From under the southern sky, reach for the stars - Year Level Update - Year 7

Saint Ignatius in his writings calls us to strive for the Magis- the more. We aim to support students in striving for their personal best in all their endeavours.

Wednesday afternoons have traditionally been a time where students are given opportunities to represent the school in sport.

In 2021, a working party was formed to create a new program for Year 7 and 8 students called “Cura Personalis.”

Cura Personalis is a Latin term that refers to the care of the whole person. This program is in its inaugural year and operates on a Wednesday afternoon.

It has two components. Students participate in a personal development program as a homeroom for some weeks and for 6 weeks every term, they get to choose from a range of sports and activities to enhance their growth as a whole person.

Coordinating 500 students is a logistical challenge and I would like to thank Mr Andrew Philp and Ms Emma Cuthill for doing such a stellar job. This program has been well received by the students and sets us apart in the Geelong region.

The following student responses say a lot about the value of this program.

Regards

Ms Leonie O’Brien | Year 7 Coordinator.

Student Reflections on the Cura Personalis Program.

I have recently been doing Circus. To start off we learnt some tricks and then went into CircArts to develop more skills. To finish off we are creating a routine to show off our work and are going to perform these. I have really enjoyed doing Circus and I am looking forward to the other activities.

Imogen Payne 7 Coudere

For Cura Personalis I have been crafting with clay. For the first lesson we planned for what we were going to make, the second lesson we got our clay and started making

our ideas into real amazing clay designs. I loved how we were free to do what we really wanted to do and all of the tools and tips they gave us!

Lucinda Zuidema 7 Coudere

The Cura Personalis Program has been great the past few terms. I love how you get a wide range of selections you can choose from, and the freedom is amazing. You can really make your path in things that you are passionate about without having to worry about people pressuring you, or being afraid that the teachers and students do not like you or feel as if you're being judged for what you're doing because it's such an open welcoming space where people can do their best interests with peace.

I have met so many new people during Cura Personalis and it's amazing to see how many people you share interests with. Not only can you join things that you know, but you can also discover and try new things.

I picked up a hobby from my first Cura Personalis session which was textiles, and I'm also trying to join CircArts, which I was introduced to by joining 'Clowning Around'.

Rihanna Mercieca 7 Lewis

For Cura Personalis last Semester, I participated in textiles, fishing and crafting with cards. All of these were really fun and enjoyable because I got to meet lots of different people and even made a few new friends. This Semester I am doing basketball, and even though most of the people I'm not good friends with, I am still able to try my best. Now there are a few more faces that I can say I know! All of the four things I have done for Cura Personalis, I haven't had my friends in, but I still enjoyed them all. I am really looking forward to playing more games at other places and giving it a try.

Zoe Nyga 7 Ward