Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This year, Amity College in Prestons celebrates its 20th anniversary. I was very privileged to be present for the celebration of this milestone in September and again at the college last weekend for the year 12 graduation. The school was originally established by volunteers, with 33 students. It now has enrolments exceeding 1,800, with other campuses at Auburn and Shellharbour. As a local, I have been able to watch the school grow to the excellent teaching facility that it is today. I am always inspired by the achievements of its students, not only academically but also in the extra activities and volunteer pursuits that the students are encouraged to pursue.

South-west Sydney has a highly diverse population. Many people move to my area looking to raise their children. Our schools serve as community focal points and are a key part in helping shape these communities. Amity lives up to its name. It is a proud embodiment of the multicultural tradition of Western Sydney and of Werriwa and is an asset to my community. Twenty years is a long time, and the college is now beginning to span generations. Students who attended here in the 1990s are now sending their own children to the school, and former students are teachers. I congratulate the executive principal, Denis Erdogan; girls principal, Alpaslan Cem Sancili; boys principal, Atilla Sinik; and chair of the school's board, Abdullah Aksu; as well as teachers and students, for the great— (Time expired)