Our Year 9 students had a wonderful time recently at Camp Howqua. They undertook a range of activities, including Survivor, archery, waterslide, high ropes, disc golf, low ropes and flying fox. They extended themselves and met all challenges with courage and determination. The students showed great teamwork and collaboration, as well as individual resolve and bravery. It takes a lot to step outside of one's comfort zone, and our students were able to demonstrate this time and time again over the course of the camp. Well done to all! 

Thank you to the staff who accompanied the students on camp, your willingness to attend and support the students is much appreciated. Thank you also to our wonderful Year 9 students, for fully embracing all that the camp had to offer.

Student Amelia Bennett gives her reflection on camp:

Year 9 camp is a wonderful adventure full of excitement and joy. During this camp, you encounter new adventures and maybe even new friends. My experience during camp is filled with many loving memories that I will cherish in the years to come, I hope that every year 9 who goes to Sacred Heart gets to experience this as this was the best camp I have gone on. You can see how much time our teachers have taken out of their schedule to give the best camp they can.

If I had to pick one word to describe year 9 camp it would be thrilling. Before this camp, I had never even experienced high ropes which is now one of my favourite activities from the entire camp. 

For any future students who may be reading this I say give it a go, you never know until you try, because until you have taken that step into the unknown you may never know what it would be like to experience something until that opportunity is gone. You have the freedom to enjoy yourself so don’t give this up.

Sunny skies and clean waves at Woolamai beach (Phillip Island) greeted competitors for the 2024 Independent Surfing Titles last Friday 3 May 2024. Representing Sacred Heart were Cedar Davie 10SIARE, Darci Barker 10LOCEB, Ivy Burns 10NCR and Lila Burns 12LOGR. Unfortunately, the team could not complete the hat trick (having won the All Female competition the last two years), but finished a creditable second. Final results were: New Haven College 26.2, Sacred Heart College Geelong 19.4 and The Geelong College 13.1.

Lila Burns also surfed for and helped Saint Joseph's College Geelong win the Mixed Teams event. It was a decisive win by SJC with final scores: Saint Joseph's College Geelong 58.3, St Ignatius College 46.9, Newhaven College 43.7 and Padua College 35.5.

Thank you to parents Jason, Craig and Grant who assisted with transport and supported the team on the day. Thanks also for SHC Sports Coordinator Bianca Cheever for all her help and organisation leading up to the event.

Carl Tracey - Surfing Team Coach

On Tuesday 26 April, students travelled up the road to Melbourne to compete in the CGSAV Basketball Tournament. All teams showed great skill, teamwork, encouragement and sportsmanship throughout the day.

The Junior A finished 2^nd in a close Grand Final against St. Columbus. Jade Chow was presented with player of the match in the Grand Final. The Junior B team went on to win the Grand Final. Lyla Kenny was presented with player of the match in the Grand Final. The Intermediates battled in the Semi-final against St. Columbus, only narrowly missing out on the Grand final game. The Senior girls had tough competition and competed in all their games to finish 6^th overall.

It was a great effort by all students, and they should be proud of themselves. Thank you to staff Deb Bohan, Kara Shuttleworth and Tyler Reid for their great coaching on the day!

Juniors A:

Amelia Atanasov, Jade Chow, Ruby Doyle, Maggie McDonald, Kaeli Oliver, Sienna Schmidt, Harriett Taylor, Violet Miers, Ruby Tabone

Juniors B:

Mabel Allchin, Eloise Butcher, Marni Furness, Madeleine Leicester, Tia Sizer, Remy Sliwa, Amelia Jackson, Lila Butcher, Molly Brilliant, Lyla Kenny

Intermediates:

Olivia Iddles, Edwina McKenzie, Zara Young, Georgia Wall, Milla Browning, Maddie Cotter, Karla Boras, Evie Albones, Estelle Bompas, Elleischa Sizer

Seniors:

Zoe Crook, Maggie Gleeson, Sasha Young, Lila Burns, Bella O’Dwyer, Mekha Morrissy, Elly Hannam, Alicia McDonald, Ruby Healy

Congratulations to the following students who have been busy over the recent holidays competing in their respective sports:

Netball:

Mia Aitken (Year 11 Loyola)

Well done to Mia and her Victorian team taking away the Bronze medal in a game that went into overtime in the finals. Mia has also been selected in the U/17 National Squad. We wish Mia all the best. 

