop, a class at Billy Blue College of Design which has only recently opened a school in Melbourne, and the tour of Whitehouse Institute of design. The students involved were a pleasure to travel with and most importantly came away from the experience inspired and motivated to undertake their own art projects. Tim O’Connor Teacher
Watch My Space Congratulations to year 11 student Alicia Stroud for winning the Watch my Space competition. The Territory wide competition for 12-18 year olds is designed to raise awareness about cyber bullying and to encouraging more positive use of cyber space. Alicia’s creative poster design was the overall winner in the Art category and you can see her work online at http:// www.watchmyspace.com.au/content/art-entry-guidelines. She received an iPad and printing prizes from Colemans printing.
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Mud Racing Champion Darwin High School student Tiarne Tattingham has won the Mud Racing Presidents Cup and has been awarded an all-expense paid trip to Canberra by CAMS. She won all of the events in the 2011/2012 Mud Racing season that were held at Downs Park Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex on Saturday nights. The 17 year old girl has already completed her sixth year of a very successful Mud Racing career. At Mud Racing, points are awarded for coming first, second and third so, due to Tiarne’s undefeated season, she has managed to get the most points and therefore won overall. She has now become the youngest ever to win the Mud Racing President’s Cup.
loved the event ever since. The drivers at mud racing are like a big, supportive family and all help each other. Mud racing is a great family event to go and watch. A lot of kids stand as close as possible to the fence around the track and get more covered in mud than Tiarne does. Although it is a low speed sport it is occasionally dangerous. Over the years Tiarne has had three roll overs. The most memorable incident was her third roll over. She was coming around the bottom corner and was just exiting the massive mud puddle when her car shot right, towards the tyre barrier wall due to something having broken in the left rear of the car. She did not manage to brake in time and shot up the tyre wall at high speed. The car flipped upside down in the air before landing on the roof. The roof caved in but luckily nobody was hurt and after a few repairs she kept racing. Tiarne has been accepted into a Women’s Driver Development Program with the insurance company CAMS. She will be flown down to Canberra for a week in July for an all-expense paid trip to the Australian Institute of Sport. Tiarne is one of only three women who was awarded the honour of being accepted into this program. She is hoping to get lots of experience from this program and gain some contacts in the racing community. She hopes to go on to become a V8 supercar driver with Holden and then go on to racing Formula Ones. If her racing career does not succeed she is planning to become a radiographer.
Finding room in her ever growing trophy cabinet is becoming almost as difficult as racing the Mud Racing track. Tiarne raced her Subaru Station Wagon with a modified boat front attached in the Four Wheel Drive Standard Class and dominated this season. Tiarne has grown up with an electrifying racing atmosphere around her for her whole life. Her Dad, Uncle and even her Grandfather race so she learnt to drive from a young age and has been competing ever since. Tiarne was only 12 years old when she raced her first event and ran into the speaker pole in the middle of the track, the only pole on the track to be specific. She has
For more information on Mud Racing and Tiarne’s mud racing successes go to: http://www.mudracing.asn.au/ Editor’s Note: This article was written as an assessment task for Stage 2 English Communications.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander News The Aboriginal Summer School for Excellence in Technology and Science (ASSETS) are calling for expressions of interest from students in Year 10, to participate in the ASSETS program in Adelaide from Friday 14 December 2012 to Saturday 22 December 2012. To register a student will need to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) application by Monday 16 July 2012. If the students’ EOI applications are successful ASSETS will contact the students inviting them to submit further applications and they will be advised afterwards whether or not they have been successful. For further information about ASSETS visit www.riaus.org.au/assets and for an EOI registration application visit www.asms.sa.edu.au/assets
Barbara Tapsell AIEW
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Year 12 Integrated Learning (Mathematics)
Solar Panels Arrive In 2010, Darwin High School applied for $50 000 as part of the Federal Government’s National Solar Schools Program. On Tuesday 5 June our panels were installed and connected to the electricity grid. In three days they have produced 100kwh. This of course is not enough to cover our energy consumption. For the month of April, Darwin High School used 165387 kwh of electricity which translated to an electricity bill of $37 549. That’s 5412 kwh per day.
Cyber space meets the real world This year the Year 12 Integrated Learning (Mathematics) course have a new focus which is to create a sustainable kitchen garden using the principles of permaculture. With the help of an ICT for Learning Innovation Grant and some funding from the school, the Integrated Learning class with Jodie Clegg and Jun Mu will use the Lakeside Drive Community Garden (owned by Charles Darwin University) as our garden plot. Further funding is needed and the students will be involved in this process. Charles Darwin University (CDU) has also provided the classes with two permaculture experts to help the students grow local produce whilst teaching them about how to get the most production out of each square metre possible. The two classes involved once a week in double lessons are driven to the garden and work to create a garden on a 14x 11m2 plot.
