Member’s Statement: Willmott Park Primary School

Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) — Congratulations to Willmott Park Primary School on its excellent cultural diversity week initiative from 20 to 24 April. Students and teachers did a terrific job in bringing this project together, and the whole school community took pride in celebrating their shared diversity. This is particularly important in my electorate of Yuroke, where nearly 35 per cent of residents were born somewhere other than Australia. I am incredibly grateful that I represent such a diverse and inclusive community.

Such an event plays an important role at a school like Willmott Park Primary School, where 46 different cultures are represented. The week was packed full of various activities that were enjoyed by all. These included an international sports day, where children were encouraged to take part in sporting events from across the world, including soccer, basketball and karate. The students also went to Craigieburn Central to treat local shoppers to a display of their talents, including the Auslan choir and Sri Lankan dancers.

I was pleased to present the arts awards and watch some diverse performances at the conclusion of the week. The beaming students, who took pride in their school and what it had achieved, showed me that, quite frankly, the value of this initiative cannot be overstated. Congratulations to principal Evan Hughes, and special thanks to Luci Scamarcio and her team for making this important event happen. I look forward to hearing about this annual event and its successes over the coming years.