Singaporean students join in SW conservation camp

Biology students from Singapore Chinese Girls School got the experience of a lifetime when they toured the South West as part of a conservation camp last week.

Picture by Jon Gellweiler: Newton Moore Senior High School student Mackensie Jolly, centre, shows Singapore Chinese Girls School students Samantha Chin and Dinah Yosoff some South West wildlife.

Newton Moore Senior High School played host to the students as they travelled to all corners of the South West including Margaret River, Busselton and Bunbury.

The students had an actionpacked week of camping, night walking and their first encounter with dolphins at the discovery centre.

Fifteen-year-old Singapore student Samantha Chin said the week in WA was a fantastic learning experience.

‘‘I really enjoyed my time in Australia,’’ Samantha said.

‘‘We learned a lot about the how the methods of conservation are used in the country.’’

Samantha said she was considering coming back to Bunbury upon graduation to further her science studies at Edith Cowan University Bunbury.

‘‘We got a tour of Edith Cowan nd it looks like a nice campus,’’ she said.

‘‘The surf science course sounds really interesting.’’

SCGS biology teacher Johari Khalil said the campwas a good introduction to the unique Australian ecosystem.

‘‘The girls learned a lot from their new friends, new environments and understood the big ideas for conservation in Australia were similar those in Singapore,’’ Mr Khalil said.

Newton Moore head of science Lorraine Ellis hoped it was the start of a successful partnership between the two schools.

‘‘It’s fantastic to have these students here learning about the South West,’’ Mrs Ellis said.

‘‘I’m also hoping to send some of our students to Singapore next year which will be a great experience.’’