Gayathri Sama-rakoon, an author and contributor to Far North Coaster, is presently teaching in Brunei and she sent us these poems from students …

INTRODUCTION

Happy poems are simple lines of poetry which are used for self-expression. They are aimed at encouraging feelings of joy and sometimes are thought-provoking.

These happy poems are from Sekolah Menengah Rimba, a secondary school in Brunei Darussalam which is located on the island of Borneo. English is taught as a foreign language in Brunei by teachers from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada and other countries. The teachers work for CfBT, a worldwide educational charity and consultancy based in the UK. Students in Brunei have a strong awareness of people from other cultures and countries and study English alongside their national language which is Malay. These poems are from students in Years 9 and 10. We hope you enjoy them.

Happy poems!!!
 
The colour Blue makes me happy because it reminds me of the cloudless skies,
Green colour makes me happy because it reminds me of tall green trees,
Pink colour makes me happy because it reminds me of my mother’s rose garden,  
Fried noodles make me happy because it reminds me of my 100-year old grandma,
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY CARE TO SHARE?
- Azmon Ahmad, 9a Rimba
 
Red Roses make me happy because it reminds me of my Ferrari back at home – Diyaulhaq, 5R2 
Melody makes me happy because it reminds me of a ‘flowing’ day – Murni 10E PMB
Swings in the park make me happy because they remind me of my days as a child –  Nabillah, 5R2
The Green fields make me happy because they bring peace to my mind – Farah 5R2
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? CARE TO SHARE?
 
The pink colour makes me happy because it softens my heart with its softness - Nur N’ Matul Sapar, 9sps
Green Koran makes me happy because it brings peace to my mind
Old pianos make me happy as it reminds me of old melodies
Melted brown makes me happy as it reminds me of ‘yummy’ chocolates,
Nor Nazratul- 9sps2
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? CARE TO SHARE?
 
The blue ocean makes me happy because it reminds me of my favorite teen cartoon
Azure skies make me happy because of my peaceful country
A toothy smile makes me happy because it reminds me of my naughty friends – Nur Aidatul Yusuf, 9sps
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY CARE TO SHARE?
 
Saffron yellow makes me happy because it reminds me of SpongeBob’s square pants
Multicolor make me happy because it reminds me of rainbow in a cloudy sky – MD Afiq Hasif 9sps2
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? CARE TO SHARE?
 
Sushi makes me happy because it reminds me of home, memories and ‘a normal day’
Jokes make me happy because it gives me joyful feelings
Stars make me happy because they remind me of life and freedom – Muhammed Hazim Juhari, 9sps2
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? CARE TO SHARE?

Schools make me happy because it makes me think of my future
Drums make me happy because the ‘dum-dum’ beat gives me a boost
Football makes me happy because it reminds me of freedom – Ak Muhd Yahya
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? CARE TO SHARE?
 
‘Boom’ noise makes me happy because it reminds me of my MP3 player
Speed makes me happy because father always drives fast
Candy makes me happy because it reminds me of the ‘sweetness’ of life  
Muhd Wafiuddin Sohari- 9sps2
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? CARE TO SHARE?

Breeze on the beach makes me feel happy because it reminds me of ‘niceness’ of life
Indigo, pink, yellow rainbows make me happy because they remind me of God Almighty
Sound of violins make me happy because think of days alone
Hari Raya makes me happy because it brings me money – Nora Aboulaih, 9SPS 2
SO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? CARE TO SHARE?

PICTURE: Some of the teachers at the school.

“Our aim is to provide people of all ages and tastes with a great day out. As in previous years, we will have a huge variety of fresh local produce, great food, fun-filled children’s activities, live entertainment and lots of bargains,” said School Principal Ginny Latta.

“It is hard to believe but this is the school’s 17th Country Fair, and proceeds from the day will be used to purchase much-needed shade cover for our fixed equipment.”

