Mission Team _____________________________Pages 62

ATSI

In 2016 we had 25 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students here at St Joseph’s. The year has seen the students participate in a variety of activities including the Watta Watnanda Day at Richmond Football Club and a joint art project for the Indigenous Garden at Barwon Prison. For the first time we have had ATSI captains; Sebastian McDougall, Jack Brogden and Jazariah Marrkula who took on the role of representing ATSI students and culture at the school this year. Reconciliation Week was the biggest St Joseph’s has ever epxerienced! This year’s theme was “Our History, Our Story, Our Future” reminding us that, as Australians, our origins span the globe, but our future is as one nation, united. We started the week with Reconciliation Assemblies at both the Edmund Rice and the Westcourt Campuses, which were run by ATSI students and featured performances by Yirrmal, One Connexion Dance Group and Lyndon Perry, a didgeridoo player from Narana Cultural Centre. Other activities during the week included didgeridoo lessons, a quiz competition, the Recognise and Close the Gap Campaigns, the Long Walk to the G with Michael Long, Connecting to Country Festival at Narana Cultural Centre and the Reconciliation Cup Football Match. Below are some highlights from our ATSI students: “To be part of the first ATSI Student Leadership group at SJC was a true honour. One of my highlights for the year was playing and participating in the Reconciliation Shield Football Match against St Bernard’s College and being able to represent the school through wearing the indigenous jumpers with the Bunjil design on the front. It was also great to meet all the boys in the ATSI group and mentor them through the year.”

- Jack Brogden, ATSI deputy Captain 2016

“I was lucky enough to be chosen as ATSI Deputy Captain for 2016. I have really enjoyed this role with some of the leadership skills I have learnt. It 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

“A highlight in 2016 was the Richmond Day, where we can catch up with students from Melbourne schools and do activities e.g. sports, music, stories and dancing. I also enjoyed the meetings where we could catch up and find out any news in our ATSI group. It was a good way to check in with the boys and see how everyone was and what they have been doing.” - Tyson Neal, Year 8

RE CURRICULUM AT YEAR 7

A highlight this year in the Year 7 curriculum

Reconciliation was a visit from Samuel Karanja from Kibera in Football Match Football Match Nairobi. Karanja is connected to the Edmund Rice Foundation and has been sponsored by the Foundation for his schooling and university education. He works with Edmund Rice Youth Camps which is part of the works of the Christian Brothers in Eastern Africa. Samuel visited some of our classes where he told of his experiences growing up in the slums of Kibera. Karanja is one of the young leaders of Karibu Camps; camps created to give kids time away from the pressures of poverty. He, along with nine other remarkable young Kenyans, wrote a book titled “I Am Because You Are.” The authors were assisted by a young lady from Melbourne - Anna Cerreto. The book is full of their stories, sharing their dreams, fears and realities. Karanja and Anna

Didgeridoo guided the Year 7 boys to an understanding of Lessons how real the challenges faced by people living in Nairobi actually are. Karanja’s visit demonstrated that words can transcend boundaries, as well as the power in cross-cultural storytelling. His workshop pushed the Year 7 students to a deeper understanding of people, poverty and power. We are looking at how we can incorporate “I Am Because You Are” into our curriculum.

One Connexion One Connexion - Rachel Roche, Director of Identity at Reconciliation Samuel Samuel Assembly Karanja with Karanja with Year 7 Students

ATSI Students at the Watta ATSI Students at the Watta Watnanda Cultural Day Watnanda Cultural Day The Long Walk to the ‘G’ with Michael The Long Walk to the ‘G’ with Michael Long for the Dreamtime game Long for the Dreamtime game Cybercats Indigenous Day at Geelong Football Club with Steven Motlop Football Club with Steven Motlop