Service: An integral part of our community

Service: An integral part of our community

Vice-Captain (Service) Nelson Hegge

Service has provided a great avenue to create links throughout the Junior, Middle and Senior School.

It has contributed towards Scotch’s culture and the pride students have for their college.

The support from the House Service Representatives through all the large whole school events has been phenomenal. Having their support as well as seeing them organise their own house service events has been amazing.

This semester, we have been supporting our service partner, Uniting WA, in their Winter Appeal, specifically their sock drive. For this event students brought in clean socks which were collected throughout all 3 sub-schools and donated to homeless people within Perth to help them through the cold winter months.

For the second year, Scotch College took part in the Push Up Challenge with participants completing 3,139 push ups from the 1st to the 25th of June. This number represents the 3,139 people in Australia who committed suicide in 2020. The challenge was surrounded with information and statistics about mental health, and how to improve it. This also aligned with the Student Council’s Men’s Health Week and activities on the Chapel lawn.

Headmaster Dr Alec O’Connell, teachers Tom Orford, Nick Guard and Deputy Head of Senior School, Gareth Williams refreshed and smiling after a plunge in the dunk tank

Containers for change also ran through this semester, led by Vice-Captain of Shearer House, Harrison Pateman. We collected and recycled around 2,500 containers throughout the schools, earning $250 which was donated to the Special Air Service Regiment. Containers for Change has been extremely successful so far in its first year at the college and I hope this can continue to grow throughout the school.

The largest service event this semester was Fight MND day in support of Motor Neuron Disease research and treatment. Many students wore Fight MND beanies throughout Week 10 showing their support for this cause.

We also had two dunk tanks organised for the middle and senior school overseen by the house service representatives, with teachers and student leaders plunged into icy water by students throwing and hitting a target. There was also a sausage sizzle at the senior school event and the atmosphere around both tanks was amazing. It was great to see so many students getting involved in Service together and showing their support for this cause.

The House Service Representative and I are looking forward to a strong finish this year, leaving a legacy in this school which students can take into the futures they forge in maroon and gold.