31 May 2021

Newsletter Articles

For more info please see the school calendar

From the Principal

Dear Helensvale State High School Community

Dear Helensvale State High School community,

With our ‘One Community’ philosophy, we recognise the importance of building partnerships not only within our community, but in the wider community. We have a very strong partnership with the University of Queensland and the IMPACT Centre, which brings wonderful opportunities for our students, as demonstrated in the below article published by InQueensland.

InQueensland’s Media Academy is a partnership involving Education Queensland and UQ, teaching high school students about critical thinking and the journalism skills needed to develop the next generation of public interest journalists.

We're investing in the future of Queensland's public interest journalism

Media Academy

The InQueensland Media Academy gives young people a platform while also helping to promote critical thinking and media literacy. -Sean Parnell

A Gold Coast student and member of the InQueensland Media Academy at work.

InQueensland, the state’s only truly independent, high-quality news service has partnered with Education Queensland’s IMPACT Centre and the University of Queensland to establish an exciting new initiative to engage with students across the state.

From today, readers of InQueensland will benefit from the perspective of teenaged reporters writing about the issues and events that not only interest them, but matter to their communities and generation.

Students from 14 Queensland schools have already participated in the program, with another four schools currently working to deadlines. A selection of their articles has been published on InQueensland and will be regularly updated – and free to read.

“InQueensland has its very foundations in the importance of independent, unbiased public interest journalism, and we see this initiative as a valuable addition,” said InQueensland Editor and Publisher Peter Atkinson.

“It’s about giving a voice to intelligent, passionate young Queenslanders and, hopefully, giving them the mentorship and incentive to pursue a career in journalism.”

Glen Watt, director of the IMPACT Centre, said students also benefitted from the program.

“The students’ confidence and willingness to contribute also improves as they connect to each other, our expert teachers and experts from industry,” said Watt, who oversees a range of programs offered by the centre.

“They crave this type of connection – where it’s regular, meaningful and developmental, and their location is no barrier.

“It’s also a very effective way for industry and tertiary partners to scale up a worthy cause. The IMPACT Centre team co-designs programs with the best minds in Queensland and connects experts with students and teachers from over 200 schools right across the state.”

Professor Deborah Brown, director of the UQ Critical Thinking Project, said the program was “about giving young people that voice and reminding us that what we choose and do as a society affects them and their future, and for that we must be held to account”.

This meant “encouraging young people to critically question sources of information they are bombarded with, to see how their thinking is ‘framed’ by how news media is filtered and presented, to learn to write for a public audience with integrity and for the public good rather than just produce click-bait”.

“These are lofty enough goals, but there is more,” said Brown, a philosophy professor.

“This academy is about helping to prepare young people to participate fully as citizens in a deliberative democracy where the ideals of public reason—that every person’s reasoned perspective deserves to be heard and that policy decisions need to be acceptable to all those whom they affect—are paramount. This program is about giving young people that voice and reminding us that what we choose and do as a society affects them and their future, and for that we must be held to account.”

Award-winning foreign correspondent Peter Greste, now the UNESCO Chair in Journalism and Communications at UQ, said the program helped empower young people and could help them forge new career paths.

“The idea behind the Media Academy was to give students a chance to use their curiosity and creativity for something practical,” Greste said.

“As a journalist, I know how much fun it is to follow your nose and tell stories, and, when it make a difference, it is also incredibly empowering.”

Greste said he was pleased to see more independent journalism being published, and felt InQueensland was the “perfect” platform for young people.

“It is an authoritative, independent news service with exactly the same state-wide footprint as the IMPACT Centre and UQ, and the vision to see the value in this idea,” Greste said.

The academy is being launched today at an event in Brisbane. Anyone interested in participating in, or supporting, the program can contact the IMPACT Centre.

A recent notable achievement which I would like to share with you was our participation by a group of Year 10 and 11 Honours students in the University of Queensland Youth Correspondent Launch. Breanna Bunker and Alisha Hemmings MC’d the event and their efforts were even more impressive given the fact they only received their scripts the night before and were given new instructions only minutes before the event started. I was most proud of them both.