Visitors to the Fair will have the opportunity to visit the ‘Home Made’ corner, where they can purchase a range of wholesome local produce, including a mega cake stall, jams and preserves and cut flowers. Then there’s the ever-popular plant stall, which has a great selection of trees, shrubs, indoor plants and seedlings.

Bargain hunters will love the bric-a-brac and toy stall, and there will be a wide selection of secondhand books for sale.

Making a welcome return this year is the crowd pleasing ‘Moo Poo Lotto’, with great prizes on offer which have been generously donated by local businesses.
 
For the kids there will be a jumping castle, footy shoot-out game, giant slide and laser skirmish, a golf putting competition, face painting, plaster moulds, sieve-a-gem, show bags, plus lots more fun competitions and activities including a treasure hunt.

Live entertainment will run throughout the day, with performances by the LSTT Band, Teven Tintenbar school choir, and a salsa dancing group.

“We are delighted this year to have well-known local gourmet chef and school parent Peter Fassos, who will be running a Greek stall selling souvlaki (Greek kebabs), baklava and other Greek delicacies. In addition, we will have our T&T Café selling gourmet cakes, tea and fresh fruit salad, coffee from the Caffeine Capsule, as well as a BBQ, and stalls selling pies, hotdogs and sushi,” Giny said.

“We are pleased to offer the event on a Sunday this year to avoid traditional clashes with sporting finals.

“School parents, teachers and students are working extremely hard behind the scenes in preparation for the big day, and I invite the community to come along and see our wonderful community based school in action, whilst enjoying our beautiful hinterland location.”

Teven-Tintenbar Public School is located in Fredericks Lane, Tintenbar.

PICTURES: All the fun of Fair at Teven Tintenbar Public School.

The SUSS Forum is on near Lismore and provides teachers and students from schools throughout the Northern Rivers a practical way to gain skills and make connections around environmental issues. 

According to SUSS Co-ordinator Hannah Rice Hayes, the forum aims to empower students and teachers to take practical solutions and actions back to their schools and into their lives.

“The annual event is proving really popular, attracting representatives from schools across the region. Last year’s was very successful, after which students initiated a wide range of projects in their local communities around water saving and energy monitoring, gardens and tree plantings, and biodiversity issues,” Hannah said.

Practical workshops include water, waste, energy and biodiversity auditing. Other workshops focus on sustainable gardens, bush tucker, leadership and how to plan, develop and implement sustainable strategies in schools. 

The venue for the live-in forum is St John’s Woodlawn College near Lismore.

“The Forum is for both teachers and students who are leaders in their school communities on sustainability issues. Workshops for students will help them to set up and manage an environment group/committee, how to communicate, how to write action plans and how to apply for funding for their projects,” said Hannah.

This year there are special workshops for teachers on School Environmental Management Plan development, writing funding applications and tapping into regional networks.

The Forum also includes a bush tucker workshop from the traditional Elders of the Widjabul country, tree plantings to offset the Forum’s carbon footprint and inspirational speakers including Andrew Turbill from the Office of Environment and Heritage – National Parks and Wildlife.

The major sponsor for SUSS 2011 Forum is the Northern Rivers CMA, and other sponsors include Richmond Landcare Inc., Southern Cross University, DECCW Parks & Wildlife Service, Rous Water, Lismore City Council, and Dorroughby Environmental Education Centre, Kyogle Tidy Towns, Regional Development Australia and NEWF.

Planning for life after he blows the final whistle, Stuart, 42, started a Bachelor of Business Administration five years ago, before doing the extra units to finish with a Masters degree.

“When I started with full-time refereeing I wanted to ensure that when I transitioned away from rugby at the end that I’d done some relevant degrees in business studies,” Stuart said.

“Southern Cross University seemed to be one of the good ones in terms of correspondence courses. Because of my travel commitments, I just couldn’t attend lectures all the time, so doing it by distance was going to be the best option for me.”

Stuart, who lives in Sydney, is on the road four to six months of the year, travelling to Europe for the Six Nations, and back to New Zealand, South Africa and Australia for the Super Rugby.

