Students earn Anzac accolade
BEING part of the Rising Daughters Service group has been a true eye-opener for St Ursula’s students Charlotte Corfield and Olivia Golightly.
The group is all about serving the people who served our country in times of war.
Ms Golightly is a Year 11 student at the college and said she joined the group back in Year 9 after encouragement from her mum and older sisters.
She said she loved the group’s monthly visits to the Harlaxton RSL Club, where they would talk to the ex-servicemen, sell raffle tickets and cook them dinner.
Meeting a prisoner of war camp survivor and hearing his story was life-changing.
“Norm Alderton was a POW camp survivor who came to visit us and he was at Kokoda and worked on the Burma Railway,” Olivia said.
“It was really moving to hear that.”
She said the group had grown from five members two years ago to 13 members this year and its growing popularity was in part thanks to the moving services they organised for other students to take part in.
This year they made a short, 12-minute film about their experiences, including the visit from Mr Alderton, which they later submitted for consideration in the Anzac Day Schools’ Awards.
The entry earned them the state title for Queensland high schools and the group was thrilled to officially receive the award from Member for Groom Dr John McVeigh yesterday.
❝ Norm Alderton was a POW camp survivor who came to visit us.
— Olivia Golightly