End of Year 2022 Newsletter
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Principal Message
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Dates to look out for in 2023
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Technology Photos
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Deputy duologue
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AST - preparation for 2023
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Bon Voyage Year 12 Breakfast
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Celebrating together - Year 12 Formal
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Year 12 Families - Book now for Graduation!
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Looking ahead - English/Languages/Library
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Student Photos
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Lake Languages
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Zetaclorm - an original UC SSC Lake Ginninderra Production!
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An experience to remember - The Arts, Design and Technology Showcase
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STEM Technology & Innovation Competition
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Year 12 Chemistry Research
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Opportunities in Humanities
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Outdoor Recreation
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Hoop there it is - Sports Updates
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Volunteering for St Vincent De Paul
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Community Notices
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Job Trainer
Welcome to summer!
Thank you for your ongoing support throughout 2022. The students and staff have achieved so much, and we are so very proud of our graduating year 12 students who have faced quite a few challenges through their senior secondary years. Well done to all of you.
We end the year on a high note with End of Year events. The Formal was held on Thursday 24 November at the National Museum of Australia and was a great success. Year 12 Breakfast on Friday 2 December and Graduation (to be live streamed) will conclude the formal events for the year. Many thanks to year 12 coordinators Lane Moore and Ross McDonald and Support Group teachers for their support and care of the students. We encourage students to keep connecting, innovating, and making an impact as per our school values and we look forward to following what they do in the future.
Lakers basketball teams won both the men's and women's honours basketball championships in closely fought finals on Friday 2 December.
Reef trip – Lady Musgrave Island
Despite 130mm of rain the first two days on the island, our intrepid ‘reefers’ are in good spirits. They have been lucky enough to watch baby turtles, terns hatching, seen manta rays and sat and reflected at dusk on the magnificence of the Great Barrier Reef.
Drama production
‘Zetaclorm’ an original comedic production written and directed by UC SSC Lake Ginninderra alumni Wren Harper & Anneka Steel was a great success. Wonderful to have ex-students continue their interest in drama and The Arts and great mentoring for our students.
H course graduands – ANU and UC extension courses
Congratulations to ten of our year 12 students for enrichment course completion at the Australian National University and the University of Canberra.
Congratulations to our ACT BSSS award recipients
BSSS Recognition of Excellence
Community Service Award: | Katie Jakab Van Dooren | |
Vocational Studies Award: | Anne Hodgson | |
Individual Course Area Award |
Tunc Can | |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award: | Charlotte Chandler |
Scholarship from Rotary Club Belconnen
Congratulations to Misha Van Scheppingen in Year 11 who has won a scholarship for educational use in 2023 for $1000, thank you to Rotary Belconnen for continuing to support the community and all the work they do.
We welcome new staff in 2023
To our wonderful staff who are changing schools, or jobs, or moving into well-deserved retirement, thank you for your work and support of the College, you have made a great impact on the lives of so many young people. We wish you all the very best and will miss you.
New staff below:
Andre Borgeaud | Exercise Science/Health and Physical Education |
Laura Cox | Outdoor Education Trainee |
Zain Mohsin | Commerce/Humanities |
Emma Nixon | Food/Hospitality |
Katherine Pajuczok | Mathematics/STEM |
Katya Sharafeldin | Legal Studies/Humanities |
Maddison Summerfield | Learning Support Assistant |
Raven Leatherby-Ford | Food/Hospitality/ Small Programs |
Elizabeth Nikulin | Learning Support Assistant |
Austin Turnbull | Outdoor Education Trainee |
Supporting Parent Engagement Grants
In 2021 the College was awarded a Supporting Parent Engagement Grants.
The grant is to fund the design and development of a welcoming space or Hub for parents, students, and community. Through broadening the scope of, and rejuvenating, the school’s open area (i.e., canteen and adjacent courtyard), the Hub will provide a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for parents and students to meet and participate in formal and informal events.
Thanks to the working group steering the project.
