Awards celebrate vital role of schools for reconciled Aus

The vital role Australian teachers and students can play in reconciliation is being celebrated, with the announcement of the finalists in the prestigious Narragunnawali Awards.

Narragunnawali is part of Reconciliation Australia and supports schools and early learning services to foster knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

The Narragunnawali Awards, sponsored by the BHP Foundation, celebrate schools and early learning services that are striving for a just, equitable and reconciled Australia.

Reconciliation Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Karen Mundine says all the finalists have enthusiastically embraced reconciliation.

“We were so impressed by the calibre and creativity of the nominees this year, and particularly of the finalists. Teachers and students alike have been working in partnership with Elders, Traditional Owners and community members to ensure teaching and learning is relevant to their local community context,” Mundine said. “They have been actively engaging with the true histories of the Country on which their school respectively stands, and exploring themes of racism, holistic approaches to wellbeing, land management practices and sustainability.” .

The important work that these children, students, teachers and broader communities are doing, Mundine said is part of a broader movement of Australians learning, unlearning and relearning shared histories in schools and early learning services around the country.

The finalists for the Narragunnawali Awards 2019 are Sydne’s Kelly’s Place Children’s Centre, Forbes Preschool Kindergarten, Dayboro’s Barefoot Early Childhood. Schools are Maclean High School, Tamborine Mountain State School, and Moolap Primary School.

Early learning services commended by the Judging Panel are The Friends Child Care Centre, Goodstart Early Learning Elizabeth Vale, and Evans Head-Woodburn Preschool. The schools are Mossman State School, Lloyd Street Primary School, and Goondiwindi State School.

The Judging Panel will be visiting each of the finalists in the coming months to determine the winners. The Judging Panel consists of Bangerang/Wiradjuri woman Geraldine Atkinson, Bardi Kija woman Sharon Davis, and Narungga man Professor Peter Buckskin.

The winners of the Narragunnawali Awards will be announced at a special Awards ceremony in Canberra which will be livestreamed on Thursday evening 14 November 2019.

Pearl Dy

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Pearl Dy is a community manager and journalist. She is passionate about business and development particularly involving not-for-profits, charity and social entrepreneurship.

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