In this issue

Here are some highlights from the weekend celebrating art for such a wonderful cause – to gift a Stuartholme education. The Exposition des Beaux – Arts exhibition, hosted by the Stuartholme School Sacre’ Coeur Association opened on Saturday evening showcasing local artists, alumna and student artworks and finished Sunday afternoon with presentations, workshops and prize announcements for the ‘Art with Heart’ and the “Make Yourself” Junior Art Competition. Photography by Marzena Alonso (current parent) will be available for viewing on stuartholmealumnae.com

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of Stuartholme,

Celebrating the Spirit of Stuartholme

Over the last couple of weeks, the spirit of Stuartholme has shone brightly. I have been bursting with pride whilst attending and participating in significant events over the past week, celebrating the talents of our students, alum, and the broader community. These experiences have exemplified our Sacred Heartedness and the focus Stuartholme places on a well-rounded, holistic education.

I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of our 2022 senior play – Medea. For those that had the opportunity to see this spellbinding production, we were treated to energised and dynamic performances and a contemporary approach to retelling the play. The professionalism of all involved demonstrated the high expectations and standards delivered in the arts department at Stuartholme. I congratulate everyone who contributed to crafting this memorable experience for all.

In addition, whilst August signals the Ekka, for the musicians in our community August is the time when all their steadfast work in rehearsals comes to fruition through the Queensland Catholic Colleges Music Festival. Performing is such a responsive art, and it was wonderful that this year we were able to return to a face-to-face festival for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Stuartholme was well represented across the vast array of sections in the festival, and I also had the delight to conduct Duchesne Voices as part of the choral section. I am incredibly proud of our musicians who so ably give and share their talents and to our families who support them with all the rehearsal schedules and performances. Below is a snapshot of their achievements:

Joigny Voices – Gold
Duchesne Voices – Gold
Sinfonietta Strings – Silver
Joigny Strings – Gold
Stuartholme Singers – Bronze
Concert Band – Gold

Finally, last weekend, the Stuartholme Sacré Coeur Association (SSCA) presented the Exposition des Beaux Arts 2022. The art show was a significant undertaking with a record number of works presented from not only our students and budding amateurs but also professional artists – many of whom are alums or connected deeply to our community.

I was moved by the guest speaker, artist, and alum Bronwyn Searle. Bronwyn so poignantly noted that the legacy of Stuartholme is how over time, we have encouraged young people to be their best selves opening a range of future opportunities to them via a well-rounded education. The event raised funds to contribute to the SSCA endowment fund to gift aStuartholme education. We are most appreciative of the association and our impressive alum’s significant contribution to our community. Moments like these genuinely demonstrate how a Stuartholme student makes an impact well beyond the gates of Stuartholme and exemplifies the words of Mother Janet Erskine Stuart – being “seriously begun on a wide basis.”

As we embark on the pointy end of the term, I reminded our students of the importance of turning up and making it count, right through to the final stages of the term. Our prayers are with our Year 12 students, who for the most part have finalised their internal assessment, and now embark on their final journey at secondary school through mock and external examinations. We know as a community; we are behind every one of them as they are positioned so effectively for success moving forward.

I wish the community all the blessings for the final weeks ahead.

Yours in Cor Unum,

Danny Crump

Acting Principal

Acting Deputy Principal, Term 3, Week 6

Principal’s Awards

Last Friday, we had an opportunity to recognise some of the remarkable young women of Stuartholme through the Principal’s Awards for turning up and making it count! This term, these awards are for students in Years 7 to 11.

The young women acknowledged on Friday achieved success and growth in learning, focussed on what they can do, and turned up to make a difference in their learning. They are to be commended on their determination, focus, resilience, and tenacity for learning.

It is a remarkable achievement for our school to see such improvements in student effort and attendance with the increase in award recipients recognised on Friday through our Principal’s Awards, turning up and making it count.

