Callum Johnston

Future Anything Showcase Grand Final | Full Event Wrap & Photo Gallery

Future Anything Showcase Grand Final | Full Event Wrap & Photo Gallery

On Tuesday night 19 November, some of our leading business-minded Senior School student entrepreneurs competed in the Future Anything Showcase National Grand Final.

Year 10 student Jade Marshall, founder of ‘Paws & Pages’, did a great job and made a handsome profit selling her range of children’s books.

Jade now has seven books in the Luna and Charlie pet care series, and she received positive comments from educators and entrepreneurs, who commended her on the progress she has made this year.

Year 9 students Lincoln Crooks and Riley Morgan were awarded two major prizes.

The co-founders of Bass Buster Lures, a fishing lure business that uses alloy sinkers instead of lead, impressed the judges and the audience on the night.

The boys were named Showcase Runners-Up and won the Showcase People’s Choice Award.

Their prize package is valued at over $15,000 and includes: business mentorship, a personal and professional branding package from Be Social Be Smart, 2025 membership in the Youth X Accelerator Program, and additional selling opportunities at up-and-coming market stalls.

Lincoln and Riley also received a $1,500 cash prize.

Year 10 student Ashutosh Vaitha offered some words of wisdom to the live audience inside Newstead’s The Triffid event venue, and to those tuning into the livestream from home.

As the 2023 Future Anything National Grand Final Showcase Runner-Up, he shared the personal and professional progress he has achieved this year.

Ashutosh delivered an important message to “say yes” to every opportunity and to keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

Along with the students’ families, Canterbury staff members Mr Chris Pollock, Mrs Georgia Skinner and I attended the night to cheer them on.

Congratulations Jade, Lincoln and Riley…

For the full photo gallery, please visit our Facebook Page HERE.

Mrs Amanda von Kanel

Director of Student Development | Teacher - Senior School

by Callum Johnston

Year 10 Two-Day Micro-Credential Courses: Days 1 & 2 | Final Event Wrap & Photo Gallery

Year 10 Two-Day Micro-Credential Courses: Days 1 & 2 | Final Event Wrap & Photo Gallery

Over the past two Mondays – 11 and 18 November, our Year 10 students have been engaging in a two-day Micro-Credentials Program.

This initiative gave students an opportunity to select one short or ‘mini course’ to further develop their practical skills and knowledge, guided by industry professionals and guest presenters – including Ms Cynthia Nolan, Mr Steve Iuliano, Dr Zach Greig and others.

Each course helps students enhance their: critical thinking, communication, project management, emotional intelligence, creativity, leadership, adaptive mindset, innovative problem-solving and curiosity.

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Communication Through The Generations

These Year 10s developed essential communication and empathy skills by planning and delivering activities tailored for our youngest learners at the Early Learning Centre, while also connecting with local retirees at next door’s Bolton Clarke Aged Care.

They experienced the rewarding challenge of bridging generations, fostering curiosity and honing their ability to socially engage two very diverse audiences.

Students chose this course to make meaningful impacts and elevate their interpersonal skills.

Stand Up For Positive Change

Here students participated in ‘The Stand Up Project’ (SUP), an innovative program founded by Dr Zach Greig that builds student voice, agency and leadership.

Dr Greig is an expert in community empowerment and works with youth in schools across Australia and internationally.

The Stand Up Project acknowledges that young people are best placed to understand the challenges they face.

So in SUP, our students took the lead, driving initiatives that positively impact their school and wider community.

Students began by working with Dr Greig to explore how their values and personalities shape their behaviour and sense of self.

They then learned about the root causes of poor behaviour, and how some choices may challenge their values.

This course equipped students with a toolkit of resources to encourage them to respond to challenging situations as an ‘Upstander’.

Finally, students chose the key issues they wanted to address in their school, and worked together to develop strategies to make meaningful change.

