By YASEMIN TALAT
THE leaders of tomorrow are up and away and set for an adventure.
Four Year 9 students from Victoria University Secondary College have taken off with their assistant principal Jim Dowie to attend a six-week Victorian Young Leaders tour in China.
The students were the successful applicants chosen to take part in the six-week study and language tour of China as part of the Victorian Young Leaders Program which has been organised by the State Government.
College principal Genevieve Simson said the students were very excited about the journey.
“They are just absolutely rapt and so are their parents – they are so excited,” Ms Simson said.
The students left St Albans last week to meet students and teachers from seven Victorian schools.
They were farewelled by the school community and the Minister and Secretary for Education.
Education Minister Martin Dixon also visited the students before the trip to present the students with their Victorian Young Leaders blazers.
The tour will include a one-week intensive Chinese language course, a cultural program and a month at Gan Quan Foreign Language Middle School in Shanghai to study a range of subjects which will be delivered in Chinese.
The students will live with host families during their time in China.
Ms Simson said she looked forward to the students sharing their experiences with the school at a special assembly when they returned.
“When they come back we’re going to have a special welcome assembly and they will share what they’ve learnt about Asia, particularly about China, and we will build that into our programs throughout the year,” she said.
