Mercy Messenger - Term 2, Week 10 - Friday 24 June 2022

Holidays
I would like to wish all our Mercy staff, students and parents a safe, relaxing and happy holiday. This holiday will be very exciting for many of our families and our College Community as we commence the CQUniversity Confraternity/QISSN Carnival this Sunday. It has been over 20 years since we have been able to host this event.  Special thanks to all our volunteers, helpers and sponsors who have allowed us to make our dream come to fruition.  I wish all our students involved in the Carnivals all the best for next week and extend an invitation to all families to come and support our teams. The draw for the Carnivals can be found on the following link https://confro-qissn2022.com.au.

Community Activities
Once again, many wonderful things have happened this term. We have had great success on the sporting fields, in Chess and STEM competitions, our Combined Cultural Ensembles have performed on numerous occasions and our students continue to give to those in need through various acts of community service. It is very pleasing to see the effort and success of our students throughout the term. 

NAIDOC Celebrations
Students and staff enjoyed a week of NAIDOC activities as we celebrated and recognised the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Thank you to our Indigenous Education staff for organising these events. Our students will be attending the regional NAIDOC Mass which is being held on Tuesday 19 July.

Subject Selection Evening
It was good to see so many families taking advantage of the Subject Selection Evening held at St Patrick’s College on Wednesday. A reminder to Year 10 students that Subject Selection forms are to be returned to St Patrick’s by Friday 15 July. Formal enrolment and subject advisory interviews with a member of the College Leadership Team, will be held from 8 August – 2 September.

Catholic Education Week
Next term we celebrate Catholic Education Week from Sunday 24 July - Saturday 30 July and this year will focus on the theme:

Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all Catholic schools to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos. 
We will have more information next term on the activities the College will undertake during this special time.

Year 7 2023 Enrolment Offers
Our first round offers for Year 7 2023 will be emailed to parents/guardians on Wednesday 13 July, 2022.  I encourage all families who have a student wishing to attend Mercy for Year 7 next year to ensure they have submitted their online enrolment application.

ALL students return to school Monday 11th July 2022.

Aren’t we quick to want to call down fire on our enemies? It kind of goes with the territory of human existence. If we can identify the bad guys – 'them' – then we can claim the identity of the good guys – 'us'. Calling down fire on them is just the next step in the process.

The disciples of Jesus in this week’s gospel story were simply expressing the generations of animosity toward the Samaritans that they had learned growing up. And like everybody, they were not quick to let go of those lessons, despite the years of instruction by Jesus. Surely all that stuff about love and forgiveness did not include the Samaritans. They had been held in contempt by Judeans and Galileans for centuries because of a religious and civil conflict almost 1,000 years before.

Calling down fire is simply what we do when our animosity button is pushed. When the steam comes out of our ears because of something somebody says or does, we start stoking the fires. We complain about them to others and gossip behind their backs. Just as Jesus rebuked his disciples in the story, so he rebukes us. And such behaviour does not just hurt others, it hurts us. We are invited into God’s kingdom, the fullness of life. It is our task to let go of such foolishness and get on board for the Kingdom.

Thursday 14 July, Week 1 Term 3, the Year 10 English Extension students, along with the Mercy Book Club, will be attending the Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival, held on the grounds of the Whitsunday Anglican School.

The opportunity to experience and engage in an environment that celebrates and promotes literacy and literature is invaluable and as such, the students will attend several authors’ talks from the likes of John Marsden, Melina Marchetta, Dr Maddy McAllister and Jack Heath.

There will be three meal breaks throughout the day and students can bring their own food or purchase from the well-stocked canteens. They also have an opportunity to bring novels for signing by the authors or purchase titles from the Bookshop.

Costs for the day are met by the General Purpose Levy, however, students will be required to bring money if they would like to purchase their lunch and/or books.

Further information is available online at: www.whitsundayvoices.com.au

1 Chronicles 29:1
‘King David then said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced; the work, however, is great, for this palace is not meant for human beings, but for the LORD God’.

School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships - Earn and Learn!
School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeships are a great way for students to head start their career and gain a competitive edge when applying for jobs. A School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship can lead directly to full-time employment. While employed, students can earn a salary and develop workplace skills, knowledge, and resilience. Students complete vocational training that contributes to a Certificate II, III or higher which can count towards the student’s QCE. https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/apprentices/sats

We have three students who started new School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeships and I was fortunate to attend for their sign ups. Tyler Pease started a School Based Apprenticeship at the end of March at Westhill Engineering at Mackay Harbour and will complete a certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade. At the start of June, Anthony Higley started a School Based Apprenticeship in Certificate III in Engineering – Fixed and Mobile Plant Mechanic with Cram Fluid Power in Paget. Tasanee Chuadee started a School Based Traineeship at the end of June in Beauty Services at AM Lash and Beauty in Mackay. We congratulate these students and wish them well for their School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeships.

