Athol Road Primary students represent different corners of the globe daily, but went above and beyond to mark the start of the Olympic Games.
An Olympic torch made its way through the school from Wednesday 27 July to an opening ceremony celebration on Friday 5 August, where student Kimngy used it to light a cauldron.
Assistant principal Carmel Nigro said each learning space in the school supported and represented a different country at the event.
The administration area took on Brazil, the kindergarten had Cambodia, and foundation students supported China.
Year 1 represented Germany, Year 2 had Great Britain, Year 3 Australia, Year 4 New Zealand, Year 5 Italy, Year 6 France and the specialists banded together for Canada.
“Each area dressed in the colours of their country’s flag,” she said.
“We had each area participate in the parade of their country with a flag bearer while playing the national anthem of their country.
“A student representative then spoke about their chosen country – facts about the country and facts about the Olympic players from their country.”
The school band performed a tribute song followed by the junior and senior choir singing I believe I can Fly.
To conclude the opening ceremony, the whole school community sang I am Australian.
“It was such a beautiful moment to see our diverse school community singing the song together,” Ms Nigro said.
“Just the lyrics alone are so powerful – ‘we are one, but we are many, and from all the lands on earth we come, we’ll share a dream, and sing with one voice, I am, you are, we are Australian’.
“The song acknowledges and celebrates the diversity of our country which truly reflects our multicultural school community.”
