Kids Voice June 2014

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THE BIG CHIL L : S NO W S E ASON IS HERE! - A D AY ON THE F E R R Y - C O O KI NG & C R A F T S THE SCIENC E O F S U R F ING - M T D UN EED PRIM ARY SCHOOL’S G O T T A L E NT - W H A T ’S O N

Y O U R F R E E PA R E N T I N G M A G A Z I N E F O R T H E G E E L O N G R E G I O N

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- JUNE 2014

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 3

WELCO M E After pondering what to write this edition, I have just been through the stress of getting One Direction tickets for my daughter and friends. Luckily, we had access to the Telstra Presale so at 11.55 am I was frantically hitting buttons on not one, but two computers simultaneously as well as having two staff members hitting their refresh buttons as well. The adrenalin was flying and we all reached brick walls with “no tickets available” appearing on three screens, with the fourth computer just freezing. Oh, the trauma of rejection! This can’t be true.

“Refresh everyone. Quickly. We have to get these tickets or I dare not go home tonight.”

Just then my phone started buzzing with text messages. My daughter must have smuggled her mobile into the classroom. So while trying to tell her that I couldn’t get any

tickets, along with hitting refresh, I had to deal with her distress and my determination.

Suddenly the screen flashes – tickets were available – in the section I wanted. Buy, buy, buy! Happiness all round, however I certainly felt I had been put through a spin cycle on a washing machine. What stress we put ourselves through, although the satisfaction that I am now Number One Mum in my daughters eyes means the world to me. It also opens up the possibility of extortion – not through selling the tickets on, oh no, but child labour springs to mind.

“I managed to get your tickets so maybe in return you would like to wash the dishes, tidy your room forever, sweep the floors, wash the floors, mow the lawns, weed the flower beds, mend the fence, wash the car, repair this, do that.... “ Sigh, one can but dream!

FR O M T HE T E AM Kids Voice

KV TEAM

BUSINESS MANAGER Michele Mitten EDITORIAL The A Team SALES & MARKETING Carly Boyce

GRAPHICS & LAYOUT ARTIST Elise Blach STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Alan Barber COVER MODEL Tom Gross

PO Box 54, Ocean Grove Victoria, 3226 Phone: 03 5255 3233 Fax: 03 5255 3255 FIND US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/Kids Voice Geelong www.kidsvoice.com.au

No part of this magazine, including the advertisements, may be reproduced without permission of the editor.

The opinions expressed within Kids’ Voice magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher, but those of individual writers.

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- JUNE 2014

CONTENTS 9

10

9

12

13

27

22

30

A day on the Searoad Ferry

10

Birth Story: Pat Jack & Morgan

12

Meet Mt Duneed Primary School’s Captians

14

One World for Children’s Art Exhibition

13

Matthew Flinders students study the science of surfing

19

Education: 5 ways to teach your kids to be financially posperous

22

The Big Chill: Snow season

25

Music & Arts: Mt Duneed’s Got Talent

27

Cooking & Craft

28

Reviews

30

What’s On

...AND MU CH MO RE

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 5

Y A D N U F Y L I FAM

B E L L A R IN E K ID S E X P O Bellarine Kids are holding their third Family Fun Day (Expo) at the Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre, Shell Road, Ocean Grove, on Sunday June 29th. The Bellarine Kids Family Fun Day will be a celebration of Bellarine’s child friendly services and businesses, with a day of great activities planned for the whole family to enjoy.

Showcasing many of the best the Bellarine has to offer for children and families, the day will be filled with free children’s activities, demonstrations and stalls.

Visitors will be treated to free face painting, jumping castles, activities, music and sports sessions, a photo booth picture, the Ocean Grove CFA display, as well as information sessions and demonstrations from health and well-being professionals, support services and businesses, and a lovely range of items and services to purchase.

The event is guaranteed to be a fun, educational and exciting day! The expo will interest anyone with children who would like to find anything and everything local for their kids to explore.

Expo organiser Stacey O’Keefe said families coming along to the bK Fun Day will be

treated to having many of Bellarine’s best children’s services and activities in the one place. “The bK Fun Day will be a great day of entertainment for children and will also help link parents in with services and businesses which are in the community,” said O’Keefe.

“There’s so much out there that parents may not know about. The bK Fun Day will expose them to many of the wonderful child orientated opportunities on the Bellarine, from chiropractic to fire safety and first aid, services and programs including school holiday programs, daycare, healthy eating, sport and music sessions, as well as information from local community groups including River’s Gift, the Ocean Grove CFA, Toy Library and Playgroup….” said O’Keefe.

Bellarine Kids and Greater Geelong Kids are an online resource, linking child friendly services to families in the Bellarine and the Geelong region. Bellarine Kids and Greater Geelong Kids started in 2011, is proving the go to place to find out what’s happening and what’s available in the community.

“We’ve had an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response to the website since it launched, meaning it was something that was much

SUNDAY

29TH JUNE

needed in the community,” said O’Keefe.

“The bK Family Fun Day is an extension of the connections which are already happening online at the Bellarine Kids website, it will showcase the businesses and services affiliated with both Greater Geelong and Bellarine Kids. People are excited to be able to see in person all the great things that are happening for kids and families within the Bellarine region.”

If you would like to join Bellarine Kids and be a part of the bK Family Fun Day, please email stacey@bellarinekids.com.au The bK Family Fun Day is on Sunday June 29th, entry is $5 per family and includes one free photo booth picture. The bK Family Fun Day will be held at the Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre, Shell Road, Ocean Grove.

There is free parking available for families going along to enjoy the day and the release of 500 free bK Orange enviro Local Bags’ of Goodness!

The Expo is proudly supported by The Bellarine Times, Kids’ Voice - Geelong Region, All For Kids Party Hire, Apple Seed Education and The Bellarine Railway.

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- JUNE 2014

Here was I thinking, when I finished year 12, that university would be a challenge. Never did I know that I was going to be a mother five years later.

Missing the opportunity to start my career after finishing my degree, to stay home with my gorgeous little girl was an amazing journey but constantly played on my mind.

I knew what I wanted to do, but had no idea how to manage a full time, high pressure job with a baby and a partner working shift work. I wasn’t even sure I could manage the job, even without a baby. But I realised over the next 18 months that I had been faced with several challenges which I certainly managed to kick to the curb quite easily. So I figured, I can do anything if I really wanted to.

Being a fulltime working mother sure is one of those challenges which I just couldn’t let beat me. Having a two year old daughter, who is full of beans and juggling a fulltime job which I studied hard to land has been one of the biggest challenges life has thrown

at me, however it has certainly made me a much stronger person and a more appreciative mother.

Some days I wonder how I am going to get through the work day, let alone the working week due to my daughter being full of a horrible cold, or constantly coping bursts of tonsillitis or a strange rash and unexplained temperatures. This past month, we have had nothing but broken sleep if any at all, a number of trips to the emergency department, unimaginable visits to the GP with little explanation or certainty of what is happening with our gorgeous little girl.

Trying to juggle all this as well as the 9-5 working day has been tricky, our house has constantly been a mess and meal prep has been the last thing on the agenda. There is nothing worse than watching your ‘mini me’ coughing constantly, enough to cause a nice projectile vomit episode all over the clean sheets and fresh PJ’s at midnight, especially when you’re due at a business breakfast function at 7am the following morning.

Just when you think things can’t possibly get any worse, you are quickly proven wrong and the next thing you know you’re wearing the vomit as well.

Although this all seems difficult at the time, you are quickly reminded of the love and bond a mother and daughter share by the gorgeous smile the little monkey gives you, even if they are covered in snot.

Knowing you are working hard to provide for your child certainly gives you the strength and motivation to succeed at work, and having that time away from your child really makes you appreciate the time you do have with them a whole lot more.

My biggest thing when I started working after 18 months off with Sophie, was not seeing her gorgeous smile much during the week however this feeling seemed to settle quite quickly as our little girl gives so much love, affection and happiness when we are with her that it was not a problem for us to still make a career for ourselves and a great life for her.

Carly

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Anxiety is a normal and necessary emotion. It can help us to perform and keep us safe. When anxiety becomes excessive or interferes with a person’s functioning, however, it is considered to be a disorder. Anxiety disorders represent some of the most common issues experienced by children and adults and are usually very responsive to a treatment such as cognitive behavioural therapy. For parents of children with anxiety, there are less helpful and more helpful ways of dealing with their child’s emotional distress.

ANXIETY AND AVOIDANCE

Anxiety thrives on avoidance and while giving in to your child’s distress may provide short-term relief, in the longterm, the child’s anxiety will increase as they have not had the opportunity to overcome their fears. This can be tough for parents, but providing a simple rationale and supportively encouraging your child to face their fears is usually the most helpful approach. Parents may like to share an autobiographical account of how they overcame their anxiety about doing a particular activity to highlight how being brave reduced their fears. Have realistic expectations of your child and try not to be too directive. The aim is for them to have a go rather than to succeed. Allowing a child to make mistakes can build their resilience and conveys that mistakes are necessary for learning.