2021 High Achievers

On Friday, owing to delays earlier in the year with COVID, we finally had the chance to pay tribute to some of our highest achievers of 2021 who have moved beyond the gates of Stuartholme.

Our 2021 high achievers embody the philosophy that learning is a lifelong process and are testament to our aim of not turning out students small and finished.  As Mother Janet Erskine Stuart suggests, we are “preparing each of our children of the Sacred Heart for the future, establishing a solid platform so that they are ‘seriously begin on a wide basis” and ready to make a difference in the world.

It was delightful to pay tribute to this outstanding educational success as a school community.

Working in partnership to optimize success

Whether your daughter is in the opening stages of her academic journey or well along the path, one thing is certain – the inherent strength of a partnership approach.

At the heart of Stuartholme are our students, who are challenged in a supportive and affirming environment to reach their potential in all areas of development – spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical. However, the secret to this success in our community is our three-way connection whereby staff, the parents and students themselves rally to deliver outstanding results.

Each of us has a continued role to play in putting into practice our own strategies to ensure improved educational outcomes, engagement and student wellbeing for every single child here at our school.  At Stuartholme, this is our “Growing to Great” approach.

We look forward to continuing to work together as a school community to support the attainment of outstanding student outcomes and position Stuartholme as a leader in girls’ education, turning out graduates with the skills required to thrive beyond school and make a global impact.

Deb Lonsdale-Walker

Acting Deputy Principal

“Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to guide us, then we will act on the Spirit’s gentle inspiration”

Saint Madeline Sophie

In some recent work with our School Board, we were discussing the uniqueness of our charism. Using the image light projected through a prism, we learn how the activity of the Holy Spirit (white light), through the Mission and work of the Church (prism), becomes the individual expressions of the life and mission of the various religious families within the church. This unique spirit becomes active through Mission. Inspired by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, we know our mission is to discover the heart of Jesus and make it known. Or as some say, the reveal God’s love in the heart of the world.

Revealing God’s Love through Contemplation & Action

We learn from our RSCJ Sisters, that this mission is brought alive through lives of that are wholly contemplative (prayerful reflection) and wholly apostolic (action). Their way of life is characterised by a dual orientation – both inward and outward – towards both silence and action. It is the dynamic within this dual orientation that fuels our mission, and as companions of the RSCJ in this Sacred Heart family, one which we are also invited to live.

As a Sacred Heart community, living and breathing the charism of St Madeleine Sophie, we have a essential role to play in ensuring that the spirit of the Society remains relevant and responds to the realities of today. Through our experience at Stuartholme, we activate this charism by being open to receiving it and constantly enriching and updating it with our own contributions and practices. With the RSCJ sisters, we are called to orient our lives towards a mutual process of contemplation and action. Through silence, we are invited to listen to our heart, and as we pay close attention to the movement within, are impelled to act in ways that communicate God’s love for the human family.

The distinctiveness of a Sacred Heart Education

We know that the action of our tradition takes the form of education, articulated in the Goals of Sacred Heart Education. Through our experience of education, we also know the importance of silence for reflection, deep listening, the perspective it brings, and the actions it inspires. At Stuartholme, we accompany students as they develop their own capacity for silence and find the courage to act on what listening to the Spirit deep within initiates. This continuous dynamic between contemplation and action forms the culture and ethos of our school. It is what makes our Sacred Heart education distinctive.

Dadirri

The experience of silence is also an experience of solidarity with our First Nations people. We walk on a land who’s people have known the gift of silence for thousands of years. Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr from Daly River writes:

“Dadirri is the inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness within, is perhaps the most important gift that Aboriginal people can offer modern day Australians.

Dadirri recognises the deep spring that is inside us. We call on it and it calls to us. This is the gift that Australia is thirsting for. It is something like what you call “contemplation”.

When I experience dadirri, I am made whole again. I can sit on the riverbank or walk through the trees; even if someone close to me has passed away, I can find my peace in this silent awareness. There is no need of words. A big part of dadirri is listening.

