NAB Schools First Diary
Take a journey with the NAB Schools First team and read our news and views around some of the activities and events taking place in NAB Schools First, as well as our on the road school visits and what goes on behind the scenes.
SBN International Youth Awards - 21/12/11
Charby Ibrahim writes:
I had the honour of accepting an award on behalf of NAB Schools First Student Award winners, Adam Alahmad and Ali Amood (Granville Boys High School - NSW) last Saturday, 10 December at Trinity Grammar Centre for the Arts).
What a couple of months it has been! - 30/11/11
Rebecca Sherwill writes:
Following the announcement of Tyrrell College from Sea Lake in Victoria winning at our National Awards Celebration last Wednesday, I finally have the opportunity to reflect on the best bits of the last few months.
Students win 6-2 against the police - 11/11/11
Charby Ibrahim writes:
The stage was set for the match of their lives when the students at River Gum Primary School took on the local police in a soccer match as part of the family fun day and BBQ. I was fortunate to be one of many spectators who witnessed the comfortable 6-2 win by the students.
A river of change for two young winners - 31/08/11
Emily Mellon writes:
On Friday, 8 August 2011, I attended the celebration event at River Gum Primary School, one of our 2001 NAB Schools First Student Award winners, and had the absolute pleasure of meeting the two students who submitted the application for their successful school-community partnership idea – Kasim Ibrahim and Michael Schreiber.
Friendships, young and old, make this partnership so rewarding - 01/07/11
Edina Tugui writes:
As the NAB Schools First Relationship Manager for 2010 Impact Award Winner, Hawthorn Secondary College, it was with great pleasure and anticipation that I attended the mid-year celebration of the Positive Ageing Digital Storytelling Intergenerational Project (PADSIP) 2010 DVD Launch and presentation today.
A week of NAB Schools First in WA - 18/04/11
Josh Levy writes:
Diverse in need, diverse in context and diverse in geography – Western Australia has it all. My NAB Schools First colleague, Elisa, and I travelled to four locations across WA to deliver Partnership Forums, conduct site visits to 2010 Award Winners and engage key stakeholders along the way, including NAB employees at the 2011 WA Program Launch.
Love is in the air - 21/03/11
Josh Levy writes:
Last week, we launched the NAB Schools First program in NSW with a Lunch and Learn session attended by NAB employees who had the opportunity to learn about the program and hear from Fairfield High School’s Intensive English Centre and their partnership with Shopfront Theatre. They even got to see a performance from some of the students.
It's hip to be (chess) squared! - 15/03/11
Josh Levy writes:
Who would have thought we would have had such a great response from NAB staff keen to take on primary school students in a chess challenge?! In an overwhelming response we had 119 NAB staff in the Auditorium at Docklands to do exactly that!
A month of celebration for Schools First - 05/11/10
Jodi Cryan writes:
October is my favourite month of the Schools First year. It’s a busy month and one that involves loads of travel, but it’s the most rewarding month and a time where I find myself loving my job more and more every day. October is ‘announcement’ time and when the Schools First team have the pleasure of calling our local winners with good news! We hear screams, tears and laughter… but most of all we hear excitement and passion in every single winner.
NAB staff rewarded for working with Canberra College - 28/10/10
Clare Prascevic writes:
A wonderful example of the impact NAB volunteers are making is the story of a super passionate and hard working team from the ACT. Canberra College Cares, our 2009 Schools First National Award Winner, nominated NAB employees Julie Hammond, Matt McGuire, Tracy Henry and Anthony van Kooten for an ACT Children’s Week Award and we are proud as punch to announce that the team were awarded the Significant Contribution Award this week!
Thomastown Primary School students learn 'What's a carrot?' - 15/10/10
Josie Kaddour writes:
Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit Thomastown Primary School, one of our Seed Funding award winning schools, whose partnership is being filmed for a vignette to be aired during our State/Territory receptions as an example of a Seed Funding partnership.
My visit to the school was fabulous. I saw first hand that the community garden really is a community effort with a lot of help from parents and locals to get the project running.
The process that is the judging process - 12/10/10
Sharon Clerke writes:
The judging of the 2010 Schools First Award Winners has been a lengthy, interesting and tough process. There were over 60 people involved, including 58 judges, and the quality of the 880 applications received this year was so high that choosing the winners has not been easy.
Schools First Relationship Manager, Paolo, shares his experiences - 07/10/10
Clare Prascevic writes:
I am excited to announce that there have been almost 1,000 staff involved in the Schools First program so far. Staff have told me that they are often ask why they are proud to work with the bank and that initiatives like Schools First is a reason why. Staff have used the words thrilled, connected, inspired and first class to describe their experience meeting and seeing the school-community partnerships that the program recognises.
