Edmund Rice Education Australia Touchstone

Justice and Solidarity

As a Catholic School in the Edmund Rice Tradition, we are actively involved in developing global partnerships through participation in Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders

Founder’s Day

On Friday September 6 the College will be participating in our biannual Edmund Rice Founder’s Day. This day is set aside every second year to celebrate our Edmund Rice charism. This day highlights our commitment to the two touchstones of Inclusive Community and Justice and Solidarity as we raise funds to support our Edmund Riced Education Beyond Borders initiatives in Kenya, our partnership with St Boniface High School in the Kimberley of South Africa and to continue the sponsorship of Frederick Were, the young Kenyan boy who is in his final year of schooling.

The donation of $20 per family is greatly appreciated and provides wonderful support to these Edmund Rice Ministries that we support in Kenya, in particular the Mary Rice Centre. The Mary Rice Centre is a disabled school for young people who live in the slums of Kibera. The money that we have raised over the years has contributed to the building of classrooms, disabled bathroom facilities, clean water supply and much needed physiotherapy equipment.

A reminder that students are asked to donate the $20 at student reception prior to our Founders Day celebration.

St Boniface Teacher Exchange

Earlier this year Ms Elissa Bailey and Ms Kristen Mantellato participated in a teacher exchange program with St Boniface High School which is an Edmund Rice School in the Kimberley Region of South Africa. St Boniface provides an education for students in Years 7 to 12 from the disadvantaged areas in this region. This program is a reciprocal arrangement with St Boniface, and we currently have three teachers from St Boniface visiting St Edward’s for two weeks. We have established a wonderfully rich professional learning experience for teachers from both schools through this program. As an extension of this opportunity for teachers we also participate in a global classroom initiative with students from St Edward’s and St Boniface meeting online to engage in cross cultural conversations.

Kenya Immersion

On Thursday September 26, eight Year 11 students and four St Edward’s members of staff will be participating in our Kenyan Immersion. This is the first time we have planned for this immersion for four years due to the COVID pandemic. The trip offers staff and students a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience an educational program which can be life changing.  Students will assist in the running of Edmund Rice Camps for young people from the Kibera slum, visit the Ruben School and Medical Centre, visit families in the Kibera slum and organisations specifically designed to assist women with finance and small business. Participants will also visit some of the Wildlife Centres and Game reserves in the area.

Thank you to all the families that have donated girls and ladies’ underwear for us to take to distribute to women and girls while on this Immersion. We will continue to accept donations up until the week before we leave, and all further donations will be greatly appreciated.