Kirk Zwangobani | Deputy Principal |
Lisa Biddiscombe | Parent and Principal of SQC Design (Interior Design Firm) |
Kathryn Shaw | Arts, Technology and Design teacher |
Tshiamo Litheko | Design / Visual Arts Y12 student |
Livi Devalentin | Design / Visual Arts Y11 student |
Here are some of the design concepts representing the idea.
I would like particularly like to thank the School Board, School Board Chair Andy Roden, the P&C, for their time, work, and support.
To all the staff and students at the College another great year!
We look forward to celebrating the graduating class of 2022 at Graduation at the Canberra Theatre, invite our year 11’s to be the leaders in the school, taking up new opportunities and making an impact and we welcome nearly 400 new students in 2023!
A happy festive season, travel safely, and best wishes.
Monday 30 January |
Year 11 and new Year 12 students Orientation Day |
Tuesday 31 January |
Year 12 - Assembly. Year 11 - Support Group. Normal timetable commences. |
Monday 6 February |
All students ID photos. |
Friday 10 February |
ANU extension enrolments close. https://extension.anu.edu.au/ |
Tuesday 14 February |
Meet the teacher event for parents |
Wednesday 8 Mar |
UC Accelerated pathways applications close https://www.canberra.edu.au/campaign/accelerated-pathways-program |
Year 12 Certificates
ACT Senior Secondary Certificates (also known as Year 12 Certificates) are legal documents issued to the student. The Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) requires the student to sign for the collection of the certificate or to authorise another person (by name) to collect on their behalf.
Authorisation must be in writing. "Writing" includes using an email which the school has on record for the student. This process applies even if the other person is a parent or sibling.
Certificates are first issued at graduation.
In 2022 graduation is on the final day of school year Friday 16 December. Certificates which cannot be collected at graduation may be collected in the following week or in the new year up to the end of February.
Certificates may also be posted if pickup is not possible; again, an authorising email which includes the address for posting to must be received at the school at LakeG@ed.act.edu.au
Reports
Student reports for semester 2 will look different to the reports sent to families at the end of semester one. Transition to the new system is taking longer than expected because of some technical delays.
These are expected to be solved for reporting in 2023.
When implemented, reporting will consist of a mid-semester progress report and an end of semester summative report as now.
The mid-semester report will be formative in nature indicating student strengths, areas for development and strategies for improvement.
Parent teacher interviews will be scheduled close to the publication date.
The student’s summative report will list all assessment tasks for each subject.
In T units, the report will include the weighting of each task and the mark received. Comparative information including the Z Score and Mean for each task will be shown graphically.
In A and M units a grade will be listed for each task completed for the semester.
Assessment adjustments applied will also be shown. Adjustment examples include:
- Not Submitted
- Late Penalties (ranging from 5% for one day to maximum of 35% for 7 or more days)
- Estimates (which may be applied as part of a Special Consideration process)
- Academic Integrity (penalty will be specific to the instance – see teacher)
- Insubstantial Attempt
Dress Standard
The college is reviewing its dress standard for introduction in 2023. A dress standard is not the same as a uniform but it does describe the expected range of apparel to best faciliitate learning in a college classroom environment. Variations from the current dres standard will be the subject of consultation with students and parents via their representatives on the board and more publicly via the college web page.
Help with the cost of schooling and everyday essentials
All ACT public schools can help families meet the costs of schooling or everyday essentials – such as personal hygiene products including sanitary hygiene items, school uniform items, book packs and stationery, school excursions, camps, transport and enrichment activities.
Part of public education’s important objective is making access to education more equitable for all students, regardless of personal circumstances.
If you are experiencing a situation that affects your ability to meet the costs of schooling or everyday essentials for your child, we encourage you to talk to us.
Families who are looking for help with the costs of schooling can:
- talk to the school principal or other staff member about their situation
- have a relative, caseworker, friend or advocate make contact on your behalf
- contact the Education Directorate ETDStudentWellbeing@act.gov.au .
