SCHOOLS in Edgewater and Landsdale have been recognised for projects promoting reconciliation.
Mater Dei College won two awards as part of the Department of Aboriginal Affair’s PALS (partnership, acceptance, learning, sharing) program.
Staff and students involved in the school’s Sorry Day performance in May received the program’s arts and culture award and overall Troy Cook Award.
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READ NOWArt teacher Toby Hurd said the project involved students from visual arts, drama, home economics and school choir.
MORE: Mater Dei College students mark Sorry Day with performance
“A smoking ceremony was our starting point; this led into cooking kangaroo and bush plum pies and in turn recording our ‘message song’ at a Northbridge studio,” he said.
“Our activities culminated in the Sorry Day performance at the college and also at the National Catholic Education Conference in front of 1400 delegates, where we received a standing ovation.”
The performance by Year 11 drama students and the school choir was written specifically for the occasion and featured a 7m mural created by art and design students.
Landsdale Primary School was chosen from the 520 WA schools that took park in the program, winning the environment award for its bush tucker trail.
The trail connects Aboriginal season totems, a frog pond and fire pit/storytelling area.
Students learnt about local fauna and native plants and are responsible for maintaining the trail.