Ferncourt Public School students use stones in an outdoor numbers lesson (left). Camden High School students selling baked goods they made themselves to raise money for UNICEF Day for Change (right).

Students develop a deeper understanding of poverty

Public schools recognised UNICEF Day for Change in many forms on October 25.

UNICEF Day for Change is a partnership between UNICEF Australia, Federation and the Department of Education for NSW government schools and their communities to celebrate Universal Children's Day, alongside existing UNICEF advocacy initiatives. The aim is that through education, students can develop a deeper understanding of the health and wellbeing of other children around the world, especially in countries where children live with war, disease and poverty. They can become responsible global citizens.

Ferncourt Public School students celebrated UNICEF Day for Change by participating in activities and role plays that highlighted the life of children in countries very different to their own.

Deputy principal Jann Price said the students were involved in activities such as making a long trek to the "well" to collect a bucket of water before they could go to school.

"They also walked to their 'garden' to water their crops with the water that was left at the end of the day. Students 'met' an Argentinean street kid who was playing with a ball he had made from found objects. The children made a soccer ball from stockings and newspapers and played a short game. Students also played games from countries such as the Philippines and Kenya that required little or no equipment.

"Older students used plastic shopping bags to make skipping ropes while others made and ate damper after meeting an Argentinean child who lived on a small bread roll sized loaf of bread for three days."

"African music was also enjoyed by the students who learnt a song and played a stone passing game in time to the music. Students also learnt about the Convention of the Rights of the Child," Ms Price said.

"One of the most popular activities was attending school in the open air and using small chalkboards, old white chalk and small stones as counters to do a number lesson."

"Ferncourt community was very generous in their support of UNICEF Day for Change and raised $280 to support UNICEF in their work with children around the world," Ms Price said.

"The community was delighted with their efforts as they had raised enough money to buy a 'School in a Box'."

Camden High School Social Justice Group Coordinator Phyllis Coughlin said to prepare for UNICEF Day for Change and to raise awareness, the Social Justice Group at the school photocopied about four different stories from the UNICEF website.

"It was the voices of youth from different parts of the world," she said.

"We then put the stories in the rolls of the different classes and for two days prior to UNICEF Day for Change the students in the school read the stories during DEAR [Drop Everything and Read].

"The SRC ran a mufti day leading up to UNICEF Day, and on the day the Social Justice Group ran a cake stall.

"It was totally organised by the students. They baked the cakes...at home and then decorated them at school.

"They chose the theme of brown and white icing to show diversity and then they put the symbols for boys and girls in blue and pink on top of the icing."

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November 2006 contents