DECORATED war heroine Nancy Wake, former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and a female bullocky from the Victorian Gold Fields featured at the official launch of Armidale City Public School’s new multimedia computer lab and adjoining theatre space.
The launch of the project coincided with the school’s annual ‘Festival of the Famous’ enrichment project, where Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 students were encouraged to research and take on the role of a famous Australian.
The school received $100,000 in funding through the Investing in Our Schools Program, which is being used for furniture, soft fall, footpath and multi-media centre.
Gough Whitlam, aka student Jarod Hartung, made a rousing address at the launch, followed by the reading of a letter from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education Julia Gillard, congratulating the school on its successful funding application.
“When preparing the funding submission the whole school community came together to identify the school’s priorities to improve facilities which would directly benefit students’ educational experience,” said project coordinator Rosemary Torbay.
“Located in a partitioned space in the school’s library, the versatile ICT/Multimedia educational lab with an adjoining theatre space will provide students with an array of curriculum-based learning opportunities through performance and film projects.
“Students are now producing original products using film footage, computers and software in addition to the latest theatre technology to monitor sound and lighting.
“Portable flooring, partitions and interlocking stage boxes provide performers and student film crews with an authentic space to produce products which can then be shared with real audiences using the laptop, data projector, sound system and large portable screen.”