MY STORY MATTERS
Vincentia High School is proud to continue this inter-generational program, as it has created opportunities for students to enhance their communication skills, IT skills and improve their public speaking ability. Importantly it has also helped the students gain insight into another era which they may otherwise not have been exposed to in such a meaningful context.
The My Story Matters project involved students visiting the residents of the IRT St Georges Basin on a weekly basis over a ten week period questioning them on their lives. Precious photos relevant to their stories were also supplied by the residents and all of this information was then converted into power point presentations by the students.
The IRT St Georges Basin was the venue for our students to proudly present their finished digital biographies of the nine residents in the company of family and friends. Teacher Alan Lee was extremely proud of all finished products and the impact it had on all parties involved.
In return for residents being so gracious in participating in this program, we completed it with a celebration morning tea put on by students in their classroom at Vincentia High School. This was an opportunity for students to share their educational world with residents—showing how technology is influencing their education.
The Illawarra Mercury on hearing of what has been an extremely successful program requested an interview of one of our students. Aaron Phillis a Year 11 student who has participated in the program over the past 3 years, was honoured to share his experience.
This year the project was funded with monies donated by Essential Personnel and The Shoalhaven City Council's Youth Development Funding Program.
The students Jodie Joyce, Jacob Harvey, Zac O'Reilly, Jazmyne Godlewski– Castle, Aaron Phillis, Lachlan Smith and Angela Sanford, Renee Truffet and Travis Lawson thoroughly enjoyed their experience and would like to thank Mark Surace for coordinating the project from IRT's end all the residents who shared their stories with them