There was an impressive turn out for the Week 16 (ACT SCaling Test) AST trial exams of 174 students. The trials were run under exam conditions and gave Year 11 tertiary students an idea of what to expect in September 2023. There will be another full trial at the end of semester one in 2023. Congratulations to all students who participated, particularly after an exhausting final few weeks. Well done!
Tips for a better AST performance;
- Read regularly
- Stay up to date with current affairs
- Do logic games
- Practice percentages and conversion to fractions and decimals
Results and feedback will be given to all students early next year.
AST Special Provisions Forms due by 21 March 2023
Please email Emily Clarke emily.clarke@ed.act.edu.au if your student wishes to apply for Special Provisions for the AST.
The annual end of year 12 breakfast was catered by all staff on Friday 2 December.
There was an excellent turnout of students to do those last minute checks of their college academic record and say farewell to staff in an informal atmosphere.
Many students also took time to paint their “legacy” tile for inclusion on the library walkway and pose for one last group photo.
For Year 12 graduating students and families,
Please find attached your invitation to the UC Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra Year 12 Graduation.
The Graduation will be held on Friday 16 December at The Canberra Theatre.
Students may bring up to two guests.
To book please go to: https://2022UCSSCLakeGinninderraYear12Graduation.eventbrite.com.au
Congratulations to all of the year twelve students completing their English and Languages studies this year, and good luck for your futures, whatever they hold in store! For Year Eleven moving into Year Twelve, we are looking forward to giving you a fresh set of challenges to help expand your thinking and engage you with the world around us.
English is all about critical thinking and comunication skills, and we’ve kept this at the forefront whilst planning and preparing for next year’s studies.
With growing classes of Japanese and Spanish UC SSC continues to be a centre of excellence for these two languages. If you want to study a different language during your time at college we can facilitate that through the Canberra Academy of Languages – drop in to the front office or student services to start this conversation.
The library is continuing its mission of collection renewal; remember that if there’s something you really want to read come and see Shellee and talk with her about sourcing a copy – we want your library to be as relevant for you as possible! Don’t forget that you can always drop in for some quiet study or help with assignments. We are also excited to have two new 3D printers on the way to help refresh the Makerspace for 2023.
Hola from the Spanish students - see HERE
Congratulations graduates of Canberra Academy of Languages (CAL)
Language students at UC SSC Lake Ginninderra have embraced Spanish and Japanese. But there is more on offer if languages are your love.
The Canberra Academy of Languages offers a number of other languages which can be recognised on the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate and contribute to an ATAR for university entry. Students speak about them on the link below.
Mia Davies (Year 12) and Klara Steinhauser (Year 11) both completed studies with CAL this year in French Continuing and German Advanced respectively. Students interested in French, German, Korean, and Tamil may wish to learn more about being a student at CAL at their website.
On Tuesday 8 November we were delighted to invite parents and families into the school for our annual Arts, Design and Technology Showcase.
The student common area was given a makeover to celebrate all things Art and Technology. The night started with dance performances in the Watson theatre followed by the streaming of Year 11 and 12 Media films. Later in the night parents were intrigued by the promenade Drama performance where the audience was asked to follow the performers around our Lake Ginninderra campus. This creepy and macabre performance was well received and memorable for all. While in the student canteen area gallery goers were entertained by live music from our Year 11 and 12 music students.
It was lovely to see the parents and carers exploring our gallery displays from Furniture Making, Metal Design, Automotive, Graphic Design, Photography & Visual Arts. There were also exciting demonstrations from our Ceramics students.
We thank our hospitality students who worked tirelessly on the Tuesday to prepare hors d'oeuvres such as arancini balls, chicken dumplings, passion fruit tarts and mini cakes. Giving these hospitality students an opportunity to prepare and serve their food to patrons is an essential component of their vocational qualification.
An addition to the annual showcase was a fashion parade of clothes from the Years 11 and 12 Design and Textiles students. Parents were impressed with the range of designs they saw and the purpose-built catwalk in the student quad.
