No one can complain of boredom when ParticipACTION Week come around at BSSC.
As the shortest day looms and Semester Two gets under way, BSSC changes focus for a week. “ParticipACTION Week was introduced several years ago to help students recharge their batteries and gear-up for the second half of the year,” Student Wellbeing Manager Kylie Hand said. “It allows students to meet new people, get involved with their peers, and have a chance to unwind and relax after what has been a very busy, sometimes stressful, exam period.”
At Monday’s assembly in the Ulumbarra Theatre, Principal Linda Lyons announced there were 18 weeks, 3 days, 19 hours, 28 minutes and 35 seconds until the last day for Year 12s. She encouraged students to make every minute count as they launch into the last semester of their secondary schooling.
“Balancing sleep, good food, exercise and positive study practices gives you the best chance of doing well,” she told students. “Seeking support when it’s needed is also a critical, and all of our teachers are there ready to help you.”
But ParticipACTION Week is about ‘doing stuff’, and it all started at lunchtime on Monday with the annual netball grudge-match between staff and students. Fuelled by chocolate and desperation, the staff got over the line (according to the scoreboard) and kept their reputations somewhat intact.
Throughout the week, bands, ensembles and solo singers took to the Ulumbarra Plaza stage at recess and lunchtime, filling the college with music.
The Wednesday lunchtime session called ‘Sing Like No One Can Hear You’ saw students and staff find their collective voice, belting out popular tunes such as Wonderwall, Allstar and Seven Nation Army. Delicious free food made by hospitality students and staff disappeared quickly.
Other events for the week included a futsal round robin competition, lunchtime screenings of the evergreen F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (with popcorn!), Hunger Games that tested student’s skill—and capacity to ingest sugar, board games in the library, science experiments, table tennis… and more.
“The live music has been a huge hit,” Student Activities Coordinator Carli Spence said. “It culminated on Friday with ‘BSSC’s Got Talent’ held over lunchtime in the Ulumbarra Theatre. It’s such a great showcase of our incredibly talented students.”
This year’s winner was Boys Light Up (Sean Nudl, Rhyley McGrath, Sam Noske, Mitchell Hartman and Pat Barton-Grace) who played a mash-up of Iron Maiden, Rage Against the Machine, and Australian Crawl.
