WITH the help of a giraffe named Harold, children at Allansford and District Primary School are learning to make helpful, not harmful, choices.
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The school has been a big supporter of the Life Education program and on Thursday threw its support behind the program’s Warrnambool educator Emma Kirkham’s quest to complete 31 days switched off from social media.
Ms Kirkham is giving up social media for the month of October instead of alcohol as part of its Ocsober fundraising campaign that aims to reduce drug and alcohol-related harm among young people.
Ms Kirkham said while it was more common for people to give up alcohol for October people could choose to give up other “vices”.
“My aim is to raise $5000,” she said.
“I don’t drink alcohol and social media is a massive vice for some people.
“For some it’s the first thing they reach for in the morning.”
Ms Kirkham said a large outcry from social media prompted government funding to be reinstated for Life Education earlier this year.
“We got a lot of support on social media and we got the funding back,” she said.
“We get $500,000 in federal government funding. It costs $20 per student to do the program and the school’s contribute $9 to that cost. There are 720,000 children who participate in the program (across Australia).”
Ms Kirkham said fundraising was vital for the program to continue and all money raised through her Ocsober challenge would stay in the Warrnambool region.
“We need support to keep going,” she said,
“We’re a not-for-profit organisation. The kids love it and I love the reaction the kids give Harold.
“They absolutely adore him.”
Allansford and District Primary School principal Wes Allen said a lot of children had grown up with the Life Education van and it helped to stimulate health education in the classroom.
He said the program was an integral component of the school’s health education plan every year.
“We think it’s a great thing,” he said.
“As you can tell, this school loves the Life Ed van.”
Eleven-year-old Sarah Janes said the program provided relevant information in a safe environment.
Harry McLeod, 11, said the program helped students have a “healthy lifestyle and learn important things”.