Boort District School students Stephanie Couper and Hannah Moresi (front) spent three weeks on exchange at John Monash Science School. Photo: Angus Verley
It can be difficult being a passionate student of science in regional Victoria, where subjects, facilities and teachers are often limited.
That’s why John Monash Science School (JMSS) established its regional exchange program in 2011.
The program involves regional students in year 10 – about 20 each year – spending three weeks living with a Melbourne family and attending the school.
The school
Lisa Horsley is the science outreach and marketing manager for the state government selective entry school.
She says the program is about fostering interest in science.
“It’s to bring kids into a really supportive environment for science, so they’re surrounded by 600 students who really love science and they might not necessarily get that at their own schools,” she says.
“We aim to ignite passion in science so we’re saying, come for three weeks, get really excited about science, and take that passion back to your school.
“We offer classes such as marine biology, nanotechnology and pharmaceutical science and these probably aren’t going to be on offer in regional schools.”
Lisa says the school is looking to technology to expand the program.
“We have a dual device program so the students have a laptop and an iPad so they can use whichever device is most appropriate for what they’re doing at the time,” she says.
“We’re also looking at other ways we can teach our subjects to students in their own schools, so we’re looking at using video conferencing or online delivery.”
The program also focuses on teacher professional development, inviting regional teachers to attend the school for a week.
“It can be really hard in regional areas where you might have a biology teacher who’s teaching physics and chemistry as well, so to be able to support them is really important for us,” Lisa says.
The staff
Biology teacher Sian Mackley attended the school in 2012, travelling from Boort District School in north-west Victoria.
She says she learned much from sitting in on classes.
“The whole fundamental process of learning science is watching your peers and learning what they do and how to approach science from different angles.”
Sian says the school has much to offer regional students.
“In biology for example they are set up for many, many exciting genetic practicals which are very difficult to operate in Boort,” she says.
“We just don’t have the facilities, we don’t have the resources, we don’t have the funding, so we need this exchange program.
“All they want from the students is that love of science, that desire to know more, to be curious, to find out, to discover.”
The students
Boort District School has also had three students participate in the program in the past two years.
Hannah Moresi attended JMSS earlier this year and says it helped her focus her interests leading into VCE.
“Before I went to the school I wasn’t sure how I felt about science but I came away really liking it,” she says.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity, especially if you’re not sure about science.
“Also, it’s not just for the science experience because it’s a good opportunity to experience Melbourne with your host family.”
Hannah will return to the school in late October to present her poster on “plastics in the ocean” at the school’s science fair.
Fellow Boort student Stephanie Couper was part of the 2012 program and says she was initially somewhat reluctant.
“I was worried about going but it really paid off in the end,” she says.
“I wanted to be a marine biologist before I went to the school but when I went there and learned a lot more I decided I would be more interested in medicine.”
She also praised her host family experience.
“The family I lived with was very keen on achieving and I guess they opened my eyes up to how much I can achieve,” she says.
“It changed my life.”
Applications for the 2014 regional exchange will open in October.
