In the first week of September, Year 11 First Nations boys at Scotch rallied the school community through a Footy Boots Drive, supporting the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program in Central Australia. The drive was an overwhelming success, with donations including sporting boots and runners – testament to the generosity and support of our school community.
The Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program is a community-driven initiative designed to empower Indigenous youth through the combined forces of sport, education and cultural connection. The program operates primarily in Central Australia, offering young people a safe and supportive environment where they can engage in positive activities that build their confidence, resilience and life skills.
By fostering a sense of community and belonging, the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program is helping to shape the next generation of leaders and role models within Indigenous communities.
At the conclusion of the Footy Boots Drive at a Memorial Hall Assembly in the Senior School, we were lucky to have ambassadors of the program – AFL legends Gilbert McAdam and Ken Hunter, as well as Alice Springs senior physician Peter Wirth (’79) – on hand to accept the donations.
Gilbert McAdam delivered a moving speech from the heart in the Memorial Hall, where he spoke of his lived experience as a young boy from the Alice, the current disadvantages faced by many Indigenous people in Central Australia, and that something as small as a pair of footy boots would not just make a little boy’s day – it would make him burst into tears. It would give him a start in life and empower him.
First Nations kids in Central Australia deserve better – they can succeed given half a chance – and supporting initiatives like this can change mindsets and create pathways. Those were the takeaways from Gilbert’s address.
This endeavour by our First Nations boys is a powerful example of how we at Scotch have united for a greater purpose. It is also a great example of how our boys are committed to shaping a better future. Through the collective generosity of students, staff and families, we have come together to support Redtails Pinktails, a cause that aligns with this school’s valuing of service to others, and unity.
Just as the Cardinal Thread ties us all together, this initiative demonstrates how we can unite our strengths to have a meaningful impact beyond the Monash Gates – united in the journey to shaping a better future.
Dion Whitfield (’22)
First Nations Support Program, Academic Tutor