Toolkit for Girls 2022
On Wednesday, 8 June four (4) students from Mercy College: Jennifer Bloxsom, Charlotte Jones, Ishka Shepherd and Jorji Upton attended the workshop TOOLKIT FOR GIRLS that was held at the Mackay Engineering College (MEC) in Ooralea. Each school in the Mackay region was offered limited places for Year 10 students to attend the MEC. Mrs Vikki McGrath met the students on the day to settle them in and take photos. The one-day workshop gave these students an opportunity to experience a trade career and network with other students interested in a trade. Students participated in practicals for Manufacturing, Electro-technology and Automotive. For more information on similar courses and pathways offered at St Patrick’s College campus, students can speak with Ms Susan McKay, Careers Advisor, St Patrick’s College and Mercy College. 

Building life skills - Financial Literacy
According to Kelly (June, 2022, The Guardian), ‘Rising fuel, food and energy prices have people meticulously tracking their spending…to save money and beat soaring inflation’.
In Careers in Term 2, Year 10 students have been studying various aspects of money management such as payslips, budgets and entrepreneurs as part of the unit on Financial Literacy. Students reflected on their career goals and pathways to develop a Personal Financial Plan:
“I will have many expenses in the future, which makes a part-time job important to prepare for future expenses. As my goal is to get an apprenticeship, there are many expenses that come with this such as tools and a toolbox. This can range up to $3000 or more (Toolmart). Some more expenses would also be fuel and lunches…”, (excerpt) Year 10 student.  

Building life skills – Safe use of ICT
There is much discussion by parents/guardians, educators, researchers and students about the safe use of ICT. According to Grant, (February 2022, The Guardian) ‘By the age of four, 94 percent of Australian children have access to a digital device’. As part of the Year 7 Careers course, students explore the 7 Habits of highly effective teens. When learning about Habit 5 ‘Seek first to understand and then be understood’, students discuss how technology can encourage miscommunication and study appropriate ways to communicate using digital media. They read a text on the impact of screen time on learning and reflected on their own use of devices:
 “My parents have set time boundaries for me, where I am only allowed on my iPad or phone on weekends. I think it’s a good plan because it doesn’t affect my schoolwork, my sleep and I have more time. I make time for my schoolwork, and study if I need to... I think everyone should have time limits on technology and spend more time talking to people in real life and going outside more. With kids becoming smarter with technology every day, it brings more opportunities with future jobs”, (excerpt) Year 7 student. 

This week was the last week of compulsory Japanese for our Year 8 students. 

To end the Semester, students received replies to the letters they sent to Japan as part of their assignment last Term. Students were busy translating their letters and learning about their pen pal’s hobbies, family, likes and dislikes. 

They were also able to use Google Earth to locate their pen pal’s school and city which led to many great discussions about the similarities and differences between the Japanese way of life and their own.  

It was particularly great to see students use the language they have learned over the past year in a practical way and we hope they keep in touch with their pen pals into the future.

The Opening Mass and Ceremony kicks off the CQUniversity Carnivals on Sunday with over 2,500 people converging on the Mackay Showgrounds to celebrate Mass and enjoy some great entertainment from our combine college cultural groups.

Don’t forget to buy your ticket in our car raffle.  $20 per ticket with a maximum of 2,500 tickets being sold.  Winner will be drawn on Friday 1st July at the closing ceremony on the CQUniversity Confraternity Carnival.  You do not have to be there to win the car. 

All tickets are being sold online at www.raffletix.com.au/carnivalraffle2022 or alternatively you can scan the QR code.  Keep an eye out at the Carnivals as the car will be on display.  Terms and conditions apply and are available on the raffle website.

If you are interested in coming along and watching some great footy and netball and supporting your school, the CQUniversity Carnival draws are now available on our website.  Head to confro-qissn2022.com.au.  Or you can keep up to date with what is happening on our Facebook page.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help during the carnival.  We appreciate every single one of you.  Without the community support we would not be able to hold Carnivals of this size.

