CONTENTSInspirationHope

04

06

08

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

Indigenous prideWoodridge students celebrate cultural heritage.

Nurturing hopeLife after tragedy. An asylum seeker’s story.

Inspiring journeyThe will to succeed. One student shares her story.

Healing spaceUsing art to mend young lives.

Rocking da houseCelebrating multiculturalism at Woodridge High.

Safety in LoganRebuilding a community in Australia.

Diverse learningInnovative programs promote student opportunities.

Uni hurdlesPasifika students seek to overcome HECS obstacles.

Foot volleyballIntroducing the sport of sepak takraw to Australia.

What did you bringWoodridge students explain their most valued possessions.

Water wiseCreative swimming program promotes water safety.

Power of musicMusic program provides alternative career paths.

Pride

from the editors

from the change makers

WELCOME to the second edition of the Change Makers magazine. This magazine is a collaborative media project by the students of Woodridge State High School and journalism students from the School of Communication and Arts at the University of Queensland.Last year’s magazine was embraced across Logan City and all Change Makers were proud of their efforts. Eight thousands copies of the first edition were distributed in cafes, doctors surgeries, sports centres - anywhere that local residents and school supporters might find it. The magazine was also acknowledged as a significant piece of student journalism through some prestigious awards and acknowledgements - the 2014 Ossie Award for Best Student Publication (an Australasian award), a 2015 Queensland Multicultural Award for media and communication, a state finalist in the 2015 Department of Education’s Showcase Awards and a spotlight

session at the Walkley Foundation’s Storyology conference in Sydney.We are even prouder of this second edition. The second edition is organised around the themes of hope, pride and inspiration with the first six pages showcasing a story on each of these themes. The remainder of this magazine showcases solutions and future possibilities. Fifteen thousand copies of this second edition have hit the streets of Australia.The Change Makers’ magazine still aims to build greater connections and cross-cultural understandings between the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Pasifika, Australian and newly-arrived communities of Logan City. It has also become an opportunity for us to educate others on how global issues can be addressed at a local level. The magazine’s purpose, however, is to highlight and celebrate the diversity of our Logan community. We hope you continue to enjoy reading ‘the real story of Woodridge’.

WE are so thankful we have had the opportunity to produce another edition of Change Makers. The Change Makers’ magazine is a great way for us to tell the stories that matter to us, in a way that doesn’t put us down or stereotype us.We are proud of living in Logan. We are proud of our stories too. A big thank you to all the journalism students at the University of Queensland who have helped us tell our stories. The magazine looks awesome and we are so glad you are our friends. To all the teachers at Woodridge High who have helped plan and coordinate this year’s magazine we are also very thankful. Thank you for giving up your

lunch breaks and organising all the meetings and interviews in the library too.Woodridge State High School is a special place. When we talked about it at one of the Change Makers’ meetings it was the one place where we all felt safe to be. We love our school and through this year’s Change Makers we have learnt more about each other and where we’re all from.We hope everyone who reads Change Makers this year will learn more about our community and they will love it as much as we do.These stories in the magazine make up the real story of Woodridge.Enjoy it!

EditorsScott Downman

Kate DavisRichard Murray

Chrissy Downman

JournalistsJade Horrobin

Courtney LawlerKemii Maguire

Maxwell RowleyNavin Regi

Sophie VolkerRachel Westbury

Alynna Wong

Woodridge Change MakersEman Al-KenaniHoaanna AloaliiEric Birkunzira

Chantelle BlanchMarjan Daghaghaleh

Alex GreenPJ Ieremia

Mohammad JavirDeluxshan Jhonson

Say LerJay Lee LorMele Lolo

Mai LorBu Meh

Say Say MooGilbert Nifisha

Henri NzeyimanaAline Nyamucho

Chaumay OuiRemaniya Ramar

Ali RezaeeChantal Sadi

Mehnaz SafaridehkohnehKen ScopeTha Taw

Zahir Muhammad UllahYang Vue

Tyrell Warrior

2 3

44 12 24

ISBN 978-0-646-92882-1

pride

ALEX Green understands the importance of reconciliation.The 15-year-old Aboriginal Woodridge High School student joined dozens of students writing messages of peace and hope during Reconciliation Week activities at the school.Alex’s desire to participate in the event is personally important. For her it’s a matter of pride.“My mum and my nan were both members of the ‘Stolen Generation’,” she says.“When I write these messages I think of them. I think of how proud I am to be Indigenous, and how proud I am of my mum and nan.”Alex is one of 80 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled at the school. Many of them, like her, have family histories marked by discrimination, inequality and injustice. They see events like Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week as a chance to move forward.“Woodridge High gives us the chance to be proud of who we are, to learn from our past and to share our culture with other students.“We have the Bulkairi Space where we can go and be supported, and although it’s for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, it’s a place where all students are welcome,” Alex said.Woodridge State High School Principal Sharon Schultz said celebrating key events like NAIDOC Week was part of the school’s commitment to nurturing Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander students and broader community understanding.Ms Schultz said this year, to coincide with NAIDOC Week, five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students were appointed to student leadership roles.“It was an opportunity for us to show the community how serious we are about promoting leadership in all of our students but most importantly in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.“Education is the major mechanism that is going to eradicate the inequalities that we face and it is something that I am extremely passionate about.”Community Education Counsellor Bronwyn Ahsee, who oversaw the appointment of the student leaders, said it was important for the students to be given leadership roles in the school.“Woodridge has always been a leader when it comes to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This is an extension of that and the students know the important role they have in the school community.“We want these Indigenous student leaders to be role models to all students and to be proud of themselves and proud of their culture.”Alex Green said receiving her Indigenous leadership badges gives her a sense of pride.“It’s a great feeling. I’m so proud to be an Indigenous leader,” she said.