This annual term 4 event celebrates the creative talents of our students and we look forward to hosting the next one in 2023.
Congratulations to all the Year 11 and 12 students in the Arts & Technology. The work produced this year was outstanding and your teachers are incredibly proud.
We hope you have a lovely summer break.
The Arts & Technology Team.
YICTE (Canberra – 2022)
Young ICT Explorers (YICTE) is a non-profit competition, created by SAP (systems applications & products), supported by CSIRO Digital Careers and the Smith Family with the help of Industry and University partners across Australia, to encourage primary and high school students in years 3-12 in Australia and New Zealand to solve real-world problems or showcase their passions using technology.
This might include creating better ways to recycle, to supporting people with disability; from creating virtual reality worlds, to building entire operating systems and robots from the future. Students can use their imagination and their interest in the world around them to innovate and create projects.
Muhammad Yunus – Year 11 (Robotics / Digital Solutions student, Lake G)
- Muhammad participated in the recently concluded YICTE event in Canberra and presented his project on the device that he constructed known as ‘Home Hygrometer’.
- Briefly, ‘Home Hygrometer’ helps people to check their home's relative humidity and temperature status. Muhammad’s project utilised a main 32-bit microchip that is based on a low-cost Wi-Fi microchip, with built-in TCP/IP networking software, and microcontroller capability. He used a temperature sensor known as the DHT11 Humidity and Temperature module that was capable of giving an output value to the accuracy of ±1°C and ±1%.
There were additional components added to trigger a signal to the user when the data from the sensor was being uploaded into the website display graphic chart. This project could be useful for remotely monitoring one’s own home temperature and humidity. During the winter when the temperature is lower, the device could help one to adjust their home heater to a different level determined by the analytic temperature and humidity graph from the website display of the device. The device also included a decent resolution of 0.96 Inch OLED display so one could also monitor the machine output status directly.
The list of components included:
- Weather-Station (Main executed program)
- Function and setup for a sensor module
- Function and setup for display OLED
- Passwords and API key
See the circuit diagram of the hygrometer below:
See feedback by competition observers below
Year 12 Chemistry 2022
Research Projects
Students were tasked with choosing and researching a local environmental issue to address using one or more Green Chemistry Principles.
Initially they wrote a research proposal which included an outline of the issue they have identified and demonstrating an in-depth understanding of the chemistry of the issue. They developed an original solution using one or more green chemistry principles. Students had to account for the social, environmental, economic and political influences that might affect their proposal. Finally they designed an experiment to test their idea/s.
When approved, students carried out the experiment they had designed, gathered and interpreted the associated data, and drew conclusions about what they had found.
All projects were of a very high quality; topics and researchers are outlined below. For information about any of the research undertaken please contact roger.amey@ed.act.edu.au.
The Use of Food Waste as a Sustainable Adsorbent to Remove Phosphate Ions from Water - Ally Chambers.
Abstract: In this experiment, the use of food waste as an adsorbent for the removal of phosphate from water was investigated. Scraps from orange, lemon, potato and ground coffee were oven dried and soaked in an iron chloride solution for 3 hours. This decreased the moisture content and increased the likelihood of trapping phosphate ions on the surface of the waste.
The peelings were then placed overnight in a 0.008M phosphate solution where they were stirred for approximately 4 hours. The results indicate that the potato, lemon and orange peelings do have the potential to absorb phosphate from water, with the coffee waste producing inconclusive results.
The research hypothesis was not supported as the potato waste was the most effective adsorbent, removing 55.40% of the total phosphate from the solution. The results gathered are not a reliable indication of the effectiveness of the food waste due to several errors present within the method. It is recommended that further trials incorporating the regulation of pH and the testing of phosphate levels present in the solution are completed.
Cleaning up Oil Spills Using Yeast - Anne Hodgson
Abstract: Oil spills are a problem all around the world in oceans, lakes and rivers. This experiment is an investigation to discover if yeast is an effective, green chemistry solution to removing oil spills from the environment.
