The future is here now...

I am often asked after Year 6 Graduation about my speech for the students - much of it has been reprinted here.

There is a common catchcry around these days that goes something like ‘the future is here now’. And when I look at what you are doing in your classrooms I believe this to be true. You have been swiping and typing and coding and creating your way into the future since Prep and Year 1 and are now on the cusp of one of the most revolutionary periods in human history – and that is the automation of much human activity.

This new world will bring innovation and excitement and new possibilities. It will also bring new ways of working and living together as we explore new laws and ethical standards and the impact of this on our environment and developing nations.

This little invention here demonstrated ably by Zara and Millie is set to change your lives in ways you could never have imagined. Zara and Millie have been part of a Drone Squad assisting Mrs Allan introduce this technology into our school curriculum. I’d like to acknowledge these girls as well as Hayley Clarke, Jessica Gavin and Lila McIntyre for the work they have done in this area this year. These cute little things are, of course, drones. And I know many of you have one at home for photography and to play with.

These amazing machines though are about more that passing the time in an entertaining way. They will shape your careers and the way you live your lives – they actually already are – and perhaps you just haven’t noticed yet.

Drones are used for filming movies and many other exciting entertainment. They are, however, extremely useful in the daily lives of our scientists and other professionals. For example

• a geologist uses drones to hunt for clues in the landscape
• a marine scientist uses drones to monitor whales and sharks either from the beach or from boats
• a landscape ecologist uses her aviation skills to look after the environment in NT
• They assist with pest identification and improving the speed and efficiency of which they can be removed. 
• They can be programmed to recognise types of sharks – the difference between bull sharks, bronze whalers and nurse sharks on our beaches is significant. In the desert they can be programmed to recognise foxes, feral cats and dogs and wild boar.
• They can help farmers identify ripe crops
• Drones in all shapes and sizes are being used to deliver life saving equipment, help out in accidents, to search and rescue, to deliver pizza, for crop dusting and weed spraying. Sending a drone to do the work is cheaper, more efficient and less time consuming than having a person do it    

I’m sure you can see the possibilities of this technology are endless – and so are the possibilities and opportunities for you and your future

The bottom line is that it is all about the choices you make and how your choices apply to all areas of your lives, all our lives. It applies to whether you choose to make the best of your high school years or fritter them away. It applies to how hard you work, the effort you are prepared to put in, how you manage peer pressure. It applies to how you respond when you are harassed by someone or see an injustice affecting someone else. It applies to your stance on violence, and it applies to the value you place on your own and other’s learning.

All these habits of mind have been at the forefront of your education at our school. How you have responded to this is what makes our school so special – that is, the people and the interactions between us. Teaching you about relationships, effort and choice has been at the core of everything we do at Peregian Springs SS. And the ultimate reward for your teachers, teacher aides, Mr Foxover, Mrs Reid, Ms Marszalek, Mr Slocombe, Ms Slattery, Ms Westlake and I is when we see you happy, managing yourselves well, even in trying situations, and achieving your very best.

You have had the benefit of world class teachers in every year you have been at Peregian Springs. I’d like to thank Andrea, Justin, Chris, Sandy, and Kent for the work you have done with our Year 6s. You continue to learn yourselves and teach with such innovation, passion, courage and care – again this year you have challenged your students to learn; you’ve set high expectations; you have tried new strategies and new approaches to learning; kept them on the straight and narrow; cared about each and every one of them; and have worked hard to instil a love of learning they will take with them to high school and beyond. Every child in front of me this evening is a better person for your dedication and commitment.

And this is true of all the teachers and teacher aides you have worked with this year – Mrs Hobson, Mrs Ellison, Mr Rickert, Ms Deady, Mr Huxley, Ms Johnson, Mr Hutchins, Mrs Dean and Toni. Without realising, you have learned an enormous amount from being at this school – not just about English, Maths, Science and History but also about the more important attributes of how to be a better person in this world, in this country, in this community. 

Graduation from Year 6 marks the end of an important chapter in your young lives. We hope that your time here has begun to prepare you for the complex future ahead – a future in which you will realise that you have the power for making something of yourself, and for contributing towards a better community and world.

A Year in Review - in the words of our Student Leaders

Last week at the Year 7 Graduation Assembly our Student Leaders reviewed the year. It was an excellent snapshot of what we've been up to - the words of kids. If you were unable to attend and hear them speak, I hope you enjoy this blog post  (edited).

Jadyn:

I feel honoured to be given this opportunity to address you today. Our school is amazing and as student leaders we would like to talk about a number of events that make it so special. 

