St Joseph's Nudgee College

September 12, 2008

Year 10 students at St Joseph's Nudgee College received some hands-on spiritual learning recently after taking part in various Immersion programs.

Immersion coordinator Michelle Kinnane said the Immersion Program allowed students to experience first-hand many of the opportunities and learning experiences promoted in the Edmund Rice Charter.

"As a school in the Edmund Rice Tradition we have an obligation to ensure our students are given opportunities to experience first-hand teachings of Edmund Rice," she said.

"This program challenges students to leave their comfort zone and work with and in a community that they may not normally have contact with. This allows students to appreciate that everyone is different but equal, and that we can learn from each other."

Students can choose Immersion or Community Assistance as part of Nudgee's "Service with Spirit" program. Immersion projects include:

• Byron Bay Environmental/Cultural experience
• Starlight Foundation
• Cultural Understanding of Australia
• Mungindi (Country) - Rural/farmland community immersion
• Behind the Wire - cultural experience with asylum seekers
• Edmond Rice Camp
• Philippines: "Making the Connection" Project
• Northey St Project
• Sundown
• Disability awareness

Nudgee Year 10 student Isaac Ryan spent the week at Amarina Aged Care Facility where he gained a new appreciation for those who live there.

"Immersion week was about getting Year 10 students to have an awareness of others in the community. By sharing other people's burdens we were able to gain some knowledge of their pain and troubles," Isaac said.

"Developing connections with disadvantaged people, or people from the community in general meant we were able to learn a lot about ourselves and others.

"There were a number of different immersion choices and I chose community assistance. I went to Amarina Aged Care Facility where I spent most of my time in the dementia ward.

"Dementia is a disease that affects the memory and I would have the same conversations with people 8 or 9 times a day.

"Feeding people was also an eye opening experience, not in a good way, because these people remembered how to eat and they were fine to talk too but physically they couldn't pick up a knife and fork and eat.

"Walking people was also a challenge. One lady couldn't support herself, or speak, but when we got outside she smiled. That was a powerful experience while I was there.

"Overall I learnt that there are people who give up their time and money for the benefit of others and that if there were more people like that, the world would be a better place."

Nudgee Year 10 student Tom McCarthy said he was lucky enough to be able to work at Children's Mater Hospital with the Starlight foundation.

"On the first two days we helped the Captain Starlights entertain the children and help cheer them up. The work we did included running the room's television station and helping the children with craft activities," he said.

"On the third day we were set the challenge of running the whole room. This gave us firsthand experience into how rewarding helping people who really need it can be."

"Overall the Emersion program has helped teach me some key Edmund Rice values such as empathy and solidarity."