COOLUM State High School continues to go from strength to strength with the successes of our students coming one after the other.
Nowhere was this more evident than last Thursday evening when we hosted our annual Midwinter Ball. On a night framed by the most perfect of sunsets, our students stepped out dressed beautifully, arriving one after the other in a bevy of the Sunshine Coast’s best and most stylish vehicles. Who knew that we had so many classic cars on the coast! The pages of this wonderful newspaper showcase our students dressed in their finest and ready to step out into the adult world to enjoy a night they will take with them for the rest of their lives.
In terms of the many achievements for which our school is becoming renowned, recently our Wind Symphony won platinum at the Fanfare competition – reaching their greatest heights yet! You cannot help but be awed by the standard of these student musicians, led brilliantly by their conductor, Sharelle Guest. Added to this, our Junior Secondary Concert Band also won platinum at Fanfare, with our strings finishing with a gold award. Instrumental Music is on fire at Coolum State High School and is only set to get better.
Meanwhile, Coolum High’s ‘Basketball Academy’ recently won their division at the Central Queensland Basketball Championships in Rockhampton. The Basketball Academy, led by former greats of the game in Will Sinclair and Tyler Allan, are truly taking flight, with each training session pushing our players to even greater heights.
Added to this, no less than three Coolum High netball teams recently competed in Grand Finals in Maroochydore! No one quite trains like netballers, so this achievement shows the phenomenal commitment of everyone involved. Good luck to anyone up against our teams!
And just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, seven Coolum High surfers were on show at the National Championships, demonstrating the surfing skill for which Coolum is known across the country. As if that wasn’t enough, two Coolum High AFL Academy representatives – Zavier Kleinschmidt and Bonnie Dix – were named in the Queensland AFL team; the culmination of a great deal of hard work combined with some exceptional talent. Watch out for these two players into the future.
Our Brahminy Kite rugby league players continue to excel in a range of competitions, including the Karyn Murphy Cup, where both of our teams won two out of three games. Meanwhile, our boys recently WON the Sunshine Coast Schoolboys Trophy. In rugby league, it’s all about teamwork.
Academically, Coolum High continues to shine – never more so than amongst our dedicated Year 12 students. People may not know that students participating in English and Literature Extension, or Music Extension, arrive at school at 7.30 am to engage in these subjects. Many students stay back until 4 pm to be part of the free tutoring that occurs at Coolum High and to be part of the Homework Club on a Wednesday. While there’s a long way to go, there is a lot to get excited about regarding our current Year 12s – academically, this is possibly our strongest group across the board yet!
Coolum State High School has become a powerhouse in the world of education, and these achievements are just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much that our community can be proud of about the children we are raising, and everything they are showcasing at Coolum State High.