OVERDOING THE REASSURANCE

While some encouragement can be helpful, overdoing the reassurance can be unhelpful in several ways.

Excessively reassuring a child may signify that there really is cause for concern, whereas keeping the encouragement more limited models a sense of confidence in the child’s ability to cope. Providing lots of reassurance can also create a rod for a parent’s back, in that the child becomes dependent on Mum or Dad to confront any challenging situations. Finally, too much reassurance provides positive attention to your child’s anxiety, which could be a reinforcing factor, the child learning that when they are distressed, their parent becomes very interested in them.

PUNISHMENT VERSUS REWARD

Punishment tends not to be as helpful as reward in shaping a child’s behaviour. Rather than making threats to remove privileges if the child does not stop their anxiety, it’s better to offer a small reward for the child overcoming their fear. Rewards should be considered short-term measures in modifying a child’s behaviour. In

time, the intrinsic rewards that come from tackling fears will be motivating enough. Praise is also one of the best rewards a child can get. Again, the idea is to have realistic expectations of your child, catch them doing something small towards tackling their fear and provide ample praise. This will likely encourage further, and increasingly braver behaviour from your child.

IGNORE THE BAD, RESPOND TO THE GOOD

MANAGING ANXIETY

Used subtly, this approach can be helpful in modifying a range of different behavioural difficulties in children.

When your child demonstrates anxious behaviours, the aim is to be slightly less attentive but then very attentive and congratulatory in response to any good behaviour from the child. For instance, if a child had been avoiding sleepovers but makes some effort to attend a sleepover, it is important to praise their behaviour regardless of whether their efforts were successful or not. Through doing this, the child will gradually learn what elicits the most attention and gravitate towards that. Of course, it is essential that parent’s listen, support and provide empathy to their child when they are discussing their worries. Ignoring your child at such times will be invalidating and may increase their distress.

A GUIDE FOR PARENTS

ROLE MODELLING

Children tend to look to their parents as role models for coping. Encouraging your child to face their fears will be far more effective if they witness some demonstration of the same from their parents. Emotions can also be contagious, in that children tend to pick up on their parent’s anxiety about doing things. You don’t have to cope perfectly, however, it’s helpful to be open about your own feelings of anxiety but try to promote healthy ways of managing it. For instance, “I’m feeling nervous about doing this speech, but I know that each time I give a speech I’ll become less anxious about it”.

SEEKING ADDITIONAL HELP

If your child is highly distressed by their anxiety, it is interfering with their functioning or becoming difficult to manage, speak to your GP about obtaining a referral to a psychologist.

DR EMILY HILL

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

chris mackey &

A S S O C I A T E S

PSYCHO LO GY

SERVICES

- JUNE 2014

T E E N A G E BACKCHAT

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Finding good movies has become something of a chore as of late. Most movies coming out are sequels that are never as good as the first movie or low budget films with a crappy plot full of holes, or it’s just plain boring.

However, in this devastating drought of good movies there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

NUMBER ONE… Ride Along. I admit it’s not the best movie if you don’t like comedy, I’m not a comedy fan myself, preferring to watch action movies, but this movie is without a doubt the funniest movie I’ve seen in a while. There’s no crappy puns that fall flat or any actual jokes made. It’s just a fun movie to watch, it is a genuinely funny movie. The antics of the main characters Ben Barber (Kevin Hart) and James Payton (Ice Cube) are amusing to watch as James takes Ben on a ride along for one day.

NUMBER TWO...

Divergent. Not a movie I would have normally counted as a good one due to the overwhelming romantic cliché of girl meets mister ‘I won’t talk to you ‘cause you’re a newbie, you know nothing about me I’m dark and gloomy’ who just so happens to be the same as her (spoiler alert☺), yeah because we NEVER, not in a MILLION years would have guessed from the very first moment the two were introduced that they’d end up together, I mean really come on… Could the writers have made it any more obvious? I bet in the book it’s based off their first ‘moment’ was something like this.

‘His eyes looked into mine and I felt a spark, I wanted to know about him, my heart started beating faster as he approached and…’ You get the picture. I don’t like romance…. At all. I probably got that entirely wrong but I’m not going to read the book anytime soon so oh well.

MOVING ON TO NUMBER THREE...

Need for Speed. Being a fan of the Fast and the Furious series I went into watching the movie with the idea of it being a cheap knock off… I still didn’t like the movie after I watched it either, they killed off the only character that was actually interesting in the first 40 minutes (spoiler alert☺) and after that the movie went down hill from there adding in a hot English blonde woman who knows her way around an engine (cliché) a man out for revenge to win against the guy who killed his friend (cliché) and bonding between the English woman and the man out for revenge (again cliché), all that whilst they’re running from the cops and trying to win this race against the kids killer.

Very original, it’s an ok movie but not the best, at least it’s not as bad as After Earth. That is one bad movie I hope is never recreated.

SHANNO N DENNING

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 9

SEAROAD

On Saturday 10 May we were invited to take a behind the scenes tour of the Searoad ferry that runs between Queenscliff and Sorrento. Our gran was here on holiday from England so it was fun taking her along and she really enjoyed asking loads of questions too.

A very friendly lady called Michelle, the Customer Service Manager, met us at the Queenscliff terminal and told us some information about the ferry, which we found very interesting. Did you know that the ferry can carry up to 700 passengers; that there are two large ferries which have been operating for about twenty years; before that there was a smaller ferry and people either caught that or drove right around the bay to get to the other side. Now there is six crew members on each trip and their jobs include the master (captain), the mate (the captain’s assistant), the engineer and deck hands who help safely board cars and people?

We found it very interesting when Michelle told us that some passengers had met on the ferry, got engaged and then married! All through being a passenger

FERRY

A DAY ON THE

on his days off, which he spends taking his own boat out. He really loves the water! Some crew live further away, so they live onboard the ferry. Of course we had a load of questions for Gus and found out that the ferry runs on around 30 000L of diesel fuel per fortnight; the ferry transports trucks, polo pony trucks, digging equipment and the biggest item of transport carried over on the ferry was 4.3m high by 4.5 m.

In parts of the bay the ferry clears the bottom by a metre, so Gus and the other captains have to be really careful when steering. It was really amazing to see that there were three ships wheels – one on either side which help the captains steer in/out from the harbours and then a middle one that they can use for the crossing.

on the ferry. Michelle also told us that birthday, engagement and anniversary parties were held on the ferry and that the ferry had a special cruise when the tall ships were here last year.

Children are well looked after on the ferry because during the school holidays they have face painters and a magician to entertain them and the Marine Discovery Centre has a touching pool for kids to learn about the sea life found in the bay. Even if it isn’t the school holidays, there is a play area for younger kids on the ferry and in the terminal there was a play area as well. For us teenagers there was free wi-fi (yahoo!) and also a TV. Our parents really enjoyed the fact that the canteen also had barista coffee, which meant they could chill as well.

Michelle took us on board and up to the control room where we met Gus (the master or captain) and his assistants, Ant (the mate) and Skipper the dog. Gus has been working for Searoad Ferries for 25 years and works seven days on and seven days off. He lives in Queenscliff, so is lucky to be able to go home

The ferry passes through the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park and we saw a variety of birdlife and some days the dolphins swim alongside the boat, which would be so cool to see. Unfortunately they didn’t show up when we went across, but we didn’t mind too much as we were so busy exploring – and my brother was checking out the free wi-fi on his phone! The crossing was really smooth and my gran was having fun going outside and taking photos and then trying to take photos of us too. Dad LOVED the barista coffee.

After the 11km crossing (which I learnt was 6 nautical miles) we got off at Sorrento and went up the hill to explore the shops and have some lunch. It was such a lovely sunny day and we wandered around the shops and then had a tasty lunch afterwards. The ferry trip was great fun and even if you don’t want to get off in Sorrento, you can just return on the same ferry again, but I would recommend getting off and making a day of your outing.

ROBBIE AND JODIE MITTEN FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE

FERRY, SEE WWW.SEAROAD.COM.AU

PAGE 10 - JUNE 2014

PAT, JACK AND MORGAN

This month’s birthing story is about Pat who is the mother of twin boys, Morgan and Jack, who are now 22 years of age.

Pat and her then husband Jeff tried for many years to have children, but they endured the trauma of experiencing recurrent miscarriages.

After six miscarriages, Pat was referred to a specialist at the Royal Women’s Hospital. His name was Dr Michael Kloss and he looked like Anthony Hopkins! He was very patient and kind.

He discovered that Pat had an antibody disorder and after fertility treatment she fell pregnant with the twins.

When Pat was six weeks’ pregnant Pat was admitted to Hospital for rest, weekly ultrasounds and prednisolone therapy (25mgs daily). She remained in hospital for six weeks but the prednisolone therapy continued until she was 28 weeks’ pregnant. Pat was very anxious throughout this time, but once she reached 30 weeks’ she began to relax. She was worried about foetal abnormalities due to the prednisolone.

