Navy Domestic Engagement Program (NDEP) and HMAS Stirling personnel recently attended a Friendly and Fun Fair held at Endeavour Primary School on Tuesday, 9th April 2013.
The annual Family and Fun Fair promotes the Buddy System, an anti-bullying program within the primary school where a younger student buddies up with an older student for the duration of the day and together they undertake various challenges.
Domestic Engagement Coordinator Chief Petty Office Toni Ralph said with 10 per cent of the school’s students belonging to Navy families, the NDE team members and sailors from HMAS Stirling were right at home.
“We showed children, both familiar and not familiar with Defence or Navy just what it is that we do on a daily basis,” she said.
“We encouraged the older students in the buddy pairs to teach and support the younger students to carry out activities that they had not previously done before like using a fire extinguisher.”
To showcase a variety of Navy equipment, Navy Police Coxswains taught students how speed guns worked and showed students through the Naval Police vehicles. Survival at sea equipment such as life rafts and life jackets were also demonstrated to students by members of the Ship Safety and Survivability School.
Endeavour Primary’s Defence School Transition Aide School, Mrs Sharon Lamont said that the Navy display was once again a favourite amongst the children.
“The children love the interaction with Navy members,” she said.
“For students not from military families, Navy involvement helps them understand what the families of their classmates do and what the Navy is all about.”
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Naval Today Staff, April 17, 2013; Image: