Korreil Wonnai Aboriginal Educational Consultative Group honoured the achievements of Aboriginal students within the local area at its annual Kullaburra Education Awards evening last Wednesday.
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Kullaburra is an Awabakal word meaning “shining”, and the committee chose the word as they believe it best represented the recipients of the awards.
Held at Cessnock High School, the awards recognised school completion, attendance, all around achievement, sporting accomplishment and leadership.
The attendance honours were awarded in large numbers, with 32 students achieving 100 percent attendance, and another 10 with 98-to-99 percent.
Students from the Kurri Kurri Learning Community, Cessnock Community of Great Public Schools and, for the first year, St Philip’s Christian College were involved.
The talent of the students was also demonstrated in the performances held during the ceremony.
Tahliah Dicker of Mount View High School sang the first verse of the national anthem in Awabakal language, followed by the second verse sung in English by Cessnock High’s Jasmine Knight and Sarah Sales.
Items were also performed by Stanford Merthyr Infants School boys’ dance group, Kurri Kurri Learning Community Drumbeat and the Maray waNay Dancers from Cessnock High and Nulkaba.
The Mighty Burras from Kurri Public School gave the acknowledgement to country, and lit the candle to honour Uncle Les Elvin, who passed earlier in the week.
Cessnock AECG president Sonia Sharpe led a tribute to Uncle Les, where a candle was lit and a minutes silence held.
Ms. Sharpe said it was fantastic to see the children recognised for their achievements.
“It is great to watch the kids get their names called out,” she said.
“They stand up and their chest puffs out, their face lights up because they are proud of their own efforts and we are too.
“That’s why we recognise our kids at such a big celebration with more than 350 people attending.”
List of winners:
Reanna Finneran - Abermain PS
Hayden Van der Drift - Abermain PS
Matthew Leeming - Abermain PS
Jorja Leeming - Abermain PS
Kaitlyn Mitchell - Abermain PS
Beryl Nichol - Cessnock East PS
Tracy Bond - Cessnock East PS
Chantel Sinclair - Cessnock HS (CHS)
Emilie Czemerys - CHS
Jacob Cassidy - CHS
Dylan Bowen Duff - CHS
Brody Berwick - CHS
Nicholas Griffen - CHS
Samantha Martin - CHS
Shanae Hepplewhite - Cessnock PS (CPS)
Brayden Lamph - CPS
Tanika Dunn - CPS
Jayde Dunn - CPS
Taj Bender - Cessnock West PS (CWPS)
Payden McGarry - CWPS
Mia Thomson - CWPS
Seth Corry - CWPS
Ethan Floyd - CWPS
Nikkita Harris - CWPS
Jacob Bender - CWPS
Madeesha McBride - Ellalong PS
Jack Giddings - Kearsley PS
Leah-Maree Phillips - Kearsley PS
Korey Thomas - Kearsley PS
Chelsea Powell - Kearsley PS
Maddison Slack - Kitchener PS
Jyordi McGaw - Kitchener PS
Olivia Chapman - Kitchener PS
Blayke Barry - Kurri Kurri HS (KKHS)
Alexandria Stuart - KKHS
Chloe Wilson - KKHS
Deon See - KKHS
Jace Lambert - KKHS
Korbin Anshaw - KKHS
Emily Lloyd - KKHS
McKayla Bishop - KKHS
Dylan Andrews - KKHS
Mitchell Fitzgerald - KKHS
Jack Sheehan - KKHS
Amelia Carr - Kurri Kurri Public School (KKPS)
Anastasia Gessell - KKPS
Jackson Stuart - KKPS
Kalay Gessell - KKPS
Korby Essex - KKPS
Zac Smith - KKPS
Tyrone Nean - KKPS
Zane McDonald - KKPS
Callen Ingham - KKPS
Jada Ball - KKPS
Rylie Eade - KKPS
Jasmin Harris - Millfield PS
Sari Carpenter - Millfield PS
Tane Carpenter - Millfield PS
Dakota King - Mount View HS (MVHS)
Taneisha Rosser - MVHS
Joseph Smith - MVHS
Ethan Ellis - MVHS
Jacinta White - MVHS
Taneeka Smith - MVHS
Shakira McDonald - MVHS
Georgia Culley - MVHS
Jack Hamson - MVHS
Kody Hutchinson - MVHS
Ashley Marshall - MVHS
Kayla Russell - MVHS
Brock Schofield - MVHS
Jack Sinclair - Mulbring PS
Aleah O'Brien - Nulkaba PS
Joshuua Crampton - Nulkaba PS
Jayden Wadwell - Nulkaba PS
Crystal Thwaites - Nulkaba PS
Lucas Wadwell - Nulkaba PS
Makayla Wadwell - Nulkaba PS
Tanayah Sorenson - Nulkaba PS
Amy-Sky Cruikshank - Paxton PS
Aidan Harris - Paxton PS
Samantha Sneddon - Paxton PS
Issac Merrick-Farley - Pelaw Main PS (PMPS)
Kayla Merrick-Farley - PMPS
Aydan O'Driscoll - PMPS
Bryton Sarsfield - PMPS
Denika Hallett - Stanford Merthyr Infants School (SMIS)
Jackson McKewan - SMIS
Lacey Smith - SMIS
Joel Lucas - St. Philip's Christian College (SPCC)
Stevie-Lea Hoffmannbeck - SPCC
Yasmine Magalhaes - Weston PS
Madyson Johnston - Weston PS
Macayla Gomes De Magalhaes - Weston PS
Ebony Sheehan - Weston PS
Jaimee Ward - Weston PS