Various methods were investigated as to how to apply the yeast. A number of issues were encountered that could be addressed if this experiment was to be completed again. If this experiment could be conducted in a controlled environment where the water could be kept at the same temperature throughout the course of the experiment, the method may have a greater chance of producing the expected results.
Within the resources and facilities available, this was not possible. Therefore, it cannot be concluded from this experiment that yeast is an effective, green chemistry solution to removing oil spills from the environment.
Treating High Phosphate Concentration Stormwater Simulation with Limewater to Reduce Phosphate Levels - Csenge Keszei.
Abstract: The aim of this experiment was to find out whether adding limewater to water with high phosphate levels works to reduce the water’s phosphorus concentration. The results showed a definite downwards trend in water phosphate levels in all of the beakers which supports the hypothesis, with there being a clear indication that the expected chemical precipitation reaction had occurred.
The experiment could have been affected by misreading the phosphorus testing strips, as well as inconsistencies in the method. Possible errors from these could have thrown off my phosphate readings and affected the individual beaker results, however, they did not affect the overall data trends.
Improvements to the experiment could include omitting the soil part and just adding a certain volume of fertiliser to water, as well as using a more precise measurement method for the phosphate.
This investigation attempted to find an effective solution to prevent cyanobacterial blooms caused by lake eutrophication, and further research on the possible harmful effects of the ammonium hydroxide product of this experiment to the environment would be appropriate.
Producing Hydrogen For Use As A Zero-Emission Fuel - Hunter Cross
Abstract:The reason that this experiment was done was to investigate a green alternative to fossil fuels such as gasoline or diesel. While the combustion of typical fuels produces large amounts of greenhouse gases, the combustion of hydrogen produces only water (and small amounts of nitrogen oxides if nitrogen is present).
The objective of the experiment was to produce hydrogen and oxygen gas through the use of electrolysis to split water into its components. Originally this gas was then going to be used to power an internal combustion engine, however, this idea was scrapped after multiple complications and safety issues. This solution used multiple green chemistry principles, mainly principles 1, 3, 4, and 10.
It follows these by preventing any greenhouse gases, having only water as the waste product, and by avoiding the usage of hazardous chemicals. This experiment was successful in producing hydrogen and its high rate of combustion was shown. With the right equipment and budget, this gas could potentially be used to power an internal combustion engine.
Proposed prevention of water pollution by enzymatic degradation of PET microplastics using PETase and MHETase - Julia Kilgour
Abstract: This experiment utilises the two enzymes PETase and MHETase to catalyse the hydrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastic into its constituent monomers in a replication of the bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis.
The enzymes were purified and expressed using E.coli cells and various types of column chromatography. The purified PETase and MHETase were then used in an enzyme assay on PET microplastic to degrade it into its constituent monomers.
The derived products were identified and quantified using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results from the practical experiment achieved one of the three components of the aim. Although an assay with the purified enzymes was used to obtain the results, due to limitations of the revised method, only the first half of the bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis’ PET degradation process was replicated and only three of its four constituent monomers were identifiable.
The results supported the first half of the hypothesis as the compounds Bis(2-Hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET), mono-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (MHET) and terephthalic acid (TPA) were detected in the PETase only samples (refer to Figure 1 and Table 4).
The second half of the hypothesis was not able to be tested due to limitations of the revised method. This practical report addressed the following green chemistry principles; #6 design for energy efficiency, #7 use of renewable feedstocks, #8 reduce derivatives and #9 catalysis.
Utilising Agar Powder to Improve Hydrophilicity of Soils Affected by Bushfires to Reduce Erosion - Kara Thompson.
Abstract: This study aimed to determine a method of using agar as a natural alternative to commercially available wetting agents, in order to improve hydrophilicity following bushfires. The water repellency of burnt soil increases erosion, and therefore damages the environment, community and pollutes local waterways.