Bulkairi dream moves beyond the school communityFIFTEEN years ago, Aunty Faith Green dreamed of a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at Woodridge High. In 2007 her dream was realised. In 2015, Aunty Faith is using the space to reach out to their parents in a community-based strategy aimed at empowering families and promoting the value of education.

Aunty Faith said the first phase of the new project involved inviting parents to the school each week.“It was about getting them to come to the school, getting them to express themselves through art or writing and having yarning circles where we informally talk.”Aunty Faith said while the Bulkairi Space was designed to

be empowering for students, it’s now also become a base that is empowering parents as well.“While the parents are at the school, teachers pop in and say ‘hello’ and talk to the parents about their children. It makes them feel part of the school community too,” Aunty Faith said.Bulkairi Space coordinator Bronwyn Ahsee said it is

important for Indigenous families to be connected to the school community.“Many of our families want to help. They want to be part of the school community and help their children succeed in their studies. Often they don’t know how to do that and the Bulkairi Space is providing a way they can do that.”Aunty Faith says the Bulkairi

Space builds a family and cultural connection between Indigenous families and the school.“The Bulkairi Space is a special place for our kids to learn, for our families to be empowered, and for our school to be proud of its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Culture culture.”“It’s all about belonging,” she said.

“It’s a great feeling. I’m so proud to be an Indigenous leader.”

ALEX Green (centre) with her parents Terry and Faith celebrating NAIDOC week at Woodridge High.

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hope

FROM 9 to 3, Monday to Friday, Mohammad is a typical Year 11 Woodridge High student. Unlike most students, Mohammad works five jobs. He’s not doing it to line his pockets. He’s paying off a $30,000 people smuggling debt. For him this is not a personal loan, but a daily reminder of the 57 family members who died at the hands of people smugglers on their way to Australia. “Life’s taught me things little by little. I’m not a child anymore.”After being separated from his family in Burma while fleeing ethnic and religious riots, Mohammad crossed into Malaysia before boarding two boats, first to Indonesia then onto Christmas Island. He was then sent to the Northern Immigration Detention Centre in Darwin before being settled in Logan. The transition to a new life hasn’t been easy.“I don’t know what to do sometimes. There’s so much pressure on me. It’s very hard to survive everything when you’re alone.”“I’m glad that I’m still here. I have a lot of beautiful friends who look after me, lovely teachers and a lot of people who love me.”With his passion for soccer translating into a coaching role, Mohammad spends his afternoons working at the Logan Metro Club and weekends as 96.5FM’s mascot, Romeo the Radio Dog. He also works as a cleaner, translator and gardener, leaving little time for study. Although Mohammad’s life may seem frenzied, it’s a welcome relief from the last three years. He was one of tens of thousands of Burmese Rohingya Muslims who fled the country following an increase in the violent conflict which has plagued the country for most of the last decade. After escaping to Malaysia in early 2012, Mohammad heard about Australia as a potential refuge.It was that hope that led him to Jakarta, but he found himself in detention after a failed bid to get to Christmas Island.

Mohammad spent two months in an Indonesian detention camp before he dug his way to freedom.“With a bone from the meat we were given, I dug into the ground under the fence. I’d watched a movie like that back home that gave me the idea, but it was very hard for me because my hand was tired. I dug for two weeks.”After escaping, he returned to the refugee camp to help free as many people as possible.“One day soldiers came, and we tried to run to the mountains, but they just shot at us like dogs.”In their bid to escape, Mohammad’s friends were shot.“[One] was crying out, ‘Give me your hand Mohammad, take me with you’. I feel guilty every day that I didn’t save them. I just kept running. I couldn’t help them, but I still have nightmares.” Mohammad’s time in Indonesia came to an end after a week long journey which ended at Christmas Island in July of 2012.“I felt so safe on Christmas Island and the officers were so lovely,” he said. He made contact with his family shortly after this and urged them to stay in Burma.“I got a job as soon as I could and started sending money back home. I told them to stay there, but no-one listened to me because I’m young, and they think I don’t know anything.”Despite Mohammad’s warnings, his immediate and extended family borrowed $30,000 from an uncle to pay people smugglers to get them to Australia.In May of 2013, Mohammad’s family left Bali on the next leg of their journey to Australia. Their boat never made it to Christmas Island. “The journey from Bali usually takes four days, but a week later I still could not get in contact with them. Before they left Bali, I was talking to my grandma and my dad. The last thing I said to them was to take care.”His loved ones were lost to the waves

including his mother, father, younger siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. “I didn’t think the day would come but then they left me. Just like that…”Alone in Australia, Mohammad was taken into community care as an underage asylum seeker. After being granted permanent residency in Logan, money has become a problem. “Sometimes I don’t have enough money for food.” Even though he is working long hours there is barely enough money to live. But his focus remains paying off his family’s debt.In three years, he has repaid more than $10,000. “In Muslim culture, if you die and you have a debt that is a sin. I want my family to be at rest, so I have to pay back the debt,” he said.Mohammad is under pressure from his uncle to get a full-time job.“I decided no matter what he says, I’m going to stay in school and I’m going to graduate.” He says the encouragement and support of Woodridge State High’s teachers and guidance counsellors has given him the resolve to finish high school.“The people at the school encourage me and by coming here, the school has given me hope that I can have a better future.”

EVERY year thousands of asylum seekers come to Australia. For some they are escaping persecution, for others they are seeking safety. As Jade HORROBIN reports, once asylum seekers get to Australia the hope of a new life doesn’t always work out the way they planned.

