NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It's held each year during the first week of July and is an important annual event where everyone's invited to join in the celebrations. As NAIDOC week fell during the school holidays, Belridge SC students and staff celebrated and participated in activities throughout Week 10 Term 2 and Week 1 Term 3! 

Students participated in classroom activities and tasks with a focus around the 2022 theme of Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! learning about influential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culturally significant events. Students also made NAIDOC bracelets, participated in the NAIDOC poster colouring-in competition, enjoyed live DJ sets during break times featuring all music by Indigenous artists, and enjoyed a fantastic dance and music performance by the Wadumbah Dance group. 

Our students also worked together to complete the first set of a series of projects called the Next Step: Language project. The students prepared and painted the entrance steps at the front of the College with our Acknowledgement of Country in both Noongar and English language, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to reconciliation and the celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The project was officially opened with a Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country by our local elder Vaughn Joshua McGuire, who spoke about the importance of ongoing reconciliation and the vital role education plays in shaping our future generations.

Ben Dawkins
ATSI Lead Team Coordinator