Justice
Refugee Week Reflection
This week, our school community marked Refugee Week—a powerful time dedicated to education, deep reflection and global awareness. This year’s theme, "A Million Stories," was brought to life in a profoundly moving way for 20 of our Justice Group members, who attended a special Refugee Week Celebration at The Mercy Hub. Joining students from various Mercy schools across Melbourne, our girls listened to a panel of speakers including Omar and Parissa from Afghanistan, and Sara from Palestine. They spoke with incredible bravery about the reasons they were forced to flee their homelands, the heartbreak of leaving behind loved ones, and the immense challenge of starting from zero to rebuild their lives in a new culture with a new language.
"The thing that helped me keep going was that people believed in her and were kind to her." — Parissa
Parissa, who arrived in Australia alone on a humanitarian visa, shared fond memories of Afghanistan before Taliban rule, when she was free to study and work as a university lecturer. She shed light on the stark inequalities women now face there under the Taliban, emphasising her core belief that education is the most important key to success. She spoke candidly about the hardships of adapting to a new country—including facing racism and the constant pressure to prove over and over again that she deserves opportunity, can contribute and truly matters.
Perhaps most poignantly, Parissa shared how her definition of "home" has fundamentally changed, knowing she can never return to her birthplace. For her now, home is simply a place where she can share a meal with people she cares for, and who care for her in return.
Our students walked away from the excursion with a renewed sense of empathy and gratitude, reminded that the simple acts of kindness and belief we extend to others can change a life. Thank you to our Justice Group members for representing Academy so beautifully.
Turning Empathy into Action
In addition to this wonderful excursion opportunity, the Justice Group led several school-wide initiatives throughout the week to bring our Mercy values to life:
- ASRC Food Drive - All week, students have been generously dropping essential pantry items and toiletries into collection bins in the library to support the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Foodbank.
- Daily Awareness Slides - Educational slides exploring refugee experiences and global displacement ran daily on the screens in the Kirrip Hub, sparking important conversations. Mentor Group Flag Activity - Students colored and pegged up paper flags representing where their families originate from, creating a beautiful and vibrant display of our diverse community identity in the Kirrip Hub.
- Casual Clothes Day & Solidarity Bracelets - The week culminated on Friday, 19 June with a Casual Clothes Day ($2 donation). At lunchtime, students gathered in the Kirrip Hub for a workshop to craft blue dove bracelets to wear in solidarity.
Where the funds go - All money raised from today's casual clothes day will be split evenly between ASRC Melbourne and the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Cambodia. Our upcoming immersion students will use the Cambodian funds to directly purchase vital educational stationery and sports equipment for local children in need.
Thank you to all families, students, and staff for your incredible generosity and support in championing these meaningful initiatives across the school this week.
Community Action - Day 2
On Tuesday, 16 June, our entire cohort of Year 10 students headed out for Day 2 of their Community Action Program. It was another incredibly rewarding day, marked by the girls' enthusiasm, empathy and outstanding willingness to serve the wider community.
Our students were split across different volunteer sites, each offering a unique way to put their values into practice:
Groups 1 & 2 - Brotherhood of St Laurence (Brotherhood Books Site). Our first two groups spent the day at the massive Brotherhood Books warehouse, an operation driven almost entirely by the power of community (with a striking ratio of just one paid staff member to every eight volunteers!) The girls split into two crucial teams: one meticulously sorting a large donation of jewellery destined for local op-shops, and the other picking, cleaning, cataloguing and packing books for customer delivery. It was fantastic for the girls to see strong sustainability in action, learning that any book not in quality condition is mindfully recycled into egg cartons.
Group 3 - St Mercy Place Aged Care in East Melbourne. This group brought immense warmth and joy to the residents at Mercy Place. The girls spent their time sharing afternoon tea, listening to rich life stories, playing board games and engaging in a range of activities. Their respectful listening and bright presence left a lasting impression on the residents. The girls also made beautiful cards of kind words inspired by Catherine McAuley that brighten the day of many residents.
Group 4 - Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School. Heading back into the primary school environment, this group stepped into the role of educators' assistants. The girls did a wonderful job supporting young students in the classrooms, helping guide them through their daily learning activities with great patience, leadership and care. No matter where they were stationed, our girls represented Academy with pride and a true spirit of Mercy. We are incredibly proud of the way they actively engaged with others and worked as a team to make a tangible difference.
🖤💛❤️ National Reconciliation Week
During reconciliation week, our school community proudly observed National Reconciliation Week. Reflecting on this year’s vital theme, "All In," our students engaged in deep learning and meaningful conversations about our shared histories and cultures.
The theme reminds us that reconciliation requires a whole-of-community effort, calling on every single one of us to be fully present and active in the journey forward.
To bring our community together in a tangible way, our Justice Group hosted an Indigenous Bake Sale on Friday, 29 May. Students were invited to go "All In" by purchasing delicious lunchtime treats uniquely infused with native bush tucker ingredients, including lemon myrtle, Kakadu plum, Davidson Plum and Wattleseed.
The response was fantastic, with students and staff enthusiastically lining up to try these incredible native flavors. All funds raised from the sale will go directly toward supporting The Opening the Doors Foundation which assists Indigenous students access education.
Thank you to all the students who brought along their spare change and showed their support for this important week.
Cambodia Immersion
Last night, students from the Academy, Our Lady of Mercy College and St Aloysius College gathered together at our campus for their fourth critical preparation session ahead of their departure to Cambodia in late August.
The focus of this session was deeply reflective, exploring the similarities and differences between Buddhism—the predominant religion of Cambodia—and our own rich Mercy tradition. It provided the girls with invaluable cultural insight, helping them understand the spiritual landscape of the communities they will soon be visiting.
Following this learning session, the students put teamwork into action. Working in small groups to build stronger bonds and unite as one cohesive travel team, the girls rolled up their sleeves in the kitchen to prepare a range of traditional Cambodian dishes to share.
The impressive menu included:
Samlor Machu (Stirring Pot Soup): A comforting, traditional sour soup.
Glass Noodle Salad: A fresh, vibrant dish packed with herbs.
Spicy Papaya Salad (Bok L'hong): A classic, flavorful Cambodian staple.
The girls immensely enjoyed learning more about Cambodian culture through food, but most importantly, they loved building connections with their fellow travelers. It is wonderful to see this combined group transforming into a supportive, united team ready for the life-changing journey ahead!
Ms Melinda Sachanandani
Justice Leader