Menindee Central School

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Students share cultural stories

An exchange program between a school in the state's far west and one in Sydney's northern suburbs is teaching students that their childhood experiences are very similar, despite their geographical separation.

The students of Menindee Central School, 110km south-east of Broken Hill, and the students of Lindfield East Public School participate in a bi-annual student shared experience.

"The Lindfield East students visit us twice a year due to the size of the school and the popularity of the program," said Menindee Central School Executive Principal Daryl Irvine.

"When they visit our students present to them about how important Aboriginal language is to them and what it means to their culture.

"Lindfield East has a high number of students with an Asian or Middle Eastern background and they do a presentation for us on their cultural background. It's a fascinating experience for both sets of students to hear about the other's culture.

"Some families will have a different sense of cultural identity, but when our students deliver a lesson based on their own culture it brings out a deep connection within that links to their language, the land. It really is something they get a lot out of and connect with."

It is often the first time that many of the students from both schools meet new people with such diverse backgrounds.

"Our students might have been to a Chinese restaurant in Broken Hill but that is as close as it gets to experiencing something from an Asian culture, so it's really powerful for them to hear more about these students and their background."

The open space in Menindee is also an eye-opener for the Lindfield East students.

"When they talk to the kids and see them on bikes down on the oval they are surprised to see there is a little more freedom in a country town for the local kids than they are used to," Mr Irvine said.

"But other than the geographical difference, they realise that there are a lot of similarities. They watch the same shows, listen to the same music, play sport, basically do all the same things kids do across the state."