Creative Arts @ HSC

That's a Wrap for Term 1!

As Term 1 comes to a close next week, the Creative Arts department at HSC has had an incredibly busy and vibrant term filled with creativity and collaboration. From new beginnings, as our groups came together to engaging rehearsals, our students and staff have truly outdone themselves.

A special thank you to Ms Barbe and the Digital DJs for providing fantastic music at the Swimming Carnival. Your tunes kept the energy high and made the event even more enjoyable. We are looking forward to you bringing your fun and exciting vibe to the HSC Cross-Country Carnival next week! 

Additionally, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Hyde and the Music Ministry for their beautiful singing at St Joseph’s Mass last Saturday evening. Your voices added a special touch to the service and were deeply appreciated by all.

We also want to express our thanks to the wonderful Art Officials group for creating an amazing artwork displayed in the Student Reception foyer. This piece celebrates Harmony Day and also reflects our religious theme for this year, “Pilgrims of Hope.”

Next week, our Drama group will be in the spotlight leading us through the Lenten Prayer Service - a dramatised version of the ‘The Way of the Cross – Through the eyes of Mary’. They will be bringing their unique talents to this important event. Our thanks to Ms Robinson and the Drama Group for all your hard work and dedication in preparing for this special prayer service.

In the last edition of the College Newsletter, we celebrated the outstanding achievements of our Senior Captains, Rory F, Liam H, and Elise P-G, at the recent Lions Youth of the Year event. We are thrilled to share more exciting news regarding this competition! Special congratulations go to Rory F, who represented the Mackay area at the next level of the YOTY competition in Townsville. Rory once again impressed the judges and audience with his confidence, eloquence, and depth of thought. He will now compete at the state level in Brisbane this April. We’re all behind you, Rory, and incredibly proud. We wish you all the very best as you continue to represent Holy Spirit College for the title of Queensland Youth of the Year. Thank you to Mrs Suzanne Gakowski for her mentorship of these students and for supporting this Creative Arts group.

Looking Ahead to Term 2: We have many exciting plans for Term 2, including:

• Performance opportunities within the school community
• Dance, Debating and Rock Pop Mime Competitions
• Visual Arts workshops

We look forward to another term filled with creativity, growth, and artistic expression. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making Term 1 a success, and we can't wait to see what Term 2 has in store!

If your student would like to join in all the fun of the Creative Arts groups, it's not too late to join! Students can bring a friend along—our groups welcome everyone, no previous experience required, just a keen interest to participate. See the Creative Arts Timetable below and let’s make this year a creative adventure for all!

Creative Arts Schedule

Group	Day	Time	Venue	Tutor/Teacher
Band	Monday	7:20 - 8:20 am	PAC	Mr Bauer
Choir	Tuesday	7:20 - 8:20 am	PAC	Ms Illguth and Mrs Abell
Art Officials	Tuesday	Recess 1	Room 17	Mrs Oliver
Dance Troupe	Wednesday	7:20 - 8:20 am	PAC	Mrs Skipper
Debate Club	Wednesday	Recess 1	Room 26	Mrs Farquhar and Ms Wainwright
Music Ministry	Wednesday	Recess 1	PAC	Mrs Hyde
Art Therapy	Wednesday	3:00 - 4:00 pm	Art  Room	Mrs Oliver
Drama Club	Thursday	7:20 - 8:20 am	PAC	Ms Robinson and Ms Wainwright
Creative Arts  Committee	Thursday	Recess 2	Music Room	Mrs Abell and Creative Arts Chair
Drum Corps	Friday	7:20 - 8:20 am	PAC	Mr McClelland and Mr Watson
Digital DJs	As required		PAC	Ms Barbe

Bernadetta Abell - Creative Arts Program Leader

Sports @ HSC

Swimming Carnival 2025 - A Day of Fun, Spirit, and Teamwork!

On Friday, 14 March 2025, our school came alive with energy and excitement as students, staff, and supporters gathered for the annual Swimming Carnival. With bright costumes, impressive cheerleading routines, and endless enthusiasm, the day was a true celebration of school spirit.

The pool saw plenty of action, with swimmers putting in great efforts across all events. From fast-paced races to fun relays, everyone gave it their best shot while enjoying the friendly competition. One of the standout moments was the teacher relay race, where staff members made a splash in an entertaining showdown that had the crowd cheering!

When they weren’t racing or cheering on their teammates, students had a blast on the waterslides, adding an extra element of fun to an already exciting day. The laughter and excitement from the slides were just as loud as the cheers from the stands!

Beyond the water, the support from the sidelines was incredible, with students cheering on their classmates and creating an atmosphere of encouragement and teamwork. Whether in the pool, on the slides, or in the stands, everyone played a part in making the day special.

