January / February 2018 REPORT Best You Can Be School Diary The St George Illawarra Dragons, in conjunction with R.I.C. Publications, are once again very excited about our 2017 The Best You Can Be Student Diary. 40 schools, over 200 classrooms, will use the 2018 Best You Can Be school diary. As we know, sport can be very effective in achieving social change, especially in youth. Our players understand they are in a unique position where they can promote and encourage, directly or indirectly, the physical, cultural and intellectual welfare of young people in our community. The Dragon's school diary, The Best You Can Be supports our aim of encouraging youth to make positive choices around health, education and social issues. The resource has a weekly focus and a tip for students to follow. Dragon's players give comments of encouragement throughout the book. We have received very positive feedback from many schools over the past five years in regard to the diary. After an evaluation process, which involved bringing together nine expert teachers, we made some changes in the design and content of our 2018 diary. In support of schools using the diary, Dragons will: 1. Attend those schools within their catchment which use the diary and conduct specific classroom lessons on particular focuses/topics from the diary. Schools can elect the topic/s or the Dragons will align their lesson with reference to the date attending. 2. Supply ideas on best practice based on feedback from teachers using the 2017 diary. 3. Support disadvantaged schools with subsidized assistance. 4. Create a Dragons Best You Can Be group of schools. These schools will receive additional support and a platform for sharing school activities, etc. This will include: Schools receiving additional assistance in support of school activities, functions A platform to showcase Health and Wellbeing programs
A database of Best You Can Be teachers through which we can share and receive information about best practices, ongoing tips, successful activities etc. Our community and development team will visit each school/classroom in Term 1 and again in Term 2 or Term 3. Schools involved are listed below. Highlighted schools are those visited in February. Ajuga PS Hayes Park PS Peakhurst PS Barrack Heights Helensburgh PS Port Kembla PS Batemans Bay Huskisson PS Sanctuary Point PS Berkeley PS Hurstville Adventist PS Scarborough PS Berkeley West PS Jervis Bay PS Tathra PS Bega Valley PS Keiraville PS Tullimbar PS Bellambi PS Kemblawarra PS Towradgi PS Bomaderry PS Koonawarra PS The Oaks PS Carlton South PS MaCarthur Adventist College Waniora PS Coledale PS Mogo PS Warilla North PS Eden PS Nowra East PS Warrawong PS Gerringong PS Oatley PS Warrawong HS Gwynneville PS Otford PS Woonona PS Dragons Resign Kezie Apps and Samantha Bremner as Ambassadors The Dragons are proud of its positive contributions to the growth of female participation and have had extensive, planned strategic cycles over the past 18 years, resulting in a demonstrated history of growth and opportunity since the year 2000. Since 2016, Jillaroos Kezie Apps and Samantha Bremner have been employed by the Dragons as Ambassadors. Their varied roles include working in schools, with junior leagues and with our representative women s teams. Their impact has been extremely successful and such initiatives emphasise our claim as a leader in providing sustained, successful and viable initiatives in the growth and opportunity for female development and participation. Part of the Dragons overarching strategy, in the growth of female participation, has been the engagement, consultation and employment of females in the execution of our initiatives. This has been an integral component in our aim to provide young girls and young women with role models they can aspire to. The Dragons, since 2014, have utilised the support of many high profile sporting women to acknowledge and ambassador our programs and competitions. These include: Kezie Apps Australian Jillaroo Samantha Bremner Australian Jillaroo Emma McKeon Australian Olympic Swimming Champion Grace Stewart Australian Olympic Hockey Representative Sally Fitzgibbons Australian/World Surfing Champion Josie Talbot World Junior Cycling Champion Stephanie Magiros Australian Winter Olympic Snowboarding
