Elleah Baxter-Jukes, Sue Laing, Lydia Hamilton, Eden Lilford, Miley Lilford and Willow Lake on their way to Sydney.
A group of Deniliquin High School students have a host of new skills at their disposal after attending a STEM camp for Indigenous NSW students in Sydney.
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The aim was to expose these young people to the practical application of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), and lead them toward associated career opportunities.
The camp was held over four days from March 24, and the five female students instantly got stuck into their activities and learning.
They were accompanied by teachers Keisha Egan and Sue Laing, who said they witnessed each of the students step outside their comfort zones to enhance learning outcomes.
“They were navigating their way through their own strengths, as they learnt more about the world around them and themselves,” Mrs Egan said.
As part of the learning experience, the students were required to plan their own travel to Sydney for the camp.
In Sydney, the experiences included a boat trip with the ‘Tribal Warrior’ organisation, which is dedicated to sharing the cultural significance and stories of Sydney Harbour and the surrounds for Aboriginal people.
They also worked in labs to explore the anatomy of fish and sea life, getting the chance to dissect and study the fish, and met with and learned from Gamay Rangers, named for the Indigenous name for Botany Bay.
The Gamay Rangers work in a number of spaces, which include land management, marine operations and connection to country.
Student Willow Lake said it was an interesting experience, particularly the science around sea life.
“We got to do a fish dissection, learning about its anatomy and that type of thing; but not everyone loved that,” Willow said.
“We got to see protected species like the white seahorse, and there was also tracking of marine life.
“We learned how to help or what to do when there is a beached dolphin.”
Eden Lilford said she enjoyed the chance to explore different careers in STEM.
“The thing I took away was to just be open to all opportunities, like this one (the camp), and don’t be closed off to these types of things,” she said.
“I also learnt that you don’t have to be set on one job, there is a lot out there.”
Mrs Egan said based on the success of the trip, and how it helped the students with real-world skills gathering, similar learning opportunities for students will be explored.
“The girls have grown in confidence from their time on the trip, and we hope to be able to continue to present these types of opportunities to our students here at Deni High,” she said.
Willow Lake, Lydia Hamilton and Miley Lilford dissecting their fish.
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