Back row: Brendan, Chantelle, Zoe (middle) Krysta, Alex, Adam, guest Sandra, Serena (front) guest Diane, Kirah, Jackson, Danika, guest Kristal at Lyndhurst Secondary College’s Sorry Day event.By Emma Sun
LYNDHURST Secondary College held a Sorry Day celebration recently with an assembly and a barbecue for their indigenous students and their families.
Community Koori representatives Diane Singh, Sandra Brogden and Kristal were the guest speakers who made speeches at the assembly, where a letter from Aaron Davey of the Melbourne Football Club was read out to the students.
A barbecue followed the assembly, which was hosted by the school’s Year 11 and 12 VCAL students who completed studies on the indigenous culture.
VCAL teacher Nicole Scott said the students enjoyed doing the work during their indigenous studies.
“At the barbecue, one member from each of the four VCAL classes spoke about what their classes studied in relation to the local indigenous culture,” she said.
“(The students) are proud of being able to prepare the food and have everyone enjoy the food at the barbecue.”
Ms Scott said the indigenous students, families and speakers were very pleased with the effort the students put towards the day.
“They felt like it was very important that our school acknowledged a day that was very special to them with the barbecue and assembly,” she said.
“They appreciated the effort the students made to make the day special. It was very impressive how much the students could do.”
As part of their studies, the students painted the Aboriginal flag on a board that was presented to the Koori students and elders.
The students wrote sorry messages on the board and handprints on the board were symbolic of the acceptance of the apology.
Ms Scott said the school will continue to run indigenous studies in the following years.
“We will definitely endeavour to run it next year as an ongoing event,” she said.
“The art will be on display in the foyer of our school.”