Map design: Jade HORROBIN6 7

inspiration

IMAGINE being trapped on a boat for 83 days, hopelessly adrift in the Indian Ocean with no food, no water. Imagine that the boat is no bigger than your living room, packed with a dozen starving families. Imagine that the people around you are dying. Imagine preparing to face death when you’re 13-years-old. Woodridge State High School student Aruli* doesn’t need to imagine this scenario – she lived it. “When my parents were teenagers they left Sri Lanka because of the war. They were married in India, where my brother and I were born.”It is estimated that more than 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees live in India, a result of decades of bloody civil war. Most live in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, the closest state to the island of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan refugees in India have no rights. They are not considered citizens, and as India is not party to the Refugee Convention, the state has no international obligation to house, relocate or officially recognise refugees.Aruli and her brother Ajay* were luckier than some. Their parents were able to send them to live and study in Udhagamandalam, a small town in the mountains of southern India. In the school holidays they would visit their parents and grandmother. “The holidays were always too short,” Aruli recalls, “such a short period of time when we could enjoy ourselves. We used to go to amusement parks and to theatres. We went to the Taj Mahal once. It was so beautiful.”But Aruli and Ajay’s future was uncertain. The children of Sri Lankan refugees born in India are not considered Indian, but Sri Lankan, and as such, they are as powerless as their parents in Indian society. They belong nowhere. “We couldn’t tell anybody that we were Sri Lankan – if we did they might call the army and take us back to Sri Lanka. It would not be safe for us to live over there. Especially not for me – it is not safe for girls.”Amid increasing speculation that the Indian and Sri Lankan governments were devising a plan to repatriate Tamil refugees, Aruli’s parents began to search for an alternative. “My Dad heard from someone that we could go to Australia because refugees were allowed to go. We did not know that we were supposed to present a case. We did not know that we needed a lawyer. We did not know we were supposed to live in a camp. We knew nothing.”In April 2013, Aruli and her family set sail for Australia. She says that the usual passage takes about two weeks. But that was not to be the case.“We were only one or two days from Christmas Island, and the boat broke down. We were stuck for 83 days on the ocean. We only brought food and water for 16 days, after that we were dying.”Several ships passed the crippled refugee boat, but none stopped. Aruli and the other refugees would cry out and wave, to no avail. Surviving on rainwater and what fish they could catch, Aruli and her family began to lose hope. “We used to always cry and pray. We thought that we would die, we

thought of it each day. My mother and I thought of killing ourselves by jumping into the ocean.”But something would always stop them from ending the suffering - the hope of a better life, the hope that this could not all be in vain. Then, against all odds, rescue came in the form of a Filipino cargo ship. “We didn’t think that they would help because the other ships all just left us. But they did, and we were so thankful.”From there, Aruli’s family were taken to Christmas Island – a place she does not have fond memories of – and then to detention in Darwin. “Darwin was a bit better than Christmas Island. In Darwin we were at least allowed to go to school.”A year in detention was to follow. Twelve months of anguish and uncertainty. As they watched many of the families around them being sent back to their homelands, Aruli and her family anxiously waited. When their first application to remain in Australia failed, they were devastated. A second and final plea was lodged. “We were one of the only families that hadn’t been removed, so I didn’t have any hope that we would be able to stay. I thought we would be sent back to Sri Lanka.”“And then we were let out of detention to live in Queensland.”After another year of waiting, Aruli’s family have recently received visas to live and work in Australia permanently. She is overjoyed as she shares this news with me. Aruli says that Woodridge High School has helped her to feel at home. “I was nervous when I started; I used to only hang out with my brother. Then I met friends who were really nice to me.” She tells me that she didn’t enjoy school in India but, now she is enthusiastic and keen to do well and to make a difference to the lives of others. Now in year 11, Aruli hopes to go to university and study to become a nurse. Despite all she has been through, or perhaps because of it, she wants to help care for people. “In my country, going to the hospital is very expensive. Poor people cannot afford to go. I think it is much better here.”When I ask Aruli if there is anything else she would like me to know about her journey, and the journey of other refugees, to Australia, her calm exterior finally falls away and is replaced with quiet, powerful frustration. “People don’t know how hard it is to travel to Australia, or to any country, as a refugee.”“The Australian government doesn’t know how we suffer, so we come to this place, and then they send us back. That’s not good for any refugee.”Like many, Aruli hopes for a shift in the attitude and policy towards refugees. But for now, she is studying hard and moving forward. “I don’t think about it anymore. Sometimes I can’t even believe that I was in that situation, going through all those things. But I survived and I have a new home now, that’s the main thing.”

“We were only one or two days from Christmas Island, and the boat broke down. We were stuck for 83 days on the ocean. We only brought

food and water for 16 days, after that we were dying.”

By Courtney LAWLER

Artwork: Kemii Maguire8 9* Not real name

TO the students of Woodridge State High School, the room at the end of H Block is no ordinary classroom.The students call it the ‘Heal Room’. It is a place of sanctuary, where students can go during lunch breaks and classes to work with art therapists to address the complex issues facing many of them. Woodridge State High has two art therapists working across four days, Judy Gordon and Taraka Sticha.Judy said Woodridge High’s art therapy room is just one of several based in schools in Southeast Queensland. She said the project, coordinated by not-for-profit organization FHEAL (Friends of the Home of Expressive Arts and Learning), uses art as a tool to encourage students to begin processing their experiences.The program, which provides support for more than 50 refugee students at the school, helps students to learn to explore and understand their feelings, how to manage these and then move forward.“Art therapy assists in making students more open and available for learning,” Judy said.“The sessions create a safe space for sharing and relaxation, which can be difficult for some students.”“We teach students techniques to help them sleep, and breathing techniques