One of our Schools First Relationship Managers shares his experience of meeting his school-community partnership.
Wollongong school visits - 30/07/10
Josh Levy writes:
I spent a few days in rainy Sydney visiting two schools in Wollongong - Warrawong HS and Illawarra Sports High School.
This former teacher hits the road on some school visits - 01/06/10
Sharon Clerke writes:
I was given the opportunity to travel to Brisbane and Sydney to present at the forums, and I was able to visit some of the winning schools in NSW and Queensland. Being an ex-teacher, I loved going into the schools, meeting teachers and students in so many different settings and seeing for myself what fantastic partnerships these schools have developed.
A story or two from my trip to Mansfield...but not on the big screen - 31/05/10
Brooke Tully writes:
Today was yet another Schools First adventure, this time to Mansfield with The Age Education Reporter Jewel Topsfield, photographer Pat, self-confessed IT nerd Tim (representing Yarraville Sun Theatre) and me visitng the local Armchair Cinema.
Three days, three Partnership Forums and lots of fun in Sydney - 27/05/10
Stuart Osbourne writes:
The three amigos – myself, Sharon and Josh – set sail for Sydney town with a mission to deliver three Partnership Forums in three days. During our stay, we met close to 200 fascinating people, travelled loads of kms, answered a plethora of questions, and listened to way too many mispronunciations from 'Nora' on Josh’s GPS as she was directing us around Sydney’s maze of roads.
Partnership Forums and school visits made for a great few days in WA - 24/05/10
Josie Kaddour writes:
As a relatively new member to the Schools First team, what had me most excited about my trip to WA was the school visits. While it has been interesting learning about the program, school-community partnerships and all the events, activities and winners from last year, I couldn't wait to see what Schools First is really all about. First though, the Perth Partnership Forum...
Alice Springs and Darwin Partnership Forum visits - 11/05/10
Clare Prascevic writes:
The Schools First Partnership Forums made their way to the Northern Territory in early May.
With stunning landscape, beautiful weather, wonderful hospitality and enthusiastic representatives from school and community organisations, there's no denying that Drew, Josh and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in NT!
My educational and lucky experience in Gove - 10/05/10
Josh Levy writes:
Lucky…this would be the word that best describes my experience in Gove (Nhulumbuy), closely followed by educational. To be given the opportunity to take Schools First to such an amazing place makes me feel very lucky, and then to have met the people I met and heard their stories and their ways of working, was extremely educational.
Partnership Forum review from South Australia - 05/05/10
Michelle Shand writes:
The Schools First Partnership Forums made their way through South Australia in late April, stopping in Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Elizabeth. As with the rest of Australia, these forums were a great success with many enthusiastic and interested participants from schools and the community in attendance.
A group of us from Schools First made the trip to South Australia and we thought we'd share our experiences.
Partnership Forum in Port Macquarie a little too close to home... - 28/04/10
Penny Cembala writes:
As you enter the seaside town of Port Macquarie on the NSW mid north coast, you are welcomed by a sign promising “idyllic climate, perfect setting, unique heritage” and that’s just what Josh Levy and I experienced on our visit last Friday to host the Schools First Partnership Forum.
Partnership Forum visits in Tamworth and Orange - 23/04/10
Jodi Cryan writes:
This week, Josh and I had the great experience of visiting regional NSW. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect but I must say that Orange and Tamworth were two forums that surpassed my expectations.
Cherbourg and Wondai School Visits - 20/04/10
Brooke Tully writes:
A charter flight to regional Queensland, a journey through indigenous artwork, a superb nutritious meal, meeting some inspirational adults and personality-plus students…as my colleague Charby Ibrahim later commented: ‘what a perfect day in the office.’
Taking the Partnership Forums to the Tasman Isle - 16/04/10
Josh Levy writes:
After a successful launch of the Schools First National Partnership Forums in Melbourne, we headed south to the Tasman Isle to spread the word about Schools First for 2010.
Informing the community.... - 13/04/10
Belinda Allitt writes:
Last night was the first Schools First Partnership Forum for 2010 and it was held at the iconic MCG in Melbourne! With 33 forums planned across Australia over the next two and a half months, it was fantastic to get the first one underway.
The hills are alive...with Monbulk College and Schools First - 10/04/10
Stuart Osbourne writes:
On a wintry Saturday morning, I headed out to Monbulk in the hills outside of Melbourne with the Head of Schools First, Jodi Cryan to meet some of the outstanding students at Monbulk College – one of our 2009 Impact Award winning schools.
