24 August 2018 Janelle Agius – Principal Dates to remember Enrolments for 2019 August 2018 We are currently meeting Year 10 students who are enrolling 24 Enrolment Interviews for Year 11 in 2019. These students will be notified regarding Finish their acceptance at the end of this term. It has been delightful 26 Optiminds to meet so many eager young people. If you know of someone 31 Rats of Tobruk 5:30pm who is thinking of enrolling at St Patrick’s, please ask them to September 2018 contact the office urgently so enrolments can be finalised. It is very important that 3 QCS Refresher students select their required subjects early, as our 2019 timetable is generated by 4 – 5 QCS student demands. 6 Indigenous Literacy Day 7 Mathematics A Exam 2018 Spirit of Catholic Education Award RUOk? Day At this week’s assembly, Ms Jodi Campion and Mrs Berenice 10 Industry Placements start Wright were acknowledged for their contribution to St 13 Exams Commence Patrick’s College and Catholic Education. Both Jodi and 16 Music Ministry Berenice were St Pat’s nominees for the prestigious award 21 Exams finish Industry Placement finish Spirit of Catholic Education. I took pleasure in presenting School holidays commence Jodi and Berenice with their gifts and thanked them for October 2018 their dedication and tireless work within our College and wider community. 8 Term 4 commences

Excellence in Teaching Award 11/12 Year 11 Retreat Year 12 Retreat Congratulations to Ms Kerry Braby on receiving an Excellence in 19 McAuley Day Teaching Award from Home Economics Institute of 21 Music Ministry Incorporated in on the weekend. This award is in 22 Student Free Day recognition of demonstrated excellence in home economics Verification Day education. It acknowledges that Ms Braby is a teacher who 24 Indigenous Graduation demonstrates instructional expertise and creativity in her Mass at Rockhampton classroom which enables learning to be engaging, vibrant and 29 QATSIF Mackay Graduation at CQU Mackay City relevant for our students. Ms Braby displays true passion and love Campus for the subject Home Economics. Her genuine care of student learning is always witnessed in the classroom. NUMBER FOR SMS

Opti-MINDS Challenge The number to send SMS This weekend, I am pleased to announce that St Patrick’s College will be hosting the Messages regarding student local Opti-MINDS Creative Sustainability Challenge. This challenge is an opportunity absence is for all local schools to participate. Teams of students will solve problems which 0416 906 288 enables them to be empowered to THINK, CREATE and COMMUNICATE. Good luck to all!

IPT Robotic Gen II Soccer Championship Congratulations to Mr Hollis and Mr Ziebarth on a successful Robotics trip to Brisbane to compete in the State Championships held at the University of Queensland.

From 9 August – 12 August, Year 11 IPT students travelled with Mr Martin Hollis and Mr Jack Ziebarth (Information Technology Technician) to attend the Queensland Robocup State Championships held in Brisbane, at the University of Queensland campus. The construction of robots, together with programming and problem solving skills was a rewarding experience by all who attended. A total of eighteen teams competed from throughout the state. Our St Pat’s teams competed in the Standard League Soccer Division. Both teams performed well in the competition. Please read Mr Martin Hollis’ article later in the newsletter.

QCS Next week Our Year 12 students are preparing for the QCS testing later in the month. They have been preparing well over the last past months with the help of Mr Sean Geoghegan and his team. I would like to remind students about the importance of pulling together as a team. All members of a team are important and play a significate role in the success of this group. Working for themselves and others, whilst giving their best effort, will add strength to the cohort. Students are reminded that there are strict material requirements for the exam and strict rules regarding mobile phones and smart watches. Students are to present in full college uniform and are reminded that breakfast will be provided on the days of QCS. Ms Leesa Jeffcoat (Director – Catholic Education Diocese of Rockhampton) wishes to convey to the students her prayerful best wishes for the upcoming test days. She is fully aware that they have been well prepared for the test through quality teaching and learning in all their subjects across the curriculum.

Parents and Teens on Social Media – The University of Queensland Social Media Study The University of Queensland Parenting and Family Support Centre have asked the College to promote a survey they are conducting. If you are interested in completing this survey, please read the information below. Participation in the survey is voluntary.

