PCA Career Advice and Networking event

On 29 July 2019 the #PCA is hosting a free Career Advice and Networking lunch time event at the College. The objective of this event is to provide vital or 'real world' information about students’ intended fields of study or work. College students will have the opportunity to interact with past students who are currently studying, and also a person who works in their intended field of work or study.

We have opportunities available for parents, past students (collegians), grandparents and retired LJBC staff members, as follows:

1. Limited numbers of display tables to share your wares or service with the attendees
2. Join an industry table and share your knowledge and experience with our students

3. Please send an email to chaleen.botha@ljbc.wa.edu.au to indicate your interest

Lunch and Refreshments will be provided.

Year 10, 11 and 12 students can sign up for the event by completing the following form:

If your child in Year 10, 11 or 12 would like to attend this event, email PCA@ljbc.wa.edu.au  Please provide their name, field of interest to study or work and their year group.

PCA Collegian Dinner!

The first dinner for our collegians (past students) was held on 22 June 2019. Past students from graduating years 1995, 1999, 2002, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 attended! The event was sold out.

Volunteer your PPP hours at the PCA events

All PCA events may be found on the College Calendar and also at https://www.facebook/PCAatLJBC/  Many of our events are after hours and over weekends, should you not have availability during the week.

Follow our story

To find out more about the initiatives and events of the PCA, interesting stories about our fabulous Collegians; and available job opportunities, follow the PCA Facebook Page https://www.facebook/PCAatLJBC/ and to be a part of the growing PCA community, join at https://www.facebook/groups/PCAmembergroup/

Collegian Ethan Churchill playing Tinman in the “Wizard of Oz”!

www.wizardofozperth.com.au

How did you reach your decision to study your chosen field?

As everyone knows, LJBC put a production on every 2^nd year. Fortunately, the next show fell on my year group. After attending the Melbourne arts tour in 2017 and taking some singing workshops, I was encouraged by peers to audition for a role. I hesitated at first but then I sat down and thought ‘This is my last year of high school, I don’t really have anything to lose’. After landing the role I had a willingness to learn more so I listened to the teachers around me and they encouraged, supported and helped me to realise that I could play the lead in ‘Shrek the Musical JR!’ and so my journey began. I had discovered a brand-new skillset, and decided I wanted to enhance it. Because of my opportunity with this musical I had felt it was time to move onto a new chapter in my life and see where singing takes me. After leaving Just Pacific and my life-long dream of being a drummer, I felt extremely lost and I had no clue what I wanted to do after school anymore as I didn’t have a band and I wasn’t the most academic student I’ll admit, but I knew I held a gift when it came to acting and music. Because of this I decided to take a massive risk and give performing a full crack. So, after consulting my mum in my room one day, we did pray for some doors to open as some had closed. I knew that it wouldn’t come to me on a silver platter so I decided to start singing lessons immediately!

What is your favourite LJBC memory?

My favourite LJBC memory would definitely have to be all the times I spent rehearsing as cast AND band during Lion King JR! and Shrek the Musical JR! It was such an honour to work with great, talented and compassionate people. It helped me develop leadership skills and it was a great team experience. The experience played a key part in my growth of skills within Drama and Musical Theatre and started my passion to want to learn more about this field.

If you could give advice to current students, what would that be?

Even though I have been given many opportunities, I still have worked extremely hard for them. Yet to me it doesn’t seem hard at all, because I have such a burning passion for performing. (Yes, even the dance side now!) For those in their final years of high school, my advice to you is to find something you are extremely passionate about, to the point where you could talk about it for hours like I can. Once you have, try everything you can to find opportunities like I have and grab it with both hands, you can only grow from the experiences you find yourself in. This is something I live by, looking and taking every opportunity I can to grow and further my career, because the way I see it, if I take an opportunity and it goes horribly wrong, the only thing I can do is learn from it and know what NOT to do next time. But then if it goes extremely well, I have gained something, another amazing experience and opportunity, and hopefully the chance to change or impact somebody’s life, therefore I have nothing to lose because I’m going to grow either way. Chase your dream and passions, put in the hard work and NOTHING is impossible. Just to think, before LJBC’s musical, I didn’t think I could even sing, at all. Now look where I am! Singing every day! I’ve even had the honour of meeting famous Australians (Lynne McGranger, Vincent Hooper) through my dream!

Which project has been your most interesting and why?

My most interesting project that I have been a part of is.. All of them! I find every new project/ musical/ song interesting because they all come with their unique challenges. For example, in Shrek with APAN, we had to perform on a Hertha Reserve in Stirling under a huge never-done before in Australia circus ‘big top’ tent, and had to make the stage from scratch! Perth’s Nativity brought some points of interest too, such as getting to work with live animals on stage!

Have you won, or was a finalist, for any awards or scholarships since leaving LJBC?

Yes I have. I am very honoured and blessed to be able to say that after auditioning for APAN Academy’s scholarship round last year, they accepted me in to study an Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts – Majoring in Musical Theatre for 2019!

If you could change one thing in the world, what would that be?

If I could, I would change people’s understanding and tolerance of each other. I would like to see a world that isn’t quick to judge someone or something before getting to know them for themselves to then make their own judgement. Instead of following the crowd and conforming to what society expects.

Do you have any special interests or hobbies?

I have many special interests but to name a few..

• Playing guitar, drums, piano, and singing.
• Listening to music.
• Supporting and trying to inspire others in times of need.
• Musicals!

Please share your favourite quote.

“If you take a chance, good things might happen, or bad things might happen. But if you don’t take a chance, nothing happens.”

“No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.”

Chaleen Botha

President of the Parents & Collegians Auxiliary