Welcome back Osaka Seikei Girls' High School

We were delighted to once again welcome students from Osaka Seikei Girls’ High School to Stella Maris College, as part of their continued cultural and English immersion experience with us. This year, a group of 14 students, accompanied by their familiar and much-loved teachers, Mr Yokoyama and Ms Kira, joined our school community.

It was especially heartwarming to reconnect with the teachers and to learn that one student from last year’s group chose to return again this year. This is a true testament to the positive and lasting memories created during her previous visit to Stella Maris.

During their time with us, the Osaka Seikei students enjoyed a rich and engaging program. The group participated in our St Patrick’s Day celebrations by wearing a touch of green, and we appreciated their willingness to embrace this experience. While not an Australian cultural tradition, it offered a valuable opportunity for cultural curiosity and further exploration into its meaning and significance.

The students also delivered a speech at our school assembly. While this can be a challenging task in a second language, it was incredibly brave of the students to stand up and present in full English, and our community warmly supported their efforts.

The group had the opportunity to explore our campus, including time in our new Polding Centre, and to join lessons with our Year 8 Japanese Language class. These shared learning experiences allowed for meaningful language practice, cultural exchange, and the building of new friendships. We trust that our Japanese language students greatly benefited from this experience, gaining a boost in their language learning over the past few days and learning more about contemporary Japanese culture and student life.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Osaka Seikei Girls’ High School for their continued trust in our program and for choosing to return to Stella Maris once again.

A special thank you also goes to our Year 8 Japanese Language students, who were exceptional buddies and hosts, welcoming our visitors, showing them around the College, and spending time together during recess and lunchtime. Your warmth and enthusiasm truly enriched our guests’ experience and beautifully embodied our school value for this year, the Year of Hospitality.

We look forward to continuing this wonderful partnership and creating many more shared memories in the years to come.

Mrs Mika Sennet and Mrs Ana Gonzalez