JPC began NAIDOC week celebrations with a poster competition. Congratulations to winning entries by Alivia Holden, Sophia Hawkins and Neve O’Byrne (who received NAIDOC Hoodies) and special mentions to Nikala, Lily and Milli. The posters are displayed in the school foyer. Our Indigenous group discovered that the ACT region was once covered with the native ‘Murnong’ plant (Yam Daisy), so in keeping with this year’s NAIDOC theme, we planted one in our JPC garden.

We have been fortunate to receive a grant from Greening Australia with funding from Suncorp - Brighter Futures Program, for 30 native plants for our exciting new collaborative project underway with Nat Tarry and Beau Nebelung’s Construction students, making our Bush tucker garden design a reality. It will be complete before term’s end - very exciting! We also created our own Yam Daisy artworks to display in the Kamberri room.

Our Indigenous students attended the CE NAIDOC mass and a beautiful smoking ceremony in Manuka on Friday morning to round off the week. Thank you to all involved in embracing and celebrating our Indigenous cultures at JPC.

Annie Daley
Contact Teacher for First Nation’s students