Hedland students care

Students from Port Hedland School of the Air have spent the past few weeks working towards entering the nationwide Anzac Day Schools Award.

The award is designed to encourage creativity and initiative in the way schools commemorate Anzac Day.

Port Hedland SOTA students live in remote communities and stations all over the Pilbara and have made care packages to send to members of the armed forces currently serving overseas.

Year 5 teacher Casey Boswell coordinated the program and said students had been focusing on the Red Cross and learning about the care packages sent to prisoners of war in World War II.

“As most of the students live in remote areas, we thought they would relate to the idea of care packages, as they often rely on the post themselves,” she said.

The students recently attended a camp at the Auski Roadhouse, where they made the packages as well as participated in other interactive activities.

Ms Boswell said the students wrote letters, made photo frames, bookmarks and Anzac biscuits to send to the soldiers.

One younger student included one of his own toys so it could be given to children living overseas to play with.

The handmade packages will be sent to places throughout the Middle East, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

“The students really enjoyed being able to support soldiers living overseas,” Ms Boswell said.

“I think the empathy for the soldiers had grown when they realised how important those care packages were for them.”

During the camp, students looked through a memorial box sent by the Australian War Memorial which contained uniforms, badges, photographs and posters from war time.

Students also attended a “roaring 20s” themed disco emulating the end of World War I, dressing up in 1920s attire and dancing to music of the era.

Port Hedland SOTA principal Michael Jennings said it was great to see how the initiative came together.