This week we have had the privilege of hosting students from Seirei Women’s Junior College, our sister school in Japan. It is the first time we have been able to do this since 2018 and we were filled with excitement to once again share in the joy of this experience. Accompanied by Mr Kudo Sensei and Ms Sanchez Sensei and tour guide Ms Takako Oshika the students have fully immersed themselves in this experience. I would like to thank the teachers from Japan, who have accompanied the students, for their generosity and participation in all of the programs offered. They fully immersed themselves in all on offer at school and with their homestay families.
The OLMC students and their Japanese guests greeted each other with such excitement, keen to reunite with each other since OLMC’s trip to Japan earlier this year. The excitement in the College is tangible as students were welcomed into classes with their host sisters and joined in a range of activities including a trip to Healesville Sanctuary. Next week they travel to Sacred Heart College Geelong, where they will reunite with the students they met on the trip to Japan and enjoy the surf coast.
Thank you to the families who have hosted the students from Japan. I hope that your family has gained some enrichment through learning about Japan, its culture and language. Without your generosity this would not be possible and so we are truly grateful. Mr James Stavretis, Ms Cenza Basile and Ms Sally Durant have also given very generously of their time in both supporting and organising the program and host families.
Last week Year 8 students attended camp. Despite the cold and wet weather, they were able to enjoy a chance to challenge themselves with new activities while getting to know each other and their teachers a little better. The staff have spoken in glowing terms of their enthusiasm and participation. They engaged with every activity and spoke enthusiastically about all the activities they were trying.
Congratulations to Gemma R 9MKY, who has been selected for a squad of 16 players invited to participate in the 2024 Nike Premier Cup, an Under-15 girls tournament taking place in the USA from Monday 22 July. The team will face the ultimate test against some of the world’s very best junior talent. We wish Gemma every success in what will be an amazing opportunity.
Term 3 is an important one for making decisions. Almost everyone is contemplating where they want to be and what they hope to achieve in 2025. It is also a term with so many important community events. House Arts and the Celebration Concert will be upon us soon, as will Mercy Day. These are all occasions when we share in an enormous amount of fun as we watch so many of our students shine. The theme of this year, ‘Varieties of gifts, but the same spirit’ (1 Corinthians 12:4), could not be more appropriate for the full range of opportunities for students to share their many gifts and talents this term.
On Friday 30 August OLMC is honoured to host the annual Frayne Speech Competition. This is a competition between Mercy Education Limited Schools and affiliates. OLMC will welcome over 100 students and almost 50 staff to participate in Public Speaking, Debating and Voice Choir competitions. In addition to competing, many OLMC students will also be engaged in hosting duties.
We have certainly hit the ground running this term with a number of important events in the first two weeks. We look forward to another busy but successful and rewarding term.