when they’re feeling overwhelmed.”Judy says art is what facilitates sharing and relaxation for students during their therapy sessions. At a table with paints, pastels, and coloured pencils the healing begins.“The average one-on-one session will run for 30-40 minutes, and in that time students may draw, paint, collage, construct, move, write, talk or engage with stories via the sandbox,” Judy said. The sandbox sits to the side of the Heal Room next to a bookcase stacked high with plastic animals, model houses, matchbox cars, and dolls of all ages and ethnicities. “Students can recreate scenarios using the toys and houses, and we talk through those experiences together,” Judy said. The sandbox is a successful medium for helping students with language difficulties, with the toys used in the sand allowing them to share their experiences. The HEAL (Home of Expressive Arts and Learning) ‘Tree of Life’ program works to

support student growth through weekly sessions over an eight week program.“In the beginning, if a student needs a higher level of support we will start them with one term of weekly one-on-one sessions. “After that, the student may be invited to join further small group sessions if they feel they need them,” Judy said.Sometimes during lunch breaks, groups of 10 to 12 students meet, and connect with one another as they work on art projects.Teaching staff are encouraged to refer students in need of support, but students are also urged to reach out for help.“Students can be referred to art therapy sessions by their teachers. Students can also self-refer,” Judy said. “We check in on past students periodically, but the students always know that the door to the Heal Room is open anytime they’d like to return.”More information about FHEAL can be found at http://www.fheal.com.au

Using art as therapyby Rachel WESTBURY

THE 2015 Change Makers identified cross-cultural communication and understanding between people as critical in building a harmonious society, whether it be at school or in the broader community. The students created a cartoon concept highlighting respect and cultural understanding. They said the cartoon could be used to start breaking down cultural stereotypes. The result is the story of PJ and Bu.

AR

TWO

RK

: Jea

nie

Mac

Nam

ara

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“I come from Afghanistan. I think HEAL helps me to like my new life and to make me remember good things in my mind.”

Art therapy student

10

Hous

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One dancer, Shania Afamasaga, says the family chemistry of the group wouldn’t be possible without the three leaders.“Tony, Von and Prince are like our older siblings. We look up to them, and they’re always willing to help us. They are really good leaders, and we’re very lucky to be part of the crew.”“I don’t think there is anything quite like this anywhere else.”“When you need help, you can rely on your Woodridge crew to help you. We’re a family,” she said.

TONY, Von and Prince are leaders of the Woodridge dance crew. Working together, the teenagers have used dance and hip hop to create a stronger community within the school, one that goes beyond race and ethnicity. In July 2015, the Woodridge dance crew won the House of Champions Hip Hop Competition for the second year running. The more than 30 crew members often practice seven hours a day. Tony Laga’aia says this is an opportunity to encourage a family vibe. “I’ve been in Woodridge since Year 8, and I love the school. I am proud to represent the school,” he said. “We started dancing because of family, so dance has been an important and intimate part of our lives. People think practices are crazy, but it’s actually where you get to know each other the most.”“When you join the crew, you join the family,” Tony said.Prince Manaia agrees. At 17, he is the oldest of the trio and the newest addition to the group, after

transferring to Woodridge in 2014. “I haven’t been here very long, but it’s long enough to know the people,” he said.“My love for every one of them is unstoppable. Sure, we may have conflict sometimes, but even siblings fight. As leaders, we try to keep the focus on our common passion of dance.”“At the end of the day, we are so diverse, but we are one. When we perform, we always aim to show something that represents that,” Prince said.Navarone (Von) Robertson says without dance he probably would not have met most of the crew. “Dance is important to Woodridge because it brings different cultures together.”“Whether you’re Samoan, Indian or African, dance is about expression, and anyone can do it.”“A crew goes beyond the surface and looks at the personality each person has to offer. Your race or age doesn’t matter,” Von said.

CHAMPIONS: Woodridge State High’s winning crew with their trophy after taking out the 2015 House of Champions dance event for the second year running.

by Alynna WONG

12 13

Teacher Casey Thomsen has worked with the Woodridge crew for years and agrees the leaders have played an important role in building the dance community.“The boys have very different personalities and skill sets,” she said.“Tony leads from the front, Von is quieter but more organized, and Prince is patient. They each bring something different to the leadership team, and the kids are doing well under them.”

“They’ve all gotten really comfortable with each other. It’s good to see the students mixing.”Prince says that he hopes everyone can see just how close the crew is and how people can create a strong bond through a common passion.“Being a leader teaches you a lot of skills. This experience will definitely help us when we leave school. But beyond that, I know that I’ll be able to keep these friendships for a long time.”

“Nothing’s changed, but nothing’s the same.” Omina, WSHS student

IN 2011, 48.8 percent of refugees who arrived in Australia arrived by plane. Eighteen-year-old Woodridge student Marguba was one of them. Leaving all she had known in her homeland of Uzbekistan, the teenage girl had no idea what to expect in Australia. Having flown to Australia ahead of them in 2006, Marguba’s father, a former factory manager who now works as a construction worker, was the only familiar person in Australia. She says that her reunion with her father was both happy and deeply nerve-racking.“I was very happy to see my father. When he left, I was only eight, and for six years I could only talk to him on the phone,” Marguba said.“Even though I was happy to have my family together again, I was scared to be in a new country.”“When I started school in Australia I was in Adelaide. I did not speak any English and everyday was very lonely,” she said.Marguba’s friend Omina nodded in agreement. When the girls moved to Queensland and arrived at Woodridge High they said they were too shy to talk to other students and had trouble getting used to the Australian schooling system.“My English was not good, and I was scared to approach the other kids,” Omina said.“It was hard making friends because everything was so new to me. Even the way school was run.”Marguba speaks three languages, but English was a challenge for her to learn. She said the Woodridge High teachers really encouraged her and helped her to open up more, and she now feels comfortable calling Australia home.

