Our Year 10 students have truly embodied our values of respect, responsibility and community when some of them were chosen to represent St Mark's ACS as student officials at the ACC Inclusive Swimming Carnival last week.
They were given jobs including Chief Marshalls, Time Keepers, Race Marshalls and Water Safety. These roles meant they had the opportunity to be in the water, supporting the swimmers with different disabilities as well as assisting on the sidelines. Our students conducted themselves enthusiastically and were great ambassadors of the School. The encouragement, thoughtfulness and care our students displayed brought joy and confidence to all the participants.
The day was filled with laughter, smiles, and so much happiness. Seeing so many students from ACC schools in the water and giving their best was fantastic. The Year 10s definitely came away with a reinforced understanding of seeing the ability, not the disability, as well as what it means to be inclusive.
I was one of the lucky ones who got to go to the 2023 ACC Inclusive Swimming Carnival. During the day, we got to help the carnival happen, including helping people swim and/or marshal for them. It was a pretty special day as I got to help people in need and see what families have to go through in their day-to-day life. Because my brother has many disabilities, it was nice to see him get out there and have fun without judgement. The students there were all so supportive of each other, which created a safe environment for everyone. They were all laughing and having fun, which put a smile on not only my face but everyone around me. Thanks for the amazing day!! ~ Maddison
Being a part of the team that provided support at the inclusive swimming carnival has been one of the best opportunities St Mark's has offered to me. I felt such joy from being the helping hand in the water or just chatting while the swimmers waited to swim. The best part of the day was to see the smiles on their faces and to give the opportunity to swim for someone who doesn't get to that often. I really recommend it to anyone who is given this opportunity, as it is extremely eye-opening and heartfelt. ~ Ella
I really enjoyed the inclusive swimming as it was nice to hang out with my peers and to help those participating in the event. I also liked it because I liked seeing smiles on everyone’s faces and everyone having a go and having fun; it made me feel happy. ~ Pippa
