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Over Term 2, the children in the ELC have been learning about the disposition of perseverance as part of embedding Building Purposeful Lives (BPL) into our program. Our team of educators in the ELC share with the children that perseverance means to keep trying, not to give up. For our news time this term we have encouraged children to persevere in a self-help skill for which they often ask for help with. We have seen children learn how to put on their own socks and shoes, pack their own lunch box, take their jumper off and pack away their toys at home. We have celebrated with the children these huge achievements and seeing what a little bit of perseverance can change for their self-awareness and independence.

With the Olympics coming up we are hearing some stories about some Aussie athletes who have needed to persevere through hardship and injury and have now been successful in being selected for the Australian team. I recently heard of one athlete who is waiting to hear about final selection having overcome a traumatic brain injury from a fall as part of her training as a triathlete. Alexa Leary spent six months in hospital
and had to learn how to walk and talk again however posted the fastest time for the 50m freestyle in the S9 classification in the recent swimming trials. I’ll be cheering for Alexa in the upcoming Paris Olympics as someone who epitomises perseverance.

I enjoy long distance running and even though I may not be fast, the endurance of running half marathons has built a level of perseverance in me that I am keen to see grow. I challenged myself at the start of the year to complete 5 half marathons and I am currently successful in three from five. The training in between events has required perseverance in getting out of bed on cold mornings and in pushing through when all I wanted to do was give up. One thing I appreciate about the running community is the level of encouragement and inspiration for each other from holding up placards during a race and cheering on all the runners to the finish line.

Being a runner, one of my favourite verses in the Bible is from Philippians 3:13-14 which talks about forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, pressing on towards the goal which God is calling me. For the students in our College, this could look like doing the hard work in order to receive good results or volunteering to be part of a project that challenges current skill level. I also consider our students heading to Fiji mission which may require perseverance to complete some tasks. Not all of us are called by God to go to the Olympics but we are all called by God for a unique purpose and perseverance will be needed in order to press on towards the goal.

Suzi Scott
Director of Early Learning and OSHC