Junior School
A Paralympic Challenge
Like many of you, I was lucky enough to be living in Sydney in 2000 when the Olympics and Paralympics came to town. I remember being surprised there was such a positive feeling in the air, because to be honest I had been somewhat sceptical about the whole thing. Despite my scepticism, I was converted by the positivity and good-will from volunteers, spectators and participants alike. In my memory, it was a great time to be in Sydney.
Those of you old enough will remember the ticket ballot. I didn’t have a lot of money in those days, but I could afford tickets to a couple of events and luckily, I was allocated some in the ballot. My dad was even luckier, and also had the foresight to bid for tickets to Paralympic events, something I hadn’t thought of doing. Fortunately for me, my dad was generous and took me along with him to some of these; they were every bit as good and exciting as the Olympic events we attended.
Twenty plus years later, I have been as excited about the Tokyo Paralympics as the Tokyo Olympics and have tried to share this excitement with my own children, too. In the intervening years, I have learned a lot from people who have disabilities and I think I look at the world and therefore these events a little differently now, thanks to them. I think back in 2000 I looked through the lenses of sympathy and amazement, seeing the athletes in terms of their disabilities, rather than as people and as athletes. I felt sorry for their struggles and limitations and was amazed and inspired by what they could achieve in spite of them. The late Stella Young really challenged this type of thinking for me, and her 2014 TED Talk in which she talks about ‘inspiration porn’ is still very relevant and worth a look, in my opinion.
Another big influence on me was the theologian John Swinton, a minister in the Church of Scotland, who has written extensively in the area of disability theology. He points out that our images of God, and most of our theology, has been proposed by people of able body. If we truly believe that we are all made in God’s image and likeness, and some of us are born with disability, can we also conceive of a ‘disabled’ God? Do we believe that the person with Down syndrome is created in God’s image and likeness? The person with cerebral palsy? The person with intellectual disability?
In terms of our identity as part of the Edmund Rice Education community, the Touchstones of Inclusive Community and Justice and Solidarity challenge us to reflect on these questions, too. I feel like we are doing well in some ways and in others we can grow and improve. Members of the school community who have disabilities and the members of the College’s Diverse Learning team challenge us to become a community that is ever more welcoming and hospitable to people who have a disability. However, this work is not theirs alone. I hope that those of us who do not have a disability will increasingly grow in awareness and empathy, choosing to act for equity and justice in our everyday lives not out of sympathy, but because it is the right thing to do if we do actually believe that we are all made in God’s image and likeness.
Year 6 Students of the Fortnight
The most recent Year 6 Student of the Fortnight Award recipients are:
- Alexander Conroy
- Isaac Giunta
- Alexander Kelly
- Taj McDonald
- Jake Quailey and
- Henry Whitehead.
Congratulations to all these boys!
God bless,
Ben Munday, Director of Junior School
Whitlam Institute Writing Competition
Earlier this year, some Junior School students entered the Whitlam Institute’s What Matters? Writing Competition. Inspired by Gough Whitlam's commitment to involving young people in the shaping of Australia's future, the What Matters? Writing Competition is open to school students in Years 5 to 12. Responding to the simple question 'what matters?', entrants are free to express their views on any matter they care about.
The shortlist was recently announced, and we are extremely pleased to share the work of Max Zanic from Year 6 whose work has been shortlisted in the Year 5-6 category. Max interviewed his aunty, then used this information to convey the experience of his mother’s family on their journey from Vietnam to Australia.
The Voyage by Max Zanic
Coming back from work with her shoulders slumped and head hanging low, she thinks how her life sucks. Thinking again, a smile emerges from her face being grateful that she is alive.
The old ratty fishing boat carrying over 500 people splashed across the rough, dark blue ocean. Hopeless faces only wishing for one thing, safety. The eyes of the heartbroken Vietnamese citizens that had fled their land gaped at the endless ocean not knowing where the fear-filled journey will end.
The rough South China Sea was lurking with danger, a speedy boat approached the small 24m vessel, Thai pirates. A hidden pocket in a collared white shirt carried the owner's gold. They prayed it wouldn't be found, it wasn't. The second the devilish men left, liquid sadness flowed down everyone's eyes.
Safety matters.
Groaning, she lifted herself up and peered over at the endless sea. Praying that this day would be better than the last. Hoping that this day wouldn't bring any more danger to the many passengers on the boat. This hope did not last a single minute. A boat emerged from the horizon, a glimmer of hope filled her heart, the boat was coming for them! "BOAT, I SEE A BOAT!" she bellowed happily. Everyone's head quickly turned in the direction where she was pointing. Miserable faces turned overjoyed, hope was within arm’s reach, it was too good to be true! it wasn't true. Deja vu struck the passengers on the boat like lightning. People with displeased faces entered their crowded ship, their huge black guns hung from their muscular shoulders, Thai pirates.
Hope matters.
Frustrated they left with no gold; all stolen from the first robbery.
The ship rocked back and forth due to the rough ocean. Water splashed and sprayed onto the vessel. Clothes soaking, bodies shaking, legs shivering, they didn't give up hope. In the corner of her eye, a black dot emerged from the horizon, not a boat, not Thai pirates but land! Exactly like a pirate, she bellowed "LAND HO!"
People matter.
Waiting until sunset the boat moved for the first time in hours, the hull of the boat eventually scraped the bottom of the soft sand, it could go no further. "Jump off now!" The captain ordered. Confused but obedient the passengers jumped. Some swimming towards land, some being swallowed by the waves, some carried by others. Trudging towards land, walking towards a glimmer of safety.
The Malaysian border security spotted them and took them to a refugee camp. During her family's time at the camp unkind guards forced her family to fill in a form stating where they wanted to live, they were more than happy to live anywhere but Vietnam. They were desperate for safety. Every day, 24 hours thinking about nothing apart from if they would be accepted. After 11 months of waiting the mean guard with a green uniform handed them a piece of ripped paper.
Dear, Truong family
New Zealand has accepted your family to come live in the country.
Arrive at the National Malaysian Airport at 2.00AM on the 12th of May, the Pulau Bidong guards will drive your family there.
-Michael Brooks - Head of Immigration for N.Z
Not believing her eyes she showed this life-changing envelope to her 10 other family members, screaming and crying, they knew they could make a new life for themselves.
When the plane touched down on New Zealand soil a droplet of water fell on the ground, not rain, but a single tear coming from her eye.
Book Week Winners 2021
In challenging times, the Junior School students came together for our annual Book Parade. There were many contenders for the top awards, but finally a decision was reached. The remote learning environment also allowed for some creative categories – and the winners are:
- Most Dynamic Performance Award – Miguel De Nobrega
- Best Use of Household Items Award – Raphael Cipollone
- Most Family Members Involved Award - Adriano Guerrieri's family
- Most Creative Costume Award - Dominic Moses
- Most Authentic Look-a-Like Award - Angus Doolin
- Best Angry Face Performance - Benjamin Proszenko
- Best Character in a Tree Award - Alexander Conroy
- Most Amazing Age Transformation Award - Anthony Mastoris.
Helen Gibson
Westcourt Teacher Librarian
