By Mikayla van Loon
Aboriginal students from around the Yarra Ranges have brought together a collection of art, technology and cultural projects that demonstrate their connection to Country and story in an end-of-project showcase.
From jewellery to fire pits, virtual reality to laser cutting, the Koorie Student Program, hosted by Yarra Ranges Tech School (YRTS) saw Year 7 to 10 students come together from schools within the Lilydale District and Yarra Valley Education Plan cluster.
Students were given the creative freedom to tell their story with the guidance of YRTS staff to achieve a digitally made project to put on display at the showcase on Tuesday 13 June.
Lilydale District and Yarra Valley Education Plan project manager Brooke Kogelman said the exploration of self, culture and representation was one of the major focuses of the program.
“We don’t set any limitations…[the program is about] the students having autonomy over their projects because we wanted them to connect with their projects and we wanted them to be able to do something meaningful for them and their communities,” she said.
For Lilydale High School (LHS) student Dylan, giving better context to what the Aboriginal flag means was how his project began.
“We were told to find something to really represent Aboriginal culture. I felt like a definition of what is on the sign would be quite nice, especially with the flag,” he said.
Designing a wooden laser cut version of the Aboriginal flag with a description of what each colour represents gave him an understanding of the computer programs and laser technology.
He then transferred that design to metal, a much longer and more intricate process to ensure the laser didn’t cut through the sheet.
Impressed by his design and interpretation of the project, Dylan said LHS has decided to engage a manufacturing company to create a larger scale version in colour to hang in the school.
“It is pretty cool. It feels nice that my work will be on display at the school to represent the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the Koorie program,” he said.
Dylan said there was also interest from a Healesville Sanctuary representative to potentially have the signage manufactured for the animal park.
While he loved using the machinery and technology, Dylan said with woodwork being one of his favourite subjects, he’d love to attempt hand etching the design into wood as his next challenge.
Although not within the Lilydale District school cluster, Bayswater Secondary College was invited to participate in the Koorie Student Program this year, represented by the passionate Shaylee.
Wanting to continue the school’s work in creating an inclusive environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, Shaylee designed a fire pit to add to the school’s recently built Yarning Circle.
With fire and smoke being a symbol of welcome, Shaylee said the firesphere, created out of laser cut Indigenous fauna, would represent her people and their story, as well as a shared belonging.
“[My hope is] they feel welcome to talk to other people, to find their story and feel comfortable in their skin and Aboriginality,” she said.
Choosing to participate in the program Shaylee said was about accepting her culture and showing others they can do the same.
“I just wanted to feel comfortable in my own skin and learn more about my culture and in years and years, tell my children about what I did and what they can do, what they can achieve.
“I just want other people to feel comfortable in their Aboriginality and they don’t have to be scared to tell people who they are, they can feel comfortable to tell people they are Aboriginal and they don’t have to hide it because being Aboriginal is an amazing thing to be able to show people.”
Bayswater Secondary College principal Liz Swan said she was extremely proud of Shaylee and the next steps would be getting the firesphere made to see it placed at the centre of the Yarning Circle.
“It’s something really to be commended that she’s put all of this work in and come up with an absolutely fantastic thing,” she said.
“I just feel so grateful that we’ve been given this opportunity to have our students experience this so that we can take the work Shaylee has done back to Bayswater and keep building it into a really positive and inclusive place.”
Brooke said this year’s cohort of students was the biggest yet in the program’s three year history, giving them a chance to learn new skills but also gain mentors.
“We’ve had 55 students through this year, which is a third of our schools’ Koorie student cohort,” she said.
“We can highlight to the students how many career, education, study opportunities there are post schooling.
“So while they’re here learning and using the technology and integrating their culture, the other part of this is that they have those opportunities to learn from amazing First Nations mentors as well.”
On Tuesday, the students had the pleasure of meeting and yarning with Aunty Joy Murphy-Wandin, KGI Richmond Football Club program officer Joel Garner and Deadly Science program manager Zac Prior.
The school cluster comprises Lilydale Heights College, Upper Yarra Secondary College, Yarra Hills Secondary College, Mooroolbark Secondary College, Healesville High School and Lilydale High School.
