Year 11

Student Achievement

Congratulations to Ora Bella Cornelius and her Acrobatics Trio who were the overall bronze medalists at the 2022 Australian Gymnastics Championship in the Acrobatics Level 9 Womens Trio competition. This is an amazing achievement! 

Well done to Samantha Hely and Lachlan Binnekamp who represented the Secondary School at the Junior Campus Open Morning. Both students spoke to parents, staff and executive about their experience and transition from the Prep and Junior Schools to the Secondary School as long-standing Redlands students.

Call for Climate Strike Reflection Speech – Sophia Lark 

Sophia Lark spoke to the Yr 11 cohort at our Year Assembly this week about the ‘Climate Strike’ which recently took place in the City of Sydney. Sophia, along with Lourdes Moya-Jones, Elena Parker, Fedora Hamori, Lily Hobbs, Phoebe Vandekreeke, Jenna O’Reilly and Marina Viese Vivaldi participated in the ‘Strike for Climate’ which demands that our politicians take our future seriously and treat climate change as what it is: a crisis.​ Sophia, Lourdes, Elena and Fedora were featured in an article by News.com.au, Uprising’: Greens leader joins school student climate protest’  which quoted Sophia saying that “We don’t have a voice, but this is how we get one,” Ms Lark said and that “We’re really relying on other people to vote on our behalf in order for us to have a future.”

Below is the speech which Sophia presented to Yr 11: 

Good morning Yr 11, as some of you know, we had a Yr 11 group go on the climate strike! This strike was such a fantastic experience; we had the opportunity to hear from traditional landowners about the impacts of the coal mining industry on their lands and the nurses’ and midwives association about how climate change affects the health industry. We heard from young children from Lismore, who were six and eight, about how their homes were destroyed, how deeply their family, school, friends and childhoods were damaged – and why there needs to be change. There were bands who performed, people who shared their stories, and people who listened and raised their voices too. As we walked through the city with over 5000 people, it laid testament to the power of the young people and how we will make our voices heard. And we definitely did, as we stood outside the Liberal HQ, joined together, and promptly blasted music, listened to speeches, and provided some lovely chalk decorations to the road and walls! We also had the opportunity to connect with other young climate activists around Sydney!

One thing I have taken away from this is the fact that climate change affects everything, and everything affects climate change! Now that seems simple, an obvious fact, but I want everyone to understand that while standing up here and giving speeches, attending strikes, and the environment club may not be your cup of tea, you can all make a change in areas you are passionate about. Because without addressing the current health crisis, the lack of sustainable building materials, the economy, the law, the forestry/land management industries, current conflicts, coral reef bleaching, animal abuse, the way we view history, the impacts of COVID-19, machines, technology, how businesses are run, how we support and value those in need, and so on, we will not see change regarding our climate.

If we do not lift up the voices of artists of all kinds, we will not challenge the way we think, feel, and see, which desperately needs to be challenged. We will not see a shift from the stigma of pursuing a career or even an education in the arts and humanities, which deserves more recognition for its role in shaping society, and the hard work, pure dedication, and community cultivated in this sector. If we do not support arising athletes, we will not see a shift in the sporting industry’s often toxic and taxing environment, nor the shift that sport should not be seen as a commodity but rather a space full of talented, passionate and hardworking people. If we do not support each other and ourselves and challenge the way our system currently works, we will not see cases of mental health issues in teenagers lessen. Something I, and all of you, are affected by each day.

What I want you to take out of this is that you should do what you are passionate about at the end of the day. And, assuming you aim to make the world a better place, and I hope all of you are, everything counts, and everything is connected. Please use your skills to lift yourself and others up, to change what needs to be changed. And something I can promise you is that change will happen. 

Well done to Sophia for presenting her reflection on the ‘Stike for Climate’ at the Year Assembly and to Lourdes, Elena, Fedora, Marina, Lily, Jenna and Phoebe for their participation in the strike and for being the voice of our future generations. 

Uniform Blitz 

This week, the Secondary School had a uniform blitz. It is important that all Yr 11 students wear their blazers to and from school and that the Winter uniform is to be worn. Hoodies are not permitted to be worn at school and students are not to wear sports uniform during the day at school. Dress hems need to come down to the knees and no jewellery is to be worn at school. 

Mr Nicholas Walker
Yr 11 Year Advisor
nwalker@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133