“I was so nervous when I had to approach anyone, but the ESL teachers were really understanding and good to me,” she said.“Since then, I have made lots of friends. There are so many different cultures and people in Woodridge. In my French class, I made friends with some African girls, and next year I will be starting Year 11 in the mainstream.”“I am a little nervous but very excited. It seems impossible because just a few years ago I didn’t speak any English,” she said.Marguba said that there are only about 20 families from Uzbekistan in the Brisbane area. “Coming from the same country and having to try to fit in, all our families have become very close,” she said.“Even though we are not related, Omina and the other Uzbek girls are like my sisters.”Omina said it sometimes feels surreal that they have been granted a second chance to rebuild their lives in Australia. “Life is good, and I really enjoy living here. It is odd because we wake up, we go to school, we eat and we do the same things we used to do back in Uzbekistan,” she said.“Nothing’s changed, but nothing’s the same.”“It was hard leaving our friends and family back home, but there is a connection and understanding between the Uzbek people here. We are a family,” Omina said.“In Brisbane, we are small compared to the population of the city. We are slowly rebuilding a community. Being so multicultural and accepting, Logan is really the perfect place.”

Uzbek community finds home in Logan

by Alynna WONG

14 15PHOTO: Alynna WONG

Community Hub

MAKING the transition out of school can be a daunting task for many school leavers. To help their students make a smooth transition, Woodridge State High School established the Community and Multicultural Youth Hub in 2013. Today the Community Hub serves as an important support service for not just students, but also for families and the rest of the community. Community Hub Project Coordinator, Pisu Palamo, said the Community Hub is geared towards families who do not know where else to seek help. “If we can support you, we will support you,” Ms Palamo said.Along with supporting students in their education and other issues ranging from problems at home to emotional stress, the Community Hub also runs programs for adults. With the guidance of Cultural Support Coordinator, Edgar Venegas, students are planning to invite some of the non-English speaking mothers for Basic English classes to overcome language barriers. “One of the main things we do to try and entice them is we give them the opportunity to find other information within our English classes,” Mr Venegas said. Last year, along with the English classes, Mr Venegas and his

team also provided information on local maps and how to use public transport and fire safety.“With the adults we’re currently working on introducing a housing information session. A lot of this information is available on the internet but since many parents struggle to navigate it, we’re incorporating it into our English classes,” he added. “We’re also planning to introduce budgeting, health and employment support.”The Community Hub also serves as a link to other community organisations that offer assistance like the Coles Second Bite initiative. A Woodridge teacher or a support staff might recognize students whose parents are struggling financially. The member of staff then makes a referral to the Community Hub, and every Tuesday, when the school receives surplus fresh food from Coles, it is redistributed to some of these students. “Sometimes they want to be discreet about it, so we give the family a referral and the address from where they can pick it up directly,” Ms Palamo said. “We partner up with many community organisations, so we know that if any of our students or families have any issues, we can say that if the school can’t help you, then there is a community organisation out there that can,” she said.

“If we can support you, we will support you.”

By Navin REGI

Photograph: Max ROWLEY16 17Infographic: Jade HORROBIN

TONY, a 17-year-old New Zealand citizen studying at Woodridge, comes to school every day. He works hard and does all his homework. Tony is so successful in his studies that he will graduate Year 12 as OP-eligible. Tony desperately wants to go to university and further his education. He wants to be a role model to the younger students. He wants to build a future. But Tony’s pathway to university is uncertain. The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is an informal agreement between Australia and New Zealand which means that while New Zealand citizens can live, work, and study in Australia, they cannot access HECS or HELP fees to assist in their tertiary studies. Tony, who settled in the Logan area, and other New Zealanders like him, must pay all their Australian university fees upfront. This is a huge hurdle for families to cross; however, it is not impossible. Casey Thomsen, teacher and Pacific Links Coordinator at Woodridge, is addressing this issue by working with the community, families, and educators, to raise the students’ aspirations. “It’s important that we map out pathways for these kids and their families so that despite the costs and barriers, these students can still have the opportunity to get ahead,” Ms Thomsen said. “These students work hard for it, and they deserve it.” “It’s awfully heartbreaking to see them do really great things, but then face this barrier and end up doing nothing, or working in jobs that don’t credit their capabilities,” she said. Pacific Islands Program Officer at Griffith University, Emma Tanuvasa, sees upfront university payments as an investment to a child’s future—a sacrifice all parents should consider for their children. “If this is a pathway that you want to go down, you are investing in your child’s education, and qualifications for their whole life,” Ms Tanuvasa said. “If your children are passionate about going down this path, as parents and community members, we need to really encourage them. “It’s not

impossible. People have done it.”Nezler (Nez) Paane-Taufa is one of those people. New Zealand born, Nez moved to Woodridge when he was 14. With a lot of sacrifice and hard work, Nez is now in his third year at Griffith University studying Criminology and Criminal Justice. “Paying fees upfront was a big sacrifice for us; we couldn’t do the things we wanted to,” says Nez. “My parents worked long hours and convinced me to focus on my studies and set a good example for my younger siblings. They taught me not to muck around, and now I’m doing what I love,” he said. Success stories like Nez’s give Tony hope that despite the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, he can graduate from university in Australia and broaden his career prospects. It just may take a bit longer than he first thought. “I always thought I would go to university straight away, but now I know I’ll need to work for about three years to save enough money,” Tony said.“My family struggles as it is, so I can’t really rely on them to pay for me right now.” “I feel like they should change the laws, and I’ve asked a lot of people in the Pacific Islander community how they feel about this. They all want change,” he said. In October, a new trial program announced by Griffith University and Massey University in New Zealand, may provide some hope.The trial, which will start in semester 1 2016, will provide 50 places for New Zealand or Pasifika students. The students will be chosen on their readiness for university, motivation and academic performance.Ms Thomsen said the trial was significant breakthrough. Further details can be found at: http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/international/where-can-i-study/study-by-distance/undergraduate-distance-study.cfm

