St Monica’s College, Cairns

St Monica’s College continues to provide increasing opportunities for all St Monica’s students, staff and families to access and celebrate Indigenous culture and acknowledge Indigenous history. These aims have been facilitated through the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives into the teaching and learning curriculum. St Monica’s College continues to celebrate NAIDOC Week. This year our First Nations students ran a NAIDOC Assembly and a NAIDOC Family BBQ, bringing together elders, community members, parents, students and staff in the spirit of reconciliation and community building.

St Monica’s College has undertaken a First Nations Icon project this year where students have chosen Indigenous symbols and stories from the students’ home land, seas and waterways and used them to represent our college values. Artwork was created representing each of the three sets of values: Show Self belief and Courage; Walk with Mercy and Faith; and Build Community with Integrity. These icons were launched at our NAIDOC assembly and are on display within the college. A combined icon representing all of the values and all of our First Nations Students was also created and will be used on our First Nations Students’ badges in 2025. A Welcome to Country was co-created by the students and quotes for two to be made in slumped glass have been received, with plans for one to be placed at the east entrance of the College welcoming as the sun rises and one on the west side of the college, welcoming as the sun sets. We look forward to increasing the First Nations Students’ art work on display in our college.