Student Agency & Growth  

National Reconciliation Week

This week, our school community came together to learn, reflect, and take action for National Reconciliation Week.

Starting on May 27 and finishing on June 3, students and staff had the opportunity to explore what reconciliation means to them through contributing to our “Sea of Hands” display that will be installed in the upper 100 breakout space. Each hand contains a personal pledge representing our lasting commitment to reconciliation, that will continue long after the end of the week. It will be a visual reminder for our community to consider how their actions can result in a more unified future.

On June 1, the school encouraged students to Wear it Yellow in support of Children’s Ground, an organisation dedicated to the improvement of First Nations peoples. Thanks to the generosity of our community, Eltham High School raised over $500!

Also on June 1, students and staff heard from an inspiring First Nations woman with connections to the Pilbara and Noongar country, Sara Terry. Representatives of the Nillumbik Reconciliation Group also visited to share local engagement opportunities around Eltham. The assembly also featured our students: Year 10 student Jess Annetts, who shared her experiences in the Indigenous Voices English class, and Year 12 student Abi Johnson (Year 12, Toner House), who reflected on the raising of the Indigenous flag and her understanding of reconciliation.

Whilst National Reconciliation Week has come to a close, our journey continues. Thank you to the students, staff, and families who contributed, donated, and participated throughout the week. Let's keep carrying the spirit of reconciliation forward in our everyday actions

Charlie Bubb (Year 12, Pakana House)

Nillumbik Flag Raising Ceremony

On Thursday 28/5, Kate McRae (Year 12, Toner House), Melody O’Shea (Year 12, Skipper House), and myself attended the Nillumbik Flag Raising Ceremony to represent the school. This event commemorates Reconciliation Week and is an opportunity for members of the community to come together to recognise this incredibly important week. 

As part of attending, all three of us were asked to say a few words about what reconciliation means to us, and we also assisted in the raising of the flags along with students from Eltham East Primary School. Listening to other members of our community speak about the importance of reconciliation was an incredibly valuable experience and allowed me to understand how important it is for everyone to work together to forward the reconciliation movement and, in keeping with the theme ‘All In’, that we need to put time into reconciliation every day, not just during this week. 

I would like to thank Nillumbik Council for inviting us to attend, and also Yas for stepping in to help get the three of us there and back.

Abi Johnson (Year 12, Toner House) 

NADIA DEVLIN, Student Agency & Growth Leader