At 30 weeks’ gestation, the membranes ruptured around twin one. Pat rested in hospital for another two weeks, and took oral antibiotics to try to prevent infection. At 31 weeks and 5 days Pat went into labour, and she ended up having an Emergency Caesarean Section under general anaesthetic because of fetal distress of twin two, which means that the heart rate of twin two was dropping with contractions. Pat was disappointed at having a general anaesthetic and not being awake to experience the birth, and Jeff was not allowed into theatre either.

Jack weighed 3lb5oz and Morgan was 4lbs. They were taken directly to NICU after the birth. Jack, twin one, was well, and did not require respiratory support. However Morgan, twin two, required full intubation and ventilation. They spent 8 weeks in hospital, which included two weeks at the RWH and 6 weeks at the SCN at Geelong Hospital. The boys were discharged from Geelong Hospital to home at around their due date. Pat breast fed both the boys for four months. Champion effort!

The boys are now healthy 22 year olds, and are studying and working, and Pat is very proud of ‘her boys’.

Pat was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease when she was in her 40’s, which may have explained her recurrent miscarriages.

She manages this well with a strict diet that precludes wheat, barley, oats, malt whisky and beer!

Thanks Pat for sharing your story. Pat hopes that other women who suffer recurrent miscarriages are referred to the appropriate health care provider, and hopes that they are tested for Coeliac Disease.

AS TOLD BY JEN CARR

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 11

FOUNDATIONS FOR

LEARNING TO READ

Phonological awareness is a critical early step in learning to read and is an important bridge between speaking and reading/spelling/writing. If a child is forced to try to learn skills that they do not yet have the foundation for, they might become frustrated and lose confidence. Phonological awareness is a general appreciation of how spoken language can be divided into its components. For example, we speak in sentences. Sentences can be broken down into words and words into syllables. An appreciation of rhyme and alliteration (each word begins with the same sound) fall under the category of phonological awareness.

Phonemic Awareness - The word “phoneme” means sound. When a word is broken down into its smallest unit, a sound (or phoneme), the term “phonemic awareness” is used. Phonemic awareness is a sub skill of the broad category of phonological awareness.

It’s the ability to pay attention to the speech sound properties in words. The child begins to focus on the sounds in a word, rather than just on its meaning.

Phonological awareness is a predictor of literacy outcome.

• The explicit awareness of speech sounds is directly related to early reading development.

• A child’s level of phonological awareness is “the single best predictor of reading success between kindergarten and grade two”. (Adam, Stanovich,1995) • Good phonological awareness enables a chid to more readily develop an understanding of the alphabetic nature of English. That is, that there is a direct relationship between the sound of the spoken words and the letters that represent them in written language.

• Phonological awareness is necessary, but not the only skill required for the development of literacy.

Language Activities for Literacy Development include the provision of: • Rich vocabulary: expanding the child’s range of word knowledge • Active listening • Becoming a storyteller • Play and world experience • Rules and routines (includes board games/games of chance, where children explain the rules) • Phonological awareness: • Active listening for sounds/words • Awareness of the mouth/teeth, lips and tongue to produce sounds • Discovering syllables, rhymes and the first sound in a word • Activities that have children reflect/talk about words and language in spoken and written form

in activities that develop Phonological Awareness in a fun and relaxed way. Even though many preschool children will not yet be ready for reading or know any letters of the alphabet, they can still develop good listening skills and build early levels of Phonological Awareness that will support them later when presented with formal reading instruction. Parents can further encourage this development through reading and talking about books regularly with their children and introducing them to rhymes and sound games.

Activity ideas for pre-schoolers: At a general level, Phonological Awareness involves an awareness that words can – • Be broken up into beats or syllables (hel-i-cop-ter Children love a sense of absurdity combining nonsense, movement and rhythm.

•

Claps/beats in words - Ask your child to clap with you for each syllable for the following words: elephant zebra lion pelican monkey snake kangaroo. Then think of words they know to clap out: like names of people they know…

•

The longest word - Ask your child to think of the longest words they know. Demonstrate the length, clapping out the beats or syllables – caterpillar, hippopotamus. When you notice long or interesting sounding words, have fun with you child, repeating and breaking the words up into beats. (eg. cat-a-ma-ran). Be aware that some children will still be thinking that ‘long’ word refers to the meaning of the word and might suggest ‘train’ as a long word!

• Rhyme – onset/rime - Remember that building knowledge of rhyme takes time. Children usually find it easier to recognise rhyme than to produce rhyming words.

•

Sing songs and read nursery rhymes Emphasise the rhythm and the rhyming words in old favourites such as Incy Wincy Spider, Little Jack Horner, OneTwo Buckle My Shoe. Repeat the rhyming words and ask your child to copy eg. Incy Wincy SpiderI – spout-out

• Rhyming Riddles - Children enjoy solving these riddles and then afterwards finding the words that rhyme.

In the garden it grows. You can smell it with your nose. It’s called a ______ (rose).

It sleeps on the mat. It’s bigger than a rat. It’s called a ______ (cat) •

Rhyme cloze - Providing a context for your child will make it easier to think of a rhyming word to complete the sentence. In this task the answer is always a body part.

Mrs Rose has a mosquito on her ______ (nose).

• Talk about sounds and letters in a clear and concise way

Jenny Bin has a pimple on her ______ (chin).

The preschool can be an ideal place to involve children

Tommy Weir has a flea in his ______ (ear).

Mr Weg has a broken ______ (leg).

•

FOR PRESCHOOL

CHILDREN

First Sound Awareness - Some children may already have an awareness of the first sound of words prior to formal teaching, whereas others may not.

However, all children will have fun with sound play that makes the alliteration (each word begins with the same sound) obvious.

•

First Sound Game - Most children will start to see a pattern and join in when you make up a “first sound character” eg. Miss Marble. Miss Marble’s muffins. Miss Marble makes muffins. Miss Marble makes marvellous muffins. Miss Marble makes marvellous marmalade muffins – mmm…”

•

The First Sound Shop - Set up a shop that sells only things that start with a particular sound. eg. The Mmmmm shop sells milk, mice, marbles, marshmallows, mushrooms, matches, monkeys, mugs, mops and maps.

The Ccc/Kkk shop sells coffee, corn, combs, cars, cordial, kites, caps, cats, cows…

Your child can brainstorm other items and put them on display in the shop. Try this with other sounds.

• I spy - Identify an object in the room and say, “I spy with my little eye something beginning with the sound “m”. Mummy, make-up, mandarins, muffins, milo…(Make sure to use the sound not the letter name).

A balanced preschool program involves many components. Phonological Awareness is one aspect within the broader focus of building good oral language skills. Free and imaginative play, physical activities, real life experiences, learning about new words, reading to children and encouraging story telling and learning about questions are also important. All of which should be fun.

STEFANIE SZLAPA

PAEDIATRIC SPEECH PATHOLOGIST /PARENT EDUCATOR

If you are concerned about your child’s communication development, please don’t hesitate to contact the Speech Pathologist in the Child Health and Development Team at Bellarine Community Health (BCH).

With five centres around the Bellarine Peninsula, Bellarine Community Health (www. bch.org.au) provides health services to families across the region. The Child Health and Development Team offers a family-centred service focusing on the well being of children aged 0-12 years. The team includes speech therapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, dietetics, physiotherapy and dentistry.

They can be contacted through BCH Service Access – Telephone: 5258 0812 or Email serviceaccessofficer@bch.org.au

PAGE 12 - JUNE 2014

PRIMARY SCHOOL

LACHLAN GEMMILL I’m footy-mad – I love playing and watching the game. My dream is to play AFL one day.

Going to a small school is great because you get to know everyone.

All of us agree that our teacher Mr Lavars is fantastic. He’s really funny and so good at explaining subjects that we didn’t even enjoy before being in his class!

Being a school captain has been good for my confidence because I have to talk in front of people.

I’ll miss Mt Duneed Regional Primary next year when I get to secondary school, but it will be great to try new subjects, like Food Technology.

MEET THE MT DUNEED REGIONAL PRIMARY SCHOOL CAPTAINS

CLAYTON PAULL Like the other school captains, I’ve attended Mt Duneed Regional Primary since I was in Prep. It’s a great school because there is so much room to play.

I love footy in winter and tennis in summer. Being a school captain means we represent the school at events and run assembly – it’s good practice for public speaking.

We wanted to organise the Mt Duneed’s Got Talent competition because it allowed kids to show their hidden talents that the rest of us may not know they have.

MERCEDES ARMSTRONG

GEORGIE HAGER

I like maths as well as art and music.

Outside school hours, I enjoy Girl Guides, horse-riding and listening to music (One Direction of course!).

I don’t really have time for watching TV.

Maths and P.E. are my favourite subjects at school. Similar to my cocaptains, I really love being a ‘buddy’ to the Prep students – helping them to find their way around and feel comfortable at our school.

Being a school captain is a big honour because the younger kids look up to us. It’s important that we try to be good role models and behave well.

I don’t watch much TV. I prefer to play netball and catch up with my friends. I’m also a One Direction fan and got to see them in concert last year.

It was fun organising the Mt Duneed’s Got Talent auditions and grand final competition. We wanted to do something different to previous years and give the students something fun to be part of.

