We know that at Glasshouse Christian College, our students are blessed with incredible opportunities within our College community, whether it’s learning the perseverance it takes to complete adventures in the Duke of Edinburgh, singing your heart out as part of the cast in our fantastic musicals or broadening their worldview as part of a missions outreach. There are so many ways to stretch and to grow and so much on offer. But – often we forget that there is also a myriad of opportunities beyond what we offer at the College. Opportunities to connect, learn and grow in new ways through various competitions across most subject areas.
In 2019, I was incredibly blessed to receive a fully funded Gandel scholarship to go and study at Yad Vashem (The World Holocaust Remembrance Centre) in Jerusalem, Israel. It is home to the largest collection of primary sources and artefacts pertaining to the Holocaust and operates as a world-renowned school for academics and researchers, particularly those wanting to learn and teach about the hard topics – like how a country can descend from democracy into genocide.
It was a life-changing opportunity that altered and expanded my worldview and challenged me to never stop striving to become a better teacher. But – it was an opportunity that would not have existed unless I took that first step of challenging myself to apply and face the fear of failure and rejection. The application process was intimidating, but the opportunity was priceless!
Those priceless opportunities outside of Glasshouse Christian College exist for our students as well! They have the opportunity to challenge themselves to extend their skills through local, state and national competitions in just about every subject area – from cake decorating to STEM! Most of these competitions are free to enter (and for those with a cost, most departments are happy to negotiate covering the fee). The prizes can also range from cash, to being published as a writer or to fully funded travel interstate and overseas!
How do I find out more about these opportunities, you ask? Head on over to Gateway and join the Secondary Academic Opportunities group. Competitions are listed under the tabs for each department, with new ones advertised as the details are released to us throughout the year. Most run annually – so don’t be disappointed if you missed the cut-off date for 2024, bookmark it for 2025 and give it your best shot. The opportunities are infinite, the experiences worthwhile – all it takes is the courage to risk that first step, challenge yourself and see where you can go!
Click HERE for the link to the group
Bobbie Briggs, Secondary Teacher