Finding joy in learning is one of our hopes for our young people in the Middle School at Tatachilla. How we do this as educators is by providing a rich learning environment to help our students discover who they are and help them unlock their passions and guide a journey of inquiry and self-discovery. We explore this concept intentionally in every year level in the Middle School by allowing time for students to explore their passions.

In our first face-to-face Middle School Assembly this week, we were delighted to recognise the academic endeavour and pursuit of personal excellence in our first semester of learning in 2020. What we celebrated more was the notion that we can do amazing things with our new learnings and by exploring our passions. We featured four of our Year 9 Specialness Projects that were exceptional examples of using our passions in service to others.

Molly Walker designed educational resources for students in our Aboriginal Service Project in the Northern Territory. These have been sent to the Finke River Mission in our recent donation drive.

James Nicolson used his talent of photography and captured revegetation after the recent bushfires and sold his artwork to raise money for volunteer services in the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu area.

Isabella Kolencik shared her passions through motivational speaking on empowering young girls to aspire for their personal excellence through making a documentary on inspirational South Australian women.

Jack Brown used his amazing skill of film; using drone technology to make a travel guide of the Fleurieu area which was launched on Instagram.

Click on the video link below to watch these students share their Specialness Projects with us, using the password: tatachilla

https://vimeo.com/446999806

When we live our lives through our passions, a transformation happens within us when our hearts, hands and minds move together. Here is where we find God calling us and moving within and through us. Here is where we tune into the plan that he has for us.

It is our prayer that Tatachilla continues to be a place of learning and self-discovery for your child and young person to find their passions, so they live a life of purpose and service beyond themselves.

Every blessing for the week ahead,

Ms Sarah Hoff-Zweck
HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL