Kununurra DHS ECE Nature Playground

Helen Young is an Education Assistant at Kununurra District High School who teaches children with a variety of issues. Helen has a true passion for education and truly cares about her students well-being. She is also a loving mother and grandmother, and a dear friend to so many, always helping anyone in need. Helen has recently been diagnosed with a very rare form of blood cancer, so rare doctors don’t have a name for it. Time is precious and Helen wants to turn the tables on her illness and make a positive, long lasting impression on our students and school. 

Helen has decided to shave her hair to raise $60,000 so we can finish building two nature playgrounds at KDHS in the Early Childhood Education area and the Year 1/2 area, to give our Primary students access to nature play. This will enable over 800 primary students from Kindergarten to Year 6 to enjoy the benefits of playing in nature, including:

·         children becoming more resistant to stress creating a higher measure of self-worth, and with lower incidences of behavioural disorders, anxiety and depression;

·         a multitude of sensory benefits including water play, mud play, multi-textural experiences, imaginary play;

·         an increase in diversity, imagination and creation with play, leading to improved language and collaboration skills; and

·         extended learning about themselves, others and the environment.

 With a high number of Indigenous students and the increasing number of learning difficulties across the board, we believe nature play will provide them with more opportunities to learn outside of the classroom in an environment they are comfortable with. Nature Play will support and enhance the learning of these students.

 Helen’s generosity continues, as she intends on donating her luscious locks to Curly Sue’s, a business that creates wigs from real hair.

 In the words of Mick Jagger – anything worth doing is worth overdoing – so let’s do this!