A huge thank you to all our swimmers, cheer squads, and supporters for bringing such great energy and enthusiasm. The carnival was a fantastic reminder of the fun, teamwork, and house spirit that make our school events so special. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!

Cross Country Carnival 2025

On Friday, 4 April 2025, the last day of Term 1, Holy Spirit College is holding its annual Inter-house Cross Country Carnival. This year, there will be a change of events, as we will be splitting our competitive races from our fun run.

Students wishing to compete at Mackay District School level, as well as contribute points towards Age Champion, will be racing against others in their own age group. This will make for a quick event with the College’s best putting on a showcase running event. We will then move into a fun run, where all students will be encouraged to get points for their house!

Please see below the map for the upcoming events:

Competitive Map

• U13 – 3km
• U14-U19 – 4km

Whole school ‘Fun Run’

• U12 – U19 years – 4km

Please ensure that your student is wearing the following to ensure safety in the sun!

• College Cap or Bucket Hat
• Enclosed footwear
• Appropriate running attire or the College Sport Uniform

Looking forward to finishing off Term 1, 2025!

Yours in Sport,

Chris Newton - Sports Program Leader

HSC Teams Impress at CBSQ Tournament in Rockhampton

Two weeks ago, we proudly took three teams—One Open Girls team and Two Open Boys teams—to compete in the CBSQ basketball tournament in Rockhampton. Our students displayed incredible determination, sportsmanship, and skill throughout the event.

The Open Girls team put up a strong fight, winning two out of four games, with several nail-biting finishes, including a tough one-point loss. Standout players included Kirra C, Kaitlyn W, and Isabella T.

In the boys’ competition, our HSC 1 team was dominant, going undefeated throughout the tournament. The team played with intensity and precision, executing strong offensive plays, and maintaining solid defence. Luke D, Sam C, and Chase. B were standout performers, consistently delivering key moments that kept the team ahead in every game.

The HSC 2 team also impressed, winning 2 out of 4 games and showing remarkable improvement with each match. Phoenix R, Tristan H, and Jacob T led the way with standout performances, helping the team gel and grow stronger throughout the tournament.

A huge thank you to our volunteer coaches, Mr Rob Cunningham and Mr Buddie Wilson and our staff Mrs Nanette Devitt, Mr Chris Kidd, Mrs Kelly Wells, and Mrs Jonnet Hutchinson for their support.

Congratulations to all players on a fantastic tournament—you represented HSC with pride both on and off the court!

Meet our 2025 QISSN Captains!

2025 Doves Captains - Ava S and Alysse A

Superhero Power-Up: If you could give the team one netball "superpower" for 2025 what would it be and why?

Telepathy: because it will create easy cohesion and strength down the court, as when a team has good communication it is hard to break them.

Team Anthem: If your team had a hype-up anthem, what song would it be and why?

‘Thunder’ by Imagine Dragons, because it has a catchy beat and is easy to sing to, it also has encouraging themes in the song.

"Captain's Playlist": Describe your leadership style using three song titles.

“Stronger - what doesn’t kill you” by Kelly Clarkson
“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
“Hall of Fame” by The Script

Emoji Communication: If you could only use emojis to give feedback after a game, what three emojis would you use most often?  

"Coach for a Day": If you were the coach for one practice, what drills would you run for the team?

We would run through teamwork drills that require communication and working together.

2025 Eagles Captains - Luke D and Lachlan M

Superhero Power-Up: If you could give the team one netball "superpower" for 2025 what would it be and why?

Eagle Vision:venhanced vision to see the entire court clearly and anticipate opponents' moves. ‘SCREEEE’

Team Anthem: If your team had a hype-up anthem, what song would it be and why?

‘Remember The Name’ by Fort Minor because we will set a legacy to be remembered and will be talked about for generations. Also, it’s a very upbeat hype song.

"Captain's Playlist": Describe your leadership style using three song titles.

"Don't Stop Believin’" by Journey
"We Are the Champions" by Queen
"Not Afraid" by Eminem

Emoji Communication: If you could only use emojis to give feedback after a game, what three emojis would you use most often?

The tears of happiness emoji represents our team camaraderie we are supportive and get around each other. The heartbreak emoji is for when our team loses and we are not mad but disappointed. The Eagle represents when we put our hands in and screech Eagles on 3! 1. 2. 3. Eagles! ‘SCREEEE’.

"Coach for a Day": If you were the coach for one practice, what drills would you run for the team?

Warm up, of course, to prevent injury then play. Elimination, for some friendly competition and to improve shooting and the hustle for the ball. And end with a game because there’s no better way to learn than in a game environment.

Sport Sponsors 2025