Well, the chairs and tables are packed away, the pens are in their cups and the books are back on their shelves and the SAIL venues are unusually quiet, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to reflect on the amazing year that was from a wholeSAIL perspective.

Highlights from SAIL Footscray

SAIL’s fourth birthday.

SAIL celebrated its fourth birthday in style, with a showcase of performances by our very own, very talented SAILors. It was an immensely successful day, with everything from crazy circus feats of bravery, to rappers with ‘tude, to copious cake! SAILors were treated to an amazing performance by Ajak Kwai, Tasmania’s Sudanese singing sensation. Once again, an incredible effort was made for a wholeSAIL photo – 15 minutes, 500 people, three photographers, two campuses, and one brilliant set of photos! We can only hope next year’s celebrations are as successful!

Clowning around

SAIL Xtend continued this year under the steady guidance of Caitlin N. SAILors had the chance to make jewelry, redesign the mural in the hall and develop their hockey skills. Even the recorder was offered which- inexplicably- was popular and apparently ‘cool’. Times have changed! We hope everyone enjoyed the lunchtime drumming performance, in which participants showcased their drumming skills learnt during Drumming Xtend.

With the guidance of the Westside Circus, dozens of our students also trained in the art of circus. While we swapped throwing knifes for throwing plates, 10 meter high trapezes for soft mats, and juggling fire for catching tennis balls, their many performances were nonetheless thrilling! Members of the SAIL Circus Troupe showcased their skills at SAIL’s birthday celebrations, and also at The Welcome Day in Maribyrnong.

SAIL Senior students also had the opportunity to participate in a Senior Xtend short course of sorts. A parenting program was run by Margaret C., a long time SAILor and once Senior SAILor herself. This program was immensely successful and culminated in a performance at the Footscray Arts Centre in which both students from Western English Language School and parents from SAIL were involved.

That’s a rap

SAIL’s group of talented rappers gave several performances at SAIL and in the community throughout year. While SAIL currently exists as a humble community-based not-for-profit organisation, we are confident that we’ll end up rich and famous on the coat tails of these superstars. The highlight was a group led by Ezeldin and Francis breaking it down (we think that’s appropriate rap lingo) on the main stage at Highpoint in October. They’re happy to give autographs (which may not be free for much longer)!

World Cup ’06 anyone?

A dedicated group of Under 17 boys participated each week in a soccer league as part of the Richmond Soccer club, with Harry C. as their coach. This was a fantastic opportunity for participating in competitive soccer, and each player’s skills developed immensely as a result.

SAIL away with me!

SAILors big and small continued to SAIL About Melbourne on various excursions this year. Notable highlights include trips to Rove Live, Sista She’s ‘Local Ladies’ performance, the circus, the zoo, the football, the movies and many, many more! Saturday SAIL time opportunities included tree-planting in Sunshine by the creek, and also the Nyet Nyet performance, involving puppets used to tell indigenous Australian stories. The SAIL About opportunities have been increased due to the dedicated team of About volunteers that we have had this year. We look forward to another big year of SAILing About in ’06!

A Clause for applause.

SAIL has been visited by many celebrities in its time, but none as big as Santa! Dodging questions about why Santa had a blue stomach, and how could he see without his glasses, Santa patiently made sure that each student received their present. Santa was so impressed, he’s already asking Mrs. Clause to pencil in a visit for next year!

A change at the helm

Will’s time as Campus Coordinator ended as Cam’s began. We look forward to starting the new SAIL year under the direction of the new navigating team - Cait and Cam.

Highlights from SAIL Dandenong

SAIL Dandenong began its second year with energy and smiles as the Dandy SAIL community reunited after an extended Christmas break - we were sure that every one of our students had grown at least 6 inches!

While the students may not have grown quite that much, Dandy SAIL definitely has, in fact we've doubled our numbers. February 2005 began with 34 tutors and 45 students; we ended the year with 91 students and 62 volunteers; SAIL's relentless birth rate accounts for only a small number in this increase. In particular the Senior program has established itself strongly with about 10 regular mums in attendance.

Week five celebrations have been a big part of the year, beginning with the wonderful Polyglot puppet-making work-shop, and followed by the Sudanese dancing and feast, the fire-brigade visit, the soccer clinic, the West African drummers and the immensely popular trip to the beach - we thought we'd never get the kids out of the water. The cyclical themes have been a great success again this year and have introduced some novel learning tools including googly amoeba toys and mini-greenhouses!

One of the major highlights of 2005 (aside from Joy's weekly treats in the kitchen) has been the construction and opening of our library. This small space is gradually becoming the hub of the SAIL session on Saturdays, with more and more students and tutors discovering the wonderful world of books and resources that lies there. In 2006, the library will also become the heart of the Reading Program, with all the readers and student progress sheets stored there.

