23 June 2021
On Monday 21 June, local Manly MP, James Griffin, was delighted to witness a collaborative project between SEVENmile Ltd, the Department of Education, St Paul’s Catholic College and local businesses focusing on students experiencing “real life” issues faced by local businesses and finding SOLUTIONS.
Year 9 and 10 Commerce students at St Paul’s Catholic College, Manly participated in an 8 week program (14 hours) designed by the SEVENmile Venture Lab to expose students to problem solving techniques; gain valuable presentation skills; and develop connections with local industry.
“Well today that was all on display,” said MP James Griffin, who presented the young men with their certificates. “What is so incredibly serendipitous about this project is that the students have been working on “real world” problems faced by local businesses; and these are all too apparent for a number of businesses, particularly following the Northern Beaches lock down over Christmas.”
Principal of St Paul’s Michael Reid was so impressed to see an industry program that provided his students and his teachers with an opportunity to explore beyond theory.
"This is deep, authentic learning," said Mr Reid. "This program allows our students to engage with the life beyond the school gate and develop applicable skills, solving real-world problems."
“Of course I’m proud to see the student’s development over the 8 weeks of this program,” said Greg Twemlow, CEO of SEVENmile, the not-for-profit organisation behind today’s program. “Look at what these young men have achieved, the ability to collaborate, create ideas, analyse research, and so much more.
“These 15 year old students stood before an audience, presented their project with confidence – they should be very proud of their achievements, SEVENmile certainly is,” said Greg.