Mt Carmel Catholic School held a fundraising market on Friday in support of the Project Compassion fundraiser. Organised by a team of dedicated Year Six students, the fundraiser collected a total of $1,625, an impressive effort, as noted by Assistant Principal Mrs Jan Harvey, who oversees the student representative council. This includes supporting students with fundraising initiatives and organising house spirit challenges to enhance student wellbeing.
“It was amazing, we raised $1,625. Not bad for year six kids organising it,” she said. Year six teachers Miss Jade Rayner and Mrs Esther Glover also greatly supported their students in bringing the Project Compassion market together.
The traditional ‘guess the lollies in the jar’ competition is a favourite
The market included a Mother’s Day hamper raffle, as well as various treats/sweets-focused stalls such as a fairy floss stall, lucky lollypops, cake stalls, and lolly wheels. Sweets were not the only stalls available, with treasure digs and an op-shop-style stall also present. Many of the sweets were made by students, staff, and parents, such as the fairyfloss and popcorn. Families also donated generously, especially towards the highly successful Mother’s Day stall.
Mt Carmel was full of excitement in the lead-up to the market after students and teachers spent roughly a term in advance developing the project. Their efforts and expectations were hugely rewarded with a great experience for the whole school community.
“It’s the preparation, the lead-up, anticipation, that’s the excitement,’’ said Mrs Harvey. “It’s been magnificent, the kids have just been so excited about this, it’s been fabulous.”
Mrs Harvey explained that Mt Carmel has run similar markets in the past but never on the scale achieved on Friday, and not since before Covid. “It was really nice for the kids to have that opportunity once again.”
The student effort behind the event was praised by teachers. “It’s been a project the student representative council first came up with,” said Mrs Harvey. “All of [the stalls] are organised by a group of year six students, our year six leaders were in charge of the fundraiser and they organised it all themselves.’’
The $1,625 raised will go towards Project Compassion, which is run by the Catholic charity organisation Caritas Australia. Mrs Harvey explained every year during Lent and after Easter, the school raises money for Project Compassion. Caritas uses these funds in its outreach program helping people overseas. This year the money will be received by those in Nepal, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, and Indigenous groups.
The cause is highly relevant to Mt Carmel’s values as a Catholic school and connects the school to its wider parish community in a joint fundraising effort.
“As a Catholic school, we really try to fundraise for Catholic institutions that provide great charity and social justice. It’s a really powerful project to be involved with,’’ said Mrs Harvey.
“It also links us with our parish as well, at St Augustine, because they have project compassion boxes,’’ she continued. “It’s a really big part of our fundraising calendar.”
Photo at top of Abby McEvoy & Mia Pholi
Griffin Palen
