Celebrating Easter at College in 2024

LEANNE EARL, MIDDLE AND JUNIOR SCHOOL CHAPLAIN

Easter is a significant celebration in the Christian calendar, which falls each year at the end of our academic first term of the year.

In accordance with the Christian ethos of The Geelong College, Easter is highlighted each year in our school calendar, when students have opportunities to unpack and explore the meaning of ‘Celebrating Easter’ through different experiences as they grow as students at College.

Year 3

In the Junior School the Year 3 students explored the Easter story through Godly Play each week.

As we approached the Easter mystery, the students heard the stories of Jesus’ journey towards the cross and what followed.

Using words and imagery to explore these stories, the students responded individually with time given to consider where the experiences of Jesus fit within their own lives.

Through drawing and writing the students reflected and explored their ideas and unpacked their thinking.

Year 7

As part of the Religious and Values Education program, the students in Year 7 completed a unit and assessment task that investigated the events and significance of the Easter story and season, looking at both the historical event and how it is experienced today.

To assist the students to deepen their understanding of the significance of Easter, this year we were fortunate to be able to include a new excursion into the Year 7 curriculum, visiting the All Saints Anglican Church in Newtown. The All Saints community had set up a display of stations depicting the historical events, to retell the story of Easter in a range of physical spaces.

There were seven different scenes depicting what had happened on that first Easter. The students were invited to move through the different spaces, listen to a discussion of the events as they unfolded and reflect on what it would have been like if they had been there with Jesus 2000 years ago. The scenes began with Jesus entering

Jerusalem on the donkey, through to the discovery of the empty tomb of Jesus and his resurrection.

In the next stage, the Year 7 students completed a research assignment presenting the order of events, and drawing on the story as told in the gospels. They reflected on the meaning of the days as they are celebrated today.

Whole School

As we reached the end of the term, on the final day, the exploration of Easter was capped off with The

Geelong College celebration of our Easter service.

This year we again gathered on the Senior School lawns outside the Dining Hall. We were fortunate to have had such a beautiful morning!

We began with the ethereal sound of the bagpipes played by Hannah Phung (OGC 2023) and the Mirri voices set the scene by singing ‘Sing a New Song’.

The service included prayers, hymns and an Easter message given by College Chaplain Steve Wright.

The themes of resurrection, renewal, and hope were at the heart of the day.

Early Learning & Junior School

The students from Early Learning then celebrated their visit to Senior School with hot cross buns served to them by the College Prefects.

Junior School students on their return found that the Easter Bunny had visited their classrooms and left them some Easter eggs as a surprise.

A joyful and hopeful way to end the first term!