Term 2 is busy and fast paced. Last week, the Music department travelled to the annual Generations in Jazz Festival at Mount Gambier. While the weather was very cold and wet (which produced a very muddy location), the quality of the performances by our Big Band 1, Big Band 2, Jazz Choir and Jazz Inc were outstanding. A big thank you to the staff and students who braved the conditions and represented Wilderness with pride.

I am also very proud of the Year 10 Silver Duke of Edinburgh girls who committed their afternoon to volunteer at the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life. A report is included in this newsletter about the event. This is true service and underpins at its core our value of ‘Responsible Citizenship’.

At the Senior School Assembly on Monday this week, I mentioned that planning and time management will be important this term. All girls have been emailed the live link to the electronic assessment planner. They are encouraged to review this document to identify their heavy assessment periods over the coming weeks and plan accordingly. The Year 11s will have their mid-year exams in Week 9 (beginning Monday 19 June), which will come around very quickly.

The Year 10 girls will have their university pathways and work experience week during Week 8 (Tuesday 13 to Friday 16 June). For parents of Year 10 girls, can you please check in with your daughters to confirm that they have finalised their placement and completed the online form sent to Mrs Deb Cleggett? This must be completed by the end of Week 4 (Friday 19 May).

This week, the girls enjoyed Antholiza House Day, which had the theme of ‘Anty Undercover’. The lunch of bánh mì rolls and fun activities at lunchtime were well received by all in attendance. Next week is looming as another action-packed week in the life of the Senior School with Boarders Week being celebrated, Paul Dillon presenting to all Years 10-12 girls with accurate and up-to-date alcohol and other drug information on Tuesday and our annual Founders’ Day Service on Friday.

Congratulations to Molly Dwyer (Year 11) who has been selected in the Hockey SA State Under 18 Hockey Team. Molly will compete from Saturday 1 to Sunday 9 July at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart. This is a wonderful achievement and rewards the hours of hard work put in by Molly. We look forward to following her progress through this tournament.

Finally, as we negotiate a busy Term 2, I encourage all girls to persist and understand that perseverance will be necessary when they are challenged and feel out of their depth or comfort zone. The difficulty or delay in success will lead to a much greater sense of achievement and satisfaction. Taking the easy option often leads to disappointment, and does not lead to personal growth.

Encounter Youth Parent Information Night

On Monday 15 May, there will be a parent seminar in Hender Hall from 6.00pm to 7.30pm. This session will cover current uses of alcohol and other drugs among young people, hosting a party and legal considerations, talking to a young person about alcohol and other drugs and how we can positively influence young people's choices. Please reserve a seat at the parent seminar using the Trybooking link.

Vaping is an ongoing concern for young people and the wider community. We continue to educate our girls about the risks of these products and governments are now proposing stronger regulation and new controls. You may be interested to read recent communication from Professor Nicola Spurrier regarding the health risks of e-cigarettes/vapes.

Important Dates

A list of key dates for the year is now available on SEQTA Engage, under the Important Dates portal.

Term dates for 2024 are also available.

Relay for Life – Duke of Edinburgh Award Service Opportunity

On Saturday 6 May, a small group of Year 10 Silver Duke of Edinburgh girls dedicated their afternoon to volunteering at the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life. The event is a chance for communities to recognise and celebrate those who have overcome cancer or are undergoing treatment, as well as the people who care for them, and celebrate the memory of loved ones lost to cancer. The girls volunteered in the event's opening ceremony by holding the ribbon to be cut by one of the long-standing volunteers, holding the sign leading the lap of honour to commence the relay and assisting in running the afternoon tea for survivors and carers. We are proud of the following Year 10 girls for their contribution to this meaningful act of service: Leah Berhe, Abbey Cartwright, Lauren Fergusson, Shanza Ismail, Olivia Lai, Jade McAskill, Niya Singhal, Natalie Vu and Tehreem Zafar.

At the event, we were also proud to recognise a group of Year 11 Wilderness girls who entered into the relay and contributed to fundraising efforts in the lead up: Emily Johannsen, Charlotte Williams, Eleni Papagiannis, Sophie Zappia, Sarah Zyweck and Sophie Reu. These girls raised over $250 and walked/ran for 18 hours over the course of a very cold night.

Lauren Walker
Coordinator of Duke of Edinburgh Award

Variety Picnic

A small group of Year 10 Silver Duke of Edinburgh girls had the opportunity to volunteer at the Variety Charity Picnic held at the Adelaide Zoo on Tuesday 9 May. At this rewarding event for more than 600 children who are sick, disadvantaged or living with disability, we dressed up as mascots, such as Minions and Sheridan the Variety bear. The children had such a great time interacting with the mascots and activities put many smiles on faces. It was such a rewarding experience for us girls to give back to young children less fortunate than us. - Alessandra Cutajar and Alice Williams

Congratulations to the girls who dedicated their time to this service activity: Alessandra Cutajar, Alice Williams, Isla Goodson, Zara Hart, Ava-Sofia Georgiou, Gia Rinaldi, Lily Silvestri, Milly Entwistle, Grace Ellis, Olivia Cardone, Lucy Beaumont, Diya Anup Kumar and Angelica Alexander.

Lauren Walker
Coordinator of Duke of Edinburgh Award

Glenelg River Silver Duke of Edinburgh and Stage 1 Outdoor Education Camp

Please enjoy this reflection written by the Stage 1 Outdoor Education Class:

In the final week of Term 1, the Year 10 Stage 1 Outdoor Education class and a group of Silver Duke of Edinburgh girls participated in a six-day canoeing expedition along the Glenelg River. Our preparation prior to the trip included planning our meals, the route we would travel and our packing list. We also learned how to be sustainable while packing and on the trip.

We arrived at school at 6.00am on Saturday 1 April before a five-hour drive to our starting point in Victoria. Our days paddling were occupied with beautiful scenery and making new connections with our peers. We paddled an average of 10km each day which took us three to four hours. When getting to camp for the night, we would set up and participate in team games, reading, journalling and swimming. We learned new skills such as how to load a canoe, steer a canoe, remove leaches and how to cook for two people on a Trangia for a week.

During our camp, we were conscious of our environmental footprint. For example, we took measures to ensure our campsites remained in the condition they were found through collecting our rubbish each morning before departure.

This trip inspired many of us to spend more time in the outdoors in the future.

The Silver Duke of Edinburgh camp that eight other girls and we embarked on this year was an experience like none other. Being able to canoe along the Glenelg River with two amazing instructors was an opportunity that we are extremely grateful to have been offered. There were multiple instances where our group came together and connected, such as a night paddle, where we were taken through a guided meditation that allowed us to gather our thoughts. Together, we faced problems head on and with independence, along with help from our two instructors. We paddled as a team while taking instructions from our leaders of the day. We had multiple opportunities for solo reflection time throughout our camp, which made this experience incredibly memorable. The Silver Duke of Edinburgh camp was an insightful, eye opening and, most of all, exciting opportunity, which all girls should grasp. - Rhea Dinesh and Tehreem Zafar