8 PLC in Pri nt | J u ly 2 0 2 1
Year 10 Bright Stars Program
Senior School The Ickabog
Illustration Competition We are delighted to announce that Erica, Year 8, is one of the winners of The Ickabog illustration competition.
The Ickabog, by J.K. Rowling, was first serialised for free online at theickabog.com J.K. Rowling wanted to share this personal family favourite, which she wrote over ten years ago as a bedtime story for her younger children, to help entertain children, parents and carers confined at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keen for children to be involved as the story unfolded, J.K. Rowling invited them to illustrate her story week by week, as a new chapter was released, and be inspired by the tale of a mythical monster, a kingdom in peril and an adventure that will test two children’s bravery to the limit. The story, now published as a book, has been beautifully brought to life throughout with full-colour illustrations by the 34 young winners (7–12 years old) of the The Ickabog illustration competition, run by Hachette UK. Winning was a huge achievement; from the UK, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and India, over 18,000 submissions were received. The quality, diversity and sheer imagination of the children’s artwork was incredible to see. J.K. Rowling is donating her net royalties from the book to her charitable trust, The Volant Charitable Trust, to help support vulnerable groups who have been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK and internationally. As a result, Erica has kindly nominated the PLC libraries to receive her prize, a collection of Hachette Australia books worth $900. We encourage students and staff to look at the beautiful publication of The Ickabog and see Erica’s stunning illustration. Copies are located in the Junior Library, Senior Library and the Principal’s Office. Genevieve Lynch Head of Library Services
Bright Stars is a special program that helps prepare Year 10 students for the transition into the more demanding Years 11 and 12. While it aims to help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to progress confidently into the senior years of their education, the Bright Stars program also encourages students to focus on the development of transferable life and work skills such as collaboration, communication and creativity. These skills are often referred to as 21st century skills. The Bright Stars week was held from 1 – 5 March in Term 1. It began with a day of guest speakers, activities and workshops to engage students in the holistic nature of their personal development and to promote understanding of the indivisible link between wellbeing and learning. Mr Ben Pettingill, who lost his eyesight at the age of 16, opened the day’s program with his inspirational story of overcoming adversity and building resilience. Students then engaged in three activities, self-defence, Zumba and mindfulness to promote physical strength, fitness and mental health. The day concluded with an interactive workshop on time management and beating procrastination, which highlighted the importance of effective and efficient study habits. At the Bright Stars Evening Forum on 2 March, parents and students were fascinated by Dr Jared Cooney Horvath’s presentation, ‘A Tour through the Teenage Brain’. Dr Horvath’s stimulating talk focused on the scientific basis of how and why teenagers think differently to adults and ways in which parents can support their daughter’s learning and wellbeing. Later in the week, the Bright Stars program focused on Careers and preparation for Work Experience, organised by Mrs Pauline Parker, PLC’s Career Development Practitioner. Activities included an online occupational health and safety assessment, safety posters and The Pitch, where students collaborated in teams to present to their peers. Students commented that this ‘gave us an insight into the real world of working’ and that they learnt valuable skills such as ‘talking points for interviews and how to sell yourself’.
