This week, in the lead-up to the HSC, Year 12 students across English Extension 2, History Extension, Science Extension and Aboriginal Studies presented their Major Works and Extension projects, showcasing imaginative storytelling, cutting-edge science, historical inquiry and powerful explorations of culture and identity. Each showcase reflected not only academic excellence but also the collaboration, vision and persistence that define IGS.
HSC English Extension 2 Major Works Showcase
On Thursday 11 September parents, staff and students gathered to celebrate the extraordinary creativity and dedication of our Year 12 English Extension 2 students at the Major Works Showcase. This annual event recognises the culmination of independent investigation, sustained composition and reflective practice that defines the Extension 2 course.
Over the past year, students have undertaken ambitious projects, documenting their journey in Major Work Journals and Reflection Statements. In the showcase, we celebrated 11 brilliant works across short fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry.
In her opening remarks, Principal Shauna Colnan reflected on the journey of the students, “Tonight we celebrate 11 remarkable major works, each the result of vision, persistence and extraordinary imagination. English Extension 2 is for dreamers, truth-seekers and the curious at heart. Our journey began here in the RC last October, and tonight we arrive at these dazzling destinations.”
The showcase offered glimpses into the imaginative worlds the students have created. Lily presented Lessons in Life and Death, a short fiction set in 1951 Wyoming, while Georgina’s Again? offered an absurdist perspective on life and morality during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Penny’s Echoes from the Mouth of the Holler took audiences on a poignant road journey from New York to Kentucky, and Nikita’s The Gates explored post-pandemic Australia with a gripping, contemporary lens. Amy’s lyrical creative nonfiction piece, Koonje, celebrated the beauty of the Blue Mountains, while Kasen’s Writ Indifference intertwined Australian political history with human drama. Giorgio invited us into morally complex spaces with Speak No Evil, and Oliver’s Nest of Fractals impressed with intricate metafictional storytelling. Matilda’s Without Order or Purpose offered a luminous reflection on memory and perception, Max’s poetry in Apollo reimagined mythology with striking insight, and Anna’s Fields of Asphodel presented a bold meditation on myth, identity and resistance.
The event also acknowledged the vital role of their mentors: Principal Shauna Colnan, Susie Bolt, Thom Marchbank and IGS Writer in Residence, Dr Felicity Plunkett, whose guidance and encouragement nurtured this extraordinary work.
“What inspired me most,” Principal Colnan shared, “was the way students nurtured each other – afternoons filled with discussion of story, memory, love, and the craft of words, sustained by banana bread, home-made cookies and a shared sense of wonder.”
The 2025 Major Works Showcase was a celebration not only of the students’ creativity but also of their collaboration, curiosity and courage in pursuing ambitious literary projects.
Year 12, we are so proud!
Aboriginal Studies Major Work Showcase
On Wednesday evening, the Aboriginal Studies HSC Showcase transformed Level 3 and 4 of the Wright Building into spaces of reflection and dialogue. Year 11 and Year 12 students presented works that spoke not only to the academic demands of the course but also to the personal journeys they undertook in engaging with First Nations histories, cultures and contemporary issues.
What sets Aboriginal Studies apart is the latitude it gives students in choosing how to approach the topics they study. For some, this meant travelling to regional communities to learn from lived experiences, while for others the issues were found closer to home, explored through the stories and challenges in their own neighbourhoods.
For Oli, a Year 11 student, that meant turning to the life and music of Kev Carmody.
“For my major work I wrote a play about the life and music of Kev Carmody. I talked to him, consulted him about his work and what inspired him. And essentially we came to an idea about how to portray his life. It’s got music incorporated into it, including a song I’ve written. And it’s about 90 or so pages. It was a very, very fun opportunity and I’m very grateful for it.”
Others chose to focus on issues of health and culture. Ava, another student, explained:
“I chose this topic because this is very important, making sure the mother’s safe and well, especially in keeping culture alive. It needs to be talked about more for first time mothers. I got to pick exactly what I wanted to do and exactly what I wanted to research and then create. I was able to show what I love to do without doing an exam or writing it in an essay.”
The showcase underscored how such freedom yields strikingly varied outcomes. Students leaned into textiles, film-making, photography and music composition, producing works that revealed both technical skill and intellectual depth. Some applied existing talents, while others stretched into unfamiliar mediums. In both cases, the result was work of substance and resonance.
For Tashi and Isabelle, film offered a way to explore questions of representation and rights.
“We both did films for our major works. I did one on the misrepresentation and reclamation of Aboriginal identity in film and media. And I did, First Nations women’s birth rights On Country. It took a lot of hard work, but the dedication was definitely there. We both really enjoyed doing it and we learned a lot. I really recommend the course. We loved it.”
The topics were as diverse as the forms, spanning questions of identity, representation, resilience and survival across Australia. Families, friends and teachers moved between the installations, attentive to the ways students had wrestled with complex histories and living cultures.
The evening closed with thanks to Megan Sampson, Head of Indigenous Education, whose leadership and care continue to guide the Aboriginal Studies program and the students who pass through it.
HSC Science Extension and History Extension Exhibition
On Monday 8 September, the IGS Community came together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our Year 12 History Extension and Science Extension students at a special morning showcase. The event highlighted the creativity, depth and academic excellence of these young scholars as they presented their HSC projects to peers, staff and families.
The morning began in the Bibliothèque amphitheatre with an opening welcome from Dr Kennett and Dr Westcott, setting the tone for a celebration of inquiry and discovery. Audiences were then treated to highlights from the two top projects: Guthrie presented their History Extension project and Lexie shared their Science Extension research, both offering a glimpse into the originality, critical thinking and intellectual courage fostered through these courses.
Following these presentations, guests were invited to enjoy a light breakfast before exploring the open exhibition on Level 2 of the Bibliothèque. Students presented their work in small clusters, creating opportunities for rich discussion, thoughtful questions and authentic engagement with their research journeys.
The exhibition concluded with a closing address from Maya I (Science Extension) and Georgie M (History Extension), who reflected on the collective experience of the cohort and the depth of learning achieved throughout the year.
Congratulations to all students on their remarkable achievements!
