September 3, 2019
Mascot magic delights primary school students
Healthy Harold, Baxter the Duck encourage health, wellbeing at Warilla Public
Students at Warilla Public School welcomed two special guests on Monday (2 September) when the รรอลสำฦตโs Baxter the Duck and Life Educationโs Healthy Harold dropped in to greet the children.
The applause was wild as the students relished the opportunity to meet the fluffy friends and hear more about their work to help children become the healthiest and happiest they can be.
Life Education, a community-based, independent organisation, will be on site at Warilla Public School throughout the week, introducing a new generation of kids to the childhood health initiative.
Healthy Harold encouraged the students to get excited about their time in the Life Education van, in which they will participate in lessons on health, wellbeing, and making safe choices.
รรอลสำฦต has been working with Life Education since 2015, providing funding so the much-celebrated van can visit the schools in low socioeconomic areas in the region.
Clare Fraser, Community Engagement Coordinator, said the University loved to work with schools in the local community, providing support on vital educational initiatives.
โIt is always a pleasure to work with young students throughout the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, and help them to experience programs such as Life Education,โ Ms Fraser said.
โOur Community Investment Program is so important to building strong communities and ensuring people of all ages and from all walks of life are able to access and benefit from higher education.โ
โAt the university, weโre not only committed to supporting students to achieve their academic aspirations, weโre also focused on their personal development, health and wellbeing, and encouraging them to become active citizens in their own community.โ
Under the partnership, รรอลสำฦต has helped Life Education to deliver their program to the 10 most disadvantaged primary schools in the Illawarra. It is part of รรอลสำฦตโs Community Investment Program, which plays a role in championing social, cultural, environmental and economic developments within the community.
รรอลสำฦต also helps to deliver Life Education to schools in Cringila, Berkeley, Bellambi, Koonawarra, and Barrack Heights.
The aim of the event was also to encourage the young students to get excited for the upcoming Kids In2Uni Days, which will be held on campus in November and aims to introduce local primary school students to university.
James Terry, Schools Outreach Coordinator in รรอลสำฦตโs Outreach, Pathways and Co-curricular team, said in addition to the รรอลสำฦต Wollongong campus, the Kids In2Uni Days were also offered across all รรอลสำฦต regional campuses and gave students from across these regions the opportunity to experience campus life.
โKids In2Uni provides students, parents and teachers with a positive connection to รรอลสำฦต and a 'taste' of university life,โ Mr Terry said. โIt gives students the opportunity to experience university, interact with university students and staff and commence the conversation about pathways and opportunities that exist as they continue their educational journey.โ
The Kids In2Uni Days will be held in November, with students from close to 30 schools taking part in the event over four days.