Before coronavirus sent students at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Randwick home to learn remotely, they rallied for a day to support a school hours from their own that was devastated by the bushfires that swept NSW this summer. The school held a day of fundraising activities that spanned all areas of the curriculum and raised close to $20,000 for St Mary’s Primary School Moruya, on the NSW south coast, and wildlife rescue organisation WIRES. Year 3 teacher Melissa Curry, one of the event’s coordinators, knew of the community after living in nearby Mollymook as...

Balancing work, postgraduate study and a sporting career had Emily Chancellor leading the field as a role model for students at St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School Auburn South on International Women’s Day. Students in years 4 to 6 took inspiration from the professional rugby union player and high performance manager at The University of Sydney’s Sport and Fitness services as she spoke to the event’s theme of equality and left advice for success in sport and life beyond. Chancellor played four international test matches with the Rugby 7s in 2019 and captained the Australian team at the...

An uplifting talk from Kenyan education activist Kakenya Ntaiya provided food for thought and reason for gratitude at Brigidine College Randwick’s breakfast to celebrate International Women’s Day. Close to 1,000 students and significant women in their lives, including their mothers and grandmothers, attended the event. Dr Ntaiya spoke about how she negotiated a return to school with her father after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) in preparation for marriage in her early teen years, completed a PhD in education in the United States, and founded organisation Kakenya’s Dream to help educate and empower girls in her home country. Year...