We asked two our student leaders what being at Southern Vales is like from a student’s perspective. Here’s what they told us:

Question One :  How’s your experience been with school. What l mean is have you always attended a Christian school or did you go to a public school prior SVCC?  What’s it been like at SVCC for you?

Reya

In the Philippines I attended a Christian pre-school and when I moved to Australia, I attended a public school for 3 years. In grade 3 I moved to SVCC and it’s a lot different from my experience with public school. Personally, although I expressed my faith at public school, at times I did feel suppressed or felt like I had to hide the fact that I was a Christian. As I moved to SVCC, I found that slowly I felt like I could freely express my faith. It was different because I was encouraged to express my faith rather than suppressing it. I also really love how they integrate Christian living in school life such as daily devotionals, school assembly’s and so on because it opens up an opportunity for those who may not know God, to learn more about Him.

Benjamin

I have attended Southern Vales since reception, so I have always attended a Christian school and do not know what it is like to go to a public school.

Southern Vales has been such an amazing experience, honestly, the people you grow up with and the teachers you get to know are fantastic. So my schooling experience has always been fun.

Question Two :  What’s your experience with Christian studies been like?

Reya

At times Christian Studies can be difficult to follow or sit through. I think much of the content can be repeated and we feel like we hear the same thing. Some things that I feel like could be done more is self reflection and practical application. We learn about things like reading the Bible and how important it is but we haven’t really be taught how to and where to start. Something that I highly appreciate is the passion that the teachers i’ve had have. The teachers that do teach Christian Studies are so passionate and on fire for God which I think is really amazing. I’ve also been enjoying how Mrs. Scriven changes it up a bit every lesson by bringing in someone from outside of school to answer the question we are curious about. 

Benjamin

Christian Studies was always a different experience. We are so used to most subjects feeling the same but with different teachers and topics, but Christian Studies was always different, but in a good way. To be honest, I didn't really pay attention or care much about it until the end of Yr 10. When I did listen and pay attention, my knowledge of the Bible and the Lord exponentially increased.

Question 3:  If a friend from a public school asked about SVCC what would be the first thing you would tell them?

Reya

I would say the SVCC is like a family. The wonderful thing about our school is that it is quite small compared to others which is a good thing because it gives you the opportunity to connect with everyone. Being a small school, it feels like you know everyone and no one is really left out in a sense. I think that there are also so many people who are courageous in stepping out of faith. For people who are Christians and for those who aren’t, it will still feel very welcoming and provide nurturing environment where everyone is able to express who they are. 

Benjamin

 It is like a big family. The classes at Southern Vales are not very big, usually a max of about 25 students per classroom. But because the classes are small, you know everyone and you get to know everyone and it just feels like a second family.

Question Four: Share some positive experiences you’ve had or seen at school.

Reya

I would say that the school camps are such an amazing experience. It is a fulfilling time where you are able to make new friends and grow in older friendships. It has been so amazing to see friendships that were just on the surface, go deeper and turn into life long friends. I would say that some of the teachers here at SVCC are like no other. They invest so much time and effort in order so we can not only pass, but achieve the best grade possible. Overall I just think the most positive thing I’ve seen is the effort that people make in connecting with others. For example, it was incredibly encouraging to see the school leaders of 2016 and 2017 getting involved in devotions with younger year levels. 

Benjamin

At the end of the year 2018, the Yr 11's and myself had a week of Yr 12. During the week, things felt different and we were together a lot more than usual. Not a lot of work was done either so we basically went to school just to have a bit of fun. And that week set us up for 2019 and I feel so much closer to everyone already. Spending that week with them was such a great experience because in one week we grew in our family.

Question 5: What would like to do after high school? Job or studies etc.

Reya

After high school I am planning to go to university although I am not 100% sure what course I want to take. At the moment I have Occupational Therapy and Paediatric Nursing in mind. I also plan to work as I enter university. 

Benjamin

As of right now, I have no plans as of what I want to do after school. I will probably do a gap year, maybe get a second job just to earn a little bit of extra money, but in terms of studying, I do not know what I want to do.