TriUMPH Festival ____________________________Pages

St Joseph’s College, Sacred Heart College, Clonard College and Saint Ignatius College were united yet again on 5 September 2014 to make poverty history with the third Tri-UMPH Music Festival. In 2008 and 2011, we hosted the first Tri-UMPH Musical Festivals, where many popular bands and DJ’s from all over Australia played to over 4,500 students and staff. We collectively raised just shy of $43,000 in the 2011 event. The successful music festival was heavily publicised in the region and was plugged on national news stations.

In 2014, we were back bigger than ever. Playing host 5,500 young students from Geelong Catholic colleges; St Joseph College, Sacred Heart College, Clonard College and Saint Ignatius College. Hosted by St Josephs College, the bands, performers, food and the weather was PERFECT on the day. With the crowd of students packing Zampatti Oval, over 50 performers, 200 special guests and over 600 staff UNITED AS ONE to help MAKE POVERTY HISTORY. This Tri-UMPH festival - run by students, for students, was a huge success. Geelong Mayor Mr Darren Lyons provided a rousing opening address before the day kicked off with a some cultural dancers and a band from East Timor. What followed was a long line of spectacular performances, fun, laughter, dancing (particularly in the DJ tent), some relaxing time at the Chill Out stage and delicious food from a variety of stalls.

As our name Tri-UMPH – being an acronym for “Triennially United to Make Poverty History” – suggests, our purpose was to support the universal efforts to make poverty history. Specifically, we hoped to achieve our goal of raising $50,000 to donate to schools and education in Railaco, a small East Timor village, to give financial assistance to a teachers college in Baucau on the north coast of East Timor and also to provide funds to Geelong Viqueque Friendship Schools. We by far exceeded our expectations with a total of $62,518 raised! A phenomenal effort. Currently the youth of East Timor face many challenges such as a lack of jobs, training and recreational activities.

Through our efforts with Tri-UMPH we hope to provide these opportunities, which will help to build peace and stability within the community. Through this event, our students have seen that they CAN make a difference to world poverty and that they CAN achieve wonderful things. It was a triumph also because it taught the community that today’s youth can be trusted to organise and act responsibly. These studentsy have a wonderful social conscience and when given the opportunity respond in an equally responsible manner as was seen on the day. Mr Cahir, a staff member of St Joseph’s traveled to East Timor after the first Tri-UMPH festival and established an ongoing relationship with several villages and organisations. As a part or their entry price, Mr Cahir coordinated with the TriUMPH commitee to import 5000 local hand made wrist bands from East Timor - it was wonderful to see the students on the day wearing these wristbands as a direct symbol of how each and every one of them were supporting the cause. The Tri-Umph committee was made up of 30 very passionate, dedicated and hard working students from the 4 Catholic schools, who have worked exceptionally hard over the past 12 months to organise this festival. These students showed professionalism way beyond their years and all their hard work paid off on the day. As a teacher, this is my proudest moment and a day and group of students I will NEVER forget.

Rebecca Westwood

Chair built for the Lara Heritage Chair built for the Lara Heritage Museum by VCAL students Museum by VCAL students