Through the service learning program at Wesley College, a relationship has formed between the Uniting Church WA school in South Perth and Cyril Jackson Senior Campus, in Bassendean.
Cyril Jackson Senior Campus is a school in Bassendean which caters to year 11 and 12. It offers alternative learning, enrolling some students who have been expelled from other schools, and refugees from around the world.
Five years ago, the Zonta Club of Perth was offering scholarships to female students at Cyril Jackson, giving Wesley College the idea to offer scholarships to the male students. With the aim of raising enough money to give two $500 scholarships, in the first two years, three were actually awarded. In 2014 and 2015, three scholarships of $600 were awarded. Last year, three scholarships of $750 were awarded. In addition, the recipients receive a Wesley Sports Bag including a hat, pen, shorts and water bottle.
Suzanne Lawrence, the co-ordinator of this program at Wesley College, said that the project is taken on by students of Mofflin House, a student house at the school.
“The money is raised by our very successful McMofflin Burger Days, as well as ‘Dollar-a- Job’ where the Wesley students spend four weeks trying to raise money carrying out chores that are not part of their usual routine,” she said.
“Parents at Wesley College are a huge part of this work. As well as organising the Burger Days, they are also instrumental in purchasing stationery throughout the year. For the past two years, the year 11 students have setup an assembly line putting together packs of stationery which we then deliver to Cyril Jackson on our service day. So far, we have put together nearly 200 packs of stationery and the reaction from the recipients is one of great delight.”
In 2017, the program is also hoping to offer tutoring to students from Cyril Jackson in maths and physics two afternoons a week.
“We have really established a relationship with this school,” Suzanne said. “The ties continue to strengthen and the future looks very positive indeed.”