In terms of the student stories being published, the below article was written by Breanna Bunker and published by InQueensland. Other student works will be published over the coming days and weeks. How exciting to have student work published!! Also special was the fact that our school was the only school invited to attend in person. Every other school had to attend virtually. Certainly says something about our students.

How a Bandicoot named Bruce helped teens come to terms with climate anxiety

Media Academy

Bruce the Bandicoot may seem an unconventional eco-ambassador, but he’s freeing Gold Coast students from the clutches of desensitisation.

At a time when there is a growing coverage in both mainstream and social media of various environmental challenges the planet faces, eco-anxiety and emotional burnout are becoming more common among teenagers.

Many people have begun adopting appropriate coping mechanisms in attempts to accept or deny climate change.

Carla Magi-Prowse, PhD candidate, is currently researching the effect of eco-anxiety on pro-environmental behaviour at the University of Queensland.

“People are constantly bombarded with these very confronting images and stories; they cope with it by turning away,” the researcher states. “Teens bear a lot of the burden of climate change.”It seems they know it too.

Rhys Andreassen, a Year 10 student, tries his best to be environmentally aware while juggling his assignments and social life. But he concedes that he is both mentally and emotionally exhausted by climate change and its constant media exposure.

“I hear about it so often that I’ve kind of given up on trying to care. It’s been happening all my life, but nothing really gets done.”

This line of thinking may be frighteningly familiar. Research has found that young people are more susceptible to the effects of chronic stressors making them an important population to consider when discussing eco-anxiety.

Helensvale State High School has taken this to heart, working hard to re-engage those under their care with the help of one cute critter.

Their Eco-Mascot, Bruce the Bandicoot, was rescued from the strangling clutches of a Slurpee lid in early 2018. His ordeal resulted in the founding of Helensvale SHS’s Environmental Club, made by students for students. Their tireless efforts resulted in an environmental partnership with 7-11 and SimplyCups, one of the first in the #CupRescue – an astonishing achievement and a testament to their dedication.

For club members, it was a practical expression of something that they could actually do to help the environment, rather than just worry about it.

Helensvale High School principal Karen Lindsay said that since the founding of the Environmental Club and successful set-up of collection points throughout the school, there has been an undeniable transformation.

“Prior to Bruce the Bandicoot, there used to be a Clean-up Helensvale Day at the end of every term, but we have haven’t had the need to like we used to,” Lindsay said.

“I used to get up on assembly and show photos of birds being injured or killed by plastic bags. But I don’t think it impacts until you see it in your own backyard. The students could see that Bruce was a real bandicoot – a rare bandicoot.”

Magi-Prowse attributes this to ‘psychological distance’.

“Many people hyper fixate on international progress in the fight against climate change. This makes it easy to become disheartened by ‘no progress’.

“While none of us can solve the climate crisis as individuals, we can make a change in our local communities,” Magi-Prowse says, “Local action is often overlooked but it’s where people actually have the power to make a change.”

“Schools also present are great pathway to engage students in a more practical sense. But it is especially important for schools listen to their students when they are designing these initiatives.”

Yours truly

Karen Lindsay

P&C

Our next General Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 6pm 8th June, 2021.

At present this meeting will be held in CB07. If there is a change you will be advised.

If anyone has any agenda items they wish to bring up at this meeting, please advise by email by no later than 4th June.

HSHS P&C Association
pandc@helensvaleshs.eq.edu.au

Arts Academy

Free workshop experience - DANCE | DRAMA | MUSIC | VISUAL ART

The Arts department will be holding a workshop experience for Year 7 2022 in and out of catchment students. This is a wonderful opportunity for all students to experience an Arts Academy classroom, as well as preparing students for round two trials next term.

Email Zy Quinn to register and for more information about the workshop on Tuesday 8th June - zquin27@eq.edu.au

Round two Academy applications are open now!

Community Update

Prestige Service Training

We are proud to announce that Prestige Service Training (PST) has formed a partnership with Helensvale State High School as a Gold Sponsor for 2021.

Prestige Service Training is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) who create career pathways though industry-leading, innovative and inspiring training programs which give our students the knowledge and opportunities for future success.

They take great pleasure in providing interactive, challenging training delivered by real world professionals. Their expertise, past performance and integrated approach ensure collaborative and successful programs.

