Sunshine Coast Grammar School held its annual National Sorry Day Assembly to acknowledge the strength of our First Nations People, reflect on our Reconciliation Action Plan, and recognise our First Nation Ambassadors on Friday, 26 May.
Together with the Presbyterian Methodist Schools Association (PMSA) Executive Director, Lisa Benneworth, Principal Mrs Anna Owen recognised our First Nation Ambassadors, Lucas Brodrick, Amalia Noble and Alinta Tabuai for their commitment and leadership and proudly presented them with Indigenous Scholarships.
Our First Nation Ambassadors are committed to working with the school’s Reconciliation Action Plan Committee to promote reconciliation in all areas of the school and wider community and promote the reconciliation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
To commemorate Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week, our Ambassadors presented two native trees to be planted in our Wunya Garden and unveiled a new art piece commissioned by local artist and Bundjalung Country Woman, Amelia Rose.
The purpose of the Wunya Garden is to create a visual sign of our commitment to working towards a bright future in restoring and respecting culture and love of country.
The art piece is a reflection on what is important in our Grammar community and captures our unique landscape and strong connections to community and country. This year, the school’s Rugby and Cross Country teams integrated the artwork into their jerseys, and have been worn with pride.
Our annual Sorry Day Assembly is an opportunity for our school community to come together and reflect on the significant events and pay our respects. During the Assembly, we welcomed Director of TribalLink Pty, Kerry Neill who performed a special Welcome to Country and Story for our community. Kerry Neill is a descendant of the Kabi Kabi, Waka Waka, South Sea Islander peoples and has strong cultural and family ties with the Sunshine Coast and surrounding areas.
In the lead-up to Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week, students have been learning about the meaning of Sorry Day and discussing reconciliation. During Assembly, students presented hand-written words of action on paper handprints, which represents our united approach to reconciliation and how we can come together as a community to enact change.
For Sunshine Coast Grammar School, reconciliation means working inclusively in a meaningful and respectful way with Aboriginal families and communities. Our vision is to acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi culture in symbolic recognition of the people and the country in which we live, work and play.
Reconciliation represents equal and equitable educational opportunities and outcomes for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, and an inclusive and diverse workplace that is not just culturally safe, but culturally rich and proud.