“So the idea of distance education and the way it was set out, where they would send me the course material so I could study that as I wished, working around appointments and travel,” he said.

“And if I needed an extension or anything, then that was fine and so it was just that flexibility that was fantastic.”

Stuart’s love of rugby started as a five-year-old running around the field. He was refereeing by the time he was 12, later playing fly half and fullback for his school, Epping Boys High.

In 1988 Stuart decided to make refereeing a full-time career and hasn’t looked back. He made his Super Rugby debut in 1996 and Test debut a year later. He has clocked up 47 Test matches, 94 Super Rugby matches and three World Cups.

But the former police officer admits juggling study, a professional sporting career, work (Stuart works part-time for Adventure World Travel) and the demands of a young family (Michael, nine, and seven-year-old twins Emily and Isabella) hasn’t been easy.

“Training, travelling, refereeing and also preparations for those matches is a tough ask, so there is a fair bit of sacrifice, and on my wife’s part as well as family life, but it’s well worth it in the end,” he said.

“I’ve had the world’s best job. My hobby turned into my occupation and you can’t ask for better than that. But you’ve got to replace that with the next challenge and find a role that clearly ignites you in terms of managing people and all those disciplines and positive aspects that have come out of refereeing rugby.”

Stuart said gaining a Masters of International Sports Management would pave the way.

“Refereeing at that highest level … it is essentially creating a framework around managing people and managing conflict in order to achieve the desired outcome,” he said.

“I will look to take those skills learnt during study, on the rugby field, the life lessons from world travel and the mix of different cultures and people and transfer them into a management role, be that in sport or business.”

Around 700 students will graduate from Southern Cross University’s Lismore campus this week.

Three ceremonies will be held on Friday, May 6, starting with the Graduate College of Management and School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, followed by the School of Health and Human Sciences, then the School of Commerce and Management and School of Law and Justice.

On Saturday, May 7, there will be two ceremonies, beginning with Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples and the School of Education, followed by the School of Arts and Social Sciences and the School of Environmental Science and Management.

The awards will be conferred by the Chancellor The Hon John Dowd AO QC.

One Chancellor’s Medal and six University Medals will be presented for Academic Excellence.

PICTURE: Stuart Dickinson after being named Super Rugby referee for 2007.

School Principal Ginny Latta said that the students worked collaboratively to design and create the Christmas display, and were delighted with the finished result.

“When Malcolm from Wendys rang and asked if we would like to decorate his shop for Christmas, we thought this would be a great initiative for our Year Four/Five students. Not only did it give them an opportunity to showcase their creative skills, but also their leadership and communication abilities,” Ginny said.

“The children were responsible for the idea and execution of the decorations, and they worked collaboratively with some school parents to decorate the shop.

“I especially love the red nose on the lead dolphin – surfing the waves with Santa riding behind – a very Australian Christmas.”

Captions:

1. Teven Tintenbar School Year 4/5 students, proudly pictured outside the newly decorated Wendy’s in Ballina Fair.

2. Santa surfs the waves, with a little help from some dolphins.

3. Christmas cheer at Wendy’s, Ballina Fair .

Fiesta is a day of celebration where the Community School opens its doors for a day of fun, food and entertainment – all drawn from its incredibly talented student body, staff and parents.
 
The day will also host the official opening of its new buildings, worth $1.5 million.

“Teachers will be on hand to chat and show prospective parents around the classrooms,” said Matt Syme, Byron Community Primary School Director.

“The student bands will perform and the finalists from the 2010 Talent Quest will share their myriad of skills, from song to circus to dance. It’s a great family day with lots of food, colour and music, as well as activities for the littlies.”

In a major coup, the school will host the official launch of Michael Turner’s new album ‘Spikey and Friends.’

“There will be raffles, performances from staff and the wider community too” Mr Syme said.

Byron Community Primary Schools aims to provide innovative and holistic education to develop every child’s potential for intellectual, emotional and physical learning.

“Our school provides a safe, welcoming and compassionate environment where children, parents and staff are honoured,” said Mr Syme, “and this is evident when interacting with our wonderful students.”

