Community invited to student-run V Fest

A FESTIVAL created by Surf Coast students for the Surf Coast community will be held with more than 100 students organising the event.

Surf Coast Secondary College’s VCE Vocational major students, approximately 115 strong, will host the first publicly accessible V Fest, which will provide a range of community and market stalls at its campus on Friday, September 13 from 3pm to 5pm.

Part of its second semester curriculum, the student-led initiative forms part of students’ VCE Vocational studies, encouraging students to commit to a major project, led by teacher Danny Monk.

Mr Monk said the students had been hard at work since beginning the project at the start of Term 3 and he was proud of the students’ efforts.

“The overall aim is to build community with everything around our school, as well as the connection within,” he said.

“We’ve also enlisted the help of local primary schools such as Torquay Coast, Torquay College and Bellbrae Primary, possibly future students, but also other organisations like Rotary and the Lions Club.

“The students are just keen to unite the community, and we think they’ve done a terrific job.”

The festival will be held between Wurdi Baierr Stadium and the school’s blue basketball court.

It will also feature live music and free bike safety checks at the festival’s Bike Hub.

Participants include Year 11 and Year 12 students Layla Sheedy, Lily Menhenett and Erin Hannah, who have all contributed in different ways.

Layla was asked to reach out and ask Ocean Mind if they would be willing to join the festival in a stallholder capacity.

She said the experience had been a new one for her, but it had taught her new skills in collaborating with businesses and organisations in the community.

“We got introduced to the project then released out tasks step-by-step.

“So I got in touch with Ocean Mind, which I luckily volunteer at, and then Rachael Parker, the founder and CEO of the company, came in for a meeting and agreed to be part of the festival.

“So we’ve been having regular meetings planning what the stall is going to look like and it has been a great experience to learn new communication skills in this way.”

The event is being supported by the Victorian government’s FReeZA initiative and Surf Coast Youth.