by Tanna Draper Nagas
After a big start to the year, we have kick-started Term 3 with our NAIDOC Week celebrations. NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This week is a wonderful opportunity to participate in a range of activities to support the oldest continuing culture in the world. The theme for NAIDOC this year was “Heal Country” which calls for all Australians to protect and care for our lands, waters, sacred sites and cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction.
At LHC, we celebrated NAIDOC both inside and outside of the classroom!
Inside the classroom:
Teachers facilitated two NAIDOC SELF lessons across all year levels (7-12), which required students to develop an understanding of NAIDOC, unpacking what it is, the importance of Country, and how we can collectively contribute to healing Country as a school community. In these lessons, the students had the choice of completing one out of four tasks to go into the running in a year level competition that reflects on the Creation Story in our new Town Square. The winner from each year level will win a prize and a certificate.
Outside the classroom:
Staff and students came together during lunchtime on Thursday 15th July to have a sausage and hash brown sizzle with all profits donated to the Cathy Freeman Foundation.
Staff were invited to attend a NAIDOC Staff Movie Night to watch a screening of In My Blood It Runs in our Performing Arts Centre on Thursday 15th July. Staff were encouraged to donate what they could to attend, with funds donated to Children’s Ground. Staff laughed and cried during the film whilst eating the yummy food provided by Sharon Francis and Nicola Boyle.
As a school community, we collectively raised $590 for the Cathy Freeman Foundation and Children’s Ground. We are incredibly proud of our efforts for NAIDOC this year and we are excited to see what next year will bring.
Gratitude and thanks to all staff and students involved, with special mention to the following staff members - Sharon Francis, Tim Chapman, Nicola Boyle, Tim Wright and Anne Wilkins; and our deadly students who donated their time, Tom Duff-Rankine, Tahlia Tweedie, Johnny Sanfilippo, Rhianna Overson and Spencer Smith. Tanna Draper Nagas – First Nations Advocate
