Kolbe Catholic College’s Year 8 Indigenous students were recently treated to an inspiring day of discovery at The University of Western Australia, taking part in the annual Year 8 Discovery Day hosted by UWA’s School of Indigenous Studies (SIS). With 24 schools invited, the campus was buzzing with excitement as students arrived ready to explore what university life could look like.
The day kicked off with warm welcomes from current UWA students, who quickly helped everyone settle in with an energetic icebreaker. From there, our students split into groups and rotated through a series of hands-on workshops, each offering a glimpse into a different study pathway.
Biomedicine: Students were captivated by magnetic particles and shimmering ferrofluids, experimenting with molecular models and testing out unusual materials like magic sand, nano fabrics, hydrophobic coatings, and shape-memory metals.
Sport Science: Energy levels soared during the sport science sessions, where students put their fitness to the test with jumps, sprints, and even the famous beep test. Along the way, they learned how sport scientists track and analyse athletic performance.
Fine Arts: Under the guidance of artist Andy Quilty, students explored creativity through drawing and visual storytelling, discovering how art can express identity and experience.
Our students shared plenty of enthusiasm throughout the day:
“I really enjoyed the ferrofluids experiment,” shared Brock
“I liked learning about the magic sand and finding out what makes it magic,” Li added
The day wasn’t just fun and interactive — it also encouraged students to think about their futures and the many pathways available to them after high school.
A huge thank you to the School of Indigenous Studies at UWA for hosting such an enriching and inclusive experience for our students.
