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On Monday 28 April, we all gathered in our House areas to commemorate those in the armed forces for ANZAC Day. A moving ceremony was broadcast to each House area, allowing all in attendance the opportunity to reflect and give thanks for all of those who have dedicated their lives to the armed forces. 

We were fortunate to hear from Year 12 student Sofia Castello, who gave a speech about what ANZAC Day means to her. Some excerpts from her speech included the following:

ANZAC Day is a time to reflect on those who gave everything - at Gallipoli, on the Western Front, in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and in peace-keeping missions around the world. But it's also about recognising the people who continue to serve our country, and those who carry the scars of the war long after it's over. It's not about glorifying war - it's about acknowledging sacrifice and showing respect.

And for us, the next generation, it's about asking ourselves: how do we carry the legacy forward? We might not be on battlefields, but we can still live with bravery. We can still look out for each other. We can show kindness, empathy, and strength, even when things are tough.

As a Young Ambassador for the Shrine of Remembrance in 2022, I've had the chance to reflect deeply on what these values mean, then and now. Visiting the Shrine, standing in silence during ceremonies, hearing the stories of veterans, I've come to understand that ANZAC Day isn't just about remembering the past. It's about how we choose to live today....One of the greatest things this role taught me is that leadership doesn't always look like standing in the spotlight and sometimes about standing still, listening, representing your community with respect and simply showing up to honour others.

We pause today not just to look back, but to remind ourselves of the responsibility we have to honour their memory - not just in words, but in actions and in the way we live. Honouring the ANZAC Spirit is more than just standing still for a minute in silence. It's about a commitment to never forget the sacrifice of those people who fought for our freedoms, and our way of life. It's about a commitment to live up to values that they held dear.

Lest we forget.

Exciting news in the Public Speaking world for Sacred Heart! We had eight students competing in the Rostrum Voice of Youth Public Speaking Competition on Sunday 23 March, with SHC making up nearly half of the competitors in the Geelong heats.

April Fifer, Evie Lee, Anaiah Harvey, Adriana Sim, Eleanor Van Kalken and Leah James spoke beautifully and confidently. A special congratulations goes to both Saffron Macfadyen and Isobel Heer, (pictured below), who made it through to the semi-finals, and to her absolute credit, Isobel won the entire Geelong region heats and will now be representing SHC in the state finals later this year! Isobel's winning speech was on the topic of 'Bring Back the Magic'.

What an amazing achievement for all participants – for many it was the first time speaking in a public forum, and we admire your bravery and dedication.

Well done to our amazingly talented students who were part of the 2024 Top Arts exhibition. Top Arts is an annual exhibition that provides a platform for emerging artists from across the state to showcase their skills, enthusiasm, and creativity. 

We congratulate the following students on their selection in the expo - we're sure we will be seeing a lot more from them in the arts world in the future! For Media: Jasmin Ellis - applied, Tess Chatham- applied, Alana Mauff- applied, Dharma Barker- applied, Freya O’Dowd- applied, Alex Malouf- applied, Shiavanni Herd- applied, Sunny Ngan- applied, Mia Jemal- applied and for Art: Charlotte Williams - shortlisted.

Please see below some stills from the Media submissions.

We had an amazing turnout for our annual Discovery Day, with many visitors coming through our gates to see all that the College has to offer. Many of those who attended were receiving their first glimpse of SHC in action, and by the excited chatter it seems they were suitably impressed!

After arriving at the Atrium, the visitors were ushered into McAuley Hall for their information session. There were two such sessions throughout the day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. During the session in McAuley Hall, visitors were provided with information about what the College can offer their child should they decide to send them to SHC. At the conclusion, all attendees were given a map and headed off their self-guided tour around the College. 

There were many guides stationed along the way, who were able to answer any questions the visitors had. They were able to see 'a day in the life' of a student at SHC, and we are sure many girls could see themselves fitting in very well at what could be their home for the next six years! From volleyball matches in the gym, to watching VCE Theatre Studies students rehearse their production in the Performing Arts Centre, there was always something interesting to see.

For a quick snippet of what the day looked like, please click to visit our Instagram page to view a short clip from the day.

Thank you so much to our Admissions Officer Ebony for the amazing work she did in organising this much anticipated event, and to all those who helped make this such an amazing day. What a wonderful way to showcase how lucky we are to be a part of SHC!