Through the years, we have listened to our stories. They are told and sung, over and over, as the seasons go by. Today we still gather around the campfires and together we hear the sacred stories.

As we grow older, we ourselves become the storytellers. We pass on to the young ones all they must know. The stories and songs sink quietly into our minds and we hold them deep inside. In the ceremonies we celebrate the awareness of our lives as sacred.

The contemplative way of dadirri spreads over our whole life. It renews us and brings us peace. It makes us feel whole again…

I encourage you in the days ahead to find a moment and embrace the call to silence; to deepen your awareness of the movement of the Spirit within yourself. It’s a fact that our actions emerge from who we are at the depths of our inner core, and that we project the condition of our inner being onto those around us. Cultivating silence can help us to become aware of and protect our inner landscape and nurture our capacity to believe, to trust, and to dream.

Peace and blessings for the week ahead.

Justin Golding
Dean of Mission

Janet Erskine Stuart, one of our Sacred Heart Wisdom Women, is recognised as the educational guide of Sacred Heart organisations. Janet challenged the status quo of her time, striving for women to have a broader and deeper education, even forming the professional capacity of female teachers. Essentially Janet Erskine Stuart saw the unique potential in each young girl and wanted them to have the opportunities they deserved. The work she did was not just for women of her time, it was for every woman who comes after. In Boarding our connection to Janet Erskine Stuart is with us daily, with the top level of our Boarding House, Cottesmore, named after the small country town Janet was born in.

 Janet Erskine Stuart wrote, “do not wait for ideal circumstances, or the best opportunity; they will never come.” At face value it is easy to judge her words as pessimistic, but Janet Erskine Stuart is suggesting that it is an individual’s responsibility to create opportunities and ideal circumstances. Our boarding community reflected on these words after mass on Sunday, because life in boarding can provide you plenty of reasons not to do something. It may be the conversations happening in the dorm next to you, learning a new K-Pop routine, planning what is happening on the weekend or even sneaking in that yearned for nap. We expect and celebrate these wonderful moments of community. What we as a boarding community can learn from Janet Erskine Stuart’s words is that sometimes there is never a right time, but learning and growing together means we encourage each other to seek and create these ideal circumstances. This could be carving out time on the weekend to study, even if it is already 2pm on a Saturday. This could be tidying up your room in the spare ten minutes before you need to be at breakfast. This could even be acknowledging that person who needs some kindness, care or support and sitting with them for a time. The right time, the right opportunity and the right circumstance is created by you.

Over the last fortnight we have seen our boarders studying diligently to prepare for upcoming assessment, whilst balancing work with play through wonderful rec opportunities. Highlights of the rec program have included hosting St Margaret’s for a swim and games, a day trip to the Ekka, trivia at Marist and an Indooroopilly trip to stock up on essentials. On Monday 15th August our boarders demonstrated why they are not just the beating heart of Stuartholme, but the talent too. Our annual competition Boarders Got Talent saw a variety of individual and group performances, culminating in each year level performing a unique piece. Congratulations to the following boarders for their winning acts!

• Madeleine Murphy (Yr 7) – Winner of Individual Category
• Rieley Williams and Annabelle Atkins (Yr 7) – Winner of Group Category
• Yr 12s – Crowd Favourite
• Yr 10s – Winner of Year Level Category

We look forward to connecting with members of our boarding families next week at Tallwood Ladies Day and our upcoming Goondiwindi Sports Day. Please let us know if you will be there as we would love to catch up with you all.

