Contact

[email protected]
+ 001 0231 123 32

Follow

Info

All demo content is for sample purposes only, intended to represent a live site. Please use the RocketLauncher to install an equivalent of the demo, all images will be replaced with sample images.

  • About us
  • News

Details

 Students at the Dookie camp enjoy fishing at Caseys Weir

Students on the Dookie camp drop a line at Casey's Weir

Yabby racing, scaling Mount Major and Indigenous games came together for a group of incoming Year 9 students who took part in a special transition camp at Dookie recently.

About 55 current Year 8 students from Shepparton’s secondary schools of Mooroopna, Wanganui Park, Shepparton High and McGuire College were selected for the December camp to develop their leadership and team-building skills.

The Leadership and Regional Careers Camp expanded on an annual agricultural camp that takes advantage of the accommodation and teaching resources of the University of Melbourne’s Dookie College.

“It is about building resilience and leadership among our young people along with more practical life and work-ready skills,” Wanganui Park Assistant Principal Karen Utber said.

This year was particularly special. The careers focus went beyond farming skills and the event marked an important opportunity for a large contingent of incoming Year 9 students to build relationships before they all come together at Mooroopna next year as part of the new Greater Shepparton Secondary College.

The camp was co-designed by the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project and the University of Melbourne, with funding from the Victorian Department of Education and Training.

“The camp activities ranged from nutrition and healthy eating, yoga, career sessions with local employers to more active outdoor activities,” Lighthouse Executive Officer Lisa McKenzie said.

Students were able to try their hand at sheep drafting at local farm Toland Merino, mix with calves at the University of Melbourne’s robotic dairy, drop a fishing line at Casey’s Weir, watch an outdoor movie and more.

“The children chose from career sessions in areas like the environment, health, agriculture and transport and all took part in a ‘Bully Zero’ workshop and an orienteering exercise to teach problem-solving skills,” Ms McKenzie said.

“We know this experience has delivered great results past participants,” Ms Utber said. “We are confident it will also help forge important friendships going into Greater Shepparton Secondary College.”

Details

Fiona Smolenaars left and Kim Merkel take stock at Shepparton High School

Fiona Smolenaars (left) and Kim Merkel take stock at Shepparton High School

Charities, not-for-profit groups and other schools recently descended on Shepparton High School to ensure leftover goods go to a good cause.

Shepparton and Mooroopna Vinnies, the Salvation Army and niche community groups were invited to the school to fill boxes with books, pots, pans, cutlery and other kitchenware before the site is closed to make way for construction of a new state-of-the-art high school.

Business machines, sporting equipment and valuable school resources needed for the new school have already gone to the campuses of Mooroopna, Wanganui Park and McGuire, which combine next year as Greater Shepparton Secondary College (GSSC).

Important memorabilia and historical items from Shepparton High School have been placed in storage and will be returned to the site when the new college buildings open.

Marilyn Mancini, the school’s business manager, said that still left a lot of surplus goods, like library books and kitchenware from the school’s food technology rooms.

She said the region’s state primary schools had first pickings of the goods and after they took what they needed, the doors were opened to community groups in December.

For Fiona Smolenaars of Greater Shepparton Lighthouse, the timing was perfect for the Family Haven at Mooroopna.

“The Haven is a safe, supportive space for isolated families wanting to connect with the community,” Ms Smolenaars said.

“We start operating in January and we’ve just set up a kitchen, because families cooking together really breaks down barriers. Lighthouse is really appreciative of the school sharing its resources – it really will make a big difference for our facility.”

Kim Merkel, of St Anne’s College, said the new school at Kialla Lakes had a project room with a kitchen and was also looking to boost its library resources.

“We started operating this year with a lot of empty cupboards and we’ve been buying resources as we go,” she said. “It’s fantastic how Shepparton High School has opened up their school to help out other organisations.”

In the school’s final week of operation, the Salvation Army sent a truck to collect remaining goods for eventual re-sale or donation.