VCAL

The 2010 senior VCAL class at De La Salle, has had a very busy and productive year. Having completed their Intermediate VCAL Certificate in Year 11, the senior VCAL program is completed in Year 12, providing graduates with entry into a range of vocational courses at TAFE and elsewhere. This year some of the VCAL senior class will go straight into an apprenticeship and be on their way to starting their careers. This year students have specialized in Sports Management, Building and Construction, Hospitality, Plumbing and Sound Engineering. The exciting aspect of the VCAL program at De La Salle is that the opportunity for learning goes far beyond the recognized certificates our students have earned. Our students develop other skills which will help benefit them in their future study, work and life — being able to communicate with a variety of people, being first-aid trained and equipped to problem-solve in a range of areas. Applied learning opportunities also extend outside the classroom; for example, this year’s senior class all completed a Barista Course at the Australian Coffee School. In addition to their applied learning program, the boys have also been actively involved in a range of social justice and personal development experiences, which will further enrich their life experience when they have left the College. In particular, under the guidance of Mrs Carmel Dwyer and Mrs Mary Finn, the senior class was given exclusive access to speak to the Commissioners of the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday Bushfires. The boys conducted an exclusive interview with the Commissioners about the importance of community action in response to the fires. The interview was made into a short video which featured in the College’s Social Justice Mass earlier in the year. The boys spent weeks visiting a group of elderly residents at a nearby Aged Care Facility, where they were a welcome addition to the residents’ weekly schedule. Throughout the year, the senior class also organized a number of fund raisers for the College’s various social justice initiatives, including a Coolies versus Schoolies Basketball Match, a sausage sizzle for Mission Action Day and a very successful pancake day for Shrove Tuesday. Throughout the year, the boys raised more than $2,000 for social justice initiatives. Like VCE, the VCAL program relies on the support of the whole College community, in particular the College Leadership Team, whose ongoing support for VCAL as an applied alternative to the academic VCE provides many boys with a real pathway in their senior years at De La Salle. On behalf of the graduating senior VCAL class, I would like to thank the dedicated and professional team of teachers and staff who have worked with the boys this year. First of all, my special thanks to the administrative staff at Kinnoull, Mrs Trish Woodman, Mrs Ann Lawler, Mrs Sandy Glazebrook, and Mrs Patricia D’Arcy, as well as the pathways team, Mrs Carmel Smart and Mrs Caroline Fitzpatrick. My thanks go to the wonderful VCAL teaching team including, Mrs Carmel Dwyer, Mr Tim Brodrick, Mr Charles Thompson, Mr Sam Devenish, Mr Warren Walker, Mr Peter Harte, Mr Chris Martin, Mr Paul Maxted, Mrs Esther Gmelig and Mr Gerard Jackson. These teachers continue to challenge and inspire our VCAL students who should be proud of their achievements. Congratulations to the graduating VCAL class of 2010.

Ms Kerry Martin VCAL Coordinator