Mission Team “A highlight in 2016 was the Richmond Day, where we can catch ATSI up with students from Melbourne schools and do activities e.g. In 2016 we had 25 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sports, music, stories and dancing. I also enjoyed the meetings students here at St Joseph’s. The year has seen the students where we could catch up and find out any news in our ATSI group. participate in a variety of activities including the Watta It was a good way to check in with the boys and see how everyone Watnanda Day at Richmond Football Club and a joint art was and what they have been doing.” - Tyson Neal, Year 8 project for the Indigenous Garden at Barwon Prison. For the first time we have had ATSI captains; Sebastian McDougall, RE CURRICULUM AT YEAR 7 Jack Brogden and Jazariah Marrkula who took on A highlight this year in the Year 7 curriculum the role of representing ATSI students and culture was a visit from Samuel Karanja from Kibera in Reconciliation at the school this year. Football Match Nairobi. Karanja is connected to the Edmund Rice Foundation and has been sponsored by Reconciliation Week was the biggest St Joseph’s the Foundation for his schooling and university has ever epxerienced! This year’s theme was education. He works with Edmund Rice Youth “Our History, Our Story, Our Future” reminding us Camps which is part of the works of the Christian that, as Australians, our origins span the globe, but Brothers in Eastern Africa. Samuel visited some our future is as one nation, united. We started of our classes where he told of his experiences the week with Reconciliation Assemblies at both growing up in the slums of Kibera. the Edmund Rice and the Westcourt Campuses, which were run by ATSI students and featured Karanja is one of the young leaders of Karibu performances by Yirrmal, One Connexion Dance Camps; camps created to give kids time away Group and Lyndon Perry, a didgeridoo player from the pressures of poverty. He, along with nine from Narana Cultural Centre. Other activities other remarkable young Kenyans, wrote a book during the week included didgeridoo lessons, a titled “I Am Because You Are.” The authors were quiz competition, the Recognise and Close the assisted by a young lady from Melbourne - Anna Gap Campaigns, the Long Walk to the G with Cerreto. Michael Long, Connecting to Country Festival at The book is full of their stories, sharing their Narana Cultural Centre and the Reconciliation dreams, fears and realities. Karanja and Anna Cup Football Match. guided the Year 7 boys to an understanding of Didgeridoo Below are some highlights from our ATSI students: how real the challenges faced by people living in Lessons Nairobi actually are. “To be part of the first ATSI Student Leadership group at SJC was a true honour. One of my highlights for the Karanja’s visit demonstrated that words can year was playing and participating in the Reconciliation transcend boundaries, as well as the power in Shield Football Match against St Bernard’s College cross-cultural storytelling. His workshop pushed and being able to represent the school through the Year 7 students to a deeper understanding wearing the indigenous jumpers with the Bunjil design of people, poverty and power. We are looking at on the front. It was also great to meet all the boys in how we can incorporate “I Am Because You Are” the ATSI group and mentor them through the year.” into our curriculum. - Jack Brogden, ATSI deputy Captain 2016 - Rachel Roche, Director of Identity One Connexion “I was lucky enough to be chosen as ATSI Deputy at Reconciliation Samuel Captain for 2016. I have really enjoyed this role Assembly Karanja with with some of the leadership skills I have learnt. It Year 7 Students has also taught me to become a leader of our ATSI group by being responsible. I always enjoy catching up with the other boys of all ages within our group.We like to talk about what everyone has been up to, especially over their holidays, any of their sporting achievements and what is happening in the AFL..” - Jazariah Marrkula, ATSI Deputy Captain 2016 ATSI Students at the Watta Watnanda Cultural Day
The Long Walk to the ‘G’ with Michael Long for the Dreamtime game
Cybercats Indigenous Day at Geelong Football Club with Steven Motlop
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