Dragons Promote Wellbeing - Blitz & 'Best of Both Worlds Tour' Each year the St George Illawarra Dragons travel throughout the Illawarra, South Coast and St George regions for their annual community blitz. In 2018, in the Illawarra, South Coast, the Dragons were joined by the Wigan Warriors and Hull FC for the 'Best of Both Worlds' community day. Together the players visited a total of 39 schools and culminated with fan engagement days at Wollongong's Lang Park and Kiama's Black Beach. Players and Dragons staff were joined by NRL Game Development Officers in delivering the Dragons Wellbeing Program in an interactive assembly format. The focus of the assemblies is on the importance of nutrition, belonging and respect. By the end of February, we will have visited over 70 schools, conducted Come and Try afternoons at 7 of our junior clubs and held Fan Engagement sessions at Wollongong, Kiama and Mudgee. Schools visited across February (Greater Mudgee Area schools highlighted) Al Zahra PS Helensburgh PS Dunedoo Central Brighton Le Sands PS Coledale PS Kandos PS St Raphael s PS Corrimal PS St Michael s Dunedoo Carlton PS Waniora PS Rylstone PS Oatley PS Woonona PS Coolah Central Carlton South PS Gwynneville PS Sacred Heart Coolah Hannan s Road PS Keiraville PS Cooerwull PS Penshurst West PS Lindsay Park PS Lithgow PS Riverwood PS Mt St Thomas PS St Patricks Lithgow Athelstane PS Wollongong West PS Wallerawang PS Arkanna College Berkeley West PS Mudgee PS Kingsgrove PS Port Kembla PS St Matthew s Mudgee Oatley West PS Warrawong PS Mudgee HS Hurstville Adventist PS St Bigids Gwynneville Cudgegong Valley PS St Collumkilles Corrimal Gulgong PS Flinders PS St Michael s Thirroul All Hallows Gulgong Shell Cove PS Dapto PS Albion Park PS Hayes Park PS Mt Terry PS Balarang PS Koonawarra PS Bomaderry PS Gerringong PS Mt Brown PS Cambewarra PS Jamberoo PS Cedars College Falls Creek PS Minnamurra PS Barrack Heights PS Nowra East PS Narareth Shellharbour St Johns Dapto St Pauls Albion Park Corrimal East PS Towradgi PS
Dragons Support Australia Day Aquathon For the 8 th consecutive year, the St George Illawarra Dragons were on hand to support this now well celebrated local event. A big thanks to the huge contingent of Illawarra Steelers SG Ball players who got up bright and early to lend a hand with the kids in the Kidz Aquafun The Kidz Aquafun is about encouraging ALL kids to have a go, with participation the main theme. The lads demonstrated encouragement first hand joining the young competitors along the run leg and giving the little champions more motivation along the way to complete the course, many of whom were first time entrants. Along with the satisfaction of completing the Aquathon, all KidsAqua participants were given a Dragons water bottle or pencil case on completion. Indigenous Youth Summit Dragons visit WIN Stadium The St George Illawarra Dragons recently hosted the 2018 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League Youth Summit participants from the South Coast region at WIN Stadium. The Dragons representatives Morgan Blakeney, Maya Wills and Tarlay Trindall were introduced to the club School 2 Work project officer Scott Morgan, Dragons NRL player Josh Kerr and community manager Paul Everill. They were given a tour of the training facilities at WIN Stadium as well as around the media quarters. Josh provided the participants insight into the importance of their culture and spoke about how to embrace this opportunity to be proud of who they are as they represent the community and their families in the Festival of Indigenous Rugby League Celebrations in Sydney. Further congratulations to Maya Wills who returned from the summit proudly being named as Youth Summit Ambassador of the Year. Family, school (Nowra High), School to Work officer Scott Morgan and the Dragons pass on their congratulations. The NRL School 2 Work Program, with the support of the Dragons and the federal government continue to support real change for aboriginal and Torres Strait islander students as they make the challenging transition from year 12 onto further education and employment. The commitment to promote and support these programs and work towards closing the gap in indigenous employment and education outcomes is making real change in the community.
Dragons Come and Try Rugby League Days As mentioned earlier, the Dragons NRL squad supported seven St George Junior Rugby League Come and Try school afternoons. All Come and Try events were organised at local schools. A parent information tent was also organised which allowed parents to chat to staff and players about all aspects of junior league including, Safe Play, junior club information, Dragons Junior league journal and Dragons educational programs such as RESPECT. Kezie joins Dragon s Community Team Jillaroo and Dragons Ambassador Kezie Apps joins the Dragons Community team as a part time community and development officer. Kezie will work with our community and development officers helping facilitate our various school and junior league programs. Kezie will also, as part of her role, have opportunities to work with our female high performance teams (Tarsha Gale Cup teams) Paul Everill Community and Development Manager