Building Futures - Merici College

Community ForumCo-curricular ActivitiesA Busy time for DanceSenior students also performed aFlash Mob (impromptu dance) forgirls eating their lunch in the OldQuad. It was a hoot!Dance students have been involvedin many activities over the last term.In May we celebrated Dance Weekwith a free lunchtime concert whichshowcased the wonderful workhappening in our dance classes.On Saturday 7 of May, dancers alsoparticipated in an Ausdance ACT eventat the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets.Our senior students, Gabi Ide,Georgia Wood and Freya McGarrydazzled the crowd with theirmusical theatre routines, and juniorstudents also enjoyed performing forthe lively crowd.Also in May, the senior dance classestravelled to Sydney. The highlight ofthe trip was participating in workshopsat Brent Street and Sydney danceCompany studios and seeing themusical Mary Poppins. There was eventime for a bit of retail therapy!Currently, Year 10 students, JessicaBoyton, Athanasia Kanellopoulos,Louisa Huon and MaddisonMcDonald have been working withme on a project to help St Gregory’sschool in Queanbeyan choreographtheir Wakakirri entry. The girls haveenjoyed working with the Year 5students and have visited the schooltwice so far to teach the excited littlies!There will be no rest for Dancestudents next semester as Year 10, 11and 12 classes all have DanceFestival entries to prepare – but thatis a report for a future edition ofBuilding Futures.Liza LairdDance TeacherPenola House CoordinatorYou’re never too old tolearn new tricks!Sport and Recreation is a two-yearvocational course that students canelect to undertake at the beginningof Year 10 or Year 11. The unitenables students to achieve units ofcompetency recognised by theBSSS and National TrainingOrganisation Packages.This semester students have beenstudying Sports Administration14and Management including boththeoretical and practical components.The keen sports enthusiasts havesuccessfully conducted many differentevents over this time. The MiniMighty Sports Gala for students fromlocal primary schools included runningthem through various sportingactivities and challenges. Students alsoofficiated at the YMCA Seniors SportsCarnival; here they liaised with SportsAdministration students from CITin running inclusive games for seniorcitizens from across Canberra. On topof this fun and excitement, studentshave been participating in a practicalcourse run by Synergy Self-defence.The dynamic sessions were fantasticin building the girls’ confidence andteaching them defensive skills andstrategies if ever they find themselvesin unfamiliar and potentiallythreateningsituations.The highlight this semester wasworking closely with elderlyparticipants from Goodwin VillageNursing Home. The experience somestudents found initially daunting;