Engaging in community service and volunteering offers students far more than just a way to demonstrate kindness and consideration for others - it also provides a powerful boost to their emotional and psychological wellbeing. Known as the "helper’s high," this uplifting feeling is a scientifically recognised phenomenon triggered by acts of kindness.

When students help others, their brains release endorphins and oxytocin, hormones that promote happiness, reduce stress, and foster a sense of connection. This natural high not only improves mood but also contributes to long-term mental health benefits, including reduced feelings of stress or anxiety and increased life satisfaction.

Beyond the intrinsic, emotional rewards, volunteering helps students grow personally and academically. By working with local organisations, students develop essential life skills such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving. Real-world experiences enhance their learning by allowing them to apply classroom knowledge in meaningful ways. Additionally, students often discover new interests and career paths through service, making volunteering a valuable tool for personal growth and development.

Local communities also benefit greatly from student involvement. Organisations gain fresh perspectives and youthful energy to go along with the much-needed support. Students also build stronger ties to their community. This mutual exchange fosters a culture of empathy, responsibility, and civic engagement. As students give their time, talents, and a little bit of energy, they not only uplift others but also enrich their own lives proving that when we help others, we help ourselves too.

This volunteer group started the project again yesterday and we are always looking for more helpers to get involved to support the cause. The group meets on a Thursday afternoon at 3:30pm-4:30pm to help clean the top floor of Iona – the old convent. The jobs include some vacuuming, dusting, moving of old furniture, cleaning sinks and old unused bathrooms. Its not all doom and gloom though, the students who have been volunteering enjoy chatting with their friends and listening to music all while working and helping out.

If your child would like to get involved this activity has an added bonus of counting as an Above and Beyond task or Community Service on their Leadership Passport. If they are interested, please have them contact me at the College so that I can add them to the contact group. Parents are welcome to join in too.     

Year 7 – Containers for Change

Our Year 7 students, through their Praxis class, have been working hard this year with their Containers for Change project. This project not only reinforces the value of recycling and stewardship of the Earth, one of our Catholic Social Teachings, but it also helps rise money that is spent directly back on the students in the Middle Years. In recent years, their energy, time and persistence has helped raise enough money to purchase:

1. two sets of the 9 Square in the Air game (each set is $1,300),
2. a wide variety of boardgames, card sets, and chess boards for the Wellbeing Wagon,
3. the purchase of poppers for the Year 12 Praxis project - Big Breakfast - an initiative that Middle Years students access Monday mornings
4. Contributed to the purchase of a new set of soccer goals (due to arrive this term),
5. Contributed to the purchase of table tennis paddles, balls, and a canvas cover for the outdoor table tennis set.

 If you would like to support the Year 7 Containers for Change project, there are two ways you can help:

• Use the College’s code when you donate your containers at the depot: C10003725
• Contact me via email (Craig.Cullen@twb.catholic.edu.au) to make arrangements to drop the bags off to the College so the students can donate them on their fortnightly walk.

Night at the Museum

On Tuesday evening, we had the pleasure of welcoming our community to experience the incredible artefacts created by our Year 7 students as part of their HASS assessment this term.

It was heartwarming to see such a strong turnout, with so many families coming together to celebrate the creativity and hard work of our students. Many parents shared insight into how much they appreciated the opportunity to be welcomed into the school and to see firsthand what their children have been working on.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the dedicated staff who stayed behind to help set up and pack down the museum. Your support was instrumental in making the night such a success. Well done too, goes to the HASS teachers for their work in supporting the students to create such wonderful artefacts.

Science 

In class, we have been exploring chemical changes as part of the Chemistry unit. Students took great pleasure in conducting chemical reactions to release a number of odourless and clear gases and then setting about proving they were hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide through a series of tests.

  

Healthy Habits

There is a lot of sickness in the community at the moment. We will be reminding students of the ways they can maintain healthy habits, especially through the washing of hands, covering sneezes, maintaining high levels of hydration and getting plenty of sleep. 

Craig Cullen

Assistant Principal Middle Years