• ← Back to Blog Posts

This month we’ve interviewed one of the students at the Watarrka School to understand firsthand their experience with education and the projects the Watarrka Foundation has brought to life. 

Vivian is 14, and has been at Lilla since she was a baby. She has been raised by her Grandparents Vera and Bruce, and attends the Watarrka School with her friends and family members. 

Vivian is one of our students who has had a direct benefit from the opening of the second classroom, which has allowed her to continue her education on country. Vivian has also been involved in a range of the Foundation’s projects, including the Sports & Storytelling festivals, trips to Melbourne to visit sponsoring schools (Mentone Grammar and Braemar School) as well as the fresh foods project including the school veggie garden and fruit orchard. 

Below is what Vivian has to say about her experience:

“I’m surrounded by family members and it is comfortable for me to go there.  I like to go to school  because its fun and you do lots of fun things.  We learn to cook, play lots of sport outside, basketball, baseball, swimming bike riding.  We are all good at sport. I also like to learn about science, maths, reading, spelling, writing because I understand the school work that’s given to me and it helps me to learn more.  The school takes us on trips to Melbourne. Christine my teacher took us.  It was so fun because when we were there we went tree surfing, sea surfing, we went through a maze and mirror house, We went to visit her sister in the city, on the trams and aquarium.  We also went to visit Braemar School and Mentone Grammar and went to classes there.  It was fun.

I like the sports and story telling festival because all the other kids come from other schools. We get along and know them, we play and we will learn new activities together. Drama I like the most, there we all come together and play.

We also have a veggie garden where we plant lots of new vegetables and have lots of fruit. We like the water melons. We cook with the vegetables."

"I’ve already met a famous person Jessica Mauboy when I was 10 years old.  She was my favourite singer and I’d watched all her movies.

I would like to meet Hayley Steinfield, She’s a singer and is the main character in the new bumblebee movie."

“I like living on country and learning about the food that grows around us and learn about how we can find them and pick them and we know the right use for them.  The elders teach you about the bush foods and other traditional things about country and I’m living in our culture. 

I like living out bush because I’m away from all the craziness that happen in Alice Spring.  I like to feel the breeze every time I wake up in the morning.  I like how the nature sounds in the morning singing in the morning and I’m around family and is peaceful to walk to school in the morning.  On country makes me feel comfortable and at home."

“I would like to stay at school for a long time. I would like to be a doctor so I can heal people and make them better.  My great grandmother is a healer and she says that I have these powers and she has taught me some of the healing ways of our people and culture."

“Study hard and have fun and be respectful and never give up on your dreams.