Are you and your teen on social media? Complete a brief anonymous online survey for your chance to win a $50.00 Coles Myer gift voucher. Help us understand how you use social media in your family and how it affects your relationship with your teen, and how they feel and behave. Visit http://psy.uq.edu.au/smn to complete the survey today.

Microsoft Office 365 All students are able to download a copy of Microsoft Office 365 for their BYOD devices. The College offers licences for up to five devices (this includes PCs, Macs and tablets). It is available for download from https://www.office.com. Students can simply log in using their college-provided email address and password (e.g. [email protected]) and download the installation file from the main page.

For help with any issues accessing the download, students can visit the IT office at College.

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Stephen Mortimer – Assistant to the Principal: Religious Education

ACTS CAMP – A Chance to Serve I was so thrilled to be attending the 2018 ACTS Camp. Unlike last year, which focused on sharing, this year was about leadership and service. Our enthusiastic host Dave, spent the best portion of the three days teaching us useful strategies and techniques for how we can establish leadership in our communities. We did this through a series of fun and engaging activities and lectures that instilled a sense of community and friendship between us.

It was truly amazing how close a group of people could become in less than 48hours, creating friendships that continued to grow even after the camp had ended with the aid of social media. Making it all the more difficult to say goodbye at the end of the camp, for this is how strong the bonds had grown between us, like a family. For many, the camp was an eye opening experience, discovering the importance of service and community.

Leadership is not about an individual but about everyone, because when we work together we become stronger than anyone person and find that we are capable of achieving things many would dream as impossible. I strongly recommend any student who is offered the chance to attend ACTS camp to give it a go, as it has changed my outlook on leadership, community and life. Callum Etelaaho-Year 11

If you would like to know more about leadership tune into Dave’s podcast: http://www.projecthatch.com.au/dolifebetter/

Readings at Mass, Sunday 26th August 2018 – 21th Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading, Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 ….We will serve the Lord God, because he is our God. Psalm 33:2-3, 16-23 …. Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord. Second Reading, Ephesians 5:21-32 …. This is the great mystery, it applies to Christ and the Church. Gospel, John 6:60-69 …. Lord, whom shall we go to? You have the words of everlasting life.

Readings at Mass, Sunday 2nd September 2018 – 22th Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading, Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 …. You may add nothing to the word which I speak to you – keep the commands of the Lord. Psalm 14:2-5 …. The just will live in the presence of the Lord. Second Reading, James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27 …. Be doers of the word. Gospel, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 …. You forget the commandments of God and hold on to human tradition. Weekend Masses Southside Cluster Northside Cluster Saturday Vigil Mass Saturday Vigil Mass 6:00 pm St Mary’s 6:00 pm St Joseph’s 6:00 pm St Francis Xavier 6:00 pm St Brigid’s Sunday Sunday 7:00 am St Patrick’s 7:30 am St Brendan’s St Therese, Alligator Creek 9:00 am St Joseph’s 9:00 am St Francis Xavier St Michael’s Sarina 6:00 pm St Patrick’s Page | 3

Sean Geoghegan– Assistant to the Principal: Curriculum

PLEASE NOTE: On Monday 3 September, the day before the QCS Tests, all OP eligible students will have a refresher course. The aim is to remind candidates of the processes, techniques and steps applicable to each style of test.

Works in Progress By the time the next newsletter sees the light of day, the Year 12 students will have completed the QCS tests and they, no doubt, will heave a sigh of relief. While they have, for the most part, done everything possible (as have their teachers) to place themselves in a state of readiness for that gruelling suite of exams, we should never allow academic performance, important as it is, to eclipse one of the paramount educational endeavours - the cultivation of good character. Like honour, it’s a word we take for granted and probably have an affinity for, but likely have never really had to define and may struggle to do so when pressed. It is a word most people desire to have ascribed to them and yet the standards of its attainment remain rather vague in our modern age.

