Hands across Australia
Yirara College and Living Waters Lutheran School, both based in Alice Springs, were recently announced as the winners of the GenerationOne Hands Across Australia song competition.
GenerationOne is a not-for-profit organisation that works to show the importance of education, training, mentoring and employment as the best means for ending the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The joint entry which was put together by staff and students was extremely professional and very inspirational. It was recorded as part of NAIDOC week celebrations with the final scene filmed at the closing worship service with the Alice Springs Lutheran Church (NAIDOC celebrations occur annually around Australia in July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).
The filming, playing, climbing, jumping and eating together at Simpson’s Gap that they called ‘Closing the Gap at the Gap’ was one of the many highlights.
Imagine the excitement for the college when they gathered together watching the live broadcast from Sydney to hear that out of over 130 entries from all around Australia they were awarded first place in the Outstanding Performance category with a prize of $15 000.
Congratulations to the rappers, choir members and marimba players, along with staff members Mrs Jenny Chapman, Mr Paul Imms, Ms Jodi Farrell and Mrs Nicole Dohler.
You can check out their entry on YouTube by searching for Yirara College.
What did students enjoy about making the video?
Stafford Swan: I just enjoyed singing the song and doing the actions and the rap. I liked doing it with the Living Waters’ students – having fun.
Preston Harrison: It made me feel proud, being ambassadors for Yirara College.
Melissa Andrews: It was good, especially going to Simpson’s Gap. We climbed all over the rocks and took photos.
Shania Raymond: It was fantastic, because we haven’t done anything like that before.
How did they feel when the announcement was made?
Stafford Swan: Proud and happy. Proud of Living Waters’ students helping us.
Preston Harrison: Proud and excited, especially when I collected the (cheque for) $7500 for Yirara College.
Melissa Andrews: Happy and excited because we did special things in choir at Yirara.
Shania Raymond: Great inside.