A couple of months ago eight of our students and two tutors were treated to the live puppet stage show 'Possum Magic' based on the children's book by Mem Fox. This lovely program has been the stimulus for many letters, drawings and posters many of which have been on display on the notice board.

Overall it has been a fabulous year for the Dandy SAIL Program, with many wonderful new tutors and students joining us. Meanwhile we've been continuously inspired by the energy, spirit, resilience and dignity of our courageous Sudanese SAILors.

Highlights from SAIL Altona

The highlight for the SAIL Altona campus this year was that we started the Altona campus. It is arguable that without this pivotal event there would not be much else to report.

From small beginnings, SAIL Altona has grown into yet another throbbing heart of SAIL activity. With its own library, computer lab and kitchen (complete with electric knife and electric shutters), it would now seem like a fixture at the centre of Altona itself!

Get out your green thumbs!
Our students got a healthy dose of nature with two tree planting events. Firstly heading up to Murtoa in August, SAIL families experienced life on a country farm. Collectively with Greening Australia, AMES and SAIL over 10,000 trees were given new homes in the ground. A little closer to Altona, our Primary students tried their hand tree planting at the local reserve alongside Kororoit Creek. Both events were a tremendous success and a great opportunity for our kids to get some fresh air while helping the environment.

That’s Melbourne
We couldn’t let the kids have all the fun so the Senior students put on the walking shoes and headed into the city for a Melbourne tour. One Senior hadn’t been in the CBD for 5 years! Spending the day at Fed Square, St Pauls’s and Queen Victoria Market it was a chance to take students out of the classroom and into the heart of

our city.

A carolling we will go
Inspired by the fantastic circus performance at the SAIL birthday, kids in Altona decided that carols at the SAIL Christmas concert were a must! Practicing for weeks with our karaoke machine the day arrived when our students, and some tutors too, plucked up the nerve and filled the hall with sounds of “We wish you a Merry Christmas” and “Jingle Bells”. Well done to our choir singers!

With 35 wonderful students, 25 fantastic volunteers, growing library, buzzing computers and a beach down the street, the newest campus has kicked off to a great start this year.

WholeSAIL review

The advent of SAIL Penpals

We piloted the new and exciting idea of cross campus Penpals. Due to its immense popularity, SAIL ’06 will begin with a long Penpals long waiting list! The creativity of the SAILors involved was fantastic, taking SAIL Penpals into waters previously unSAILeds!

SAIL Star

Ably led by editor-in-chief Lauren, the SAIL Star has had its biggest year ever. All eight editions featured the work of the most talented SAILors across all three SAIL campuses.

Bursaries

The year end was highlighted at every campus with the awarding of the SAIL scholarships. We were thrilled to be handing over about 15 $300 bursaries to SAILors who have chosen to undertake VCE in 2006. We wish them all the best in their studies. We were also pleased to see the inaugural awarding of the Rebecca Tomilson Scholarship to Matoc Mordechai, a grant to cover his Union fees at the University of Melbourne in 2006.

It is also with great pleasure that we announce that two young SAIL boys will be entering on full SAIL-specific scholarships to Xavier College, Brighton from 2006. This is a very exciting development which presents some wonderful opportunities to the lucky recipients, Konker (Footscray) and Ater (Dandenong).

Camps

Camps swamped the SAIL calendar again this year from Bright to the Wimmera to Queenslcliffe. SAILors joined in the groups to explore and enjoy the great outdoors.

Sudan news

The majority of SAILors have had a tumultuous year with one eye firmly on the events unfolding in Sudan. The initial joy at the signing of a peace deal on 9 January was made a little bitter when the leader of the southern people for over 20 years was killed on 31 July. Thankfully, the people of Sudan have demonstrated their commitment to peace and, it is with great pleasure that Sudan-watchers have seen the first reports of refugee returns to South Sudan emerge in the last week – for all the information please click here. We hope that 2006 will see peace taking root in Sudan after 22 years too many of ongoing conflict.

Donors

There are many unsung contributors in the SAIL world. The most silent of these are arguably some of the most important; the SAIL donors. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the major donors to SAIL 05. Without their financial support we would all be hitting the snooze button longer on Saturday mornings and missing a highlight of every week.

Our thanks go to the major donors for SAIL 05 including John and Annie Paterson, Westbourne Grammar School, the MAX group and M Cohn and Associates (for the third year in a row).

The most important review of all…

But our biggest thanks are reserved for you, the volunteers who keep the organisation SAILing. The people at the coal face who stoke the fire and warm the hearts of the SAIL community members of all backgrounds. Thank you for your donation of time each week and for believing in the ideal of inclusiveness that SAIL embodies.

We look forward to seeing you back on board when we set SAIL for 2006 on 18 February.

Smoooth SAILing,

Matthew, Jackie, Cait, Wayn, Catherine and Cam

2005 Co-ordinating team