DAVE Kuresa is the Pacific Islander liaison at Woodridge State High School. He is also the founder and leader of hip hop mega crew Academy of Brothers (AOB). Using his experiences and passion for dance, Dave has brought a fresh approach to his role at the school and has effectively encouraged cultural interactions among students.“I used to dance as part of a crew when I was in high school, before starting AOB and I remember how much I loved it,” he said.“It was one of the best ways to keep busy and to direct your energy instead of getting involved in silly stuff.”Since starting at Woodridge High in 2015, Dave has discovered that it comes in handy to be able to connect with the students through dance. It’s not every day that you get a hip hop dancing counsellor.“I deal with ‘at risk’ Polynesian kids in my work, the ones at risk of cancellation of their enrolment,” Dave said.“I pull them out of class and I talk to them because usually there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than them acting up in school.”“Being a dancer, I sometimes do quick, short dance lessons for groups of kids which keeps them busy and out of trouble.”Academy of Brothers is the mastermind behind the House of Champions competition and Dave says that organizing the event has shown him how important it is for staff to go out and actively connect with the community.“The members of AOB are mostly from Logan and the Woodridge community has played the biggest role in our success, especially with getting the House of Champions competition going,” he said.“The teachers from Woodridge High supported us and got involved, even after we had graduated. Even now, the Woodridge staff really goes the extra mile for the students. Now that I work at the school, I want to be out there connecting with the kids on their level and giving back to the community too.”“AOB definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without everyone’s help and sometimes just a bit of effort on your part can go a long way in the lives of one of the kids.”As a staff member, Dave says that he sees firsthand the good that dancing has brought the school and the impact it has in building cultural integration. “There are a lot of gifted and talented choreographers and dancers coming out of Woodridge. When we play music up front, heaps of the students come to dance,” Dave said.“There are kids from all cultural backgrounds and it’s really good to see them all together but still dancing in their own styles.”“For the kids that participated in high school comps, I see them hanging out together now, especially the ones who are not in the same grade or the ones who are not the same cultural background. It’s changes like these that makes it all worthwhile,” he said.

by Alynna WONG

HECS hurdlePasifika students try to keep uni dream alive

Hundreds of Pacific Islander students in Logan dream of going to university. But as Sophie VOLKER reports their hopes of a tertiary education are being threatened by a government agreement forcing them to pay up-front fees.

HECS FORUM: More than 50 members of Logan’s Pacific Islander community attended a HECS information night organised by Woodridge State High School.

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SAY LER and Tha Taw arrived in Australia from Thailand as Burmese refugees six years ago. In settling into Australian life, the Woodridge High students have added to the local sporting scene something from home.Sepak takraw combines volleyball and soccer, and is popular across South East Asia. The word “sepak” is Malay for kick, and “takraw” is Thai for a woven ball. Tha Taw says sepak takraw was a big part of life growing up. “We both used to live in refugee camps in Thailand, and we would see the local Thai people playing,” Tha Taw said.“In Burma, we usually played in a circle when we didn’t have a court, and we tried to keep the ball off the ground for as long as possible.”“Playing it this way became a way for everyone to bond,” he said. In 2014, the Burmese community successfully lobbied the Logan City Council to build the first sepak takraw court in Australia. After seeing it done in the wider community, Say Ler says they were inspired to get a court built at school as a Change Maker project in 2015. If they’re successful, Woodridge High will be the first school in Australia with a sepak takraw court.“Sport is very important and is a good way for people to mix. You meet a lot of new people when you play sports,” he said.“Although we do have students from other

cultures coming to play with us at lunchtime, sepak takraw is very unique, and many people don’t know about it yet.”Tha Taw said students from Africa, Iran and Sri Lanka enjoyed learning how to play.“We really want to get the court built and introduce the sport to all the different students at Woodridge,” Tha Taw said. The two 18-year-olds have been busy making a case for a sepak takraw court at Woodridge.“We have already come up with the design and dimensions for the court,” Say Ler said. “We are getting our friends together and will be writing a letter to the Principal to get her approval too.”“Since we have a plan, and we know where in the school it could be built, hopefully they will agree, and we will have a court soon,” he said.Logan is home to just over 100 sepak takraw players. Earlier this year three of them made it into the Australian team.In May, the team won gold at one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sport, the King’s Cup Sepak Takraw World Championships. Tha Taw says that he is excited to be sharing part of his culture with the school community. “Sepak takraw is a big part of our culture, and I think that it will be good for people to get to know us and hang out through sport.”

Woodridge students promote traditional sport

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by Alynna WONG

PHOTOS: Alynna WONG

What did you bring with you?Woodridge State High School is one of the most ethnically-diverse high schools in Australia. The students come from all over the world representing more than 65 different ethnic communities. Change Makers asked students to share the significance of their most-valued possessions.

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1BU: This is traditional clothing that we wear for special events such as weddings and to celebrate the New Year. My ethnic group is Karen and Karen women are famous for weaving this cloth.

JAE LEE: This is a belt that women wear in the Hmong culture to make themselves look beautiful to celebrate New Year or weddings. It features embroidery and matches our traditional clothing.

ALINE: This is my Bible. I brought it with me from Africa. It is significant to me because it teaches me about a good way of living. I take it to church with me every Sunday. My favourite verse is John 3:16.

SAY SAY: This is a small version of the traditional Karen shirts made by my aunty. We wear this to church on Sundays. It is significant to me because it reminds me of my culture and to never forget where I come from.

EMAN: This is the Qur’an. This is significant for me because it teaches me how to pray, how to be good in life and it teaches me things about the past. It’s special to me because it’s from God.

