International Day For People With Disability

Celebrating Possibility

Recently Wee Waa High School acknowledged and celebrated International Day For People With Disability.

The school's Multi Category class teacher, Ms Bunner organised a host of activities for the entire school that were not only fun, but also helped raise awareness of what it is what is like to have a disability. Through simulating blindness, deafness and other disabilities, students could for a moment experience what it is like to live with a disability.

A highlight of the day was hearing from two guest speakers, Marie Hatch and Imogen Bunner, Ms Bunner's twin sister. Both Marie and Imogen work with Challenge Recycling in Narrabri.

Imogen shared her experience of living with a disability, including some of the challenges as well as the opportunities she has had to develop her skills and experience through working with Challenge Recycling.

Marie's career with Challenge spans eleven and a half years, having first worked in their ironing team. Several years ago, Marie explained 'I moved to the recycling team where today I am the Team Leader with about 10 staff in my team. My job is to work with the team and support workers, supervisors and managers to let them know how the team is doing. I also let staff know what part of the recycling station they need to be working at and generally helping to make sure the centre runs smoothly. I really love working with my team, we work well together.'

Marie recently featured on a social media video campaign encouraging people to be more responsible with their recycling and the praise and feedback have come think and fast, which Marie said took her by surprise. Marie is a passionate advocate of recycling but explained that she and her team are often frustrated by the impact that people's lack of thought and consideration has on them.

'From dead animals, disposable nappies, needles and old food, sometimes we have to deal with the worst things. It's just not right that some people don't think about what they are doing and that what they do has to be dealt with by other humans, like me. I have had three needle stick injuries in the last few years. It's not good. I have to go to hospital and have lots of tests. I'd just like to say, please think about the environment and please think about us. Let's recycle responsibly.'

Marie certainly is deserving of her recent accolades and the 'rock star' status she has been enjoying since staring in the video said her supervisors at Challenge.

About being the guest speaker at Wee Waa High School, Marie said 'I was so nervous going to the school and speaking to everyone, but their students were so well behaved and respectful. It was a really wonderful experience. I'd really like people to know how great the students at Wee Waa High are. They are very respectful.'

The theme for the day was groovy shirts and socks with many students and teachers taking part in a fashion parade at lunchtime. Elizabeth Horne was awarded first place for Best Dressed, while Mr O'Shea placed second and Ms Bunner third.