³ÉÈ˶ÌƬ

Nestled on the border of our school lies a hidden gem, the 'Hillarys Community Garden'. What makes this gem truly special is that local residents volunteer their time to tend to the garden, and its produce is available to anyone who wants to partake.

Earlier this year, our school received a unique opportunity to contribute to the garden's charm. A proposal to paint a mural for the Community Garden emerged, and our Year 12 students jumped at the chance to give back to the community. And so, in conjunction with Whitford Family Centre, the planning and organisation began!

We enlisted the help of two of our wonderful parents, who also happen to be fabulous artists, Mrs Laurelee Riches-Depiazzi and Mrs Kathy Bierma, to bring the artistic vision to life. They generously volunteered their time and expertise to design a mural for our Year 12 students to paint. As a result, a beautiful piece of art has been created.

The colourful mural depicting an extension of the community garden with its passionfruit flowers, butterflies and ladybugs has been a true labour of love for our Year 12s. This project has been a learning experience and a platform for the students to leave a lasting mark on their community. Many students commented that they not only loved the opportunity to create something beautiful for our neighbours and give back to the community, but it also provided an outlet for them to escape the pressures of exams, study and class work.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dulux and Bunnings Wangara for providing the essential paint and supplies that have made this project possible. Special appreciation goes to Local Member for Hillarys, Caitlin Collins MLA, whose unwavering support played a pivotal role in making this vision a reality. It's the generosity of such individuals and companies that fuels community initiatives like this.

To mark the completion of the project, a special ceremony was held during the Whitford Family Centre Family Day on Sunday. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by Caitlin Collins, Mark van Winsen, our Head of Year 12, and Sally Hepworth from Dulux, was a wonderful occasion as we officially unveiled the finished mural. This mural is sure to become a cherished part of the Hillarys Community Garden for generations to come.

In the end, this mural is not just a piece of art but a symbol of our commitment to our local community and a source of pride for all involved. It's a legacy our Year 12s are proud to 'gift' to the community that will continue to inspire and delight all who visit the garden.