Each year our students successfully participate in a broad range of external programs and competitions. No doubt you have read about many throughout the course of the year.
Recently we were thrilled to hear that Maddie Wood in Year 8 was named the Junior Winner (across all Commonwealth countries) of The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition for 2022, run by the Royal Commonwealth Society for her piece titled Catalina, which was about Catherine of Aragon.
To receive her award Maddie travelled to London and received her award from The Queen Consort. Maddie has kindly provided a written piece on her experience in the UK which can be found in the Senior School section of CamNews.
Congratulations to Maddie on this wonderful achievement.
Last week we also received some fabulous news about the judging of the national Videos for Change competition. Participants in this competition, work individually or in teams to create one-minute videos on a social issue of their choice, with the intention of generating both awareness and action. In our first two years of participating (2021 and 2022), teams from Camberwell Girls were named as finalists across divisions and winners in the Senior Category in both 2021 and 2022.
In 2021, Scarlett Giang and Natalie Chung named as joint winners of the national competition, with their video, ‘Disconnected’ which they created in lockdown – together, apart!
This video was also awarded the competition’s inaugural Mental Health Award, for the sensitive and empowering manner in which it captured this important issue.
This year, three CGGS student videos were selected from hundreds of videos submitted from across the country to progress through to the finals. The video Extinguished by Elysia Wang, Amanda Lee and Kaitlyn was in the finals in the Junior High School category, placing it in the top 10 of submitted videos. Maskeradefrom Wendy Zhang also made it to the finals in the Senior High School category, placing it in the top 12 submitted videos.
Quicksand created by Laura Tong, Katrina Tong and Heidi Lim was named the winner of the Senior High School category and also achieved the inaugural Animation Award. This newly instigated component of the competition came in response to the growing number of animated entries submitted by students.
Laura, Katrina and Heidi’s video was awarded for its industry standard narrative, use of animation and film technique. Briony Benjamin, one of the professional adjudicators and Executive Producer of Video Content at Mamamia, described the work of students as, “I can see this fronting a national campaign, this was at an industry-level standard. Absolutely spectacular work. Can I give you a job today please?” True to her word, Briony is now engaging in a mentor session with Laura, Katrina and Heidi at the end of the school year.
The activation of student voice can take many forms and participation in opportunities such as Videos for Change is just one. What is becoming increasingly clear, is that through student voice, doors can be opened to further connection and opportunities, propelling students onto pathways aligned with the passions that they perhaps have never considered.
I would like to thank our teachers Kate Manners, Maggie Wighton and Jennifer Gordon who have supported the students throughout the process.
At this time of year we farewell the staff who are leaving Camberwell Girls. All have been wonderful contributors at our school and they leave with our gratitude and very best wishes.
We thank the following teachers with young families of their own who have decided to move close to home to save on significant travel time each day:
Other teachers/assistant who are leaving:
We wish the following teachers all the very best as they commence parental leave:
Finally, thank you to Alex Jenkin, Georgie Kerr and Lou Villani as they complete their contract roles.
I hope to see many families at our Carols evening tonight as well as our ELC, Year 6 Graduation and Years 7-9 Final Assembly before the end of term.
With best wishes,
Debbie Dunwoody
Principal