Byron Community Primary School is located on the corner Ruskin and Tennyson Streets, Byron Bay.

PICTURE: Byron Community Primary School students perform in Ch Ch Changes.

“The day caters for all ages and tastes, with a huge variety of fresh local produce, great food, creative crafts, fun-filled activities for the kids, and lots of live entertainment,” said school principal Ginny Latta.

“This is our Country Fair’s 16th year, and we are hoping to top last year’s excellent total of $13,000. Proceeds from the day will be used to purchase new interactive whiteboards for our classrooms, which provide our students with a more relevant curriculum.”

Visitors to the Fair will have the opportunity to purchase a range of wholesome local produce, including a mega cake stall, native Australian jams and preserves, cut flowers and the ever-popular plant stall.

Bargain hunters will love the bric-a-brac and toys stall, and there will be an abundance of second-hand books and beautiful craft for sale.

For the kids there will be a jumping castle, teacups ride, giant slide and laser skirmish, candle making, face painting, a magician, plaster moulds, kids activity zone, sieve-a-gem, show bags, plus lots more fun competitions and activities including a treasure hunt.

Free live entertainment will run throughout the day, and includes performances by Alstonville Public School Band, the LSTT Band, Heart of Dance, and the Teven Tintenbar school choir and recorder group.

There will be raffles and competitions on offer including a Chocolate Wheel, with great prizes on offer which have been donated by local businesses.

“There will be an abundance of food stalls to tantalise the taste buds. We will have our T&T Café selling gourmet cakes, tea and fresh fruit salad, and locally grown Echidna Coffee will be joining us again. In addition, we will have stalls selling pies, hotdogs, sushi and our crowd-pleasing BBQ stall,” Ms Latta said.

“School parents, teachers and students are working extremely hard to put the final touches on what promises to be a great day. Put the date into your diary and come along to see what a great local school can achieve, whilst enjoying the ambience of one of the hinterlands most scenic locations.”

Teven-Tintenbar Public School is located in Fredericks Lane, Tintenbar.

PICTURES: Teven-Tintenbar School Kindergarten student Bianca Remfrey is looking forward to having her face painted again at this year’s Country Fair.

Visitors to the Country Fair enjoy sampling the large range of home-made cakes and goodies on offer, which are donated by the school community.

The awards, presented at a ceremony in Ballina on Friday evening, highlight the significant achievements Southern Cross University graduates are making in a diverse range of fields, both in Australia and internationally.

Seven nominees were in the running for the 2010 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, and four in the running for the 2010 Young Alumnus of the Year. The awards were presented by the Chancellor The Hon John Dowd AO QC.

Gordon Fraser-Quick is an acclaimed environmental consultant who graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science in 1995 and a Graduate Diploma of Education in 2003.

As operations manager for the non-profit organisation EnviTE in 1995 and 1996, Gordon designed and co-ordinated environmental repair, rehabilitation and development projects with an annual value of up to $3 million over more than 35 projects across 20 sites.

He has been involved in award-winning integrated waste management services and designed and constructed the world’s largest vermiculture facility.

Integrated with the introduction of kerbside collection of organic waste from every household in the City of Lismore, this facility converts the waste to saleable potting mix and soil conditioner.

Gordon has been recognised through seven community services awards and has been involved in numerous community associations.

He was instrumental in the formative committee of the Northern River Climate Change Collaboration, a model now being repeated in regional centres throughout Australia.

“I am incredibly proud of receiving this award,” a stunned and humble Mr Fraser-Quick told the audience at the awards ceremony.

“Southern Cross University is an organisation that has provided me and other graduates with a way to change not only individual lives but to make a positive impact on the lives of people in communities around the world.

“It has fuelled my passion for environmental science and given me the tools to go out and make a positive difference on the planet.

“I have just returned from China where I am involved in an ambitious project to recycle millions of tonnes of waste plastic and I was surprised how many people in top industry positions knew of Southern Cross University and considered it a leader in environmental science.