I’ll be sad to leave my Mt Duneed friends and teachers in 2015, but I’m also looking forward to meeting new people and learning new things.

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 13

THE SCIENCE OF SURFING a journey through the process of designing a wetsuit – from concept to consumer.

This opportunity was provided by BioLAB: The Victorian BioScience Education Centre in conjunction with industry partners and world leaders in wetsuit design and development Ripcurl.

ents y College stud irls Secondar G ioLAB. B rs at de in its Fl Matthew ipcurl’s wetsu R of s tie er prop testing fabric

The humble wetsuit, it protects us as winter starts to set in and the water temperature drops but have you ever considered the research, technology, science and engineering skills required to design the wetsuits that are keeping us warm?

As part of Education Week celebrations Year 10 students from Matthew Flinders Secondary College were taken on

Students began the day with a tour through Ripcurl’s headquarters in Torquay with Peter Cole, Global Research and Development Manager in the wetsuit division. Peter and his team were able to highlight the amazing development and testing process that goes into developing Ripcurl’s line of revolutionary wetsuits.

Students then spent the afternoon at BioLAB headquarters in Belmont applying their knowledge and testing their science, technology, engineering and maths skills by designing their own wetsuit with resident Education Officer and Materials Technologist Dr Anthony Ellis.

Dr Ellis said this year’s Education Week theme was scientists do amazing things and today’s experience certainly emphasised that point. This was a great opportunity for the girls to gain an insight into the cutting

edge of sport science and materials technology. We were very excited to work with Ripcurl and allow students to gain access to the inner sanctum of surfing product development. It also offered students the opportunity to learn about careers and the necessary skills required to work in the science and surfing industry.

Experiences included testing flexibility, warmth, and water resistance properties of Ripcurl’s wetsuit fabrics in ice bath conditions, using thermal technology to determine a material’s insulating effects on the human body. This program was based on research conducted by Dr Paul Collins at Deakin University.

BioLAB is a science and mathematics specialist centre located in Belmont and was set up by the State Government to inspire and engage students with hands on education programs. BioLAB’s programs aim to showcase the wonders of science and mathematics using the theme of human performance and sport. This allows students to learn more about themselves as well as experiencing the myriad of fantastic career opportunities and research that occurs in this region.

BIOLAB ARE PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY LEAD PARTNERS DEAKIN UNIVERSITY.

PAGE 14 - JUNE 2014

UNHINDERED ABSTRACTION

ART EXHIBITION & CHARITY AUCTION In late 2013 One World for Children started to integrate more creative and arts-based activities into their child care programme. The first step they took down this path was taking on the services of local artist Glenn Fry, who is now One World’s Artist in Residence. Fry’s first task as artist in residence was to coordinate a street art-inspired mural with fellow artist Glen Smith. Smith’s idea for the piece was to get drawings done by children at the centre and transform these images into stencils that would be used as part of the street art mural. This in turn inspired Kitty (Karyn Connors), One World’s Managing Director, to create a painting with drawings done by children at the centre of their pet budgie Bubbles. When Fry first saw this work he approached Kitty with the idea of doing an exhibition featuring local artists, where all the artworks would be derived from drawings created by children at the centre, then auctioned to raise money for charity.

The artists included in this exhibition have not just donated a painting for the show, they have given their time to create original artworks inspired by drawings created by children at the centre. Each artist has approached the concept of using the children’s work in their own unique way and they have kept the true essence of the children’s art work. One fact that Fry realised when first looking at the children’s work is that when children create they do so with no preconceptions of how something should look, they naturally use abstraction as their form of expression, whereas artists who have been classically trained strive at first for realism in their work. Those who head down the path of abstraction break

down the rules they have been taught so that they can have more expression in their work, hence the title of the show ‘Unhindered Abstraction’.

Eight local artists are included in the exhibition: Glenn Fry, Glen Smith, Darren Westcombe, Joanne Kemerer, Kitty Cardway, Mellita Salmon, Patricia Wade and Jennet Boyd.

These artists have a range of styles and approaches to their art, from realist oil painters, to modern street stencil art. Glen Smith’s approach has been to turn the children’s drawings into stencils and to incorporate these images on gritty tagged and grungy urban inspired backgrounds.

Glenn Fry has taken original drawings done by the children and turned them into a repeating wallpaper designs similar to what he creates for his own artwork.

In using the children’s drawings Fry felt that he should keep true to the irregular line work of the children, which worked with the grungy street inspired aesthetics. At the exhibition, the original drawings done by the children will be exhibited alongside the artist’s inspired creations.

The exhibition will support locally-based charity Wombats Wish, who work with bereaved children in the Geelong region. It was felt this was an appropriate organisation to represent since one of the children at the centre had recently lost his mother.

The exhibition will be held at The Shearer’s Arms, 202 Aberdeen Street, Newtown, from 24 June to 12 July, with the art auction to be held on Saturday 5 July from 4-7pm. Come along and support a worthy cause.

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 15

SHOPAHOLIC’S DREAM

O P E N DA Y FOR WAUR N PON DS

SH OPP IN G C E N T R E E X P A N S I O N On Wednesday 21 May, Premier Denis Napthine and Geelong Mayor Councillor Darryn Lyons opened the first phase of the $90 million expansion of the Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre, paving the way for 500 new jobs in the region. On the day roving musicians, theatrical performers, kids colouring competitions, face painting and much more was to be found in both the Coles and Target Malls. Saturday 24 May – the family day - saw the Channel 7 My Kitchen Rules stage show and cook off with customers and MKR contestants (Josh & Danielle) proving exceptionally popular. Of course the centre again provided a fantastic variety of entertainment and competitions.

The expansion also provides an additional 800 free car parking spaces, making 1930 car parks in total.

The new Waurn Ponds Coles supermarket includes a number of innovative features such as kitchenware, babywear and a party supplies section, while also bringing fashion to the grocery aisles with a new selection of clothing and accessories from the MIX Apparel range. The shop also includes an array of fresh food including an on-site bakery, fresh fruit and vegetables on ice and on-site butchers. With more than 26,000 products in total, Coles Waurn Ponds promises locals one of the vastest product ranges in Australia. Coles State General Manager, Michael Mackenzie, said Coles was delighted to be investing in Geelong and has great confidence in the long-term future of the region.

PAGE 16 - JUNE 2014

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 17

PAGE 18 - JUNE 2014

E D U C A T IO N

5

Financial prosperity is a target that many of us have for our lives and for the lives of our children. We wish for our children to be successful.

We wish for them to live prosperous lives. And yet, we often feel less than equipped to provide them with the necessary tools.

What did you learn about money growing up? What were you taught about prosperity? Was money talked about in your house? Or was it forbidden? Did your parents say things like, “You have to work hard for money”? Or maybe they just demonstrated it by working hard and struggling to get by. Or was money not talked about in your household growing up?

Whatever you’ve been taught, whatever points of view you may still have, it IS possible to live financially prosperous. And, it is possible to teach your kids to do the same!

Tools To Teach Financial Prosperity To Your Kids:

1.

ASK QUESTIONS

Showing our kids that financial prosperity is possible is a huge contribution to them. Regardless of what your current money situation may be, you can begin to create wealth.

Your point of view creates your reality. If you wish to create a different reality, change your point of view.

One way to do this is to ask questions.

Founder of Access Consciousness® Gary Douglas says, “Questions open the door to all possibilities.”

In other words, questions take you beyond the limitations you are currently functioning from and into endless possibilities.

A couple of great questions to ask are, “What else is possible?” and “How does it get any better than this?”

When you ask these questions the Universe comes rushing in to show you!

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 19

WAYS TO TEACH KIDS TO

BE FINANCIALLY PROSPEROUS Questions open the door for something greater to show up!

2.

YOU ARE THE SOURCE OF YOUR LIFE

Let your kids know that they are the source for the creation of their life. Sure, mum and dad contribute to them, grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers and friends too. But, ultimately, that infinite being in a little body is the creator of their life.

A great way to pass this along to your kids is to ask them questions. Let’s say there’s something they wish to have. Ask them, “So what would it take for you to create that?” Or, “What could you do to bring that into your life?”

Teach THEM to ask questions as well. You can say, “You know, when you ask questions, all sorts of things can show up. What if you asked, “What can I do today to actualize this right away?”

When we teach our kids to ask questions rather than conclude that they can’t have something or that everything has to come from parents, they begin to recognize that they are capable of creating for themselves. My step son recently started drawing pictures and selling them to anyone who walked into our house for at least $5 a picture. It was inspiring to see him creating his own money with no doubt that he could.

3.

CREATE A

10 %

ACCOUNT

A powerful and pragmatic tool which dynamically contributes to increasing money flows is creating a 10% account. Here’s how it works. When money comes in, put 10% of every dollar away and don’t spend it – ever!

Kids get excited as they see their money grow!

HAVING money provides a sense of abundance, and that they have value in life. Imagine what a 10% account could be by the time they are 21?

4.

MONEY FOLLOWS JOY. JOY DOES

NOT FOLLOW MONEY.

