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Gilroy Catholic College Castle Hill

Students say YES to a sustainable Australia

08 Nov 2023

Students Say yes to a sustainable Australia CathEd Parra


Thousands of young Western Sydney students have declared a resounding ‘YES’ to ensuring a sustainable Australia for all after a successful three-day Youth Eco Summit at Sydney Olympic Park.

Now in its 13th year, the Youth Eco Summit, or YES as it is commonly known, is one of the biggest youth events of the year and brings together Catholic, independent and public school students from across Sydney to learn about Indigenous culture and all aspects of sustainability.

“I think for Aboriginal people, it's very important for us to listen to our Elders so we have the knowledge and for non-Indigenous people, it's very important to know the history of the places that they live on and how to take care of Country,” said Tataya Curry-Jones, Youth Ambassador and Year 11 student at St John Paul II Catholic College Schofields & Nirimba.

“To see them live, breathe and embrace culture, that has to be the number one memory for me this year,” said Ayoola Shogunle, a Youth Officer with the Jarara Cultural Centre. “Spending time with Elders and everyone listening and being respectful.”

Students Say yes to a sustainable Australia CathEd Parra


This year’s event attracted more than 30 providers who ran hands-on workshops, fun interactive activities and large-scale stage shows.

Led by 30 Murama Youth Ambassadors from Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) schools, the students took part in art workshops, traditional games, didjeridoo and dance, weaving, cultural walks and learnt about traditional tools and technologies.

“Students work through a program where they connect to their identity, their culture, and learn wonderful techniques, whether it's through traditional dance, weaving, tools and technology and games,” said Julie Waddell, Jarara Cultural Centre Lead. “My heart is full with pride for the growth and development of our young Youth Ambassadors and the students they’re supporting.”

“I love teaching students about Aboriginal tools and technology, whether they're being tested on it or just want to know,” said Sidney Nolad, a Youth Ambassador and Year 7 student at Nagle College Blacktown. “I'm really proud of our culture and to share what I know. This information gets shared on and on, including to many people who might not know about it, like family members or friends.”

“A lot of the younger kids learn a lot from us,” added Meghan Lynch, another Youth Ambassador and Year 10 student at St John Paul II Catholic College Schofields & Nirimba. “And I felt like they enjoyed it as well.”

Students Say yes to a sustainable Australia CathEd Parra


The Eco Youth Summit enabled young people to explore what sustainability looks like, how it plays out in reality and lessons they can take back to their families and local communities.

“A key part of Murama is supporting independence among each participant,” said Murama Coordinator Dr John Hunter (Uncle John). “And also interdependence where they support each other through a system of kinship and a network that supports the whole community. They become mentors and teachers to all the other students in our school communities.”

The event also included some spectacular performances by renowned Far North Queensland dance group Miriki Performing Arts and NAISDA Dance College, Australia’s premier Indigenous training college.

Students Say yes to a sustainable Australia CathEd Parra


The Miriki team guided students through various dance sessions across the two days and also performed their amazing Gulgi-barra dance at the main closing ceremony on Thursday evening in front of hundreds of guests. Gulgi-barra (meaning Sand People) pays tribute to the ancient Gilgi-barra clan from Far North Queensland.

"The dancing was really amazing," said Kaillan, Xavier College student and Murama Youth Ambassador. "It's very important because you get to feel the power with each step and each clap and you can feel the vibrations of the didgeridoo. All of it, you can really feel it in your soul and it was really empowering.”

“I've really enjoyed seeing students grow in their cultural practice, especially the students who performed on the dance circle for our Acknowledgement of Country,” said CAPTIVATE Dance Teacher Melinda Omokaro. CAPTIVATE is CSPD’s creative and performing arts program.

Students and teachers got to explore a variety of presentations and enjoy interactive activities with providers spread out over the Newington Armoury precinct. They included Murama Indigenous Youth, NRMA, Sydney Zoo, Bingo Industries, Greater Western Sydney Giants, Cricket NSW, City of Parramatta, Qudos Bank Arena, Create NSW, Taronga Zoo, Australian Museum, Birdlife Australia, Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre, Greater Sydney Parklands, Sydney Water and many more.

