Saint Therese Community School Wilcannia
"Us Little Fellas Can Make a Difference"
Under the leadership of Pat McMillan, Saint
Therese' Community School [Wilcannia, NSW] is working on an
environment unit titled: "Us Little Fellas Can Make a
Difference"
Our school focus will be litter in our part of country.
The students are very aware of the ancestors' model of care
of country and intend to clean up some local areas of concern to
them.
As a Christian school, we asked our Creator Spirit to be with us
as we commenced our integrated project.
Supporting National Tree Day
As part of central Darling Shire Councils
environmental policy, National Tree day is supported each year by
the Council supplying trees, at no cost, to shire residents and
organizations.
This year (2006)over 2500 native tress and shrubs were distributed in
all towns and villages within the Shire. [
Tree planting photos - see below!]
Media Reports
Report from Wilcannia News:
Last Thursday [27 July 2006] fourteen K/1 children from St
Therese's worked hard to collect and bag the roadside litter
from the vacant roadside area near the Mission.
Four large bags of rubbish were cleaned up from that small area
alone! Busiest worker awards went to Jake Whyman and Brandee
Dennis.
Us "little fellas" are proud to have made a
difference to that part of country!
Editorial [1 August 2006] Wilcannia News:
As is fitting for the week that celebrates National Aboriginal
and Islander Children's Day on the 4 August our front page
leads with a story about our young people.
The theme for this years Children's Day is:
"My Culture is me - I am proud and strong".
Our kids are proud to have made a difference to that little part
of their country and they know that being proud of their country
is part of their culture.
Not only are they proud, they are also caring for the land, and
another integral part of everyone's culture.
This is an opportunity for the rest of the community to reflect
and continue the important passing on traditions in culture of
song, story and dance in being an integral part of the land.
Letters from the "Little Fellas" ...
To the Manager Central Darling Shire
"All the kids at the Mission School have listed littered
places around Wilcannia. 'Us Little Fellas' want to make
a difference in our land so we have been cleaning up vacant areas
near the Mission and the roadside near the bridge.
We need some help to keep these places tidy. We think it will
help if some secure, covered bins were put near these
places.
1. near the caravan park gate.
2. near the footpath to the Mission.
3. on the roadside vacant Mission blocks.
So far we have gathered 10 large bags of RUBBISH in these areas
alone!
We hope people would put some of their litter in the new bins
instead of spoiling our part of country. We would appreciate any
help you can give us as we will continue to care for these
areas."
(Students' signatures)
To the Manager Wilcannia CDEP
"Us little fellas are working at cleaning the litter from
vacant areas near our school. Yesterday one of us got cut from an
old barb wire fence. It's tangled in the bushes running from
the Mission corner going towards the bridge.
Would you be able to get rid of it, so that next time people are
moving through this area they won't get hurt from this
dangerous, useless, tangled bit of rubbish.
Your help would be appreciated."
(Students' signatures)
