Quote of the Week

I like nonsense. It wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope.

- Dr Seuss.

Have you ever considered...volunteering?

Not only is volunteering a great thing for the community, but it is also a great thing for you too. Volunteering can help you:

• Build your confidence
  
• Gain new skills
• Make new friends
• Feel good about helping others
• Have fun

On top of all of that, volunteering looks great on your resume when it comes time to find a job!

(Not to mention getting your community service hours up).

So, what sort of opportunities are out there? 

There is also an almost endless supply of things that you can volunteer for - so pick something that interests you. Some of the sorts of things you could consider include:

• Joining a lifesaving club
• Joining an emergency services group (e.g. CFA or SES).
• Get involved with an aid organisation (or other human rights or social justice group)
• Something local could be the soup kitchen
• Something more global could be helping collect items and organise items to be shipped to overseas organisations.
• Help out with a local club - perhaps a local performing arts group
• Visiting a sick or elderly person
• Tutoring a refugee in English, or helping out with the school holiday refugee programs
• Helping out with a conservation project or group (something like Landcare)

For more information try reading these helpful guidelines put together by Youth Central:
http://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/jobs-careers/volunteering-work-experience/volunteering

Competition: Sport

This fortnight's competition is all about sport. From footy to tug-of-war, there are questions on a wide range of sports. The person who correctly answers the most questions will win the prize.

How well do you know sporting trivia?

Go to the competition

Entries close on Friday 24th of June (last day Term 2)
Winners announced Monday 11th of June (first day Term 3)

Quote of the Week

If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.

- Haruki Murakami

Book Trailer - Salt to the Sea

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Winter, 1945. Four teenagers. Four secrets.

Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies…and war.
As thousands of desperate refugees flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom.
Yet not all promises can be kept.
Inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history, bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray) lifts the veil on a shockingly little-known casualty of World War II. An illuminating and life-affirming tale of heart and hope. [blurb from Goodreads.com].

...and the Winners are:

This week we had 3 student who correctly answered EVERY question on the quiz. The winners are...

Matthew Ruiter
Martina Gulino
Catherine Nitz

You will need to come to the ILC to collect your prizes.

Congratulations to the other students who had a go. Better luck next week!

Check out the blog again next week for a new competition and a chance to win!


For those who were curious the correct answers were:

Snow White

 

Little Red Riding Hood

The Ugly Duckling

The Three Little Pigs

Rumplestiltskin

The Frog Prince

Jack and the Beanstalk

The Emperor's New Clothes

Chicken Little

The Pied Piper

Cinderella

Quote of the Week

Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.

- Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Can you spot a bad argument?

The world is constantly trying to persuade you about things - You should eat healthy and do exercise, that you're too young to go see Deadpool, and that you need to buy the latest iPhone.

Now, some of those things people are telling you have good and solid reasoning behind them. Strong arguments like: people who eat healthy food and exercise are generally much less likely to develop chronic diseases.

Some things have strong arguments, but ones that can be a little less solid depending on the circumstances: Deadpool is an MA15+ rated movie, and given the violence and sexual content it is definitely not suitable for most 12 year olds. However, is there really much difference between someone who is 14 years and 11 months old and someone who is 15?

Lastly, some arguments are just plain dumb. Why do you need the iPhone? because everyone else is getting one? Did you need something like it before it came out? or did you only realise you were unhappy with your phone when a better one existed? (I am not denying that you might want the phone, but I am suggesting that saying you need it is not very logical).

So, can you spot a dud argument?

If you are interested in the theory behind arguments and reasoning there are some more really good videos on YouTube, as well as an article you might be interested in reading that will help you build stronger arguments in your assignments:

How logical are you? 

How to Argue - Philosophical Reasoning: CrashCourse Philosophy #2 

How to Build a Strong Argument 

Competition: Fairy Tales

This fortnight's competition is all about fairy tales. The person who correctly answers the most questions will win the prize.

How well do you know your folklore?

Go to the competition

Entries close on Friday 10th of June.
Winners announced Tuesday 14th of June

Quote of the Week

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.

- Isaac Asimov

Book Trailer - Prisoner of Night and Fog

Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

Obey. Smile when Hitler comes closer. And never, never question him.

These are the three rules in seventeen-year-old Nazi Gretchen Müller's life. They've kept her safe since Papa died, protecting old family friend Adolf Hitler during a street fight years ago. Until the night in 1931 when Gretchen meets a young, fearless Jewish reporter she's supposed to despise. But she can't stop herself from listening to his story -- that her father, the adored martyr, was actually murdered. Together, Gretchen and the reporter vow to do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. Even if it means breaking all of Hitler's rules. Especially the most important one of all: don't fall in love with the enemy...