 

View photos from this event View full gallery

Aboriginal Education School Excursions Social Justice

Written By

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au

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What an incredible day at the Western Sydney Secondary School Regional Tournament! 🏆 Gilroy Catholic College was proudly represented by four teams who gave it their all. The junior boys played with heart and showed fantastic sportsmanship, narrowly missing out on the finals. The intermediate boys went undefeated in their group stage and put in their best performance in the semi-final, falling just short against one of the top schools in the state. Both our junior and intermediate girls' teams made it to their grand finals. The inter girls fought hard in a close 3–2 loss, while the junior girls dominated with a brilliant 4–0 win! 💪 We’re thrilled to announce that both girls' teams have now qualified for the next stage of the tournament, where they’ll face off against the best schools from across NSW! Congratulations to all teams for their efforts!

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Photos from Gilroy Catholic College's post

Year 10 student Stella Powell recently took to the stage as part of the highly reviewed Sydney Youth Musical Theatre Production of "Billy Elliot The Musical" at the Glen Street Theatre. In the musical production, Stella portrays one of the lead characters "Keeley Gibson," with such nuance, conviction, humour and grace. Stella was cast as "Gomez Addams" in Gilroy's "The Addams Family" Musical last year, and we look forward to seeing Stella's name in lights in many more musical productions to come! Photography by @grantlesliephotography

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07 May 2025

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Congratulations to Tierie, Keira & Billie for representing at the NSWCCC Touch tournament on the Central Coast. Despite the weather, the students showed their great ability and resilience. Billie has been selected in the NSWCCC Touch team that will play at the next level later in the year at Coffs Harbour. Well done girls!

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07 May 2025

Photos from Gilroy Catholic College's post

Yesterday, Years 8 and 9 attended a presentation about mental fitness. Ellen Roberts, an elite softball player, has played in the USA, New Zealand, Italy, The Netherlands and Czech Republic. Ellen, through the AIS, partners with the Black Dog Institute visits schools to help young Australians grow into resilient and mentally healthy adults. We thank Ellen for her engaging and informative presentation. #MentalFitness #blackdoginstitute #theAIS

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06 May 2025

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Excursion success! ✔️ Year 11 Geographers had an awesome time diving into the world of primary research! They gained a fantastic hands-on experience that's already proving super helpful for their major projects on city life, going green, and so much more! 😉 #GeoExcursion #ResearchAdventure #LearningByDoing

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05 May 2025

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05 May 2025

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Congratulations to former Gilroy Catholic College students Braydon Wickman and Jade Potuzanski, who have been selected to debut for Australia in the upcoming Asia Pacific Youth Touch Cup in Queensland, in May. Wishing you the best of luck Braydon and Jade! #AsiaPacificYouthTouchCup

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02 May 2025

Photos from Gilroy Catholic College's post

Yesterday, Gilroy Catholic College Year 7 students attended a presentation by Daniel Merza. The overall theme of the presentation was how to "get the monkeys off your back" to overcome adversity, find purpose, and become the best version of themselves. Daniel's fun and interactive presentation provided practical ways to reduce unkindness and bullying behaviors, strategies for building resilience and what bystanders can do to stop bullying. We thank Daniel for his engaging presentation! #danielmerza #beatbullying

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01 May 2025

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We congratulate Year 9 student William on his fantastic achievements at the 2025 Australian National Age Swimming Championships, held in Brisbane in April. William competed in 6 events and received Goldfor 200 Butterfly and Bronzefor 400 Individual Medley, and placed 4th in three other events. Well done on these wonderful achievements William!

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30 Apr 2025

Photos from Gilroy Catholic College's post

This morning Gilroy Catholic College came together for a beautiful reflection on hope and how it connects these three important moments—Easter, ANZAC Day, and the life of Pope Francis. Each of these themes offers a unique perspective on hope: Easter brings the ultimate hope, through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, a promise of eternal life and redemption. ANZAC Day highlights the hope for freedom and peace, acknowledging the sacrifices made for the safety and well-being of future generations. Pope Francis embodied hope in action by giving of himself, advocating for the marginalized, and showing that through care and service, hope can be found in even the most difficult situations. It's a powerful reminder of how hope can inspire us to live lives of compassion, courage, and service, just as these figures and events have demonstrated. “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come.” Pope Francis.

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