The Australian Bite

Students work for change & Sydney Olympics 10 years on

16 September 2010

Listen and download: MP3

This week on the Australian Bite, we meet some leaders of the future – young high school students who are determined to make a difference. We catch up with some students from a remote Central Australian community on their first visit to Australia’s largest city – Sydney –  and its many attractions.  And we ponder the Olympic legacy as Sydney celebrates the tenth anniversary of its very successful Olympic Games.

Students inspired to bring about change

The High Resolves Initiative is a not-for-profit, non-religious educational program that’s all about motivating high school students to see themselves as purposeful global citizens and giving them the skills they need to lead their communities and the world to a brighter future. It’s currently running in about 40 schools in Sydney and Melbourne, and students from these schools recently got together to share their ideas and experiences at the High Resolves summit – held at the Melbourne Convention Centre at the same time as the United Nations NGO conference on health and Millenium Development Goals.  Heather Jarvis spoke with Mehrdad Baghai, co-founder and co-chair of the High Resolves initiative, and Hornsby Girls’ High School Students Rhea Nair, Sarah Spencer, Cara van Wyk and Marthury Jayalingam.

You can find out more about the High Resolves Initiative at their website

Sydney reminisces on Olympic Anniversary

Last Wednesday marked the ten year anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Olympics – a time when Sydney’s transport system worked wel, when Sydneysiders were told NOT to go to work… And where the spirit of competition and fun enthused the city and the country. It was a great time for the athletes too, they chalked up Australia’s best ever total medal tally – 58 medals – 16 gold, 25 silver, 17 bronze – placing us fourth after the USA, Russia and China.  Ali Benton reports on the ten year anniversary.

Students rewarded with trip to big city lights

Reporter Barbara Miller catches up with a group of students from a remote community school west of Alice Springs who were visiting Sydney last week. The school’s principal, Darrell Fowler is credited with turning around Ntaria School in the past few years and the trip is something of a reward for the soaring attendance rates.

Watch a video report on the children’s trip broadcast on the 7.30 Report - at ABC news online

This audio report & transcript can be found at the ABC’s AM website

Music (not in podcast)

Sydneysider and former Australian idol finalist Lisa Mitchell sings Oh Hark! from her 2009 album Wonder.