It is certainly not a word that is used as much as it once was. Cultural historian Warren Susman researched the rise and fall of the concept of character, tracing its prevalence in literature and the self-improvement manuals and guides popular in different eras. What he found is that the use of the term “character” began in the 17th century and peaked in the 19th century, Susman, writes, that embodied “a culture of character.” During the 1800s, “character was a key word in the vocabulary of Englishmen and Americans,” and men were spoken of as having strong or weak character, good or bad character, a great deal of character or no character at all. Young people were admonished to cultivate real character, high character and noble character and told that character was the most priceless thing they could ever attain. Starting at the beginning of the 20th century, however, Susman found that the ideal of character began to be replaced by that of personality. But character and personality are two very different things. There’s nothing wrong with the cultivation of personality and it can help you navigate the world, form relationships, and become successful. But personality is absolutely no substitute for character, which should be the foundation of every person’s life. What Is Character? The etymology of character is quite telling. The word comes from the Greek kharakter for “engraved mark,” “symbol or imprint on the soul.”

It should not be thought, however, that character is synonymous merely with personal tastes, temperaments and preferences. Things like how you dress, your favourite music, or whether you are introverted or extroverted have little to nothing to do with character. Rather, character is defined in how your habits, motives, thoughts relate to morality, particularly as it concerns integrity. Character was defined as “your moral self,” something you built through virtuous behaviour. To better understand the nature of character, we now turn to James Davison Hunter who laid out the three qualities of true character in his book, The Death of Character. Firstly, there is moral discipline. One quality most associated with character in the nineteenth century was self-mastery – the dominion of an individual over his impulses and desires, so that he was in control of them, and not the other way around. A man of self-mastery embodies the kingship of self- control and can direct his will and make his own choices, rather than being a slave to his base impulses. Then there is Moral Attachment. The pursuit of character does not have as its sole end the cultivation of self. This is to say that character has always been about something greater than self and included the self as part of a community. Moral attachment means being committed to a set of higher ideals and to acting, and if need be, sacrificing, for the greater good of one’s community. Character cannot develop in an environment in which ethical decisions are forced upon the individual. Character is a product of judgment, discretion, and choice – born from a man’s free agency. A decision that is coerced cannot be a moral decision, and thus cannot be a decision of character. Davison summarizes the definition of character thusly: “Character, in a classic sense, manifests itself as the autonomy to make ethical decisions always on behalf of the common good and the discipline to abide by that principle.”

There are many things that engrave our character upon the clay of our lives, and shape our character for better and for worse into a unique set of scratches and grooves. Our character begins to be shaped from the very time we are born and is influenced by where we grow up, how we are raised, the examples our parents provide as well as our religious and academic education. Our character can be dramatically altered by a life-changing tragedy – the contraction of a disease, a severe accident, the death of a parent, child, or spouse. Such events may turn a man bitter or cynical, or may cause him or her to

Page | 4 discover energies of soul and feelings of hope and compassion hitherto unimagined. Many people feel that character is something that can only be built during dramatic tests and crises. But it is truly in “the constant, habitual, hurried, routine acts of common life that that swarm of little judgments is made such as form the character.” We would do well to remember that we are “being made every minute.” This is an abridged version of a fine article written by Brett & Kate McKay which appeared in http://www.artofmanliness.com/

QCS Test equipment – IMPORTANT Please ensure you have the equipment below. This can be purchased in packs from the front office at a cost of $15.

Date / Session Permitted equipment Permitted equipment optional NOT PERMITTED essential Tuesday 4 September . pens (black ink) . pencils . own paper . pencil sharpener . dictionary or  Writing Task . eraser thesaurus . correcting fluid/tape . electronic devices . highlighter . any other items . transparent container to carry equipment . other approved items as permitted by the chief supervisor Tuesday 4 September . 2B pencils . highlighter . own paper  Multiple Choice I . pencil sharpener . transparent container to carry . dictionary or . eraser equipment thesaurus Wednesday 5 September . ruler . other approved items as permitted . protractor  Multiple Choice II . approved calculator by the chief supervisor . drawing compass . electronic devices . any other items Wednesday 5 September . pens (black ink) . pencil sharpener . own paper . pencils . correcting fluid/tape . dictionary or  Short Response . eraser . highlighter thesaurus . ruler . transparent container to carry . electronic devices . protractor equipment . any other items . drawing compass . other approved items as permitted . coloured pencils by the chief supervisor . approved calculator

