PROGRAM HELPS TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS

“Our students get breakfast at Blue EDGE, we have the privilege on Tuesdays to have a cooked breakfast at the Grand Hotel and Thursdays we have a continental breakfast at school,” Miss McClintock said.

“We have a variety of motivational speakers that come once a week to help our students learn more about what is happening in our community and the world,” she said.

When the students were asked what Blue EDGE does they said “it helps us be motivated to wake up, meet new friends, develops good social and communication skills, develops teamwork and all

Blue EDGE (Educate, Develop, Grow, Empower) is a program of physical training designed to extend a young person’s mind and physical capability.

Mount Morgan State High School is fortunate enough to be a school that is part of this program funded by the Blue Light arm of the Queensland Police Force.

The program also includes career education, motivational speakers and mentoring with a view to having youth actualise their potential.

The program runs for eight weeks, with two training sessions per week (Tuesday and Thursday from 7.00 am to 8.30 am). It finishes after the eighth week with a graduation day named ‘The Final EDGE’.

During the Final EDGE, each young person will engage in physical activities as an individual and as a team member, and celebrate their completion of the program.

The program outcomes include the development of personal relationships and building of rapport between Police, Queensland Blue Light Association Incorporated (QBLAI) Volunteers, participants and their families.

The intention of the program is to grow and develop the skills and attitudes young people need to take part in society, now and in the future.

“We believe that interacting with young people will encourage participants to be receptive to good guidance and have respect and trust in the police as they mature,” MMSHS coordinator of the Blue Edge Program, Miss Tankia McClintock said.

The program that runs at the school and has 20 participants selected each term. This is the fifth year that the High School has run this program.

This year there is a program for the Juniors in Term 1 and Seniors in Term 3. There are many Staff members that volunteer their own time to assist with this program outside of school hours.

Miss McClintock is the Coordinator of Blue EDGE at Mount Morgan State High School and is supported by the Teachers (Miss Holznagel, Mr Williamson, Miss Snell), the Guidance Officers (Raelene Robinson and Michelle Cini), Chaplain (Chappy Neil), extra volunteers (Rae and Alyssa) and the local police.

The program is aimed to promote sportsmanship, positive engagement, connectedness to students in different year levels, staff and police. The program run at THE High School consists of physical activities such as invasion games, running, fitness, tactical, activities and indigenous games.