The Homework Club - 979fm

18/09/2025

It’s our final Homework Club show for the term as we head into spring break! What a special one it was, with fresh new voices taking over the mic. Amelia returned with a little experience under her belt, while Dakota, Haylee, and Abby all made their Homework Club debuts—and absolutely smashed it.

From the very first morning I trained them on Staughton’s Breakfast Radio, I knew this group had something special, and they proved me right.

The highlight of today’s show was welcoming a very special guest—Ms. Sarah Beazley, Amelia’s mum. I always love having parents join us to see their kids in action, and Sarah was brilliant. She even guided us into our history spotlight, where we looked back to this day in 1797 when Lieutenant John Shortland discovered coal in Newcastle while searching for escaped convicts.

And of course, a big shout out to Dakota, our Challenge Champion, who proudly took home the Hot Dog Rock—well done, Dakota!

A huge thank you to Sarah for making the trip all the way from Adelaide to be with us today, and to my incredible new crew—Amelia, Dakota, Abby, and Haylee. You girls were remarkable.

Check out the photos from today’s show below!

11/09/2025

The Homework Club – Afternoon Recap

Today’s show was all about R U OK? Day — a national day of action held every year on the second Thursday of September. It’s a reminder to check in with friends, family, colleagues, or anyone who might be struggling by simply asking: “Are you OK?”

Why it matters:
1 in 5 Australians experience a mental illness each year.
Not everyone shows visible signs of struggle, which is why asking matters.

A genuine conversation can make someone feel less alone and more supported.

The message is simple:
A question can change a life.
You don’t need to be an expert — just listen and care.
Checking in early can prevent bigger problems later.

The 4 Steps to Asking R U OK?
Ask — Pick the right moment and ask.
Listen — Really hear them without judgment.
Encourage Action — Suggest small, helpful steps.
Check In — Follow up and show you care.

Show Highlights:
Today’s crew of Year 8 students — Heidi, Ava, and Charlotte — kept things rolling with energy and confidence. We also welcomed special guest Rachael Couley, Legal and Humanities Teacher at Staughton College, who’s been part of the school community for two years.

Rachael shared thoughtful answers with the team and helped us explore today’s History Lesson on the first European settlement in Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) in 1804.

Congratulations to our Challenge Champion, Rachael Couley, who took home the Pinocchio Rock!

Huge thanks to Rachael for bringing knowledge and fun to the studio, to our crew for delivering the Community News, and to you — our Homework Club family — for tuning in.

Check out today’s team in the photos below!

04/09/2025

Today on the Homework Club, I was joined by my boy band crew—Marshall, Saxon, and Daniel! Later in the show, we welcomed our special guest, English teacher Olivia Ruk, who shared a fascinating History Lesson all about Beatrix Potter and her beloved Peter Rabbit.

Did you know The Tale of Peter Rabbit actually began as a letter Beatrix wrote to cheer up a young boy named Noel Moore, who was unwell at the time? That little story for a friend went on to become one of the most famous children’s books ever!

A big congratulations to our Challenge Champion, Saxon—well done!

Huge thanks to Olivia for her wonderful contribution, and to the Homework Club crew for keeping us up to date with the latest community news.

Don’t forget, you can catch us again next Thursday from 4pm on 97.9FM, or stream live through the Community Radio App (just search for 97.9FM).

Check out today’s photos below!

02/09/2025

Last week, we were joined by Ernez and Binusha from YLab to promote their Good News Melton project, a bold, youth-led initiative changing the story of Melton from within.

Over eight months, five outstanding young journalists from Melton produced 33 impactful stories that break down harmful stereotypes and highlight the city’s rich diversity, resilience, and pride.

This project delivered:
💥 Paid employment and mentorship for 10 young people, creating real career pathways
💥 1,500 hours of hands-on training and professional development
💥 Massive community engagement, with more than 55,000 Instagram views and over 1,200 website visitors in just one month
The launch event united community leaders and families to celebrate these inspiring changemakers—showing the unmatched power of genuine storytelling rooted in lived experience.

Investing in young people’s voices is vital for meaningful, lasting community change.

Check out their website and follow Good News Melton on Instagram to support their work https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodnewsmelton.com.au%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cwilliam.cachia%40education.vic.gov.au%7C7c7a786d8c2945089aef08dde9b5bc6c%7Cd96cb3371a8744cfb69b3cec334a4c1f%7C0%7C0%7C638923688977171945%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=tiImyW5xsmKtczIvTwGh1mIAdZJ7Bw3zJDa38VLI8ZQ%3D&reserved=0

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28/08/2025

Today’s episode was a must-listen for every teenager preparing to graduate and step into the next chapter of life!

Our awesome crew – Destini, Atiana, and Leliyan – were joined by two incredible guests: Ernez Dhondy & Binusha Pathirana from YLab in Melbourne’s CBD. They’re doing amazing work with young people across the community, helping teens who need extra support after leaving school or university.

Ernez and Binusha shared valuable tips and training programs that can truly make a difference for anyone navigating life beyond graduation. Want to learn more? Check out YLab on Instagram!
The crew asked some fantastic questions, and our listeners gained plenty of insights too.

Plus, we even squeezed in a little history: did you know the first official gold strike in Ballarat happened on August 21, 1851, thanks to Thomas Hiscock and his team?

Big congrats to Destini, our Challenge Champion for the night!
Thank you to our guests and our amazing crew for such a brilliant show.

Photos below!

21/08/2025

Thursday’s Homework Club Recap!

