Year 9 IGNITE Expo
Over 200 people attended the Year 9 IGNITE Expo at La Trobe University on Monday 20 May. This annual event is a wonderful evening for our Year 9 students to showcase their learning and exhibit their work.
The IGNITE program, which encourages students to independently pursue a passion project, is unique to Ivanhoe Grammar School’s dedicated Year 9 Campus at La Trobe University—University Campus. Through the School’s partnership with La Trobe University, students have access to La Trobe academics, world-class facilities, and an early taste of university learning. The IGNITE program allows students to work on a project they are passionate about over an extended period. They are encouraged to become experts, create, research, or learn about their chosen topics.
This year, the innovative IGNITE program inspired students to explore a broad range of subjects such as digital business, stop animation, fashion, cooking, sports, music, and much more.
Student Reflections
Year 9 student Christian set up a drop-shipping business for gym equipment.
I was so proud on the night, I’d put a lot of effort in, and been working on it for six months, and there are so many Ivanhoe families who run their own business. They were asking me questions about ABNs, setting up websites and drop-shipping, I felt like such an Expert.
Year 9 student Isla wrote a children’s book about ADHD and neurodiversity.
I chose to write a full children’s book about ADHD and neurodiversity in kids. During my experience with writing this book as a young person with ADHD, I learned so much about how my brain works and functions, so I wanted to share that same information with a totally different audience. Kids. Kids see the world so differently to us and it is about time that they learn about what very may be happening inside their minds.
I really enjoyed the expo because I got to explain and share my passions with new people of all ages, and might I say that they were all very invested in what I had to say for myself and my project. Some grown-ups told me that they had been diagnosed as an adult and that when they questioned being neurodivergent as a kid, their words were just shut down and treated accordingly, but they all resonated with my analogy of our brains being like beehives, busy working, busy thinking, and busy doing.
When you start IGNITE here at UC, could you make sure you ask for help from the incredible support teams put in place to help you through your projects? They helped me so much that I couldn’t’ve finished my project without them. And most of all, enjoy pursuing your passions in a great and creative way this semester.
