On Friday, 27 August, Middle Years staff and students participated in LitFest (short for ‘Literature Festival’), our first-ever all-day celebration of books and reading.
For the last few years, our Middle Years students have celebrated CBCA’s Book Week with a variety of activities spread throughout the week. The feedback that we received from both staff and students was that to improve our celebrations, we should come together for a full day during Book Week for some combined activities. So, the idea for ‘LitFest’ was born. Year 7 and 8 students were surveyed, and we used this feedback to guide our planning.
It was great to see so many staff and students stepping into the shoes of their favorite literary characters on the day. Students were invited to enter the Costume Competition, with a variety of prize categories available.
Congratulations to the following students for their success in the competition:
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| Hannah Gration | Halle Ollington, Ayla Van Kempen, Monique Spencer, Charlotte Field | Millie Barlow |
| Best DIY Costume (Yr 7) | Runner Up Best Group Costume (Yr 7) | Runner Up Best Individual Costume (Yr 7) |
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| Oliver Pinner | Eli Carpenter | Charlotte Spinks, Mae Simpson, Elizabeth Ettlin |
| Most Original Costume Idea (Yr 7) | Runner Up Most Original Costume Idea (Yr 7) | Best Group Costume (Yr 8) |
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| Connor Briggs | Zoe Darby | Bailie Wickham, Ashley Fehlberg |
| Best DIY Costume (Yr 8) | Best Individual Costume (Yr 7) | Best Group Costume (Yr 7) |
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| Isobel Cunningham, Olivia Jones | Thomas Hingston | |
| Runner Up Best Group Costume (Yr 8) | Best Costume Related to Book Week Theme (Yr 7) |
From their gold coin donations, Middle Years students and staff raised $239.75 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
It was glowsticks galore at the LitFest Disco in Conway Hall:
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A big thank-you to Jess Magee and Nathan Humphreys for turning Conway Hall into a groovy Disco Den. Thanks also to Jack Latham, Logyn Dolting and Miller Jackson for being amazing DJs for the event. For students who wanted a quieter option, a movie (based on a book) was shown in the Colin Theatre.
Students selected two LitFest Activity sessions:
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Chocolate Wands, Golden Snitch Truffles and Chocolate Frog Boxes |
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Travis Mather – The Diary of A Wimpy Kid
Simone Gleeson & Bailey Hite – The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Thomas Hingston & Brandon Fell – Jurassic Park |
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Anonymous Student Feedback about LitFest:
It was such a fun and creative day and lots of options for different people.
It was very fun and enjoyable for me.
It was pretty good, and I appreciate what everyone did to make this day special.
This was very fun, I would definitely want to go again.
It was the best day this year.
It was just a really good day, the activities were amazing, and lots of people won heaps of prizes.
I enjoyed celebrating literature with friends, casual clothes, and food.
I loved LitFest – it was so fun and just to have fun with my friends.
A sincere thank-you to all the staff who helped out at LitFest. There are so many staff who supported this event – both teaching and non-teaching staff. From behind the scenes setting up, to judging, to running or assisting at an activity, to stepping in at the last minute for relief… Their contribution to this day is very much appreciated.
Mrs Carolyn Winchcombe
Middle Years Learning Area Leader: Global Connections