Damascus College, Ballarat

Congratulations to Damascus College alumnus Ashton van Raaphorst (Class of 2026) on his acceptance into the Classical Trainee Program at the European School of Ballet in Amsterdam for 2027!

After leaving Damascus at the end of Year 10, Ashton continued his studies at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, completing his VCE while pursuing his passion and dedication to ballet.

Next year, Ashton will take another exciting step towards his dreams, heading overseas to Amsterdam to further develop his craft and continue his journey as a ballet dancer.

This is an incredible achievement and one that reflects Ashton’s talent, commitment, hard work and determination. We are so proud of all he has accomplished and look forward to watching his journey unfold and seeing all that he achieves in the years ahead.

This week, Damascus College celebrated National Science Week, bringing the 2026 theme, “Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All,” to life with a fantastic range of lunchtime activities on offer for students and staff.

From testing scientific knowledge and solving STEM mysteries to tackling a science escape room, memorising the periodic table and getting hands-on with plant propagation, there was something for every curious mind!

Well done to the Science Department for creating such engaging opportunities for our students to explore, question, collaborate and discover.

Just like a seed, every great scientific idea starts small, and when curiosity is nurtured and knowledge is shared, it can grow into something extraordinary.

National Science Week

Congratulations to Archie Jones, one of our VCE Indonesian students, on being awarded the prestigious VILTA Canberra Scholarship 2026.

This unique opportunity allowed Archie to travel to Canberra this week to attend the Indonesian Independence Day Flag Ceremony at the Indonesian Embassy. While there, they had the opportunity to meet the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia and embassy staff, connect with fellow Indonesian language students, and deepen their understanding of Indonesian language and culture through authentic intercultural experiences.

The scholarship is a wonderful testament to the rewards of sustained commitment to language learning. After six years of studying Indonesian, Archie has demonstrated the communication skills, cultural understanding and global perspective that language education fosters. Learning a language over an extended period not only develops communication skills, but also builds confidence, cultural awareness and meaningful connections, while creating opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.

This remarkable achievement highlights the value of language learning and the incredible opportunities it can open up. Congratulations to Archie on representing Damascus College so proudly.

VILTA - Victorian Indonesian Language Teachers' Association Inc

Learning and growth don't stop at the classroom door.

Sometimes they come from stepping outside what is familiar, experiencing something new, listening to different perspectives and taking the opportunity to deepen our understanding of the people, places and stories that have shaped us.

And that is just as important for our staff as it is for our students.

This week, Naomi Olthof, Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching; Jennifer Henderson, Head of Curriculum and Assessment and Science and VCE Biology teacher; and Gavin Webb, Head of Middle School, are in Ireland taking part in the Mercy Pilgrimage, In the Footsteps of Catherine McAuley.

Their journey has taken them to Baggot Street in Dublin, home of the first House of Mercy, and through its iconic red doors.

Opened by Catherine McAuley in 1827, the doors of Baggot Street have come to represent something much bigger – welcome, hospitality and an openness to those seeking education, care and opportunity.

There is something quite special about seeing three of our educators standing in that doorway more than 200 years later.

For Naomi, Jen and Gavin, the pilgrimage is an opportunity to learn more about the Mercy story that helped shape Damascus, to experience it in the places where it began, and to consider how that story continues to influence the way we educate, welcome and care for young people today.

We look forward to following their journey – and to the learning, stories and perspectives they will bring back through our doors at Damascus.

Over the past few months, Damascus College students have proudly taken to the stage as part of the Royal South Street Eisteddfod, performing across vocal, choral and instrumental sections.

Students represented Damascus through our College ensembles and music program, while others took the initiative to enter solo and group sections independently. Across the season, our musicians achieved some wonderful results, including a number of placings and awards.

But Royal South Street is about much more than results.

Our performers ranged from experienced musicians to students stepping onto a competition stage for the very first time. Each had the opportunity to challenge themselves, share their talents, learn from experienced adjudicators and grow in confidence through the experience.

Behind every performance are hours of rehearsal, encouragement and guidance. Our Music teachers play an important part in that journey – helping students refine their craft, find their own sound and develop the confidence to take what they have learned in the rehearsal room onto the stage.

We are incredibly proud of every student who took part. Performing takes courage and commitment, and it was wonderful to see our students supporting one another, embracing the opportunity and representing themselves and their College with pride.

These are the experiences that help young people discover what they are capable of – developing their talents, building confidence and having the courage to share something of themselves with others.

Congratulations to all our performers, placegetters and award recipients, and to our Music staff who have encouraged, rehearsed and championed them along the way. What a wonderful Royal South Street season!

Royal South Street Society

Five Damascus College Year 9 and 10 students recently joined students from other Mercy schools for the Seeds of Justice Middle Years Conference in Anglesea.

Exploring the theme Answering the Call of Country, students took part in a full-day workshop led by Catherine Glenister, Manager of the Mercy Mission, Action and Spirituality Hub, exploring connections between First Nations perspectives of Country and the eco-spiritual teachings of St Francis.

Students reflected on their learning through collaborative Indigenous-inspired art activities, before working together to develop Reconciliation Action Plans to bring back and share within their own school communities.

We are incredibly proud of the way our students embraced the opportunity to listen, learn and contribute alongside young people from across the Mercy community.

At Damascus, we want our students to grow into young people who are curious about the world around them, open to the experiences and perspectives of others, and confident that they can make a positive difference.

Seeds of Justice is a wonderful example of that learning in action – encouraging our students to deepen their understanding of Country, community and our shared responsibility to care for both people and the world around us.

Huge congratulations to Jovie Skewes-Clinton (Class of 2025) as she makes her AFLW debut this Sunday afternoon for the West Coast Eagles against the GWS Giants at Spotless Stadium in Sydney!

This is a significant moment for our College, as Jovie is the first Damascus alumna to play in the AFLW. Her achievement is a fantastic inspiration for our current students and hopefully encourages more students to follow in Jovie’s footsteps and pursue their sporting dreams.

Everyone at Damascus College is incredibly proud and excited to watch Jovie run out for her AFLW debut. We’ll be cheering you on, Jovie! 💙💛

Photo courtesy West Coast Eagles AFLW

Eight Damascus College students from Years 8 and 9 took their learning beyond the classroom, representing the College at the Junior Parliamentary Convention, hosted by St Joseph’s College Geelong.

Joining students from schools across the region, they explored the challenging and highly relevant topic of Freedom of Speech vs Hate Speech, hearing from guest speakers before preparing speeches, debating ideas and considering the legal and social implications of the issue.

We are proud of our students for volunteering to take on the challenge, contribute their voices and engage thoughtfully and respectfully with a complex topic.

Opportunities like these matter. They give our students the chance to think critically, listen to different perspectives, build confidence and discover what they are capable of — experiences that help shape informed, engaged young people ready to contribute to the world around them.

Thank you to St Joseph’s College Geelong for hosting the Convention and providing such a valuable opportunity for students to come together, learn and have their voices heard.

Well done to our eight Damascus representatives for embracing the opportunity and representing our College with pride.

St Joseph's College Geelong

YEAR 7 2028 ENROLMENTS CLOSE THIS FRIDAY

If your child is currently in Grade 5 and you are considering Damascus College for Year 7 in 2028, now is the time to complete your application.

Applications close this Friday, 14 August 2026.

Our enrolment closing date is earlier than usual this year, so please don’t miss this important deadline.

Apply now: https://enrol.damascus.vic.edu.au/student/enrolment