A group of Year 9 students have been taking part in a special Service Learning initiative alongside Biblical Studies Teacher Andrea Tinney.
At the beginning of the year, the group reached out to the Language Development Centre at Nollamara Primary School to ask how they could help. The school shared that many of their students come from families where English is not spoken at home, which means they often have limited opportunities to practice reading outside of school. With teachers also short on time for one-on-one reading, our students saw a chance to make a difference.
Since then, the group have been visiting the school fortnightly, spending time patiently listening, encouraging and helping the younger children build confidence and develop their reading skills. What began as a simple offer of support has blossomed into genuine connections between the students grounded in care, service and community.
“It’s heartwarming to see our St Stephen’s students patiently and encouragingly helping the Nollamara Pre-primary students with their reading. They have appreciated this special service learning opportunity to connect with and support these young learners.”
– Andrea Tinney
Year 9 student Ellie shared “I love reading with the kids because I want to be a teacher when I’m older and I love helping them with reading”
Eliana added “It feels like you’re doing something really nice and gives a sense of accomplishment helping young kids”.
Through this simple act of service, our students are living out St Stephen’s values, making a real difference, one story at a time.