Soil was collected from the bank of the Cotter River, and put into a kiln for 5 minutes at 500 degrees celsius, exposing the soil to similar conditions of a bushfire and killing all soil microbes. The soil was then set up in bottles with a layer of rocks at the bottom to act as a further filter.
Test A was a control, B and C both had commercially available wetting agents applied and D-F had varying amounts of agar powder applied. The results demonstrated that agar both improved infiltration time, and also had the most water make its way through the soil, making it viable soil for plants to grow in. The test that contained 3 grams of agar powder allowed for 90% saturation and 1.25mL of water at the bottom.
It was concluded that agar would be a suitable, and more viable alternative to commercial wetting agents within nature, however further research must be completed into the effects of agar, as an alien substance, within that environment. The research suggests that agar is more effective than commercially available wetting agents.
The ability of different macrophytes to absorb orthophosphate from phosphate-dense water, lowering its concentration, with the endeavour to improve Canberra lake water quality and reduce algae blooms - Laura Cox.
Abstract: Canberra's lakes, in particular Lake Tuggeranong, are high in orthophosphates, causing algae blooming events, which is an alarming threat to the lake's ecosystem and its recreational value. The purpose of this experiment is to identify the macrophyte that is able to absorb the most orthophosphate from phosphate-dense water, therefore lowering its concentration, in the endeavour to provide a viable green solution to improve Canberra's lake water quality.
It was hypothesised that if water ribbons are able to decrease the concentration of orthophosphates in phosphate-rich water to a higher extent than the other species then it should be the plant utilised in reducing orthophosphates in Canberra lakes. The method involved planting macrophytes in buckets containing sediment, water and ammonium dihydrogen orthophosphate.
The contents of the buckets were observed over 14 days to see if the orthophosphate concentration in the water had changed. The results determined that the duckweed was the only macrophyte able to decrease the orthophosphate concentrations in the water, suggesting that it should be the plant prioritised in reducing orthophosphates in Canberra lakes.
This experiment supported three of the twelve green chemistry principles; 3: Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses, 7: Use of Renewable Feedstocks, 10: Design for degradation.
Determining the Minimum Amount of Nitrogen For Snow Pea Growth - Leilani Holgate.
Abstract: Nitrogen is essential for plant chlorophyll but it is also one of the driving factors of eutrophication which causes oxygen levels to be depleted quickly in the water and prevents photosynthesis occurring in underwater plants which is needed to sustain ecosystems. Nitrogen-induced eutrophication primarily comes from agricultural runoff that enters streams and other waterways and it isn’t feasible to avoid its use. However steps can be taken to reduce its negative effects.
This experiment aimed to find the minimum amount of nitrogen required for fruitful produce yields in snow peas without excess by applying four different amounts of nitrogen fertiliser to four groups of snow pea plants and observing how it affected their growth. It was hypothesised that providing too little or too much nitrogen would have an adverse effect on plant growth, while more moderate amounts would result in the best growth.
This was partly correct as the 20:10:10 NPK ratio group had the greatest height average of 38.3cm by the final week of the experiment however, the second greatest height average of 35.17cm was the 5:10:10 group, which received 1.35g less nitrogen per week than the 10:10:10 ratio which produced an average height of 34.5cm. These results suggest that the minimum amount of nitrogen is between 5 and 20 parts nitrogen to 10 parts phosphorus and 10 parts potassium for snow pea growth.
Using different concentrations of iron sulphate treated activated carbon to decrease phosphate levels in a solution - Olivia Clark.
Abstract: The aim of this experiment was to determine the effectiveness of iron sulphate as a modifier on activated carbon to adsorb phosphates. This in relation to the overabundance of phosphates and subsequent eutrophication in Lake Burley Griffin - specifically the Acton area. Two trials were run, the first with 20%, 15%, and 10% concentrations, and the second with 20%, 15%, 10% and 0% concentrations.
No valid data was able to be gathered from the experiment, meaning a comparison of the concentrations was unable to be made. This was likely a result of flaws in the experimental design. The experiment was successful however at demonstrating a method that should not be used as a solution to eutrophication, due to an unexpected precipitate that was formed that goes against green chemistry principles.
Using zeolite to adsorb aqueous zinc ions - Polly Langdon.
Abstract:This experiment used zeolite as an adsorbent to remove zinc ions from samples of synthetic wastewater. This was achieved by dissolving a known quantity of zinc chloride in deionised water to obtain aqueous zinc ions, and then adding powdered zeolite to the solution. The solutions were then passed through a filter into another beaker, and the mass of the zeolite was measured before and after the adsorption process in order to calculate the change in mass.
The results indicated that the zeolite adsorbed an average of 0.12 grams of zinc from the solution, which was approximately 7.01% of the total mass of zinc added. It was hypothesised that the use of zeolite as an adsorbent would be successful if it was able to reduce the concentration of zinc in the water samples to at or below 8 µg/L. However, the zeolite did not meet this criterion, and in any event the equipment available for use was not sensitive enough to detect concentrations of that scale regardless of the zeolite’s efficacy.
Proposed prevention of water pollution in the Murray-Darling Basin by reducing concentration of nitrates in agricultural runoff, through the modification of nitrate based fertiliser use - Tara Kilgour.
Abstract: This experiment compared the impact of different fertiliser concentrations on tomato seedling growth and concentration of nitrates in resulting runoff. 15 tomato seedlings were grown over a two week period and fertilised every two days with different concentrations of fertiliser. The concentration of nitrates in runoff and growth in seedling height were measured and recorded every two days.
The results found that the 0% concentration of fertiliser was most optimal in maximising seedling growth while minimising concentration of nitrates in runoff. The aim of this experiment was achieved as an ideal fertiliser concentration was identified, however the results did not support the hypothesis, as the most optimal concentration of fertiliser was the 0%, not the 25% concentration.
This experiment addressed the green chemistry principle of prevention, as implementing use of the identified optimal fertiliser concentration for the tested conditions will prevent excess nutrients from polluting waterways.
While the students have finished for the year, the Humanities faculty has been a hive of activity preparing to engage with our Humanities students in 2023 through not only our academic courses but also our range of exciting extracurricular Student Programs.
Throughout 2022 the faculty began to establish opportunities for students with a passion for politics, philosophy, economics, and global perspectives (PPE and Global Perspectives program). 2023 plans are developing for student enrichment and collaborations with our partners at the University of Canberra to support this program. Students will be provided with opportunities to engage with experts and academics in in the community that represent these disciplines and participate in excursions that will deepen their foundations of knowledge and prepare them to follow future career pathways in the Humanities.
The Lake Ginninderra Academic Excellence program will be welcoming the 2023 year 11 students who have made applications from the high schools. As a faculty, we’re super excited to be able to continue to bring together groups of students in 2023 that are moving so purposefully toward exciting futures in the Humanities, amongst other disciplines.
The Global Classroom will continue with current students working towards the 2022 Global Classroom conference. 8 schools from around the world will partner this Saturday for the 2022 conference being hosted 3 by the Czech Republic.
Bring on 2023! We’re excited!
Outdoor Recreation is wrapping up for the year, with only one trip to go.
We have had some successful snorkelling and surfing trips in Term 4, where students braved the wet weather to complete surfs and snorkels successfully.
Our annual ‘Reef Trip’ to Lady Musgrave Island Queensland departed on Saturday 26 November and returns Friday 9 December. On this trip we take a 2 hour boat ride out from the mainland (Bundaberg), and live on a tropical island for 9 days. On the island there is no electricity or facilities, other than a drop toilet, and we have to take all food and water needed for the trip with us. We spend our time snorkelling and SCUBA diving in the pristine waters of the Great Barrier Reef. We anticipate seeing mother turtles laying on the beaches whilst we are there, along with manta rays, turtles, beautiful coral, and exquisite fish!
