An excerpt from Encounter magazine: October 2024
Diversity Week took place at Manning Valley Anglican College (MVAC) last month. We caught up with Year 11 student Isaac Wright from the MVAC Diversity Group (MDG).
Isaac shared the group’s recent activities and its evolution since its launch in 2023.
Q. How has MDG evolved over the past year?
A. Definitely passion wise it has evolved so much more. We have more attendance; it is more widespread with more acknowledgement amongst students.
People do want to put their hand up and contribute their own understanding on what we can do as a group.
Q. What are the top goals for MDG?
A. The group’s top goals are to raise awareness and understanding. It’s important to educate those who don’t see the value in our differences or are simply not aware.
We believe understanding differences leads to a greater understanding of how we can work collaboratively, where we come from, and move forward together as a school community to let our light shine.
We want to work further and harder towards creating more events and supplying thought-provoking videos for students. We’ll also run workshops and lunchtime events where important discussion topics can take place, like what it means to be diverse and what it means to be different.
Q. What were some of the activities that took place during Diversity Week at MVAC?
A. For our Diversity Week, we took a different approach to Wear It Purple Day.
The group chose to supply purple ribbons and pins to run workshops during lunchtimes for students to create their own pin, bracelet or hair pin to wear.
It was important for us to make time to educate and hold meaningful conversations around where MDG is coming from and where we want to be in the future.
We also ran Fairy Floss Friday – purple, of course – which raised money for headspace.
Our early morning chalk art sessions with Mrs Bean provided a great time to reflect and come together as a community.
Our group is about respecting everyone’s opinion on diversity. It does not have rigid boundaries, apart from acceptance.
We thank Isaac and the MDG team. They are a positive force spreading a message of compassion, integrity, and courage.
We are so thankful to have this initiative being backed and supported by the MVAC staff and Newcastle Anglican. It has provided a safe space for students to grow and flourish as true individuals.