National Trust NT, Larrakeyah Branch As part of her Community Studies course, Samantha Hammond has volunteered to assist the Larrakeyah Branch of the National Trust on a regular basis over the entire year. Weekly, she makes the scones used in the Devonshire Teas, a regular Sunday afternoon event, which is the main fund-raiser for the Trust. Trust volunteers serve about 100 customers each Sunday.
While back in the classroom the students are using the technology to create an ePortfolio using Google sites to record the results of their time spent designing and creating the garden. They will also contribute to a blog using blogger on sustainability and permaculture. Students will also create a website on the garden recording relevant information which can be scanned. This website provides anyone with a link that will teach them about all kinds of local produce.
Samantha’s scones have been so successful, that several customers have asked for the recipe. Recently the Event Coordinator Mrs Anna Harris, visited Samantha at School to swap recipes and to exchange baking tips. Mrs Harris, who has had many years in the catering industry, thinks Samantha has a bright future as a caterer. Congratulations Sam!
Where is the mathematics? Well there is plenty of mathematics in our garden. Mainly measurement (surface area, volume and perimeter) but there is also the financial side of the garden, budgeting, fundraising not to mention the science involved in growing produce. The students are getting a lot out of learning to grow their own food in their ‘outdoor classroom’. Jodie Clegg Mathematics Teacher
Judy Boland Coordinator 19
Sports News Cluster Touch Darwin High School had two teams participate in the City Cluster Senior Mixed Division at Fannie Bay Racecourse on May 21. Our teams finished 1st and 3rd. Members of the winning team were Karrawa McLennan, Tyra Fredericks, Charlie Malady, Bradley Sneddon, Elijah Getawan, Jay Hirst, Declan Cooper, Daniel Mai, Lachlan Bryan, Shane McDowell and Brett Rennie. Brayden Chin and Tyra Fredericks have been selected for the SSNT 15 years and under Development Camp from which the SSNT team for the National Schools Tournament will be selected. Cluster Basketball Darwin High School had 5 teams compete in the City and Northern Suburbs Cluster Championship that was held at Marrara Tuesday May 15. DHS placed 1, 2 , 3 and 8 th in the boys with our girls team placing 2nd. The members of the boys winning team were Henry Bui, Pascoe Lawler, Mitchel King, Luke Kissick, James Panton and Jahmin Monterio – Pereria. 3 on 3 Basketball – Australian Representation Following outstanding performances for the NT at this year’s U18 National Championships Lucy Murray has been selected to represent Australia at this year’s U17 Oceania 3 on 3 Basketball Championships. Singapore Basketball Six students from Darwin HS are members of an 18 person touring group who will tour Singapore from September 18-23. The Darwin teams comprising DHS students Dakota McDowell, Cheyenne Crowley, Lachlan Linkson, Thomas Liebelt, Jordan Curren and Karl Spedding will compete in a two day tournament against International Schools from Singapore and Malaysia, play games in Jahore Malaysia and will split into 4 sides and play in an International 3 on 3 tournament. All the students have committed to weekly team training, fitness work and home programs for individual skills in preparation for the tour. Thanks to Silk Airways for their support of this upcoming event. Basketball Notoriety Jahmin Monterio–Pereria, Luke Kissick, James Panton and Cameron McKenzie made the Channel 9 News with their YouTube Trick Shots – well done lads! Good luck for that world record. Cluster Soccer Darwin HS had 3 teams participate in the City and Northern Suburbs Cluster tournament on May 31 at Bagot Fields. Our girls team won their division. Members of that team were Dakota McDowel, Emma Chambers, Charlie Malady, Shakira Coonan, Mary Pilling, Tayla Mckinnon, Rachael Thomas, Shannon Hunt, Claudine Ali, Pierre Koulakis, Evelyn Paradisis and Penny Savvas Steve McGugan Sports Coordinator
Wanted The Top End Schools Athletics Carnival is on Wednesday August 4 Week 2 of Term 3. Events will be held of 15, 16 17 and 18+ in 100, 200, 800, 1500, HJ, LJ, TJ, discus, Javelin and shot put. Should you son or daughter wish to compete please email steve.mcgugan@ntschools.net and advise age and events by July 21 please. 20