Due to our location and easy access, Peregian Springs State School lends itself to be a strong participator in Travel Smart events. Many pupils live close to the school and this provides them with great opportunities to walk, skate or ride. Not only does this improve the environment, but it also benefits the health of each individual. We are one of the highest performing Travel Smart Schools in the Sunshine Coast.

All the Student Leaders for 2013 were fortunate enough to be invited to participate in the Brisbane Leadership Convention in February. When we arrived at the conference, we were surprised by the large number of students seated in the huge Auditorium. They had journeyed from many different schools across South East Queensland. It was interesting to see the range of school uniforms and behaviour but our school was definitely the one that stood out as having the smartest uniform and exemplary behaviour. The individual guest speakers who came on stage were very inspiring. They explained through their personal life experiences and practical applications what leadership skills meant to them in everyday life. They talked about how everybody can be a leader in everyday life, in their own right. I will always remember the very funny moments and stories shared on that trip.

Makayla:

I am sure that all the students in Years 4, 5, 6 and 7 enjoy the school camps which  are really fun and exciting. We learn so much about getting along with others and  Year 7s will soon learn some life skills such as how to cook up something to eat for dinner. I will really miss the home cooked meal on the night we camp in the bush with no electricity or tap water.

 

Every week we have the most amazing assemblies!  One of the most memorable performances that was so so funny was when the Preps were pretending to be the teachers and staff. And that was very cute too.  

Elise Bampton:

This year we have had so many exciting school events such as

- swimming, netball/ basketball, tennis hot shots, athletics, cross country, and ... surf skills.

Yes, we actually went to the beach this term to learn about swimming in the surf! Well, I think the idea was to swim but unfortunately many of the Year 6 and 7 students found themselves with their noses buried in the sand under the waves!

I am sure that you would all agree that one of the best events was the fantastic Lapathon. It was great to see everyone who participated running in their costumes, leaping over obstacles with music, getting prizes but most importantly having fun. It was a fun way that we, as students could help to raise money for the school. We would like to especially thank Mr Hutchins for organising not only this event, but every sporting event in the school in 2013.

Tomorrow, we have our swimming carnival for Year 4’s to 7’s. Good luck to everyone participating in such a great event.

Krishan:

I have been at this school since the foundation year and since then the school has grown so much. We now have around 740 children and more coming each week. With all the new students arriving at our school, it has just kept on expanding. This year we had the two new demountable classrooms built and the construction of the hall has fianlly started. When these new buildings were being built some of our routines were changed, and it meant that we had  to adapt and cooperate by sharing our limited play areas with each other. But that is something that we are very good at doing at this school.

Our school is very multi cultural, and we have students from all over the world. Some of the students arrived here and could not speak a word of English, but since they have come here they have learnt very quickly. The biggest multicultural event this year would be the two Japanese tour groups that have visited our school. This year was the first year our school has had a group of students from another country come and visit us, and I know sensei wants to do it again.

Caitlin Savic

Something else that is great about our school are all the other extra-curricular activities such as the Lunch Clubs which many students participate in. These include Robotics, Chess club, Radio Ramblers, Film Club, Sing Groups, and many more. These lunch clubs provide a great opportunity for students to meet other kids and when you want  to do something different at lunch.

Book Week was great fun. This year’s theme was Out of this World. It was great to see everybody participating and dressing up. Pete and Mr Hughes performed their story with Mr Thomas’ song at the end. Pete’s story telling is definitely out of this world.  Book Week 2013 will be one of the best memories from this year.

The Talent Show is also another great memory from this year. With the help of Chloe, Eliza, Mr Wise and Mrs Hobson we selected 10 people out of about 60 to perform in front of the school. Even if you did not make it into the finals you all had great talent. Our Talent Show ended with the Pssst Teacher Band. With Miss Hobson and Miss Bridoen as the singers fighting against Mr Hughes who argued back using the Take 5. Over all, the Peregian Springs State School Talent Show 2013 was a great day.

Jayden

Finally, to conclude our Student Leader’s Speech, I would like to say - wow what a year it has been. We have laughed, we have cried. We fell, we stood up. We have made friends for the rest of our lives and have had the pleasure to spend time with teachers that will stay in our thoughts for ever. But most importantly I’d like to make the most of this opportunity to thank Ms Sands for creating such a fantastic learning environment. 

Fellow students in Year 7 - we are just about to embark on another exciting journey that will take us to places that will expose us to new challenges and new life opportunities. We extend our greatest thanks to the hard work and dedication of the teachers of this school. They have done everything they can  to prepare us all for our journey, and for that, we will be forever grateful. We wish you all the best for your future.

I would like to ask everybody to give a big clap for our great school.