Year 8

Last week was an incredible Year 8 Immersion experience. Please enjoy some reflections from the Year 8 students below. Thank you to all families for assisting with Electives selection. Please note the selection window has closed. If you child has had an issue with the process, please reach out to Alex Schroder.  

In the coming weeks we look forward to Big Sister Little Sister, Book Week, the Athletics Carnival and finalising the assessment that sits with the Immersion process. 

Have a great weekend and please get in touch if you have any queries. 

Reflections on Immersion: 

‘When I arrived at Wiradjuri Country in Mudgee I was hit with a sense of peace. I have never connected this well to Country as I did on camp. To me, acknowledging and welcoming us to the their land in the Wiradjuri language was amazing. I really enjoyed the Aboriginal dancing as I was able to let loose and enjoy myself without worrying about who is watching me or what people think. Lochie and Fleur taught all of us how to respect and treat the land. Fleur and Lochie were so kind, they told us Dreamtime stories and I saw 5 shooting stars which was an amazing experience. To me this was an incredible way to connect to my culture and learn more about my culture and how Aboriginal people lived and learnt on the land.’
– Georgia Rose (Year 8)

‘The Year 8 Mudgee camp was incredible from the nighttime stargazing to the dancing On County, it was such a great learning experience. On the first day of the camp in Mudgee we did a traditional smoking ceremony and a welcome to Country which helped me learn a lot about the culture of the Wiradjuri people. Overall this was one of my favourite camps ever and I am super grateful to have had this experience.’
– Abby Pattison (Year 8)

‘During the Mudgee trip, walking On Country taught me deep respect for Indigenous heritage, which matters because it connects us to the lands history. I felt curious and intrigued throughout the whole bushwalk and the dancing was really enjoyable.’
– Freda Xie (Year 8)

‘Year 8 Immersion was really fun because I got to experience something I have never experienced before. It is important to learn about Aboriginal culture so we can keep it and deepen our knowledge about First Nations people. I was proud of how I took all the experiences and utilised the camp, for example making an ochre handprint. I enjoyed learning about the Dreamtime stories and all the ways the Earth was created. I will always think about how Aboriginal people are connected to the land and how they all have an individual connection to country.’
– Charlotte Williams (Year 8)

‘My experience in Mudgee on Country was incredible. I learned so much about Aboriginal culture and spirituality, and how they took care and continue to take care of the land for thousands of years. I really enjoyed learning and performing the traditional dances at the Corroboree, and I really felt at peace and very welcomed in the space. I stepped out of my comfort zone when I volunteered to put the ochre in my mouth to create my hand stencil, since I was scared to do it at first but did it anyway. I loved doing the smoking ceremony to welcome us to Country, and the metaphor of the rocks in your bag really helped me release some of the worries and things holding me back from having a great time. Learning how the stars and the milky way were created through a dreaming story Lochie told us was really interesting, and he showed us where the different constellations were in the night sky. Overall ,I had a amazing experience I will cherish forever at Mudgee, and I am forever grateful I had the experience to learn all these things from people who are so passionate and excited to teach us their culture and ways of living.’
– Emily Ward (Year 8)

‘Camp was so enjoyable for me. I learnt about the rich culture and how the First Nations people connect with Country. I’m proud of taking on new opportunities that I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I enjoyed the Corroboree, as it showed me how dances tell stories, I enjoyed the ochre and making bracelets as well as stargazing and learning about the sky camp. I will always remember who came before me and how the challenges that faced Aboriginal people changed their lives and culture. The city trips were also fun, going on the boat and learning about the fishing and techniques First Nations people used to catch their food was super cool and incredible.’
– Harriet Krelle (Year 8)

‘In this Immersion experience, I believe the most important thing I learned was the depth of the connection and how the Indigenous Australians connected to Country. I believe witnessing that connection first hand is an excellent way of developing an understanding of Australia’s history and current state. A challenge I faced was withstanding the cold weather, however, the activities were engaging and required physical action which quickly allowed me to warm up and I believe I felt or understood the connection that First Australians felt to Country. I believe what I will take with me for life was the open and warm inclusivity of the First Nations people running the activities and the abundance of information about their culture and spirituality.’
– Megan Udayavarman (Year 8)

‘My week started as a fun few days away, but quickly became an experience that changed my views on Country, culture and my peers. I had two things that really stuck with me: the Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir exhibition and the Hands on Rock culturally significant site on Wiradjuri Country. The exhibition really stuck with me as it showed many terrible uses of Aboriginal people in Australian souvenirs and brought up an interesting conversation questioning Margaret Preston’s use of traditional Aboriginal art. During the Mudgee experience, we went on a walk to Hands on Rock, a family site to the Wiradjuri peoples, showing many handprints of all ages dating back hundreds of years. Overall, I really enjoyed this experience, and I took so much away from it. It broadened my knowledge of the Country that I live on.’
– Georgia Sutton (Year 8)

‘During this Camp trip I learnt more about the cultural traditions that Aboriginal people participate in and I believe this is important as it has helped me connect and learn much more about the oldest living culture on the planet than ever before. I was most proud of my ability to try new things that I wouldn’t always be comfortable doing and just giving everything a go. I really enjoyed practicing and taking part in the Corroboree because it helped me engage in hands on learning. I didn’t face many challenges but one thing that we did (which I felt was the most challenging) was stepping out of my comfort zone and letting myself try my best when dancing in the Corroboree. I will always remember the Smoking Ceremony and Corroboree as they made me feel so connected and welcomed into the Aboriginal culture and these are experiences which I might have never been able to do before.’
– Sophia Mellick (Year 8)

Click on gallery to view full images

– Claire White
Head of Year 8