Pacific Lutheran College launches exciting new Pacific Quest Program for Middle College students.
Pacific Lutheran College is proud to launch its innovative Pacific Quest Program, designed to engage Year 6 and 7 students in two specialised learning areas: ArtsQuest and TechQuest. This new initiative provides a unique opportunity for students to ignite their creativity, independence, and confidence while embodying the College’s core educational philosophy. This is based on the Four Pillars of Learning: Learning to Be, Learning Together, Learning to Learn, and Learning to Know and Do.
Mrs Jo Belchamber, Head of Middle College Learning at Pacific Lutheran College, shares, “This forward-thinking program is designed to foster creativity, independence and confidence, empowering our students with the skills needed to navigate an ever-changing world.”
At the heart of the Pacific Quest Program is problem-based, experiential learning, where students work as responsible, capable global citizens to solve real-world challenges. This approach reflects Pacific Lutheran College’s commitment to preparing students for a bright future by blending academic inquiry with creative and collaborative problem-solving.
The Pacific Lutheran College Pacific Quest Program
ArtsQuest: Express, Create, Inspire
ArtsQuest at Pacific Lutheran College offers Year 7 students an exciting opportunity to explore Drama, Dance, Visual Arts and Media Arts through a collaborative, creative approach. Students have begun reflecting on the question, “How can we celebrate community or family stories through visual presentations?”
“It’s been so fun bringing my family’s stories to life through creative expression. I loved seeing how our ideas could be shared in different ways, like dance, art and even media,” said a Pacific Year 7 student.
Throughout the program, students rotate through the Arts disciplines to explore the power of storytelling in various forms. They have been investigating how creativity can give new life to cultural stories, connecting to heritage while reimagining those narratives for today’s audience. Students are focusing on connecting with their audience and respecting the original meaning of the stories.
“This program is so special because it allows us to celebrate where we come from and share that with others in a way that connects with them,” shared another Pacific Year 7 student.
The collaboration between specialist teachers in Drama, Dance, Visual Arts and Media Arts has been instrumental in guiding students. Miss Elise Black, Head of Visual Arts, highlights, “The collaboration between our teaching staff has been key in bringing a cohesive, interdisciplinary approach to students’ learning. By blending art, design and performance, we’re enabling them to explore how creativity can be used to communicate deep cultural and personal meanings.”
Students in ArtsQuest session at Pacific Lutheran College, Sunshine Coast
TechQuest: Design, Innovate, Thrive
In TechQuest, Year 6 and 7 students have been exploring the challenges faced by Pacific Island communities. Students were introduced to the following inquiry questions. Year 6: “How might we use technologies to design a preferred future for an island community?” and Year 7: “How might we use data to re-design a preferred future for an island community?”
Students then embarked on a fascinating journey to explore the complexities of Pacific Island communities.t Through a combination of engaging activities, students have been introduced to the unique problems facing island inhabitants. A highlight was a scale model of Pacific Island and a Minecraft replica of the island, providing students with an interactive and immersive way to learn about these challenges. The Digital Technologies teaching team have created 20 non-player characters (NPCs), each offering insights into the issues faced by the community. These NPCs are designed to bring the problems to life, encouraging students to think critically and explore how technology might offer solutions.
“It’s going to be amazing to use Minecraft to view the virtual version of the island and then figure out how we can use technology to solve problems,” shared a Pacific Year 6 student.
Through hands-on activities, students have been exploring the application of coding, systems thinking and design thinking. Throughout the semester, students will be learning to apply data analysis and technology to address the real-world challenges faced by island communities, such as sustainable engineering principles, food and fibre use, and resource management.
Mrs Marnie Whittaker, Middle College Design and Visual Arts Teacher, explains, “This approach fosters creativity and resilience while helping students develop critical technical skills. We’re providing them with the tools to solve real-world problems, and it’s been incredible to see how engaged and motivated they are in finding solutions.”
The collaborative efforts of the Digital Technologies and Design teams will provide students with an opportunity to approach complex problems in innovative ways, highlighting the importance of teamwork, collaboration and a shared vision for creating better futures. Students will collaborate on projects to demonstrate technologies knowledge and skills. Their designed solutions will be celebrated as a culminating showcase of student prototypes and designs.
Co-creating better futures
The success of the Pacific Quest Program is a testament to the professional collaboration between the Arts and Technologies teaching staff. Together, they are fostering an environment where creativity and problem-solving thrive, reflecting the College’s 2025 theme of “Co-creating Better Futures.” Through explicit teaching, mentoring, and the use of collaboration-focused activities, students develop key skills in systems thinking, computational thinking, design thinking, and collaboration. These skills are essential in preparing them for the future.
“The teaching teams in both the Arts and Technologies disciplines have demonstrated exceptional professionalism, blending their expertise with a passion for igniting creativity in students,” says Mrs Belchamber. “Their commitment to co-creating these learning experiences with students is truly inspiring, and it reflects the collaborative spirit at the core of our College’s values.”
The program is already receiving glowing feedback from students, with many commenting on how excited they are to tackle real-world challenges and apply their creativity to solve them.
“I love how we get to work together in groups and come up with creative solutions to problems that matter,” said a Pacific Year 7 student. “Pacific Quest will give me the chance to use my creativity to make a difference.”
Looking ahead
The launch of the Pacific Quest Program marks the beginning of an exciting journey for our Middle College students. By blending the Arts and Technologies, students are developing essential skills in creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving, all while preparing to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. As they continue to explore, create and innovate, students are not only shaping their futures but also contributing to co-creating better futures for others.
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