What a fantastic afternoon on air! We welcomed three incredible students from Melton South Primary—Ayub, Patrick, and Aliyah—plus a big shout-out to their amazing teacher Ms Nicole Jowett, who goes above and beyond to make this happen.

Our special guest was Riley Delgadillo, Director of Whole School Literacy at Staughton College, who shared insights into his role, upcoming key dates, and even a history lesson on Book Week, which is celebrating its 80th year!

The students smashed their news-reading segments, Nicole joined us as a co-host, and Patrick absolutely shined—taking home the Cat in the Hat Rock as our Challenge Champion! Congratulations, Patrick!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for such an awesome show. Until next time, Homework Club family!

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15/08/2025

The Homework Club on 979FM – What a Show!

Last night’s episode was packed with fun and learning! I was joined by Leliyan and two amazing newcomers, Tusi and Atianna – both absolutely smashed it as co-hosts. So proud of you both!

Our special guest was Luke Miksa, English & Humanities Curriculum Leader at Staughton College. Not only did Luke share what’s coming up for Book/Literacy Week (hint: daily events AND a must-watch teachers vs. students debate!), but he also brought along his joke book… watch out, he might be eyeing a comedy career!
Highlights from the show:

✅ Leliyan taught us the art of pronouncing names.
✅ Tusi impressed us all with a radio voice you could only dream of.
✅ Atianna, usually shy, nailed some great practice for her upcoming oral presentation!
✅ Our history segment took us to the day Bahrain became independent – tricky names, but Leliyan had us covered!

We had plenty of laughs (SO many jokes!), community updates, Staughton College news, and ended the night with Luke proudly taking home the Rainbow Rock as our Challenge Champion.

Check out the photos of the amazing crew below!

07/08/2025

HOMEWORK CLUB RECAP – THURSDAY’S SHOW WRAPPED!

Where do I even begin…? With *plenty* of laughs, of course!
Thursday’s Homework Club episode was full of energy, insight, and first-time magic!

I was joined by our incredible student crew—Alex, Karma, Eliza—and a big Homework Club welcome to Year 8 student Amelia, who made her debut on the mic. Amelia, you were fantastic! You’ve absolutely earned your spot on the team, and I’m really looking forward to working with you more on future shows.

We were also thrilled to be joined by our special guest, English & Humanities teacher Ms Chelsea Tokaker, who brought her brilliance and a whole lot of fun to the studio! Ms Tokaker answered our “Big 5” questions like a pro and shared some fascinating info about what *Permission to Teach* means in schools.

Then came a little history lesson on a true Aussie icon—Australian Rules Football! Chelsea walked us through how the game got its start in Melbourne in 1858, thanks to Tom Wills, and how it was officially declared Australia’s national game on August 7, 1958 by the Australian National Football Council.

Huge thanks to Chelsea for joining us—we’d love to have her back soon!

And of course, thank you to my amazing Homework Club team for all your hard work behind the scenes and on air. Special shout-out to ELIZA for smashing our weekly challenge and taking out the title of Challenge Champion!

Check out the photos of our awesome crew below!

31/07/2025

Shout out to our amazing Homework Club team - Taylah, Brydie, Angelique, and our newest member Mia, who crushed her first time on the mic! We were also joined by the one and only Rhys Berry, our Facilities Leader here at Staughton College, who brought his A-game to the show.

Rhys answered our top 5 questions and took us on a journey through history, exploring Apollo 15's ground-breaking lunar rover mission, which coincidentally made history on this very day!

Huge congrats to Angelique, our Challenge Champion - enjoy your well-deserved prize! Thanks to Rhys and the entire crew for making today's show an unforgettable one.

Check out the pics from today's episode, attached below!

24/07/2025

We’re back on air!

Kicking off our first show after the holidays with an amazing team Annabella, Sophie, and Izzy absolutely rocked it! We were also joined by a very special guest: our Year 7 Director and Psychology/English teacher, Ms Caitlyn Stephen.

Ms Stephen guided us through a fascinating history segment on Australian golfer Jack Newton’s tragic 1983 accident, which occurred on this very day. She also gave us great insight into her day-to-day role and what it’s like teaching English and Psychology subjects that now might be a little more tempting for our crew in Year 10!

Big shoutout to Annabella, Sophie, and Izzy for delivering the news with confidence and professionalism. And a huge congratulations to Ms Stephen for taking out the title of Challenge Champion for the day — well deserved! 🏆

📸 Check out the photos from this afternoon’s show below!

26/06/2025

On today’s Homework Club, we were joined by an excellent team: Taylah, Daniel, Saxon, and newcomer Shahbaaz, who delivered the community news with confidence and style.

Our guest of honour was Barbara Johnson, the Year 9 Learning Coordinator at Staughton College. Barbara offered valuable insight into her role and guided us through a fascinating history segment on Kevin Rudd’s 2013 leadership challenge—an event that took place on this very day!

In a fun twist, Barbara is also Daniel’s mum, and she proved her skills by becoming our challenge champion, proudly claiming the butterfly rock.

Thank you to the whole crew for making today’s broadcast such a success!

19/06/2025

Wrapping up today’s Homework Club highlights: I was joined by the dynamic team—Leliyan, Angelique, Ava and Destini—plus special guest Sone Tuoai, Community & Engagement Officer at Staughton College.

Sone shared engaging stories about his work and faced our on‑air games with gusto. In our history lesson, we journeyed back to 1991 to revisit the approval of Melbourne’s first legal casino—granted on this exact date.

Congratulations to our challenge champion, Leliyan! A heartfelt thank‑you to Sone and everyone behind the mics for another memorable broadcast.