The Year 12 SAASTA students were required to organise and host a SAASTA community lunch. The objective of the lunch was to inform the local Indigenous community of the benefits and purpose of the SAASTA program. Dylan Davenport and Andrew Horace were hosts of the event along with Mr Norton as a quest speaker. School leadership, parents, and Year 8/9 students attended the event and gained an insight into the experiences and benefits that Dylan and Andrew have received from participating in the program.

Students and parents were given the opportunity to inquire about the program and were provided with physical examples of their learning. Dylan and Andrew also created a 92 slide PowerPoint presentation that included images of their experiences over the past 2 years.

The SAASTA program incorporates sports, art and culture and identifies how these concepts can be intertwined. The program allows students to meet some Indigenous Australian role models such as Andrew McLeod, Sam Powell-Pepper, Karl Amon, and different respected Aboriginal elders from various local communities. The valuable connections that are made through the SAASTA program are life-long, not only providing cultural support, but also future job opportunities.

Andrew Horace

“While attending the Nepabunna trip in 2019, we were treated to a once in a lifetime experience of swimming in the Nantawarrina Springs, which was my favourite part of the trip. The water was crystal clear, and we acknowledged Akurra, the creator and guardian of the waterholes in the Flinders Ranges.”

Dylan Davenport

“The SAASTA program aims to set young Indigenous students up with job opportunities and assist them to learn about their culture and identity. This has helped me tremendously through my final years of schooling, as I have been provided with opportunities that other students will never get.”