Youth

Pam Dillon. Rainy weather did not deter the 11 schools who participated in the first ever Barkly region inter-school soccer carnival recently. There were beautifully sunny skies on the first day of great competition out at Purkiss Reserve. In between games, teams attended health clinics run by Anyinginyi Health. Students still keen to be out on the field at the end of competition, helped their teachers from remote schools complete a mini roos coaching course run by John Moriarty Foundation.

Allora Pony Club’s Working Horse Draft and Gymkhana saw Cambooya Pony Club win the March Past and secure the trophy for the club gaining Highest Points ... There were riders from 21 Pony Clubs compete over the weekend, with riders travelling from Mt Mee, Blackbutt, Kumbia, Dalby, Fassifern, Laidley, Goondiwindi and in between.

Urbenville School students travelled six hours to Gunnedah to recite poetry on Friday, September 2. The trip was worth it. They came back winners of the prestigious Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards. The school was awarded the highest honour ­â€‘ winning the primary school section and the national school winner ... The winning didn’t stop there.

The installation of a series of colourful storyboards in parks at Boonah and Beaudesert has marked  a new chapter for Scenic Rim libraries ... the Story Walks at Springleigh Park, Boonah, and Jubilee Park, Beaudesert, aim to encourage children’s early literacy through play while strengthening family connections and the Scenic Rim’s links to its Indigenous heritage.

Samuel Davis. Discipline and the occasional burst of individual brilliance has proven just enough to get Weipa Raiders over the line in a thrilling grand final at Andoom Oval on Saturday afternoon. Napranum Bulldogs entered the decider undefeated and favourites to claim the Western Cape Rugby League premiership cup.

Last week Maldon Primary School received the first of four visits from two very special guests: therapy dogs Archie and Mo, two members of the PAWS in Schools Program ... Evidence shows that the use of therapy dogs in a school setting can contribute towards improving the overall well-being of students.

With the state's year 12s soon to start their mock exams, I thought it opportune to go back and have a look at how our country high schools are performing. Some may recall an article I wrote in 2020, ‘Country High Schools = F Fail’ and I wondered if there has been any improvement.

Serena Kirby. WA College of Agriculture Denmark’s open day last weekend also marked 80 years since the school was established. To commemorate, education dignitaries were on hand to unveil an old collegians society plaque ... Principal Rebecca Kirkwood said she was proud of the school’s achievements as it was now widely known for its excellence in cattle and dairy programs.

WA College of Agriculture Denmark student Ella Smith won the Junior Paraders title at the recent Beverley Show ... In Junior Paraders, students lead heifers, bulls and steers and are judged on their ability to control the animal which can be a 600kg bull.

It was a beautiful winter’s day when Narrandera Golf Club hosted Juniors on the Move on Sunday August 21, with bright sunshine and no wind.

Narrandera High School finally celebrated NAIDOC Day, its first in three years, with the Welcome to Country and Didgeridoo welcome setting the scene for a day of inclusivity and education. The highlight of the day was the final event - the commissioning of the Stewart James mural.

With the help of the local community to get them there, Cambooya teenagers Kyrna and Tomas Crump both won medals at the Australian Cross Country Championships in Adelaide. Representing their state, the pair competed in both individual and team events.

Wyreema State School is lucky enough to have access to its own Story Dog, Lady, on a weekly basis and the students love reading to her. Lady is directly sponsored by the Toowoomba West Lions Club but the program itself is run by the charity, Story Dog Australia, which covers the training and insurance of the dog.

Kendall Jennings. Football and netball finals were held on the weekend, with mother nature delivering sunny skies for winter. It is an achievement for any team to make finals and that fact alone needs celebrating. Saturday, the Raiders Under 16s netball hit the court at Woorinen for the qualifying final to face Kerang. Raiders’ fans gathered courtside to support the girls with club colours, streamers and cheers for outstanding play.

Keith Blaikie. In order to keep our students at the centre of the school’s vision, which is to be an inclusive community committed to high levels of learning for all, staff have been engaged in a body of research known as the Science of Reading.

Most of the staff are dressed as crayons to represent the book “The Day The Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt. After having a giggle at their teachers the P-10 students enjoyed the day by dressing as their favourite book character.

The past committee of the former Yanchep Redhawks Junior Cricket Club has recently agreed to distribute its unused funding to support local junior sporting clubs in Yanchep and Eglington ... 'Sport is such a valuable part of any community especially in these times of financial uncertainty that affect many people and sporting clubs': Robert Murphy, former YRJCC president.

The Young at Heart Playgroup, originally designed to connect young children with residents at the Maldon hospital, has been running for over seven years and now has more than 22 families, parents, grandparents and carers attending with their young children ... This year the playgroup has participated in the National Simultaneous Story Time and has started toddler-time sessions with visits from the Castlemaine Library.

Greenmount State School is one of fifteen schools in Queensland that is taking part in Queensland University of Technology's (QUT) Zoomed-In-Science virtual outreach program ... “For rural communities this program provides access to fabulous lab facilities, and knowledgeable staff who are in tune with students and who demonstrate a real keenness to engage all students in all things science": Greenmount teacher, Kelly Stenzel.

The Aussie Kids Karate championships were held last Sunday at Clifton with fifty competitors taking part from across the Darling Downs. Allora was represented by six Karate Kids and they competed against clubs from Clifton, Warwick, Dalby, Oakey, Millmerran, Gatton, Highfields and Toowoomba.