On Friday 4th March, staff and students from Prep-Year 12 donned board shorts and bunkered in for a day of learning and games, all for a good cause.
Thanks to the generosity of Primary students, staff and parents, Primary school chaplain, Ellice Van Bennekom will join a team of six others flying to Ukraine between March 10th-April 1st to engage in community redevelopment, beginning with clean water. Ellice stated “Ukraine has been through so much. Poor plumbing built during the Communist era has left very little water for homes. Some homes have only 20 minutes water supply a day.”
High school students, led by Generation Justice, the College’s social justice advocacy group, partnered with TEAR Australia to
purchase clean water supplies where they are needed most.
College Girls Captain, Rachel Fremlin helped drive the initiative, “we live in a country where we can take clean water for granted. But last year I went to Solomon Islands with Westside and I saw just how vital clean water is to health.”
Events on the day included:
- Revenge of the Students: students determined which teachers would enter the dunk tank by letting their donations do the talking.
- Games which highlighted problems of water scarcity.
- An after-school program of education and fun.
College Principal, Barry Leverton was impressed by the result of the day “This was a student-led and co-ordinated initiative across two campuses. Our College motto is Achievement, Belonging and Care; today students in every year level exemplified that.” Staff and students dressed up in their favourite boardies for the event.
According to the Millennium Development Goals Report 2012, 783 million people, or 11 per cent of the global population, remain without access to an improved source of drinking water. It remains one of the United Nation’s key global concerns.
Westside Christian College congratulates all of its students on their generosity and giving spirit.