Alice Springs Lutheran students win national song competition

Yirara College and Living Waters Lutheran School, both based in Alice Springs, were recently announced as the winners of the GenerationOne ‘Hands Across Australia’ song competition.

GenerationOne is a not-for-profit organisation that works to increase awarenss that education, training, mentoring and employment are the best means for ending the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The schools' joint entry, which was put together by staff and students, was extremely professional and very inspirational. It was recorded as part of NAIDOC week celebrations, with the final scene filmed at the closing worship service with the Alice Springs Lutheran Church.

NAIDOC celebrations occur annually around Australia in July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The filming, playing, climbing, jumping and eating together at Simpson’s Gap, which the producers called ‘Closing the Gap at the Gap’, was one of the many highlights of the video.

Imagine the excitement for the college when they gathered together watching the live broadcast from Sydney to hear that out of over 130 entries from all around Australia they were awarded first place in the Outstanding Performance category. The schools received a prize of $15,000.

Congratulations to the rappers, choir members and marimba players, along with staff members Mrs Jenny Chapman, Mr Paul Imms, Ms Jodi Farrell and Mrs Nicole Dohler.

To view the winning entry, go to YouTube and search 'Yirara College'.

This story is from the Summer 2011–12 edition of Christ in the Centre. Read the full edition at http://www.lca.org.au/finke-river-mission.html