Brendon Brauer – Assistant to the Principal: Student Welfare

Exam and Assignment Stress Our students are now approaching the business end of Term 3 and this is the time when students typically start to feel the pressure of assignment deadlines with QCS exams (Year 12) and mid-semester exams just around the corner. Our Year 11 students should now have a very good understanding of our expectations regarding assignments and study, so will hopefully be better prepared for the coming weeks. This was reinforced in last week’s Pastoral Care lesson whereby students were taken through a presentation on study skills and techniques. Our Year 12 cohort on the other hand would now be experiencing an increase in assignment pressure this term, so the upcoming exams may possibly bring a whole new level of stress. It is during this time that teachers and guardians ask how can our students survive this period and obtain the marks that they will be proud of? One of the best ways to reduce stress during this period is to prepare a study plan, one that is balanced and includes all other commitments. At times it is difficult to balance all areas of our lives and it is during this time period that part time work can be an issue. Students should talk to their employers and if needed, ask for reduced hours. It is also a time whereby students should ask themselves what is it that they want to achieve each day/each week? Students need a quiet study space, one that is free of distractions e.g. TV, mobile phone, social media, gaming etc. There will be plenty

Page | 5 of time for this in the holidays. By having a well-planned study plan, students can still spend time with friends, play sport etc. which are all important in managing stress levels. Regular exercise is a great way to clear the mind and think through problems. To further reduce stress, students need to eat nutritional snacks whilst studying and avoid food high in fat and sugar. Snacks high in complex carbohydrates and protein are a better choice for maintaining energy and concentration. Drink plenty of water as well and avoid sugary beverages.

Sleep is particularly important during this time. Students should be getting eight to nine hours of sleep each night and they need to be in a relaxed state before going to bed. Using technology before going to bed should be avoided as this speeds up brain activity and results in restless sleep. Parties should be put on hold during this time. Results from our 2017 Year 11 Pastoral Care survey revealed the following; - 36.7% of students don’t have a designated study space at home. - 30.7% of students don’t know how to study effectively. - 35.8% of students spend at least on average 2 hours per night on study and/or homework. - 29.7% of students do not manage their time effectively to meet assessment deadlines. - 62% of students spend more than 2 hours per night on social media - 27.4% of students could not go a night without social media.

Our Year 11 Pastoral Care program addresses these issues but they do remain an ongoing challenge for our teachers, parents and of course, our students.

Students also need to ask their teachers/parents for help if they need it. We all want our students to do well so students should seek the support of their teachers or parents. Teachers can assist students with study techniques and can offer valuable feedback on study notes, practice essays etc. Parents can also do this even if they don’t know the content. With my own children I would always talk about what they were studying/learning and this helped them to retain information, remember important dates, names etc. Family members can provide a lot of support for students during this period as well as increasing their knowledge in a range of subjects as well.

Finally, if your child is experiencing stress over the coming weeks, be prepared for changes in their moods. Try to avoid conflict as this will just add to the stress levels for everyone in the home. Provide as much support and positive reinforcement as possible and put those daily chores on hold for the next two weeks to lighten their workload.

If students are really struggling with exam stress, support is available. Our Pastoral Care team and our college counsellor is available to assist if needed.

Erika Brauer – Pastoral Care Coordinator

Leadership Week – Year 11 In the last week of Term 4 (Tuesday 27 November to Friday 30 November), Year 11 students will be participating in activities relating to leadership in the College. By the end of this period, College Captains, Committee Chairs and Student Representative Councillors will have been elected for 2019. This is an important week in the life of St Patrick's students and is a wonderful opportunity to prepare themselves for Year 12.

Leadership week is a compulsory part of the student's attendance at the College. Normal school hours will apply during leadership week, with the exception of Thursday 29 November (later starting time). On Friday 30 November the Year 11 Semi-formal will be held at The Turf Club. The evening will begin at 7:00 pm and will conclude at 10:30pm. Costing will be given closer to the date, however, please budget for approximately $100. This will include the hire of the venue, DJ, decorations and food. Please note that the Semi-Formal is open to Year 11 St Patrick's College students only. To be eligible to attend the Semi-Formal students MUST attend all of the activities during Leadership week (attend Tuesday through to Friday for the full days unless they have a school-based apprenticeship). It must be stressed that the College does not encourage or condone in any way the hosting of post Semi-formal events.