“I am proud to be a graduate of Southern Cross University and look forward to a long and ongoing association.”

The 2010 Young Alumnus of the Year was awarded to Steve Price, who graduated with a Master of Business Administration this year.

Steve has had an exceptional career as a rugby league player, playing 313 games in the NRL, 15 Tests for Australia and 28 games for Queensland.

Steve has also been involved in a range of activities focused on providing service back to the community, including the Warriors Against Bullying (WAB) program, which focuses on teaching primary school students anti-bullying skills and enabling them to become positive role models for other students.

He is also involved in the League of Libraries initiative, which aims to enhance literacy levels in primary school children.

Steve, one of the few NRL players to obtain a Masters degree, said he recognised the need for further qualifications to enable him to continue his career when he finishes playing.

“I’d love to be involved in the executive of the National Rugby League but the opportunities in the corporate field of the game are few and you need to be in a position to take them as they arise,” Steve said.

“Qualifications are important for that reason, and also for getting a job in the wider world.

“I owe a huge thanks to Southern Cross University because without their flexible and supportive approach to distance education study, there is no way I could have ever undertaken my degree while maintaining a professional sporting career.

“I hope I can serve as an inspiration to other sports people by showing them that it is indeed possible to get a university-level qualification while still being a competitive player.

“For me, gaining my degree and winning this award will hopefully open the doors to a new career in sport management.

“I have seen plenty of my high-profile mates retire from rugby league thinking they would land a great job and earn as much as they did while playing sport – but they haven’t.

“These days you need a top degree in your back pocket if you want a good job and that is what Southern Cross University has provided me with.

“The degree is very well respected in the industry and that was a big factor in my choosing to study at SCU. Now, to win this award, is very special to me.”

The winners of the Southern Cross University School Alumni awards are:

• School of Education – Raelene Mordecai, graduated with a Bachelor of Education in 2006 and is now working as a primary school teacher at Casino Public School.
• School of Environmental Science and Management – Dermot O’Gorman, graduated with an Associate Diploma in Applied Science in 1988 and is now the chief executive officer of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia.
• Graduate College of Management – Craig Phillips, graduated with a Master of Business Administration in 2000 and is the secretary-general of the Australian Olympic Committee.
• School of Health and Human Sciences – four of the proprietors of Goulds Naturopathica are graduates of the Bachelor of Naturopathy. They are Daniel Robson, Dawn Whitten, Jason Hawrelak and Belinda Robson.
• School of Tourism and Hospitality Management – Anna Guillan, graduated with a Master of Business Administration in Hotel and Management in 2008 and is the executive general manager sales and marketing Hayman and Mulpha Hotels Australia.

PICTURE: From left, Southern Cross University Chancellor The Hon John Dowd AO QC, Young Alumnus of the Year Steve Price, Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Gordon Fraser-Quick, and Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee.

Now in his second year and ‘loving it’, Eli has won a NSW Sport and Recreation Indigenous Scholarship worth $10,000 over two years. The scholarship is part of the Rising Stars Scholarships program.

“This is going to make a huge difference to my financial situation,” Eli said.

“I study pretty well full-time doing four units, as well as working part-time as the assistant manager at Farmer Charlie’s Fruit Barn in Evans Head, but when you are living away from home, money is always tight.

“I am thrilled to have received this scholarship and it will help the budget and give me more financial security.

“It also proves to me that I can achieve good grades in my studies and has given me more of an incentive to add a further qualification to my skill set.

“Once I finish my Bachelor’s degree I plan to do a Graduate Diploma of Education so that I can have broader career options and the choice of becoming a PE teacher.

“Teaching is something I have always been interested in as well, so it would be great to be able to combine both sport and teaching in a career.”

Eli is a keen rugby league player, turning out in the centres for Evans Head Bombers in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League competition.

PICTURE: Eli Cook, recipient of a NSW Sport and Recreation Indigenous Scholarship.