World Of 3D Design

Our Year 10s unleashed their inner potential in this specialised micro-credential program, that was designed to boost their digital design creativity and problem-solving abilities.

Students worked with industry professional Mr Steve Iuliano and dove into Studio 2.0, Blender, and the latest 3D modelling software to turn imaginative concepts into reality.

Through hands-on projects, students developed the skills to design and craft solutions to real-world problems, sharpening both critical and creative thinking.

They not only improved their 3D technical expertise, but also nurtured an innovation-focused mindset.

Financially Fit And Adulting Skills

Students boosted their critical thinking and adaptive mindset with this comprehensive micro-credential, that equipped them with essential life skills for personal and professional success.

In this hands-on program, they enhanced their financial literacy by learning key strategies for budgeting, investing and identifying scams to safeguard their future.

On Day Two, the focus shifted to vital skills in time management, effective communication, and risk assessment, helping our participants become more organised, resilient and confident in their everyday life and career challenges.

Mr Andy Lee (founder of Pluton), Mr William Martin (a Paralympian representing The Black Dog Institute and the Australian Institute of Sport), and Ms Kath Newman (Academy Manager for the Gold Coast Suns) shared their professional expertise, teaching students how to budget, set goals, manage setbacks, and balance competing priorities.

Escape This!

Our Year 10s discovered their own creativity and teamwork abilities in this exciting micro-credential, where they immersed themselves into a professionally designed escape room, delivered in partnership with Escape Manor here on campus.

Beyond the experience itself, participants learned how to craft their own engaging escape rooms, mastering the art of puzzle creation, game flow and narrative design.

Via hands-on activities, students developed key skills in problem-solving, communication, project management, creativity, critical thinking and leadership.

This culminated on Day Two with the creation of their very own escape rooms inspired by pop culture and historical events, with inventive challenges for their peers.

Construction White Card Course

This White Card Course was a mandatory certification for those Year 10s seeking employment in the construction or building trade industry.

The course focussed on essential safety practices for protecting yourself and others on job sites.

Upon completion, Blue Dog Training issued our graduates with a Queensland White Card.

These state-issued White Cards are accepted across the country, ensuring they are fully accredited to work safely in the construction industry anywhere in Australia.

The World Of Work

Guided by workplace expert Ms Cynthia Nolan, our students investigated today’s evolving job market with this micro-credential, designed to boost their curiosity, communication and essential workplace skills.

This immersive program offered practical training in interview techniques, focusing on the psychology of securing a role and building confidence via real-world practice.

Attendees explored networking strategies with the six degrees of separation approach, helping them expand their career connections and opportunities.

The course emphasised critical and creative thinking, preparing them for the growing trend of integrating these skills into job interviews.

They also engaged in a ‘tech skills badge system’ which explored entrepreneurial learning.

As they completed ‘nano credits’, they earned badges and certificates, with the option to continue building their skills beyond this short course.

Shadow A Teacher

Our Year 10’s curiosity and critical thinking skills were sharpened with this immersive two-day micro-credential, where they shadowed our very own Early Years or Junior School Teachers.

This opportunity provided hands-on experience in the classroom, allowing participants to observe and engage with the dynamic world of teaching young learners.

They worked with small groups of students, assisting with activities, facilitating learning, and gaining an insight into some of the strategies teachers use to support diverse learning styles.

As they shadowed, the students developed their problem-solving abilities, gained insights into classroom management, and the techniques used to foster student engagement and growth.

Barista Course

This micro-credential partnered with the Skills Training College to equip learners with the foundations of project planning, organisation and creative problem-solving within the dynamic field of hospitality.

Participants gained hands-on experience with industry-standard techniques as they learnt how to make specialty coffee and other hot beverages, including milk steaming and coffee art.

This micro-credential was ideal for those Year 10s looking to stand out in the hospitality industry by blending technical know-how with innovative service delivery.

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For the full photo gallery, please visit the related Facebook Post HERE.

by Callum Johnston