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In less than a month, Year 8 student Riley Wooster will be performing on stage alongside the state’s top young talent, as part of the Victorian State School’s Spectacular.

The annual event brings together around 3000 primary and secondary school students in a musical extravaganza, with this year’s spectacular titled ‘Splash.’

Riley was casted into the Spectacular earlier this year and has been attending rehearsals in Melbourne most weekends, ahead of the big event on September 14.

“The Spectacular is a 12-month-long project held each year that involves around 3000 government school students from around the state,” Riley said.

“The principal cast, singers, dancers, orchestra and specialty performers make up approximately 120 students and for these positions, you must be selected in an audition.

“In the eight days prior to the event, I am at John Cain Arena with 8 to 10-hour rehearsals each day.”

This is Riley’s fifth year participating in the Spectacular and fourth year taking part in the principal cast and as a speciality performer.

My roles have included features such as a robot boy, puppeteering a circus elephant, a fisherman travelling the world and this year I am showcasing my poetry, that is interwoven into the theme of the show, ‘Splash,’ Riley said. 

A highlight this year for Riley has been the opportunity to work with the Creative Director Neill Gladwin, the Music Associate Kai Chen Lim and the Music Director Chong Lim.

I was commissioned to write a series of Haiku poems and a 3-minute free verse poem celebrating acceptance and difference with water-themed literary devices, Riley said.

“My poetry has been put to classical music to be played by the orchestra and I have already recorded my own voiceover - that was very exciting.

“I will appear onstage along with a Cellist.”

Riley said he has loved the chance to work with industry professionals who have become great mentors to him.

“Sometimes I'm in awe of just how talented the students performing in the show are,” Riley said.

Outside of school, Riley is involved with the UCanDance Studio and acts, dances, sings, plays the piano and trombone and writes poetry.

“While I would love a career in the Arts, it's a very competitive industry and I'm keeping my options open and trying really hard with my academics subjects,” Riley said.

“Who knows what the future will bring!”

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Late last term, Crazy Ideas College hosted an Ideas2Life Lab with a number of Year 9 students. Following on from the Term 1 Shepparton Social Innovators program, the teams came together in an action-packed workshop with three community partners from the Shepparton community.

We were extremely lucky to have Katie Taylor from La Trobe University, Julia Hollands from the Greater Shepparton Foundation, and Leigh Johnson from Shepparton Police offer their expertise and support to the students for bringing an idea to life.

The teams participated in a high energy challenge, with the goal to ‘make the tallest marshmallow.' While this task was very different from the ideas the teams will be bringing to life, the process involved some very transferrable lessons.

By creating an annotated sketch of their idea, identifying the specific resources that could be used, and mapping how to acquire resources, the teams were equipped with valuable skills around project planning.

From here, the teams designed an eye-catching Instagram carousel to promote their model, practiced approaching community partners with their idea proposal, and negotiated deals that were beneficial for both parties.

The teams were unbelievably resourceful during a super speedy prototype build using classroom items, paper cups, string, paper straws, pipe-cleaners and masking tape as they put their time management and communication skills put to the test.

A quick debrief between the community partners and teams heard reflections around the most effective strategies to get partners excited about an idea, how to communicate professionally, and the importance in planning before jumping into action.

This provided an easy transition for the teams to focus on their smart start experiments, transferring the skills and knowledge from the marshmallow challenge to their idea for the Shepparton community. The community partners could provide valuable expertise to support the teams in their planning and resource preparation phases, and connections beyond the school gate to help support these ideas.

All teams left equipped with new skills and capabilities for bringing an idea to life, as well as connections to reach out to over the coming weeks as the young people of Shepparton work to improve the lives of their fellow citizens!

This program was proudly enabled by the Greater Shepparton City Council, The Greater Shepparton Foundation, La Trobe University, and Brophy Youth & Family Services.

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