The 15th River of Learning Celebration Day, held on Tuesday 27 May as part of Reconciliation Week, was a huge success. We were extremely fortunate with the weather, as the lead-up to the week was marked by the Lower Clarence being sodden with higher-than-average rainfall for March, April, and May.

The day included a special morning tea for the Elders in the library. The whole school then went to the basketball courts for an assembly and a smoking ceremony, given by Uncle Sam. Awards were presented to students from Years 7 to 12 who have consistently exhibited the characteristics of Reconciliation. The student body was treated to two dances from our Aboriginal Boys Dance Group, performing a Cleansing Dance, and our Aboriginal Girls Group performing a Contemporary Dance. A special morning tea was provided to the school community by the Mudyala food truck.

Parents, Elders, and community guests were then invited to the Gym to view the Year 7 classwork and then to enjoy the Celebration Day Ceremony, where they were treated to music, dance, and speeches by our students.

Guest speaker Zhanae Whalley gave an inspiring speech focusing on this year’s Reconciliation Theme, Bridging Now to Next.

Zhanae, a proud Yaegl Woman, attended Maclean High School between 2016 and 2022. She now works at Maclean Public School as a Learning Support Officer. Zhanae started her training for this role when she attended Maclean High School through a school-based traineeship in education.

In her speech, she asked people to think about where they want to go in life and how learning, culture, and community can help them get to where they would like to go.

Awards were presented to Year 7 students who had consistently displayed a commitment to their classwork since coming to high school, and thank you certificates were given to the Elders for their participation in the River of Learning program and the Cultural Tours that were conducted in Term 1.

Reconciliation Week is always a special week on the school’s calendar where we can meet and enjoy each other’s company and look at the results of good teaching and learning.

 

 

Story Submitted by Liza Hamilton from Maclean High School, Published in April, 2025