NAIDOC

Palm Beach Currumbin High celebrated National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Wednesday 13 July 2022 in the Senior Quad. Special guest included Cr Gail O’Neill, The Hon. Karen Andrews MP, Laura Gerber MP, as well Aunty Joyce Summers (local Community Elder), and staff and students from local primary schools. This year’s celebration had many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families attend. Hosts for the celebration was Tanu Nona and Bailee Whitehouse and we were lucky to have Aunty Eulanda Simpson, local Traditional Custodian for ‘Welcome to Country’ with her Grand Daughter Isla Simpson a student from Year 8. We had local well known Bundjalung Kunjeil Dance Troupe including our students Jakeem, Bella and Tia also performing. The highlight was the presentation of the many awards to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students starting with Challenge Awards, Sports Excellence, Academic Excellence, Creative Arts, GPA 4 and Above Awards and High Attendance Awards. This year we also introduced a new award, the ‘Community Award’, this year awarded to Tia Thompson and Reef McKay for cultural support for the A&TSI Students at the school. After the Assembly, families were invited to spend time together with a morning tea. Students were invited to stay around and do some dot painting with Lalania Tusa, special guest for the afternoon, and sports activities on the oval with Bryce O’Connor from Deadly Choices. 

ATSIAP  State Finals 

PBC's Bryony, Will, Tayah and Shaylee recently competed against 16 other teams at the ATSIAP (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aspirations Program) State Finals. It was a 2 day event where students stayed onsite at the Women’s College dorm rooms at UQ and got to have a taste of university life with tours and visits to different campuses. A visit to the Gumurri unit at Griffith, and an moving talk by Associate Professor (Uncle) Marcus Waters, had both students and staff inspired. Highlights of the trip included yarning with aunties and uncles from all over Qld and meeting students from so many varied communities.

Congratulations to Will, Bryony, Shaylee and Tayah on giving each challenge your best effort and for taking out 2nd place in the ATSIAP Cultural Trivia Challenge! Your exceptional behaviour over the 2 days is to be commended, you are all assets to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and our PBC school. Thank you to the ATSIAP team from Education Queensland for the opportunity to attend. We are aiming for a junior and senior team in 2023!

Clontarf Academy News