Hello All,
We are both competing for the MSJ snow sports team. In August, we will represent MSJ at Mt. Buller in the Victorian Interschool Snow Sports competition.
We are both really excited that Stella Ligudzinski, Year 7, will be joining the team this year. Bridie and Stella both ski and Ciara snowboards. We are hoping to build our MSJ snow sports team so if you are a competent skier or snowboarder, you can compete both individually or as a team. If you are lucky enough to make the top 20, you can progress to nationals. There are multiple races; ski and snowboard cross, giant slalom, moguls, cross country and slopestyle.
Be sure to contact Ethan Wright, Sports and Co-curricular Leader - ewright@msj.vic.edu.au if you are interested or have any further questions.
Bridie and Ciara O’Connor
Over the last few weeks, the Year 12 Outdoor Education Environmental Studies has been on a number of adventurous and educational camps.
The Year 12 Outdoor Education Environmental Studies students went to Wilsons Promontory. It was a four-hour bus ride - we left bright and early and when we got there, it was pouring rain. We put our bathers on and went straight to surfing; we all stood up and had a great time. When we got back, it was time for showers and then we were able to cook dinner.
On the second day, we woke up at 6am. As the day progressed, we had a Ranger talk to us about the flora and fauna that resides at Wilsons Promontory and Darby River. We also learnt about the Park and its history and how it has changed over time. Following this talk, we went on a 9.4km hike from Darby Saddle Carpark, through Tongue Point back to Darby River. We hiked through mountains and down to the beach. It was such beautiful scenery and an unforgettable experience that made the hiking experience all worth it.
On the final day, we woke up early and started the day off with breakfast on the bus. We packed up the campsite leaving no trace of us camping before it rained, packed the bus and got dressed, ready for the day. As we all piled onto the bus, we were on our way to the nature walk. When we got there and began the walk, we saw a wombat, a kangaroo and a variety of flora. After this, we got back onto the bus and started to make our way back home. Because we left early, we were fortunate enough to stop at Korumburra and had lunch there. After an hour of eating and partly exploring the town, we hopped back on the bus and headed home.
Ultimately, our experience at Wilsons Promontory was one of a kind, with crazy weather and up close and personal wildlife experiences. The Year 12 Outdoor Environmental Studies class had the time of their lives and made the best of the challenging conditions.
By Ruby Restelli, Olivia Bordieri, Jasmine Johnson, Isabella Corallo and Jade Pruscino
The Year 12 Outdoor Environmental Studies class headed off to Phillip Island with a focus on contemporary societal relationships with outdoor environments. On the first day, we visited a Dairy Farm allowing us to unpack our learning in contemporary relationships with the outdoors. We then ventured to our campsite in Cowes Phillip Island where we then set up our tents, put on our bathers and headed for the surf. The two hour surf lesson at Smith Beach allowed us to gain a broader understanding of recreational relationships with the outdoors.
The next day, we were up bright and early ready for another surf lesson. It was a bit fresh but that didn’t stop us from catching some waves. We surfed for the entirety of the session while watching the sunrise from our boards. We then headed back to the campsite to freshen up. We spent our lunchtime enjoying bakery goods from the local town of Cowes, looking at commercialisation in outdoor environments. Mr Farley told us then it was time for our next VCE ranger talk, where we learnt about Conservation, Biological Isolation and Indigenous relationships of Australian landscapes including native flora and fauna. This enabled us to have a deeper understanding of the content being learnt in class. That night, we can all agree was the highlight of the trip, as we watched the little penguins waddle up the shore of the beach. Phillip Islands Parks enriched our understanding on preservation and conservation of native animals in Victoria.
The final morning involved packing up the tents and packing the bus. We were all exhausted and ready to sleep in our own beds. We had breaky in town supporting small local businesses before making our way home.
Year 12 Outdoor Education Environmental Studies
Bright and early on 3 May, 29 MSJ girls set off to compete in the SCSA Badminton competition held at MSAC, accompanied by Mr Wright, Ms Hawkins and Gemma Srijan, a former MSJ student who volunteered to oversee the day and coach the girls.
Despite the morning traffic jam and a little detour along the way, we arrived full of energy to play some badminton. However, we were thwarted by the timetable, which declared MSJ to have a bye in the first round, but no fear, we took advantage of the extra 30 minutes to properly warm up and dust off the cobwebs. The remainder of the day then flew by in a blur, with much sweat shed at the expense of countless shuttlecocks being destroyed by powerful smashes across the net.
Whenever we weren’t on court, we would be passionately cheering on our teammates, who were so focused yet also enjoying every moment. We showed great sportsmanship after every game, shaking hands with our opponents and acknowledging the effort from both sides. It was especially great to see familiar faces after a year’s break and noticing how much everyone had improved in their own way.
The day drew to an end with an exciting grand final played between our senior team and Killester. With a margin of 3 points, we came runners up, but also took first place on the overall scoring ladder. Our intermediates and juniors also made an excellent effort, both finishing fourth on the overall ladder. We left MSAC feeling very proud of ourselves and adrenaline pumping through our veins that lasted long after the last shuttle hit the ground.
By Vivian Wei, Year 12
Thirty kilometres, thirty-four students, and three days later, it is with great pride and joy that we would like to announce that the 2021 Year 11 Outdoor Environmental Studies and Silver Duke of Edinburgh students completed their first hiking camp of the year.
The camp started at Blanket Bay Campground, a midway point of the much longer 100km Great Ocean Walk. The hike itself has stunning views all-around and our days were made monumental with Ms Steward leading a meditation session halfway through the hike, and Mr Wright explaining how to spot a rip, as well as snake sightings.
For the Outdoor Education students, it was a marvellous way to apply our in-class learning to our environment. We hiked along a coastal environment which allowed us to discover native flora such as the Pink Bindweed, Skirt Webcap and encounter native wildlife such as koalas, native snakes, and wallabies. We experienced first-hand different responses to outdoor environments, as well as further exploring the different motivations for partaking in outdoor activities. For the Duke of Edinburgh girls, it was another step closer to gaining their Silver award and another way to challenge themselves.
We would like to express our gratitude to the six wonderful staff members who accompanied us; Ms Steward, Ms Jones, Ms Bourke, Ms Bowring, Mr Farley, and Mr Wright who took time out of their busy lives to come hiking and care for us for three days. In particular, we would like to extend a huge thank you to Mr Farley and Ms Bowring for organising our hike and providing all-around good vibes.
By Jenni Putter and Sarah Price
