Catalyst23 Esperance Service Learning Tour

At JSR, our Service Learning Program (Catalyst23), plays a vital role in shaping student learning and development. It not only encourages students to build relationships with the wider community but also helps them recognise its needs and learn through active service. We create opportunities for students to understand their roles within communities and appreciate the value of servant leadership. Ultimately, our aim is to develop future leaders and role models who can make a positive global impact.

This year, our Esperance Service Learning Tour provided an excellent opportunity through Catalyst23. In August, 27 Year 7 and 8 students travelled to Esperance to lead soccer and netball clinics at local primary schools.

Our students collaborated with Year 4 students from Castletown Primary School and Nulsen Primary School. They conducted the clinics entirely on their own, delivering two one-hour sessions that truly highlighted their outstanding leadership skills. While teaching new skills can be challenging, our students engaged the participants with kindness, patience, and compassion. As a result, they made the experience enjoyable for everyone involved.

Before the tour, we purchased equipment for the clinics and then donated it to Nulsen Primary School. This included soccer balls, netballs, soccer bibs, netball bibs, cones, soccer goals, and two portable netball hoops. We hope these items will provide hours of learning and fun in the future. The school expressed heartfelt gratitude for both the new equipment and the clinics conducted by our students.

We are excited to expand our Catalyst23 program next year by organising more clinics, particularly focusing on rural schools in the Esperance area. During this year's tour, we established strong connections within the Esperance community to support this initiative.

While in Esperance, we also fostered a broader sense of community within the ASC. Our students played soccer and netball against Esperance Anglican Community School and shared a BBQ dinner one evening. It was wonderful for them to create relationships with students from another ASC school.

The tour wasn’t just about hard work; students also enjoyed the opportunity to explore the area. They spent a day visiting Cape Le Grand National Park, where they took in the stunning landscapes of Lucky Bay and Hellfire Bay. The warm weather even allowed them to swim in the crystal-clear turquoise waters.

We are so proud of our students, who exemplify what it means to be a member of JSR They showcased outstanding servant leadership while serving the Esperance community.

We want to extend our gratitude to Mr Liney, Miss Pragt, and Mr Hall for making this opportunity possible. A special thanks goes to Amy, our graduate Sports Captain from 2023, who volunteered to support the netball clinics. It’s amazing to see our Old Scholars staying engaged in our school community. Finally, we’d like to thank Mr Hardman from Esperance Anglican Community School for ensuring that our staff and students received excellent support during the tour.

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