Beaconhills College

Beaconhills College students are ready to set the world on fire with ROCK OUT @ BEACON, a winter concert celebrating rock and roll’s greatest hits.

The free concert will be held at the College’s Berwick Campus from 7pm on Thursday 11 August.

The repertoire will include well-known hits from the past 70 years, included pieces ranging from Lennon and McCartney to Bon Jovi, Queen and Pearl Jam. Students will perform classics such as Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Light My Fire, and Livin’ on a Prayer.

Artistic Director Drew Downing, who has an impressive background in live music and performance, is promising a professional-standard show featuring talented students from Years 5-12.

“Students also host the event, giving an opportunity for young performers to confidently engage with a live audience,” he said.

Mr Downing said all students had to research their allocated repertoire, learning about the composers, artists and cultural reflections in each piece performed.

The concert will feature all performing arts’ disciplines, including music, dance and drama.

“There will be 80 students and teachers on stage playing some of the biggest rock hits ever, with our best vocalists and dancers,” he said. “It should be a fantastic show.”

Doors open at 6.45pm. The venue is the Performing Arts Hall at the Beaconhills College Berwick Campus, 92 Kangan Drive, Berwick. Details: 1300 002 225.

Some ROCK OUT @ BEACON performers: (l-r) Micaela S, Riley T, Lucy R, Keown O, Chelsea R, Josh N, Sam E, Jesse B and Bridget L

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

Beaconhills College teachers have found a way to incorporate the current Pokémon Go craze into student learning.

Pokémon Go is a “location- based augmented reality game” where players use their mobile devices to ‘catch’ Pokémon characters.

Berwick Campus Middle School teacher Amanda Stefancic has come up with an ideal way to enhance Year 8 studies of landforms and landscapes using the popular game.

“Their task was to locate Pokémon on the school grounds using the app, note which landforms and vegetation were nearby each Pokémon, then transfer this information to an annotated map using geographical skills and language,” Ms Stefancic said.

Not surprisingly, the lessons have been a hit with students.

Ashley E from Year 8

Year 9 teacher David Knip found time to catch one during a break on City Experience with his students

Pakenham Campus School Captain Gemma S has earned the prestigious Pierre de Coubertin sporting award.

The awards recognise secondary school students who demonstrate attributes consistent with the Olympic movement through their sporting involvement.

Physical Education and Outdoor Education teacher Peter Ashmore said Gemma was chosen because of her outstanding performances for Beaconhills College, her commitment to training, upholding the Olympic values and helping inspire younger students.

Gemma has played netball both for the College and other teams and has also been a keen participant in the Cross-Country team for the past five years. She enjoys softball, football and other sports.

She said winning the award was a great honour.

“I have tried to achieve my best in sport at school and always participate in as many sports as I can,” said Gemma.

When she finishes school, she hopes to study Occupational Therapy at Monash University, then eventually work in rehabilitation.

She received her award at a presentation at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Gemma S (right) after receiving her certificate at the MCG, with teacher Peter Ashmore

Celebrating multiculturalism was the aim of Beaconhills College’s recent Cross-Cultural Week held at the Berwick Campus.

Junior School students enjoyed a Japanese puppet show called ‘Momotaro’ – a Japanese folk tale – while other activities included a capoeira (Brazilian martial art) class, African drumming, French films, calligraphy, a crepe van visit and sushi tasting.

Learning about the world and other cultures is one of the key pillars of the Beaconhills College curriculum.

Scary but fun: the Momotaro performance

Prep student Jesper K loved the puppet show

Three Beaconhills boys will take on the best runners in Victoria in the State Schools Victoria Combined Cross Country finals on Thursday 14 July at Bundoora Park.

Congratulations to Jaxon B (Year 6 Berwick Campus) and Pakenham Campus students Bailley M (Year 6) and William L (Year 4) for making it to the finals competition.

Bailley recently also placed fifth in the Under 14 boys’ division of the Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships, running a time of 10:15.0.

Good luck on Thursday to our three competitors.

Jaxon B

Well done to students from Beaconhills College’s Tennis Program who qualified to play in the Australian Money Tournament (AMT) over the school holidays.

Wihan V (Year 7 Berwick Campus) and Simon Y (Year 9 Pakenham) played some great tennis in the high-standard tournament held in Bendigo. Both players made it through the first round of the Open Division singles.

Wihan V