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Petero Civoniceva helps with “tackle bullying” program at Cherbourg by NRL 3 September 2013
N
RL Ambassador and Rugby League great Petero Civoniceva returned to the Queensland Indigenous town of Cherbourg yesterday to deliver the game’s ground-breaking literacy and “tackle bullying” programs to the community’s schoolchildren. The former Bronco, Queensland and Australian representative talked to children from Prep to Year 3 about the importance of reading through the “Rugby League Reads” program; and he hoped empower Years 4-7 students to stand up for themselves and others who are being bullied through the NRL’s “Tackle Bullying” program. He also visited children, aged 13-17, at the Cherbourg Youth Justice Centre. “I am really excited to be going back and engaging with the children there again,” said Civoniceva before his visit, who was in Cherbourg last month. “The girls and boys really take on board everything we do and get involved in all the drills and activities. The best part is being able to go back and keep reinforcing these important messages.” Minister for Education, Training and Employment JohnPaul Langbroek joined Petero in Cherbourg to meet students and staff and experience the programs first hand. “It’s great to join Petero and the NRL as they harness the popularity of its role models to improve students’ lives,” Mr Langbroek said. “Both the NRL’s Rugby League Reads and Tackle Bullying campaigns help young
Queenslanders learn important life skills, inside and outside the classroom.” Mr Langbroek said these programs also changed the way young Queenslanders engaged education. “Hearing your sporting idol talk about the importance of school is a great way to motivate young people and encourages them to recognise skills such as team work, perseverance, and playing by the rules are just as important off the field,” he said. “The Newman Government is committed to providing young Queenslanders the best possible start in life and this partnership between schools and the NRL is doing exactly that.” The NRL’s “Tackle Bullying”
program is a new initiative this year which has already been delivered to more than 250,000 children by NRL players and Ambassadors; while “Rugby League Reads”, has been used by more than 300,000 school students since its inception in 2009. In May the NRL partnered with leading Australian award-winning primary publisher Macmillan Education to produce curriculumbased reading resources for schoolchildren, and last month “Rugby League Reads” received a commendation at the 20th annual Australian Publishers Association Education Awards in the category of Primary Student Resource: English (Literacy/Literature/ Language).
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