Currently prestige deliver Diploma and Certificate courses in Business, Crime and Justice and Workplace Skills to our senior students.es care

Vale Community Alliance Breakfast

Stationery Drive!

This year, our year 10 Northern Collegiate group is working with The Smith Family to collect stationery for students who are less advantaged. The Smith Family is a national children's charity helping Australian children to get the most out of their education, in order to create better futures. At Helensvale SHS we have organised a stationery drive to get our school involved with helping others.

Some stationery that The Smith Family are looking for are: Highlighters, pens, pencils, note pads, books, calculators, foolscap Manilla folders, white out and erasers.

We have 2 drop off boxes, one in the SWELL and the other located in the Discovery Place staffroom.

This is a great opportunity for us to help others.

If there are any questions please email: Keely - kkabl2@eq.edu.au or Ella eflow8@eq.edu.au

Helensvale Fundraising

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News from Industry Pathways

Work Experience

As part of the Senior Schooling Program, students are given the opportunity to engage in Career Development through a five-day work experience program.

The school allows five days for this to take place:

Work Experience will give students the opportunity to experience and learn about an industry they may wish to work in once they have finished school. It also gives them a chance to gain extra skills that will be valuable in the work force as well as a great addition to their resumes.

Work experience log books and name tags will be available early next week, students check your school emails as to when you can come and collect these from Ms Bellamy.

Traineeship Opportunities

A variety of traineeships are on offer, with a focus on business and hospitality. To see if your child is eligible to apply please have them email their resume to lbell138@eq.edu.au stating which position they are interested in. Only students on a Vocational Pathway and in Year 11 can apply.

Below are some positions that are available, full list can be viewed on the Opportunities Board outside the Industry Liaison Office:

Coffee Major Café – Parkwood (inside Griffith University)
Degani Bakery Café – Hope Island
Quay Street Café – Sanctuary Cove

RACV The Royal Pines Resort

Subway (various locations – Runaway Bay, Southport, Helensvale, Oxenford)
Three Kings Pizza – Parkwood & Upper Coomera
The Beach Café – Surfers Paradise
Tree Top Challenge – Mount Tamborine
Zarrafas – Helensvale, Oxenford, Runaway Bay

School Based Vacancy Links

Aurora Training Institute please visit their vacancy page:

Prestige Staffing Solution Vacancies, please visit this link for more opportunities

Love your current job? Would you like to turn it into a traineeship? Come see Ms Bellamy in KS10 and let’s see if we can create a traineeship for you in your current role.

If your child needs help to create a resume please have them see Ms Bellamy in KS10 or email lbell138@eq.edu.au

School Leavers should check the following links for fulltime employment opportunities

Useful website giving guidance on career pathways:

Riviera Australia

Riviera Australia are holding their Annual Apprentice Program information night for Year 11 and 12 students, Tuesday 22nd June @ 5.30pm at Riviera. If you would like more information or to RSVP (by 11/06) please email Ms Bellamy lbell138@eq.edu.au

External Courses - Year 11 Vocational Pathway Students

Semester 2 courses are taking enrolments now for external providers such as TAFE etc. If your child is interested in applying please have them come and see me in KS10 or you can email me on lbell138@eq.edu.au

Ms Bellamy
Industry Liaison Officer

Humanities Tutorials and Homework Help Club

• Do you have an assignment or exam coming up and need a little extra help to understand the content?
• Have you been away and would like to catch up on what you missed?
• Would you would like to improve your skills in analysing sources or constructing a clear paragraph?

Open to all students who are studying Humanities in year 7 & 8 or History and Geography in year 9 to 12. Our amazing Humanities staff will be available to help and give you extra support.

Come find us in DG33.

Maths Tutorials

Science Tutorials

Chat n Chill

Support Staff

As part of our Learning and Well-being framework, we have created a Well-being Hub for students and parents, which can be accessed through the Helensvale State High School webpage. The hub includes links to other websites and apps which can help to support student well-being, as well as provide information on career pathways. To access these ‘well-being hubs’ click on the icons below or go to the HSHS website below, scroll down the page and click on the relevant icon.