Year 10 students delved into the world of Wilfred Owen’s poetry with the help of Poetry in Action, who presented the dynamic show Words of War. This powerful performance showcased some of Owen’s most iconic poems, including Dulce et Decorum Est and Anthem for Doomed Youth. Through this engaging performance, students gained a greater appreciation of Owen’s work and were encouraged to critically examine the impacts of war through his poetic lens.
For Year 9, Poetry in Action returned with Riots & Revolutions!, an energetic introduction to speech writing. This captivating performance featured iconic speeches such as Greta Thunberg’s climate plea, Charlie Chaplin’s call for unity, and Malala Yousafzai’s fight for education. Students were introduced to Aristotle’s modes of persuasion—ethos, pathos, and logos—and explored how powerful language can inspire and drive change.
Both Year 7 and 8 students were treated to The Poets’ Quest!, a humorous and educational show that brought essential poetic techniques to life. From rhyme and rhythm to imagery and theme, this performance was a thrilling mix of excitement and learning, designed to ignite a passion for poetry in our youngest learners.
Each of these incursion events not only entertained our students but also deepened their understanding of the transformative power of language and literature.
Book in a Day Competition
At the end of Term 2, St Edward’s College held its first-ever ‘Write a Book in a Day’ competition, with students from Years 7 to 10 collaborating in year groups to write short stories. The task challenged students to create uniquely Australian narratives within a specific word limit and to include 10 assigned words such as jubilance, retaliate, and revelation. Despite some initial tension during brainstorming, the groups worked through the creative process, splitting into smaller teams to write, edit, and finalise their stories by the 3:30 pm deadline. Their hard work resulted in a published collection of short stories now available in the school library.
The Year 10 group, consisting of William Pollard, Gus Brady, Lachlan O’Brien, Ruben Borg, Thomas Perham, and Will Haines, won first place for their story Ashbury Case and took home $50 Bookface vouchers. The Year 7 group, made up of Jack Hardy, Charlie Wilcock, Charlie Al Chahin, Josh Debenham, Bryce Johnson, and Daniel Drury, was named runners-up for their story Outback Mates and received writing journals. Other participating students included Zeke Black, William Casey, Riley Howell, Billy McCarthy, Joshua Reid, and Vraj Patel from Year 8, as well as Daniel Bates, Max Klein-Schiphorst, Noah Lockwood, Beau Louie, and Phillip Yoon from Year 9. Congratulations to all students for their creativity and teamwork!
See the links below to read each book.
- Outback Mates by Year 7
- Blood in the Bush by Year 8
- The Name Always Comes at the End by Year 9
- The Ashbury Case by Year 10