The Boarding Team

As we move toward the second part of the term, the attention of our students turns toward a more focused approach to their academic growth and assessment. We recognise at Stuartholme that success can best be achieved with a focus on the holistic development of our students. Data suggests that students who thrive and flourish, demonstrate stronger academic performance (McKenna, 2019, Norrish, Robinson & Williams 2013). Our Wise Wellness program is carefully designed to support the growth of our students. Continuing to implement a wellbeing program across Year 7-12 is most certainly associated with enhanced performance. Our program not only focusses on problem solving and planning techniques but ensures our students have access to up-to-date information and research to ensure they can thrive and flourish in their years of formation. Below is a snapshot of what each year level is focusing on this term in Wise Wellness lessons.

Our Wise Wellness lessons also incorporate a strong focus on mindfulness and gratitude practices.  Science confirms that regular meditation and gratitude practices boost our wellbeing.  Our students are well acquainted with a range of practices to help them practice mindfulness. Headspace offer some short, guided meditation which may be of interest https://www.headspace.com/meditation/gratitude. Our own Christian tradition utilises beautiful forms of meditation. Recently I have been encouraging my students to engage with The Examen which is a way of reflecting on your day within the presence of God. This form of Ignatian Spirituality is deeply embedded in the spiritual practices of our foundress St Madeleine Sophie Barat and so is a natural choice for us at Stuartholme. You may enjoy engaging with this practice by listening to the following clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAFbD5jCGNI

Mrs Devlin has shared with me a beautiful reflection she did with Year 11.  I’m sure you will appreciate this.

“Life is so simple.  We control everything with our minds regardless of our current situations. 

I’ve met poor people who live very happily and rich people who live very miserably.

The day I started waking up and praying for all that I’m grateful for my life took a massive shift in the best direction.

I suddenly found myself feeling deeply happy and at peace with everything.

Bad days turned into opportunities to learn and good days turned into normal days.

We all have this ability to walk around in a state of gratitude no matter how bad our situation is.

Being alive, having food and water is already a massive blessing.

I challenge and invite you to start your day with gratitude.

Have a beautiful day.“

Elizabeth Foxover
Acting Dean of Student Wellbeing

Now that we are past the halfway point of Term 3, the busier assessment period is rapidly approaching.  For most students, the next few weeks will be “pink” weeks on their Term Planner Heatmap (see my Week 4 article for more information about using this strategy).  During this time, having a structured routine that includes regular study sessions is key to feeling prepared for exams.  Spreading out study over a series of weeks, rather than cramming it into the days (or hours!) before an exam, helps to reduce exam-related stress and anxiety and improve overall academic performance.  This technique is called “Spaced Practice” and, along with practice testing, is one of the most effective study strategies that students can use.

Also known as “Distributed Practice” or “Spaced Repetition”, Spaced Practice is all about “working smarter, not harder”.  Students often feel that in order to improve their outcomes, they need to simply put more time into studying.  Sometimes more study time is needed but more often than not, students just need to use their time more effectively.  Instead of doing 6 hours of study the night before an exam, students will perform significantly better if they take that six hours and spread them out into six one-hour study sessions over the two weeks leading up to an exam.  Spacing out study like this forces the brain to do “effortful recall” which involves encoding new information from the working memory and storing it in the long-term memory for future retrieval.  The capacity of our long-term memory is far superior to our limited working memory which can only hold about 5 to 9 new items for roughly twenty seconds.  Without regular retrieval (rehearsal), that handful of new items are quickly forgotten.  By using Spaced Practice, students give their brains the opportunity to rehearse the new skills and content that they have learned and strengthen their long-term memories in the process.

Students may think that their capacity for learning is fixed and that they can only remember a finite amount of learning.  Instead of thinking of their memories as a “warehouse” where they can store a certain volume of information, they should shift their thinking to consider memory as a continuous process of creating and maintaining connections in the brain.  Therefore, long-term memories are not something we have but something we do.  Through the Student Practices Initiatives program, our Year 8s have learned about how Spaced Practice can effectively help to build their long-term memories, improve their exam preparation, and positively impact their performance.  In addition to spacing out their study, our Year 8s know that to make their memory great(er), they also need to take care of their brains by committing to a regular bed and wake-up times with 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night.  In addition to eating and exercising well, drinking plenty of water, and getting sufficient rest, sleep is key to building long-term memories.  It is only when we are asleep that memory consolidation, the process of preserving key memories and discarding superfluous information, can occur.

When we consider how our memory works and how important sleep is for memory formation, it is clear that “cramming” is an incredibly ineffective way of retaining learning.  Our Assessment Policy is designed to discourage cramming.  From time to time, there can be valid reasons why a student is unable to meet an assignment deadline or is unable to sit an exam on the scheduled date.  This may include illness leading up to the due date or significant representative commitments in co-curricular activities.  When students are in these situations, they may request an extension by completing an Application for Extension form and submitting it to the Leader of Learning at least 48 hours prior to the due date.  Only in exceptional circumstances, e.g. bereavement, will an extension be granted within the 48 hours of the due date.  Cramming the night before an exam certainly does not qualify as exceptional circumstances.  Students should avoid cramming altogether by using Spaced Practice instead.  It is never too early to begin Spaced Practice, so do your brain a favour and start now!

For more strategies about effective preparation for exams, students can make an appointment for an Academic Performance meeting with me by emailing: avanhomrigh@stuartholme.com

Hi everyone,

What a busy term we’re having.

This fortnight, TAC Attack started running in the library for Year 12 students applying for further study. I also chatted to Year 12 about what to expect, and how to prepare, for the upcoming Year 12 Career Ready Day.

It’s also been a pleasure to see so many Year 12 students in meeting over the last fortnight, as well as some Year 10 and 11 students too.

As per usual, please find below a collection of info and events that might interest you and your daughters.

If your daughter would like to book in to chat to me, please ask her to use this booking form (which she should also have received from me via email earlier this term): Bookings: Chat with Mr Lillyman

Warm regards,

Mr Tom Lillyman

Careers Counsellor

OPEN DAYS

Reminder: Open Days are a really great way to check out the different institutions you could study with. Here are the last few 2022 dates for Open Days around Queensland.

Please follow the links below to register for the Open Days you would like to attend. Registering for the day allows you to book in for any tours, seminars, and other activities that have limited places (and cannot be registered for on the day).

Sunday, 21 August – The University of Queensland, Gatton campus

Sunday, 21 August – University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba campus

APPLY

Bond University scholarships

Bond University’s scholarship applications are currently open. Find out more about how to apply here: Scholarships at Bond | Bond University

ACU Guarantee

The ACU Guarantee Program offers eligible Year 12 students a place at ACU based on your Year 11 results. ACU will be hosting an information webinar where you will learn detailed information on how to apply and hear current students share their experiences. The webinar will be held on 27 July from 6 – 6.30pm. Click here to register.

GOOD TO KNOW

Making your dream career a reality

JobJumpstart has put together an article with hints and tips for finding that dream job. If you are interested in a specific career or want to find out whether a job is right for you, then following these five steps could increase your chances of making your dream job a reality:

Step 1. Do your research

Step 2. Watch day-in-the-life videos for an idea of what it’s really like to work in a particular job

Step 3. Match your skills and aptitudes to those required for the job

Step 4. Link with employers

Step 5. Connect with training

Griffith’s Year 12 Academic Boot Camps

Academic Bootcamps offer courses designed to assist students to improve their confidence and understanding in senior subject areas, achieve their full academic potential and reduce anxiety around assessment. Subjects offered include psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths Methods. The 2022 Bootcamps will be held during the September school holidays on 19 September to 22 September 2022 or 26 September to 29 September from 9am–3pm with a cost of $149 per course. Click here to find out more and to register.

Year 12 revision letters

Worried about your Year 12 exams? You’re not alone. We know this can be a stressful time, which is why ACU have teamed up with InspirED to help you do your very best and get ready for what’s to come.

