EPS Newsletter #16 – 5th June 2024

Please read on for more information from the students who attended the event.

Eliza W: It was a beautiful day for the ceremony and the walk to the Hub, which commenced on Tuesday.

Upon arrival at the Library Park, we could spot some of the other schools who would be giving a presentation, including Selby and Kallista. There was also a kinder, from Gembrook, who were very cute to listen to!

It was soon time for the ceremony, so we headed over to Worrell Reserve for a few statements. After a beautiful introduction and Welcome to Country, there were speeches from mayors, and the artist whose art is currently on display at the Hills Hub, Emmy Webber, which Mia will be telling you about soon.

Then of course, we performed our statement about this year’s National Reconciliation Week theme, ‘Now More Than Ever,’ which you may have heard at assembly.

Unfortunately, we were not able to have the smoking ceremony, but it was an empowering experience, nonetheless.

After the other schools made their statements, we headed into the Hub for some fun activities.

This is the statement we presented in front of 100+ people:

Good afternoon, everyone I am Aston a Koorie student at Emerald Primary School.

 Hello, I am Harlan and I have Aboriginal Heritage. This is what ‘Now More Than Ever’ means to us.

 I am Ethan, one of the school captains. Reconciliation to us, is where we continue to work on being kind, respectful, caring, and friendly. As well as earning the forgiveness for our past actions.

 Hi, I am Mia C also a school captain. ‘Now more than ever’, means that we really need to push for the goal of reconciliation. Otherwise later we may not be able to do it. We have already left it for too long and we may as well start now before it gets too late.

Hi, I am Max a Koorie student and a school captain. It is very important to respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people because they were on this land first and we stole it from them without asking for permission.

 Hi, I am Mia W a Koorie student. We need to improve how we look after everyone. Both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people to make it a fair community for everyone. 

My name is Eliza, and I am the fourth school captain at Emerald Primary School. Now, with the new generation, we can take a chance to treat everyone better and on another level because people will have learned it from a young age.

All: Thank you for listening.

Mia C: We then headed into the Hills Hub and took place in a lot of fun activities such as drawing on gumnuts, wool weaving with sticks, colouring pages designed by Emmy Webber and writing kind and positive messages on paper leaves to make a kindness tree. We then also had afternoon tea which was fruit and other yummy cakes and cookies.

Now, this was only the start of it, we then went upstairs and saw Emmy Webber’s beautiful, detailed Aboriginal art pieces. I feel like she really embraced what “Now more than ever” means to her. There was also a mini sandpit that you could put your feet into and relax. We then said thank you to everyone and walked back to school and that was our amazing, fun learning experience!

After the event, Mia W & Aston wrote about Reconciliation Week and shared this at Assembly:

Welcome everyone,

As Australian students, we think Reconciliation Week is about forgiving the past and fixing the future. We will have a better future, if we fix it now!

We need to remember that everyone has a role to play in working together, so that we can have a balanced harmony between all cultures.

By talking to each other and standing up for each other, we can make sure that we all have a voice towards a caring, loving and kind world.

Here is a poem our family wrote:

Reconciliation is a time for thinking,

A time to reflect, a time for more.

It gives us hope, it gives us strength, it gives us connection, it opens up doors.

Reconciling is a power,

Respect is earnt.

Reconciling is kindness,

Respect is learnt.

Do it for our land, water, and skies,

Building and shaping and nurturing lives.

Fixing the future and knowing the past. Talking and listening makes a bond that will last.

Thank you all for listening.