Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Year 7 students at Bede Polding College in South Windsor have overcome one of the most challenging years in their school careers, and they're helping others in need. Their first year at high school hasn't been anything like what they would have expected, but these inspiring kids have still been able to focus on social justice, helped by a visit from Zoe Grant of the Jesuit Refugee Service. They were so motivated by what they learnt that they've organised a food drive to help refugees and asylum seekers. In an email to me, Chelsea Privitera, on behalf of her fellow students, told me, 'We're doing this because year 7s feel sympathy towards the less fortunate, and we knew we needed to step up and do something.' They believed it was important because, 'for refugees and asylum seekers in Western Sydney, the heat, the weather and the COVID-19 pandemic have inevitably taken a toll on their already stressful and hard lives,' Chelsea wrote. 'The students are bundling food and toiletry items into packages to be distributed by the Jesuit Refugee Service.'

These kids have risen to the challenge of overcoming their own problems and are giving others a helping hand. Bede encourages students to strive for excellence and to equip themselves with the skills and passion to make a difference in the community and that's what these kids are doing. I would like congratulation them for not only raising awareness of the struggles that refugees and asylum seekers face but for taking practical steps to help. Congratulations, year 7.

See this speech in context