CLC Presentation Ceremony

It was a fitting ending to the semester for an outstanding cohort of Year 9s in our C.L.C. (Community Leadership Challenge) program, as they presented their achievements to an audience of 250 in the school's Performing Arts Centre at our C.L.C Presentation Ceremony. 

After a Lunchtime sausage Sizzle cooked outside the PAC by our Inner Wheel group as one final fundraiser, Principal Dave Armstrong kicked off official proceedings with a rousing speech about the importance of C.L.C and being a good community member, and then C.L.C Year 9s Emily McCullough and Abbey-Jane Watson ran the event from the lectern as emcees and did a sterling job.

Seven C.L.C groups then took turns at the lectern, with detailed Powerpoint presentations behind them on the new state-of-the-art AV Screens, and spoke of their successes and challenges across their 7-week long Volunteering Projects. 

For many, it was their first experience of Public Speaking, but the cohort handled it admirably, in front an audience of their peers (all Year 7 and 8 students), staff, family members, and many of our Community Group members that hosted our kids each Wednesday.

Patti Stafford, volunteer at Inner Wheelspoke about how impressed she was with the ten Year 9s that cooked over 270 meals with her and her team at The Centre for The Care Van, who provide free meals to the Homeless. She and her team presented each of the group certificates on stage. One of those was her grandson Brodie Stafford, which was particularly powerful. Our kids also presented Patti with a framed photograph of herself and her grandson, which was an emotional moment.

If that wasn't the highlight of the day, then Mia O'Brien's great grandmother coming along to support her great granddaughter was. Thank you to the many parents and family members who were there to support their children.

Other groups presented of their work at Wangaratta West Primary School, the Wangaratta Night Shelter, and the two aged care homes in St John's and Illoura.

The event concluded with a Slide Show displaying photos backed with Ben Lee's hit "We're All In This Together", with much of the audience clapping and singing along. The audience of Year 7 and 8s were commended for being extremely respectful.

Congratulations and thank you to our C.L.C students who were brilliant all semester - in fact one of the best groups we have ever seen come through. We are proud of you.

Thank you as always to our community organisations that hosted our kids each Wednesday - Illoura & North East Health, Respect St John's, Inner Wheel, Care Van, Wangaratta Night Shelter & Zac's Place, and Wangaratta West Primary School. Many of these people have supported C.L.C for many many years, and we couldn't run the program without them.

Thank you to the many local businesses that donated to our kids - Edgars Books & News, Work Locker, Coles, Big W, Woolworths, and Stitches First Aid.

Finally a big thank you to our C.L.C staff in Michelle Wilson and Dale Unwin. Michelle has been running the C.L.C program for 14 years, since it began at our campus in 2010 (after an earlier version of it ran for 3 years at the TAFE campus and managed by current parent Dave Gilson). Michelle, the now-retired Andy McLean, as well as Donna Lane (also retired) and current Vice Principal John Paola were the architects of the current version of the program which continues to be loved by all Year 9s that come through.

We look forward to meeting our Semester 2 cohort of Year 9s shortly.

Thank you to parent and former-teacher Kev McGennan for taking the great photos attached.

Jud Mullins

CLC Coordinator