Cocurricular Clubs

Bougainvillea Retirement Village Showcase

Last Thursday, a group of Redlands performers and musicians visited Bougainvillea Retirement Village, where they put on a heartwarming showcase for the residents. The students’ performances filled the afternoon with joy and highlighted both their artistic talents and their compassion for the community.
Millie McDonald and Lily Thompson did a fantastic job as MCs, engaging the audience with trivia and creating a lively atmosphere. Their performance of City of Stars was a shining moment, showcasing their charm and stage presence.
Eliza Chang and Emma Reynolds captivated everyone with their duet, My Hero, while Megan Kirkpatrick opened the showcase with her heartfelt rendition of Out of Love. Tara Ward took us on a nostalgic journey with Journey to the Past, demonstrating her storytelling ability through music.

The showcase featured a variety of further performances, including Remie Gibbs’ enchanting Paper Moon tap dance and Betti Butcher’s touching I Know You. Daniel Koppers impressed with both Andante and Raindrop Prelude, showcasing his technical piano skills.

Jessica Jackson engaged the audience with Everybody’s Blues, and Matilda Hayes and Olive Green delighted the audience with their Cranberries acoustic cover. Ava Atkinson demonstrated her artistry with Air Varié, while Sahara Nicholas moved us with her rendition of She Used to Be Mine.

Leo Campbell added a classic touch with Fly Me to the Moon, and Edward Chang closed the musical segment with Salut d’Amour, leaving a lasting impression on all.

A special thank you to our Redlands Bougainvillea Supervisors, Alissa Ynson and Kate Moore for their support in making this event possible, and to Year 12 student Betti Butcher for her assistance and with organising all the student performances and program.

This showcase highlighted not just individual talents but also the spirit of community and connection that music fosters.

Thank you to all the performers for sharing their gifts and making the evening truly special!

Australian Individual and Debating Public Speaking Championships & Speakfest

How convincing could you be with only 2 minutes to prepare for a randomly selected topic? Could you captivate an audience with a 9-minute interpretative reading or work seamlessly with a new partner to argue a topic with only 45 minutes of preparation? These are the types of challenges faced by our Redlands students during this week’s Australian Individual and Debating Public Speaking Championships (AIDPSC) and Speakfest in Brisbane, and they rose to the occasion with great enthusiasm and skill.

Year 11 students Eleanor Blankenstein, Jesse Forrest, Hiro Phillips, and Sophie Yu represented Redlands for the first time at AIDPSC, where the winners go on to represent Australia at the World Championships. Meanwhile, Year 8 students Paige Barnett, Aimee Kang, Fergus Kerr, and Liv Law participated in Speakfest, the junior division. Across a few days of competition, students delivered interpretative readings of fiction, engaged in parliamentary-style debates, gave impromptu speeches with just two minutes of preparation, and presented persuasive or after-dinner speeches they had prepared beforehand.

The competition was intense, with many students going up against peers who had attended this event multiple times. Despite this, our students handled the pressure with composure and confidence. Their ability to communicate effectively, think critically, and adapt quickly was on full display, and it’s clear that the experience has only strengthened their public speaking skills.

While the competition itself was demanding, students had the opportunity to explore Brisbane, enjoy the city’s sights, and unwind with an evening of barefoot bowls. The camaraderie that developed within the group was one of the highlights of the trip, creating lasting memories both on and off the stage.

Special congratulations to Jesse Forrest for his 4th place finish in the after-dinner speech category and to Sophie Yu, who placed 7th in debating and 14th overall. In Speakfest, Fergus Kerr took 3rd place in the persuasive speech section, and Aimee Kang finished 15th overall – impressive accomplishments for all, especially considering the high level of competition.

A special thanks to Ms Vyvian Kang for coordinating the tour, as well as to Mr Jimmy Tod-Hill and Ms Claudia Zaferis for their invaluable support and supervision throughout the event. Their guidance and encouragement helped make the trip a rewarding experience for everyone involved.

Stitching Success In Textiles Club

This week in Textiles Club, Ivy Abenino (Year 7) and Ivy Flatman (Year 8) completed a pair of pajama shorts and pants. Both students have shown great dedication, learning new skills such as threading a sewing machine, sewing different stitches, using the overlocker, and reading a pattern.

The other members of the Textiles Club are also working hard on their own pyjama projects. With continued progress, a few more finished pieces are expected at the start of next term.

It’s been a productive and rewarding term for all students in the club, with more accomplishments to come.

A big thank you to Ms Lauren Costello, our Textiles Club Supervisor, for her exceptional support and guidance of the Textiles Club students throughout the term.

Textiles Club occurs every Thursday at lunchtime in LH 1.6. All students welcome!

Start Up Success 

The Start-up Bootcamp Pitch Evening last Wednesday night was a showcase of our students’ creativity, innovation, and drive to make a difference. Each student took to the stage to present their vision, addressing diverse problems and opportunities with entrepreneurial flair.

Loukas Veryinis kicked off with his concept of video shorts tailored for investors. His idea focused on bridging the gap between startups and potential investors, offering concise yet impactful presentations to spark interest.

Josh Dubowsky introduced a gamified platform to enhance financial literacy among high school students, combining education with engagement to equip young people with essential life skills.

Hugo Christy presented DIY Rides, a rim repair kit for car enthusiasts, showing an inventive approach to solving common automotive issues at home. Similarly, Hugo McDonald impressed the audience with “The Better Battery,” a battery design that can be disassembled into repairable parts—highlighting the importance of sustainability.

Rafael Rolon brought in a fitness angle with Fit Happens, an app that promotes group-based physical activities, reminding us all of the power of community in staying active.

Brodie Howes tackled the car-buying process with his Car Selection Companion, helping users make more informed decisions when purchasing a vehicle. Continuing with personal well-being, India Dutton unveiled Balance Buddy, an app focusing on the holistic integration of exercise, health, and mindfulness, a timely reminder of the need for balance in our lives.

Eddie Williams brought us back to marketing basics with EW Marketing, emphasising the importance of focusing on local communities when building a brand.

In the sustainability space, Georgia Grace addressed food waste with BiteWise, an application that helps reduce food waste at home, marrying technology with everyday practices.

The evening closed with two student-led ventures aimed at different markets. Charlie Willson introduced EarlyBird, a platform offering employment opportunities for teens, while William Thomson envisioned Sapphire, a video editing solution he deemed the future of the industry.

These students have demonstrated not only the ability to think creatively but also to respond to real-world challenges. Their dedication to developing these ideas is a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit, and we are eager to see how these projects evolve. A big thank you to Ms Liz Green, Ms Meagan Barr and all the staff who assisted in organising the event and to the students who worked tirelessly to bring their pitches to life.

Nick Walker
Coordinator of Activities
nwalker@redlands.nsw.edu.au