Page | 6 Simon Korneillussen – Vocational Education and Training Coordinator

St Patrick’s College is committed to providing students with pathways to future employment and training. In Year 11 and 12, Vocational Education & Training (VET) Pathway students are required to do two work placements during each school year. As well as fulfilling the practical component of the Certificate Course being studied at college, work experience equips students with workplace-specific skills and knowledge designed to meet current and future employment demands. Work experience provides the opportunity to gain insight into fields of interest and enables the students to make informed decisions regarding future employment or further study.

Below are photos of two Year 11 students while at Work Placement in June.

Alyssa Macleod at Goodstart Early Learning Caleb Capello at Haynes Mechanical

Australia’s VET system is internationally respected for its ability to deliver flexible, relevant and responsive education and training to explicit national quality standards.

However, multiple misconceptions surround the VET industry. Compared with university, VET is often considered the poor second cousin. In the next few newsletters, we will try to dispel the core of the myths and false perceptions surrounding VET.

MYTH #1 - VET graduates earn low wages One in five Australians (21%) believe one of the main reasons Australians are increasingly choosing to undertake university courses over VET/TAFE courses is because of the perception that VET graduates earn lower wages than university graduates.

Of these Australians, 68% indicated that they believe the average VET graduate earns at least $10,000 less than the average university graduate. Close to one in three (31%) believe that the wage gap is more than $20,000.

FACT - VET graduates earn wages comparable to, if not exceeding, that of university graduates. The median full-time income for a VET graduate is $56,000. The median graduate salary for students completing a Bachelor’s degree is $54,000.

VET graduates also have the capacity to earn higher salaries than many Bachelor degree graduates: the highest average starting salary for a VET qualification (Certificate IV in Hazardous Areas – Electrical at $85,400) is higher than the highest starting salary with a Bachelor-level degree (Dentistry at $80,000)

Citation: Wyman, N., McCrindle, M., Whatmore, S., Gedge,J. & Edwards, T. (2017). Perceptions are not reality: myths, realities & the critical role of vocational education & training in Australia; Skilling Australia Foundation, , Australia.

Page | 7 Kylie Bowman – Japanese Teacher

Each year, Japanese students at St Patrick’s College are able to enjoy the benefits of the Mackay- Matsuura Sister City relationship.

As part of this sister-city celebration, the Mackay Sister Cities committee holds a Japanese speaking contest annually. This contest is aimed at students studying Japanese across Mackay in Years 10-12. St Patrick’s College was once again very well represented this year, with a total of four Year 12 students and four Year 11 students participating in the 2018 event.

Once again I am very proud to announce the success of our students at this year’s speaking contest held on Tuesday night, 7 of August at CQ University Ooralea Campus. The students had to present in front of native Japanese speaking Judges (including representatives from the visiting Matsuura Group) and the visiting Japanese students, in addition to the parents, family and friends of the more than twenty contestants and the contestants themselves, across the three year levels.

Our Year 12 students took out 1st and 3rd places, with another two students receiving commendations. One of our Year 12 students also won the trophy for the best student of the contest. Our Year 11 students took out 2nd and 3rd places, again with the other two receiving commendations. What an honourable achievement! Congratulations to those place getters and to all students who participated.

Highly Highly Commended Commended Year 12 Year 11 Award Winners Award Winners Year 12 Year 11

1st Place and 2nd Place Overall winner Vince Nikita Jessica of the Contest Vinzon O’Neill Tilbrook Jun Hong Liu

3rd Place 3rd Place Paolo Eylar Bridget Joly Albarracin Dela Cruz Dobbie MacDonald

Language Perfect World Championships 2018 This year, St Patrick’s students studying Japanese in Years 11 and 12 were encouraged to compete in the Language Perfect World Championships 2018, which ran from 21 – 31 May. This was above and beyond the work they were doing in Japanese classes. In joining the competition, the students joined more than 350,000 Education Perfect subscribers from 2,200 schools competing in the world’s largest online learning event.

Page | 8 I would like to acknowledge and congratulate the incredible achievements of the following students in particular: Year 11 – Nikita O’Neill – answered 3 831 questions, placing her in the top 10% of 350 000 competitors from around the world. Year 12 – Montana Poyner, Paolo Dela Cruz and Kirsty Edwards answered between 1600 – 2200 questions, placing them all in the top 20% of 350 000 competitors from around the world.

