It’s a common dream for many young people around the world to one day represent their country in the Olympics, and Haileybury has been lucky enough to see some of our Alumni and staff make it all the way. Back in August, Junior School students across Haileybury were exposed to a taste of all things Olympic as they took part in an Inquiry unit dedicated to understanding the history, values and significance of the games.
The unit was designed to cover several areas of focus: the history of the Olympics; the various formats of the games (such as Summer, Winter, and Paralympics); inclusion and equity; and Olympic values. The schedule was jam-packed with thought-provoking activities, from an exploration of fun facts about the ancient Olympics and comparing them to the modern games, to unpacking the personal stories of past Olympians, such as Cathy Freeman and Eric the Eel. The students researched the origins and symbols of the games, discussed costumes, traditions and performances of host nations, and even designed their own ideas for future Olympic sports.
Nicole Cunningham (Head of Junior School Inquiry) and Christine Pogue (Head of Junior School Wellbeing) were the forerunners of the unit. They told us that the primary goal was to engage students in a current and relevant event while building on their inquiry skills. By discussing Olympic news, watching highlights, and connecting classroom lessons with real-world events, students were able to bring their own knowledge into class conversations.
“There was a real buzz about the classrooms each morning as we caught up on the overnight updates. The unit really deepened the students’ understanding of how our core values of respect, kindness, empathy, honesty and trust reach beyond the classroom and have an impact on a much larger scale,” Nicole and Christine shared.
Each campus took the Olympic theme a step further, placing their own twist on the activities. At Edrington, a mini-Olympics allowed students to put their knowledge into practice. “We held a mini-Olympics event which was a huge success. Each class created their own class (country) flag which represented them. We had a torch relay, opening ceremony and of course a range of events. It was wonderful hearing our students discuss the different Olympics events they watched on television. They were incredibly excited about seeing Australia compete against the rest of the world” said Michele McGill (Head of Junior School at Edrington campus).
At Newlands, Year 4 students teamed up with their Prep buddies for their own Olympic Games. This gave the older students the chance to embrace mentorship, and it was superb to see them take their guiding and coaching role seriously.
A highlight of the unit came when Newlands campus welcomed three Olympians from Haileybury’s Old Haileyburians Association (OHA): Stuart Carruthers (OH 1987, Hockey Olympian), Victoria Na (OH 2008, Badminton Olympian), and Josh Beaver (OH 2011, Swimming Olympian).
“The students were awestruck. The three Olympians recounted stories of their own experiences at school and how Haileybury had played an important role in their journey to success, not just in their chosen sporting field but in the development of character,” said Nicole and Christine. “The OHA Olympians loved being invited back to speak with our students, and we would like to thank Russell Davidson (Director of the OHA) for his help in making this happen.”
The Olympians even shared memorabilia, including medals and a replica torch, which thrilled the students when they were given the opportunity to hold these pieces of grandeur. And who knows, perhaps we will see some of those students on the world stage one day with their own medal.