Join us for a series of free online webinars run by experienced Year 12 exam markers and assessors. They’ll guide you through how to respond to possible exam questions, help you get your head around the class content to deepen your understanding, and offer plenty of tips and strategies along the way.

You’ll also have an opportunity to get your questions answered during a live 30-minute Q&A. Find out more and register here: Year 12 Revision Webinars (acu.edu.au)

Missing prerequisites for a UQ course?

UQ College bridging programs in Mathematical Methods, Physics, Chemistry and Biology over 4 weeks where you to obtain a prerequisite in Mathematical Methods, Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Successful completion of an individual course will satisfy the prerequisites at The University of Queensland and some other universities (check each university individually). Results will be ready for the QTAC Offer Round in January each year. Bridging Program – UQ College – University of Queensland

FINISHING YEAR 12

2022/2023 key dates for Year 12 students

Things are starting to ramp up for Year 12 students and it is easy to miss key dates. Below is a list of key dates that you should check and put in your diary so that you don’t miss out on key opportunities. You will also need to check out closing dates for early entry programs and scholarship applications and you can find these on the individual TAFE and university websites.

August

2/08/2022        QTAC applications open for 2023 courses

ATAR account registration opens (Qld Yr 12s)

During August some audition and portfolio applications close

September      Early closing dates for some courses

October            Reminder to get EAS and supporting documents submitted

24/10/2022        External assessment period commences

November       QTAC offer rounds commence

11/11/2022         Due date to apply & submit documents for 18 November offer round

16/11/2022         External assessment period concludes

18/11/2022         Graduation day for Year 12

QTAC early offer round

December

08/12/2022     Due date to apply & submit documents for December 22 offer round

09/12/2022     Due date to apply & submit documents for 12 January offer round

16/12/2022     Qld ATAR and QCE released

19/12/2022      Due date to change preferences for 22 December offer round

22/12/2022     QTAC December offer round

January

04/01/2023     Due date for change of preferences prior to 12 January offer round

12/01/2023     QTAC January offer round

Check out the Key Dates – QTAC page for more information, including any changes to these dates.

The Queensland Catholic Colleges Music Festival (QCMF) was held over the weekend at Villanova College. The festival had over 10,000 musicians involved throughout the four day event and is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Stuartholme Music had a very successful return to live performances with our choirs, strings orchestras and concert band receiving the following awards:

Joigny Voices – Gold

Duchesne Voices – Gold

Sinfonietta Strings – Silver

Joigny Strings – Gold

Stuartholme Singers – Bronze

Concert Band – Gold

A huge thank you to our amazing conductors (Danny Crump, Elspeth Sutherland and Lily Toalo), accompaniments (Francesca Masel and Natalie Scalia) and music tutors (Janine Grantham, Miranda Sue Yek, Andrew Fong, Neale Connor, Zac Moynihan, Laura Thompson, Mia Putri and Emma Wilson) for their support of the musicians.

Many thanks to Dany Harris, Jarod Costantini and the Music Support Group for their generosity and dedication to this special event.

Business Bites – Guest Speakers

Year 12 Business: Emily Brooks – National People Manager at BESIX Watpac

In Week 6, Year 12 business students were fortunate to have Emily Brooks, Stuartholme alumni from the Class of 2004, visit as a guest speaker for our current topic on Change Management. It was a wonderful way to recognise the increase in diversity in the workforce, and the fight for change, as she spoke with us on human resources, and the role of change management within HR.

Emily currently works as the National People Manager at BESIX Watpac.  She told us about the main roles of human resources managers, and their involvement in change management, relating to our current unit on change management in the post-maturity stage of the business lifecycle. She also discussed performance management and key performance indicators (KPIs) with us, explaining the different goals and objectives of BESIX Watpac, including to have a minimum 3% Indigenous employment benchmark, which can also increase depending on the Indigenous population of the local project area. Emily also explained how that only 15% of employees in the workplace in the construction industry are females, and how this gender imbalance is trying to be addressed. There is currently a big push to recruit and upskill more females within the construction industry, with BESIX Watpac aiming to have females making up 35% of workers on a project in Victoria. Emily also provided insight into the importance of legislative compliance within the human resources management in the construction industry, with legislation varying between both state and federal levels.

