Youth
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A conversation can save a life
Melanie Jorgensen is starting the conversation. She is making it her mission to encourage talk around mental health, after losing her 15-year-old son Lachlan to suicide in October 2017. Described as “a lover of all things sport”, Lachlan was a national 400-metre sprinter and talented footballer who had battled depression and anxiety for more than…
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Castlemaine Secondary College art show packs a visual punch
A stunning array of creative work by local teenagers has gone on public display at Castlemaine’s CBD Market Building. The annual Castlemaine Secondary College Art Show occupies a special place on the college calendar and this year’s offering is particularly strong says Clayton Tremlett, VCE art teacher at CSC. “The emphasis this time is on…
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Community effort to restore Woodend Primary School vegie garden
Woodend Primary School’s Community Children’s Garden is having a makeover, thanks to generous locals and a Junior Landcare Biodiversity Grant. The latest addition to the space is an indigenous garden that was planted by grade four-six children. Each species in the native garden will have an informative label, making the garden an educational self-guided tour…
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Castlemaine students prepare for global climate strike
Castlemaine’s school climate strike students have spent an afternoon calling on local businesses to register their support for next month’s big global climate strike. It was not financial support that the group of students from Castlemaine Secondary College were after when they hit the streets last Friday afternoon. It was more a question of moral…
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A face to the word
Young people in Kyneton got the opportunity to put a face to the word ‘refugee’ and hear first-hand of their experience during a special schools visit last Tuesday for Refugee Week. Kyneton’s Social Foundry brought with them Malaysian-born Richard and Riya, who now live in the Bendigo region and have pending refugee status in Australia.…
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Climate call continues
Castlemaine students are among the many Australians who continue to demand meaningful action to address climate change. And on Friday afternoon the local teens took their concerns to the streets yet again. This time at least 50 students including many from Castlemaine Secondary College took strike action, marching from their schools to Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal…
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Batting for change
Chelsea McCarthy has made a compelling case for Macedon Ranges Shire Council to support what could be the first Romsey junior girls’ cricket side. The 10-year-old put passion to paper in a submission to the council’s budget process seeking funds to kick-start junior girls’ cricket spanning several age groups. “There are already heaps of girls…
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Sustainability success
Kyneton Secondary College year eight science students and their teacher met in the dark last Thursday morning at Kyneton Railway Station to make the trip down to Melbourne for the Sustainability Victoria Resource Smart School Awards at the MCG. The excited students were finalists in the awards and were delighted to hear directly from Minister…
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Scouting ideas for park
Elijah Heriot is scouting for ideas to improve Quahlee Park in Woodend’s north. He may be just eight years old but Elijah is determined to see the 7.5-acre park in Stuart Drive upgraded with facilities to match the growing community’s needs. “Quahlee Park is our only park in north Woodend and it could be much…
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Pearcy’s inspirational pledge
Five months ago, Kyneton local Jacob Pearce started a campaign called Pearcy’s Pledge to Mental Health. He started this campaign because he believed he had a great opportunity to make a difference. Not only did he battle with his mental health and lose close people to suicide, but two years ago he survived a horrific…
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Young achievers celebrated
Victorian Youth Week and the school holidays kicked off in style on Friday with a Youth Festival in Castlemaine’s Victory Park celebrating the achievements of young people in our community. The Mount Alexander Shire Youth Festival saw community members enjoy a range of fun activities including tie-dying, a Young Makers Market, live entertainment from young…
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Our own voices
Hundreds of Castlemaine school students joined Friday’s global School Strike for Climate Action calling on the nation’s leaders to take more decisive action to address the pressing global issue. Students travelled from Castlemaine to Melbourne – on public transport – joining thousands of more from across the state – and many more across the world…