By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandenong’s St John’s Regional College opened its new junior STEM building on Friday 15 July.
STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) buildings give students the opportunity to develop skills in these areas applied to real world issues, learning problem solving in the process.
The school held a ceremony to officially open the building, named after Genevieve Robertson, a teacher at the school for 11 years.
When she passed away in 2016, she left behind a legacy of meticulous teaching, particularly in teaching, across decades.
A short time before her death, she organised a reunion with her past students, where Ms Robertson’s science teachings shone through in their pursuits.
The Fidelis Community Garden was also opened on the day and is named after Fidelis Burgess – one of three people who founded the first community of sisters in Dandenong, 1912.
As well as having a historic link, to Ms Burgess, the name was chosen because the word can be translated to ideals of faith, loyalty, trust, dependability and truth.
These are key characteristics of the school’s core values.
An acorn sculpture is also being unveiled and pays homage to the school’s past and religious links.
