DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL

What it’s AboutUninterrupted education is a big challenge facing the poverty stricken community of Halls Creek, WA – one of Australia’s most disadvantaged Indigenous communities.

In 2011, five not-for-profit organisations joined together to accept this ‘call’ by creating a program to help a group of young students from Halls Creek fulfil their dream of completing their high school education.

As part of this program, these young students from Halls Creek travel to Sydney and study at two of Sydney’s quality private schools.As a result, students who were academically four years below their actual age have now caught up to their grade level and are performing at exceptional standards in particular subjects.

A number of these students have also excelled to represent their school in more than one sport.

Breaking the CycleOriginally planned as a two-year pilot, the success of this program has seen it continue two years more than originally envisioned due to the positive results seen in these wonderful students.

Their hope is to go back to their own community to in turn help reverse this destructive cycle of interrupted education, unemployment and poverty that plagues the lives of other young people in Halls Creek.

Help us continue our mission to bring new hope to more young people in Halls Creek, WA.

“We want to open as many doors for [these students] as we can, to give them as many options in life as possible. We want them to realise their potential, whether that means going to TAFE or going to university, or just being able to find a trade. They’re good kids and our goal is to make a positive difference in their lives.”

The Dural Education Excellence Program (DEEP)In early 2011, the Dural Education Excellence Program (DEEP) was launched. This program based on two founding insights:

• Students from Halls Creek excel in their learning when they are away from the destructive influences of their home community• Students excel when they feel connected to land, culture and family.

From these two cultural insights, DEEP was carefully formed to bring about a more successful and positive future of our Aboriginal children, in education, in the land, and in the marketplace.

What’s Makes DEEP So Unique?Unlike most boarding school experiences where children have to take on the education journey alone, our Aboriginal students in the program are cared for by houseparents who come from the same community as they do.

Parents of the students are encouraged to ‘come and visit’ to see for themselves the wellbeing of their children and to witness firsthand the workings of DEEP in their children’s education.Being built on this cultural awareness that Aboriginal students need the ‘connection’ with home to do well in school while away from home, this combination (cultural insight and ‘familiar setting’) is what makes DEEP so unique in its heart and its approach compared to other similar programs.

The DEEP is dedicated to ensuring the educational and emotional development of these young students is nurtured and uninterrupted.

The uniqueness of this program is further highlighted by the fact that these students would not have typically qualified for a scholarship education program due to a poor level of academic attainment. In addition, without the strong support that a program such as DEEP provides, these students would have struggled to study away from home in a boarding school scenario.

The introduction of DEEP has changed all that.

[This responsibility of the program also extends to providing yearly flights for the students to and from Halls Creek in the East Kimberley region and Dural in North-Western Sydney.]

Creating A Passion To Learn, Discovering A Desire To ExcelImagine an environment where you were selected not by your academic merit but by your hunger to learn? The following stories are from Teachers who have personally witnessed the impressive academic progress these students from Halls Creek have made in the short period of time the program has been running.What is valuable to note is that each of the students who were selected for the program, were not selected based on current academic merit but on their enthusiasm and hunger to learn.These students would not have typically qualified for a boarding school scholarship, which makes the improvements all the students have made much more significant and valuable.

Wade “has much to offer” Wade has grown in his ambition to apply himself wholeheartedly. In his recent semester two 2013 report he is described as a courteous and kind young man who is learning well to take responsibility for his actions. Wade has much to offer in classroom discussions and often shows his maturity with his thoughtful insight. Wade is commended on his ability to take on correction and learn from his mistakes... Wade has represented the school in Athletics, Rugby League, Basketball, Touch Football, AFL and Futsal. Wade has held himself in high esteem. He is always a gentleman, be it on or off the field. Wade’s highest marks and achievements across his grade and in all subjects were in Personal Development and Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), followed closely by great achievements in both Science and Technology.

Juwan makes “huge improvements” Juwan has achieved a lot in a short period. Juwan is described in his most recent report as being a pleasant and fine young man who is respected by his peers. At school, Juwan is also known as a reliable and honest student who is keen to do the right thing. Juwan is a steady worker in class, can work independently and is becoming more willing to ask for help. Juwan has developed sound organisational skills and these assist him to start each lesson in a settled manner. Juwan’s teachers are excited to watch Juwan’s future. His writing, which was laborious when he first started at P.H.C.S., has developed well and can now almost keep up with his intelligent voice. History is definitely a continuing strength of Juwan’s. He is to be congratulated for his high class mark of 80%. Juwan has also made huge improvements in his mathematical skills over the last six months [as well as]...outstanding progress in Science, despite finding many of the concepts challenging.

