Year 8 students Lydia Penny and Katie Bredhauer sang in the quadrangle

March 20, 2014

St Mary’s Catholic College students in Kingaroy yesterday raised $900 towards hay bales for the region’s struggling farmers … while at the same time celebrating cultural diversity via Harmony Day.

For a gold coin donation, students had the option of coming to school either dressed in orange (the colour of Harmony Day), in national dress or in farming gear.

Earlier in the day they enjoyed a special morning tea, and then at lunchtime, there was a string of Harmony Day events to enjoy around the schoolgrounds – including live music, world sports and indigenous cultural activities.

Principal Michael Nayler – who donned a kilt and tam o’shanter for the day – said the school was hoping to work in with  Rural Connect, at St Mary’s Catholic School, Laidley, to bring two road trains worth of hay to the South Burnett in the coming weeks.

All donations towards the project would be welcome.

NB. Harmony Day is a Federal Government program, celebrated since 1999, which coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  It is celebrated in schools, childcare centres, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, State and local government agencies.

School librarian Melanie Barr was resplendent in her sari; while principal Michael Nayler donned a kilt for a performance of The Proclaimers’ classic (ahem)  “500 Miles”
Year 12 student Frank McGregor was playing the didj for Jacob Mallett (Year 9) and Izaak Cusworth (Year 8)
Teacher Dallas Brown shows students how to do a kangaroo dance
Louise and Olivia Frahm chose the “farmer look” … Louise came 1st and Olivia 2nd in their age categories for whipcracking at the recent Proston Show
Enjoying some world games were, back row, teacher Tamara Collins and Cherrie Baldacchino (Year 11); front row, from left, Brie Wintour (Year 11), Charlie Steinhardt (Year 1), Chloe Brady (Year 1), Ben Trebbin (Year 4) and Halle Armstrong (Year 2)