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Acknowledgement of Country
The TGIF team would like to begin this issue by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land, the Awabakal and Worimi people. We would also like to pay our respects to Elders past and present.
Jessie Beasley | Bush Medicine
Social Action Project group (SAPg) spotlight: Choir
Social Action Project group (SAPg) spotlight: Choir
On the 30th of May, the SAPg Choir took themselves to a local nursing home in Stockton - Moran Aged Care. They arrived ready to sing their hearts out and make an impact on the community. For weeks before, the choir practised a multitude of songs with much enthusiasm. These songs included:
Something in the Orange, Glimpse of Us, Lemon Boy, Hey Jude, Edelweiss, Wildflower and Letter to My Thirteen Year Old Self.
There were many guitars as well as solo piano pieces. The nursing home was filled with joy from many of the residents eager to hear such young talent. Another great performance was a dance by Ruby and Emma, which wonderfully made a large applause echo through the halls! Seeing how much of a positive impact the singing and dancing made on the lovely group of ladies watching, the choir group left with a great sense of pride and happiness knowing they did something great for a small community.
They headed back home on the ferry and stopped for a small picnic to celebrate their first brilliant performance of many!
-Ruby
Positive Education: Clean Up results
Positive Education: Clean Up results
World Environment Day is an international event celebrated on the 5th of June that focuses on raising awareness and promoting action for the environment.
On Thursday, 5 June, 2025, all 8 advisories went to different locations around Newcastle with the intention of picking up rubbish for World Environment Day. As an incentive, a hot chip lunch was promised for the advisory who picked up the most trash... Spoiler: all advisories won!
When the time for picking up rubbish was over the reps from each advisory got together and sorted through the trash into separate categories and weighed them. Plastic, Paper/Cardboard and glass weighed in at the top with each category having around 19 kg each!
-Lincoln & Josh
Conservation Critters: Nature walk and Pollinator Picnic
Conservation Critters: Nature walk and Pollinator Picnic
On the 5th of June, Cooks Hill Campus' Conservation Critters held their first guided nature walk and pollinator picnic at Arcadia Park. The walk began with an informative summary of the work Conservation Critters have been doing to educate the public about the beautiful park and it's many "critters." They then taught the group about biodiversity and why it's so important. The students were excellent presenters and very engaging. The information they shared was extremely interesting, the group learned about plants, trees, insects, weeds, birds, animals and the wonders of nature.
The walk itself was relaxing and insightful. Visitors had 'Bug Bingo' sheets to fill out of the various plants, birds, and insects. The picnic at the end had locally sourced treats like scones and cheeses which visitors were able to enjoy while watching the scenery and resting their legs. The whole experience was grounding, relaxing, and very enlightening.
If you would like to experience the walk for yourself, the Conservation Critters have another session running this Saturday on the 14th of June at 11am, at the Pit St entrance of Arcadia Park.
-Kenneth Stathis
Upcoming Exhibitions
Upcoming Exhibitions
As we all know, Exhibition Week is fast approaching! When it comes to Exhibitions, part of the fun is getting to see the passion and effort fellow students have put into their projects all term.
If you don't have anyone else's exhibition in your calendar yet, or just want to see more excellent work; take a look at the list below and see if any of these project topics pique your interest. If you see an exhibition you'd like to attend, feel free to get your advisor to send you the student's email, and reach out. Keep in mind that not everyone may want a large audience for their exhibition, but it's still worth asking.
If you receive an email yourself and you want to take a step out of your comfort zone, take this as an opportunity to showcase your project to more people! You never know if you may find a new common interest with someone.
-James
Exhibition Tips
Exhibition Tips
Presenting your exhibition in front of a room of people can feel very overwhelming but by breaking it up into steps you can make creating the exhibition a little easier. Here are some tips to help you have the best exhibition yet (see below).
There is a lot to consider when you first start creating your presentation. A checklist is a great way to break down the task and make sure you are including everything in your presentation. There are detailed checklists on canvas (e.g. the Advisor Feedback Form) but below is a quick summary of most things you need.
-Flossy
Here are things you need to bring:
Panel pack: If you have any work that can’t fit in your presentation make sure to create a panel pack. This should include your panel pack cover sheet as well as work that your advisor might need to look over after your exhibition.
Script: If you have trouble public speaking, maybe a script would help to keep your thoughts organised and help you remember important facts and info.
Don’t forget to bring any physical evidence you have.
Feedback form: it can be beneficial to create your own feedback form so you can ask for specific feedback.
It's also important to think about the way you want to present your work. This could mean creating a slideshow or presenting your portfolio.
Here is some advice from the advisors and learning support teachers on how to make this exhibition your best!
“Remember it is a time to reflect on your learning. Think about your process, what skills you gained, how you applied them and reflect on what you could do differently next term.” - Mel
“One of my favourite bits of evidence is a narrated screen recording where a student pre-records an explanation or annotation of a software they've been using to create their product.” - Sam
“Exhibitions are good when there's an opportunity for the panel to be involved. Nobody likes to be talked at for a full 45 minutes.” - Quinn
“Paraphrase. Speak from your own knowledge not the slides to show you have a deep understanding of your project and confidence.” - Louis
“Being honest. Everybody in your panel is there to support you.” - Will
“Check your tech!” - Felicity
“Rehearse your presentation. Time your script and practice in front of an audience.” - Dan
“Go into detail of what you've done. I find students glance over the surface of their work, but the passion for their work is infectious.” - Harry
“Know what you're talking about. Know your content. Don't use words you don't understand.” - Cate
“Get someone else to look at your presentation before you present. Get them to check your spelling and grammar. And have a key for your learning goals so your advisor knows what you're talking about.” - Margot
"Talk about process as much as product - talk about HOW you learned not just WHAT you learned!" - Lucie
There are lots of useful resources on the Exhibition page of Canvas. Use them! Goodluck everybody!
Student spotlight: Alice from Advisory 3
Student spotlight: Alice from Advisory 3
For her project this term, Alice is doing a piece on how art can be used as a means of activism. To demonstrate this concept, Alice is creating an animation touching on the Spanish Conquest.
The Spanish Conquest was when the dominant Aztec Empire – which was oppressing various other Indigenous societies – was warred against by an alliance of a small army from the Spanish Empire and a variety of aggrieved and/or opportunistic Indigenous groups, many of which were under the Aztec Empire’s thumb. The conquest resulted in the fall of the Aztec Empire. Following the conquest, the region was conquered by the Spanish. The Spanish forced the Indigenous groups in the area to assimilate to Spanish culture, with Indigenous groups being subjected to many devastating massacres. Additionally, the ensuing outbreak of smallpox killed between 5-8 million people. The effects of the Spanish’s subjugation of the South American Indigenous people persist to this day with many Indigenous groups deprived of a variety of culturally significant artefacts as well as a sense of loss of their identities to assimilation and time. To quote the Oxford Research Encyclopedia: “Throughout much of Latin America's history, Indigenous peoples' demands have been oppressed, ignored, and silenced. Latin American states did not just exclude Indigenous peoples' interests; they were built in opposition to or even against them.”
Stills from Alice's animation.
Alice’s interest in this subject originated when she visited a museum exhibition about Machu Pichu that featured artefacts from the area. Alice was inspired to look into the history of the area, ultimately leading her to be moved to make her animation. Alice animates and draws her backgrounds using Procreate and does her editing in Photoshop. Alice, who has made a variety of animated projects in the past and will be attending an animation course in France in the holidays, said that she was excited by the prospect of having her art serve a purpose. One that could have a positive impact on the world by spreading awareness.
-Harvey
Thanks for reading!
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