SPIRIT OF SHARING IS GOLD
The ripple effect of the Coast Games is huge, spanning age groups, cultures and even generations
THERE’S an unwritten story about the Commonwealth Games. This is not about the elite athletes or transport troubles. It’s discovering the Gold Coast’s greatest gift this Christmas.
In classrooms as part of a GC2018 Schools Connect program, students have been busy painting on canvases.
At Clover Hill State School at Mudgeeraba, Faith Jackson completed several pieces of art before she graduated from Year 6.
An Aboriginal leader among the primary students, the shy 11-year-old has left an acrylic painting for the school to keep. Her other art pieces are being packaged up for a special trip.
“One of my paintings was of the water. It was a coral reef,” Faith told your columnist.
“Another was a water themed mountain with tonnes of colourful stars in the sky. The stars represent the different cultures.”
Other kids are being inspired like Faith but in different ways. Drop into one of the new sporting venues in the late afternoon, watch and listen.
At the Coomera Indoor Centre there are kids everywhere on the eight mixed use sporting courts, dunking basketballs, serving up volleyballs beside the gymnastics area.
An 11-year-old boy, who had struggled to find his sporting home, after a few gym classes now aims to step up a level. “It’s cool. You get fit and you have fun,” he says.
“I want to do this for a long time. I want to be a gymnast when I get older.”
Since August last year the centre has had 13,741 booking hours and welcomed 167,258 people through its doors.
Every night as you drive past Carrara, the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre is lit up. Since opening in April, the multi-use complex has hosted 31 events and clocked up 18,500 booking hours.
For young Faith, after leaving Mudgeeraba, there will be endless opportunities. She loves Oztag, has won a sporting scholarship to Robina State High. Across the road will be the Rugby Sevens at the Games.
Karen Kliese first taught Faith in Year 3 and has been inspired by her young student’s focus and dedication, watching her art flourish.
All of her students are excited, learning about the different Commonwealth nations.
“The athletes will get Faith’s paintings as a gift in the village. We are hoping they will take them back to five different countries,” Ms Kliese said.
“Faith has put her Education Queensland email address on the back of each canvas. So she is hoping that the athletes who get them can tell her where they ended up.”
As part of the Schools Connect program, every room where an athlete stays will have art work from the Coast student with a personal message.
Faith’s art will explain to them the gift of our beaches and hinterland rainforest.
The paintings are about to start a remarkable journey. So are the young artists and the gymnast. All the stars, big and small, can align on the Gold Coast in the New Year. LABOR Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon is setting up a mobile office until she gets access to the Nerang base used by the departing LNP MP Sid Cramp.
But her decision to set up a table and chair outside, while negotiating the former MP’s removal, has proved to be an inviting move for constituents.
“It’s been really good. A lot of people have come over to have a chat,” she said.