The annual Griffith University Deadly U Experience hosted 75 South East Queensland high school students at a three-day academic challenge which provided a hands-on, skills-building education showcase designed to enlighten students to their own academic potential.
The challenges were designed and guided by Griffith’s academic staff from fields of study such as Arts, Education, Law, Environment, Science, Business, Health, and Pharmacy.
“The three-day challenge ended with a showcase and three outstanding presentations won prizes,” said Indigenous Engagement Coordinator Zane Hendriks.
“This year, the Deadly U Experience introduced Year 8 First Nations students to the university environment to raise study aspirations early in their high school journey.
“We want students to feel a sense of achievement, and feel they have the potential to successfully engage with academia.
“Congratulations to all participants and to the group of students led by School of Pharmacy Associate Professor Fiona Kelly who won first place for their fabulous project idea ‘Remove Unwanted Medicine’ which aimed to teach the public how to dispose of unwanted and expired medicines safely.
“Griffith academic staff, GUMURRII Student Success staff and the Indigenous Engagement team did a wonderful job of mentoring the Deadly U participants through the research, ideation and planning stages of the project and guided them through to final presentations.”
Achieving second place with the School of Education and Professional studies challenge, a group of six students analysed and evaluated their current experiences with schooling to create ‘The ideal school: where everyone belongs’.
“It was so gratifying to see the students, not really knowing each other before arriving, gel together as a group and work collaboratively towards this goal,” said Education and Professional Studies Lecturer Dr Harry Kanasa.
“Some of the students were really nervous about public speaking but with support from the great facilitators, they were able to rise to the challenge.
“Our group prepared a 10-minute group presentation to politicians to present school values, a motto, policy, rules, subjects and a desktop size model of the school that clearly reflected their values and created the social and physical environment where students from diverse backgrounds felt safe, included and free to thrive.”
Director of First Peoples Health Unit (FPHU) Professor James Charles and the FPHU team led six students to research issues relating to health and nutrition with the health promotion challenge ‘How do we learn from the past to have healthy diet behaviours today?’.
“The First Peoples Health Unit team really supported the students, and it was great to see everyone working together,” Professor Charles said.
“Our team created a new healthy eating message for young First Nations peoples looking at native bush tucker from the past.
“The students did a fantastic job with the challenge, and we were very proud our team received third place in the final showcase.
“Our team proposed a fast-food outlet ‘Deadly Burger’ using Aboriginal slang ‘deadly’ (meaning great) in the slogan, ‘Remember, Deadly Burger, faster than a Roo’, and incorporated the Aboriginal flag colours in the logo.
“The students created a signature burger, ‘Big Red Roo Burger’, and a lemon myrtle drink which was healthy and delicious.”