Well done! And congratulations to all students who participated in the Language Perfect World Championships 2018!

Martin Hollis – Robotics Coordinator

Queensland Robotics Championship - 2018 Recently, seven enthusiastic students participated in the annual Queensland Robotics (Robocup) Championships in Brisbane from 9 September to 12 September. Students involved were Samuel Andersen, Kahel Hoban, Rhys Hall, Jacob Strange, Cooper Helsham, Dylan Taylor and Andrew Vella.

These students created and coded soccer bots for the Standard League. This means that they had to use Lego parts along with EV3 coding bricks to track an infrared soccer ball to the oppositions goal.

This is a great event as it allows students to develop problem solving, team work and communication skills. I am extremely proud of their efforts and they represented the college to a very high standard.

Special mention to Filip Juricev-Martincev (graduation class of 2017 – Studying a Bachelor of Information Technology and Mathematics) and Joshua Minter (graduation class of 2017 – Studying a Bachelor of Games and Interactive Environments/ Bachelor of Mathematics) who gave the students insight into the Garden Point campus at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

Special mention should also be made to the following ex-students who came and showed their support at the Championships. Students from the Class of 2017 were – Joshua Minter, Katie Muscat and Wade Sullivan and Chloe Brant (who was a volunteer at the RoboCup Championships)

Students walked through QUT Campus at Garden Point, visited MovieWorld to examine the coding and science behind Rollercoasters and spent Saturday and Sunday competing.

Maria Blakey – Teacher

Young Women in Sciences Forum 2018 Twenty one excited young women from Years 11 and 12 at St Patrick’s College attended the Young Women in Sciences Forum on Tuesday 14 August. The aim of the forum was to encourage the young women to take up sciences and technology at school and at a university level. The inspiring speakers certainly did this!

Dr Airlie Chapman, presented to the audience her very interesting and highly accomplished career in aerospace and robotics. She obtained her first degree, a Bachelor of Science, in , then moved to the United States to further her studies and her career. While in the US, Dr Chapman has worked for Boeing, met her idol Bruce McCandless, who performed the first untethered spacewalk, and carried out additional research and innovation in the areas of robotics and aerospace. She now lectures at the University of Melbourne.

Jessica Pocklington, also from , provided the audience with her account of her passions regarding the environment and science. She also presented her career pathway, how she arrived at where she is today – working for the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, hoping to provide governments with environmental information and plans that work, for the future.

Page | 9 Other inspiring speakers were: Laura Henao, Mining Engineering graduate, now working for Hail Creek Mine; Shannyn Hopkins, in her final year of a Bachelor of Agriculture at CQU; Ulrika Svilans, Paramedic, Mackay; Tessa Elvey, Environmental Advisor, Hail Creek Mine.

During the Q &A session, the speakers answered a range of questions from the audience: Q: I don’t know what I want to do in the future. What subjects should I be doing in Years 11 and 12? A: Choose a variety of subjects that will enable you to enter a variety of university courses. For instance, English, Maths B, one science. Then choose subjects that will interest you. This will help you in your learning and in achieving. Q: What did you do if you got bad grades, or if you doubted yourself at any stage? A: Never give up! Be passionate about your interests! Ask your teacher, your lecturer, your tutor, what needs to be done and how. Ask lots! Don’t listen to people who doubt you! Have a network of friends who support you. Family will usually support you. Q: How did you get over those “I can’t do this!” times? A: Never give up! Ask for help! Ask, ask, ask! Your friends network will also help. Q: How did you support yourself at Uni? A: Part time work. Tutoring. There are also scholarships and bursaries available through universities and organisations such as Zonta. Apply for them all! Living at home, if you can, also helps. Q: What does Science and Technology hold for the future? A: Innovation! Innovation is exciting – be part of it! Some projects we are working on at the moment include: microbes that eat plastic; capturing carbon to turn it into fuel; undoing some of the damage that has been done to the environment. For paramedics, one of the latest innovations includes an electronic stretcher, saving the paramedic’s backs! No manual lifting of heavy or obese people into an ambulance anymore – just press a button! In the agricultural sector, drones are being used for a variety of functions from checking fences to rounding up livestock.

The main takeaway from the session was “Never give up” and “Be passionate about your interests”.

Dorota Cook – Science Coordinator

Science Week Last week we celebrated National Science Week at St Patrick’s College with the following activities: Monday: Wildlife Rescue volunteers talking about several rescued animals in their care Tuesday: Young Women in Sciences Forum Wednesday: Guest speakers for the assembly two professional engineers - Ms Lauren Keleher and Mr Desmond Searle Thursday: Cool Science experiments (a crashed can, an egg in a bottle, flame tests, an elephant toothpaste and hair rising with Van de Graaff generator) Friday: An egg drop experiment (from the first floor of the D block)

Science is exciting, engaging and challenging but the first of all it is a lot of fun experimenting with activities.

Page | 10 Two professional engineers, Mr Desmond Searle (lead mechanical engineer from BHP) and Ms Lauren Keleher (electrical engineer from BMA engineering team at Hay Point Coal Terminal) spoke to students about their engineering careers during assembly last week.

Students interested in engineering as a career were able to learn about the wide variety of job opportunities available in the field of science. I would like to thank them for taking the time to encourage our students to consider engineering as a career.

Caroline Jacobs – Student

Young Women in Science Forum On Tuesday 14 August, a group of girls from St Patrick’s College were lucky enough to attend the Young Women in Science Forum hosted by the ZONTA Club of Whitsunday Anglican School. It was a wonderful event where girls from different high schools were able to get an insight into careers in science and meet real life scientists. Guest speaker, Dr Airlie Chapman, currently a lecturer of Mechatronics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne shared her scientific journey with us. She inspired us with the marvellous projects that she was able to be a part of and she even demonstrated some of the cool things one can do in her field.

We saw drones that could somersault in air when sound sensors inside of it heard our applause! We saw a model of an autonomous vehicle she made from an iron that could follow lines on the floor using light sensing! Ultimately, it was a great experience and the girls and I had a really fun time. We hope that more girls take part in this worthwhile event next time and be inspired to consider careers in STEM. Thank you very much to Ms Cook who organised the fantastic trip and to Mrs Blakey who came along with us. The ZONTA club of St Patrick’s College is always welcoming new members and together we will make the power of women grow stronger throughout our college.

Marcus McConnell – Cultural Coordinator

On the 11 and 12 August, St Patrick’s Jazz band and Percussion ensemble participated in the Mackay Orchestra and Bands festival at Mackay Christian College. This festival celebrates the unique talents of students and their ensembles, adjudicating them in line with their skill level and repertoire. Both ensembles performed extremely well, being rewarded a silver their respective divisions.

The ensembles are looking forward to learning new repertoire for eisteddfod and cultural showcase.

Edward Keogh – Aerospace Teacher

The Australian Air Force visited St Patrick’s College on Wednesday 8 August with their flight simulator. Aerospace Studies students were given the opportunity to fly a Super Hornet in the highly professional simulator. They were also given lessons on aviation, experienced air traffic control and used virtual reality headsets to fly around the Mackay region. Some students were even lucky enough to wear the special flying suits and helmets used by combat pilots.

The Air Force has been involved in this program for a couple of years now and aims to expand the program further in future years. Their aim is to increase interest in the Air Force and to attract quality recruits. Students enjoyed the experience and gained valuable knowledge and insight into the Australian Defence Force. We could like to thank the Australian Air Force for suppling instructors and offering this unique opportunity to the students of St Patrick’s College.

Page | 11 Jody Zahmel – Lifestyles Co-ordinator

Lifestyles Department Save the date – Friday 2nd November 2018 The Certificate II in Hospitality will be catering again for this year’s annual Cultural Showcase Event. We have some very talented students this year and I guarantee the pre-show and interval food will be amazing. Watch this space for menu items and even some yummy recipes for you to try at home. Believe me, if you don’t save the date you will be disappointed if you miss out.

Bruschetta Ingredients: 1. 1 loaf French or Italian bread sliced into 1 1/2 - 2 - inch slices. 2. olive oil. 3. 1 clove garlic. 4. 1 punnet grape tomatoes sliced in half or 1 medium tomato, diced. 5. 1/4 cup red onion diced. 6. 6-8 large basil leaves chopped. 7. Flaked parmesan cheese. 8. Salt to taste. 9. Balsamic glaze.

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