Desperate Measures to Get Outback Kids to School

Who did what, where, when, and why it matters. Jeremy Auld, known as Mr Jeremy, is a principal and bus driver who travels a dirt track in outback Australia, collecting students for St Therese's Community Parish School. The school has 34 students, 32 of whom are Indigenous, and Jeremy Auld is trying to turn Wilcannia's reputation around.

Despite hardships, desert heat, and remoteness, the schoolyard has infinite hope within it. Hope is also what's inked on the side of the St Therese's school bus. The school's motto is: "We are the hope of the future, let's get educated."

Mr Jeremy said many students face a big challenge of poverty and the community is quite isolated. But despite the challenges, Aboriginal education officers like Casey Harris have been working to support the students. Casey Harris has worked as an Aboriginal education officer at St Therese's for 11 years, taking over from her mother.

According to the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, St Therese's and the Wilcannia Central School both had an attendance of under 65 percent in semester one last year. That sits well below the New South Wales state annual average of 88 percent. Data also shows that the schools are some of the most socio-educationally disadvantaged schools in the country.

Along with the multiple bus runs and a quirky circus program designed for children, St Therese's also provides free breakfast to encourage students to attend school. Mr Jeremy said many report that they might not get enough meals when they're at home or during the holidays. The supermarket in town does a good job, but some prices are high due to the cost of transporting produce to the outback.

He said many people look at the fresh food options and aren't really sure what they can prepare or how to use them. Quite often, they try to include traditional foods, like kangaroo and emu, and it's quite often a big community event when that's happening, and it's really special.

In Wilcannia, the community is working together to support the students and provide them with the best possible education. The town of 700 is home to the St Therese's school, which has a motto that reflects the community's determination to build a better future: "We are the hope of the future, let's get educated." This motto is emblazoned on the side of the school bus.

Jeremy Auld, the school's principal, is a key figure in the community's efforts to improve education. He is also a bus driver who travels the dirt tracks surrounding Wilcannia to collect students for school. As the principal, Mr Jeremy knows the challenges that many of his students face. Many of them have a big challenge of poverty and the community is quite isolated, he said.

Despite hardships, the school has been able to establish a number of programs that have made a difference in the lives of its students. The school's education program extends beyond the classroom, with an initiative called On-Country Learning. On-Country Learning takes kids out and supports them in getting to know their environment and their culture.

The St Therese's school bus has a motto that reflects the community's determination to build a better future. The motto "We are the hope of the future, let's get educated" is also a reminder that the community is working together to support the students.

Additional Context

Australia's Indigenous population has historically faced challenges in accessing quality education. In recent years, schools like St Therese's have been working to address these inequalities by providing culturally responsive education programs. The innovative approaches to education in Wilcannia take on new significance in this context.