Athletics:

Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Adelaide

Jemima Hood (Year 8 Clairvaux)

U/15 100m 3rd in Heat

U/15 200m 4th in Heat

U/15 200m Hurdles GOLD SB

U/15 90m Hurdles GOLD SB

U/16 4x100m BRONZE

Samantha Miles (Year 8 Siena)

U/14 Discus BRONZE

U/14 Shot Put 4th

U/14 Hammer 4th

U/14 Javelin SILVER SB

Lily Corp (Year 10 Loyola)

U/18 100m 14th

Mia Rayson (Year 10 Padua)

U/17 400m 4th in Heat

Maggie Clatworthy (Year 11 Loyola)

U/18 3000m 12th SB

Surf Life Saving:

Well done to students who competed at the recent Australian Surf Life Saving Championships in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

We are very proud of all our students for their hard work, dedication and outstanding performances.

On Thursday 18 April, our junior students travelled up to Melbourne to compete in the Junior Basketball competition against Catholic girl’s colleges from around Victoria. All teams showed great skill, teamwork and encouragement throughout the day. The Junior A team finished 3^rd in a tight Semi-Final game, going down by 3 points. The Junior B team took out the Grand Final to win overall. Well done to Maja Prusac who won best on court in the Grand Final game.

Thank you to the coaches on the day - staff Kara Shuttleworth, Kylie Lane and Tyler Reid our trainee.

Here are some reports from players and coaches from each team:

Junior A:

It was an early morning to get up to Melbourne in time for round one. All students were buzzing at the start, with some experiencing secondary school sport for the first time. The program was jam packed with 6 x 30-minute games, plus finals throughout the day. The Junior A team started off strong and demonstrated teamwork, sportsmanship and great basketball ability. They all ran and ran and ran to win the first six games and finished on top of the ladder. When they got to the semi-final, unfortunately, the team lost by three points. – Kara Shuttleworth

Junior B:

Today SHC students travelled to Melbourne via a bus to compete in a series of basketball games against other schools. My team played really well – rebounds, passes, and shooting. In the end our team made it to the grand final and took the win. Overall, it was a fun day with success at the end. - Madeline Kennedy

TEAMS

Junior A: Mali Little, Molly Sweeney, Scarlet Farley, Amelia Di Mauro, Inaaya Popat, Olive Smith, Adelaide Buckby

Junior B: Lily Cain, Madeline Kennedy, Amelia Naylor, Ayla Nikolovski, Maja Pursac, Amelia Rutter, Ava D’Orsa-Kerr, Lily Hughes

On Tuesday 30 April, Sacred Heart College entered a Senior hockey team in the CGSAV Hockey Competition, made up of students from Years 7 to 12. It was fantastic to see the teamwork from all students during the day, but most of all they were having fun.

Sacred Heart competed against Ave Maria, CLC and SHC Oakleigh in the Division 2 competition, with Sacred Heart winning the competition overall. Congratulations to Ivy Renouf for winning the Best on Field in the Grand Final. Well done to all students and a big thank you to staff Claire Breed for coaching the team, with the assistance of trainee Tyler Reid.

SHC Team:

Scarlett Birrell, Isabella Bradbury, Georgia Pritchard, Ivy Renouf, Amelia Shell, Amber Quick, Mia Perry, Alice Walsh, Zoey Skyes, Peral del Silva, Sarah Lenehan, Daisy Closhey, Myla Stapleton, Reese Liston, Emma Henderson, Kayla Murphy, Camryn Hester

On Wednesday 22 May, SHC students and staff ran or walked the picturesque cross-country track around our school grounds. The day presented true cross country conditions. Years 7-10 saw all the Year level taking part, whilst Years 11 and 12 volunteered.

Those who finished in the top 10 in Year 7-12 received 1 individual house point. Our spot prize draw for prizes after medal presentations for each year level enabled students who crossed the line in the first 100 to be eligible for a prize. Hopefully this added to the fun and physical activity for all competitors.

Congratulations to all who completed the 3km course either running or walking. Thank you to all staff and assistants who helped and supported across the day.

Top 10 for each Year level were as follows:

YEAR 7

YEAR 8

YEAR 9

YEAR 10

YEAR 11

YEAR 12

Friday 18 May marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). Throughout this week, Sacred Heart College has integrated a range of activities and discussions to emphasise the importance of this day.

On Thursday, there were many activities undertaken at lunchtime on St Stephens' Green, in celebration of this important day. Students and staff were invited to partake in beading, badge making and colouring in, and there was music and a selfie board, which was embazoned with the words, "I Stand Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination".

Mentor Groups made pledges in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, which included the following:

We pledge to be an ally to all LGBTQIA+ people and respect their pronouns/identity – SITMO

We pledge to always show respect to our LGBTQIA+ peers and community – CLSTC

We pledge to treat everyone equally with respect no matter their sexuality or identity – PABHO

We pledge to shut down transphobic and homophobic language and behaviour – LOSPL