We are most grateful for Emily’s time and sharing her insights and experience as we prepare for our external assessment.

Adelaide Pollard, Year 12 Business

Year 11 Business: Skye Anderton – Chief Dreamer – Ruby Olive

We were fortunate to have Skye Anderton as a guest speaker in Year 11 Business to provide real world insights related to our current studies for Unit 2 Topic 2 ‘Entering markets’. As the founder of Ruby Olive, Skye chose to do things differently, hence her titled as Chief Dreamer, not CEO, with a vision of doing things a bit differently and reflecting her creative thinking.

Skye enlightened us about her entrepreneurial journey from being part of the Young Achievers program at school, to becoming a buyer in London for a major retailer, to beginning Ruby Olive in 2010. Skye highlighted the importance of having a point of difference and how she engages in new product development, which has seen her transition from being a jewellery only business, to entering new markets, which include dog accessories and shopping bags. We also learned the importance of market research and customer feedback in the refinement of the product offering.

Skye also provided some tips for students on gaining experience as they move forward from school.  Skye worked for free initially when she moved to London – and never underestimate the value of a good mentor. She also encouraged our students to be inspired and take opportunities when they present themselves. We thank Skye for her time and positive insights.

Sally Adams  |  Leader of Learning – Business

Science Snippets

Have you ever wondered what you could do in science?

This week is National Science Week and I thought I would focus on what careers there are in science post leaving school. A few weekends ago both Queensland University of Technology and the University of Queensland had Open Days. There were talks given by the faculties which gave an overview of the courses available, entry requirements, graduates talking about their career post doing a degree in science and outlines of the learning programs. Science is so diverse with many career opportunities. What was really interesting is how many courses that are available that relate to science! You can do a Bachelor of Science, but you can also do a Bachelor of Medical Imaging, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory science, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Environmental Science, Bachelor of Biotechnology, and so many more. What the speakers also highlighted was the high percentage of graduates that get jobs straight out of university. One of my favourite talks was by Dr Gurion Ang, because he made the Bachelor of Science sound really fun and gave so many examples of how you could get into the courses without specific requirements, upgrading to another science-based degree and using a science degree as a steppingstone to a medical degree. The opportunities available are immense and you are actually doing something that is going to make a change. To me that is exciting.

By Isobel Tracey, Year 11 UQ Science Ambassador

National Science Week (13 – 21 August) is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge; encourage an interest in science pursuits among our community; and encourage younger people to be fascinated by the world we live in. This year’s theme is Glass: More than meets the eye and the Year 11 UQ Science Ambassadors have coordinated several activities across the week. From looking through the microscope at blood cells to making a kaleidoscope, our school community has had the opportunity to be a part of this nation-wide event.

Some very cool yet simple challenges can be done at home (which are also great party tricks), and all explained by science:

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/diy-science-brazil-nut-challenge/

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/diy-science-pen-lid-in-a-bottle-challenge/

Some wonderful events are also occurring this year in science:

The most phenomenal and spectacular science show on the planet!

Professor Brian Cox – HORIZONS A 21st Century Space Odyssey

Jaw-dropping new graphics depicting what was, what is and what may be in the future, from before time began to mankind’s life on far-flung planets. The most profound questions will be explored using the latest advances in our understanding of quantum theory, black holes, biology, planetary science, astronomy, and cosmology. Arenas will be filled with gigantic and beautiful images of far-away galaxies, alien worlds, supermassive black holes, and a time before the Big Bang. Book tickets for Friday 21st October in Brisbane.

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/prof-brian-cox-horizons-a-21st-century-space-odyssey/

Kind regards,

Wendy Macdonald (LoL – Science)