The Extended Essay is a core element of the IB program that allows students to conduct an in-depth exploration under a topic of their choice. While the essay builds on skills students learn in class; this investigation culminates these proficiencies to demonstrate the real-world applications of such work. Each student from this year’s cohort has chosen a topic exploring the arts of expression and collaboration under the subjects of anthropology, literature, and visual arts. Under Literature is an investigation into the construction of Australian society through the lens of an Indigenous poet, Evelyn Araluen. In her poetry collection Dropbear, she works to dissect societal normalcies, such as the performative nature of acknowledgement of country and critique the lack of action beyond mere recognition. The student’s findings on this topic have weaved into the school’s practices of acknowledgement, recrafting this week’s assembly acknowledgment into a time for action on learning words from the Taungurung language. This integration of core IB practices into the broader rituals of the school illustrates the applications and enhancements that can be achieved through well-informed academic explorations.
Makenzie Handerson + Willow Matthews
