Nepean McClelland Japanese Xmas Collaboration 2023

Nepean - McClelland Origami Crane Xmas Project!

One of our school community parents - Beck Cowley - contacted Azusa Suzuki in order to bring about a joint project between Nepean School in Seaford and McClelland College.

Beck's idea enabled our students to build a community bond with one of our neighbouring schools!

Azusa has joined our college again this year as a Japanese teacher after having previously spent five years as our Japanese Language Assistant.

Beck reached out to Suzuki sensei wondering if our Japanese students here at McClelland College could help with a project they are doing at Nepean School. Leading up to Christmas they are creating paper cranes to give to the staff and students and families.

Origami cranes are a symbol of hope and good will, and the amazing staff at Nepean wanted to create a visual installation in their foyer and then gifting the cranes to the families for Christmas.

Beck, and the amazingly dedicated Nepean staff, wanted to create some magic for their school's families, and wondered if our students could help them by applying their skills and expertise to make a lot of origami cranes by the beginning of December, ready for the festive season.

Thanks to Beck's ideas, Suzuki sensei and our Assistant Language Teacher, Nonaka-sensei's expertise and experience in this field, the students were able to make about 300 cranes.

Ms Tucker, or Tucker sensei, became an origami wizard during this project and was inspiring to the students, encouraging them to create more and more of these colourful cranes with her boundless enthusiasm.

And Miss McLeod was always supporting students, actively making the cranes with them individually and in groups!

But it would not have been possible without the amazing efforts of this year's Year 8 students, especially Poppy Cowley, who has made a huge number of cranes for this cause.

Other Year 8 efforts of note include Will O'Connor, who made 6 cranes in one lesson and Layla Taylor-Prentice who made 5 in one lesson. There were many others who came very close to these numbers.

All of the Japanese teachers are extremely proud of the students who stepped up and demonstrated the college values of community, ownership and growth during this collaboration.

Thanks everyone to helped and offered their expertise during this fun and worthwhile project and we look forward to collaborating with Nepean School again real soon!

And for all of our amazing Year 8s who made this happen - yoku dekimashita!