Students must select from either Community Action: Civics or Community Action: STEAM or Community Action: Sustainability as a compulsory core subject for one semester
Community Action (Sustainability)
This subject offers students an opportunity to engage in science, technology, sustainability and environmental projects for the local community.
Local Investigations and Community Service
Students will participate in a variety of activities to investigate and improve our natural environment. For example sustainable garden design, visiting Ecolinc to study the Western Volcanic Plains, conducting a Northern Pacific Seastar clean up around Williamstown and discussing the impacts of climate change on fish species with Museum Victoria Scientists.
A key component is visiting and caring for our local wetlands, Newell’s Paddock. Over several visits students will conduct water testing, bug identification, tree planting and mulching to maintain and improve the ecological health of the wetlands.
Environment and Sustainability Festival
Students are invited to choose a locally relevant environmental topic to research and then create a 40 minute workshop for local primary students. Working with mentors students become experts in their area of interest. Past topics include worm farming, aquaponics, sustainable gardening, the importance of pollinators and pond rehabilitation. Following 5 weeks of research and development students organise an Environment and Sustainability Festival to present their workshops to local primary school students.
City Experience – GTAC
The final 5 weeks take place at the Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) in the city. Working alongside research scientists and mentors, students will use state of the art scientific equipment to conduct real scientific research that contributes to a current scientific study. Past projects include analysing water and soil samples from Newell’s Paddock and sequencing DNA to determine whether fish species are labelled correctly.