REMANIYA: This is a cloth from my homeland Sri Lanka. It is very beautiful and is significant to me because it represents my culture. We would normally wear this to special events like weddings.

CHANTAL: This beautiful cloth I received from my aunty in Africa. The cloth has bright colours that represent the kindness, respect and dignity of our culture. The bright colours help us get through dark times. It reminds me of my beautiful culture and my background.

THA TAW: This is the flag of the Karen people in Burma. My aunty in Thailand made it for me. I hang it in my bedroom and it reminds me of my culture and helps me remember the Karen who are in Thailand and Burma.

YANG: This is a traditional necklace you wear in my culture. They are made from silver and sometimes they can be very heavy to wear. In Hmong culture we wear these at special events like weddings and New Year. It is significant to me because it’s part of my identity.

MARJAN & MEHRNAZ: This is a book that tells the life story of Ferdosi. Ferdosi is an epic hero in Persian culture. The book is significant to me because it is about the history of Iran, told through fables.

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ALEX: These badges were given to me by Aunty Bronwyn as part of the Indigenous leadership program at Woodridge High. They are significant to me because they help me identify who I am and where I come from.

SALE: This red necklace is a traditional Samoan piece that is worn by the tribal chief when addressing the community. The necklace is significant because it is part of my cultural heritage and I am the son of the current chief.

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PHOTOS: Max ROWLEY and Alynna WONG

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SUN streams through the windows and onto the students’ excited faces at the Acacia Ridge Aquatic Centre. It’s Friday morning and Woodridge State High School students are learning to swim, some for the first time.Swimming is second nature to many Australian kids, having grown up in and around water. But for some Woodridge students, who’ve recently moved to Australia from overseas, the Aqua English water-safety lessons could be a lifesaver.Woodridge State High School and Aqua English, an initiative supported by the Brisbane City Council, have joined forces to provide free water-safety programs to the school’s Intensive Language Class students, all of whom were born overseas. The classes are tailored to prevent drowning.Tim Boxall, physical education teacher at Woodridge High, said he had become concerned

about the water safety of some students at the school and decided it was time to do something about it.“I started talking to a few kids and some of them were having troubles. Many had almost drowned in the past, swimming at the beach or going fishing off the rocks and getting dragged in. I thought if they don’t know how to swim we’d better start up a program to teach them,” Mr Boxall said.“Each student gets to come three weeks in a row which equals about six hours in the water. “They are a little bit nervous to start with, you know they haven’t swum in a pool before, but once they got here they have a ball and they’ve really gone from strength to strength.”Mr Boxall said the courage of the students is inspiring.He said some of the students are refugees or

asylum seekers and relate water with traumatic experiences but the program was about overcoming fear.“Some have gone from not wanting to leave the shallow end to doing freestyle the whole way down. It’s amazing.”Julie Dixon, the co-founder of the Aqua English project, said the program focused on the link between language and culture.“The project is a water safety program designed for culturally and linguistically diverse students of refugee backgrounds, and those from non-English speaking backgrounds in Australia. It gets them water-safe and ready for living in Australian society and ready for the beach.”Ms Dixon said combining swimming and language learning was an effective way of saving lives.“Refugees and non-English speaking background

students don’t get that opportunity [to swim] because of the barriers of language, money, transport and all the things we take for granted in middle class Australia.“We expect them to somehow, by osmosis, swim when they come from land-locked countries.”Mr Boxall said for his Woodridge students the swimming program was clearly working.“They are the greatest kids in the world. They are all here 100-percent keen to learn. In their home countries a lot of them haven’t had the opportunity to go to school or to learn before, so they are the most enthusiastic kids whether it’s in school, in the classroom or in the pool,” he said.“In the pool they’re learning, they’re having a great time and it’s great to work with them.”Further details can be found at: www.aquaenglish.com.au.

Students who are asylum seekers or refugees are at great risk of drowning once they arrive in Australia. But as Max ROWLEY and Navin REGI report an innovative program at Woodridge State High School is promoting water safety, and saving lives.

Swimming program seeks to save lives

Photographs: Max ROWLEY and Navin REGI

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music

FOR many students at Woodridge State High School communicating and learning English is difficult. Even with the support of the school’s English and Additional Languages and Dialects (EAL/D), students can still find it difficult to express themselves in English. However, the efforts of the Head of the Music Department Dave Stuart and EAL/D teachers, have made it possible for Woodridge students to learn an instrument and express themselves through music.The music program is now the biggest instrumental music program in the Logan region and is made up of 215 students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Mr Stuart says that with so many English as Second Language students in the program, the key is engaging the students in new and creative ways.“We allow the students to learn non-traditional instruments like the drums, the guitar, the bass guitar, the keyboard, and the ukulele, as well as the traditional instruments like the violin and cello,” Mr Stuart said. Some of the students have had the chance to learn music in their home countries but most have not. They are excited and nervous when they attend their first lesson and feel a sense of achievement when they learn their first song.“We have the normal OP music classes in Years 11 and 12, but we also offer a Certificate II and III in Music for students who excel in the classroom,” he said. Woodridge State High School is the only school in the district that offers a Certificate III in Music. To complete the Certificate III, the students need to complete 300 hours of in class practice and an additional 250 hours outside of the class.“For the first time there are students from the EAL/D who did music as an elective in years 9 and 10 and from there, they are now in my Certificate III class. They’re all doing fabulously well,” he said.

