ASPA was delighted to continue our relationship with GenerationOne in 2011, an organisation that works towards ending Indigenous disparity in Australia.  ASPA partnered with GenerationOne for the second year to deliver the Hands Across Australia School Competition, a campaign that reached every school in Australia through the performing arts.  Schools were invited to ‘perform’ or ‘reform’ the GenerationOne theme song Hands Across Australia for the chance to win $15,000.  All schools around Australia received a promotional pack, including a rehearsal track performed by the Australian Girls Choir and dance routine choreographed and performed by NSW Choreographer, Dale Pope.  ASPA were delighted to receive over 130 high-quality entries from schools all around Australia.

GenerationOne and ASPA would like to congratulate this year’s winners of the GenerationOne Hands Across Australia School Competition:

Yirara and Living Waters Lutheran Colleges won the top prize in the performance category, which saw the school perform and film a version of the GenerationOne – Hands Across Australia theme song in its original format.  The students met at Simpsons Gap just outside of Alice Springs to film parts of their entry which they called ‘Closing the Gap at the Gap!’

Collarenenbri Central School took home the prize in the reform category, a filmed school performance of an artistic interpretation of the song – a new category for 2011.  The school community joined together to produce a fantastic rap which addressed the issues of employment and education in Aboriginal communities.

Both entries into the competition have been awarded a GenerationOne – Hands Across Australia Education Award valued at $15,000.

Tim Gartrell, GenerationOne CEO, also awarded a CEO’s commendation this year to the schools which demonstrated a strong partnership.  Hume Public School and North Sydney Demonstration School were the winners of this $1000 prize. The Schools, located more than 500km apart, connected using the ‘Connected Classrooms’ technology and really demonstrated the important role everyone can play in working together to end Aboriginal disadvantage.

GenerationOne founders, Andrew and Nicola Forrest, Kerry Stokes and James Packer awarded a Founders prize to Lightning Ridge Central School.  Mr Forrest said the Lightning Ridge clip showed “great musical talent that got the message across that working together we can all beat the disparity through the performance of these kids.”

The “People’s Choice Award” based on popular votes was won by Kaliana Special School in Victoria, with the prize of an Apple Macbook Pro pack valued at $3,000.