The popular event brings over 1000 students and their teachers from all over the region to the Lismore campus to participate in information sessions designed to provide the skills and knowledge needed to get through the HSC.

Students come from schools right across the region – from the Tweed area south to Lismore, Grafton and Coffs Harbour and across to Tenterfield in the west.

Teachers get an insight into what the examiners want the students to know, past exam questions and core knowledge requirements students must have before they sit the exam.

Students get an insight into what to expect during their exam period; the material they need to have covered; what examiners look for in answers; and how to cope with stress. They also get the benefit of a teacher who may have had up to 40 years of experience in their subject.

Session presenters are chosen because of their expertise and their recent relevant HSC experience. Many are award-winning teachers in their specialist subjects or have been HSC markers in the past.

There are also teachers presenting who consistently get students in the top 10 per cent of the State, so learning their tips and secrets will be a definite advantage for HSC students and their teachers.

This year’s program has been prepared taking into consideration feedback from students and teachers who attended previous days.

The specific benefit of the day is that it will enhance the knowledge, skills and confidence of students and teachers at this important stage in their preparation for the 2010 HSC, said HSC Study Day co-ordinator Marilyn Chaseling.

This year’s presenters include:

• Ancient History: Desiree Moore, head teacher, HSIE, Tweed River High School; 26 years experience teaching Ancient History and six years experience teaching Extension History; HSC marker.
• Modern History and History Extension: David Schein, head teacher, History, Alstonville High School; has taught HSC Modern History and History Extension for many years; HSC marker.
• Biology: Gary Winterbottom, head teacher, Science, Cumberland High School; has taught HSC Biology for 30 years; HSC senior marker.
• Physics: Stephen Fogwill, head teacher, Science, Tomaree High School; science teacher 30 years; HSC senior marker.
• Chemistry (and General HSC Skills): Graeme Muldoon, head teacher, Science, Glen Innes High School; 30 years HSC teaching experience.
• English: Patrick McGing, deputy principal, St Clare’s College, Waverley; teacher and HSC senior marker for many years; adviser for HSC Advice Line for last 10 years; regular speaker for NSW English Teachers Association; writer for the Daily Telegraph HSC series.
• English Extension 2: Leonie Huggins, head teacher, English, Wollumbin High School; 30 years teaching experience; HSC senior marker.
• Mathematics: Colin Holliday, retired head teacher, Mathematics, Forest High School, Sydney; currently a mathematics consultant; HSC marker.
• Economics and Business Studies: Chris Core, HSC co-ordinator, Mt St Patrick College, Murwillumbah; has taught HSC Business Studies and Economics for a number of years; HSC marker.
• Hospitality: Yvette Kennedy, hospitality teacher, De La Salle College, Cronulla; 18 years teaching experience; 16 years HSC marking experience; HSC senior marker.
• Retail: Tim Kelly, Lismore Catholic Education Office; HSC senior marker and syllabus writer; 17 years teaching experience; Tim’s students have topped the State in HSC Retail.
• Legal Studies: Paul Milgate, Xavier Catholic College, Ballina; 10 years teaching experience; consistently has students who are in the top 10 HSC ranking.
• PDHPE: Janine Perry, Southern Cross University lecturer, Health and Physical Education for eight years; PDHPE teacher for 11 years; HSC marker.
• Visual Arts: Janet Rentz, 18 years teaching experience; NSW DET VA Consultant K-12 for nine years; lectures at UTS, UNSW and National Arts School; teaches Graphic Design at TAFE.
• Music: Dave Tucker, head teacher, Bonalbo Central School; president North Coast Region Music Teachers Association; member Board of Studies Curriculum Committee designing current HSC Music course; composer; HSC marker.

PICTURE: Enjoying HSC Study Day last year are (from left): Helene Collard (SCU student ambassador), Finbar Walton (Murwillumbah High), Jessica Edwards (Richmond River High), Pat Hayes (St John’s College Woodlawn), Sherelle Piggott (Richmond River), Sara Vidler (Richmond River) and Josiah Hoyle (SCU student ambassador).