By JESSE GRAHAM
HEALESVILLE High School’s Year 9 students have pitched in to Make a Difference in the world around them, taking up projects to help others and raise awareness of social issues.
The year level students planned, developed and took on projects over the year as part of the high school’s Make a Difference program and the teenagers all planned to do exactly that.
Director of Student-Wellbeing Lyn Scotchmoor said that projects ranged from raising money for a local family or an overseas organisation such as One Girl, all the way to a silent protest in Melbourne to raise awareness of bullying.
The students had their hard work acknowledged on Wednesday 26 November in a gala evening at the school.
Ms Scotchmoor said that the groups each encountered their own trials and hic-cups as they tried to make their plans a reality.
One example of this was a group that wanted to assist with the work of the Yarra Valley Railway and aimed to walk from Healesville Railway Station along the train line to the Yarra Glen Station.
However, due to the track works and the project coinciding with the Healesville Heritage Festival, the plan fell through and the group instead pitched in to help with the festival.
Other groups used the gala night as an opportunity to raise awareness of discrimination against the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersexual) community.
“The program had a wonderful night, with kids, parents and staff coming to celebrate the achievements of the students,” Ms Scotchmoor said.
