By DAN RYAN
Cowra Public School students have thrown themselves into fundraising to ensure their upcoming excursion to Narrabeen is within reach for every family - with some help from the Cowra Men’s Shed and a lot of good old-fashioned dunking.
Excursions have long been seen as a rite of passage for schoolchildren, creating memories that last a lifetime. But with the rising costs of travel and tours, the price tag for such trips has become a major hurdle. For many families managing cost of living pressures, mounting expenses are a barrier to entry to see the institutions that govern, entertain and compete across Australia's wider student community.
Determined not to let that stand in their way, CPS students staged a fundraising day last Thursday, pulling in more than $4,198. The highlight? Watching teachers get dunked in the ice bucket challenge.
“Stage three students had a mini fete last Thursday to raise money for their excursion to Narrabeen,” CPS's Mrs Jenny Lewis Lewis said.
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“Top votes went to Mr Murray our deputy principal, Mrs Cassidy and Mrs Piccone. There were lots of squeals, the loudest from Mr Murray.”
Students ran the show from start to finish, giving them a sense of ownership in the effort. “It was not run just by the teachers, it was handed down and they got to sit down and watch,” said student Burke Smith.
On top of that, the Cowra Men’s Shed chipped in $500, easing the overall cost of buses and other expenses. Their contribution, paired with the students’ efforts, means the trip is now far more accessible across the school community.
“Buses are really expensive, excursions are a luxury now,” Mrs Lewis said. “I think back in the day they used to just be a rite of passage, but now it’s becoming more and more expensive to provide our kids with that opportunity and it’s a real equity issue for rural kids. We don’t have access to places that these facilities will provide at Narrabeen, so we have to really try our hardest to make sure that they can get there. A big part of that is fundraising so it’s affordable for families to be able to send their kids.”
The Men’s Shed said they were proud to support the initiative - and they’ve thrown down a challenge for others to follow suit.
“The Men’s Shed could issue a challenge to other community groups to match or exceed ours,” Robert Sansum said.
“The Men’s Shed is a charity, so it does well for us to behave in turn in a charitable manner.”
Cowra Public School says it will still welcome donations from businesses or community groups keen to get behind the effort.
“It’s out of reach for a lot of families, the cost of living is difficult, so as a school we make that commitment to make sure our kids don’t miss out because they live in a rural area,” Mrs Lewis said.
