Full marks for early graduation day
Schools
Fifty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from across Adelaide were the centre of attention at an education coming of age gathering at Prospect Oval last month.<br />
The Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) Indigenous graduation ceremony on September 22 was attended by 160 people who were there to congratulate the Year 12 students – plus a further dozen who were unable to attend – on reaching the end of their school days in a Catholic school.
“We call it a completion of studies event,” said CESA Senior Education advisor (Aboriginal Education) Geoff Aufderheide, adding that students still had to sit some exams and submit final assignments before the end of the academic year.
“It has been going for more than 10 years and has grown significantly,” said Mr Aufderheide of the increasingly popular graduation day.
Several school principals from 21 Adelaide Catholic schools attended the 90-minute event which included a Welcome to Country by Cliffy Wilson from Kuma Kaaru, an Aboriginal owned and operated organisation that offers cultural support for schools and organisations.
Fr Tom Gleeson from Willunga parish offered a prayer and CESA executive director Neil McGoran congratulated the students on their achievements.
Mr Aufderheide said future paths for the students would be varied with trades and further education looming for many students.
“They will have benefitted from a Catholic education and are well placed to take the next step in their lives,” he said.
“Some will be the first people in their families who have completed Year 12.”
Local Aboriginal artist and didgeridoo expert David Booth provided each student with a limited edition print and certificate to commemorate their graduation.
Country residents were not forgotten with another 10 students who live further afield attending a graduation ceremony at Port Augusta three days after the Prospect event.
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