With the end of our Term approaching, I would like to thank all students, staff and parents/guardians for their constant support in our Cultural Program.  These last few weeks have been rather busy for us, with our Stage Band and Drum Corps performing at the Mackay show, and early morning rehearsals for our upcoming Confro Mass and next Term’s Rock Pop Mime.  Please keep an eye on Google Classroom for the upcoming Gig Guide, as rehearsals and performances will ramp up during Eisteddfod season. 

This year’s NAIDOC theme is Get up! Stand up! Show up! We have a proud history of getting up, standing up and showing up.

From the frontier wars and our earliest resistance fighters to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities fighting for change today — we continue to show up.

Now is our time. We cannot afford to lose momentum for change. We all must continue to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! for systemic change and keep rallying around our mob, our Elders, our communities.

Whether it’s seeking proper environmental, cultural and heritage protections, Constitutional change, a comprehensive process of truth-telling, working towards treaties, or calling out racism — we must do it together.

It must be a genuine commitment by all of us to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! and support and secure institutional, structural, collaborative, and cooperative reforms.

It’s also time to celebrate the many who have driven and led change in our communities over generations — they have been the heroes and champions of change, of equal rights and even basic human rights.

Getting Up, Standing Up, and Showing Up can take many forms.

To support this year’s theme Mercy Staff and student’s celebrated with several events from a staff High Tea to a sausage sizzle where students were able to try traditional meat such as crocodile and kangaroo.  The most exciting event for the student’s was the Indigenous students v’s teachers event; it was a close and exciting game of 4 - 4 !! Our indigenous students have claimed the Win having scored the first try!

Year 9 Economics and Business students were treated to a visit from the Activate Future Anything, Founder/Director Nicole Dyson on Monday 13 June. The students have been following the social enterprise stream of the Future Anything program, that involves project-based learning where students create a product/service based on the following driving question:

‘As an entrepreneur, pitch an innovative, scalable and sustainable business idea that makes the world a better place’.

During this lesson, students had the opportunity to receive feedback on their pitches from Nicole. Here is what the students thought:

‘I really enjoyed having Nicole come in. She gave me more tips on how to improve my product, taking it to the next level and polish it’. Libby Arnold

‘Nicole really helped our ideas and gave us lots of feedback to help us with our pitch’ - Tahlia Davey and Addyson Moohin

Also, the students presented their final showcase pitches this week in class, with guest judges in attendance. Below is a photo of Heath Paton from Heath Paton Hair for Men, and Steven Boxall, CEO of the Resources Centre of Excellence, with some students.
 
Earlier in the term, all three classes of 9 Economics and Business students received feedback from Future Anything Program Managers, Ruan van der Merwe and Kirstene Ciappara via Zoom video conferencing. 

Last Wednesday Mercy College had 5 teams compete across two competitions at the MECC. Twelve schools across Mackay and the surrounding district battled it out in the Robotics and Drone competitions. The Robotics Competition saw 2 of our teams compete in the Soccer Category – Archie Kynaston (Senior Soccer) and Aaron Greenwood & Hunter McGeary (Junior Soccer). Archie fought a hotly contested game to be pipped at the post and take out second overall. Aaron & Hunter came 4th overall in the soccer competition which saw them awarded first in the Junior Soccer category.

One team competed in the Rescue category taking out first in Senior Rescue. Some awesome triumphs for Amy Ewart and Izabella Thorp as they navigated the given courses to rescue a victim using an automated robot.

Matthew Keune and Darcy Edgerton (Junior Drones) and Clayton Grech and Clayton Woodrow (Senior Drones) competed in three challenges using drones to test their navigation and coding skills. Matt and Darcy came a very close second while team Claytons came first overall.

This annual STEM challenge has continued to grow each year with students being able to engage with industry on the competition day, testing out their skills using VR.  The F1 Challenge is also run, and while Mercy College did not enter a team this year, it is a great opportunity for our students to see the possibilities available.

A big thank you also to Mrs Cherie Hess and Mrs Aliceson Ramsay who gave up their time to help support our students in preparing for the competition. 

Volunteers are needed in the tuckshop. Monthly, fortnightly or weekly. Mums, dads, grandparents, relatives are all welcome. The hours are from 9am until 2.30pm. These hours are flexible. 9am till 12 is the busiest period. If you can only come for a couple of hours we would  be very appreciative. 

If you are interested in helping out, please contact Margaret Floyd on 4969 4199 or email margaret_floyd@rok.catholic.edu.au.