Jordan Bowling OSC 2018 joins the Scotch Year 10 Service Programme

Jordan is a distinguished 2018 OSC student, who suffered a life threatening injury in April 2022.

In 2018 Jordan featured in The Reporter 12 times, displaying his talents across many musical ensembles, drama, and literary fields.

Jordan’s father David approached Scotch College seeking interaction for Jordan’s conversational and musical rehabilitation. The Year 10 Service Programme was the perfect avenue.

A select group of musical students first started a card game afternoon with Jordan, and it was fabulous to see the friendly banter that developed between this like-minded group. The group progressed to a regular fun jam music session.

With Jordan’s physical strength improving, this year he joined the Friends of Lake Claremont group and is now enjoying time sharing conversation and games with the elderly at The Queenslea. Jordan is currently preparing to perform “Blackbird’ for the residents. It is a rewarding experience to see the Year 10 students interacting with Jordan and assisting with his recovery. He is an outstanding young man who has overcome great adversity.

On the Programme’s impact, Jordan’s father David commented: “The Year 10 Service Programme or rather the combined input from the boys, teachers and school has helped both Jordan and I cope mentally by doing something familiar and somewhat normal outside the medical/therapy/caring world we have been living the last two years. It has also provided multiple speech, physical and musical goals and challenges for Jordan to aim for which has encouraged him to participate and keep trying.

According to the nurses in the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) ward in Fiona Stanley Hospital the biggest challenge concerning Jordan’s rehab journey and the difference between patient outcomes is losing hope and motivation. Maintaining this through the support of the School despite several ups and downs over the last two years has been crucial. The programme has given him a bit of stability while everyone and everything else in his life keeps changing.

Finally, all the boys we have met have been extremely welcoming and supportive which is a wonderful testament to them, the teachers and Scotch. Thank you!”

Jordan has now also been selected as an Ambassador for the Chevron City to Surf for Active run in 2024. We wish him the best of luck in this and in his recovery and are delighted to see the Year 10 Service Programme boys playing a small but important role in Jordan’s journey to recovery.

All Abilities Cricket is an inclusive programme for adults and children of all genders with varying disabilities and special needs.

It allows everyone to play cricket and have a good time with friends. Every week, a large number of Scotch boys helped improve their cricket skills, fostering healthy relationships, and making an enjoyable and entertaining time for everyone involved. Leaving All Abilities Cricket knowing that you made a positive impact on others filled me with a sense of pride. I encourage the younger boys to get involved as it’s a great way to spend your Friday afternoon helping out the community.

Marc Ricciardello, Year 11

The Queenslea Aged Care

Through our partnership with The Queenslea Aged Care facility, we have spent time to interact with the residents. When we walk through the doors everyone waves to their favourites and sits down to talk or play games with them. This simple interaction has a massive impact on the residents’ lives as many of them can be very lonely. Our interactions with games and puzzles, stimulate their brains and help improve their mental health. However, they aren’t the only ones who benefit. Personally, I have learned a lot about the world and have found it fascinating to talk with the residents about their careers and lives. As they grew up, they lived in a very different world than we do now, so they have different perspectives. Visiting The Queenslea has been a fantastic opportunity to interact with the elderly and make a positive difference in the community.

Oban Hopkins, Year 10

Make a Change for Kalumburu Remote Community School

For their Community Project, Year 8 boarders Benji Dempster-Park and Simeon Stoney collected over 5,000 containers for change which they then used to purchase sporting equipment for the Kalumburu Remote Community School. Sim and Benji are farming boys and wanted to do something to help a remote Indigenous school. This, coupled with a desire to do something positive for the environment, kicked-off their passion for this project. They liaised with the school to find out what the children needed and organised with local restaurants, a golf course and regional sport events back home to secure containers which would have otherwise been destined to landfill. The boys raised $500 and were able to buy much needed basketballs, footies and cricket equipment for the kids of Kalumburu Remote Community School.

Benji Dempster-Park and Simeon Stoney, Year 8

Soup Kitchen for Second Bite

Second Bite is an organisation that feeds millions of Australians by rescuing quality food instead of letting it go to waste. As a member of this school, I find myself very fortunate to have the privilege of having food every day without worrying about the possibility of having to go without. Unfortunately, in Australia in 2023 over 3.7 million households faced this problem, over 2.2 million in 2022, and in 2021, 1.2 million children went hungry. This trend shows that this is a rapidly increasing problem. Through our partnership with Second Bite, we give those less fortunate than ourselves a helping hand. Every Friday, we come into the food design room to cut up vegetables that Second Bite rescues to make into soup, which is then distributed to hungry families and individuals around Australia. Although our service may be indirect, it was great knowing that I was helping with this growing issue in Australia.

Tristan Chan, Year 10

East Kalgoorlie Primary School

The Middle School raised an incredible $2,000 with their annual Easter Egg Hamper raffle and free dress day. The funds will go towards supporting the students at Kalgoorlie Primary School to learn to read.

Together, we had a fun day but most importantly, we made an impact on the literacy journey of these students.