Our annual Outdoor Recreation Video Night is happening on Thursday 15 December 2022 in the college IT lecture Theatre, from 4pm-6pm. This evening is to showcase videos from our trips during the year, and also farewell our current Outdoor Recreation trainees, and welcome our two new 2023 trainees. All Outdoor Recreation students and parents are welcome to attend.
Australian Schools Basketball and Volleyball Championships November/December 2022
During the period Saturday 26 November and Sunday 11 December, 40 students will represented the College at the National Schools Basketball and Volleyball championships, both held on the Gold Coast. The College has a significant history in both competitions, having taken out the honours title previously, in the Men’s Volleyball and the championship division in Men’s and Women’s Basketball.
The men’s Basketball team had three players from the U19 Emu’s squad - Lachie Smith, Cameron Pender and Bowyn Beatty. Bowyn is an NBA Global Academy athlete and follows the footsteps of his mother Tracey Peacock who was an AIS scholarship holder and Lake Ginninderra College alumna. The men’s team prepared well for the tournament and hoped to retain the championship division title. Lakers qualified for the last three finals in the championship division.
The women’s team had two players from the U18 Australian Asian Cup championship winning team. Isla Juffermans was named MVP of the Asian Cup tournament held in India. Jess Petrie is another talented player who also follows in the footsteps of her mother Sarah Petrie (nee Berry) who was also an AIS scholarship athlete. Our women’s team have dealt with some challenges in the build up to the tournament, but have gelled in the weeks leading up to the tournament. The girls wanted to play entertaining basketball during the week, inspire the younger girls coming through and hopefully come away with a medal.
The volleyball teams are looking strong and wanting to continue their success at the tournament. Both teams won the state title to qualify for the championship division. The boys were honours winners the last time the tournament was held as a national competition, pre covid. The boys are looking forward to the tournament and are hopeful AVA stars Harley Sinclair and Mitch Croft are ready to play following their World Beach tour involvement at Torquay days before.
2022 is only the second time that Lake Ginninderra has entered a women’s team in the honours division and are looking forward to a big week, featuring local state representative girls, as well as Australian representatives, Ella Schabort and Brielle Kettleton. Ella captained WA to the u18 Youth Championship title a few months ago and her experience, along with Brielle, will give the girls an opportunity to go deep into finals.
During Week 16, a group of students and staff volunteered at the Belconnen St Vincent De Paul Shop. We made connections with St Vincent’s staff as well as other volunteers during the week including several scrumptious morning and/ afternoon teas! The students enjoyed working in a variety of jobs which assisted them to build their work capacity, confidence and give something back to their local community. We were warmly welcomed by all staff and the students found the experience richly rewarding. Here are some photos of us during our volunteering.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Grants
The Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs has a range of grant programs which provide funding support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Grants rounds open at various times throughout the year. Categories of grants that are currently open include Reconciliation Day, cultural, leadership and scholarship grants. For more information go to Grants - Community Services.
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The Australian Federal Police through the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is seeing a concerning global trend of teenage males being targeted to send explicit images of themselves and then blackmailed. This is called sexual extortion, or sextortion.
The AFP is urging families to have important safety conversations ahead of the school holidays to prevent young people from becoming victim. This crime can have serious wellbeing and psychological impacts.
How does sextortion start?
- Unsolicited friend and follow requests on social media
- Direct messages on one app and then being asked to keep chatting on a secondary app
- Conversations suddenly and quickly becoming sexualised
- Requests for sexualised images or content.
What can families do?
- Have open and regular conversations about your child’s online activities and interactions
- Know what platforms, apps and games they are using and who they are interacting with
- Remain open and approachable, victims will be reluctant to come forward if they feel they will be punished or blamed
- Ensure your child knows that it is okay to leave conversations if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe
- Support your child and know how to respond. The Online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit has been created to recognise sextortion and get help.
The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is here to keep young people safe from online sexual exploitation and abuse.
You can make a report via accce.gov.au/report
For further information, resources and advice visit thinkuknow.org.au