SpringFest raffle helping get kids get to camp

ABOUT thirty kilometres south-east of Ballarat you’ll find picturesque Mount Egerton Primary School.

Even though there’s just 11 pupils, the school offers a full curriculum including reading, maths, vocabulary, PE, visual and performing arts, ICT, science, Japanese and respectful relationships.

Principal Tegan Bell said students at Mount Egerton are lucky enough to also have access to a bush classroom and, “We run a breakfast club twice a week, allowing students to enjoy a meal and socialise with one another.”

However, due to COVID-19, the students were unable to go on a school camp this year.

Ms Bell said that with the help of funding from the Ultimate Springfest Online Raffle they will be able to take the students on camp in 2021.

“Being a small school with limited funds, the donation will make such a difference in what we are able to offer our students,” she said.

“The contribution of funding from the Springfest raffle will help offset the cost of camp for families, enabling all students to have some fantastic out-of-classroom experiences.”

Mount Egerton Primary School usually teams up with other small schools to enrich the camping experience and usually rotates the camp year-on-year between the beach, the bush and the city.

“The students get to know others, build friendships and our grade 6 students get to know some of the other students they may be going off to high school with,” Ms Bell said.

Using funds raised from the Ultimate Springfest Online raffle, Mount Egerton Primary School hope to take the students to Melbourne in 2021.

“On every camp we see students really step out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves,” Ms Bell said.

“Staff love watching the development of interpersonal relationships between students from each of the schools, see leadership skills emerge and teamwork abilities shine through.”

The Ultimate Springfest Raffle closes on 29 November. There are 100 prize packs to be won, totalling $18,000 in value. All proceeds go to local community groups like the Mt Egerton Primary School. Tickets can be purchased at ballaratspringfest.com.au.

– BY NAOMI IRVIN