Year 9
Yr 9 Christmas Challenge
Last week, Yr 9 participated in an experience project where we were challenged to improve the Christmas experience for people who struggle to enjoy the holiday season. One of the student devised pitches was around the concept of gift boxes for women at Bayside Women’s Shelter. While children are typically the sole focus at Christmas time, we wanted to let women know that we see them and that they too are deserving of some luxuries.
We have been confronted by the recent stories and shocking statistics in the media about the number of women who experience domestic violence and abuse. This is an issue that impacts everyone, from every socio-economic background, every cultural and linguistic group and every age. We want to play some small part in acknowledging the situation and turn feeling helpless about it into feeling empowered to act.
To deliver on this project, we are asking for help from the Redlands community. We are asking you to donate so we can create our carefully curated gift boxes and deliver them to women at Bayside. Our boxes will include some of the essentials and some special items to make these women feel valued and provide them with gifts that they most likely wouldn’t be able to buy for themselves.
Redlands will collect the funds on our behalf and then we will use the money to create the gift boxes we have devised. We will then personally deliver the boxes to Bayside.
With thanks,
Yr 9 Redlands students
Project Rockit Workshop
On Wednesday 15 November, Year 9 welcomed the team from Project Rockit.
Who are Project Rockit?
Project Rockit is a nationwide grassroots movement of young people united to build a world where kindness and respect thrive over bullying, hate and prejudice.
Their school workshops are designed to support students, bringing young and passionate presenters to Redlands for a high impact learning experience.
Last time Project Rockit visited Redlands, they worked with our current Year 12 students when they were in Year 9. Year 12 had a fantastic experience.
Year 9 were asked to follow these engagement expectations:
1. Engage with your presenters by giving them your eyes and ears
2. Listen with open hearts and minds
3. Contribute with your voices
The Yr 9 Program Details – Rewrite
The Rewrite program is a powerful development opportunity for senior students to develop literacy and understand how they can take action on diversity, prejudice, discrimination and unconscious bias.
As part of this workshop, students were presented with this prompt: “Each one of us has the potential to create real change in the world, by choosing to challenge prejudice everyday.” In response, Year 9 students enthusiastically tackled stereotypes and prejudice, holding a mirror to themselves and considering how they might work collectively towards addressing these in a way that’s bold and inclusive.
Why Creating and Maintaining Healthy Relationships Is Important
This week during Tutor time, Year 9 students have been delving into why building and sustaining healthy relationships is important to student wellbeing and social and emotional development.
Below is a sample of the questions students brainstormed as a group, creating visible lists around the classroom:
1. What is a respectful relationship?
2. What are the qualities of a good person?
3. What are the qualities you (or someone you know) look for in a friend?
4. What are your rights and responsibilities as a part of a family?
5. What rights and responsibilities do you have in a relationship?
Important Dates
Week 9
Tuesday 5 December Last Full Day of Term 4
Wednesday 6 December: Speech Night
Mrs Lucienne Willis
Yr 9 Advisor
lwillis@redlands.nsw.edu.au