2003 School Magazine

COMMUNITY

SE RVI C E

a programme which gave us a sense of self-fulfillment in the service of others Georgina Horsburgh 10 0'Connor

forgetting the moves to the hokey pokey), we returned to school until the next week Week Two: Today, we joined a group of older boys who were making toolboxes in the carpentry workshop. We noticed how good the facilities available to the students are here Slight alterations are made to tools and equipment to give the students ultimate control and safety. A task as simple as drilling holes in a piece of wood was an achievement rewarding to witness and we watched as the students gained a sense of confidence in their abilities. Hilary and I also gained an insight into the extracurricular activities available to the students, such as rowing, horse-riding and flying in aeroplanes. Despite some of their differences, we realised that many of these students enjoyed the same past times as many Grammar Girls' Week Three: We returned to ASPIey Special School this week, but this time to a different class. Again, this is a great group of students, including several characters who have big personalities. Today, half the class went swimming and the other half. bike riding. I took some new friends bike riding around the tracks at the centre. Initially, one girl was too scared to ride on a two-wheeler, but eventually, she got up the courage, and by the end of the session, was riding better than I was. Hilary helped out in the swimming lesson, and had the opportunity to chat with some of the students In essence, the Year Ten Service programme has been an invaluable experience for all involved. Before my involvement I would never have expected to adapt so quickly to the situations presented to me and while I found it challenging I now feel confident around people. The students taught me a lot. When pondering my 'success' in our class of five, I remember advice given to Hilary and I by the teacher, regarding the naughty behavior of one of the boys After several weeks of passive and stubborn refusal to join the "Hokey Pokey", he began to lighten up, and that afternoon he smiled for the first time. Afterwards, our supervisor told us that we were 'his friends: Then, I had really knew we achieved something Thank You to Mrs Bell, Mrs Stubbing ton, Mrs Rentz and Mr Seaha, for organising

ASPLEY S CH O OL When someone mentions Community Service, what comes to mind? initially, as a Year 10 student, introduced to the concept in early Term 111 and told that I would be able to participate as part of the School's Service Programme, I was uncertain what to expect. However, when my friend, Hilary, and I began to listen to what the Programme was about and what the options were, we were quite surprised The Programme allows students to engage in a diverse variety of service activities for one afternoon a week, and we were given the option to visit people in aged care, kindergarten and daycare facilities, primary schools, 'Oxfam' shops, and even to sort through paperwork at Amnesty International. However, despite the seemingly endless possibilities, I found myself drawn to a location described as challenging at the ASPIey Special School, which caters for adolescents with intellectual and physical disabilities. I wanted to meet the students and thought of how I might help, but never expected that I would gain something so rewarding in return According to Edmunde Burke, Australia's first Prime Minister. 'Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. ' As our individual involvement in the Girls' Grammar School Service Programme progressed, it became evident to me that this was a statement that encapsulated the very ethos of the Programme itself. in our weekly visits to the Special School we played games, music, and participated in a multitude of other activities with the students' I enjoyed every minute and this helped lay the foundation for many valuable friendships It seemed that, as had been promised, every week provided a new challenge both mentally and emotionally, and we were privileged to participate In so many activities. Here is a brief journal of involvement over several weeks Week One: Hilary and I arrived at ASPIey Special School by taxi. Having signed in, we were met by the supervisor, He Ien, who took us to our class for the day, consisting of five students aged between eleven and fifteen. Playing music is a favourite past time of the kids there, so we got out the tamborines and played along. There was also a guitar sing- along, and we soon discovered that one of the boys is a diehard Bee Gees fan. After an awesome afternoon rediscovering the nursery rhymes of our childhood (and

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