Kids naturally do what’s fun for them. As they grow older, we often instruct them to, “Stop acting like a child. Grow up. Get serious.” If you believe that you can’t have fun and make money, at some point you expect your kids to stop having fun.

Money actually follows joy. So as your kids grow older, encourage them to continue to do what’s fun for them. As they choose what brings them joy, money shows up. My step son has stickers all over his room that say “Happiness is just a choice.”

5.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR CREATION

The final step of creating is acknowledging what you’ve created – every time! Acknowledge the magic you created and then go back to the question. ‘How did I create this and how does it get even better?’

Kids often don’t have the doubt that something can be created, it’s drilled into them later in life. So encourage them to function from their awareness, ask questions, allow the magic to show up and be grateful.

Offer these tools to your kids. They will be empowered and they will KNOW that truly anything is possible! Welcome to financial prosperity!

Simone Milasas is a business mentor and the author of Joy of Business. For more information visit www. accessjoyofbusiness. com

PAGE 20 - JUNE 2014

PARENTING BOYS

ENCOURAGING THEIR MASCULINE AND HONOURING THEIR FEMININE Our little boys are vulnerable but most parents are not aware that this is the case. The world is trending in favor of girls over boys in a number of ways. In Australia, the United States and Canada for instance, more girls than boys are graduating from high school and university every year. This means that fewer young men are qualifying for good paying jobs, jobs that would make them the breadwinners for their families.

At the same time, let’s consider some other trends. More women than ever before are the sole breadwinners for their families. It is not uncommon for married women today to earn more than their partners compared to past decades. Clearly women are not as dependent on men as they once were.

So where does that leave our little boys in this new and changed world? It means that as parents of boys, we need to change our approach. We need to recognize that girls are far more strident because their mothers are far more ‘masculine-oriented’ than ever before in recorded history. The newfound ‘maleness’ of women today has affected their parenting style.

How can mothers be so “male” you might ask?

Well, it’s because as human beings, we all carry two energies within us: masculine and feminine. So a woman can choose to access more of her inner feminine or more inner masculine, depending on what needs to be done. When she is busy with a career, parenting, running a house, and all the other little things, she is overworking her “masculine” side, the “doing” side. Unless she takes time for herself, to just sit and quietly reflect once in a while, or pamper herself, she can lose touch with her feminine side altogether. She will be out of balance internally,

because it is the balance of our two internal energies that creates the people we are.

Here’s another interesting fact. A busy, active woman whose masculine energy is dominant, will attract a life partner who is internally the opposite of her: he will be far more feminine-oriented than traditional males were years ago. Being opposite in internal gender causes attraction and fuels intimacy, but it also means that these new men – these fathers today – are not going to be as masculine as they might have been in previous generations.

The odds are that if you are a masculine woman and you are raising both a son and a daughter, your daughter will probably carry more masculine energy.

You are her role model. That leaves your son with the more feminine role within the two children. I know it sounds bizarre if you have not encountered this concept before. However, you be the judge. Observe your children and watch who is displaying more masculine energy.

The traits of the masculine energy are more directional; male-oriented individuals (boys or girls) take initiative and are far more active. Feminine traits, which appear in both boys and girls, are more internal, more receptive and tend towards ‘being’ rather than ‘doing.’

You also have to be aware that ‘feminine-oriented’ children (boys or girls) are more often bullied, whether at school, or even at home by their more ‘masculineoriented’ siblings. To correct this, kind little boys need to have their masculine aspect strengthened by their fathers and mothers. They should be encouraged to be active, to develop useful hands-on skills, and leadership skills. Boys need to understand how to use

their masculine aspect and be proud of it.

It’s OK of course for boys to explore their sensitive side, but they also need to be taught how to protect that ‘sensitivity’ by accessing their strong, honorable inner ‘masculine’ essence. Our sons should never have to apologize for being male.

Remind your sons that they are men-in-training and men must protect themselves and those who are dear to them. Explain to them that men need to take initiative and take action. In that way, your son will have the makings of what we call the ‘Sensitive Man.’ The ‘Sensitive Man’ is balanced and strong, and he is the man of the future. He can be sensitive at times, but knows how and when to use his masculine energy to direct and protect not only his own life, but also the lives of those who are in his care.

Show your son how to be a man who can take back the self-respect that many men are losing. If your son is shown how to be a masculine person in the world, with all the responsibilities that that entails, then he will be able to help balance out a world that is currently becoming horribly out of balance.

He will be the author of his own life; not cowering while the women who are his peers beat him to the post. He will be wholeheartedly and equally in the race of life with just as good a chance as anyone of winning. That is how we want to raise our little boys in these times when success might appear to be stacked somewhat against them.

Jennifer Granger is a transformational coach from Melbourne, Australia and the author of a new ground-breaking book, “Feminine Lost: Why Most Women are Male” (Weinstein Books, $19.99). In it she explains the state of affairs between men and women today and explains how maintaining a healthy inner energetic balance improves your intimate relationships, your ability to parent, and indeed all aspects of your life. For more information visit www.femininelost.com

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 21

Y O U R REL AT IO N SH IP

I S T E CH N O LO G Y AFFE CT IN G

TE CH NO LO GY

I went to a school reunion recently, and had a fascinating dilemma, which was nothing to do with me choosing between Katut or Trent. It was more to do with conversations and where to pitch them. I am friends with quite a few old school friends on Facebook.

This means I know exactly what they ate for dinner last night, the colour of their new pair of sneakers and even how fast and how far they ran yesterday. But imagine standing face to face with them for the first time in 20 years at a school reunion and not knowing what to talk about. Should I be asking what sort of work are they in, or should I be a little more specific and ask how was their sautéed prawns smothered in creamy garlic sauce on a bed of rice last night? Awkward!

Facebook can also be blamed for exclusion.

If you feel the need to post pictures of a great party you went to or a quick catch up with some mates, remember that there may be other people that weren’t invited.

There is a great photo that has made it way around social media. It is a picture of a stack of mobile phones on the table with a caption saying ‘First one to touch pays the bill’. I think this is fantastic. How tragic to see people on their phones when they are out to dinner

rather than conversing with the person sitting opposite them.

With smart phone and tablet developments, nearly everyone is carrying around their work place with them. It is so easy to check your emails and send a quick reply that we are now never really shutting off. The 9-5 day is long gone and it now feels more like 5-9. This can have a great impact on relationships. As parents, we are role models to our children. So when they see us on our phones at all hours this is setting some bad examples for them.

We should be aware of having ‘screen free’ time. I may be a little old fashioned, but I do love a board game or a card game. The car is a great place to spend some time just watching the world wiz past or the old ‘I spy’.

The television is another source of technology that causes issues amongst families. Whether it is first thing in the morning when children should be getting ready for school, or watching the news during dinner, the television should be used with caution!

Then there is the fact that communicating via technology rather than verbally can have devastating effects. A heated argument face to face is soon forgotten, but an aggressive email

or text message can be retained forever. There is also more chance to a written message to be misconstrued when there are no facial gestures, body language and audio keys.

Of course there are ways for technology to improve your relationships. Think of those online dating sites bringing people together all over the world! Or the fact that you can reach out to connect with someone that you haven’t seen in a long time. Skype is a great way for people to stay in touch, and for grandparents to stay involved with grandkids interstate.

Technology can be dangerous to relationships, but it is not going away. So just try to stay aware of any repercussions technology may have with those around you, and enjoy in moderation.

S HEL L EY GR O S S D IR EC T O R AT W O N D ER F U L W EBS IT ES W W W .W O N D ER F U L W EBS IT ES .C O M .AU

PAGE 22 - JUNE 2014

THE

G I B

CHILL

As winter has quickly approached, many of us are extremely excited about the 2014 snow season which is upon us this month. Many families flee to the cold, white snow fields for some quality family time and to participate in different snow sports in different areas, whether it’s Falls Creek, Mt Hotham, Mt Buller or Lake Mountain.

Whether you are introducing your children to the snow for the first time, or have come back for another fix because last year was a blast, there are many important things that must always be taken into account to ensure your trip lives up to expectations. Obviously clothing preparation is a major focus and safety precaution which is imperative for your visit to the snow, it is impossible to encourage a young child to participate in snow sports and games with the family if the child is shivering and whinging uncontrollably.

Your family may not be interested in solely participating in skiing, snowboarding or tobogganing, but building a snowman and having a snowball fight may be more up your alley, all families are different and there are several options for a more relaxing weekend away up at the snow which are still full of laughs, excitement and don’t forget hot chocolate.

When heading out to participate in snow sports, whether it is skiing, snowboarding or tobogganing it is vital to dress warmly. It is recommended for adults and children to be rugged up with water proof clothing to prevent the onset of any illness and also as a protective layer for our skin. By wearing a layer or two underneath your waterproof suit or jacket and pants, a beanie and neck gaiter, thick socks and boots along with some protective eye wear the whole family will enjoy their amazing adventure in the snow fields.

