NEAA Conference
NAGLE EDUCATION ALLIANCE OF AUSTRALIA CONFERENCE
During Week 5 Mrs Val Thomas, Mrs Emma Thomson and Year 10 students Siyanda Thomas and Nadamary Tadrous travelled to Brisbane to attend the Nagle Education Alliance of Australia (NEAA) Student Leadership Conference.
The opening liturgy celebrated the arrival of students from eleven Presentation schools from all over Australia including Perth, Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney.
On Wednesday we explored the South Bank and were educated about The First Nations people. A smoking ceremony was held to cleanse and welcome us to their land. We learnt about their customs, totems and stories. During the break we viewed the outstanding Iris Van Herpen exhibition at the Queensland gallery of Modern Art. That afternoon we went to the State Library to view the Indigenous Deaf in Dance exhibition, explored their Artists book collection and were introduced to objects from their Cabinet of Curiosities.
On Thursday, workshops were held on site at St Rita’s Clayfield. We developed an understanding of The Rosie’s Van organisations mission. Originally established in Melbourne by The Oblates, a Roman Catholic mission that serves the poor, the organisation grew to support homeless people in Brisbane.
We were introduced to the Caritas Catholic Earthcare initiative. This was driven by Pope Francis’s encyclical , Laudato Si, Care for our common home. This session also included prayer and reflection. In the last workshop students from St Rita’s shared with us their Cambodia Immersion experience. The students' lives had been changed after helping in schools in Cambodia and this has inspired us to want to serve in our community and beyond.
On Thursday evening the Conference Dinner was held. We enjoyed a catered meal and Alice Carwardine was our guest speaker. Alice spoke to us about her zero waste lifestyle and encouraged us to be mindful consumers.
The closing Mass was held on Friday and Iona Presentation College in Perth was announced as the next venue for the Conference.
We met students from many Presentation schools across Australia who demonstrated the values of hospitality and courage just like Nano Nagle.
If students ever have an opportunity to attend the Nagle Education Alliance of Australia Student Conference, we would highly recommend it.
Siyanda Thomas and Nadamary Tadrous, Year 10