CO-CURRICULAR

At St Paul’s we aim to provide opportunities to broaden and develop our students interests and talents. Co-curricular activities deepen the school experience for our students, from the arts to the sporting field, students are encouraged to challenge themselves and to pursue their interests outside the classroom setting.

SPORT
St Paul’s College provides students of all abilities with a wide range of sporting opportunities to experience many physical, social and mental benefits that sport can offer. Students have the opportunity to compete in both individual and team sports. Our dedicated staff offer numerous sporting competitions and representative opportunities throughout the year, including:

Swimming
Rugby Union
Soccer
Rugby League
Cross Country
Netball
Basketball
Volleyball
Cricket
Golf
Athletics
Tennis
AFL
League Tag
Country Basketball Championships 

Students also have the opportunity to represent St Paul’s in a wide range of Diocesan and NSWCCC sporting competitions including:
The Diocese of Lismore Sports Program http://sport.lism.catholic.edu.au/
New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges (NSWCCC) – the pathway for students in all Catholic Secondary Schools in NSW to compete at NSW All Schools Championships and events www.csnsw.sport


THE ARTS
Drama

Students have excellent facilities enabling expression, development and positive learning experiences. These include customised Drama/Theatre spaces allowing the students to immerse themselves in their theatre studies. St Paul’s students have a proud history of involvement in cultural activities, including performances at Eisteddfods and the state wide Shakespeare competition held by the Sport for Jove theatre company, where they have taken out the title of state champions several times. We have had Onstage nominations and provide the opportunity for students to attend excursions to watch performances and engage in professional theatre workshop experiences. By choosing Drama, students build their confidence, their ability to work collaboratively and compassion for one another and the world around them.

St Paul’s Music Program
St Paul's has a rich history in supporting young musicians. We have a number of Encore nominations and students who perform at HSC Encore, which is a program of outstanding performances and compositions by students from the HSC Music examinations presented by the NSW Education Standards Authority and the NSW Department of Education. Many of the College’s students have gone on to pursue careers as musicians and music teachers.

We have an experienced peripatetic music teacher who provides classroom support and facilitates the Music Enrichment Program. This gives individual and small groups of students the opportunity to learn a number of musical instruments.

The College is affiliated with the Kempsey District Silver Band who awards a Scholarship to a student each year and students are encouraged to perform at the Kempsey Eisteddfod. Throughout the year students are offered the opportunity to go on excursions to listen to and participate in musical activities and the St Paul’s College Men's Choir offers all Senior male students the opportunity to perform at Masses and Liturgies.

Debating Competition
Students are invited to trial for the debating teams and thereafter a team of 3 students is selected for each year group. Teams across Year 7-11 are entered to participate in the Catholic Schools Debating Day which is the regional finals, where they complete one prepared and two impromptu debates. The winner of the day progresses to compete in the Country Schools Final in Sydney, where if successful, will progress to compete in the NSW State final.

Anzac Day March
St Paul’s students and staff commemorate Anzac Day at ceremonies held throughout the Macleay Valley. 

da Vinci Decathlon
The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. Throughout the day, students worked collaboratively to solve various challenges across a range of academic disciplines, including: Science, Creative Producers, English, Ideation, Mathematics,Engineering, Art and Poetry, Cartography, Code Breaking and Legacy.  

Senior Science Excursion
Year 11 science students visit the Museum of Human Disease; tour the University of New South Wales and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). These experiences deepen knowledge and understanding of the Year 12 courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Environmental Science and students are able to experience what a university campus is like.

Power of Engineering Event
The Power of Engineering (POE) is a not-for-profit organisation established to connect Universities and Industry with school students who may be considering a career in an Engineering field. The event is unique in that it is fully funded by industry partners and is organised by the Power of Engineering who coordinate the buses, venue, meals, graduate presenters, keynote speaker and industry site visits. 

The students come away with real world exposure to what Engineering entails and the huge diversity of roles, large projects and the entry points and pathways through this field including trades, Tafe diplomas, degrees and an appreciation that this field is in huge demand offering rewarding career opportunities.

Design Sprint for Ethics and Artificial Intelligence
St Paul’s has partnered with St Gabriel’s secondary school in Kiunga, Papua New Guinea, to participate in a design sprint for ethics and artificial Intelligence. This partnership fosters communication and collaboration between students, developing intercultural understanding and problem-solving skills.

ICAS Competition
ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) is a school competition that inspires, celebrates and challenges millions of school students across Australia, New Zealand and the world. The students are assessed in their ability to apply classroom learning to new contexts, using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. The subjects span literacy (English, Writing and Spelling Bee) and STEM (Mathematics, Science and Digital Technologies).

National Science Week
Science and Technology is celebrated each year in August at St Paul's College during National Science Week, where students are able to engage in interactive experiments, activities and challenges that showcase science and encourage an interest in science pursuits among students.

Agriculture Team
Meet each Thursday afternoon and represents the College at a variety of shows, including: Wauchope Show; Macksville Show; Kempsey Show and Dorrigo Show. They also participate in Wingham Beef Week and the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza.

Gumnut Café
Students are able to volunteer in the mornings from Tuesday to Friday in the café where they can practice their Barista skills and customer service under the guidance of our Hospitality and teaching staff. Students serve a range of hot and cold beverages to staff and students before school.

Premier Reading Challenge
Students are encouraged to take part in this annual Challenge which enables them to experience quality literature and aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students.

Book Chat
Takes place in the library at lunch time each Thursday. Students and staff are able to chat about the books they are reading and reading in general, while enjoying some snacks provided. All students are welcome!

Reconciliation and Inclusion Group (RAIG)
St Paul’s Reconciliation and Inclusion Group meet and discuss matters directly related to reconciliation and inclusion in our College Community, and the wider community of Kempsey and the Nambucca Valley. The group promotes respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage whilst recognising that all people have the right to be admired and appreciated as valuable members of the community.  

Science and Engineering Challenge
This event is run by the University of Newcastle and allows NSW high school students in Years 9 and 10 the chance to experience how science and engineering can help to solve real-world problems in a fun, competitive setting. Teams of students from different schools compete against each other in a series of eight challenges. Qualifying teams compete in the NSW Finals, with the NSW champion school participating in the Science and Engineering Challenge National Final.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP
St Paul’s College provides students with opportunities to develop their leadership skills within the school and local community. Student voice and leadership at all levels of the College is valued and students are encouraged to play an active part in decision making. The leadership program enables students to develop confidence and have a real impact on their learning and school environment and prepares them to participate meaningfully in their community.

College Captains - Two students who are known by the College and Parish community are elected for their performance and contribution to the school. They are role models who promote the College values and have an understanding of Catholic Mission. Our elected College Captains play an important part in representing student voice, organising and presenting at College events and supporting school initiatives.

College Vice Captains - Four students are elected to be a positive influence and to effect change in the College. 

House Leaders - Students are elected to represent each House and are responsible for working with the House Coordinators in promoting engagement in all school activities including swimming, the Athletics Carnival, Cross Country and charity work.

Student Representative Council - Comprises of students across Year 7-11 who meet weekly, report to the College Executive Team and are chosen by application, invitation and interview. The Student Representative Council is the voice of students in the College and helps to promote school spirit and leadership among the students. The SRC provides student feedback regarding decision-making and organises ways for students to participate in College life. 

Ministry Leaders - The College Ministry Leaders are senior students invited by the school to participate in the evangelisation program within the Diocese and the College. These students meet weekly, planning and organising College activities such as retreats, important College events and working closely with St Joseph’s and St Patrick's Catholic Primary Schools.