TWENTY-NINE local Grade 6 primary school students have earned praise for leadership skills after graduating from the Rotary Junior Community Awards program.
The town’s four primary schools were involved in the program, which was run by the Rotary Club of Kerang for the 11th consecutive year.
The awards program co-ordinator, Colleen Scriven, said that the students had shown themselves to be true leaders by completing many tasks through diary entries, reports and posters.
Mrs Scriven said that the program involved four focus areas.
Community service: This segment usually involved helping other people, either by attending an aged care facility and reading to an elderly resident whose sight had failed, helping elderly neighbours by mowing their lawns, or simply spending time and chatting with an elderly person.
Skills: Learning a new hobby or interest, such as cooking, craft or playing a musical instrument.
Physical recreation: There was an accent on participation as well as performance. This involved regular participation in a chosen sport and recording improvements and new learnings for students.
Social experience: Participating in a range of activities, including a community celebration, a community meeting, a cultural exchange, a religious experience and an arts performance.
The program was conducted over a number of months and involved co-operation and support from principals, teachers, parents and a number of Rotarians who regular visited the schools to mentor the students.
The program culminated with a dinner attended by more than 100 people.
It began in 2014 after being suggested and recommended at a Rotary conference by ex Kerang Rotarian Peter Hawthorne.
“The four local Kerang primary schools have again pledged their commitment in supporting this program,” Mrs Scriven said.
“All 29 students pledged to undertake all of the requirements, then achieved their goals under very trying conditions, and we congratulate them for their persistence and determination.”
Rotary Junior Community Awards graduates
KERANG CHRISTIAN COLLEGE: Sophie Barnes, Bella Higgs.
KERANG PRIMARY SCHOOL: Molly Edwards, Cleo Felekos, Jack Hogg, Aleshia Maher-Farrugia, Mitchell Pay, Peyton Sanders, Reice Will.
KERANG SOUTH PRIMARY SCHOOL: Paisley Fisher-Cousins, Harry Gitsham, Tehya Gitsham, Sienna Hicks, Sophia Larkin, Piper McKenzie, Ruby Shepard, Taneisha Thamm, Ivy Velleley, Ivy Whyte.
ST JOSEPH’S PRIMARY SCHOOL: Ruby Carter, Missy Coburn, Amaya Crichton, Ally Gillingham, Mya Hastie, Alby Lancaster, Roy Pickering, Ned Williamson.
