Easter 2002

A guiding star

JANE COLLOPY finds a school willing to take a risk in putting reconciliation into practice.

Towards the end of 1998, Darren and Anna Side reluctantly left the Aboriginal community of Djarindjin Lombadina, 200km north of Broome, having taught there for five years. When he and Anna told the community they were leaving, a number of students' families approached them and asked if they would take their daughters to Melbourne with them to take advantage of a more comprehensive secondary education.

After some careful consideration Anna and Darren decided they would rent a home in Melbourne to share with four of the girls, if they could find a school that would not only educate them, but welcome them into their community. Having heard of the strong and diverse community at Star of the Sea College, Anna called the principal, Rosalie Jones, and explained the situation.

Rosalie was initially cautious, wishing to avoid a repetition of the well-intended but injurious 'stolen generation' policy of separating children from their families in the quest for 'a better life'.

'Unless I have a letter from the community itself saying that this is what they want, I'm not going ahead', was Rosalie's reply. In due course the letter arrived and the following term, four girls started their secondary education at Star.

The journey over the past few years has had its difficulties, but has brought much to all involved. It is considered essential that the girls return home every holiday to maintain strong connections with their own community. Although this means that sometimes students who were progressing well at school decide not to continue at Star, it ensures that being educated so far away from home is always the girls' choice.

Darren, Anna and Rosalie believe that even those students who are at Star for only a few terms benefit from the relationships formed within the school community. The experience leaves them with a greater awareness of what is possible and what they can achieve.

Anna is overwhelmed by how welcoming the other students have been towards the girls, forging strong friendships from the beginning.

'It's reconciliation in action. When you go and see them all in the playground mucking around together, you see that it doesn't matter what colour you are', remarked Anna. 'I've been taken aback with what's happening at Star. The girls haven't encountered any racism at all.'

Having taken Djarindjin students on school trips to other cities around the country, Darren is an enthusiast of Melbourne as a place to bring indigenous students from remote communities.

'It's such a cosmopolitan place, the kids just blend in. Star reflects that diversity. Kids from other cultures, kids in wheelchairs, kids with learning disabilities, the atmosphere at that school is incredible.'

The pride in cultural diversity is mirrored in the school's commitment to recognising the ability of all students. This was highlighted when Kerri Anne, who has now been at Star for close to three years, performed an indigenous dance at the school's presentation night at the Melbourne Concert Hall.

The educational approach at Star has been an integral part of the girls' development, although as Rosalie emphasised, our understanding of development is culturally biased. In choosing her subjects for Year 11, Kerri Anne has been able to enrol in a Vocational Education and Training course in community services at Holmesglen TAFE. This will give her chance to acquire skills that will assist in developing her home community.

Star's focus on relationships in the classroom has made a big impression on the girls from Djarindjin. Rosalie explains, 'The subjects offer the structure on which the values are attached - it's about relationships in the classroom.'

Darren and Anna believe that this has allowed girls like Kerri Anne to become 'much more confident in dealing with non-Aboriginal people'. In the end, this works towards the larger goal of self-determination for Kerri Anne and her community.

'Kids like Kerri Anne influence the younger kids as well. When they see her and the others going off to school in Melbourne or wherever, they realise that they can do that too.'

When asked what the project means for the wider school community, Rosalie responds, 'It's hard to transport 1100 girls to an Aboriginal centre and get a real understanding of indigenous culture. Whereas living alongside each other and working together enables our girls to gain a fantastic understanding in a way we could never have got otherwise.' She believes it makes a big difference when you have 'real people talking about real situations'.

Rosalie also acknowledges the effect of the program on teachers, including herself.

'Certainly I know a lot more about Aboriginal culture and have a much better understanding than I did before. I feel very honoured to have been involved.'

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