Introducing Our Youth Skills Shed Program - A Growing Partnership with Boronia Rotary Club
It is with great excitement that Boronia K-12 College announce we will be establishing our very own Youth Skills Shed Program.
Ray Siegersma, from the Boronia Rotary Club was recently recognised as the 2025 Westfield Local Hero Award winner. We thank our school community for voting for Ray! As Chair of the Rotary Youth Committee, Ray is passionate about providing young people with hands-on learning opportunities across various trade fields. He first established a Youth Skills Shed at Boronia Heights Primary School, and through our growing partnership with Rotary – particularly through our Café and Kitchen Garden initiatives, Ray and the Rotary Club have generously committed substantial funds from the award to our school, enabling us to create our own Youth Skills Shed.
Supporting Learning Across Primary and Secondary
Our vision is to transform the existing shed near the junior school car park and staffroom into a fully equipped workshop, complete with tools and a kitchenette. This space will be used by both primary and secondary students during the school day and is likely to be integrated into our primary (Years 3-6) specialist and secondary (7-10) elective programs in the years to come.
From Semester 2 next year, the Skills Shed will also operate one evening per week for a small group of around eight selected students from Years 5-8. Under the guidance of tradespeople and supervision of one of our teachers, students will gain valuable hands-on experience and practical life skills.
Practical Skills, Creativity and Real-World Learning
The Skills Shed will be a fantastic addition to our school, providing students with a creative and practical outlet while further enriching our integrated curriculum and programs. Importantly, the Skills Shed will complement, rather than detract from, the rigour of our academic program. It will not only serve as an exciting point of difference for our community but, most importantly, open up new and engaging learning opportunities for our students.
We anticipate that it will take around six months to establish the Shed, with an expected opening in Term 3 next year.
We are enormously grateful to Boronia Rotary Club and Ray Siegersma for their generosity and ongoing support, and we look forward to strengthening this partnership in the years ahead.