Last term’s lockdown was no fun, but did produce some of the most creative Year 9 ‘Personal Best’ projects we’ve seen yet.

Pakenham Campus students proudly displayed their projects last week, the results of hours of planning, design and creation.

Keen equestrienne Olivia Bartlett applied her love of horses to building an amazing horse sculpture, made from 184 individually-buffed horseshoes and fencing wire. Jackson McNeill spent 38 days doing up his 1993 Nissan Skyline R33 GTS-T, which he now plans to use for legal drifting.

Many projects required students to learn new skills. Ava Cashmore’s decision to make a bamboo water feature meant she had to learn how to use a welding tool. She said: “I wanted to learn to weld and do something creative – so dad taught me how to use different power tools.”

Personal Best gives students one term to create project representing their personal passion. Along the way, they document their work in a folio, including sketches, budget consideration, materials and tools used.