By Callum Ludwig
Yarra Junction Primary School students got in the spirit for the upcoming Olympics on Thursday 27 June.
A herculean effort to combine the specialist subjects of art, music, sport and community studies culminated in an exciting Olympics of their own.
PE Teacher Brooke Nisi said there were elements of all four subjects and the Olympic Games tying into the big event.
“In music they chose their national anthem, they came up with and recorded an anthem, in art they designed a country and a flag, whether it was a combination of a couple countries or a made-up country like the Preps’ Marshmallowland,” she said.
“It has helped build their knowledge of the Olympics as well before it actually starts so they know what they are actually watching and seeing,”
“Today’s all about the Olympic spirit, not winning, not getting first, second and third in events, but actually just having fun, we’re looking at the team spirit, the sportsmanship and the camaraderie of the classes and their ‘countries’.”
As well as Marshmallowland, there were other creative countries on display including Donutland, Franceldonia and New Japanland.
Ms Nisi said the students have also recently learned about the Paralympics and the ancient history of the Olympics.
“They learned about the Paralympic Games, which is not something that a lot of the students were aware of or understood had a Paralympian come out last week, Andrew Harrison, who plays wheelchair rugby, and he did a presentation to the students,” she said.
“He said it was the first time that he went to a school where the students had prior knowledge of what the Paralympics was about and he said, it just made his day,”
“We did work on the ancient Olympics, what the colours mean, what the rings mean, what the symbols are and spoke about all the countries that compete as well.”
The Executive Director of the Outer East area for the Department of Education Clayton Sturzaker was the special guest for the opening ceremony, pledging his allegiance to Donutland, while student Mackenzie read the Olympic Athlete Oath.
Once the Olympic ‘flame’ was lit and the opening ceremony concluded, the elected ‘President’ and ‘Vice-President’ of the respective countries led their athletes out to a variety of athletic events including equestrian (with hobby horses), basketball, javelin, soccer, volleyball, trampoline and gymnastics, guide running and BMX racing.
Ms Nisi said it was great to see the four specialist subjects come together and create an engaging event for the students.
“We were really strong on student voice and what they wanted out of today in place of the usual Grade Three to Six athletics carnival, just to give it a bit of a twist and a bit of fun,” she said.