Since arriving at Woodridge, Year 11 students Alamdar Hussain from Pakistan, Behrad Ghiasvand from Iran, and Royal Stone from Thailand have excelled in music and are part-way through completing the course.Despite their obvious talents, the boys work hard in the Certificate III program. “In the music program they teach us how to perform, how to write songs, and how we should behave as professional musicians,” Royal said. “We’re really thankful for Woodridge for the opportunity to do this Certificate III, and for giving us access to these expensive instruments,” he said. Behrad, who loves to play classical and country piano and guitar, is extremely thankful for all the music teachers at Woodridge. “Mr Stuart is the best. He’s very supportive and honest,” Behrad said.“He’s a very kind teacher and very professional because he’s been playing all his life,” he said. Alamdar has loved singing and performing for as long as he can remember . “Music makes me feel happy because I like entertaining people,” he said.“Seeing people happy makes me happy too.” The Certificate III class at Woodridge State High is doing so well that in August they joined with three other schools from around the district to participate in a music tour to the Southern Cross University in northern New South Wales. “We were gone for four days and got to perform alongside university students who I think were a bit intimidated by the Woodridge talent,” Mr Stuart said.“Our kids are really, really good. You have to see it to believe it,” he said.

“Music makes me feel happy because I like entertaining people. Seeing people happy makes me happy too.”

Alamdar, Certificate III in Music student

theniversal anguage

Music has a powerful way of connecting with people’s emotions. It can also help break down communication barriers. As Sophie VOLKER reports Woodridge students have embarked on a cutting edge music program that’s providing hope for a career after school.

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MAD Mike (pictured) loves hip hop. He also loves his Indigenous heritage. The former Woodridge State High School student is now building a reputation as one of Australia’s best rappers and returned to the school in August to launch NAIDOC Week celebrations.Mad Mike told students that despite the diversity of their backgrounds, they needed to respect the traditional owners of the land.“It’s about unity. It’s about the first inhabitants. This is a diverse community and people need to respect the traditional Indigenous culture but the young Murris also need to respect other people’s cultures too.“We might be Indigenous and someone else might be from another culture but we’re all human. It’s about respect.”Mad Mike was a student at Woodridge High from 2003-2007 and said the school played an important part in his love of music.“I studied music at school. I played guitar and was in the choir.”“It’s where I really learnt to love music.”Mad Mike says music is powerful.“Music can bring people together. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you’re background is, music can unite us. “That’s why I love it so much.”To celebrate NAIDOC Week Mad Mike wrote a rap to encourage Woodridge’s diverse community to live in harmony.“It was great to see the young fellas jump up on stage and perform with me.”The indy rapper launched his first album 4114 in 2012. You can follow Mad Mike on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Official.MadMike4114/timeline

Respect and harmony

Wood’s got talent

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Naidoc RapNational Aboriginal & Islander Day of celebrationTogether we gather on this land that’s so sacredThis ground that we walk has been walked for generationsBy ancestors, elders now it’s ours to maintain thisMurri or AsianIslander or CaucasianLet’s all come together represent as one nationBut give recognition and acknowledge the foundationThe traditional owners and respect what they gave usTo us yeah they gave, but some of them had to takeTaking tradition and culture leaving scars and remainsTook just about everythingOnly little to saveSo I hope we all learn about the hurt and the painThat our people went through then in turn appreciateOur Indigenous culture so enjoy and celebrateToday and get to know us and our cultural waysHappy Aboriginal and Islander Day

Woodridge winners: Woodridge State High’s winning Year 12 band was awarded best original composition and the Year 11 band awarded best performance at this year’s Logan Idol competition. The competition saw school’s from across Logan district perform.

HUNDREDS of Woodridge High students have joined to support their classmates in a talent competition designed to build a stronger school community. Edgar Venegas said the Wood’s Got Talent event saw 20 different acts perform. “We saw an average of 400-500 students coming at lunchtime to watch and support their peers and cheer them on. There were singing groups, hip hop dancers, solo singers, cultural dancing and rappers and beat boxers.”The finals were held on the last day of Term 3 and hundreds turned out for the final.The winners were the East Co-Stars that performed a mix of African dances.The second place-getters were Terry Barrett and Peter Irankunda who performed an awesome rap and the third place-getter was Memphis Laga.Mr Venegas said the event was important to bring together students from different year levels, cultural backgrounds and talents.SECOND PLACE: Peter

Irankunda (left) and Terry Barrett.

WINNERS: The East Co-Stars took out the inaugural Wood’s Got Talent.

Celebrating Indigenous culture

WOODRIDGE State High School has one of the largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations among its students of any school in Logan. Community Education Counseller Bronwyn Ahsee says to celebrate the cultural heritage of the students, the school seeks to celebrate through key events such as National Sorry Day and NAIDOC Week. This is how the students celebrated and learned from these events this year.

Photographs: Max ROWLEY

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The Change Makers’ Project is a collaborative partnership between Woodridge State High School and University of Queensland journalism students. In its second year of production this magazine has once again had a profound effect on all who have been involved in these stories. Our Woodridge community is a rich multicultural tapestry and our stories allow us to celebrate cultural awareness, explore diversity of background, and understand the beliefs, values and customs that create such a vibrant community.

The bond that has developed between the students of our school and the students of the university have contributed to a rebuilding of ‘journalistic trust’ within our school. The Change Makers’ magazine has become instrumental in providing a voice to our community. This voice is not one of stereotypical rhetoric, but rather of hope, inspiration and pride. As Principal of Woodridge State High School I am incredibly proud of this collaboration and I thank the University of Queensland for providing our students with an avenue to tell their incredible stories. I also thank the students of Woodridge State High School for bravely sharing their personal journeys. They are amazing young men and women with incredibly bright futures.

Sharon SchultzWoodridge State High School Principal

Copies of Change Makers’ magazine are available from Woodridge State High School (07) 3290 7222 and the School of Communication and Arts at the University of Queensland (07) 33652552

Change Makers is printed by Print Giant

Cover design: Saran Boushel-Payne