Northern Territory

Life Education recently received a letter from the School Captain of Bakewell Primary School, Shay-lee Wadwell, telling us about a visit by the Mobile Learning Centre and Healthy Harold to her school. Shay-lee writes:

Hey Everyone. My name is Shay-lee Wadwell. I am Bakewell Primary School’s Captain for 2010. Just recently at our school, we had the Healthy Harold Life Education Van come to teach all of our students about how to have a happy and healthier life. Life Education talks about how drugs, alcohol and smoking can affect your life forever.

So when the time came for my Class 6 Usher to go in the van and start learning, I was so excited because my big sister Jessica, 23, and I have been seeing Healthy Harold since we were in Pre-School and we love him! So when my class and I were standing outside to go in, a lady walked out. Her name was Suzi. She welcomed us then said “Come on in!”.  So I pushed my class mates out of the way and went in first! They all looked at me and thought I was going crazy but I wasn’t!

So we were all sitting in the van in a squrcle, (square+circle) when Suzi then said “To start off the lesson, we are going to be playing State Of Origin. So we all had to get into the state teams. There was Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. I was in Western Australia. After that, each team had a challenge to complete. There was Count the Drinks, Fill in The Story, Effects of Drinking, True or False facts about Drinking and lots of other challenges. At the end South Australia ended up winning.

Then after we had finished, we played bingo with the body parts and that was fun! While we were doing that, we were all asking questions. After awhile, Suzi threw a heart from Tina the demo body onto my lap and when I picked it up I was like ewwwwwwwwwww!! So I just gave it to one of my friends.

After we finished bingo, we then watched some movies about kids sneaking alcohol to parties, adults drinking too much and parents driving straight after drinking. So after watching those movies, it was sadly time to go back to class, but before we did we saw HEALTHY HAROLD!!! We got to pat him and then we got a sticker. After that, we went back to class.

During recess, I caught up with Suzi and said “Hi”. I told her how much I enjoyed the Life Ed session and that my big sister Jessica and I have been seeing him ever since we were in Pre-School! So then Suzi asked if I would like to do her a favour and I said “Yes!”. She asked me if I would like to write an article for the Life Education Newspaper and of course I said yes. I was so excited!!

My reason for writing this article is to let young people know that just because you have never been to a Life Ed session, it doesn’t mean it won’t be fun. I used to think that it was boring but I love it because as well as learning you have so much fun. It is also a way to meet new friends and have fun with the activities that they might have.

I think that Life Education is the best learning task that has ever some into to my life. I always thought to myself “Aahhhh, I don’t need to know that stuff yet! I am too young!” but I was so wrong. It is SO important to teach us young kids NOW so that when we grow up to be adults, we will be sensible about drinking, by not going over the limit and then driving, not smoking if your friends tell you to or you think it is cool and NEVER take drugs no matter what people say. My mum used to tell me that people who take drugs, smoke and drink everyday have a chance of not living for very long time.

I hope my article has convinced most of you to be careful with your lives because once you’re gone, there is no way of coming back. So if the Life Ed people come to you school or community event, and you think it is going to be boring, just have a go and try it. You will find that you will leave that van so much more educated than before you went in. I can promise you that!