Busking for Change
Last Thursday afternoon, Year 4 took to the stage with two Australian icons; singer, songwriter and author Josh Pyke, and singer, actress and Play School host, Justine Clarke. Bringing song, music and language to the stage, the girls celebrated their participation in a new initiative for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), Busking For Change!
Just like a real concert, tickets were sold and there was even a range of merchandise made by the students to give the concert an extra authentic feel! There were stickers, key rings, bookmarks, bracelets, posters and even signed photos by Josh and Justine!
Developed by Josh Pyke, the idea behind Busking For Change is simple; learn to sing, play and dance to a particular song, and when it’s been mastered, ‘busk’ or performing it, to raise money for the ILF. The 2022 song is titled “Words Make the World go Around” and was written by Josh and Justine with boys and girls, just up the hill at the Gawura school. To celebrate the first year of UNESCO’s Decade of Indigenous Languages, Year 4 were also encouraged to learn to sing the song in an Indigenous language, learning the whole song in Kriol.
To support their fundraising efforts, Year 4 aren’t just hosting last week’s concert, the song is designed to be shared, and that’s exactly what they’re going to do! They will continue to hone their performance skills and are going to record a Film Clip, and they’d love your support! If you make a donation to their fundraising page, when the Film Clip is complete, they will share it with you!
Just like with The Great Book Swap, all the money raised from the Busking For Change will support the ILF in continuing their mission to help instil a love of reading in young children and gift culturally appropriate books to rural communities.
Following the concert, the girls are so excited to share that the current fundraising total is over $5100!
A huge thank you goes to Mrs Cleworth! Without her, Year 4 wouldn’t have achieved any of this! She has supported the girls every step of the way and embedding the song into both music and choir lessons.
Thank you also goes to Mrs Siljanovska for choreographing the movement and Mrs Blakeway and Ms Boatswain for their support and encouragement with merch and posters!
Lastly, Year 4 want to thank YOU; all the girls, families, and Year 4 parents, who generously donated via the concert ticket link or through gold coins last week. Without you the girls wouldn’t have raised this fantastic amount for the ILF! Thank you!
Rebecca Woodcock
Acting Head of Student Wellbeing (Primary School)
