One of the roles of the CESA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Team is to tailor programs specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary students in Catholic schools. The aim of these programs is to develop the leadership skills of secondary students, build self-esteem, and emphasize the importance of doing well in their studies and to broaden their knowledge about the opportunities available for tertiary study, training and employment at the end of their secondary schooling
The “Yellakka Yellarkarri” (Today Tomorrow) Leadership program this year continued to break new ground and build upon the 2014 Yellakka Yellarkarri experience. The leadership program had record breaking numbers with 78 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their teachers from 14 Catholic Schools participated in the program.
Day One is always exciting, meeting new faces, seeing old faces and settling in to a learning environment outside the school community.
The 30 returning 2014 Yellakka Yellakkarri students were reunited with their “Mobs”, “Colleges Combined”, “Caloca Crew”, “Yengi”, “Wanderers” and were joined by two new “Mobs” who introduced themselves as the “Black Fellas” and the “Dream Team”.
The themes for 2015 were based around Culture and Identity, racism, family history, harnessing the strength of two worlds, code switching and debunking critical media and dominant culture portrayal of Aboriginal people.
The week went fast and was actioned packed both personally and physically. Over the week there were lots of opportunities for students and teachers to reflect, write about the themes, perceptions, realities, cultural identify and what it means to be a Leader. The “Mobs” were challenged by team building, problem solving and leadership activities led by the Outgrow Education Team.
While visiting UniSA Mawson Lakes the “Mobs” experienced hands on activities such as, Indigenous Skies – Planetarium, Numeracy through basketball, Engineers without borders and Geocaching as well as finding out more about Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics as a career pathway.
Students and teachers explored significant Kaurna sites in the city and heard from Uncle Frank Wanganeen as he shared cultural knowledge of his Kaurna people.
We heard from respected Elders like Aunty Alice Rigney who was part of a Q and A panel along with Uncle Frank, Aunty Christine and Old Scholars, Pat Caruso, (Thomas More College) whose mother is a member of the Stolen Generation and Lakarri Rigney (St Michaels College) who shared the story of her Grandfather who was removed from his family at Raukkan, living in Semaphore tried vainly many times to return home.
The week ended in Ceremony, students painted their totems for their “Mobs” on T.Shirts to be worn at Ceremony; they painted each other in ochre and sat proud in their Mobs around the Ceremonial fire celebrating and honouring or that the week was, relationships born and friendships strengthened.
Twenty students from Catholic schools in South Australia have been named among the winners in two major state-wide Humanities competitions.
Earlier this year, senior school students from across South Australia were invited to enter the 2024 Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize and the Muriel Matters Awards.