If you or your children are a beginner it is smarter to rent sporting/snow gear such as clothing, boards/skis and helmets. This is not always the most convenient way however while your are learning or only spending short amounts of time up in the field each year, this is by far the better way to go. Looking into a season-long lease of gear is also a smart option when children are involved, it’s much lighter on the wallet and also allows a trade up in sizes if your child has outgrown any of the gear, whether it’s board or clothing.

SNOWBOARDING FOR MUM, DAD AND THE KIDS

When looking at boards for the kids, it is wise to begin with a slightly smaller board than usual until the child has outgrown it or developed the necessary skills to work with a higher performance board. The most important thing when looking into hiring or buying gear is speaking to the experts, and gaining the knowledge of what works best and for whom.

Majority of people have heard of snowboarding but some may not completely understand the concept fully. This extreme winter sport is relatively new, and involves riding an epoxy-fiberglass board which your feet are strapped to. It requires the rider to manipulate gravity to travel down a ski slope. The most important factor which this sport revolves around is maintaining balance while both feet are secured to the snowboard. Snowboarding is considerably different to skiing; it involves

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 23

the rider to shift weight between the heels and toes, and front and back of the board, very similar to surfing.

SKIING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Skiing can be quite full on; there are many different techniques, skills and tricks which can all be incorporated to make this snow sport a lot of fun but quite technical at the same time. This particular sport has developed significantly and grown to become quite popular, especially in relation to families taking part incorporating all ages and skill levels.

Basically, skiing requires using gravity to glide downhill over different snow conditions using two long and thin boards incorporating a huge amount of balance and control, using both boards to coordinate their movements and control speed and direction. Balance, weight and edge control are the vital skills which aid a participant to succeed in skiing.

At most ski slopes/snow fields, there are instructors available providing the kids with tailored lessons specific to their age and skill level. This is the safest way to go when they are a beginner and help them to grasp the concept and ground rules, giving a new sport a go in a safe environment with supervision of an expert.

TOBOGGANING TOGETHER

If you’re looking for something extremely adventurous, family/child friendly and an activity to fill you with laughs, try tobogganing! What a way to spend a winter’s day up in the snow! Tobogganing involves riding a sled down a snow covered slope; it is extremely easy to steer, by lifting or twisting the front of the sled or dragging a foot alongside you in the snow. The great part about tobogganing is that the board can comfortably hold more than one person so it is a great activity for the kids to jump on with dad or even a sibling or friend while mum waits at the bottom and snaps those hilarious action shots for the photo album.

As the next few days pass the snow season will officially begin, many of us will be using our annual leave to take the family away for long weekends and for some it will be a totally new, exciting experience which may see us heading back home with a new love for a snow sport, or just a head full of hilarious memories to keep for a life time.

If heading to the snow fields is not something you wish to do as a family but you’re looking for a way to try and enjoy the winter months, why not head to the ice rink. Many families head to the rink to enjoy some quality time and share some laughs. Head down and lace up, it may also be wise to pad the kids up and take it slowly at first as ice skating for the first time certainly can be tricky for a beginner. This option doesn’t involve hours of driving but certainly provides the laughs and memories.

ICE SKATING

Did you know Ice skating is not only a popular winter sport/activity, but in some countries it is a popular way of transport. Specialised skating shoes, with a single blade are required to take part in this simple yet complex

activity. Ice skating can be undertaken on an ice rink or frozen bodies of water such as a river or lake. (However this is not recommended unless you have been, given confirmation that the lake or river is safe to use, especially if you’re with the kids.) Skilled ice skaters can execute complex jumps and other movements, while beginners often find themselves flat on the ice more frequently than they would like.

There is something to keep the family happy and entertained during the colder months which may be something completely new or a routine activity for this time of year. Just remember… Keep the camera handy and your gloves on.

PAGE 24 - JUNE 2014

MU S I C A R TS &

CHRISTIAN COLLEGE SENIOR MUSIC TOUR TAKES ON CHINA

Taking 78 students to China, easy right? Plus a truckload of instruments and a large amount of music gear, all nearly reaching the individual box limit of 32 kilograms. Most people would say it couldn’t be done, we called it the Christian College Senior Music Tour.

After weeks of rehearsals, hours of practice a wonderful farewell concert for the College community and frantic last minute packing the tour had finally begun. We arrived on the 6th of April in Beijing after a full 24 hours of travelling and I think my fellow students would agree that we felt like ants. Colossal buildings rose up from the ground, and thousands of motorists clogged the five lane roads, adding to the cloud of smog which covered the city like a woollen blanket. It was amazing. Beijing is currently in spring and the cherry blossoms bloomed as we played the role of ‘Asian tourist’, walking around places like ‘The Temple of Heaven’, ‘The Summer Palace’, ‘Tiananmen Square’ and ‘The Forbidden City’.

CAITLYN OAKLEY YEAR 10 AND LYDIA MACKIE YEAR 10 MEMBERS OF OUR WIND SYMPHONY MEETING CHINESE UNIVERSITY CHOIR MEMBERS AFTER AN EXCHANGE OF GIFTS AND A VERY SPECIAL CONCERT

In our shorts and t-shirts, we soaked up the warmth of the humid twenty-seven degree days.

On the second day we arrived at the Great Wall of China and set up to perform in front of a beautiful pagoda. When we played I couldn’t help but smile as the Wind Symphony enveloped the locals with the theme music from ‘The Incredibles’ movie. This was such a memorable moment! Each of our groups performed for both local Chinese people and tourists from all around the globe.

We visited Beijing’s University of Agriculture and performed with the University ensembles to a packed 800 seat auditorium. Hearing, meeting and sharing this performance experience with the traditional Chinese orchestra was a mesmerizing musical and cultural exchange.

sky scraper forests, dense traffic, and the woollen blanket still covered the city. The markets were no doubt a highlight with students and teachers making the most of thebargains while learning to barter effectively!

Every four years Christian College has an international music tour and our main performance this year’s tour was at the 6th International Hong Kong Youth Music Festival. The Wind Symphony, String Orchestra and Stage Band all jumped for joy upon hearing the results of winning the Gold Performance Award and the Choir gained the Bronze Performance Award against fierce competition. Other students performing at the festival were from places as far away as Kazakhstan and the different musical cultures represented were interesting to hear.

Performing for the crowds at Hong Kong Disney was an enjoyable final tour performance. Disneyland was the best day ever. Their finale fireworks blasted Geelong’s New Year ’s Eve display into oblivion. Returning home I felt a pang of sadness, I would miss the unique Chinese culture I’d spent the last ten days living in, but I would never forget it. I enjoyed eating my meals with chopsticks, except steak! Overall, it was the best experience of my life and I will hopefully return to China one day.

Hong Kong is stereotypical China, cramped buildings,

ABBY ROBINSON

SENIOR CHOIR PERFORMING AT DISNEYLAND HONG KONG

THE SENIOR WIND SYMPHONY PERFORMING IN FRONT OF A HUGE PAGODA ON THE AMAZING GREAT WALL OF CHINA

SENIOR STRINGS PERFORMING AT BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

TESS GOLDEN YEAR 11 & MADI NORWOOD YEAR 11 SOAKING UP THE FESTIVAL ATMOSPHERE WHILE SIGHTSEEING AT THE BIRD CAGE.

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 25

M USI C AR TS &

LOCAL STUDENTS’ ANTI-

BULLYING RAP TRIUMPHS

IN TALENT COMP

The grand final on May 9 comprised 15 solo and group acts, including singing, dancing, instrumental and comedy routines.

Humble Year three duo Rhys Cameron and Eric Loone took out first prize for their rap rebuking bullies and encouraging compassion in the playground.

Second place went to a pint-sized Prep trio (Lily Cameron, Chelsea Hamilton and Hayley Lindner) for their rendition of Katy’s Perry’s pop tune, ‘Roar’, donning cute tiger ears and tails.

Another stand-out performer was Charlotte Van Cleef who was pitch-perfect singing ‘The Sun Will Come Out’ from Annie The Musical.

Charlotte came equal third with Ellie Polyzos and Ebony Paull who teamed up for an ethereal dance and gymnastic routine that demonstrated their grace and flexibility.

While Eurovision was gaining the world media’s attention, a talent quest closer to home - Mt Duneed’s Got Talent - was showcasing gifted local school students in early May.

Mt Duneed Regional Primary teacher and talent show judge Adam Lavars summed up the day perfectly, “While our school may be small in size, this competition has shown we are certainly big in the talent stakes.”

Instigated by Mt Duneed Regional Primary’s school captains to encourage self-confidence, the competition saw a large proportion of the school’s 197 students participate in the audition process.

Thanks to the generosity of some local businesses (Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary, Reading Cinemas Waurn Ponds and A Maze ‘N Games) as well as ‘AFL Record 4 Kids’, the grand final place-getters received fantastic prizes.

