Two of our schools on the Central Coast were lucky enough to be visited by NRL players to talk about wellbeing and Aboriginal awareness.
Mackillop Catholic College Warnervale hosted Johnathan Wright, an Aboriginal player who previously played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, who retired last year and is now running a weekly sports program with indigenous and non-indigenous primary and secondary students.
The program includes story-telling, traditional and contemporary dance, and gives students a chance to discuss issues pertinent to indigenous people and cultures. It gives indigenous students a sense of belonging, while non-indigenous students are exposed to Aboriginal cultures.
Journalist Michelle Bishop from Channel Seven News covered the story and said that the initiative has potential to become an amazing program to be run in all schools.
Meanwhile, students at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School at Wyoming had three players from reigning champions the Sydney Roosters visit to discuss the importance of wellbeing and the value of team sports.
Luke Keary, Latrell Mitchell and Sitili Tupounia visited the school to talk about the importance of good nutrition, sleep and exercise. Students asked lots of questions of the players and were rewarded with Roosters merchandise.
The presentation was also filmed by Channel Seven and was to feature in an upcoming story on the importance of physical and mental fitness for overall wellbeing.