School sport is about much more than what happens on the court. It is also about helping young people discover their interests, develop new skills, and find meaningful ways to contribute to their school and community.
At Chief Sunrise Education Centre, students are being encouraged to do exactly that.
The school has created an informal media program that gives students opportunities to learn photography, use 3D cameras, edit videos, and share the stories happening around them. During a recent volleyball tournament, CSEC student Jaynika Tourangeau picked up the school’s camera and photographed the action, celebrations, and connections throughout the event.
The students share the equipment and learn together. Their work is part of a larger effort at Chief Sunrise to foster student leadership by giving young people real responsibilities. Students can be paid for roles such as coaching, helping during lunch, mentoring younger students at Sandy Creek, and documenting school activities.
This approach recognizes that leadership can look different for every student. Some may lead on the court, while others find their place behind a camera, helping at an event, supporting younger students, or telling the stories of their community.
The opportunities are supported through the school’s Developing Personal Power initiative, with funding from Community Suicide Prevention and MusiCounts. Rik Leaf from Tribe of One also visits the school approximately twice each year for two-week blocks, helping students build skills and explore creative ways to express themselves.
NT School Sports is excited to continue working with Chief Sunrise and other schools to create similar opportunities through the Youth Photographer Initiative. The program gives young people experience covering school-sport events while helping them develop confidence, creativity, responsibility, and storytelling skills.
More Chief Sunrise student projects can be viewed on the Chief Sunrise Projects YouTube channel.
Thank you to Principal Deborah Reid and the Chief Sunrise team for investing in student leadership, and congratulations to Jaynika and all the students who are learning to tell the stories of their school and community through their own eyes.