LYRICS OF ERIC LOONE AND RHYS CAMERON’S WINNING RAP SO NG C. I’M THE E TO THE R TO THE I TO THE W ME. KNO YOU I COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY THE S AND I’M THE R TO THE H TO THE Y TO GOING TO ARE WE’RE HERE TO DO A RAP AND WE IMPRESS. EED WELL OUR SCHOOL IS CALLED MOUNT DUND CEE SUC STUDY REAL HARD AND YOU WILL EED IT’S THE BEST SCHOOL AND THAT’S AGR CEED PRO TO ES RHYM OUR FOR NOW IT’S TIME LIKE TO SEE NOW A BULLY IS SOMETHING WE DON’T LOGY APO AN OWE YOU SO IF YOU’RE A BULLY, E NO-ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO BULLY SOMEON E. RYON WE CAN ALL BE FRIENDS YES EVE EVERYONE CAN PLAY LISTEN TO WHAT WE SAY DON’T BE A BULLY MAN - NO WAY! ND SO IF YOU SEE SOMEONE WITHOUT A FRIE END DEP SN’T DOE IT ‘HI’ SAY GO AND NAME ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW THEIR E,’ GAM OUR JOIN SAY ‘COME ON NOW AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR US TO GO .

WE HOPE THAT YOU’VE ENJOYED OUR SHOW SAID WE T WHA ER EMB MAKE SURE YOU REM BE TO DSW NEE G LYIN BUL NO OF E THE MESSAG SPREAD. EVERYONE CAN PLAY LISTEN TO WHAT WE SAY DON’T BE A BULLY MAN - NO WAY!

PAGE 26 - JUNE 2014

COOKINGJUNE & CRAFTS 2014 - PAGE 27

CRAFTS

& C O O K IN G

WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE M ET H OD 1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 60 grams of white chocolate and 1-cup water over medium heat. Stir this constantly.

IN G R ED IE N T S

SOME THING T AS T Y T O W ARM THOSE LITTLE BODIES!

2. When this mixture is fully

60 GR AM S W HI T E CH OC OL AT E CO OK IN G BU T T ON S 1 CU P W AT ER

3 CU PS OF MI LK

CI NN AM ON , PE PP ER MI NT

CO CO PO W DE R (O PT IO NA L)

melted, bring it to a boil and then bring the temperature down to simmer.

3. Stir in 3 cups of milk and heat this until it is warm.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and beat the milk

with a whisk until foamy. Older children can help with adult supervision.

SERVES

5. Serve the white chocolate in mugs with a dash of

6

cinnamon or a peppermint stick inside.

*PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN USING SHARP OR HOT OBJECTS. ACCORDING TO kidsafevic.com.au “THE HOME IS THE MOST COMMON LOCATION FOR CHILDHOOD INJURY. THEREFORE IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE MAKE OUR HOMES AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.”

SKIING PENGUIN Materials Required: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Paper Cup Coloured Craft Sticks Matchsticks Foam Shapes Polyester Roving

6.

7.

8.

9.

Joggle Eyes Paint Scissors CraftSmart Ultra Glue

Instructions: 1. Start by turning your paper cup upside down and painting it. This will form the body of your penguin.

2. Once dry, glue two joggle eyes onto the front of your paper cup.

3. Cut out a foam triangle shape and glue this onto your penguin to form the nose.

4. Roll a ball of polyester roving and glue this onto your penguin to form his round belly.

5. Using scissors, carefully slit a small hole either side of your paper cup. Insert a matchstick into each of these to form arms.

6. Glue some foam hand shapes onto the bottom of your paper cup.

7. As a finishing touch, glue your penguin onto two craft sticks – which will be the skis.

Congratulations... your skiing penguin is now complete!

*Products used in this project are available at Craft Direct. www.craftdirect.com.au Tel: 1300 354 240

PAGE 28 - JUNE 2014

TH E S E QU IN ST AR

Belinda Murrell - Randomhouse What is it about the circus that charms us so? Is it the romance of its history, or the universal appeal of a spectacle? Perhaps it is the mystery, the trickery and secrets, the chance to be amazed in a time where little is left unknown. In The Sequin Star, the latest timeslip take from bestselling children’s author Belinda Murrell, everyone in the circus has a secret. Claire’s is just more unusual than most. After her grandmother falls ill, Claire finds a star-shaped brooch among Nanna’s treasures. Why does Claire’s elegant grandmother own such a cheap piece?

The mystery deepens when the brooch hurtles Claire back in time to 1932, where she is thrust into Australian circus life! This evocative novel is one of Belinda’s best- taking us to Sydney during the Great Depression. The hardships of the depression are set against the optimism of the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Sterling Brothers Circus represents a hopeful escapism. At the heart of this story is a special bond between a girl and her grandmother. Belinda was inspired by the stories of young women who grew up performing in Australian circuses, including bareback rider May Wirth and elephant trainer Eileen Wirth. As with all her historical fiction, Belinda took her research to great lengths, exploring 1930’s newspaper articles, memoirs and original film footage of the Australian circuses. She even visited the Great Moscow Circus and Cavalia, where she chatted to the team about their life on the road, training and their passion for horses. The Sequin Star sparkles as a result :Here is an enchanting read for readers aged ten and up.

N O I T C N U F E N O S WHAT I ?

N I K S E R O F E H T OF SIMPLY FIND THE ANSWER ON THE INTACT AUSTRALIA ADVERT IN THIS EDITION OF KIDS VOICE AND GO IN THE RUNNING TO WIN A COPY OF

ALICIA SILVERSTONE’S BOOK “THE KIND MAMA”

BE QUICK THERE’S 5 COPIES TO GIVE AWAY! EMAIL THE ANSWER TO EDITOR@KIDSVOICE.COM.AU W IN

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TELL US WHY YOU LOVE THE GRU FFALO FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN 4 TICKETS TO SEE THE GRUFFALO AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE SIMPLY EMAIL EDITOR@KIDSVOICE.COM.AU AND TELL US WHY YOU LOVE THE GRUFFALO! The Gruffalo is one of the world’s best-loved monsters. Since it was first published in 1999, the award-winning story of his encounter with the little brown mouse in the deep dark wood has continued to delight children and adults the world over. Written and illustrated by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Gruffalo has become a magical musical adaption of the award winning picture book and is being shown right around Australia between June – September 2014.

WI N

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 29

F IBBER Crown and

D I S N E Y PI RA TE F A I RI E S

New from Crown and Andrews is Fibber, a creative game for kids aged 7 + that the whole family can enjoy together. In this game, it’s not what you play; it’s what you say! Simply play cards in order and say what you’re playing. If you don’t have the next card, fib- But don’t get caught, or you’ll earn a nosepiece and your nose will “grow”! When there are no more noses left, the player with the shortest nose wins! Each game includes 24 picture cards, 4 sets of spectacle frames and 11 noses. Suitable for 2-4 players.

Disney Fairies are taking to the high seas.

RRP: $20.99* - Availability: June, 2014 - Stockists: Big W, Target & Toys R Us. Joining in a new adventure on the high seas, Tinker Bell and her Disney Fairies friends are rocking a brand new pirate fairy look! To coincide with the launch of the new Disney Fairies Pirates movie, ‘The Pirate Fairy’, is the release of the new Disney Fairies 9inch Deluxe Fashion Doll. Girls can recreate the swashbuckling action of the movie, playing with their favourite characters – Tinker Bell, Rosetta, Periwinkle, and the new, misunderstood dust-keeper fairy, Zarina. The fully poseable, 9inch dolls feature beautifully detailed pirate fashions reflecting their movie characters, along with gorgeous sparkly wings and cleverly articulated bodies for more posability

Andrews

MO VI E RE VI EW S HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON In cinemas: 19th June

2

It’s been five years since Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and Vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snotlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island’s new favourite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the centre of a battle to protect the peace.

Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.

Funtastic

SP ON SO RE D BY GEELONG

RI O

2 In cinemas: 30th June

Blu and Jewel have three kids and while Jewel tries to teach the children to live off the land, Blu lives like he did in America. Linda and Tulio who are now married go to the Amazon to bring a bird they nursed back to health to its natural habitat. While there, they think other birds like Jewel and Blu live there. So they go on TV and say they will find them and when they do, it will help get the area declared a preserve. But a logger not wanting that to happen tries to stop them. When Jewel learns of this she wants to go there and see if there are any other birds like them. But Blu who is a city bird doesn’t want to but he decides to go to make Jewel happy.

PAGE 30 - JUNE 2014

QUEENSCLIFFE BRICKS ‘Queenscliffe Bricks’ LEGO fans display at Point Lonsdale will include an award-winning Quidditch Pitch, a huge Sydney Harbour Bridge and a LEGO movie standee that children can have their photo taken in.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Queenscliffe, the event will be held at the Point Lonsdale Primary School Hall, Bowen Rd, on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June.

Marianne Deacon, President stated “These are just three of the many LEGO models to be provided by the Melbourne LEGO User Group (MUGs).”

Additional new inclusions will be LEGO free-play areas,

a retail zone and a LEGO prize to be won at each of the 18 sessions over the two days. Ocean Grove Supertoys is generously helpng with these.

Mrs Deacon commented that all net proceeds from ‘Queenscliffe Bricks’ will be spent on Rotary community projects locally, nationally and internationally.

