June 2002

Euroa students show how it’s done

You can do it—with persistence, organisation, confidence and a commitment to getting along.

Students at Euroa Secondary College discovered this when they created a mandala—a mystic symbol of the universe used by Buddhists as an aid to meditation—as a mental health promotion project.

Secondary School Nurse Fiona Cooper successfully applied for a State Government grant to display the mandala during National Youth Week.

The grant paid for materials and funded the appointment of community artist Leah Jones to teach the students felt-making.

Forty students from various year levels worked during six weeks to create the colourful mandala.

They made individual pre-felts, guided by Ms Jones, Ms Cooper, secondary school nurse and artist Annabelle Mort-Ayers and teachers Susan McLean and Gladys Sariusak.

They combined the individual pieces to complete the 2.5 metre square mandala.

Each corner of the mandala represented one of the qualities—persistence, organisation, confidence and getting together—needed for the you can do it project, emphasising that success is achievable.

Year 10 student Nicole Birch said she enjoyed the felt project because everyone worked together to help make the mandala.

‘It gave us a better understanding of what success is.’

• For more information on the mandala project contact Secondary School Nurse Fiona Cooper on 0407 843 257 or at the Benalla Office of the Department of Human Services, 26 Church Street, Benalla 3672.