Brendan is “well respected”Brendan was a very quiet and reserved student when he started at William Clarke College. He had some catching up to do academically, mostly due to lack of exposure to various concepts, and is now in a B band class for most subjects. He participates in a full mainstream academic program which has required him to complete assessments including presentations using PowerPoint and other computer technology. He has given speeches in front of his peers and presented to groups of students from K-12, parents, teachers and community members in Halls Creek and Sydney. Brendan participated in an Indigenous drama in front of approximately 3000 people at Presentation Night. He is a young man who has made many friends and is well respected. His teachers consider him to be a conscientious student who works extremely well in groups. Brendan’s sporting ability has seen him represent the College and the local community in a number of sports and the Indigenous community at National level in AFL. He is currently undertaking the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Program.

Krstel is “eager to learn” Krstel is a 12-year-old girl who has attended William Clarke College since the end of Year 5. She is highly motivated and is an outstanding sportswoman. Krstel has enthusiastically taken on all the opportunities afforded her. She is now keeping up with her peers academically and participates in the full academic program offered at the College. She is eager to learn and has made presentations to her peers, students in K-12, parents, teachers and community members in Halls Creek and Sydney. Krstel recently participated in the Indigenous drama in front of the College Community of approximately 3000 people, which was quite a feat for an 11 year old. Krstel has a large group of friends and enjoys interacting with them and being invited to stay over. Her athletic and sporting ability has seen Krstel represent the College at CIS (Combined Independent Schools) level in Cross Country, and she has represented the local district in Basketball.

Dural Baptist Church: We had been facilitating Indigenous education opportunities of Kimberley youth for over seven years with mixed results. However, our involvement in the DEEP partnership has provided the success we have longed to see – kids engaged in education, loving to learn, progressing well academically, connected with broader community – and all in the context of cultural community. Brian Codrington, Pastor

William Clarke College:We want to open as many doors for [the students] as we can, to give them as many options in life as possible. We want them to realise their potential, whether that means going to TAFE or going to university, or just being able to find a trade. They’re good kids and our goal is to make a positive difference in their lives. We’ve hosted Indigenous students before but they lived with foster parents and it never really worked out. With the kids now living together in the house it’s like being with their community and I think that has been the key element to making this work.Alexandra Ling, Teacher

The Wunan Foundation: This program is particularly focused on those young people that want to learn and create opportunity for themselves... The Dural Education Excellence Program is giving those young people and their families a real chance of achieving their dreams and aspirations.Nick Thomas, CEO

Pacific Hills Christian School: The overarching network shouts out support for the students. They have a whole team backing them and along the way there are rich opportunities to learn and teach about the essence of what makes them proud. The commitment of everyone in the partnership means our students soar academically, socially and emotionally too. These children have made huge steps. The students already had a voice, but they have learnt how to communicate it. Not just here in front of a class, but back in front of students at Halls Creek. That’s really important. They don’t need to become two people, just one strong person who can go between the two places. Cathy Dearden, Teacher

House Parent: It may sound easy enough but for many Indigenous youth it is scary and quite often confronting diving into an entirely new environment and facing and dealing with the pressures. That is why we have all come together to support these courageous kids.Matt Taylor, House Parent

The impressive educational outcomes seen over the last two years have given the partners real confidence to grow the program. We seek your support to assist us in providing educational boarding scholarships for Aboriginal students from the Kimberley. Your investment will co-partner with Wunan in providing opportunities for students who would not qualify for other scholarship programs. The funds will assist in covering boarding expenses and additional tuition where required (homework support). Further details about the boarding component can be provided by contacting the Wunan Foundation:admin@wunan.org.au

SPONSORA STUDENT

Our needs are $25,000 p.a. per student for five years.

DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL

WunanPO Box 1338 Kununurra WA 6743T: (08) 9168 3881www.wunan.org.au

Halls Creek District High SchoolThomas StreetHalls Creek WA 6770T: (08) 9168 6082www.nguyuruwaaringarrem.com

Dural Baptist Church1 Pellitt LaneDural NSW 2158T: (02) 8989 0000www.duralbaptist.org.au

William Clarke College1 Morris GroveKellyville NSW 2155T: (02) 8882 2100www.wcc.nsw.edu.au

Pacific Hills Christian School9-15 Quarry RoadDural NSW 2158T: (02) 9651 0700www.pacifichills.net