St Patrick’s Primary School, Cessnock
Cessnock celebrated the day with a Walkthon followed by a Funathon. All students got into the spirit of things by dressing up in everything green and adorning themselves with anything Irish.
The day started with a beautiful liturgy presided over by Parish Priest, Fr James Lunn where families joined in on the celebrations. The school canteen also sold an array of green sweets and eats which fascinated the students.
The Walkathon saw students from Years 3 to 6 trek 2kms to the local Turner Park and back, where they participated in a variety of tabloid activities. In the lead up the event students found people to sponsor their walk to help raise money to upgrade the technology across the school.
While the infant students remained within the school grounds for their Walkathon and Funathon, they also participated in a number of fun activities including baking biscuits with green icing.
"It was a very exciting but exhausting day all round with the spirit of good old St Patrick very much alive and well at Cessnock," said Principal Maree Jones.
St Patrick’s Primary School, Lochinvar
The Lochinvar school community celebrated the Feast Day with a sea of green.
Dressed in all shades of green, Year 4 students and teachers led the community in a beautiful liturgy.
“We were reminded that ‘Christ is the light of our life’ as Year 4 used freeze frames to demonstrate how to live out the Gospel message that St Patrick shared,” said Maryanne Hacker, Religious Education Coordinator at Lochinvar.
Individual classes completed a variety of activities related to St Patrick including the use of the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity, just as St Patrick did with the people of Ireland.
The canteen continued the green theme by selling cupcakes and jelly cups which were thoroughly enjoyed by the students – and a fun-filled day for all.
St Patrick’s Primary School, Swansea
It was a sea of shillelaghs, shamrocks and shenanigans as the Swansea community celebrated the patron saint, St Patrick.
After the morning liturgy where students and staff reflected on the qualities of St Patrick that make him such an ideal patron saint for the school, family members who attended wandered through the classrooms where students showcased their work.
The infant students, on the other hand, enjoyed playing games and challenges such as “pin the shamrock on the leprechaun”, “pot of gold toss” and “Irish hot potato” while the senior students worked hard in the shamrock salon painting faces and fingernails.
The winners of the annual St Patrick’s Day art competition were announced after a sausage sizzle for lunch.
“Our school community came dressed in green and donated a gold coin where the proceeds from the day-long sale of green reached $433.
“This funds raised will be forwarded to Project Compassion, Caritas Australia’s annual Lenten appeal, to help end poverty, to promote justice and to uphold people’s dignity,” said Principal, Peter Green.
“Our sincere thanks to the staff and parents of St Patrick’s who worked so hard to make this annual event such a wonderful day.”
St Patrick’s Primary School, Wallsend
Over in Wallsend, the school held a ‘fabulous fun day’ to raise funds for Project Compassion.
Students made a gold coin donation so they could come to school dressed in green – and out of uniform - for the day.
One of the highlights of the day was the ‘St Pat’s lunch deal’ provided by the canteen.
Other fun activities run by the Stage 3 students included – knock-em downs, treasure hunts, coin tosses, green hair sprays, green nail painting, pie face, a talent quest, guessing competitions and bottle flips!
The Parents & Friends Association also made sham-o-grams for parents to purchase for their child and classmates.
Thanks to all the activities, the school raised a massive $1,350 for Project Compassion.
To finish the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the school community came together for a whole-school parish Mass on Monday morning.
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