Across the partnerships this term, stories shaped how students, staff and communities learned from one another. At Wugularr School and Woodleigh, students shared stories demonstrating traditional art techniques, fished together and later camped at the cultural site of the waterfall, continuing their learning through experience and connection to Country. Workshops in weaving, clapstick making, didgeridoo making and storytelling, led by local Elders and community members, encouraged meaningful cross-cultural exchange.

In the Ti Tree School and Meriden School partnership, the community see their girls step into leadership when they guide the Meriden students and share what they know. These moments carry culture forward, build confidence, and help the girls see their place in leading the next generation.

“We see the big girls helping out the little ones, they are like their sisters, this is what we really like about the trip. We take the Meriden girls out on Country, on a bush trip, to teach them about bush medicine, bush food, how to find water, how to see time by looking at the shadow, tracking – animal. We also go camping with Ti Tree and Meriden girls, we cook roo tails and damper and tell stories, sitting around camp fire.” – Aunty April, Ti Tree.

In the Tennant Creek High and Shore School partnership, families and Elders took part in community conversations and the cook-up, speaking about what belonging means, what they value about Warumungu Country and what they want for their young people. Across these settings, stories carried the learning, grounding each exchange in lived experience and helped everyone understand each other a little more.