Visitors are encouraged to book online prior to the event through www.trybooking.com/71506 or via the Rotary Club’s own website www.queensclifferotary.org.au Prices: Adults $10, children 5-14 $6 and under 5 years free.

BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN For many years, Scotland was ruled by the English.

Then on 24th June 1314, led by (King) Robert the Bruce, the Scots defeated the English and gained their independence. The Battle was won at the Battle of Bannockburn.

This year marks the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn and on Sunday 22nd June we will be celebrating the occasion at the Bannockburn Golf Club.

Entertainment will be massive with the marquee event being a re-enactment of the famous battle in

period costume including armour and battle horses.

In addition there will be a great variety of activities for the whole family running throughout the day including pipe bands, highland dancing competition, Medieval & Viking villages, Archery, Jousting, Scottish clans, 42nd Highlanders military group, Vintage Motor cycles and tractors, car clubs, military re-enactment group, Scottish games, live bands, craft markets, food stalls, children’s entertainment and much, much more.

Visit www.battleofbannockburn2014.com.au

GEELONG DOLL TEDDY & CRAFT SHOW An enthusiastic group of local ladies from the International Quota Club of Geelong are very busy with preparations for their annual Doll, Teddy & Craft Show at the Geelong West Town Hall, 163 Pakington Street, Geelong West on Saturday 14th June 2014 from 10am to 5pm.

The hall will be packed with over 50 stalls of dolls, teddies and all their accessories, as well as handcrafted jewellery, cards and ceramics and other craft items.

Additionally a “doll doctor” will be in attendance,

appraisals can be done and catering will be available all day. This year the Doll Show will be supporting a very worthwhile local charity – Bravehearts.

This is a school based program which is tailored for young children that effectively teaches strategies and skills to stay safe in a range of situations from sexual assault to bullying. The idea of Bravehearts is to get children to have brave hearts and speak up if something untoward is happening to them. The Bravehearts mascot Ditto will be in attendance at the Doll Show.

JUNE 2014 - PAGE 31

4 JUNE

Bringing up Great Kids Parenting Program, Ariston House, 245 Pakington St, Newtown. This parenting program aims to promote positive, respectful parent/child relationships. The program is open to parents of children aged 5-11 years. 7 – 9pm . Adult: $20.00, Concession: $6.50.

7 JUNE

Fun With Yarn, National Wool Museum, 26-32 Moorabool St. At a loose end on a Saturday morning? Come on down to the National Wool Museum for our art classes for kids up to 5 years old. Our friendly and fun Saturday morning art and craft classes are led by our qualified art teacher and we’ll even clear up after you! Bookings are not required, however, class size is limited to 12 children. You are welcome to attend every class or pick-and-choose sessions to participate in. Children will need to be accompanied by their parent / guardian for the duration of the art class. 10 - 11am.

Cost $5.50 includes materials, tuition and entry to the museum.

7 - 9 JUNE

The National Celtic Festival, Portarlington.

The National Celtic Festival is Australia’s largest and most diverse celebration of Celtic culture. Celts from around Australia converge on Portarlington over the Long Week-end in June. From Friday night to Monday afternoon, festival-goers can enjoy Celtic music of the highest quality, from traditional to contemporary styles and everything in between. Enjoy music in large concert venues, wine bars and intimate acoustic venues. So whether you want to sit back with a glass of wine or dance to energetic Celtic Rock, there is something for everyone. If dancing is your passion, you will love what is on offer. Experienced tutors from across the nation will get your feet moving in the various Celtic styles - Irish, Welsh, Cornich, Breton, Scottish... and then bring your skills to the Ceili and dance to the best Ceili band in Australia! If you want to play an instrument, listen to poetry, read dramatic verse, sing or simply just join in and see where it takes you, check out the range of workshops on offer for adults and kids.

8 JUNE

Point Lonsdale Primary School Market, Bowen St, Point Lonsdale. 9am-2pm.

11 JUNE

Bringing up Great Kids Parenting Program, Ariston House, 245 Pakington St, Newtown. This parenting program aims to promote positive, respectful parent/child relationships. The program is open to parents of children aged 5-11 years. 7 – 9pm . Adult: $20.00, Concession: $6.50.

13 JUNE

Teenage Dance Party, the Potato Shed, 41 Peninsula Drive, Drysdale. Got a young teenager who wants all the fun of a proper nightclub in a safe environment without the alcohol? Spud Dance is a fantastic nightclub-style teen disco for 12 – 16 year olds that promises to provide fabulous entertainment for young people on The Bellarine. Spud Dance will host regular theme nights; this event’s theme is ‘Friday 13th’ so teenagers can either dress as normal or come ready to spook!

DJ Tim will be playing a mix of RnB, dance, chart and party music. The events are fully supervised by registered door staff, both male and female (including outside at the end of each event) until all teenagers have been collected by parents. From 6.30 – 9.30pm. Tickets are $5 on the door. For more details call the Potato Shed on 5251 1998 or visit www. geelongaustralia.com.au/potatoshed .

14 JUNE

Exploring Shapes, National Wool Museum, 26-32 Moorabool St. Our friendly and fun Saturday morning art and craft classes are led by our qualified art teacher and we’ll even clear up after you! Bookings are not required, however, class size is limited to 12 children. You are welcome to attend every class or pick-and-choose sessions to participate in. Children will need to be accompanied by their parent / guardian for the duration of the art class. 10 - 11am. Cost $5.50 includes materials, tuition and entry to the museum

14 JUNE

Bike 4 Bats, Barwon River Trail, Marnock Rd, Newtown. Come for a fun bike ride and help raise money for the Australasian Bat Society’s Conservation Fund! This will be the first ever Bike 4 Bats; a family-oriented loop bike ride along the Barwon River Trail in Victoria followed by a barbecue. All proceeds will go to the Australasian Bat Conservation Fund,

T E L L U S WHA T ’S ON I N YOUR A REA

TR ADE Health

which provides support for activities, projects, and research promoting the conservation of bats in Australasia. 10am - 1pm.

Please contact Cecilia on 0451 943 336 for more information.

19 JUNE

Leopold Dance Thursday Night, Leopold Sportsmans Club, Kensington Rd, Leopold. Price includes tea/coffee and light supper. From 7.30 - 10.30pm.

Cost $4. For more information contact Lorraine on 5259 3968.

21 JUNE

Silly Sculpture, National Wool Museum, 26-32 Moorabool St. Our friendly and fun Saturday morning art and craft classes are led by our qualified art teacher and we’ll even clear up after you! Bookings are not required, however, class size is limited to 12 children. You are welcome to attend every class or pick-and-choose sessions to participate in. Children will need to be accompanied by their parent / guardian for the duration of the art class. 10 - 11am.

Cost $5.50 includes materials, tuition and entry to the museum

21 JUNE

Winter Solstice Night Lantern Procession, the Rotunda, West Park, corner Autumn and Pakington Streets. Free event with Hot Chocolates for all. Traditionally, the Winter Solstice is an acknowledgement of the day of shortest daylight. It is a time to celebrate as a community the beginning of the lengthening of the days ahead and the reawakening of the earth beneath our feet.

Walking with our candle-lit lanterns along Pakington Street honours this tradition of rising from our dormant Winter. This is an amazing and memorable occasion of colour and light. Bring your cameras and scarves. 6 –7.30pm

21 - 22 JUNE

Queenscliffe Bricks, Point Lonsdale Primary School Hall, Bowen Road, Point Lonsdale. A display of Lego creations and models. Saturday: 9.30am – 5pm, Sunday: 9am – 3pm. Costs involved.

Limited tickets. For more information go to www.queensclifferotary.org.au

21 - 28 JUNE

Beauty And The Beast, GPAC. Brought to you by GSODA. Further information 5225 1200

22 JUNE

Battle of Bannockburn, ShelfordBannockburn Road, Bannockburn.

The 700th anniversary of The Battle of Bannockburn is celebrated with a reenactment of the 1314 battle in full period costume, pipe bands, live music, highland dancing, Medieval & Viking village, archery, jousting, Scottish clans, 42nd RHMA, Scottish games, vintage tractors & motor cycle clubs, car clubs, military reenactment group, craft & food stalls, children’s entertainment and much more.

9am - 4pm. Costs involved.

26 JUNE

Peppa Pig Live, GPAC. After a smash hit season on London’s West End and at capital city theatres around Australia, this delightful puppet show is embarking on an extensive tour of Australia in 2014.

Join Peppa Pig and her brother George as they set off on a treasure hunt! There are fun-and-games, problems to solve and plenty of sing-along songs as Danny Dog, Pedro Pony, Zoe Zebra and Polly Parrot join them for a day packed full of adventure. Peppa Pig Live! Treasure Hunt will delight and enchant young Peppa Pig fans.

29 JUNE

Bellarine Kids Expo, Bellarine Indoor Sports and Aquatic Centre, Ocean Grove. The Bellarine Kids Expo will be a showcase of local businesses and will help link members, child friendly services and businesses, as well as offering children’s activities, mini presentations and demonstrations by health and wellbeing professionals from the Bellarine community. 10am – 2pm. $5 entry per family

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