Saint Stephen's College's 120 overseas students, aged 11 to 18, are missing their parents after being separated for more than a year because of COVID
Local international students as young as 11 haven't seen their parents for more than a year... but that hasn't stopped one Gold Coast school from recording "amazing" ATAR results.
Gold Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gold Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
NOT seeing your parents for a year seems unimaginable for most kids, but that’s exactly what’s happened for 120 international students attending Saint Stephen’s College.
Sam Holmes, the executive director of international education at the Upper Coomera school, has gone from recruiting students from overseas to taking care of them.
“None of the students have been home or had their parents visit for more than a year,” Ms Holmes said.
“With our preppies usually one parent lives here on the Gold Coast while the other stays overseas. But otherwise our older international students live locally at homestays.
“The youngest we’ve got in a homestay with a local family is an 11-year-old.”
Year 12 students Teresa Cheng and Michael Xuan said they both missed their families but that the friends at the college had helped them get through.
Teresa said even if borders opened up later this year it would be close to two years before she would see her parents in person.
“At first I was homesick and cried a lot being away from my family. It is nice that I can now video call them. It’s hard not being able to see my parents but I have my friends and teachers here with me that I can talk to when I am homesick and my homestay family just treat me like one of their own which is very nice.”
Teresa said it was the little things we all take for granted that she misses, like having her mum or dad pick her up after school.
“There are days when I see students with their families pick them up after school and it makes me miss my family. The last time I saw my brother he was very small, he has grown a lot since then."
Michael said he was especially missing his family during Chinese New Year because they would usually all be together.
“Despite all the restrictions in place because of COVID, I know my parents care about me and we still get to communicate through social media,” he said.
“The Chinese New Year celebrations we have put together this year is the first time we have done this ourselves. Saint Stephen’s College gave us the opportunity to celebrate in a special way this year and having our friends give up their free time to make this event special means a lot to us all.”
“We really enjoyed sharing our culture and our customs with the College community and gives a different insight into our lives.”
The majority of international students are from Mainland China, with some from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Russia and Vietnam — all of whom haven’t hugged their loved ones for a year.
“Most of them don’t have any family members in Australia at all,” Ms Holme said.
“This is why we’ve thrown such a massive Chinese New Year celebration at the school, with performances, dancing and 4000 dumplings.”
Ms Holmes said overseas students had been taken on excursions during school holidays, offered counselling in their native tongue and encouraged to take part in wellbeing sessions.
The school has also teamed up with restaurants to provide cultural lunches for students.
“We’re not sure whether the 2020 cohort was just a strong year or whether they put their heads down during COVID, but last year we had one of our best results ever for our Year 12s, with more than 50 per cent of students scoring ATARs of 95 or more. And this is with English as their second or third language, which is completely unheard of.”
The Saint Stephen’s community recently celebrated its 21st birthday.
Coast teachers who made the ‘Hot List’ - Aug 2020
SEVEN Gold Coast teachers at the cutting edge of excellence are among Australia’s 75 most influential academics.
An annual Hot List by The Educator magazine highlights outstanding work delivered to students from kindergarten to Year 12. Included were four teachers from Saint Stephen’s College, one from Hillcrest Christian College, the head of Australian Industry Trade College head and the principal of Tamborine Mountain State School.
COAST’S LEADING TRAINING COLLEGE HAS SPIKE IN ENROLMENTS
Saint Stephen’s principal Kim Cohn congratulated head of science Iain Taylor, junior college STEAM co-ordinator and teacher Kerrie Soars, junior college teacher Paul Hemphill and head of arts and technology and business Samantha Reynolds.
Mr Taylor has been recognised for being a “trailblazer when it comes to promoting the spirit of scientific inquiry, championing innovative learning, and promoting science in action”.
Ms Soars was awarded for integrating STEAM-based units across the junior school and supporting the upskilling of staff to generate greater student engagement, while Mr Hemphill developed a unique spelling program with personalised words for all juniors.
For more than a decade Ms Reynolds has led innovative programs, including development of enterprise education, STEAM, and interdisciplinary projects.
LOCALS RALLY AROUND FAMILY OF DROWNING VICTIM
MORE NEWS
MAYOR’S URGENT EMAIL TO CEO ON CITY PLAN CHANGES
WHAT SPARKED THE REVIEW OF THE CITY PLAN CHANGES
WHEN PARADISE WAS LOST AT PALM BEACH
Hillcrest Christian College’s Michael Ha is director of digital innovation, and a teacher of PE, information and communications technology and maths. Last year he started a “teach any lesson for them” initiative whereby he taught any lesson for teachers upon formal request. He attempted to teach the lessons using different approaches and strategies; while teachers observed, reflected and then applied the same idea to improve their own practice.
Tamborine Mountain State School (TMSS) principal Jason Smith, who recently had a short stint at Arundel State School, was recognised for his work with staff and students.
He’s known for forming strategic partnerships with TMSS, Tamborine Mountain State School School and Griffith and Swinburne universities, to develop and establish the Tamborine Mountain Learning Academy (TMLA). He previously helped the school scoop win primary school of the year in 2018.
LABRADOR LOCALS FEAR SUBURB WILL BE OVERDEVELOPED
Australian Industry Trade College chief executive Mark Hands made the list for his work in industry education and fierce advocacy for the recognition of vocational pathways.
For 15 years, he’s had a firm belief that success is not measured in scores or grades, but instead “character”.
The independent school at Robina trains students in years 10,11 and 12 to complete senior education while also training them for industry.
Mr Hands describes himself as an industry education evangelist.
“We need to transform Australia’s education system, rather than reform it. We should be honouring technical and emotional intelligence, in addition to the current state of play that honours academic intelligence only,” he said.
“University is not the only pathway to success and I’m on a mission to elevate industry-based
education to be recognised as a valuable and reputable career.”
‘Enriched the fabric’: Tate’s surprise offer to beloved doyen
Regina King photographed the Gold Coast and its citizens for more than 50 years. Now she’s been made a surprise offer by Mayor Tom Tate. FIND OUT MORE
Charges after teens’ alleged 1700km stolen car crime spree
Three teens found sleeping in stolen cars at a Gold Coast McDonald’s have been arrested after an alleged break-and-enter spree from Melbourne to Brisbane.