During the last two weeks of Term 2, all Year 10 students at St Michael’s are involved in an immersion project of their choice. Immersion projects are designed to foster independence whilst giving students a supported challenge and enable students to pursue an uninterrupted study in a chosen area for a prolonged period of time that empower students to make choices that align with areas of interest.
Art and Design Masterclass
Master Class has been created to help improve the skills of students to allow them to make more informed choices with their art and design subjects, and to strengthen and consolidate skills for VCE. Students taking part in the Masterclass worked with Archibald Prize winning artist, Lewis Miller to develop still life drawing techniques. They learnt how balance and proportion applied to a variety of art forms including graphite, charcoal, pastel and oil paint.
Students were also introduced to ceramics by working on the pottery wheel and low fire processes, printmaking using the intaglio technique and analogue cameras by processing film in the dark room.
Lewis Miller showing students the art of still life drawing.
Cambodia
Working in partnership with Projects Abroad; a UK founded NGO that facilitate volunteers around the world, St Michael’s students and staff are immersed in local culture through participation in Khmer language and cooking sessions, as well as providing English lessons to the students at a local daycare centres in Cambodia. Students also worked with Epic Arts, which promotes the integration of people of all abilities and disabilities using the arts as a form of expression transformation and empowerment, and volunteered with the Indochina Starfish Foundation; teaching some of our favourite games—usually AFL.
Student reflection
We have been helping out at two kindergarten centres on Silk Island, Phnom Penh; cleaning and removing dirt from the walls and playground equipment. We’re also repainting and adding colour to the walls. So far, the Cambodia trip has been amazing. We have already gained unforgettable moments and I am sure there are many more to come.Terry (10M)
Great Barrier Reef
This program is in its second year of the redesigned program, whereby students have studied much of Unit 1 Biology at School, before completing their studies in Far North Queensland. Studying the environments firsthand and interacting with local Scientists from James Cook University (JCU) provided students with a fresh perspective on our environments.
Student reflection
Today’s morning lecture was jam-packed as we delved into the realm of human impacts on our precious coral reefs. Simple actions like ‘once a week vegan night’ or riding a bike all seem simple, yet in fact, completing these actions could truly slow down the process of global warming and the negative impact it has on our reefs.
It was a bumpy ride to the outer reef but once we got there, the magnificent structures and marine life immediately captured our attention. Even though the land we were snorkeling on had been damaged in the past recent years due to heavy storms, it had recovered immensely. It was among some of the most beautiful reef habitats we had seen so far.Mila, Jordan and Ashley (Year 10)
Guitar Building
This program enables students who are passionate about music making and instrument building to create a unique instrument using the best of Australian and imported timbers. For the duration of the course, students focused on completing a copy of a steel string Martin—ready to play—or a Fender style electric guitar. They also acquired numerous woodworking and metalworking skills and learned how these skills are applied in the field of guitar building.
Outdoor Recreation
This program enables participants to achieve a Certificate II in Outdoor Education, as well as the enjoyment of operating in a variety of disciplines in the outdoor arena.
Well-being: Balance and Vitality
Students explored a range of diverse experiences here in Melbourne, before traveling down to the Mornington Peninsula to explore nature and the local environment in a range of active, creative and observational experiences:
Melbourne: Qi Gong, Aerial Yoga, Sound Shower, Cooking class, learning the importance of helping others through the Social Impact Program at St Kilda mums.
Mornington Peninsula: Stillness and kindness, Yoga, Trees and Ropes Course, Cycling, Glass Blowing.
Year 10 students volunteering at St Kilda Mums.
Work Experience
Students have the opportunity to work in a field of their choosing in an extended work placement.
All of these programs have run very successfully in the past and we are excited to announce that we will be introducing a handful of new Projects in 2019.
